Metz Blue Roku TV in the test: For whom is the cheap Smart TV worth it?

The Metz Blue Roku TV has been available in stores since autumn 2022. The suggested retail price is 499 euros. The 55-inch model tested here is now available online for less than 400 euros.

1. Why is Metz Blue so cheap?

2. Structure: Lightweight construction calls for wall mounting

3. Setup: Blazing fast for Roku veterans, annoying for newcomers

4. Use: Solid entry into the world of UHD

5. For whom is the Metz Blue Roku TV worthwhile?

6. Data sheet Metz Blue Roku TV

7. Conclusion

Before we go to the actual test report, one thing has to be noted about the traditional German manufacturer Metz. If you are looking for a new TV for the first time in a long time and are now surprised that the long-established brand is now offering its TVs at suspiciously low prices, you should know the following:

Why is Metz Blue so cheap?

The international Metz Blue product line can hardly be compared with the usual heavy and high-quality TV classics from Zirndorf in Franconia. These are modern smart TVs for the world market, which come in a lightweight design and are therefore more likely to compete with Chinese budget devices from TCL, Hisense or Xiaomi in terms of price and quality. No wonder – after all, Metz itself was taken over by the Chinese electrical giant and original equipment manufacturer Skyworth a few years ago.

So if you don’t let the big Metz brand name mislead you and measure the inexpensive devices by the essential price-performance factor, you will find out: The joint venture between the Nuremberg area, China and with Roku now also the USA offers its very own Advantages – which these are, the Netzwelt test works out in detail.

Structure: Lightweight construction calls for wall mounting

Even before the Roku TV from Metz is rid of its packaging, everyone notices when lifting the box: This is budget technology, an almost feather-light product despite the official 55-inch screen diagonal. Accordingly, it is not a big surprise when a black plastic monster appears after unpacking, which only comes with two plastic feet instead of a heavy stand. The Roku-style TV remote control also fits into the picture, although it offers significantly more buttons than its sister models that come with the manufacturer’s streaming sticks.

Equally lightweight, however, is the significantly larger voice remote control with TV buttons – and it should now be clear to the last person that the budget brand Roku is more the indicator of the processing quality of the parts than the traditional name Metz, which is on the cheap-looking piano finish -Plastic emblazoned with iridescent flip-flop finish.

The whole thing is assembled in no time at all, all you need is a screwdriver. Even if the feet don’t make a particularly strong impression, they hold the large device in place quite satisfactorily. Since the Metz Blue Roku TV has an LED panel with classic LCD backlighting, the flat-screen TV juts out into the room and is by far not as wafer-thin as a high-end OLED screen unit, but it can still be found on any slim sideboard sufficient floor space.

Due to the ultra-light workmanship, however, wall mounting using a VESA standard bracket should be considered in living rooms with romping children or wild puppies. The additional financial expense for this is also limited for basic models without large swivel arms.

Setup: Blazing fast for Roku veterans, annoying for newcomers

When setting up the Roku user interface, only a few simple steps have to be followed – the registration via e-mail address, which the platform operator has also set as a bottleneck for its streaming players, seems quite unnecessary at first. However, anyone who has already operated an Android TV device or Fire TV hardware from Amazon has long known that you simply cannot get in without identification, registration and data bloodletting.

However, further setup is pretty easy afterwards, downloading the desired streaming apps follows fairly straightforwardly and the usual clear user interface is already configured.

Use: Solid entry into the world of UHD

Once you get used to the somewhat clumsy look of the Roku operating system and the kitschy display themes, the usage environment of the American streaming pioneer also reveals its strengths: the screen tiles of the Roku OS with the apps that the provider calls channels, is ideal for getting started with smart TV operation – a cross-channel search also makes it possible to find the desired content without having to tediously search through individual apps from Netflix to Disney+. Switching between content isn’t buttery smooth, as is typical for Roku, but it’s not catastrophically sluggish either.

As a test, the new streaming service Paramount+ is called up and a look at “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is revealed: No blatant OLED light spectacles with night-black space are offered here, but if you switch from an old TV or PC to the Metz Blue Roku TV, still gets to see a much nicer picture, just without Dolby Vision or HDR10+ – but that’s probably bearable for many beginners who don’t even know what that’s supposed to be.

Metz Blue Roku TV in pictures

Pictures for the test report of the Metz Blue Roku TV.

In addition, a few gaps in the app selection, mainly in Zattoo and MagentaTV, still have to be temporarily accepted. Otherwise, the user is well served in the selection of his streaming services – and Roku continues to work on expanding its international and regional range.

Meanwhile, the title melody and sound effects of the “Star Trek” series sound less flattering during the TV test flight. The sound was clearly saved so much that the purchase of a small soundbar or other external sound output is almost a must, especially in view of the beautiful UHD picture.

For whom is the Metz Blue Roku TV worthwhile?

Once the perceived horse deception with the big name Metz is off the table, the Metz Blue Roku TV reveals a fairly honest product. Anyone looking for a simple entry into the world of smart UHD television is actually well advised here in terms of price and performance – you get pretty much exactly what you pay for.

A big advantage and a potential selling point is that the support of the user interface by the global player Roku guarantees a good supply of apps, which is clearly preferable to a small manufacturer’s own operating system. If you don’t like Roku, you will find similar devices as a Fire TV edition – for example the Xiaomi F2 TV.

Data sheet Metz Blue Roku TV

• Model identifier: Metz Blue MUD6011Z
• Sizes/prices: 32″/188 euros, 40″/249 euros, 50″/379 euros, 55″/400 eurosDisplay type: LED with LCD backlight
• Panel brightness in cd/m²: 250
• Max Resolution: 4K UHD (2160p)
• Frame rate: 60 fps
• TV reception: DVB-T/antenna, DVB-S/satellite, DVB-C/cable, IPTV
• HbbTV: Yes
• Sound: 2 x 10 watts with Dolby Digital Plus, DTS Studio Sound
• HDMI 2.1: No
• Connections: 3 x HDMI-CEC (1 x HDMI-ARC), 2 x USB, LAN, AV input (CVBS/L/R) cinch, S/PDIF digital audio output (optical)
• Ethernet Port: Yes
• CI+: Yes
• HDR10: Yes
• HDR10+: No
• Dolby Vision: No
• Dolby Atmos: No
• Energy class: F
• Operating system: Roku OS
• Smart services: Apple AirPlay, Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa