Compare Roku Pro Series (2025) vs Roku Pro Series (2026)

Most owners and experts praise a bright, sharp, vibrant Mini-LED picture that looks excellent with 4K and HDR. A smaller group reports washed-out color, blur, or a less dramatic upgrade than expected.

OLED blacks, natural colors, and detailed imagery make a strong impression. Dark rooms suit the picture best, while ambient light reduces the impact of moody scenes.

Brightness is consistently praised, with experts measuring strong HDR peaks and customers calling the screen extremely bright. It is especially effective in rooms with substantial ambient light.

Low peak brightness is the most repeated performance limitation. Some consider it sufficient for ordinary homes, but it trails brighter OLEDs and mini-LED sets.

Stereo imaging and virtual surround are unusually convincing for built-in speakers, creating a wider and more immersive soundstage than typical TVs.

Removing the older Soundstage audio port is treated as a setback caused by the slimmer design.

Bass is unusually strong for a TV and surprises many owners, but opinions vary: one expert wanted more true low-end extension while one customer found the bass excessive.

Limited bass weakens movie impact and makes a soundbar with a subwoofer worthwhile for more immersive viewing.

Full-screen brightness remains strong rather than collapsing, helping the TV keep a punchy image across large bright scenes.

Full-screen white and snowy scenes can look dim, exposing the panel’s sustained-brightness limits. Everyday SDR content fares better against the OLED rivals compared.

HDR brightness is strong enough to make highlights pop and materially improve viewing in bright rooms.

HDR highlights can look striking against perfect blacks, but tested output is modest beside brighter OLED rivals. The earliest hands-on impression is much more enthusiastic than later measurements.

Built-in sound is one of the TV’s biggest advantages, frequently described as soundbar-like and unusually full for a flat-screen. A minority still prefers an external system.

Sound is acceptable for standard television in some accounts, with clear mids and useful dialogue enhancement. Others hear thin, unclear audio, and weak bass limits movie immersion.

Deep blacks and shadow detail can look excellent in dark scenes, but one owner reported severe low-light processing blur and another found daytime dark scenes too dim.

Dark rooms bring out the best in the picture, preserving shadow texture and letting OLED blacks give movies and games convincing depth.

High brightness makes the TV a strong daytime performer, even in rooms with large windows. Glare and a few reports of dim dark scenes keep it from being universally ideal.

Bright rooms are the main weak point, especially with dark scenes. Some find ordinary home lighting manageable, but sunny rooms expose the brightness ceiling.

HDR usually looks punchy and impressive, with strong highlights, deep contrast, and vivid color. Some reviewers still found HDR color less accurate than ideal.

OLED contrast gives HDR a premium look even at modest brightness. Highlights lack the punch of brighter models, making controlled lighting the better setting.

Out-of-box white balance can lean slightly cool and blue. The error is visible but not severe, and the picture still looks natural in the better modes.

White balance is generally accurate, though one test finds a slightly warm default. Calibration brings that unit much closer to its target.

Color accuracy is mixed but mostly good: SDR and Dolby Vision can look very natural, while some testing found inaccurate HDR color and a few owners noticed pinkish skin tones.

Accurate skin tones and natural colors earn broad praise, especially in the more accurate picture modes. One assessment finds the colors good rather than particularly vivid.

Movie mode can look natural and realistic once the automatic processing is dialed in, with no major rendering errors in normal viewing.

Natural skin tones and strong SDR accuracy are widely appreciated. Default white balance and some HDR brightness behavior leave room for refinement.

Gaming performance is a standout strength, combining responsive controls, strong HDR color, smooth high-refresh output, and very low lag.

Gaming is a consistent strength, combining smooth OLED motion, rich contrast, and very responsive controls. Competitive players seeking higher refresh rates or more tools may want a step-up model.

Mini-LED/QLED is viewed as a meaningful step up from standard LED, delivering deeper blacks, stronger contrast, and more vivid color.

OLED brings a crisp image, precise light control, and rich black tones at an accessible price. Limited brightness remains the central compromise.

Contrast is widely praised for combining bright highlights with convincing dark areas, giving movies and games strong depth without sacrificing shadow detail.

Precise OLED contrast gives dark scenes depth and keeps small highlights distinct. This strength remains compelling even without high peak brightness.

Motion performance is inconsistent. Many viewers see smooth sports and action, while others report stutter, jitter, blur, or lag that persists even after adjusting motion settings.

Motion generally holds up well against much more expensive televisions, especially during gaming. Film pans and some sports footage still reveal limitations.

