Buying a TV: high quality, low cost.

May 6, 2013 10:16 PM

I guess specifically I'm wondering what budget televisions (in the $300-400 range-- that and below) are good at the moment. Emphasis on picture quality (over, say, smart TV features and all that nonsense) and a slight, slight preference for more HDMI ports if possible. Though picture quality is key.

But since I enjoy making these questions as helpful to the overall Ask MeFi community as possible I'll also ask: what's your go to site or method for researching televisions? If you weren't recommending me a specific television, that's specifically right for my needs at this specific moment in time what avenues would you recommend I find my answer because I know in the months and years to come this one recommendation won't mean much.

posted by dr handsome to Technology (8 answers total)

I like the Wirecutter. He recommends the single best item in a given category, with frequent updates.
posted by crazy with stars at 10:19 PM on May 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

I like the wirecutter for easy tech reviews.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:19 PM on May 6, 2013

The Wirecutter is adequate for aggregating and explaining reviews. However, they don't go hands-on with very many items at all, and they make frequent and serious mistakes. For instance in the comments section of their Best Small TV review you'll find someone who bought the top-rated TV because the Wirecutter said it had audio output, which it did not. The author responded, "Are you sure it's not just hiding somewhere?"

Most of its writers do not properly review an array of options, so they end up recommending the option with the most hype. I guess that's fine, but they shouldn't pretend that they're doing anything special.

My preferences: Consumer Reports, Amazon reviews, and, if applicable, specific product support forums so you can see if customers are experiencing common issues. Also, a store with a great return policy.
posted by acidic at 1:02 AM on May 7, 2013 [2 favorites]

I second retailer site reviews by users. It seems all the really good old sites have fallen down on the job (CNET and the like).

Budget TV's? Go plasma.. typically running a few bucks cheaper than LCD (which seems to be running cheaper than LED in turn).

Previous year's models you can find on clearance. I prefer to stick with your higher end like Samsung, Hitachi and Panasonic (post and pre 2010 models for plasma), LG and Toshiba second. You should be able to find standard 42" with some good features in that range.

If you don't care about sound quality and will be pumping through a stereo system, you can go lower.

I still have a 42" Hitachi EDTV I got back in 2002 that is still chugging away, picture quality is still fantastic, although it has been supplanted in the main viewing room by a 55" Samsung. Both plasma. LED's do look great, but for the money, plasmas I prefer, especially over LCD on larger screens. More screen size for your buck, as well.
posted by rich at 3:19 AM on May 7, 2013

I used the Wirecutter for the Samsung plasma that I bought last year for a little over $400. I'm happy with it (it was pretty much the only sub-50in plasma, and we didn't want a 50in television) although there's a new model in its place, and you may find the two HDMI ports a bit restricting for you.
posted by holgate at 6:24 AM on May 7, 2013

Actually, CNet is still a good source for TV/home theater reviews. And The Wirecutter does appear to be doing more hands-on testing than before, thanks I think to the various new reviewers they've brought on board from various publications.
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:19 AM on May 7, 2013

I bought a TV a year ago (my first ever TV purchase) and my interests were: BIG, had plenty of HDMI ports for hooking up to my computer/whatever, under 500 bucks.

I achieved all of these things and got a great TV by getting one that was last year's model. It no longer had all the newest, flashiest things and couldn't really compete with all the fancy TVs on the shelf, so the price was considerably less.

I'm not really a picture quality person and I don't know where your personal cutoff is, I just know that I got a great non-budget TV for a budget price by looking at year old reviews and getting something that was still on the shelf.
posted by phunniemee at 7:34 AM on May 7, 2013

I purchased this Westinghouse 40" (mainly on the basis of my Dad having one and really liking the picture) about a year ago and couldn't be happier with its bright, sharp picture. The only spot it may fall down on for you is only having 3 HDMI ports, but I've noticed that on more inexpensive sets, fewer ports fall into the same "fewer bells and whistles" bucket, so it may be difficult to find a less feature-rich TV with a surfeit of HDMI slots (unless you look at closeouts as the poster above mentions)
posted by jalexei at 8:07 AM on May 7, 2013