Roku streaming device

Long-term owners

The Roku UI has been consistent, fast, and clean for 10 years now.

Oct 2026 · comment

What hackers pick instead

• Apple TV 4KRecommended as a fast, private replacement for spammy smart TV software, controllable with one remote via CEC, though Apple pushes its own promotions and it is pricey.323recommend
• Nvidia Shield TVA long-supported Android TV box that plays local 4K media well with audio passthrough and app freedom, though its 2015-era chip lacks newer codecs and the interface shows ads.113recommend
• Apple TV 4KRecommended for smooth, simple streaming, fast hardware, long software support and a privacy-friendly business model, though critics cite missing audio passthrough and a higher price than before.93recommend
• Roku streaming playerPeople recommend Roku for its slick interface and phone remote app, but critics most often cite home screen ads and viewing data tracking.20recommend
• Amazon Fire TV StickPeople recommend it as a cheap way to add streaming and sideloaded apps to an older TV, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max as the top model; critics mainly object to ads and data collection by Amazon.19recommend

Every quote

The 29 most detailed of 32 comments. Each links to the original.

1. Get a $20 roku or google tv stick or whatever you're comfortable with

   Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Valve: HDMI Forum Continues to Block HDMI 2.1 for Linux”

2. The Roku UI has been consistent, fast, and clean for 10 years now.

   Recommends · Oct 2026 · in “An ad-free Android TV”

3. The $29 (on sale) Roku stick I hooked up to it works fine.

   Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

4. It literally does everything else better imho.

   Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

5. In some ways its UX beats Apple.

   Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

6. the software is just that great

   Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

7. They routinely override the user-defined navigation to include whatever new content they are pushing.

   Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

8. They close or lock down hidden features that people find to make it better, it's not user friendly.

   Criticizes · Feb 2026 · in “Nvidia's 10-year effort to make the Shield TV the most updated Android device”

9. apparently roku decided selling devices wasn't lucrative enough so they started selling ads instead

   Criticizes · Sep 2026 · in “LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'”

10. now you have to go out of your way to make the software not shitty

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

11. My Roku stick is now owned by extreme right Fox Corporation.

    Criticizes · Jul 2026 · in “Read This Before You Buy That TV Streaming Stick”

12. If this goes through, my Roku is going to the Goodwill.

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

13. they sell Roku devices below costs to advertise to you

    Criticizes · Dec 2025 · in “Texas is suing all of the big TV makers for spying on what you watch”

14. Nowadays even Roku added ads to its devices

    Criticizes · Jul 2026 · in “LG Spyware TVs”

15. wouldn't buy another after this news

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

16. you can block the as servers fairly easily and then you do have to disable all the crap on the homescreen

    Mixed · Sep 2026 · in “216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]”

17. I've been running on Roku remotes for years and haven't missed anything.

    Recommends · Sep 2026 · in “216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]”

18. you do have to eat that financial hit for the least-bad privacy option

    Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “I didn't realize my LG TV was spying on me until I turned off Live Plus”

19. haven't had any restarts but for software upgrades

    Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

20. the reason we recommended it, for so many years

    Mixed · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

21. any streaming stick will give you loads more.

    Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “I built "Middle Class Museum", a tour of things that used to be affordable”

22. it's the cheapest way to add airplay to a tv

    Mixed · Mar 2026 · in “Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features”

23. followed by high end Roku devices

    Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options”

24. which you have to do repeatedly after every software update when they change your settings

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

25. frankly I have been mostly disappointed with Roku for the past year or so

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

26. Roku decided that Amazon was the rightful owner of my fastforward button

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

27. doesn't really offer much beyond what TVs come with anyway

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

28. newer models have been getting worse instead of better

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”

29. Timed my move from Roku devices to Apple TV

    Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Fox to Buy Roku Streaming Service in $22B Deal”