The Hisense 70-inch 4K UHD Smart Android TV is still available for $400 – CNET

How low can they go? I’m talking about prices for big TVs, of course, not the participants in Limbo Mania 2020. Just last month, I was stoked to see a 70-inch model marked down to $500. Best Buy, today: Hold my beer.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, you can get the Hisense H65 70-inch 4K UHD Smart Android TV for $400. I can’t recall ever seeing a price that low on a TV that big.

Interestingly, this is not one of the items in Best Buy’s Coolest Deals sale, which began today and ends Sunday. It is, however, a worthy addition to our list of the best Black Friday TV deals. In that list you’ll also see an upcoming 70-inch LG TV at Target — but it’ll be $550. Worth the extra $150? Tough to say.

LG’s model relies on a proprietary smart-TV OS, whereas the Hisense incorporates the recently updated Android TV platform (soon to be known as Google TV). Neither is better than CNET’s longtime favorite platform, Roku, but they get the job done. (That said, see below for how you can turn this into a Roku TV on the cheap.)

Another unknown: image quality. Will a $400 Hisense rival a $550 LG? Probably not. Will it rival even a TCL, our go-to budget TV brand? Again, hard to say.

What you’ll probably get here is a decent, HDR-enhanced picture that’s fine for everyday viewing. Indeed, as I discussed with CNET TV guru David Katzmaier in a recent episode of the Cheapskate Show podcast (see below), not everyone cares about having perfect black levels or local-area dimming. Sometimes, size matters more.

And here’s a handy little tip: Best Buy is a retail store. If you don’t like the TV, you’ve got all the way until Jan. 16 to return it. (That’s a specially extended return period.)

Is it possible we’ll see an even better deal on a 70-inch TV this month? Maybe. But a big TV in the hand is worth, um, something to do with bushes, I guess?

Tell me what you think.

Read more: The best TVs for 2020

The Roku Premiere 4K streamer is on sale for $29

Decided you’re not wild about the Android TV user interface? Or, for that matter, Amazon’s Fire TV? Just because a TV has an operating system built in doesn’t mean you have to stick with it. Simply plug in your streaming stick of choice.

Like this one: For a limited time, Amazon is offering the Roku Premiere for $29. That’s a couple of bucks higher than the best Prime Day deal, but it’s still an $11 discount and a great buy overall.

The Roku Premiere offers the important goodies you’d want to pair with a TV like the Hisense — namely 4K and HDR. However, you’ll lose the voice control option; if you want that, check out the Roku Ultra LT, currently on sale for $48 at Walmart. 

CNET hasn’t reviewed this version of the Roku Premiere (check out our Premiere Plus review, which covers most of the important details), but make no mistake: It’s an excellent streamer notable for its simplicity and versatility. (Also: Peacock!) 

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CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.