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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: The 585 on June 19, 2019, 03:07:15 PM

Title: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: The 585 on June 19, 2019, 03:07:15 PM
Just a few days ago I accidentally broke our current flatscreen TV which was about 6 years old and was going strong... until something tipped over against it and cracked the TV panel... d'oh! Looks like repairs or replacements cost more than a new TV. Fortunately, it looks like they significantly went down in price over the years!

So anyways, I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions on the best value for a 40" flatscreen TV out there under or around $200. Ideally it'd be a smart TV, because we pretty much only use it to stream youtube channels from our Roku. Looks like there are sites out there selling refurbs for closer to $100, but I don't know how much I trust that. Anybody have good experiences with those? There's just so many models of TVs out there and I want to avoid getting a bad deal.

I opened a credit card with a $200 signup bonus to make up for the cost which makes me feel better about the purchase. Any recommendations or suggestions would be a huge help, thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: dcheesi on June 19, 2019, 03:14:59 PM
For smart TVs, I'm a fan of the TCL Roku TV series. A lot of other brands have home-grown, half-baked "smart" interfaces with limited streaming-service support, but the Roku TVs work the same and have the same broad service support as standalone Roku devices.

There's a 40" model right at $199 USD online, though I think it's a 1080P model. I paid a little more for a 43" 4K model, and we're loving it so far. (That said, you really don't need 4K resolution at 40" anyway. The 43" just happened to perfectly fit the space it was going into.)
Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: ketchup on June 19, 2019, 03:42:01 PM
43" 4K TCL with built in Roku, refurb for $199 with free shipping: https://www.amazon.com/TCL-43S403-Smart-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B077GPXLCH/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=roku+tv&qid=1560980394&s=gateway&sr=8-9

I paid $229 for a similar one (but 1080p) two and a half years ago.  It's amazing how much cheaper/better they've gotten even since then.  "Luckily" my shit DSL means we mostly stream video in 720p anyway.
Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: CoverMajere on June 20, 2019, 07:15:19 AM
Yeah, it's really cheap. You can buy it
Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: RWD on June 20, 2019, 08:21:46 AM
40" TCL with good reviews (edit: interestingly the 43" version is the same price. And the 49" is only $250)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GB61TQR

Found from the excellent TV review site, RTINGS.com
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/best/by-size/40-42-43-inch
Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: nereo on June 20, 2019, 10:16:04 AM
Obvious but not stated thus-far:  Craigslist. 

So many people have upgraded their 40" 1080i flatscreens to 60"+ UHD models that I see models pop up all the time on CL, often for way less than $200.  Right now there are four 42"-46" flatscreens near me being offered for under $100.  I've seen many pop up in the 'free' section b/c everyone wants the 65" screens these days.

Title: Re: Best 40" Flatscreen TV purchase under $200?
Post by: dhc on June 23, 2019, 06:17:42 AM
More obvious: you don't need a ridiculous 40 inch TV, so don't replace it. Spend your time on a side hustle instead. Come on people, this is MMM, not "buy dumb things you don't need".


If you insist on a TV buy the cheapest one you can find on Craigslist.