Roku is best known for its extremely capable yet affordable media streaming sticks that can transform any regular television into a smart TV, but the company is now setting its sights higher, with its first batch of premium TVs in the U.S. market.
The company has just announced its Roku Pro Series TVs, which feature Mini-LED displays and will come in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes. The new product line is meant to build upon the company’s earlier success with its more affordable Roku Select and Roku Plus Series TVs, which were launched last year as part of an effort to expand beyond its traditional streaming media devices.
Roku is looking to make a splash in the premium TV segment with the new Roku Pro Series TVs, with the new models promising high quality pictures and sound together with a cutting edge design. The new TVs are, of course, designed primarily for video streaming and will run the Roku OS platform which provides access to apps such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, as well as a selection of free TV apps.
As mentioned, the TVs will come in three different size options and each model will come with a premium wall mounting option, similar to LG Electronics’ G3 OLED TV, that allows it to sit flush against the wall. While the company has yet to reveal the full specifications of the new TVs, we can already appreciate the clean and modern aesthetics of their design, thanks to the images provided by the company.
Roky said the Pro Series TVs will be equipped with 4K QLED Mini-LED displays and promised they will deliver “exceptional picture quality”, with AI and machine learning further enhancing the quality of those images. There’s an AI-powered content recognition system called Roku Smart Picture on board, which is said to automatically adjust the picture settings according to whatever the viewer is watching, be it movies, sports, talk shows or something else.
While Roku didn’t mention any details about the built-in sound system, it spoke of an “enhanced audio technology” that will provide “immersive and cinematic” sound.
Apart from that, the details regarding the Roku Pro Series TVs remain somewhat sketchy, but the company’s claims that they can match the quality of premium models from brands such as LG, Samsung and Sony are intriguing nonetheless. Even better, the TVs will be relatively affordable too, in line with Roku’s other products The company said retail pricing will be “under $1,500”, but didn’t provide a specific number.
The TVs are expected to go on sale in the spring, so hopefully it won’t be long before we can learn more about them.
