Roku Streambar review: In this day and age, it is certainly not uncommon to find something to be much smaller when you get it out than it looked in the photo; however, in the case of the Roku Streambar, we are not even the least bit cross about it.
This 4K streamer and TV audio combo is not so much a bar as it is a kind of angled brick, which is something you need to know, of course; however, if you’re happy to simply improve the sound of your TV rather than make it truly cinematic, it should still be on your list.
Roku Streambar Features
The Streambar is compatible with any television that has an HDMI input, and it is capable of producing 4K HDR video at up to 60 frames per second on televisions that are compatible with it. Upscaling will be done on lower resolution signals in order to provide 1080p Full HD for everyone else.
It is an excellent method for making a Roku TV smart, but due to its extensive library of applications, it can also be used to compensate for deficiencies in the capabilities of your television set. Services such as Now TV and Apple TV, which are not yet universally built into to sets, sit among the usual suspects such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and a full house of UK terrestrial catch-up apps. Neither of these services is yet universally built into two sets.
It is a wonderful place to begin your search for something to watch, even if you ultimately decide to watch it on a different device that is either more expensive or more specialized. You can find out where things are available to stream for free or at the lowest cost by simply tapping in or uttering the name of a show, actor, or director using a voice-compatible remote. This will show you where things are available.
You can make things even simpler by using the Roku app, which enables you to search using the keyboard on your phone, view an entertainment guide, and send video, music, and photos to your TV. While the bundled-in remote is helpful because it has quick dial buttons for Netflix, Google Play, Rakuten TV, and Spotify, you can make things even simpler by using the Roku app.
Roku Streambar Design
However, since this Roku streamer is built into a soundbar rather than the other way around, it is encouraging to see that at least equal attention has been paid to that aspect of its functionality. The Streambar conceals four 5-millimeter full-range drivers behind its grille and compensates for its modest width of 35 millimeters by angling two of them away from the head-on listening position.
Despite the fact that HDMI is required to access all of this product’s features, the Streambar comes equipped with optical and USB inputs on the back of the device, as well as Bluetooth for wireless streaming. Since you are provided with all of the cables and batteries, you are free to experiment with various configurations until you find one that meets your needs.
You also have the option to play about with the sound settings, which offer the standard voice and bass boosts in addition to automatically lowering the volume of any very loud advertisements. The Streambar is very much a tool, and anything that helps make the sound from your TV more easily audible is a significant bonus. As is always the case, the best overall audio performance can be achieved by using the settings that are the most natural and direct.
In addition to this, the Roku setup process is really straightforward. It requests payment information so that renting and purchasing content in the future can be done more quickly, but the process is so simple that even the most technophobic user will arrive at the home screen before too long.
Roku Streambar Picture
The on-screen action is presented in a methodical and polished manner, making for an enjoyable viewing experience overall. The presentation is passable regardless of the resolution at which it is being played, despite having a straightforward layout, which is actually a strong compliment in this case.
There is a satisfactory amount of detail – for instance, it is straightforward to determine what is 4K and what is only Full HD – and a sufficient amount of vibrancy to attract the viewer’s attention.
For instance, traveling to BBC iPlayer for a round of House of Games provides a nice contrast to the clean but depressing color palette of the show His House, which can be found on Netflix. When we travel back in time 30 years to Peckham, Desmond’s barber shop has been upgraded to a high standard, but thanks to the Roku, we are also able to appreciate the significant increase in native resolution that occurs when we go to The Last Dance.
It is to be expected that it is not as subtle and does not offer as much depth as a premium streamer might, or the native picture on a high-end TV; however, the Streambar does exactly what it promises to do, and there are very few complaints regarding its performance.
Roku Streambar Sound
In a nutshell, it serves its intended purpose. And this is relevant in terms of the sonic performance of the Streambar as well. It doesn’t have a particularly impressive amount of dynamics or space, as you might anticipate from dedicated soundbars that cost twice or three times as much, but it does a good job of projecting voices and has a respectable level of detail for the price.
You can turn the Streambar all the way up without risking damage to your hearing thanks to its satisfactory level of clarity and well-balanced sound, which is free of jagged or harsh edges. If there is someone in the family who requires things to be louder than others, this is the ideal solution; at the very least, you won’t all end up with tinnitus by the end of the evening.
