Why You Can Trust CNET Get a 50-inch Seiki HDTV for $250
From the Cheapskate: It's new, not refurbished, and "smart" to boot -- though you may want to keep your Roku box handy. Plus: three bonus deals!
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I predict a "sold out" sign very soon on today's deal, so I'm going to jump right to it.
Today only, and while supplies last, Meh.com has the Seiki SE50FYT 50-inch LED smart TV for $250, plus $5 for shipping. Price at Amazon: $429.99. Update: Sure enough, this sold out quickly. Sorry, cheeps! But check out those glorious bonus deals!
I don't recall ever seeing a 50-inch TV priced quite this low, not even on Black Friday or Prime Day. I could be wrong, of course -- just saying it's a really low price.
Let me return to Amazon for a moment, where you'll find a pretty low average rating -- but from just six buyers. And if you look closely, you'll see that one of them received a bum unit, another seems to think he got a 720p display (this is definitely a 1080p model) and a third thought he was getting a 120Hz TV. Lucky for him, he wasn't -- see below to find out why.
In other words, some of those reviews require a grain of salt. I'm not saying ignore them, nor that this is a perfect TV that'll give you zero trouble, merely that on paper it sounds pretty great.
For example, it's a 60Hz display, so you won't experience the dreaded soap-opera effect. It comes with Wi-Fi and apps, most notably Netflix and YouTube. And it has three HDMI inputs; a lot of dirt-cheap TVs give you just two.
Take note, however, that Meh is an all-sales-final outfit. If you decide you don't like it, you can't return it. Your only return/refund options are if it's damaged, defective or DOA. Such is the price, sometimes, of a low price.
Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Speaking of low prices on large screens, Newegg has a killer deal on a big monitor: the Sceptre E248W 24-inch desktop monitor for $99.99 shipped. It's an HDMI model (with VGA and DVI inputs as well) sporting built-in speakers. But do read the user reviews before buying. A few of them point to some issues, such as a non-removable base, that might affect your enjoyment.
Bonus deal 2: Cord clutter got you down? It's a first-world problem, to be sure, but it's still a problem and Onme has a solution. This magnetic desktop cord-management system (for smartphone and other small cables) is $7.99 when you apply coupon code CNETONME at checkout. Shipping is free for Prime subscribers. That link takes you to the black version, but it's also available in green with the same discount. Need to manage thicker cables? The same company also has this 6-piece cord-management system for just $3.89 after applying code YPYDCDMV. Don't like the black/brown/white colors? Opt for a more colorful set instead.
Bonus deal 3: Game time! The Humble 2K Bundle serves up a multi-tiered collection from 2K Games. For as little as a buck, you can get top-rated action titles The Darkness II and Spec Ops: The Line, along with the much-maligned-but-still-fun Duke Nukem Forever. Beat the average to add Civilization V, Mafia II and NBA 2K16. Or pony up $15 for the whole enchilada. The combined value here is over $300, making this too good to pass up.