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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Roku and TCL are being sued for allegedly bricking TVs.
- The suit alleges Roku deployed defective updates.
- Six specific models are named in the suit.
If you have a Roku TV, there's a class action lawsuit you should be following.
In a recent filing in California, a user is accusing Roku and TCL North America of issuing defective software updates that render TVs unusable. In some cases, the suit alleges, the TV only shows a black screen. In other instances, the TV gets stuck in a boot loop, freezes, or restarts repeatedly. A replacement set suffered similar problems.
Also: The 4 streaming services I swear by – and my bill is just $40 a month
The plaintiff in this case appears to not be alone. In the comments section on TopClassActions.com, a site that compiles current class action lawsuits, dozens of other users reported similar problems, many explaining that their TVs were either unusable or degraded to the point of being unusable after only a few months.
Many users on Reddit reported similar issues, with comments like “Netflix would freeze up and crash constantly, the TV would just randomly shut off or reboot,” and “it's been too laggy and slow to use without a separate set-top box since less than a year after I bought it.”
For comparison, plenty of users report having sets that are at least five years old and still working just fine. The main TV in my home is a Roku Plus Series, and I have no complaints about it. Both of my kids have Roku TVs in their rooms that only experience occasional lag.
I've reached out to Roku for comment, but haven't heard anything yet.
What TVs are listed in the suit?
The lawsuit mentions six models, specifically those purchased from December 16, 2024, to today:
- Roku Select Series
- Roku Plus Series
- TCL 3 Series Roku TV
- TCL 4 Series Roku TV
- TCL 5 Series Roku TV
- TCL 6 Series Roku TV
If you have one of these TVs, keep an eye on this suit as it progresses. There's nothing to do yet, but if Roku decides to settle this out of court, you could file a claim for possible compensation (no telling how much that might be yet).
Also: The best TVs: Expert tested and recommended
Best alternative to Roku
While Roku is the most popular TV operating system, there are still excellent alternatives available. Our top picks include:
Samsung QN90F: With “fantastic streaming and gaming performance,” the QN90F, powered by Tizen OS, is a perfect home theater centerpiece. It was ZDNET's top TV of 2025, and it's perfect for gamers and movie buffs.
LG G5: The LG G5, which runs on webOS, was named the best TV at CES 2025. It looks beautiful, sounds great, and is a fantastic pick for gaming.
Sony Bravia 8 II:Running on Google TV, the Bravia 8 II from Sony delivers “fantastic picture and audio quality,” in the words of ZDNET's Taylor Clemons, and has tons of flexibility if you're one to tinker with image and audio settings.
Hisense U8QG: With a dazzling brightness of 5,000 nits, the Hisense U8QG is an all-around workhorse that excels at streaming, live TV, and console gaming. It runs on Google TV, one of the better Roku alternatives.
TCL QM8: Also running on Google TV, the TCL QM8 is a flagship TV that provides excellent visibility in almost any lighting environment. It has 5,000 local dimming zones, a base refresh rate of 120Hz (boostable to 144Hz for console gaming), and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR support.
