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Tag: underscored-tv

  • The Samsung Frame TV is up to $800 off right now | CNN Underscored

    The Samsung Frame TV is up to $800 off right now | CNN Underscored

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    The Discover Samsung Event is happening now through March 26, meaning you can save big on tech essentials like a new phone, tablet, wireless earbuds or even a vacuum. While you browse the deals, consider one of our favorite TVs at up to a whopping $800 off.

    Practical technology and interior design can sometimes feel at odds, but with The Frame TV, integration is seamless. If a massive black screen is an eyesore on your walls, it’s the perfect entertainment solution.

    The latest model of the Frame comes with an anti-glare coating to not only make watching movies and shows more enjoyable, but also better show off a library of digital art and a choice of magnetic frame when you’re not watching TV. Right now, you’ll find six sizes of this cult-favorite television on sale, from an apartment-friendly 43-inch  to an 85-inch model worthy of a home theater.

    Practical technology and interior design can sometimes feel at odds, but with The Frame TV, integration is seamless. Get up to $800 off in six sizes right now.

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  • Samsung just launched new OLED TVs — here’s what you need to know | CNN Underscored

    Samsung just launched new OLED TVs — here’s what you need to know | CNN Underscored

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    Lower-cost TVs have advanced considerably over the years, but for our money, there’s nothing like the deep blacks, bold colors and overall immersive picture of an OLED. Samsung seems keenly aware of this, having jumped back into the fray last year with its first OLED set in nearly a decade. And now, the company is launching an even more advanced lineup of models for 2023, with a wider range of sizes as well as a slightly more affordable counterpart to its main flagship.

    Samsung’s S95C and S90C 4K OLEDs are both available now, starting at $2,499 and $1,899 respectively. Wondering if they’re worth a spot in your living room? Here’s what you need to know.

    The Samsung S95C is the company’s flagship OLED, ideal for those willing to splurge on the very best in terms of both picture quality and features. The set packs Samsung’s Quantum HDR OLED+ technology, which is designed to pump out a high level of contrast that’ll allow your favorite movies and shows to really pop. It’s also very sleek, with barely-there bezels, a screen that measures just 4mm thin and a rear panel design that allows you to easily hide away those unsightly cables.

    We got a chance to check out the S95C alongside the company’s latest 4K and 8K QLEDs during a hands-on preview last month, and the OLED set was the clear standout. The S95C pumped out strikingly rich colors and ultra-deep blacks, allowing the vibrant action of an NFL football game to really pop while keeping us engrossed in a climactic episode of Stranger Things 4. The S95C also gets you all of the gaming perks available on Samsung’s latest TVs, including up to 144Hz refresh rates for smooth PC gaming and a dedicated Gaming Hub for streaming titles from services like Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna directly from the cloud.

    While the latest Neo QLED 4K set looked great on its own — and the 8K model offered an almost 3D-like level of detail — they both seemed relatively plain in terms of color after getting our eyes on the beautiful OLED model.

    The Samsung OLED 4K S95C is available to order now in three variations: a 55-inch model for $2,500, a 65-inch model for $3,300 and a 77-inch model for $4,500.

    Related: How to set up a new TV

    samsung 2023 oled launch cnnu 3

    If you’re looking to spend a little less but still want the immersive benefits of OLED, the more affordable S90C should be on your radar. This model packs most of the key benefits of the S95C — including Dolby Atmos audio, high refresh-rate gaming and the wealth of built-in apps found in the Smart Hub — while offering a slightly less advanced version of Samsung’s Quantum HDR OLED tech. Its stand and bezels don’t seem quite as sleek as those of the S95C when you zoom into the finer details, but the two TVs look nearly identical at a quick glance (well, going by their product images that is).

    The S90C is also available in three sizes: a $1,900 55-inch model, a $3,600 77-inch model and a 65-inch set that’s awaiting final pricing.

    We’ll have to spend some serious time with these new models to see how they stack up to the best TVs, but every time we’ve gotten our eyes on a Samsung OLED TV, we’ve come away impressed. If you’re looking to get your first OLED — or are in dire need of an upgrade — both of these models seem worth keeping on your list. We’ll be giving these sets the full review treatment as soon as we can, so stay tuned for more.

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  • Sony just revealed its 2023 Bravia TVs — and we got to try them | CNN Underscored

    Sony just revealed its 2023 Bravia TVs — and we got to try them | CNN Underscored

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    Sony is no stranger to making TVs that admirably mimic the theater experience (see: the A90J, which has long been our luxury pick for best TV). Perhaps that’s why the company isn’t making sweeping changes to its 2023 television lineup, instead tweaking overall image quality with smart refinements while adding some long overdue upgrades for gamers.

    We recently got a chance to go eyes-on with Sony’s 2023 Bravia XR lineup — including the new X95L, X93L, X90L, A95L QD-OLED and A80L OLED — not only getting a preview of how the company’s latest sets improve over last year’s models but also seeing them alongside top competitors from LG and Samsung. And while this might not be an upgrade year for everybody, we were certainly impressed with what we saw.

    Wondering if you should bring a 2023 Bravia to your living room when they launch this spring? Here are our early impressions.

    Impressive upgrades to Mini LED and OLED

    One of the first sets we looked at was the X95L Mini LED, which was playing “The Devil Wears Prada” alongside comparable models from LG and Samsung — as well as a Sony reference monitor that displayed the film in its purest, theater-accurate form. Despite the fact that we were watching a film from 2006, the X95L did a great job upscaling the movie to 4K, making it look crisp and modern, thanks to the upgraded Cognitive Processor XR packed inside. Compared to the LG and Samsung sets, Sony’s Mini LED did a better job preserving certain details, particularly (and oddly enough) when looking at Anne Hathaway’s hair, which seemed more color accurate to the reference monitor than its more saturated rivals.

    We also got a look at Sony’s upgraded A95L QD-OLED and A95L OLED, the latter of which builds on much of the same tech we loved on the excellent A90J (OLED TVs generally have deeper blacks and better contrast than a standard LED set). The TV’s advanced new processor allows for both better brightness and contrast, something we glaringly noticed when looking at a new and old OLED model side by side. There was significantly less blooming (when a bright image spills onto a dark background, creating an unpleasant, cloudy effect) on the new model, which led to even starker blacks that should make your favorite weekly TV shows more immersive.