Measured input lag is consistently excellent, landing below 10ms in several tests and producing highly responsive gameplay.

Input lag earns unusually strong praise, including record-setting 4K60 measurements in the PCMag tests. Other gaming assessments also find the TV snappy and responsive.

The revised speaker system can play louder than the previous generation while remaining useful at lower volume settings in everyday rooms.

The speakers lack the output and impact needed to fill a living room convincingly on their own.

Large sizes are heavy and awkward to handle, with several owners and experts recommending two people for lifting, setup, or wall mounting.

Low weight makes the television easier to lift and position during setup, even at the larger size.

One expert sample showed visible vertical banding on test patterns, though it was not severe enough to justify replacing the unit.

Color banding is absent in several viewing tests. Gray test screens can reveal some panel banding, although it generally stays unobtrusive in actual content.

Recommendations stay relatively restrained and avoid overwhelming the home screen, which suits buyers who prefer Roku’s simpler presentation.

Favorite-service shortcuts can reduce browsing, but added suggested-content rows make the home screen feel less immediately useful to some longtime Roku users.

Two high-bandwidth HDMI inputs support 120Hz gaming, which reviewers consider sufficient for most modern console setups.

The four HDMI 2.1-labeled connections sound generous, but detailed testing reports only two full-rate 4K120 inputs. That distinction limits flexibility for multiple gaming devices.

Colors are repeatedly described as vibrant, rich, and lively, with strong measured gamut coverage. The set does not fully cover DCI-P3, but real-world color is a major strength.

Color coverage is ample for much current content but narrower than brighter, more expensive OLEDs and some mini-LED rivals.

Ads are a notable point of disagreement. Some reviewers find them restrained versus rival platforms, while others strongly dislike large, unavoidable ads in Roku menus.

The home screen is relatively restrained about advertising. Its single large ad still takes up noticeable space, even though it is preferable to heavier advertising elsewhere.

Reflection handling is average to good for the class. The screen is somewhat reflective, but several reviewers found it manageable in normal bright-room use.

Reflection handling depends heavily on lighting and content. Bright scenes fare better, while dark scenes can show distracting reflections; the step-up LX is favored for better suppression.

Recessed routing and integrated straps keep cables controlled behind a flush-mounted TV, a small design detail reviewers repeatedly appreciate.

Velcro straps and foot clips keep wiring tidy. They offer less concealment than the predecessor’s recessed cable management.

One owner reports the TV uses about half the power of their previous set, making efficiency a pleasant bonus.

Eco mode is appreciated for reducing environmental impact, though brighter viewing modes are available.

Experts consistently praise the TV for preserving detail in dark scenes, often outperforming comparison sets in shadow-heavy material.

Deep shadows retain convincing texture in a dark room. Ambient light can muddy those details, and very close viewing reveals some near-black grain.

Upscaling is mixed. One expert liked the restrained, non-oversharpened processing, while an owner found older low-resolution movies noticeably blurry in backgrounds.

The lack of exposed upscaling adjustments is a drawback for users who want to tune processing themselves.

Dialogue is usually clear and intelligible, helped by a strong midrange and dedicated sound options. One owner found heavy bass could obscure speech.

Dialogue enhancement and clear midrange sound work well for everyday television in one assessment. Another finds the speakers unclear, so speech quality is not universally praised.

Fast sports can remain impressively clear, with players and movement easy to follow during NFL viewing.

OLED motion is clear and effective for games and sports. Some blur in faces and fine detail remains visible, and slower sports replays can look choppy.

Blooming is generally minimal and often barely noticeable even around bright objects on black backgrounds. A small number of users saw brief halo artifacts.

Pixel-level light control keeps high-contrast edges free from distracting halos and bloom.

The rechargeable, backlit Voice Remote Pro is one of the most consistently loved features, especially its finder function and premium feel.

Backlighting and the remote finder are standout conveniences. Some miss the predecessor’s rechargeable battery and hands-free voice control.

Older and lower-resolution material produces mixed results, ranging from surprisingly visible detail to distracting background blur on some films.

Limited access to scaling adjustments frustrates a reviewer looking for more control over lower-resolution content.

Motion smoothing is divisive: some viewers grow to like the ultra-smooth look, while others find even the lowest setting too aggressive and soap-opera-like.

Motion interpolation introduces visible issues even at a low setting, limiting its usefulness for smoothing movement.

4K/120 gaming works well and gives modern consoles a responsive, fluid presentation.

