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CNET
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
I Recommend the Tiny Roku Streambar SE at Full Price, and Now It's 21% Off
Deal alert: The Roku Streambar SE is on sale for $79 -- $21 off the usual price -- at Amazon. This product is one I recommend even at full price, and this discount makes it an even better buy. I tested Roku's Streambar SE late last year and wrote about my impressions of it, but since it's now routinely getting nice discounts for big holidays and shopping events, I thought I'd highlight it again. I've tested plenty of Roku's video streamers over the years, but until last year, I hadn't tried out one of its Streambars, which combines a small soundbar with Roku's entry-level 4K HDR streamer. Roku stopped making its top-end Streambar Pro speaker, but it's now selling the Streambar SE, a 2024 mini soundbar that caught my eye because of its low price. When I say mini soundbar, I really do mean mini. About the size of a small Bluetooth speaker, the Streambar SE measures 9.6 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep by 2.4 inches tall and weighs 2 pounds (907 grams). It's designed to be paired with a smaller TV in your bedroom, home office or dorm room, and not your main living room TV (unless you have a tiny living room). I hooked it up to an old 42-inch Vizio I have in my home office, and it's been a solid upgrade over my TV's built-in speakers. Roku Streambar SE specs Here are the details about this compact soundbar. Streaming Resolution: 4K HDR/HDR10 Plus 4K HDR/HDR10 Plus Drivers : Two 1.9-inch full-range drivers and a single bass port : Two 1.9-inch full-range drivers and a single bass port Compatibility : Works with any TV with HDMI-ARC or HDMI and optical ports : Works with any TV with HDMI-ARC or HDMI and optical ports Dimensions: 9.6 inches by 3.5 inches by 2.4 inches 9.6 inches by 3.5 inches by 2.4 inches Weight: 2 pounds (907 grams) 2 pounds (907 grams) Included: Standard Roku remote and 2 AAA batteries, power adapter, high-speed HDMI cable, optical cable Standard Roku remote and 2 AAA batteries, power adapter, high-speed HDMI cable, optical cable Wireless headphone support : Bluetooth 5.0 : Bluetooth 5.0 Expandability : Can connect to a Roku Wireless Bass subwoofer for a 2.1 setup : Can connect to a Roku Wireless Bass subwoofer for a 2.1 setup Additional features : Works with Roku Smart Home, Apple AirPlay, HomeKit, Google Home and Amazon Alexa : Works with Roku Smart Home, Apple AirPlay, HomeKit, Google Home and Amazon Alexa Universal remote: Included Roku remote controls most TVs My Roku Streambar SE setup Setup is straightforward: It's basically the same process as connecting any video streamer to your TV, although it helps to have an HDMI-ARC port to simplify things. (Most TVs released in the last 10 to 12 years have one HDMI port that's labeled HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC.) If you don't have ARC, there's a workaround using an HDMI cable and an optical cable, but I didn't have to deal with that. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. An upgrade over my TV speakers' sound I have Spectrum TV, and Roku has a Spectrum TV app that allows you to turn any Roku streamer into a cable TV box. For my listening test, I spent some time watching a few action movies, including Ant-Man and Nope, along with NFL Redzone, CNN and a bit of a Friends episode. I also used Roku's Apple TV app and Peacock to watch an English Premier League match. Maybe because my expectations were low, I was surprised by the amount of sound this little speaker was able to produce. While the Streambar SE doesn't offer the greatest sound -- it can output only so much bass through its dual 1.9-inch full-range drivers and single bass port -- the speaker produces better audio than you'd think given its very compact size. It's particularly strong in the midrange, producing loud, clear dialogue, and it delivers better sound than what you get from most TV speakers (by that I mean the speakers built into your TV). If you want more bass, you can link the speaker with Roku's Wireless Bass subwoofer, but that separate sub will set you back $130. I can't say that the Streambar SE has the widest soundstage or that you get a whole lot of stereo separation. It doesn't have the side-firing speakers of the step-up Streambar ($130), which earned a CNET Editors' Choice award in 2023, nor can you pair it with Roku's wireless rear speakers to create a surround system. But the quality is good enough to leave you feeling like you got a good deal, particularly if you were already going to shell out $30 or so for Roku's Express 4K Plus or Streaming Stick 4K. Enlarge Image The Roku Streambar is significantly