    Sony 2023 TVs 5

    While I was impressed with each of the various Bravia TVs on their own, I’m most excited about this new and long overdue feature: a proper gaming mode. Competing TVs from LG and Samsung have had this feature for years, with the ability to automatically detect your console or PC and offer quick one-button access to settings to easily optimize the look and feel of your games. Now Sony is finally getting in on the fun, complete with a few new tricks of its own.

    The Bravia Game Menu is slick, simple and similar to what I’ve seen on recent LG and Samsung TVs, offering settings such as variable refresh rate for keeping modern console and PC games at their smoothest, a Black Equalizer for lighting overly dark scenes and an on-screen crosshair for tighter aim in shooting games. Sony takes things a bit further with its customizable screen size settings, which lets you shrink your game down to a smaller window that doesn’t take up the entire television. This is ideal for competitive gamers — after all, it’s a lot easier to keep tabs on a heated Fortnite or Overwatch match if the action is all within your line of sight and not spread across a huge 65-inch canvas. Similar to Samsung’s TVs, Sony’s new A95L model has a Multi View mode that lets you play content from multiple sources in a single window. This could be handy for, say, playing a game on one half of the screen while watching a YouTube walk-through for it on the other.

    Sony’s new Game Menu borrows a lot of the great software features we loved on its Inzone gaming monitors, and should provide an even better plug-and-play experience for those using a Bravia to game on their PS5, Xbox Series X or gaming PC.

    New sustainability options and improved smarts

    Sony 2023 TVs 4

    Another key new feature coming to Sony’s new TVs is the Eco Dashboard, which provides a handy one-stop location for activating various energy-saving settings that could help the environment (not to mention your electric bill). This menu lets you toggle things like power saving mode and automatic power-down settings, with a cute illustrated tree that grows bigger as you activate more eco-friendly modes. It’s all part of Sony’s plan to go full carbon neutral by 2040, and while every big brand seems to be pushing big sustainability buzzwords these days, these settings also seem like handy, practical features for helping make sure your TV is only on — and blasting at full brightness — when you actually need it to be.

    Of course, all the new features join Sony’s usual smarts, which also happen to be part of the handy Google TV software that powers every set. You can use Google Assistant to control the TVs hands-free as well as connect most of your smart home gadgets — even if they’re from Apple or Amazon. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sony movies will look best on this Sony TV, with a library of films available on the Bravia Core app that features optimized versions of hits like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Uncharted.” Better yet, Bravia Core is getting Dolby Atmos support for launch. Finally, every model we saw comes equipped with Acoustic Center Sync technology, which allows your Sony soundbar (yes, only Sony soundbars work with this feature) to work in tandem with your TV speakers to create a surround-like effect — something that proved impressive when we watched James Bond take out a bunch of bad guys in “No Time to Die.”

    Sony 2023 TVs 7

    Sony’s 2023 Bravia TVs are looking as impressive as ever, boasting great picture quality and a handful of new, smart quality-of-life improvements that should make them a welcome addition to any room. The Gaming Menu is a long overdue addition for those who want a TV that’s ideal for their PS5 or Xbox Series X, and the Eco Dashboard seems like a push toward sustainability while helping customers avoid unnecessary power usage.

    And though these latest sets seem to offer only marginal updates for anyone who already owns a Bravia, if you’re in the market for a new high-end 4K smart TV, they should be on your radar. Pricing and availability for Sony’s 2023 TVs will be announced this spring — we’ll be putting the new models through their full paces as soon as we get our hands on them, so stay tuned for more.

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  • Get ready for the big game with these great deals on TVs, soundbars and projectors | CNN Underscored

    Get ready for the big game with these great deals on TVs, soundbars and projectors | CNN Underscored

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    The big game is upon us, and whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or just want to see Rihanna tear it up on the big screen, having the right entertainment setup is key. Fortunately, tons of top TVs, soundbars and projectors are on sale right now, and we’ve sifted through the savings to find the deals that are actually worth getting before the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 12.

    Whether you’re looking for an upgrade to your entertainment room with an immersive 4K display, a projector for catching the game on the road or a soundbar to add some extra oomph to every touchdown, here are our picks for saving some cash — which you can put towards those ever-important tailgate essentials.

    If you just need something cheap for catching the game in a pinch (or are having lots of guests and want to extend the action to a second room), this well-liked Vizio model will do the trick for just under $100. You’ll get a dependable 720p screen and all of the built-in streaming apps necessary for catching the big game live.

    The TCL 6-Series is our overall best TV pick, offering excellent picture quality and built-in Roku software that makes it easy to stream your favorite content — sports included — right out of the box. It’s currently $100 off in both 55-inch and 65-inch variations.

    The LG C2 is one of our favorite TVs thanks to its amazing picture quality and useful smart interface, and you can currently get a range of models, starting at 42 inches, for some of their lowest prices yet.

    The Fire TV Omni QLED really impressed us with its ability to double as a smart hub for your entire home. If you want to easily adjust the lighting for game day and check your video doorbell for party guests all from your TV (while enjoying some pretty good picture quality), this set can be had for a lowest-ever price right now.

    We love Samsung’s The Frame for its ability to double as a gorgeous digital art display when you’re not watching TV on it. If you want a TV that can blend into your living room once the big game is over, this is a great pick — especially since the 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch models are all deeply discounted right now.

    We found the Samsung QN90B to be a great, extra-bright smart TV that’s especially ideal for rooms that get flooded with sunlight. If you don’t want those early hours of the game to get drowned out by glare, you can get this excellent all-around set at a great discount in sizes ranging from 43 to 85 inches. 

    This newer variation of our splurge pick for best TV is available at its lowest price yet in both 55-inch and 65-inch variations.

    If your built-in TV speakers just aren’t cutting it for football — and let’s be real, most don’t — Bose’s entry-level soundbar will provide a nice boost for a low price. It offers a simple one-cable setup, Bluetooth support for rocking out to your favorite tunes before and after the game and a handy dialogue mode for stats nerds who want to hear the commentary as clearly as possible. And if you find yourself needing more in the low end, you can upgrade it with Bose’s Bass Module 500 down the line.

    The beloved Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has all the smarts you need for the ultimate pigskin party, including Dolby Atmos support, Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility for hands-free control, and the ability to connect to other Bose smart speakers to fill your entire home with the sounds of the big game. It’s currently $200 off, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet on this popular pick. 

    This popular Samsung soundbar offers Dolby Atmos support and an included subwoofer for that big bass, and can be had for more than 50% off right now.