120Hz play is smooth and responsive for consoles, but falls short of the higher refresh ceilings available on premium gaming TVs.

Off-axis viewing is better than many VA-style LCD TVs for several reviewers, with colors often staying true. Others still see noticeable degradation from the side, so seating position matters.

Wide viewing angles preserve rich colors and contrast for people sitting off-center. A more critical test notices some tint shifts, while still preferring it to mini-LED viewing angles.

There is no dedicated gaming dashboard like some rivals provide, which makes quick game-specific adjustments less convenient.

The missing game bar and dedicated gaming tools leave enthusiasts without conveniences such as a crosshair or frame-rate counter.

Programmable shortcuts and a guide button are useful, but live-TV viewers may miss traditional number buttons.

The familiar Roku layout makes operation immediately approachable for existing Roku users.

Uniformity is acceptable rather than perfect, with minor vignetting and one sample showing vertical banding.

Panel uniformity is good in real content, although gray screens can expose faint vertical banding.

Stutter is a recurring motion weakness, especially in slow pans and sports where some owners notice jitter or lag despite the 120Hz panel.

24fps film pans can show stutter even though overall motion handling is competitive.

Automatic Game mode switches in with a console and produces highly responsive performance without requiring manual setup.

Game mode delivers an attractive, accurate picture with little adjustment. Automatic switching also makes it easy to start playing.

Overall satisfaction is high, driven by picture, sound, simplicity, and value. The main reasons for low ratings are early failures, support problems, ads, and isolated motion or streaming issues.

The overall package is strongly recommended as an accessible first OLED, especially for dark-room viewers and budget gamers. Brightness, sound, and enthusiast features keep it from being an uncompromised flagship.

Glare is noticeable for some owners, especially from windows, though another reviewer found it unobtrusive during typical living-room viewing.

Glare treatment draws sharply different reactions. Initial impressions praise it, while more critical testing finds the semi-gloss surface distracting during dark scenes in lit rooms.

Black levels are one of the Mini-LED system’s strengths, often described as deep or nearly OLED-like. Isolated hardware faults can still create dark patches.

Deep, inky blacks are the defining strength, giving nighttime scenes a richness that bright LCD alternatives struggle to match.

There are extensive picture and audio adjustments, including per-input controls and EQ. Some reviewers still find color management confusing or less complete than they would like.

Granular picture controls are available on the TV itself. Requiring active content before opening some deeper settings makes fine-tuning less convenient.

Roku’s Smart Picture processing can improve color, contrast, and scene-by-scene presentation, but automatic motion smoothing and low-light processing can become overly aggressive.

Smart Picture Max helps viewers get an appealing picture without adjusting menus. More demanding testing criticizes the broader processing tools and their limited effectiveness.

The tool-free feet are sturdy and thoughtfully designed, with integrated knobs and flexible placement making assembly easier.

Tool-free, height-adjustable feet make installation convenient and leave flexibility for a soundbar. The securely locked stand also makes a solid impression.

The 120Hz refresh rate is a strong fit for gaming and feels like a major upgrade over older TVs. A few sports viewers still report motion lag despite the higher refresh rate.

The 120Hz panel provides smooth console play, though it cannot match the refresh rates of faster OLED models.

Four HDMI ports provide plenty of room for consoles, streamers, and audio gear, and owners generally like the connection flexibility.

Four HDMI connections provide generous space for connecting multiple devices.

Slow camera pans can show more judder than expected, making cinematic movement look less smooth than the rest of the picture.

Certain slow film pans show visible stutter, so judder-sensitive viewers may notice motion imperfections.

Response is excellent for gaming, with measured behavior under a frame and customers also describing the TV as exceptionally quick.

Fast OLED response makes moving targets easier to follow than on the mini-LED alternatives discussed in testing.

Reliability is the biggest customer concern. Many sets run flawlessly for months, but a meaningful number of owners report early screen, backlight, HDMI, power, or glitch failures.

Roku OS is described as reliable, but heavy daily use raises OLED longevity concerns. An LCD is favored for users keeping the screen on for many hours.

Dolby Vision content can look especially vibrant, with strong color and contrast according to owners who use it.

Dolby Vision is welcome, but the lack of its IQ variant disappoints a reviewer who expects ambient-light-aware support at this price.

4K/120 support is repeatedly praised and works on two HDMI inputs, making the TV a strong match for current consoles.

120Hz console play is smooth and well suited to this OLED. Port labeling causes confusion, and not every HDMI connection is reported to support 4K at the full refresh rate.

