Why You Can Trust CNET Big game's coming, so are TV deals: A 65-inch Sceptre for $540
If you don't mind going "dumb," this is the big-screen deal to beat. Plus: a Brother all-in-one for under $100!
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All football games are more enjoyable when they're at least 65 inches diagonally.
I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a football game scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4.
Consequently, you might thinking, "OK, time to splurge on that big, big screen so I can watch in style." As always, there are some sweet TV deals to be had in the days leading up to the Big Game -- and I've got what I think is the sweetest.
For a limited time, and while supplies last, Walmart has the Sceptre U650CV-U 65-inch 4K TV for $539.99 shipped (plus tax). That's well below the vast majority of other 65-inch models I've been tracking, most of which are priced at $700, and also below anything I spotted on Black Friday .
Go dumb or go home
The Sceptre is a "dumb" TV, meaning if you want to stream content from the likes of Amazon , Hulu and Netflix (and of course you do), you'll have to BYO streaming box or stick.
Totally fine. I'm guessing you probably have one already; if not, you can easily find one for $30-40. That's still way cheaper than getting a 65-inch TV with Roku built in: I couldn't find one for less than $700.
It'll use up an HDMI port, of course, but this model has them to spare: four in all. That leaves room for your cable box, game console and, oh, let's say your laptop (because maybe you want to play Quiplash or something).
This is also a 4K TV, of course, as most models are nowadays -- not that that really matters for the big game, which won't be broadcast in 4K. That's the unfortunate reality right now: Very little content is available in that ultra-high-definition format. (And if I'm being honest, very little content needs to be. Though sports is the one exception! I don't need to watch "The Good Place" in 4K, but I sure would like to see some college hoops that way.)
Although it has a refresh rate of "just" 60Hz, the Sceptre employs something called Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation to deliver 120Hz-level smoothing -- the better for things like sports and video games . If you're a little confused by all that, I highly recommend learning the truth about 4K TV refresh rates. (TL;DR: Don't pay extra for sky-high refresh rates.)
The U650CV-U scored a 4.2-star average from Walmart customers. A couple of the 1-star ratings can be attributed to TVs damaged during shipping, one reason I recommend in-store pickup if you have that option.
One last thing to consider: Like nearly all TVs, this one comes with a one-year warranty. Walmart offers a 3-year extended plan for $69, but remember that your credit card will very likely give you a second year of coverage at no additional cost.
Your thoughts?
The Brother HL-L2390DW doesn't do color, but it does have an auto-duplexer.
Bonus deal: If you like the idea of an all-in-one laser printer but don't need color, grab this quick: Amazon has the Brother HL-L2390DW all-in-one for $99.99 shipped. (It's available from Best Buy for the same price.)
This monochrome laser can also scan and make copies, but faxing isn't part of the equation. Neither is an auto-document feeder -- here you're just getting a flatbed. However, it does support auto-duplexing, meaning you can crank out double-sided prints.
It also does all the wireless things: AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Wi-Fi Direct, etc. As for toner, because this is a new model, there aren't a lot of third-party options yet -- but if other Brother printers are any indication, you should have no trouble finding cartridges in the $20-30 range.
Want to learn more? Here's a useful Brother HL-L2390DW review.