    We found the Nebula Solar to offer good picture quality within a wireless, travel-friendly design for a great price, which you can enjoy for $80 off after applying the coupon at checkout. If you plan on catching the game while on the go — or just want to extend the action to another room — this is a great pick.

    We’re big fans of XGIMI’s higher-end Horizon Pro 4K projector, and this more attainable model gets you rich 1080p video playback and detailed Harman-Kardon audio for a lowest-ever $899. And if you do want to splurge for the 4K model, you can currently get it for a whopping $840 off after applying a coupon at checkout.

    We love the Echo Dot for its compact design and wealth of useful Alexa skills, which will let you check the score of the game or order last-minute snacks with just your voice. We’ve seen it drop to even lower prices, but $40 for this robust smart speaker is still a steal.

    If you have tons of guests coming on game day, a video doorbell is a great way to make sure no one sneaks in uninvited. Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro 2 is our best video doorbell pick and is on sale for close to its lowest price, though you can also save big on nearly all of the company’s top models.

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  • Get ready for the big game with these great deals on TVs, soundbars and projectors | CNN Underscored

    Get ready for the big game with these great deals on TVs, soundbars and projectors | CNN Underscored

    [ad_1]

    The big game is upon us, and whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or just want to see Rihanna tear it up on the big screen, having the right entertainment setup is key. Fortunately, tons of top TVs, soundbars and projectors are on sale right now, and we’ve sifted through the savings to find the deals that are actually worth getting before the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 12.

    Whether you’re looking to upgrade your entertainment room with an immersive 4K display, need a projector for catching the game on the road or just want a soundbar to add some extra oomph to every touchdown, here are our picks for saving some cash — which you can put towards those ever-important tailgate essentials.

    If you just need something cheap for catching the game in a pinch (or are having lots of guests and want to extend the action to a second room), this popular and well-liked Vizio model will do the trick for just under $100. You’ll get a dependable 720p screen and all of the built-in streaming apps necessary for catching the big game live.

    The TCL 6-Series is our overall best TV pick, offering excellent picture quality and built-in Roku software that makes it easy to stream your favorite content — sports included — right out of the box. It’s currently $100 off in both 55-inch and 65-inch variations.

    The LG C2 is one of our favorite TVs thanks to its amazing picture quality and useful smart interface, and you can currently get a range of models starting at 42 inches for some of their lowest prices yet.

    We love Samsung’s The Frame for its ability to double as a gorgeous digital art display when you’re not watching TV on it. If you want a TV that can blend into your living room once the big game is over, this is a great pick — especially since the 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch models are all deeply discounted right now.

    We found the Samsung QN90B to be a great, extra-bright smart TV that’s especially ideal for rooms that get flooded with sunlight. If you don’t want those early hours of the game to get drowned out by glare, you can get this excellent all-around set at a great discount in sizes ranging from 43 to 85 inches. 

    If your built-in TV speakers just aren’t cutting it for football — and let’s be real, most don’t — Bose’s entry-level soundbar will provide a nice boost for a low price. It offers a simple one-cable setup, Bluetooth support for rocking out to your favorite tunes before and after the game and a handy dialogue mode for stats nerds who want to hear the commentary as clearly as possible. And if you find yourself needing more low-end, you can upgrade it with Bose’s Bass Module 500 down the line.

    The beloved Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has all the smarts you need for the ultimate pigskin party, including Dolby Atmos support, Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility for hands-free control and the ability to connect to other Bose smart speakers to fill your entire home with the sounds of the big game. It’s currently $200 off, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet on this popular pick. 

    We found the Nebula Solar to offer good picture quality within a wireless, travel-friendly design for a great price, which you can enjoy for $80 off after applying the coupon at checkout. If you plan on catching the game while on the go — or just want to extend the action to another room — this is a great pick.

    We’re big fans of XGIMI’s higher end Horizon Pro 4K projector, and this more attainable model gets you rich 1080p video playback and detailed Harman-Kardon audio for a lowest-ever $899. And if you do want to splurge for the 4K model, you can currently get it for a whopping $840 off after applying a coupon at checkout.

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  • CES 2023: Roku will make its own TVs in the hopes to get even smarter | CNN Underscored

    CES 2023: Roku will make its own TVs in the hopes to get even smarter | CNN Underscored

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    CNN Underscored will be bringing you the best of CES 2023 all week. Be sure to check out our CES 2023 coverage hub for hands-on previews of the biggest tech this year straight from the show floor.

    Roku — which makes some of our favorite streaming devices — announced at CES 2023 that it will be manufacturing its own television sets for the first time ever this spring, in a move it hopes will better allow it to show off and combine its hardware with its TV OS.

    • Product: Roku Select and Roku Plus Series TVs
    • Launch date: Spring 2023
    • Pricing: $119 to $999
    • Why it’s worth your attention: Roku is one of the best-known streaming platforms and has long been used in other manufacturers’ TVs and soundbars. With this announcement, the company will now be designing and making its own sets, with an eye on value and an even-better streaming experience.

    Roku has long been known for its simple, well-designed streaming software. And in addition to its plug-and-play streaming devices, you can also get the Roku OS with one of its internet-connected TVs made by other well-known companies, like TCL, Philips and the Walmart brand Onn.

    With this declaration at CES 2023, Roku has decided to be the captain of its own destiny, hoping to better showcase how well the software can work when the company is firmly in charge of creating its own hardware.

    Tobey Grumet/CNN Underscored

    The HD Roku Select and more premium 4K Roku Plus Series TVs will come in 11 models, from 24 to 75 inches, but the real focus here will be on value, with prices ranging from a measly $119 to just less than $1,000. Roku is keeping mum on further details, but it has announced the addition of voice-controlled remotes for all the new TVs, with the Plus Series upgraded to a Roku Voice Remote Pro.

    Though I haven’t heard any announcements of future Roku partnerships announced here yet, the company says it does not plan to cut ties with its current manufacturing partners.

    “Our goal is to continue to create an even better TV experience for everyone. These Roku-branded TVs will not only complement the current lineup of partner-branded Roku TV models, but also allow us to enable future smart TV innovations,” says Mustafa Ozgen, president, Devices, at Roku.

    With the emphasis on lower prices, the takeaway here may be value over picture quality. However, for those looking for an easy and cheaper way to stream their favorite shows and movies, you may want to wait for these new Roku TVs to ship this spring before you buy.

