Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 55"
Samsung QLED E1SAMQN43Q7F 42.5"
What Buyers Say
Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 55"
The Roku Pro Series TV receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional picture quality, vibrant colors, and deep blacks. Users praise the built-in sound, often finding it good enough to skip a soundbar, and highlight the responsive, user-friendly Roku interface. The rechargeable, backlit remote with a locator feature is a standout convenience. A few minor criticisms include the glossy screen causing reflections, non-customizable shortcut buttons, and occasional initial issues like local dimming quirks that resolved quickly.
Pros
- Exceptional picture quality with vibrant colors
- Deep blacks and excellent contrast
- Great built-in sound, often no soundbar needed
- Responsive and fast Roku interface
- Rechargeable backlit remote with locator
Cons
- Glossy screen causes reflections
- Non-customizable shortcut buttons on remote
- Initial local dimming artifacts (resolved quickly)
- Heavier than expected
- Bass can struggle at times
Samsung QLED E1SAMQN43Q7F 42.5"
Most buyers are thrilled with the picture quality, sound, and value of this Samsung TV, calling it a beautiful upgrade for a bedroom or first smart TV. However, one verified reviewer had a strongly negative experience, reporting that the 4K feature causes distracting focus shifts and that the image is as pixelated as an old set. A few users also noted missing parts or difficulties connecting external audio systems.
Pros
- Great picture quality
- Good sound for bedroom
- Easy setup
- Amazing value for price
- Beautiful design
Cons
- 4K causes distracting focus shifts
- Pixelated image like old TV
- Missing parts and literature
- Difficult surround sound connection
- Poor user manual
Scores
Specifications
| Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 55" | Samsung QLED E1SAMQN43Q7F 42.5" | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | ||
| Size | 55" | 42.5" |
| Resolution | 4K | 4K |
| Panel Type | QLED | QLED |
| Backlight | Full-Array LED | QLED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Curved | ✗ | — |
| Picture Quality | ||
| Contrast Ratio | infinite | — |
| Color Gamut | — | 100% Color Volume with Quantum Dot |
| Motion Tech | Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) | — |
| Processor | Roku Smart Picture Max | Q4 AI Processor |
| HDR | ||
| HDR Formats | Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) | HDR10+ |
| Dolby Vision | ✓★ | ✗ |
| HDR10+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HLG | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Gaming | ||
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz★ | 60 Hz |
| VRR | FreeSync Premium Pro, VRR | — |
| ALLM | ✓★ | — |
| Game Mode | ✓★ | — |
| Smart TV | ||
| Platform | Roku TV | — |
| Voice Assistant | Not Applicable, Not Applicable | — |
| Screen Mirroring | Apple AirPlay 2, Miracast | — |
| Works With | Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home | — |
| Audio | ||
| Speaker Config | 4 | — |
| Dolby Atmos | ✓★ | — |
| Surround Sound | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Audio | — |
| eARC | ✓★ | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| HDMI Ports | 4★ | — |
| HDMI Version | 2.1★ | 2.0 |
| USB Ports | 2★ | — |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6★ | Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | 5.2★ | Yes |
| Ethernet | ✓★ | — |
| Optical Audio | ✓★ | — |
| VESA Mount | 200x200 | — |
| Power & Size | ||
| Power | 235W★ | — |
| Energy Star | ✗ | — |
| Annual Energy | 238 kWh★ | — |
| Weight | 18.55 kg | 7.12 kg★ |
Pros & Cons
Roku Pro Series 55R8C5 55"
- Strong connectivity (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong gaming (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong social proof (88th percentile)88th %ile
Samsung QLED E1SAMQN43Q7F 42.5"
- Strong hdr (71st percentile)
- Below average smart (7th percentile)7th %ile
- Below average audio (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average gaming (18th percentile)18th %ile
- Below average display (19th percentile)19th %ile
Verdict
Scores 80 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 16 of 38 specs.