Roku Select Series 32R3E5 32"

The Roku Select Series 32R3E5 is a dirt-cheap 32-inch 1080p TV with Roku's excellent smart platform baked in. It's perfect for bedrooms and kitchens, with Bluetooth headphone mode and painless setup. The display specs are near the bottom of our database and gaming is a non-starter, but at USD 104 to USD 180, it's hard to complain. Buy it for secondary spaces, not your main viewing room.

The 1080p resolution on a 32-inch screen actually works in its favor. Pixel density is decent at this size, so text and UI elements look crisp even though it's not 4K. The direct-lit LED backlight gets bright enough for a well-lit kitchen, and Roku's Smart Picture feature does a reasonable job cleaning up compressed streaming signals. For casual viewing, sitcoms, news, YouTube, it's perfectly watchable. The picture quality percentile of 36th tells the story: it's not going to wow anyone, but it won't make you squint either.

Gaming is where this thing falls off a cliff. An 18th percentile gaming score means no VRR, no high refresh rate, no ALLM, nothing. The 60Hz panel and HDMI 2.0 ports are fine for a Nintendo Switch or casual couch co-op, but anyone hoping to hook up a PS5 or Xbox Series X should look elsewhere. Input lag isn't terrible for a budget panel, but the lack of gaming features makes this a non-starter for serious players. The 2.0 channel audio with Dolby Audio decoding is serviceable for dialogue-heavy content, but the built-in speakers are thin. Plan on a soundbar if you care about audio at all.

The TCL QM7K and LG QNED evo AI are in a completely different universe. Those are 75-inch premium sets with mini-LED backlights, 120Hz panels, and proper HDR. Comparing them to this 32-inch Roku is like comparing a commuter bike to a sports car. They're not really competitors, they're just both called TVs. If you're shopping for a living room centerpiece, those are the ones to look at. This Roku is for the bedroom or kitchen.

Closer competition comes from smaller budget sets. The Sony BRAVIA 2 II K43S20M2 at 43 inches gives you more screen real estate and Sony's processing, but you'll pay more for it. The Hisense QD7 at 65 inches is a different size class entirely. The honest take is that in the 32-inch space, Roku's main competition is other Roku models and whatever cheap 32-inch sets TCL or Insignia are pushing. What sets this apart is the smart platform. Roku's interface is cleaner and faster than most budget alternatives, and the automatic updates mean it won't feel abandoned in two years.

At USD 104 to USD 180, this TV is priced like a streaming box that happens to include a screen. That's the whole appeal. You could spend more on a fancy streaming device alone, and here you get the full Roku experience baked in with a 1080p panel attached. The value proposition is strongest at the lower end of that range. If you can find it near USD 104, it's a no-brainer for a secondary room. At USD 180, you're getting closer to territory where a 40-inch or even a budget 43-inch 4K set starts to make more sense.

The price spread across vendors is worth paying attention to. We're seeing a USD 76 gap between the cheapest and most expensive listings, which is significant when the product itself costs around USD 150. Shop around before you buy. The social proof is strong here, 88th percentile with a 4.6 out of 5 rating across 994 reviews, so people who buy this tend to be happy with what they got for the money.

The Roku Select Series 32R3E5 is the TV you buy when you want something small, simple, and cheap that just works. It's a 32-inch 1080p panel aimed squarely at bedrooms, kitchens, dorm rooms, and anywhere else a giant screen would feel ridiculous. Roku's whole pitch here is that you won't need a manual, and honestly, they're right. You plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, sign into your streaming accounts, and you're watching TV in about ten minutes.

What makes this interesting is the price. We're seeing listings from USD 104 to USD 180 across nine US vendors, which puts this firmly in impulse-buy territory. For that money you get a Full HD direct-lit LED panel, Roku's genuinely excellent smart platform, three HDMI ports, and even Bluetooth 5.2 for private headphone listening. That last feature is a sleeper hit for bedroom TVs when someone else is trying to sleep.

But let's be real about what this is and isn't. The display percentile sits at 6th, which means the raw panel specs are near the bottom of our database. No HDR to speak of, 60Hz, basic audio. This is not a home theater centerpiece. It's a utility TV, and for that job it does surprisingly well. The smart platform is the star here, ranking in the 86th percentile, and that's what you're really paying for.

If you're building a home theater or want a main living room TV, this isn't it. The 6th percentile display specs, lack of HDR, and thin built-in audio will leave you wanting more the first time you watch a movie with the lights off. Look at a 43-inch or larger 4K set with proper HDR support instead. The Sony BRAVIA 2 II K43S20M2 is a solid step up if you want to stay in the budget-to-midrange space.

Gamers should also look elsewhere. The 18.8 out of 100 gaming score means no VRR, no high refresh rate, and no gaming features. If you're buying a TV primarily for a PS5 or Xbox Series X, spend your money on something with at least 120Hz and VRR support. And if you need reliable local channel streaming without an antenna or separate service, some owners have reported frustration here. A dedicated streaming device or a TV with better tuner integration might serve you better.

For a bedroom, kitchen, or dorm room, this is an easy recommendation. The Roku platform is the best in the budget space, setup is painless, and the Bluetooth headphone mode is genuinely useful when someone's trying to sleep. The 1080p panel is fine at 32 inches, and the three HDMI ports give you room for a streaming stick, a game console, and a cable box if you're old school. At the lower end of the price range, it's a steal.

For a living room or any space where you'll be watching movies with the lights off, skip it. The lack of HDR, the mediocre audio, and the 6th percentile display specs mean you'll notice the compromises. Spend a bit more on a 43-inch 4K set with proper HDR support. And if you're a gamer, this isn't your TV. The 18.8 out of 100 gaming score says everything you need to know.