A customer successfully ran a PS5 at 4K/120, confirming that the high-bandwidth HDMI connection delivers the expected gaming benefit.

HDMI connectivity supports smooth console gaming. Confusing labeling and different claims about full-rate support make the capabilities of individual ports a caveat.

Private headphone listening is convenient through Roku’s app or headphone mode and is valued by owners who watch without disturbing others.

Wireless private listening is convenient for late-night viewing and shared rooms.

Connecting a soundbar through HDMI ARC/eARC is reported as straightforward, with easy integration into the Roku control experience.

The eARC connection makes adding a soundbar simple, a useful benefit given the speakers’ limited impact.

HDR and Dolby Vision content are praised for vivid, high-impact color, making the TV well suited to modern HDR sources.

Supporting both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ is an uncommon advantage for viewers using different HDR sources.

Modern-console gaming is strongly supported, with customers and experts praising 4K gameplay, low lag, and smooth performance.

OLED contrast and smooth motion make 4K console games look appealing. The limited gaming extras matter more to enthusiasts than casual players.

Value is widely praised, especially at sale prices, because the TV combines strong picture, unusually good sound, fast Roku software, and gaming features. At full price, competition becomes tougher.

Affordable OLED pricing is the strongest shared selling point, with reported sale prices making the value especially compelling. Lower brightness and simpler features are the compromises behind that saving.

Setup is overwhelmingly described as quick, intuitive, and painless. The main complication is physical handling because larger sizes are heavy and often need two people.

Tool-free feet and straightforward startup make setup unusually easy. Multiple hands-on accounts have the television ready in about ten minutes.

One long-time Roku owner specifically calls Bluetooth a major quality-of-life improvement.

Bluetooth is useful for connecting accessories, but its older version is treated as a minor hardware shortcut.

Firmware support has successfully fixed at least one measured color issue, showing that Roku can correct picture problems after release.

App updates move quickly during initial setup, but the interface update adding more recommendations disappoints some users.

Voice control is convenient for media tasks such as launching apps, changing inputs, and adjusting volume, but it is less capable as a whole-home assistant than Google or Alexa.

Push-to-talk voice control suits viewers who prefer a microphone that is not always listening. Those wanting hands-free assistance miss the feature available on the earlier Pro.

App performance is polarized: many reviewers praise instant launches and smooth streaming, while a few owners report Netflix glitches or severe buffering even on fast connections.

Initial app updates run quickly, keeping the setup process moving.

Bluetooth audio works well for private listening and compatible rear speakers, giving owners flexible alternatives to the built-in speakers.

Direct Bluetooth headphone listening is a welcome option for watching privately without disturbing others.

The remote’s physical microphone mute switch is a useful privacy feature, though one owner raised concerns about the TV’s Wi-Fi broadcasting behavior.

Privacy controls can be disabled while keeping the TV usable. Default data sharing and required account sign-in still concern some users.

Streaming is generally effortless, with major services easy to access and existing Roku app setups often carrying over quickly.

Extensive streaming coverage and free Roku programming support a wide range of everyday viewing, with Twitch the stated major service gap.

Wi-Fi experiences vary widely, from fast initial connection to severe buffering and one complaint about interference or security concerns.

Wi-Fi 5 is treated as a minor cost-saving shortcut rather than a significant everyday limitation.

Menus, channel changes, and app switching feel immediate, with reviewers repeatedly praising seamless navigation and quick command execution.

Menus operate quickly, helping the interface feel responsive during ordinary use.

The 2025 Pro Series is consistently described as extremely fast, with little to no interface lag and a clear performance jump over older Roku TVs.

Fast interface operation keeps everyday navigation straightforward and responsive.

Roku OS remains a major reason to buy: it is simple, intuitive, familiar, and tightly integrated with the TV. A few owners dislike live-TV navigation or isolated streaming problems.

Roku remains approachable, quick, and easy to learn. Added recommendations and a few awkward input or picture-setting steps reduce the simplicity for some longtime users.

Most major streaming apps are easy to find and use, though Twitch is missing and one owner could not install a desired karaoke app.

A broad collection of streaming services and free programming gives viewers plenty to watch. Twitch is the notable exception in the tested platform coverage.

Smart-home support is intentionally limited: Roku devices integrate well, but third-party compatibility is much narrower than on Google, Amazon, LG, or Samsung platforms.

Compatibility with several smart-home ecosystems is appreciated. The platform is less suitable as a comprehensive whole-home control hub.

