Roku’s Pro Series is our favorite budget mini-LED 4K TV, and now it’s launching a much cheaper model al.griffin@futurenet.com (Al Griffin) | usagoldmines.com

• Roku’s Pro and Plus Series TV models are getting some upgrades
• Custom factory calibration is arriving on the Roku Pro Series
• The Plus Series is getting mini-LED backlighting and a host of software improvements

Today, streaming stick and smart TV maker Roku announced a range of enhancements for its current Roku Pro and Roku Plus Series models, as well as a new 85-inch screen size option for its entry-level Select Series TVs.

The Roku Pro series, the budget choice in our best TVs guide, will now get custom factory calibration, a process designed to ensure that “every TV delivers a stunning picture right out of the box.”

The most significant announced changes are for the mid-range Roku Plus Series TVs, which now feature mini-LED backlighting. Combined with the TV’s QLED display panel, this should bring the brightness and color benefits of the Pro Series to a much cheaper price point. Plus Series TVs will also get Roku Smart Picture Max, a feature that performs picture adjustments on a scene-by-scene basis, so you don’t have to fuss with picture settings.

Roku’s Plus Series TVs will additionally get a remote finder button, first introduced in the Pro Series. This feature lets you easily locate a remote control buried between couch cushions or left in a different room.

Additionally, the Pro Series’ integrated cable management, a design highlight we appreciated in our Roku Pro Series TV review, is also migrating to the Plus Series.

Finally, the full Roku TV lineup will now feature a Bluetooth Headphone Mode, allowing for an easy wireless connection from the TV for private viewing.

A new best budget TV?

Roku’s Pro Series has been among our regular go-to recommendations for viewers looking to upgrade their TV to one with a mini-LED backlight without having to take on excess credit card debt.

At under $1,000 for a 65-inch screen size, the Pro Series is an exceptional value, offering additional benefits such as 4K 120Hz support for gaming, a sleek design, and, of course, Roku’s excellent smart TV interface.

With mini-LED backlighting now on the Plus Series, along with Smart Picture Max, remote finder, and integrated cable management, we may now have a new best budget TV option.

Roku’s announcement indicated that the upgraded Plus Series TVs would be available at the “same affordable price.” With the current 65-inch Plus Series model priced at $649 (and now selling for $499), the new Plus series should be a compelling value, competing head-to-head with other high-value mini-LED TVs such as the Hisense U6N.

We look forward to getting our hands on the new Roku TVs to conduct a full review. In the meantime, check out our coverage of the new Roku streaming sticks introduced at today’s event.

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