Black Friday TV Guide: Are Supermarket TVs Worth It?

Black Friday TV Guide: Are Supermarket TVs Worth It?
Budget TVs abound these days, with all sorts of TV brands offering budget and entry-level models for those who care less about high-end picture quality than simply making sure their TV purchase hurts their finances. as little as possible. With Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday on the way, and Black Friday TV deals already rolling in, you may be wondering which TV is right for you. However, some brands really put an emphasis on affordability. While this often comes at the expense of better image processing and quality, it certainly means that having a screen in your home is a bit cheaper. Of course, we are talking about supermarket TVs. Supermarket TVs are the ones you can buy in-store from a mass market retailer, such as Walmart (in the US) or Asda (in the UK). They're cheap enough to keep in your shopping cart with groceries, probably small enough to take to your car, and can be very tempting as an impulse buy. Over the past two decades, traditional supermarkets have dramatically expanded the type of products they offer, from groceries to clothing lines, kitchenware, 4K Blu-ray and video games, and even retail. electronic devices such as televisions. However, you won't find every new TV in your local supermarket, as only specific brands tend to offer their products in this setting. People tend to have a specific budget in mind when they walk in with their shopping list, and there's a limit to how much they'll spend there, while high-end TVs, whether they're QLED, LCD, or the best OLED TVs, are usually available from specialty retailers who know the ins and outs of the devices they sell. So which supermarket TVs can you buy, where should you buy them, and are they a smart buy for your home?

Supermarket televisions: what and where?

What supermarket TVs are available? There are a number of budget TV manufacturers that tend to target these retailers, such as Walmart and Target (in the US) or Asda, Tesco and Aldi (in the UK). These TV brands include Polaroid, Onn, RCA, Specter, JVC, Logik, or Blaupunkt. You'll see names like Samsung or Panasonic in our Walmart TV deal guide, but their lines tend to price up the size of the TV, format support, and panel technologies implemented across the board.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

What do supermarket televisions look like?

Equipment in this category generally meets all three criteria: it's inexpensive, it's small, and it involves a commitment. Why not expensive? Supermarket TVs need to appeal to the income group of people who shop at that particular outlet, and while you can put down a four-figure amount with your credit card at your local Walmart/Tesco, the most targeted strategy The most effective thing for TV manufacturers is to make the sale of TVs as seamless as possible with other purchases you make in the store. That means a TV cheap enough to feel right at home on your receipt. Why small? TVs that you can carry or put in your shopping cart are the easiest to store in supermarkets and the easiest to fit in your car or transportation (although a bike basket can push you around a bit). Why a compromise? Supermarket TVs tend to take advantage of the value proposition, which means you get the lowest-priced TVs with basic capabilities like HD resolution, limited format support, and interfaces. limited smart TVs, or TVs that offer more premium factors at a lower cost (i.e. 4K resolution and HDR support). There are exceptions on all three points: there are certainly larger sets available, more expensive options, and sets that actually offer fantastic performance for the cost. But that's where it usually is.

(Image credit: future)

So should you buy a supermarket TV?

Whether or not to buy a supermarket TV will depend on your priorities. If you're on a budget and can't afford a TV approaching $500 / £500 / AU$800, a supermarket TV is certainly a cost-effective way to fit a screen into your home. However, please note that TVs of this type with advanced technologies such as Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range, or Dolby Vision support will only provide a limited version. 4K TVs vary widely when it comes to the quality of displaying high and low resolution content. In fact, the internal specifications of the television and the quality of its image processing are essential to maintain a fluid, detailed and visually rich picture. You get what you pay for, and anyone bringing home a budget TV shouldn't be surprised if they encounter visual issues like shaky frame rates, blooming around light sources, and high contrast. unnatural looking colour. It depends on how important these factors are to you, but if you're only using a TV in a limited capacity, or don't want to spend money on a quality picture, a supermarket TV might be a smart use. your money. Just make sure you get a warranty on everything, in case the budget caves in before you can use it properly.

Some Supermarket TVs to Consider (US/UK)

Insignia Fire HD 32-inch Smart TV: $ 169.99 $ 99.99 at Best Buy
Best Buy's first Black Friday sale has the Insignia 32-inch HDTV on sale for just $ 99.99. Your smart TV comes with the Fire TV experience, allowing you to stream your favorite movies and shows from your TV's home screen.
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32-inch TCL HD Smart TV: $ 199.99 $ 129.99 at Best Buy
This small but mighty 32-inch TV from TCL is currently on sale at Best Buy for a whopping $70 savings. That's a pretty impressive value considering this TV supports Alexa and Google Assistant. With Roku TV built in, you'll also have plenty of streaming options.
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Scepter 4-inch 50K UHD LED TV: $ 279.99 $ 199.99 at Walmart
A fantastic price for a mid-size 4K TV, get the 50-inch Scepter TV on sale for just $ 199.99 at Walmart. While the Ultra HD TV lacks smart features, it does include three HDMI ports so you can stream, browse, and listen to all of your favorite media.
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32-inch RCA HD TV: $129 at Amazon
This affordable 32-inch TV comes with HD/720p resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and USB/HDMI connections.

<p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"> 32-inch Bush HD TV: $169 $149 at Argos
Get €20 off this cheap HDTV at Argos. You'll get two HDMI inputs, a USB port, and compatibility with Netflix and Amazon Prime video streaming apps. Other tips for buying television for Black Friday