Tone mapping is competent but not perfectly calibrated: HDR can under-track the target curve unless brightness settings are pushed high.

One test criticizes default tone mapping for clipping highlight detail and recommends turning it off for accuracy. Another finds HDR luminance tracking very good.

Bezels are consistently praised as very thin, giving the screen a clean, modern presentation.

The thin frame keeps attention on the screen and suits the clean, minimalist design.

The shadowbox design is thicker than many TVs but looks premium and attractive, especially when flush-mounted like a picture frame.

The thin OLED panel and minimalist frame look clean and attractive. Moving away from the thicker shadowbox design brings compromises in audio and cable concealment.

Most owners describe the metal-framed TV as solid, premium, or built like a tank. That positive impression is tempered by delicate screens and a few early hardware failures.

Construction is generally solid, with securely attached feet making a reassuring impression during setup.

Gamers who require 144Hz are directed toward the step-up LX rather than this 120Hz model.

Customer support is a major weak point: several owners describe unanswered contacts, repeated runarounds, and troubleshooting that failed to resolve serious faults.

Missing DTS support is a notable exclusion for some home-theater setups, though many viewers using the TV speakers may never notice.

FreeSync Premium contributes to smooth gaming and helps reduce distracting tearing.

HDR10+ alongside Dolby Vision expands compatibility beyond the format combinations offered by many competing OLEDs.

Over-the-air TV is convenient when it works, with useful guide integration and live pause. Several owners, however, found local-channel navigation or guide behavior frustrating.

Warranty experiences are inconsistent: one owner received a quick replacement, while several others describe slow, frustrating, or unhelpful repair and replacement support.

Roku’s large tiles, straightforward navigation, and approachable design make the platform especially friendly for less tech-savvy viewers.

QR-code login makes account setup convenient, but mandatory sign-in frustrates buyers who would rather use the TV without an account.

Roku’s art and Backdrops modes are a surprise hit, letting the TV resemble a more expensive frame-style display when idle.

Antenna reception is usually strong, including reports of dozens of channels from small antennas. One owner had severe live-TV guide/reset problems despite the hardware connection.

Automatic game switching saves users from hunting through menus before playing.

Colors remain rich across viewing positions, but limited color brightness restricts the range and intensity available from premium OLED panels.

Sports and anime viewing do not reveal the distracting dirty-screen patterns associated with many LCD panels.

Loud peaks can trigger audible compression, but the effect is considered acceptable for built-in TV speakers and helps prevent harsher distortion.

The manual exists, but one owner found it unusually difficult to locate even after spending time with chat support.

Ethernet performance is mixed: one owner reports trouble-free wired networking, while another still experienced constant buffering over a wired connection.

HDR footage shows clean color transitions without visible banding in the reported viewing sessions.

Thick protective padding and a bag with lifting handles make unboxing feel reassuring and straightforward.

The affordable OLED panel supplies rich blacks and clean motion. Its older, less colorful technology does not match the brightness and color reach of premium panels.

Windows text and certain interface elements look less clear than desired, making this a weaker choice for desktop work.

Remote commands register very quickly, with owners describing little to no delay compared with older TVs.

4K presentation is a clear strength, with one gaming-focused owner praising the bright, crisp 4K visuals.

Live-TV and guide navigation can be cumbersome, with some owners complaining that finding channels requires too much scrolling.

The feet hold the TV firmly, with one unboxing finding it more stable than central-pedestal designs.

The feet sit very far apart, and multiple owners warn that the TV can require a wider console than expected.

USB-A and USB-C connectivity is repeatedly appreciated, especially for powering accessories and keeping the rechargeable remote cable handy.

VRR operates reliably in the gaming tests and helps make 120Hz play smooth.

Wall mounting is a major strength: the flat-backed design can sit nearly flush like a frame TV, with several owners reporting straightforward installation.

The slimmer design loses the older compatible-speaker audio connection, a tradeoff for buyers interested in expanding the sound system.

One owner reports random mid-stream audio sync failures across multiple apps, fixable only temporarily with a quick rewind.

Local dimming is usually excellent, producing deep blacks and strong highlight separation. A few owners encountered haloing or dark-zone failures, so the experience is not flawless.

Noise reduction is available but is judged insufficiently effective in the critical processing assessment.

The optical output caused an unusually difficult setup experience for one owner, who eventually found a working cable orientation only through trial and error.

The choice of only 55- and 65-inch versions restricts buyers who need a smaller or larger screen.

Hands-free voice control is described as genuinely useful and convenient, especially because it works without pressing the microphone button.