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One of our favorite budget TVs is on sale for $498

The 2019 Vizio M-Series Quantum normally runs $650. Find out why we love it, and why this is a superb deal.

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
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It's not Prime Day, Black Friday , Labor Day, National Cat Awareness Day or any other holiday, but Vizio has chosen this moment to offer a great sale on a great TV.

For a limited time, Amazon has the Vizio M-558G1 Quantum 55-inch TV for $498. Vizio proper sells it for $650, and here it's a buck below the all-time lowest price of earlier this year. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

In case you prefer to shop elsewhere, you can also find the M-558G1 at Best Buy for $499.99 and at Walmart for $498.

What's so great about this model compared with countless other 55-inchers out there? In a word: dots. In two words: quantum dots. And what the heck are those? That answer can be found in David Katzmaier's Vizio M-Series Quantum review, which praises the screen's "deep black levels, accurate color" and "excellent picture quality for the money." And that assessment was based on an even higher price.

Most user reviews are equally effusive, averaging 4.6 stars at Best Buy and 4.8 at Walmart. Amazon customers, however, average just 3.8 stars. It's hard to say why; seems a handful of random issues drove the score down. 

My advice: All else being equal, buy locally so you can more easily return it if there's a problem. 

Your thoughts?

Read more: The best TVs for 2019

Watch this: Vizio’s 2019 TVs get Apple AirPlay and beefed-up hardware

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