Why You Can Trust CNET Grab a 4K Blu-ray player for $99.99 and get 'Blue Planet II' free
Plus: Return of the $7.98 sport earbuds!
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Start building your 4K Blu-ray library with this excellent freebie.
I'm on record as saying 4K TVs are kind of pointless, in part because there's so little 4K content to watch and in part because I'm not going to enjoy "Baby Driver" any more in 4K than I did in 1080p.
Plunk me down in front of something like BBC's "Blue Planet" series, however, and I'll take all the pixels I can get.
Which brings us to today's deal: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Samsung UDB-M7500 4K Blu-ray player for $99.99, a price that includes a free copy of the "Blue Planet II" 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray steelbook. (Walmart has the player for the same price, but no "Blue Planet" bonus.) Samsung proper sells the player for $219.99. Update: The deal appears to have expired.
The instructions for getting this deal are clearly identified on Best Buy's page, but here's a recap: Check the "Add to offer" box alongside the player, then the "Add to offer" box alongside one of the two available "Blue Planet" SKUs. Which one? The steelbook version, natch: It's worth more and it comes in a metal case with exclusive extras.
Before you click "Add to Cart" and check out, though, take note: The UDB-M7500 requires a wired internet connection, so plan on running some Ethernet cable from your router to your TV if you haven't already done so. That's so you can stream content (4K and otherwise) via Samsung's smart hub. Oh, and the player supports the HDR10 flavor of HDR, versus Dolby Vision.
Indeed, the player supports all the usual streaming goodies (Amazon, Netflix and so on), though whether those apps are any better than what's built into your TV, streaming stick or game console is debatable.
Most likely, you're going to be in this for 4K Blu-ray, which is fine -- the player has an amazing 4.7-star review average from over 500 buyers, and I think $100 is a reasonable price for adding that capability to your 4K TV.
And what better showcase for it than "Blue Planet II"? You wouldn't think a nature documentary on marine life could be so riveting, but like the "Planet Earth" series and the original "Blue Planet," it's jaw-droppingly beautiful and frequently astonishing. (It's also occasionally heartbreaking, for reasons I won't go into here.)
The modern home theater needs a 4K Blu-ray player. Here's your chance to save big on one and jump-start your 4K Blu-ray library at the same time.
Your thoughts?
These are $8 shipped. Incredible!
Bonus deal: Not long ago, I shared a deal on some Totu sport earbuds, which were impossibly priced at just $8. Anyone order them?
Because the deal is back: Totu Bluetooth sport earbuds for $7.98 when you apply promo code EJBZKBAO at checkout. While supplies last, of course.
Here's what's weird: Totu already lists what appears to the same headphone on a different page -- one that shows a 3.5-star review average from 900 customers.
The current deal page has just one review -- and, even more curious, the mysterious "Amazon's Choice" badge. [Rick scratches his head.]
What do we make of all this? I'm not sure if Totu is trying for a clean slate, review-wise, or if this is indeed a slightly different model. But if you ordered the Totu sport 'buds last time, please hit the comments and tell your fellow cheapskates what you think of them.
Because on paper they, er, sound solid: Bluetooth 4.1, 8-hour battery, sweatproof design, 12-month warranty. I might just have to pony up $8 of my own dough to see what's what.