The Roku Express 4K+ is one of a lineup of ten models that share most features in common.

Roku even included two Duracell-brand AAA batteries for the remote-not the cheap, generic batteries usually bundled with even expensive electronics.

The device draws power over USB, and Roku provides the USB cable and USB AC adapter required, as well as an HDMI cable to connect to your TV. The box is tiny, not much larger than a multi-slot camera card reader, and comes with a non-permanent sticky strip so you can adhere it to a TV set. It uses Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) for connectivity and includes a “voice remote” that allows limited voice recognition. I recently purchased and tested a Roku Express 4K+, currently on sale for $29.99-six times cheaper than the least-expensive Apple TV 4K model. Roku lets you opt out of certain tracking but defers some privacy choices to streaming service providers with whom you have a direct relationship. You can also avoid the ugly interfaces and privacy nightmares of other smart TVs from companies like LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio. Roku lets you sidestep the Apple TV’s steep price without having to buy into Amazon’s or Google’s ecosystem. Roku has licensed movies and TV shows that it offers for free and produces some original programming, like the just-announced Weird Al documentary. It also licenses its software to smart TV makers. Roku has spent more than a decade designing media players that stream video to TVs through third-party apps, including Apple TV+ and Netflix. What if you want an attractively designed streaming media player for your HDTV that supports AirPlay 2 and all the services you use-and don’t want to spend $179 or $199 for an Apple TV 4K? A Roku streaming player may fit both the bill and your budget. Roku Express 4K+ Provides an Affordable Alternative to the Apple TV

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