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  • How to set up your new TV for the best viewing experience | CNN Underscored

    How to set up your new TV for the best viewing experience | CNN Underscored

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    Few purchases are as big — or exciting — as a new TV. Whether you’ve bought a larger TV or one that delivers a better picture, the impact on how you watch movies and shows or play games is immediate.

    But there’s more to getting the most out of your new television than just taking it out of the box and plugging it in, and even the best TVs require a little tinkering to get the most out of them. Don’t worry — we’re here to help you through the steps to take to properly set yours up. A little effort before you buy and before you settle onto the couch can have a big effect on your long-term enjoyment.

    Jacob Krol/CNN Underscored

    Before you buy a TV, decide where you’ll put it. That will help you figure out how large the TV can be — both for the space you’re trying to fit it into and how far you’ll sit most often.

    If you’re replacing a TV, you may assume you should buy the same size. That depends on how old the TV was. The bezels around TVs have mostly disappeared, which means you can get a larger screen in the same space — we recently replaced a 42-inch TV that was about 10 years old with a 50-inch TV and the new TV fit in the same space. The new TV may also be a higher resolution, which means you can sit closer without it looking pixelated.

    Speaking of how big the TV can be based on how far away you are sitting, there are plenty of calculators on the Internet to help. The old rule of thumb is to divide the distance from your seating position in inches to the TV by two — but that will give you a pretty conservative size. For example, if you are sitting 10 feet from the TV, that formula says you can get a 60-inch TV. But in reality, you can easily get a 65-inch 4K model — and probably even a 70-inch. Trust me, you’ll get used to the bigger size quickly.

    A reminder about TV sizes: the quoted screen size (55, 65 or 75 inches, for example) is measured on the diagonal. To get the actual height, width and depth you’ll need to dig into the specs.

    2. Stand or mount?

    LG C2 7

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    While you’re thinking about placement, consider if you want to use the stand that comes with the TV, or if you want to replace it with a third-party stand or a wall mount. Separate stands and mounts let you do things like swivel the TV or even extend it to create the best viewing angle.

    To find the right size stand or mount, look for the VESA spec for your TV — it will be in millimeters, like 400 x 300. VESA is a standard that TVs use so you can find one that will fit your model.

    Viewing angles are an important consideration if you care about image quality. Ideally, the screen would be at eye level and you should be looking straight at it. If you put the TV too high or to the side, you’ll have issues with viewing angles, which can result in the image looking washed out.

    3. Connect and download your apps

    LG C2 1

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Once you’ve got the TV in place, one of the first things you’ll need to do is connect it to the Internet (unless you managed to find one of the few “dumb” TVs currently for sale). There are several operating systems for smart TVs, and the process for initial setup will differ depending on which you bought. LG  runs WebOS, Samsung uses Tizen OS, and many TVs use Google TV or Fire TV. All of them will walk you through the setup process.

    Most TVs can connect via Wi-Fi, which is certainly easy. But if your wireless connection isn’t great in the room where you put the TV, you may want to go with a wired Ethernet connection.

    samsung-connect-network

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Once you’re online, you’ll want to start downloading apps for the services you use. And then you have to log in to each one. Some offer QR codes, others let you log in through a web browser, and some still make you type in your username and password on the TV screen — a process I can’t wait to go away forever.

    If you find you don’t like your TV’s operating system or it doesn’t have the apps you need, you can always bypass it by plugging in a streaming device, such as a Roku, Fire TV Stick or Apple TV.

    LG C2 2

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    If you’ve got devices to attach to the TV, such as a streaming device, game console, cable box or DVD player, you’ll want to make sure your TV has the right connections — and that you’ve got the right cables.

    Most devices use HDMI to connect to your TV, but older accessories can have component or composite outputs — and few TVs today come with those. So either make sure your TV has the inputs you need, or update your devices to ones that use HDMI.

    When connecting via HDMI, choose your port wisely. Most TVs have three or four HDMI inputs, but not all are equal. One input should be labeled ARC or eARC — save that one for connecting to a soundbar or home theater receiver. Audio return channel (ARC) allows sound to be sent to the speaker from the TV as well as video being sent to the TV, all over one cable.

    If you have an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, you’ll want to connect it to an HDMI port that supports HDMI 2.1 (not all TVs offer this). The latest version of HDMI takes advantage of features such as 4K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate support for extra-smooth gameplay. You may need to buy an HDMI cable to take advantage of the most advanced features of HDMI 2.1.

    samsung-picture-mode

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Current TVs usually come with at least a few picture modes for you to choose from. These are preconfigured settings, with names like “Vivid” and “Movie.” Each mode will change the picture pretty significantly, making it brighter or more colorful, for example. The best approach is to try each and use the one that you like best. Each room and pair of eyes is different, so there is no right answer. Purists tend to go for “Movie” or its equivalent because it tends to offer the truest colors.

    If your TV supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 or HDR10+, your picture mode will likely automatically change when you’re watching something that’s encoded with those technologies. The high-dynamic range (HDR) technologies include information about how the TV should adjust for each scene. There may be some picture mode options when HDR content is being watched, as well.

    samsung-picture-expert-settings

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Once you’ve found a picture mode you like, you may want to adjust it further to please your eyes. These options are usually found under Advanced Settings under the Picture Options menu.

    My recommendation is that you turn off motion smoothing. This goes by different names for different TVs — LG calls it TruMotion, Samsung uses Clear Motion — but each is intended to reduce blurring. Despite the intention, it creates an effect called the “soap opera effect,” in which the image is too soft, as if seen through a filter. Many people find the effect annoying; it often causes me to feel nauseated.

    You can also manually adjust brightness, color, sharpness and more to get the best image in your space. If the preset picture modes aren’t what you like, you should definitely explore what each picture option does. You can also search for combinations of settings that have worked for other people with your TV model as a place to start.

    samsung-sound

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    While TVs today produce impressive images, most TV speakers sound terrible. That’s a shame since the audio element of a movie, show or game can bring the experience to life. But your TV’s poor speakers can be overcome by adding a soundbar or home theater audio system.

    A soundbar is the easiest way to improve sound. You can spend as little as a couple of hundred dollars (our overall top pick, the Roku Streambar Pro, is only $150) or more than a thousand (we recommend the $899 Sonos Arc for higher-end audio), depending on your budget and how important audio is to you. Look for a soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos, the latest sound technology that offers the most precise surround sound. Many soundbars also come with virtual surround sound settings to help audio fill your room.

