Why You Can Trust CNET Snag deep discounts on Samsung's Frame TV and cellular Apple Watch
Plus a last chance to get Sphero's R2-D2 for under $40.
- Self-taught tinkerer, informal IT and gadget consultant to friends and family (with several self-built gaming PCs under his belt)
Yes, that's a TV.
Labor Day and the start of football season mean TV sales. And while Vizio and TCL continue to battle it out in the "cheap but good" space, Samsung usually stays above the fray. But "usually" doesn't mean "always" -- and that's why it's notable that Samsung's 2019 Frame TV has returned to its Prime Day low: $1,398 for the 55-inch version, or $400 off the list price.
We haven't reviewed this specific model, but we can stipulate two things about Samsung TVs in general: The 4K QLED (that's LED-powered LCD screens enhanced with quantum dot color) picture quality is generally awesome -- you can see here how it compares with LG's OLED, the current top dog in the TV screen technology wars. The catch? You're going to pay a premium for the Samsung name compared to other LED/QLED TVs from the aforementioned budget competitors Vizio and TCL.
That said, Samsung is far and away the leader in TV industrial design, and the company's Frame line leans into that strength in a big way. These TVs are designed to mimic picture frames (get it?), right down to including more than 100 works of art that you can display when not using it in boob tube mode. Why have a black box when you can be displaying a gorgeous landscape? (That white matted border is part of the screen -- it goes away when you're watching video.)
And yes, this TV also includes all the usual Samsung goodies, including a full suite of smart TV apps and Alexa compatibility.
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See that red dot on the crown? It means that this particular Apple Watch can access the internet directly, without being paired to your iPhone. Normally, that's a $100 premium over the noncellular version -- this Watch debuted last year at $379. But Apple Watch prices seem lower than ever as the summer comes to an end, and we expect possible new models at the presumed Apple September event. As always, caveats abound: Yes, new models may be days away. Yes, this is the Series 3 (no ECG monitoring), it's the smaller 38mm model (the noncellular 42mm model is available for the same price). Yes, you'll need to pay extra for cellular connectivity (usually $10 extra on your wireless bill per month). And yes, Fitbit just introduced a new model that you should check out. But this is still a great deal on a great always-connected smartwatch.
OK, this guy is already out of stock (though Amazon will ship at this price once it replenishes). And honestly, it's effectively discontinued, too. But if you're one of the Star Wars superfans who is already out of their minds over the new Rise of Skywalker footage, it's worth picking up this awesome remote controlled R2-D2 at this price, even if he's just going to live on your bookshelf. It was $180 at launch, but it can be yours now for just $36.
Rick Broida will return to this space tomorrow. In the meantime, check out these other deals that are still active and available:
- The best Labor Day 2019 deals so far
- Hulu teams up with Chrissy Teigen for 6-month discount
- Disney Plus discount: Buy two years and get the third year free
- The best Labor Day mattress sales available now
- The best MacBook Air deals: Get the 2018 model for $850
- The best iPad deals
- Hate subscription software? Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements are on sale for $60 each