Roku has been making smart TVs for a while, but one key thing has always been missing from its lineup: a higher-end OLED model. That’s now changing, with not just one TV, but two.
Roku has announced its first-ever OLED TVs: the Roku Pro Series OLED TV and the Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV. The company says its new TVs use OLED technology to deliver vibrant colors and deeper blacks, all at a price it calls “genuinely accessible.”
The Roku Pro Series OLED TV starts at $1,000 and is available now, exclusively through Amazon. It comes in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, with a 120Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR support, as well as Dolby Vision and Atmos and Roku Smart Picture Max. The latter can automatically adjust the TV’s picture settings depending on what you’re watching.
As you’d expect from an OLED TV, the design is sleek, with ultra-thin bezels and a slim overall profile. It also comes with an adjustable, tool-free stand and an Enhanced Voice Remote with backlit buttons.
“OLED technology has been locked behind premium price tags, forcing many customers to choose between the display they want or a price that works for them,” said Chris Larson, the Vice President of Retail Strategy at Roku. “We see a clear opportunity to change that equation. With the new Roku Pro Series OLED and LX OLED TVs, we’re removing that cost barrier and making a top-tier viewing experience genuinely accessible.”
- Brand
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Roku
- Display Size
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55-inch, 65-inch
- Operating System
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Roku OS
- Display Type
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OLED
Roku’s Pro Series LX OLED TV starts at $1,300
Brighter picture, faster refresh rate
The second OLED TV Roku announced is the Pro Series LX OLED, which offers a few meaningful upgrades over the standard Pro Series OLED TV, albeit at a higher price.
The Roku Pro Series LX OLED starts at $1,300, which is $300 more than the Pro Series OLED TV, and will be available beginning in October. Roku says that, compared to its base OLED model, the LX delivers a brighter picture and a wider range of colors, along with a higher 144Hz refresh rate with VRR. It also includes an advanced screen polarizer designed to help reduce reflections.
Aside from those upgrades, the Pro Series LX OLED shares many of the same features as the standard Pro Series OLED TV, including the same thin bezels, sleek design, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium, VRR, Dolby Vision and Atmos, and Roku Smart Picture Max.
For comparison, the LG B6E OLED TV also starts at $1,300 for the 55-inch model, putting it at the same price as the Roku Pro Series LX OLED. It offers many of the same features, including a 120Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and Dolby Vision and Atmos support. However, there are plenty of Labor Day deals going on right now, and you can currently snag the 55-inch LG B6E for just $800 at Best Buy. That admittedly makes it a much more compelling deal than either of Roku’s new OLED TVs.
Over in Samsung’s camp, the closest competition is the S85H OLED TV, which starts at $1,500 for the 55-inch model. With Labor Day deals currently underway, though, you can pick one up for around $1,200 on sale.
All in all, while it’s exciting to see Roku finally release OLED TVs and the regular prices seem reasonable at first glance, I’d keep an eye out for deals before buying one. If you can pick up a Samsung or LG OLED for significantly less, that’s likely the better buy. It also would’ve been nice to see Roku release more sizes, as just 55-inch and 65-inch models seem pretty limiting. Hopefully, that’s something the company addresses in the future.
Roku’s Pro Series OLED TV is available now, starting at $1,000 on Amazon, while the Roku Pro Series LX OLED is set to launch in October.