Why You Can Trust CNET The ultimate dorm-room TV is on sale for $180
This 40-inch TCL model comes with Roku baked in, making it ideal for college kids.
Strict Dad says, "College is for learning, not binge-watching Netflix all day!" Cool Dad says, "You can't study 24/7, and you'll just end up bingeing on your phone, so you might as well have a TV and invite some friends over." Of course, both dads think the kid who wants the TV should buy the TV -- but at least there's a great deal to be had.
For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon is once again offering the TCL 40S325 40-inch Roku TV for $179.99. That's tied with its all-time low price. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.
A 40-inch screen is plenty big for any dorm room, and 1080p resolution is plenty as well -- 4K would be overkill, especially considering the close quarters.
The big attraction here is the built-in Roku interface, which affords easy access to the likes of Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video. (Speaking of which, did you know that students can get a Spotify subscription for just $5 per month, a price that includes both Hulu and Showtime? Lucky kids!)
The remote doesn't support voice commands like on fancier TCL models, but the Roku app does -- and that app can also be used for private listening via headphones, great for kids trying to be respectful of their hard-studying roommates.
Needless to say, you don't have to be a college student to take advantage of this deal. A 40-inch Roku TV for $180 is a flat-out bargain for anyone.
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