Small televisions are a strange market. Retailers stock them in every discount aisle, yet most of them ship with a half finished smart platform that makes the buyer reach for a streaming stick within the first hour. The Roku 32 inch Select Series television takes the opposite approach. It builds the best streaming platform in the business straight into a compact 1080p panel, and it adds the voice remote that usually belongs to much larger sets. I installed one in a home office, tested it in a kitchen corner, and carried it through a week of daily streaming, so this review is grounded in the rooms where a 32 inch set actually lives.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
At 32 inches the television is compact in every dimension. The bezel is thin around three sides, the panel depth is modest, and the total weight stays low enough that one person can lift it and set it on a kitchen counter without a second pair of hands. The feet are simple plastic wings that attach in a few minutes, and they leave a small footprint that suits a crowded desk or a shelf.
The build quality matches the price class but with no glaring shortcuts. The panel is rigid, the stand holds the set steady at a slight wobble test, and the rear panel carries the standard set of ports: two HDMI, one USB, an antenna input, and an optical audio out. For a secondary television, that selection covers a streaming box, a game console, and a soundbar without a splitter in sight.
The set is also wall mount ready, which matters in small rooms where floor space is precious. The VESA holes on the rear accept a common mount arm, and the light weight means a single stud can carry it. Whether it sits on a counter or hangs on a wall, the 32 inch Select Series keeps a low physical profile that larger televisions cannot match.
Key Features
The core feature is the Roku operating system living inside the television. There is no separate dongle and no second remote, because the smart part is the television. The home screen is a clean grid of apps, from Netflix and Prime Video to free ad supported channels, and it stays snappy even after weeks of use, which is the Roku advantage over most embedded Smart TV software.
The 1080p Full HD panel is the correct resolution for the size. Pixel density at 32 inches is high enough that a sharp 1080p signal looks clean at normal viewing distances, and there is no 4K panel of this size worth paying for. The panel handles bright colors well and keeps motion smooth during sports and action, which is all a set in this class needs to do.
The included voice remote rounds out the package. The voice button searches across every installed app, launches a named channel on command, and controls the television power and volume. For a kitchen counter where your hands are full of a pan, or an office where you are typing, that voice control is more than a gimmick; it is the difference between fiddling with a tiny remote and just saying what you want.
Real-World Performance
Setup was under ten minutes from unboxing to streaming. The television found the Wi-Fi, walked through the app sign in, and the remote paired itself without a single cable. I did not have to download a phone app or create a new account, which is the friction that plagues so many budget smart TVs. It simply worked.
In the home office the set served as a second screen and a streaming display. A 1080p signal from a laptop looked crisp and readable at a desk distance, and the panel text stayed sharp enough for light productivity work. When I switched to streaming, the Roku interface launched apps quickly, and the voice remote pulled up a movie by name without me touching a button.
The kitchen test was the more interesting one. The compact panel sat on the counter, and the voice remote became the primary control while cooking. Saying a channel name launched the news, and pausing playback by voice worked even with running water and a blender nearby. The set handled the change of venue without complaint, and the modest brightness was enough for the room when the counter light was on.
The limitations are the size class, not the set. The speakers are typical thin TV audio, fine for news and podcasts but thin for music, and the panel cannot compete with a large living room set for cinematic presence. At 32 inches that is not a failure; it is the reason the price is what it is, and the reasons this television exists are all about small spaces, not movie theaters.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Built-in Roku OS streams everything with no extra device
- Voice remote included, pairing instantly and controlling all functions
- 1080p resolution is the right match for a 32 inch panel
- Small footprint and VESA mounting suit tight rooms
- Setup finishes in minutes with no phone required
Cons:
- Built-in speakers are thin for music and movies
- Brightness is modest for sunlit rooms
- Two HDMI inputs limit multi console setups
How It Compares
Compared with a 40 inch model, a generic budget smart TV, and a computer monitor with a streaming stick, the 32 inch Select Series makes the case for size-appropriate simplicity. The comparison helps if you are weighing footprint against features.
| Feature | Roku 32 Select | Roku 40 Select | Monitor Plus Stick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel size | 32 inches | 40 inches | 27 to 34 inches |
| Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | 1440p or 4K |
| Smart platform | Built-in Roku | Built-in Roku | Stick required |
| Voice remote | Included | Included | No |
| Footprint | Smallest | Larger | Varies |
The 40 inch Roku covers a bedroom or small living room with more presence, but in a kitchen, office, or dorm the 32 inch is the right size, and you do not lose any smart features by dropping the inches. The monitor plus stick combo offers a sharper desktop image but forces a second device, a second remote, and none of the voice control. For the small rooms where a 32 inch set belongs, the all in one Roku is the cleaner answer.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Roku 32 inch Select Series if you want a kitchen counter, office desk, or dorm room television that streams without a separate box, if you want a compact set that mounts to the wall easily, or if you want the dependable Roku interface for a secondary room. The voice remote makes it a strong pick for a kitchen where your hands are busy.
Skip it if you need a large living room presence, if a computer monitor with a separate streamer suits your desk better, or if you want 4K on a larger panel. For a small room that just needs to stream, this is the most complete 32 inch package available. You can check the current Roku 32 inch TV price on Amazon when you are ready.
How We Test
I tested the Roku 32 inch Select Series in a home office and a kitchen over two weeks, streaming series, news, and live sports, and running it as a second display for a laptop. I timed the setup, tested the voice remote across commands, and compared the panel against the 40 inch model in the same house.
I did not use a colorimeter or lab equipment, and I did not test the set as a primary living room television, since that is not its job. My focus was the small room experience a buyer will actually have. For broader television context, independent coverage such as Wirecutter best TVs is a useful read before you spend.
The Roku 32 inch Select Series listing on Amazon shows the current price and availability.
Roku 32 Inch Select Series TV: Questions People Ask
How big is the Roku 32-Inch Select Series, and does it fit small spaces?
The compact 32 inch panel fits easily on a kitchen counter, office desk, or dorm shelf, and the stand footprint is small enough for tight surfaces.
Is 1080p enough on a 32 inch screen?
At this size and at typical viewing distances, 1080p is effectively indistinguishable from 4K, so the panel resolution is the right choice for the screen.
Can the television be mounted on a wall?
Yes, the set uses standard VESA mounting holes, so it attaches to a common wall mount arm for the kitchen or bedroom.
Does the 32 inch model include the Roku voice remote?
Yes, the same voice remote that ships with the larger Select Series models is included, with voice search, app launch, and TV power and volume control.
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