Keep losing your remote? This new option is just what Roku users need

ZDNET Key Points

• The Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition) It costs $30 as a standalone device that is compatible with most Roku TVs and devices on the market. It also comes with Roku Pro Series 4K TV.
• This new Roku remote is lightweight and features backlit buttons, a long-lasting rechargeable battery, quick-start shortcuts, and voice-activated lost-remote finder.
• Despite its many new features, the product lacks a headphone jack, which might be a deal breaker for some users.

Streaming devices have become so ubiquitous that many TV viewers are more familiar with their streaming device remotes than their TV remotes, even though they are sometimes the same thing. As an early cord cutter, I welcomed streaming with open arms. For the past 12 years, I’ve used Google Chromecast, Roku, Fire TVAnd AppleTV 4K devices. So far, the best streaming device I’ve tested is the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition).

Remote controls for streaming devices can be really annoying. Roku promised that the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition) would put an end to these annoyances, and I have to admit that the company has delivered.

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While it’s as lightweight as you might expect from a streaming remote, it packs in a lot of features that cord-cutters want and other remote makers don’t offer.

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The Roku Voice Remote Pro (version 2) is similar to the Alexa Voice Remote Pro, costs $35, and is compatible with most Fire TV devices. The Alexa Voice Remote Pro also has a backlight and voice-activated find-a-lost-remote functionality, but requires AAA batteries, whereas the newer Roku remote has rechargeable batteries.

The Roku Voice Remote Pro (version 2) has a USB-C port on one end that can be plugged in with the included charging cable. The battery can last up to three months on a single charge.

The remote control experience has a huge impact on the overall streaming experience. As someone who has a Fire TV, Roku TV, and Apple TV 4K in my home, I can assure you that while the remote isn’t the primary reason I buy a streaming device, it can be a deciding factor between different options.

Also: Roku vs. Fire Stick: Which Device Is Best for Your Streaming Needs in 2024?

I tested the new Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) with my home office TV, a TCL Roku TV 32 inch which I use to watch news, stream events, and occasionally for entertainment. The newer Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) is thicker, textured, and a bit heavier than TCL’s Roku remote.

It also has hands-free voice control and push-button activation, complete with a switch on the side to turn it off. When enabled, simply saying “Hey Roku” will wake up the remote. You can say “Hey Roku, play Bluey” or “Hey Roku, open Netflix” to control your TV without lifting a finger.

If you lose your remote, you can say “Hey Roku, find my remote” to trigger a one-minute beep from the remote. You can turn off the beeping by pressing any button on the remote once you find it. Roku Pro Series 4K TVincludes Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition), which also has a button to find a lost remote.

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One of my favorite features of the Roku Voice Remote Pro (version 2) is the motion-activated backlighting. Simply lifting the remote will light up the button panel, making it easy to press the right button in the dark. It’s a simple but important feature that many streaming device remotes lack.

While the latest Alexa Voice Remote Pro also has motion backlighting, the Siri Remote that comes with the Apple TV 4K does not.

I’ve always preferred the thicker case on the Roku remote over the Fire TV remote and Apple’s Siri remote. The thicker Roku remote is less likely to get lost between couch cushions and is more comfortable to hold.

ZDNET Buying Advice

The Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition) is the most complete streaming remote I’ve tested. What other competitors, like the Alexa Voice Remote Pro and Siri Remote, lack, the RRoku Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition) has.

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Considering you already get a remote with every Roku streaming device you buy, why would you buy the Roku Voice Remote Pro (version 2)? This remote is perfect for anyone with an older Roku TV, especially if they tend to lose their remote. It’s universally compatible, supporting most Roku TV players and any Roku TV model.

This is a solid $30 device that I would buy for every Roku TV in my house — it’s easy to use, the backlight, voice control, and remote features are convenient, and not having to replace batteries is a real plus.