    If you can’t swing a soundbar, you should still be able to improve your sound through the TV’s settings. For example, you may be able to boost the bass or engage the TV’s own virtual surround mode.

    8. Adjust and enjoy

    samsung-qn90b-oled-tv football picture

    Michael Gowan/CNN Underscored

    After you’ve got the picture as close to perfect as possible, sit back and enjoy. Most likely you won’t need to change too much over time. But you may notice some things that bother you. After you’ve had some quality viewing time, go back and try different picture and audio settings to see if the ones you picked are still best for you. In the end, the right options are the ones that help you enjoy watching the most.

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  • The 100 best Cyber Monday tech deals to get right now | CNN Underscored

    The 100 best Cyber Monday tech deals to get right now | CNN Underscored

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    Want more deals? Visit CNN Underscored’s Guide to Cyber Monday for wall-to-wall coverage of the best discounts to be found during the biggest shopping event of the year.

    Cyber Monday is always a great time to stock up on new tech at a discount, whether you’re finally ready to upgrade to a new laptop or just need some new charging cables to keep around the house. The good news is that just about every major tech product is on sale for Cyber Monday, and that the big discounts have started earlier than ever. The bad news? The sheer amount of stuff out there can be overwhelming.

    But that’s where we come in. We’ve sifted through all the clutter to find the Cyber Monday tech deals that are actually worth getting (including the best Apple deals and top Best Buy deals), based on the countless hours we’ve spent testing and researching the latest gadgets. Here are the best sales to shop now.

    We consider the AirTags a must-have for iPhone owners, as you can use them to track down just about any lost item with precision. While we’ve seen them go lower, this sale price makes a single AirTag a great stocking stuffer.

    You’re gonna need a key ring to attach your AirTags to your keys (or pretty much anything else), and this popular leather model from Apple is at its lowest price ever in select colors.

    If you need something more robust and stylish for your backpack or luggage, Apple’s AirTag Leather Loop is also available for its lowest price.

    Apple’s MagSafe Charger is our top wireless charger pick for folks with an iPhone 12 or newer, as it snaps on your phone easily for a quick charge (it’s also great for AirPods). This popular accessory is currently $9 off, putting it very close to its lowest price ever.

    Tired of waiting forever for your phone to charge? The Nano Pro is our favorite budget USB-C charger and will juice up your smartphone in a snap — all for a lowest-ever $13.

    We consider this power adapter, which can cover you in more than 150 countries and charge five devices at once, a must for international travelers. It’s at its lowest price ever for Cyber Monday.

    If you need a pencil for your new iPad Mini, iPad Air or iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen is steeply discounted and at its lowest price ever. This more advanced pencil features double-tap functionality for switching tools on the fly, and can charge wirelessly when magnetically attached to your iPad.

    The Logitech Combo Touch is one of our favorite iPad keyboards and turns your iPad into a pretty capable laptop. This version (made for the seventh-, eighth- and ninth-gen models) is nearly at its lowest price so far.

    Logitech makes the majority of our best mouse picks, and the company’s popular budget model is at its lowest price ever in a ton of different colors. This cheap mouse is a perfect companion to your laptop, and is a great way to boost your WFH game.

    The Logitech K380 is our favorite budget keyboard thanks to its high-quality keys and handy multi-device pairing capabilities. It’s not quite at its lowest price ever, but it’s still a great deal on an already affordable keyboard.

    The Logitech C920 is our favorite webcam, and will make you look a lot better on calls than your laptop’s grainy built-in camera. It’s only a few bucks above its lowest price ever right now, so don’t miss out if it’s been on your list.

    If you need a more high-end webcam for serious content creation on YouTube and Twitch, the Logitech StreamCam is our top pick for creators (and a great addition to any setup for this lowest-ever price).

    Our longtime pick for best microphone, the Blue Yeti will make you sound great on everything from podcasts to livestreams to video calls — and it’s a no-brainer at this lowest-ever price.

    Our top microphone pick for livestreaming, the Wave 3 offers excellent sound quality and best-in-class software for easily managing audio during a broadcast. It’s a great pickup at this lowest-ever price.

    The latest Echo Dot improves on our favorite budget smart speaker with better audio and Wi-Fi extension capabilities while retaining the same versatile Alexa smarts. It’s a no-brainer for first-time Echo buyers at this price (the more advanced Clock model is also discounted right now).

    The Echo Glow is a nice companion to your Alexa setup. It’s compact, easy to set up and provides pleasant mood lighting to any space. Pair it with the Echo Show 5 Kids for streamlined daily routines.

    A smart plug is a great way to automate any of your old, dumb gadgets, and you can currently get a two-pack of this popular Kasa model for close to its lowest price.

    The Echo Show 8 is our pick for the best smart display, providing an easy way to hop on video calls, fire up some Netflix or get recipe ideas from Alexa. It’s a great addition to the home at this all-time low price.

    If you want a big Alexa display for keeping yourself and the whole family organized, the Echo Show 15 is a fantastic buy (especially at this lowest-ever price).

    If you’re on a budget and live in an Alexa household, the Amazon Smart Thermostat delivers excellent performance with the company’s voice assistant.

    The Nest Doorbell (Battery) is our favorite wireless video doorbell, thanks to its easy setup and free, intelligent alerts, and it’s currently at its lowest price ever.

    The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus is our best outdoor home security camera pick thanks to its good video quality, easy setup and useful alerts. Better yet, it just hit its lowest price ever for Cyber Monday

    We named the Eero 6 mesh router, with its foolproof setup process and nearly unrivaled speeds and coverage areas, as your best bet when opting for a mesh router. Every model is close to its lowest price yet right now, starting at just $75 for the base router.

    The iRobot Roomba i7+ is almost identical to one of our favorite Roomba models, the j7+, and it’s steeply discounted right now. If you splurge for the i7+, which includes a self-empty base, you’ll be shocked at the powerful performance and smart robot technology that learns your cleaning preferences and home layout.

    A more advanced model of our favorite electric toothbrush, the 6100 offers three intensity levels and three different modes — the default clean mode, along with whitening and gum care — which offer different brush-head motions and automatically set the timer accordingly.

    Use the code CNNDEAL02 for an additional 5% off. The EarFun Air have long been our pick for the best budget earbuds, offering sound quality that punches well above its low price. They’re now cheaper than they’ve ever been — just make sure you click the coupon box before checking out.

    While they’re on the older side, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live are some of the most comfortable and unique-looking earbuds you can buy — and they’re an absolute steal at this sale price.

