The new Roku Express 4K+ demonstrates that if you wait long enough for a technology to spread, you can eventually buy it for a ridiculously low price. This was true for SSDs, USBs, and high-capacity RAM, and it is now true for 4K HDR streaming devices. The Roku Express 4K+ supports 4K HDR streaming at up to 60 frames per second over HDMI 2.0b and HDR10+.
There is no support for Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision, two high-end formats for spatial audio and HDR, respectively. While it lacks the high-end formats found on the Roku Ultra and has a slightly shorter range than the slightly more expensive Roku Streaming Stick+, the Roku Express 4K+ is Roku’s answer to the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google TV – it’s inexpensive, has all of the same streaming apps, and comes with a remote.
The Roku Express 4K Plus is straightforward, but somewhat awkward. It’s a curved rectangular device that’s meant to be placed flat next to your TV or in your entertainment console. It has a matte black design, a shiny Roku logo, and a glossy front, as well as a purple LED power indicator.
The only issue with the design of the Roku Express 4K Plus is that it is too light. Typically, lightweight technology is a good thing, but it’s so light that it may require some fiddling with the HDMI cable to get it to sit properly. Roku comes with an adhesive strip to help you attach it to a surface. The Chromecast with Google TV, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Tivo Stream 4K are all simpler-to-use dongles that sit behind your TV. The Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which has the same design, is also a favourite of ours.
You might also find the included HDMI cable to be too short. The cable, which is just under two feet long, which is itself seated on a surface. For example, the HDMI ports on my wall-mounted TV are too far away. However, if you have such a customised setup. The Express 4K Plus’ ports situation is similar to that of its competitors. There are HDMI connectors, a microUSB port for power, and a small reset button. The Chromecast with Google TV has all of these buttons, whereas the Tivo Stream 4K and Fire TV Stick must be reset using the remote.
