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Get a Samsung 40-inch HDTV and $125 Dell gift card for $328

If you're in the market for this size TV anyway, why not score a big helping of Dell gravy while you're at it? Plus: an iPhone with a free year of service!

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read

samsung-un40h5003.jpg
Samsung

I live in a modest-size house, and certain rooms -- bedrooms in particular -- just can't accommodate super-big TVs. I also earn a modest-size income, which similarly doesn't accommodate super-big TVs.

That's why I enjoy deals like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Dell has the Samsung UN40H5003AF 40-inch LED HDTV for $327.99 shipped (plus tax in some states). That's the same price you'd pay at Amazon and elsewhere, but here you also score a $125 (!) Dell gift card. (You'll see it when you reach the checkout page.)

Update: Sorry to say it looks like both the deal price and gift-card offer have expired.

True to its price, this is a fairly no-frills TV. It's not "smart," and it comes with just two HDMI inputs. Nevertheless, it earned a 4.2-star average from over 200 Amazon buyers, and Samsung's own product page reveals a 4.7-star average from nearly 50 buyers.

(Side note: Many of the bad Amazon reviews are because the TV arrived damaged. I'm not sure why poor handling by the shipper merits a one-star rating for the TV, but there you go.)

One thing that's not immediately clear: refresh rate. Amazon lists it at 60Hz native, 120Hz "effective," while Samsung refers to its own "Motion Rate 60" spec (because apparently refresh rates aren't confusing enough already). A 60Hz TV won't produce the dreaded soap-opera effect. If this TV does, you can almost certainly turn off whatever motion-enhancement feature is causing it.

As for the gift card, it'll arrive via email 10-20 days after your purchase. Tablet, anyone? Printer? A second monitor? That $125 credit may just score you a sweet freebie, or at least seriously defray the cost of something more expensive.

Are there cheaper 40-inch TVs out there? Absolutely. But they're usually off-brand models, and that just doesn't sit well with some buyers. Samsung is, needless to say, fairly well known. Your thoughts?

Bonus deal: Not everyone wants a big phone, and no one wants to pay a hefty monthly fee. Here's a deal that satisfies both, er, non-wants: StackSocial has the refurbished iPhone 5 (16GB) and one year of service for $269.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code SKATEPHONE10 at checkout. That service includes unlimited calling and messaging, and 500MB of LTE data.

However, there are a few caveats: 1-2 weeks for delivery, no refunds, and service via Sprint-powered FreedomPop (which has been decidedly hit-and-miss among Cheapskate readers). Even so, I've never seen a lower total cost of ownership for an iPhone. Might be the perfect option for, say, an iPhone-hungry teen.