This Roku Premiere Plus Android TV Box Review is one of five units we compared to see the chart below for comparison specs and read all five review before making your choice.
The Roku Premiere + is an upgrade from the preceding Roku Premiere plus streaming media box. Some of the added improvements include 4K and HDR support, which are key qualifications for a true 2017 streaming box. The remote is also a little different; it’s now matte black and features rubber buttons, unlike the previous glossy plastic ones.
It has however maintained the same UI, same sound effects and a similar channel store as the Roku Premiere Plus It’s also easy to set as ever and the 4K videos stream as seamless as the 1080p videos. It’s generally a familiar, solid and a reliable workhorse you would expect from Roku.
The box itself is identical to the Roku Premiere Plus. The shell is made of the same glossy black sides with the iconic Roku purple cloth tag sticking out on the left. The top is made of a matte black panel featuring the glossy Roku logo.
The actual difference is at the back where the power connector, the HDMI port, Ethernet port, and the MicroSD slot are neatly arranged. You will particularly appreciate the idea of directly connecting your box to the router via Ethernet since the 4K video streaming is very bandwidth-intensive.
The remote uses radio waves instead of infrared, meaning that you don’t need a clear line of sight to control Roku Premiere Plus. It’s pretty simple, dominated by a purple directional pad with menu buttons located below and above it. The remote also features dedicated service buttons for Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now and Sling TV. The headphone jack is located on the left edge of the remote.
The unit also comes with a pair of earphones that you can plug into the remote and listen to whatever you are watching without disturbing other roommates. The volume buttons are conveniently located on the right side of the remote.
Roku Premiere Plus
Channels and apps
The Premiere + utilizes the Roku Channel Store to access hundreds of streaming services and apps. You will find all the major services such as Amazon, Google Play, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Sling, Plex, Pandora, Spotify, HBO, YouTube, Vudu, Netflix, among others. There are also plenty of niche and interest-specific channels, some free while others require a minimal subscription fee.
4K content can be streamed from all major services that offer it including Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube. You can also get more ideas on where to get 4K movies and shows from the Roku-curated 4K Content Spotlight channel.
The Roku Premiere + remote lacks the voice search functionality found in the Roku 2 and Roku 3 versions. For this, you will need the Smartphone app which also incorporates options like the additional remote control, easier text entry and direct media streaming from your mobile device to the Roku Premiere plus.
Features Roku Premiere Plus Android TV Box
- Processor: ARM Cortex A53 quad-core 1.2 GHz
- Connectivity: HDMI-dongle, b/g/n compatible dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet 10/100 Mbps port, and USB
- Memory: 1GB RAM, 256 MB for Channel storage, microSD slot.
- Remote: IR and Wi-Fi Direct technology with button shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Amazon and Google Play, headphone jack
- Video output: 1080p or 4K over HDMI 2.0a.
- Audio output: Remote & Stream to Smartphone
- HDR10 support
- Bundled headphones
Roku Premiere Plus
Roku Premiere Plus Android TV Box
Pros and Cons
Pros
- As usual with Roku devices, you get access to hundreds of streaming services and thousands of channels, movies, video shows, and music.
- The Roku Premiere + plays all the 4K HDR content like a champ
- Extremely fast file processing and smooth content streaming thanks to the quad-core 1.2 GHz processor
- A seamless and responsive performance with apps and channels loading even faster compared to the Roku1 and Roku 2 boxes.Very affordable for the 4K HDR streaming capability.
- The remote comes with a headphone jack for private listening.
Cons
- The remote lacks the microphone for voice searching
- The interface hasn’t evolved much since 2012; it could do with some refreshing.
Bottom line
If you are fed up with your 4K HDR TV and its built-in smart TV apps, then you are a perfect candidate for a Roku Premiere+. There might not be much 4K HDR video content out there yet, but with streaming service providers quickly trying to fill this gap, you will soon be thankful that you acquired the 4K HDR-ready Roku Premiere+ when prices were reasonably low.
You will also appreciate the quick search functionality that lets you follow your favorite movies, shows, and actors. Stay Away from Roku if you’re after free and new content without subscriptions. Go with an Android Box or the newest 4K Fire sticks which you can install on any Android. The Firestick works best if you have Amazon Prime.
Ultra vs. Premiere vs. Premiere+ – Which One is Best?
Compare All Five Roku Specs
| | Roku Stick | Roku 1 | Roku 2 | Roku 3 | Roku Premiere+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | |||||
| See all Roku Reviews | See Review | See Review | See Review | See Review | See Review |
| Access to 300,000 movies and TV episodes for 3,000+ streaming channels | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TV compatibility | HDMI | HDMI or A/V Cable | HDMI | HDMI | HDMI 94K Video Via HDCP 2.2 HDMI |
| 1080p Full HD support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4K Ultra HD support | | | | | Yes |
| 802.11 b/g/n dual-band wireless | | Yes | |||
| 802.11ac MIMO wireless | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcut button to popular streaming channels | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku Search search across the top channel by tile actor, or director | Yes | ||||
| Roku Feed get updates on content availability and price changes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hotel & Dorm Connect for internet connections that require user login | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Control with free Roku Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice search via Roku Mobile App See all Roku Reviews | Yes Roku Stick | Yes Roku 1 | Yes Roku 2 | Yes Roku 3 | Yes Roku Premiere+ |