# Roku TV Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/roku-tv/ 8 people recommended Roku TV in Hacker News comments, 4 had mixed feelings and 28 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 4 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** Criticized more than recommended, mainly for slow startup and a sluggish interface; those who recommend it cite its clean, ad-free interface and working as a plain display offline. Summary written by Claude from the comments below. ## What people warn about - Slow startup and sluggish interface (6 comments in the sample): "Not great, I still see the Roku interface for ~2secs on startup but otherwise it’s out of my way." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46256413)) "I got tired of my TCL Roku taking so long to turn on and switch inputs" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47857959)) "the interface has gotten awful and interactions are sluggish" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50073068)) - Requires Roku account and internet (4 comments in the sample): "initial setup requires a Roku account. So the conclusion is do not buy a Roku TV, or Roku anything." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50168099)) "Are you sure you want to open Jellyfin, it probably won't work without internet access" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46999280)) "it won't even let you use the TV as a damned TV without connecting it to the internet" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48545389)) - Intrusive ads and popups (3 comments in the sample): "I get creepy intrusive popups telling me: “you could be watching this on other streaming providers!” all the time." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46326189)) "Roku pushed this 'feature' and made it default without my knowledge/consent" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674392)) "I don’t want a display ad on the menu screen when I turn on my TV like WTF" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48385380)) - Collects viewing data (2 comments in the sample): "Roku collects an insane amount of data on users. Basically everything that they can get their hands on" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49116131)) "These are usually the cheap models, the kind that are heavily subsidized by spyware" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50232921)) ## Why people recommend it - Clean, ad-free interface (3 comments in the sample): "The interface was so clean and pleasant to use and there aren't ads stuffed everywhere." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48543635)) "my goal of having a streaming TV without ads littering the interface was achieved" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47534301)) "The default isn't great, mind you, but it is ad-free." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47532780)) - Works as a plain display (2 comments in the sample): "It has never once been connected to the internet, and it doesn't nag me." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46244236)) "I’ve been using my TCL Roku disconnected from the internet for 6 years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47531498)) - Fast, fluid user experience (2 comments in the sample): "I would say the experience with my Roku TVs (TCL, Phillips, and Sharp) has been the best. Nothing slow about them." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48548868)) "you get a fast fluid user experience" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46246361)) ## Other smart TVs people recommend - [LG smart TV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lg-smart-tv/): 27 recommend, 26 mixed, 281 criticize - [Samsung TV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/samsung-tv/): 15 recommend, 15 mixed, 124 criticize - [Sony Bravia TV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sony-bravia-tv/): 13 recommend, 4 mixed, 4 criticize - [TCL TV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tcl-tv/): 11 recommend, 4 mixed, 13 criticize ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://www.roku.com/) ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Roku TV", https://hackerapproved.com/p/roku-tv/ (8 recommend, 4 mixed, 28 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.