smaller than a full-size soundbar like this Sonos Beam. David Carnoy/CNET As far as sound modes go, you get a few presets to choose from, including Dialogue, Movie, Music, Night and Standard, and the speaker will cut the volume down on loud commercials. The soundbar is also equipped with Bluetooth, so you can connect headphones to it, plus Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay support. Read more: Best Soundbar of 2025: Top Picks From Roku, Yamaha and More I should note that the bundled remote is Roku's more basic remote and not its step-up voice remote that lets you issue voice commands and voice search. However, you can download Roku's mobile app for iOS and Android, which does support voice commands. The back of the speaker (bass port on left). David Carnoy/CNET The Streambar SE offers 4K HDR10 and HDR10 Plus video streaming, but it doesn't have support for Dolby Vision. My old Vizio isn't even a 4K TV, so the Streambar SE's video streaming capabilities are more than enough. Why Roku's Streambar SE makes a great gift While Roku's step-up Streambar ($130) certainly delivers better sound quality, the Streambar SE's more compact size and affordable price give it a distinct appeal, particularly for those of us looking to upgrade the sound of a more modest-size TV, perhaps an older model like mine. The Streambar SE isn't fancy, but the price is right for what it does. To compare this with other options, check out our current list of the best soundbars available.
CNET
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
Today Is Your Last Chance to Get Samsung's Beautiful 55-Inch Frame TV 52% Off for Prime Day
A TV doesn't have to be a boring, empty slab when nothing is on. Samsung's stylish 55-inch Frame TV turns your TV into a work of art when idle, displaying curated artwork and collections to give your living room a centerpiece when you're not watching something. The 55-inch Frame TV is currently , 52% off its regular price of $1,646. This is a pretty incredible deal and a historic low for the Frame, making it one of the best TV deals we've seen on Prime Day. Stellar deal aside, the Frame justifies itself by acting as a solid TV in its own right. It does all the bread-and-butter things well, with 4K HDR support and a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth and responsive gaming. You also get 100% color volume, a matte display that minimizes reflectiveness and integration for smart home and voice control. Hey did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Each Frame TV also comes with a bezel of your choice in brown, teak and white that snaps in place around the TV, making it look just like a photo frame. (They can also be purchased separately if you want to swap them out occasionally.) If you mount it on your wall and hide its single cable, none of your guests would ever be the wiser that it's not a piece of art until it comes time to change the channel or flip on the game. Notably, the art that's available to display also includes collections that Samsung has sourced from museums. While the Frame is available in many sizes, ranging from 32 inches at the smallest to 85 inches at the largest, only the 55-inch model with a teak bezel is currently on sale, so your options are a little limited. That said, it's still very much worth it if the size is right for you, and you can pick up a matching bezel later if you need to. Best Prime Day TV Deals Prime Day is well known as one of the best times of the year to save big on a new TV. We've checked through every deal available, and rounded up the best discounts for you to take advantage of. See Now Why this deal matters A TV is usually the centerpiece of your living room, but most of the time, when it's not on, you're just looking at a boring, blank black hole. The Frame TV allows you to display dynamic artwork and showcase pictures you've taken for friends and family. Best of all, if you mount it on the wall and add the frame bezel, it looks just like a painting. If the Frame TV isn't the right choice for you, there are still plenty of other TV deals ongoing for Prime Day, including the LG C4 OLED which is also down to its all-time low price. And if you're in the market for other electronics, don't miss the Prime Day sales on laptops and headphones.
The Verge
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
launch of the Glass Gen 2 back in February
Sky's cheaper Glass TV is here. The Air was first teased alongside the , and it'll go on sale in the UK from June 10th. Starting from £6/month it's less than half price the Gen 2, but the 4K HDR screen isn't as bright, and you don't get seven-speaker Dolby Atmos audio. That might make it the better buy for anyone who already has a soundbar though.