    The AirPods Pro 2 are our favorite Apple earbuds thanks to their stellar noise cancellation and controls, and they’re currently at their lowest-ever price.

    The classic AirPods still sound great and work effortlessly with your iPhone, and they’re an especially great gift now that they’re back to their lowest-ever price.

    Our favorite Android earbuds (but great for any phone), the Sony LinkBuds S have fantastic comfort, hi-res audio support and the unique ability to switch sound modes based on your surroundings. They’re an absolute steal at this all-time low.

    The Beats Fit Pro are our overall best wireless earbuds pick, offering superb features and comfort for iOS and Android users alike. They’re currently back at their lowest price ever.

    The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II offer truly incredible active noise cancellation, and they’re an even better buy at this first-ever sale price.

    Our pick for best over-ear headphones, the Sony XM5 deliver unmatched noise cancelling and sound quality. This is one of the first big discounts on this set of cans, and the lowest price we’ve seen.

    The Bose QuietComfort 45 are some of the best headphones we’ve tested, and a strong runner-up to the Sony XM5. Their excellent audio and ANC is a steal for this lowest-ever price.

    Cyber Monday soundbar and speaker deals

    The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is our favorite overall Bluetooth speaker thanks to its booming sound and durable design, and it just hit its lowest price ever for Cyber Monday.

    If you need something extra-portable and affordable, our favorite travel-sized speaker is perfect for your next adventure at this lowest-ever price.

    The Sonos Roam SL is a simplified version of our upgrade pick for Bluetooth speakers, ditching the microphone for hands-free controls but offering the same great design and audio quality. It’s a great buy at this lowest-ever sale price.

    A more basic version of our best soundbar pick, the Roku Streambar gets you a compact soundbar and a full-on Roku streaming player in one — an especially compelling value at this lowest-ever price.

    The Sonos Arc’s best-in-class sound makes it our top premium soundbar pick, and its high price is a bit more palatable in this rare and lowest-ever price cut.

    Apple is currently offering the iPhone SE, 12 or 13 with a free $50 Apple Gift Card, getting you some useful extra credit with these already well-priced phones.

    We found the Moto G Stylus 5G to be a good Samsung alternative for those who want a big stylus-based phone, and it’s an especially good bargain at this sale price.

    The Google Pixel 6a is our favorite budget phone, and unmatched when it comes to camera and software experience for the price. It’s already a steal at retail, and a no-brainer at a lowest-ever $299.

    If you want to step up to a true flagship phone, the newer Pixel 7 gets you amazing cameras and nicer design for not much more money. This aggressively priced phone is even cheaper for Cyber Monday, now at an all-time low.

    The OnePlus 10 Pro is a very good Samsung and Google alternative with some of the best battery life and charging speeds we’ve tested, and it’s a steal at this lowest-ever sale price.

    The Apple Watch Series 8 improves on our favorite smartwatch with temperature sensing and car crash detection, and it’s currently at its lowest price yet.

    If you can live with a slightly less fancy design and a few advanced tracking capabilities, the Apple Watch SE gives you all of the Apple Watch essentials for a much lower price. This new model just got its first-ever discount, making it even more of a great bargain.

    While it doesn’t have quite the same robust set of features as the new Apple Watch SE, this discounted first-gen model is just about the cheapest Apple Watch we’ve ever seen (and still a great pick for tracking your runs and keeping up with notifications).

    We consider the rugged, feature-rich Apple Watch Ultra to be the best Apple Watch for folks willing to splurge, and its high price is a bit easier to stomach with this first-ever deal.

    The Google Pixel Watch works great with Pixel phones — and it doubles as a full-on Fitbit for fitness tracking. This is the first major sale and lowest price we’ve seen on this hot new watch.

    The Galaxy Watch 5 is our favorite overall Android smartwatch, thanks to its great performance, battery life and fitness features. It’s an even better buy at this all-time low price.

    Lenovo makes our favorite budget Chromebooks, and this cheaper variation on our top pick has everything you need for basic schoolwork and web surfing — all within a flexible design that doubles as a tablet.

    A mainstay in the budget laptop space (and one of our top picks), the Acer Aspire 5 gets you great performance for the price and is close to its lowest price ever right now

    The latest MacBook Air is our favorite overall laptop, offering best-in-class performance within a massively upgraded design. This is the lowest price we’ve seen on this fantastic notebook yet.

    The MacBook Air M1 was our longtime best laptop pick, thanks to its incredible performance, and while it’s since been replaced by the faster M2 model, it’s still an incredible bargain at this lowest-ever price.

    The new Surface Laptop 5 is one of the best (and best-looking) laptops we tested this year, and it’s seeing some sizable discounts just weeks after release. And if you’re on a budget, last year’s still-great Surface Laptop 4 is down to just $650.

    The slim and stunning Dell XPS 13 is our favorite overall Windows laptop, and this Best Buy deal lets you get a powerful Intel Core i7 model at a great price.

    The Asus ROG Zephyrus 14 was a strong runner-up in our best gaming laptop testing, and this discounted model gets you fantastic gaming specs (plus a month of Xbox Game Pass) for just $900.

    Our upgrade pick for best laptop, the 14-inch MacBook Pro has the performance and ports that serious power users need. This pricey model is currently at a huge discount, and its lowest price yet.

    While it’s not the newest or fastest model, the 27-inch iMac is still a fantastic all-in-one computer with a big beautiful display. It’s an especially good buy at this massive and lowest-ever Cyber Monday discount.

    We love the newest iMac for its gorgeous, compact design and incredible performance, and it’s currently at its lowest price for Cyber Monday.

    We found the Dell XPS Desktop to be a versatile and easy-to-upgrade Windows desktop that’s perfect for the home office, and it’s currently available for a super-low price.

    The Fire 7 is our favorite budget tablet, offering a great reading experience and all of the essential apps with some welcome modern touches. This is the first big discount we’ve seen on this already affordable slate.

    The Kindle Paperwhite has long been our best budget e-reader pick, thanks to its fantastic display and warmth adjustment, and it’s an even better value at this lowest-ever price.

    The Kindle Oasis is our pick for the best overall e-reader you can buy, and well worth it at this lowest-ever Cyber Monday price.

    While the ninth-gen iPad isn’t the latest model, it’s still our best tablet pick, thanks to its great app selection and excellent performance for the price — which is currently at an all-time low.

