Roku's got big Black Friday deals with its ultra-cheap $15 Roku LE, limited-edition Walmart exclusive. Yes, you read that right. A limited edition streaming device.
While the Roku LE isn't on our Black Friday Roku deals page yet, it looks to get a seat at the table soon. Why's that? Well, this $15 streaming device looks a lot like the Roku Express, but at half the price.
Roku LE specs
| Starting price | $15 |
| Resolution | 1080p HD with up-scaling from 720p |
| Included | Remote, High Speed HDMI cable |
Roku LE price and availability
The Roku LE will cost $15 at Walmart, which is showing that's a sale price down from $29.88 (the Roku Express' price).
Walmart Plus members will get access starting Monday, November 22, while everyone else will get it starting on November 26 (Black Friday). Here's how to get early access to Walmart Black Friday deals.
Wonder what the LE stands for in Roku LE? Well, it apparently stands for "Limited Edition," as Roku said the device "will be available exclusively at Walmart for Black Friday while supplies last."
A strict reading of that press release suggests that it will be here for Black Friday (November 26) and then gone.
The Roku LE is going to include a $5 Redbox code, which all Rokus sold at Walmart will include. It also comes with a free 30-day trial for HBO Max.
Roku LE design and features
Roku's decidedly mum on if the Roku LE can do more than stream HD video (the Express was able to get to full HD 1080p, with up-scaling from 720p). We've asked Roku for confirmation on the streaming resolution, since the press release and Walmart product page don't explain it clearly enough.
The Roku LE is a small curved shell, with a white plastic casing (differing from the Express' black casing). If it's a different version of the Express, expect a very basic Roku streamer.
And if the Roku LE's remote is just like the Express', expect it to require a small bit of effort. In our testing, we found you needed a direct sight line from the remote to the Roku Express, and fairly good aim.
It's the same Roku remote most entry-level Rokus come with, including branded app buttons, and buttons for menu navigation and rewinding through shows.
Roku LE outlook
The Roku LE is for when you need to get Roku apps on a TV, and you're not particularly concerned about video resolution or any perks. Roku's got a ton of apps, practically all of them (though YouTube could disappear from the Roku channel store on Dec. 9), and this looks like the cheapest way to turn a dumb TV into a kind of smart TV. It's even $3 less than the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite, currently marked down to $18 (from $29).
While the Roku LE is the cheapest Roku option available right now, we'd try to steer you to our favorite streaming deal, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K at $29 on Amazon. Yes, the brand-new Roku Streaming Stick 4K is $20 off, down from $50. It's our current top pick on our best streaming devices list, a list that the Roku Express did not crack.
