Roku Select Series 43R4A5R 43"

The Roku Select Series 43R4A5R is a 43-inch 4K HDR10+ TV with a 4.5/5 rating from 4,684 reviews, putting its social proof in the 82nd percentile. Picture quality sits at the 36th percentile and gaming at the 17th, so this is a streaming-first budget set. At $220 USD it's a steal. At EUR 830 or GBP 577, it's a trap.

Let's talk about what this TV is and isn't. The 43-inch 4K LED panel supports HDR10+, which lands in the 70th percentile for HDR support. That's solid for a budget set. But picture quality overall sits at the 36th percentile, and the display itself ranks in the 14th percentile. Translation: you're getting 4K resolution, but the panel is basic LED without local dimming or high peak brightness. The automatic brightness feature helps it adapt to your room, but it can't overcome the hardware ceiling. Gaming is a 60Hz panel with no VRR or HDMI 2.1 features, landing in the 17th percentile. This is not a gaming TV. Audio ranks in the 13th percentile, which is rough. Roku includes automatic voice clarity and a night mode, which helps with dialogue, but the built-in speakers are a weak spot. Connectivity is also limited, with Wi-Fi and Ethernet but a 22nd percentile ranking. The smart platform itself ranks in the 16th percentile, which feels harsh given Roku's reputation, but the data suggests the competition has caught up.

Stacked against the competition, the Roku Select Series 43R4A5R is in a different weight class. The LG QNED 65QNED85AUA and Samsung Neo QLED QN70F are premium sets with quantum dot and Mini-LED tech, far better picture quality, and gaming features this Roku can't touch. The TCL QM6K Series 65QM6K and Hisense QD7 Series 75QD7QF are bigger, brighter, and more capable. Even the Sony BRAVIA 2 II K65S20M2, while more basic, offers a larger screen and better processing. The Roku's only real advantage is price and simplicity. At $220 USD, it's a fraction of what those competitors cost. But you're giving up a lot: the display ranks in the 14th percentile, gaming in the 17th, and audio in the 13th. This is a streaming-first, budget-first TV. The competitors are actual home theater displays.

At $220 USD, this TV is aggressively priced. You're getting a 43-inch 4K HDR10+ panel with Roku's excellent smart platform for less than most premium streaming boxes cost on their own. The value proposition is clear: if you want a simple bedroom or kitchen TV that streams everything without fuss, this is hard to beat. But the EUR 830 and GBP 577 listings tell a different story. Those prices are wildly out of line with what this TV offers. At those price points, you're competing with mid-range QLED and Mini-LED sets that absolutely destroy this panel in picture quality. The US price is the real deal. The European and UK prices feel like someone made a mistake.

The Roku Select Series 43R4A5R is a 43-inch 4K LED TV that leans hard into what Roku does best: simple, fast streaming at a budget price. At $220 USD, it's one of the cheapest ways to get a 4K HDR10+ panel with Roku's genuinely delightful smart TV interface baked in. The customer rating sits at 4.5 out of 5 across 4,684 reviews, which puts its social proof in the 82nd percentile. People like this thing. But the spec sheet tells a more complicated story.

Skip this if you care about picture quality, gaming, or audio. The display ranks in the 14th percentile, gaming in the 17th, and audio in the 13th. If you're building a home theater or want a TV for PS5 or Xbox Series X gaming, this is not your set. Also skip it if you're shopping in Europe or the UK. The EUR 830 and GBP 577 prices are absurd for a TV with these specs. At those prices, you can get a much better QLED or Mini-LED set from TCL, Hisense, or LG.

The Roku Select Series 43R4A5R is a $220 USD streaming machine that happens to have a screen attached. The 4.5/5 rating from 4,684 reviews proves it delivers exactly what its buyers expect: simple, reliable streaming with a clean interface. The HDR10+ support at the 70th percentile is a nice bonus. But the picture quality at the 36th percentile and display at the 14th percentile mean this is not a TV for cinephiles or gamers. If you want a bedroom TV, a kitchen TV, or a first apartment TV that just works, this is a great buy at the US price. If you're paying EUR 830 or GBP 577, you're getting fleeced. Buy something better at those prices.