Roku-powered Metz TV range offers unparalleled value for money

German household brand Metz has teamed up with smart TV provider Roku to take on the UK market with some of the cheapest and best value TVs we’ve seen in 2022.

Starting at just £159 for a 32in Metz-branded TV with Roku smarts built-in, the range looks to take on cheap entry-level TVs from the likes of TCL and Hisense, with a particular focus on performance and long-term support.

These aren’t ‘cheap’ TVs either, sporting Metz Boundless Screen 4.0 tech for an impressive screen-to-body ratio, the company’s proprietary Trochilus Extreme display tech, Dolby Audio support and HDR capabilities.

It’s not just small to medium-size TVs in Metz sights; the new range comes in 32-, 40-, 43-, 50-, 55- and 65in models. The smallest 32in display comes in with a (slightly lacklustre) 720p resolution, but the 40in model jumps to a more detailed 1080p while the rest of the range sports 4K HDR.

Here’s how much (or should that be little?) the new Roku-powered Metz range will cost at release:

• Metz MTD6000 32in HD TV: £159 (around $192)
• Metz MTD6000 40in FHD TV: £199 (around $241)
• Metz MRD6000 43in 4K TV: £229 (around $277)
• Metz MRD6000 50in 4K TV: £279 (around $338)
• Metz MRD6000 55in 4K TV: £329 (around $399)
• Metz MRD6000 65in 4K TV: £449 (around $544)

That’s some seriously aggressive pricing, with features and software promises unmatched by the entry-level competition (and let’s be honest, some high-end options too!).

Metz

Regardless of the size or resolution you go for, you’ll get the same Roku software experience. It essentially remains identical to the OS found on its own streamers, making it a doddle for existing users to make the move to a Metz TV.

Even for those new to the world of Roku, the firm’s signature simplistic approach to UI design means it’s easy to use and simple to understand, even for the less tech-savvy among us.

One of the big issues with budget and mid-range Android smart TVs are the processors found within; as the Android TV OS is based on smartphones, it requires a fairly beefy smartphone-level CPU to run smoothly – and that’s generally not provided by most manufacturers looking to cut costs.

That explains why so many smart TV operating systems are sluggish, with lag when loading apps and scrolling through the EPG.

Roku’s OS has been designed with TV-level processors in mind, and every single TV in the range – from the cheap 32in model to the top-end 65in 4K model – features the exact same processor.

That means you’ll get the same nippy performance from the £160 720p TV as the £450 4K model, and after trying the range at the launch event, I can attest to just how responsive it is in use. It’s much more responsive than my current Philips Ambilight TV, and that cost a few hundred more than Metz’s top-end model at launch a couple of years ago.

Metz

The TVs also come with all the benefits of Roku’s operating system, including compatibility with companion apps for iOS and Android, support for AirPlay, universal search across multiple streaming apps and compatibility with the likes of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa too. There’s also Freeview Play, too, with all its on-demand benefits, for those that enjoy live TV.

Software updates are often neglected when it comes to TVs; whatever OS it ships with will likely be what it’s stuck with, even if there’s an updated version available.

That’s not the case with the Roku-powered Metz range, however, with the two companies committed to an incredible eight years of software updates and seven years of hardware support, which should provide peace of mind as well as astonishing value for money.

That should hopefully include new streaming services as they appear, with Roku offering one of the most comprehensive collections of UK streaming services on UK shores.

The entire Roku-powered Metz range should be readily available from UK retailers by late October 2022, with no word yet on a wider US or European launch.