Roberts Stream 202 review

The Roberts Stream 202 has undergone a minor revamp since we saw the original model last summer (web ID: 218166). On the cosmetic side, Roberts has added a new white fascia to the silver and black options, although after only a couple of days in the PC Pro labs, the device was starting to look grubby.

A firmware upgrade claims to save power by shutting down the Wi-Fi and Ethernet ports when not in use, although you’d have to be somewhat sadistic to attempt to run the radio on battery power regularly: there’s no rechargeable cell, just a bay to accommodate six chunky and expensive D-size batteries, which also almost double the weight of the device.

The Stream 202 remains a perfectly respectable mid-range portable. Sound quality is crisp and well balanced, although it tends to get a little thin and rattly when the volume is cranked up, partly due to the lightweight plastic construction of the case.

The Roberts has the full complement of radio options, with an RDS FM tuner, DAB, and media-streaming modes to accompany the internet radio and podcasts.

It’s a shame Roberts’ refresh didn’t improve the screen, which has an irritating tendency to smear scrolling text, but for a sub-£150 radio it still represents good value.

Author: Barry Collins