Roku 2 XS Pro Reviews

There’s no doubt the Roku 2XS is simple to use, and performance with Netflix and iPlayer is excellent; but there’s no home LAN streaming, and USB playback support is very limited. The cheaper LT is better value, and the WD TV Live will do more for about the same price. Ultimately, if Roku is to have the same success here as in the US, they need to get more top quality content for UK viewers, and drop the price.

A lovably compact media streamer with a great interface, but its LAN streaming and file support is limited

The Roku 2XS is easy to use, but needs more quality content or a price drop

When you buy a Roku, what you're really doing is getting a Netflix streamer that does a few other nice bits and pieces. There's plenty of other useful content here, like BBC iPlayer and some fantastic video from the likes of TED and Revision3, but we can't see any of these selling the box. And at nearly £100, we do wonder if people looking to get Netflix might not be better off with the cheaper model. There is plenty of scope here though. Games are entertaining enough with the motion-sensitive controller, and the amount of choice for internet video is only going to get better with each passing year. We'd love to see Sky Go here, as well as ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 for more TV choice. We like Crackle too, but a premium movie selection would be nice. The requirement to provide credit card details implies this is on the way. All in all, we like the Roku. Ignoring the price, and current selection, there's a lot of promise here and some lovely, well-designed hardware that is a pleasure to own. We hope the company is as keen on building the service in the UK as it is in the US.

A mixed bag of a product that works well in some ways, poorly in others and is just a little too expensive

If you don’t have a large investment in iTunes video content, you’ll find the Roku 2 models to be quite comparable to Apple TV, and at lower prices. At $100, the Roku 2 XS is a good value given its Bluetooth remote and ethernet support; the $60 Roku 2 HD is an even better deal for anyone looking to get Internet video on a TV as simply and cheaply as possible. If you’re a fan of a content streams not supported by Apple—Amazon Video and Hulu Plus come to mind—you’ll find that Roku’s broader selection of third-party content is a major advantage. Until Apple opens up the Apple TV to a broader range of third-party content, the Roku 2’s flexibility gives Roku a distinct advantage.

Thanks to a varied range of content offerings--including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Crackle, and Pandora--that beats the Apple TV, the Roku 2 XS is the best all-around streaming-media box you can get for less than $100.