    The new iPad Air is a great middle ground for folks who want iPad Pro-level performance without spending upward of $1,000, and it’s close to its lowest-ever price on Amazon.

    The Galaxy Tab S8 is our favorite Android tablet, offering an included S Pen stylus and a neat DeX mode that lets it perform like a laptop. This is close to its lowest price yet.

    We love Samsung’s The Frame TV, which is both a unique digital art display and a pretty great QLED television in one. Every version of this unique set is currently deeply discounted for Cyber Monday, with sizes ranging from 32 to 85 inches.

    We found Insignia’s 32-inch Fire TV to be a very good value with solid 720p picture quality and built-in Amazon smarts, and its an even better buy at this lowest-ever price.

    The Fire TV Omni is a solid pick for folks deeply ingrained in the Amazon ecosystem, as you can do just about anything on this TV hands-free with the power of Alexa. We’ve seen it go cheaper, but this is a good deal.

    The TCL 6-Series is our pick for the best TV overall, and this fantastic deal gets you its gorgeous and sizable 65-inch QLED screen for a lowest-ever price.

    We love the Samsung QN90B for its bright, sharp picture and great gaming features, and all models are available at a good discount right now.

    We really loved our time with Samsung’s first-ever OLED TV, which trumps the rest of the lineup in terms of sheer color and detail and is available at a massive Cyber Monday discount in both 55-inch and 65-inch variations.

    The LG C2 OLED is one of the best TVs we’ve tested, offering amazing picture quality and a fluid interface for browsing apps. It’s close to its lowest price right now in a range of sizes from 42 to 83 inches.

    If the popular LG C2 is out of your price range, this well-liked budget alternative is just about the cheapest OLED we’ve ever seen.

    The Sony A90J earned our top luxury TV pick, thanks to the best picture quality we’ve ever tested, with superb detail and hyperaccurate colors. It’s currently available for up to $300 off (its lowest price yet) in two different sizes.

    If the A90J is out of your price range, the A80J is a more affordable variation that sacrifices some features but still gets you a gorgeous 4K OLED screen. It’s a fraction of the cost of the A90J at this all-time-low sale price.

    This Asus ROG model is our favorite 1080p gaming monitor thanks to its great color and refresh rate, and it’s currently at its lowest price ever.

    The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 is a unique monitor that can double as your TV, thanks to its built-in smart interface, and it’s an especially great value at this lowest-ever price.

    The Samsung CJ791 is our favorite ultrawide monitor thanks to its slick design, great picture and ample screen space, and its at its lowest price right now for Cyber Monday.

    The Dell Ultrasharp 27 is our favorite 4K monitor, and the latest model is available for a sizable Cyber Monday discount right now.

    If you want to turn your old, dumb TV into a smart one that can stream all the top services, the Roku Express is the cheapest way to do it — especially at this lowest-ever price.

    You can’t go wrong with a Fire TV Stick 4K, which is an easy way to get all of the top streaming services up and running on any television. It was once our top budget streaming stick, and a great stocking stuffer at this lowest-ever price.

    If you want the best possible streaming stick for the money, it’s hard to do better than this discounted Roku Streaming Stick 4K. On top of Roku’s robust app selection, you’ll also get speedy performance, Dolby Vision support, fast Wi-Fi compatibility and a handy voice remote.

    The Roku Ultra’s super-responsive performance, great remote and wide app selection makes it our best overall streaming device pick, and it’s a great addition to your 4K setup at this all-time low price.

    This Apple TV deal gets you our favorite high-end streaming player for its lowest-ever price, and while it’s not the newest, fastest model, it’ll still work great in any entertainment setup.

    The Backbone One is our favorite mobile gaming controller, instantly turning your phone into a true portable console that works great with the latest mobile and cloud games. The PlayStation Edition of this great accessory just dropped to a lowest-ever $64, making it an essential add-on for serious iPhone gamers.

    The Xbox Series S is the best value in console gaming, offering immersive, smooth gameplay and access to the superb Xbox Game Pass library. It’s as much as $40 off for Cyber Monday, and Amazon is throwing in a free $40 gift card with code XBOX.

    Verizon is currently offering an Xbox Series X All Access Package for $150 off. This bundle gets you the highest-end Xbox as well as two years of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for as low as 24 monthly payments of $29.

    A staple of every Cyber Monday, this Nintendo Switch bundle throws in the excellent Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo Switch Online at no extra charge, for a $70 value.

    Walmart has massive discounts on some of the best Switch games, including all-time lows on essentials like Zelda and Animal Crossing and first-time deals on new releases like Sonic Frontiers and Bayonetta 3. Just note that stock is going in and out for many of these hot titles.

    A microSD card is a must for any Switch owner, and this popular SanDisk model gets you 128GB of extra storage (enough for tons of digital game downloads) for its lowest price yet.

    Whether you need a spare controller for multiplayer or just want a fresh new color (like the gorgeous Galactic Purple), you can’t go wrong with an extra DualSense — especially at this lowest-ever price.

    This handy accessory can charge up to two DualSense controllers at once, all while doubling as a nice display stand and keeping your PS5’s ports free for other peripherals.

    An internal SSD is essential for expanding your PS5’s internal storage, which will fill up fast for anyone who plays a lot of games. This super-popular WD Black model gets you a whopping 2TB of extra space for close to its lowest price yet.

    This updated version of our favorite wireless gaming headset offers immersive sound and seamless multi-console compatibility, and it just hit its lowest price ever.

    The Logitech G Cloud is a unique and well-designed portable gaming console that lets you stream cloud games from Xbox, Steam, Amazon Luna and more. It’s a little pricey for what it does, but it’s worth considering at this first-ever sale price.

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  • The best products we’ve tested in 2022 | CNN Underscored

    The best products we’ve tested in 2022 | CNN Underscored

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    Throughout the year, CNN Underscored is constantly testing products — from coffee makers to computers to sheets to shower heads — to help our readers find the absolute best things.

    Our testing process is rigorous. We spend countless hours of research, consulting experts, reading editorial reviews and perusing user ratings to identify the products we want to bring in for testing, be they things that have stood the test of time or the most promising new contenders. Then we spend weeks or months testing and retesting each product multiple times in real-world settings, putting everything through the sort of use and abuse it’s likely to encounter in your home. We’re confident that our process lets us identify the very best things so you can quickly and easily buy what you need.

    Here, we round up all the products that took the top spot in our tests throughout 2022.

