Upgrade your TV with the Roku Streambar

Of course, the best deal doesn’t necessarily mean the best product. During Black Friday a few years ago, I scored a 65-inch 4K TV for just $250, and as excited as I was to get such an amazing deal, I was quickly confronted with a very real truth: you get what you pay for.

After a few months I already had some pretty big problems with the TV: the sound from the speakers was bad, the smart TV interface lagged terribly and there were a lot of apps missing from the built-in app store. I knew there would be some compromises, but I didn’t think the truth would hit home this difficult this fast.

The TV felt almost unusable and I considered buying a new one. However, I was still very happy with the size and resolution so I thought it might be better to update the aspects I was missing.

And there is where the Roku Stream Bar comes in.

Unlike your typical streaming player, the Roku Streambar is both a streaming device and a high-end soundbar. The Streambar features Roku’s streaming player, which offers 4K HDR streaming to your TV, along with a library of apps like Max, Disney Plus, and Netflix, and you can get live and local TV channels, as well as live sports. The Roku streaming interface isn’t bogged down like the one on my TV, and it also has many of the apps that were missing, so those are two upgrades right off the bat.

And as for the audio, you have a soundbar with four speakers and Dolby Audio. I put the Roku Streambar right in front of my TV and the difference in sound is huge: dialogue is clearer; sound effects are louder and more distinct. I feel much more immersed in the shows and movies I watch than when I use the built-in speakers.

The Roku Streambar lacks a little of the bass I wanted, so I paired it with a Roku Wireless Bass (there is a bundle package you can get, currently $219) for the low tones. You can even have multiple Roku Wireless Speakers ($149) for a full surround sound experience, but that’s overkill for my apartment, so I’m content with just the Streambar and Wireless Bass, both of which have improved my viewing experience — and I didn’t even have to buy a new TV.

Not yet anyway.

Look at this: Roku vs. Chromecast vs. Apple TV 4K: Which is the Best Streaming Device?

03:35