This is supported by the fact that the Streambar can be used as a Bluetooth speaker. It is not incredibly sophisticated in terms of timing or effusive dynamics, but it still delivers music directly to its audience and without much that would make you clamor for a similarly priced wireless speaker. In other words, it does not have much that would make you want to buy a wireless speaker.
A better viewing experience
You probably already know this, but if you use your personal computer to stream your favorite television episodes and movies, you need to be seated at your desk in order to have the best experience. Using a mouse to navigate the experience can become laborious if you opt to sit on a couch across the room, twist your display so that it faces the bed, or rotate your monitor so that it faces the opposite wall.
There is no substitute for a decent remote, and Roku’s remote and user interface are among the best in the industry. Those that stream from their desktops frequently have to deal with a mediocre watching experience that is based on a browser, but the Roku Streambar provides a compelling alternative to this option by functioning as a device that can perform both of these functions.
The Streambar is not going to provide the most premium quality viewing experience that Roku is capable of, but for the purposes of this application, that is not an essential requirement. Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision compatibility have been introduced to the new Roku Streambar Pro, but if you are living in a dorm room, you may not even want to make use of these features. They don’t have a sound system that supports Atmos, and it’s unlikely that their monitor will support Dolby Vision, so they can get by with only 4K stream quality and the interface that Roku provides (and save themselves $50 in the process).
We are not entirely confident that we would be able to persuade someone who has been streaming from their desktop computer that the Roku Streaming Stick would be a suitable use of their HDMI connection; but, the Streambar is more than just a player. That would be a speaker.
Better than stock speakers
Even though there are a lot of fantastic speaker alternatives available, audiophile-level sound may not be at the top of everyone’s priority list; this is especially true if you are a student on a limited budget. For the vast majority of situations, all you’ll ever require is a pair of headphones and a Bluetooth speaker. Bookshelf speakers such as the Harman Soundsticks 4 are either too big or too unwieldy to manage in a confined location or on a workstation that is not very spacious.
The Roku Streambar easily fulfills its primary objective, which is to be superior to the default settings that come installed on a device when it is purchased. It is unquestionably superior to the speakers that come with the majority of monitors or laptops, and it will take up a lot less space in your room than a bookshelf or conventional computer speakers would. The Streambar is an excellent choice if you want to achieve a minimalist appearance while simultaneously enhancing the quality of the sound.
Better still, it’s not simply a TV speaker. It is also capable of functioning as a music player and speaker for your PC. It may even be a gaming soundbar for some individuals.
Multifunctional
One HDMI output, one digital optical input, and Bluetooth connectivity are all supported by the Roku Streambar
The input of HDMI to their monitor and the connection to sound via Bluetooth to their computer should be sufficient to meet the requirements of the vast majority of people who are going back to school. The majority of displays are equipped with at least two input options, which can either be two HDMI or one HDMI in addition to a DisplayPort. This is all you would need to connect your PC and the Streambar to the monitor at the same time. This is an ideal situation for the vast majority of college students.
Bluetooth may be sufficient for listening to music or watching movies on YouTube, but it will have much too much delay to be appealing for most kinds of video games. However, things will go more smoothly for you if your computer is capable of supporting a digital optical connection. For gaming, the Streambar would be an excellent choice.
The reaction of people who play video games on personal computers to the unexpected availability of a soundbar designed exclusively for gaming is still unknown, but the companies that make these soundbars appear optimistic that the concept will catch on. Even though the Roku Streambar is not as well suited for gaming as the Panasonic Soundslayer is (it comes with two HDMI connections, so you don’t have to worry about making a choice between an optical or Bluetooth connection), it is nevertheless useful in a number of situations.
Roku Streambar Verdict
If you consider the Roku Streambar an improvement to your existing television rather than a means of entering the realm of serious home theater, then it fulfills the requirements of virtually every category. Although it does not quite earn a perfect score of five stars, it excels in the areas of projection and clarity, which are likely to be the primary purposes for which it will be utilized.
At this price point, the Roku Streambar presents an incredibly low risk of failure in terms of its ability to improve TV audio and the smart features of older sets. In that regard, we feel confident in saying that it is an endeavor in which everyone should participate.
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