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Get a refurbished Apple TV for $75

That's $24 less than you'll pay for a new one, but the refurb is just as good as new, right down to the warranty. Plus: Three awesome bonus deals!

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
3 min read
$75 for an Apple TV? Sold.
$75 for an Apple TV? Sold. Sarah Tew/CNET

For as long as I can remember, refurbished Apple TVs have been selling via Apple's online store for $85. A nice little discount, but maybe not enough to sway buyers away from getting a new one for just $14 more. Especially considering that the refurb was usually the previous-generation model.

But now, you can get a refurbished current-gen Apple TV for $75 shipped (plus sales tax for most buyers). That's $24 off the price of new, and without question one of the best Apple TV deals I've seen.

So what's this all about? Usually, when Apple starts trimming prices on refurbished gear, it's a sign that new models are imminent. And with an Apple event scheduled for September 10, could it be there's a new Apple TV waiting in the wings?

Don't care. At $75, the current Apple TV is a slam-dunk no-brainer buy for anyone who owns an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac. It's not only the conduit between those devices and your TV, but also a delivery system for iTunes content: movies, music, TV shows, and so on. Oh, yeah, and it streams from the likes of ESPN, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, and Netflix.

Of course, now that Roku boxes let you stream personal photos, music, and videos from iOS devices, that's one less point in favor of the Apple TV (and perhaps among the reasons it's outsold by Roku boxes).

Truth be told, I own both. I use the Roku probably 80 percent of the time, but occasionally I want access to something in my iTunes library. And I do enjoy mirroring games and other content from my iPad to my TV.

But I digress. A refurbished Apple TV is every bit as good as a new one, as evidenced by Apple's inclusion of a one-year warranty. In fact, as I've noted many times before, whenever you're shopping for an Apple product, I recommend choosing refurbished every time. Agree? Disagree? You know the drill.

Watch this: Apple TV earns Editors' Choice award

Bonus deal: In case you missed the story the other day, the Humble folks are running what is arguably the best gaming bundle ever. Name your own price ($1 minimum) for six top-rated games (including Crysis 2, Dead Space 3, and Mirror's Edge), or beat the average (currently $4.80) to get two more (including Battlefield 3). Most of the titles can be redeemed via Steam, though a few require you to use EA's Origin service. Even so, this is the game bundle of the year, bar none.

Bonus deal No. 2: Listen up! Today only, and while supplies last, Tech.Woot has the refurbished Braven 600 portable Bluetooth speaker for $34.99, plus $5 for shipping. It features an aluminum chassis, comes in your choice of gray or red, and doubles as a charger for your mobile device! I haven't tried this model, but I recently reviewed the slightly larger Braven 850. Verdict: My favorite Bluetooth speaker to date.

Bonus deal No. 3: If you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, here's something unusual: a freebie. You can get the top-rated action game Dead Rising 2 for free via the Xbox Live Marketplace. A boxed copy would run you around $15. The giveaway is good through August 31.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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