    The best earbuds for Apple users

    The AirPods Pro 2 are as good as it gets for Apple users, with the best sound, controls and active noise cancellation you can find . Existing AirPods Pro owners don’t need to rush out and upgrade, but everyone else willing to invest the money is in for a treat.

    The best portable Bluetooth speaker for travel

    Sony’s XB13 is the first piece of tech we’d throw in our bag this summer. This compact speaker pushes out sound much larger than its size, and the built-in cloth strap lets you securely attach it to a backpack, bike handlebars, or anywhere you want music.

    The best over-ear wireless headphones for Apple users

    Now priced less stratospherically, the great-sounding AirPods flagship headphones integrate seamlessly with your Mac and iPhone, let you access Apple’s nifty Spatial Audio pseudo-surround format and boast impressive noise cancellation and great controls, making these solid all-day companions.

    The best wireless over-ear headphones

    The Sony WH-1000XM5 improve on the XM4, with a slimmer design and refined noise-canceling microphones — it’s the best over-ear Bluetooth headphone you can buy right now. XM4 owners have little reason to upgrade, but for anybody else, the XM5 are the high-end headphones to get.

    The best budget over-ear wireless headphones

    The 1More SonoFlow wireless over-ear headphone sounds better and has more effective noise-canceling than anything we’ve tested at its low price. If you want all of these features on a budget, look no further.

    The best budget earbuds

    We’ll make this really simple for you: If you want to spend less than $100 on wireless earbuds, you won’t find a better pair than the EarFun Air.

    The best noise-canceling over-ear headphones

    Perfect for commuting, the office, long flights or just around the house, the Bose 700 combine Bose’s industry-leading active noise cancellation with great sound and a new, more comfortable and stylish slimmed-down design.

    The best entry-level record player

    With everything you need including a high-quality cartridge and helpful setup tools, the Fluance RT82 can get you started on the path to audiophile vinyl listening without breaking the bank.

    The best soundbar

    The Streambar Pro sounds as good as soundbars costing twice as much, and offers more convenience along with it, with simple setup and Roku’s great streaming platform built in.

    The best true wireless earbuds for Android users

    The Sony LinkBuds S offer excellent sound, strong noise cancellation and Sony’s actually smart Adaptive Sound Control to tailor performance to your surroundings. The LinkBuds S are a good buy for Android users, with support for LDAC high-res audio, and they work well with iOS, too.

    The best true wireless noise-canceling earbuds

    The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds 2 offer the best noise cancellation you can get in earbuds, along with great sound, so if you’re looking to tune out the world around you for travel, office or home without resorting to a big over-ear headphone, this is the way to go.

    Beauty and grooming

    The best beard trimmer

    The Remington Smart Beard Trimmer delivers a consistent, quick trim, can take a beating, and is packed with tons of useful technology that prioritizes convenience, making every trim as easy as possible.

    The best dry shampoo

    The DryBar Detox Dry Shampoo was the best at absorbing oil, aptly removed sweat and dirt and had the most pleasing scent, leaving our panelists’ hair feeling cleaner and smelling better than any other dry shampoo we tried.

    The best face moisturizer

    This is an all-around reliable moisturizer if you’re looking for a product to have in your vanity year-round, or want to test a low-risk option.

    The best high-end hair dryer

    The Dyson Supersonic is expensive. Like, $430 expensive. But, man, does it live up to its hype. It dries hair at warp speed, blasts out heat at a whopping 70 mph, is much, much quieter than other models we tested, and is just futuristic and cool all around.

    The best everyday liquid eyeliner

    We found the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner requires little to no effort to create a precise wing, the liner has superior staying power and it didn’t irritate those of us with sensitive skin after full days of wear. As an added bonus, it’s available in a whopping 12 shades.

    The best makeup sponge

    Heralded by beauty editors as the GOAT, the Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge has lived up to its hype. While it’s slightly expensive, its quality (it didn’t disintegrate like others did over time) and effectiveness (it led to the cleanest application of the bunch) make it worth the money.

    The best matte lipstick

    The Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick has thousands of 5-star ratings across the internet, and it’s easy to see why. True to its name, this product clings to your lips for hours upon hours, burritos and messy breakfast sandwiches be damned. It’s also surprisingly moisturizing for such a superior stay-put formula, a combo that’s rare to come by.

    The best men’s razor

    The Gillette SkinGuard stood out above all the other razors we tested, thanks to its extremely comfortable and easy shave. Its guarded razor made shaving a breeze, and we experienced zero tugging or irritation when using it. Along with its durability, ease of cleaning and additional precision blade, it was easily the best men’s razor we tried.

    The best women’s razor

    Billie The Razor Starter Kit came out on top for its user-friendly design, close shave and overall durability. With built-in charcoal soap for easy lubrication and a rubbery grip for easy handling, it made for a quick, comfortable shaving experience.

    The best affordable espresso machine

    If you want to make real espresso drinks at home but you’re on a budget, the De’Longhi Stilosa will give you great coffee and steamed milk with a little practice.

    The best coffee grinder

    With 40 settings for grind size, from super fine (espresso) to super coarse (French press), the Virtuoso+ gives you a consistent grind every time. Its sleek look and simple, intuitive controls, including a digital timer, allow for optimal convenience.

    The best coffee subscription

    Blue Bottle’s coffee subscription won us over with its balance of variety, customizability and, most importantly, taste. The flavors are complex and bold, but unmistakably delicious. Beyond its coffee, Blue Bottle’s subscription is simple and easy to use, with tons of options to tailor to your caffeine needs.

    The best cold brew coffee maker

    Overall, the Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot scored highest. This sleek, sophisticated and streamlined carafe produces 1 liter (about 4 1/4 cups) of rich, robust brew in just eight hours. It was among the simplest to assemble, it executed an exemplary brew in about the shortest time span and it looked snazzy doing it. Plus, it rang up as the second most affordable of our inventory.

    The best drip coffee maker

    The Braun KF6050WH BrewSense Drip Coffee Maker produced consistently delicious, hot cups of coffee, brewed efficiently and cleanly, from sleek, relatively compact hardware that is turnkey to operate, and all for a reasonable price.

    The best pour-over coffee maker

    We found the flat-bottom, three-hole design of the Kalita Wave 185 Pour-Over Coffee Dripper allowed for the most even and consistent brewing of all models tested. The Kalita produced the most robust coffee, maintained spot-on temperature, and the most even saturation of the grounds.

    The best single-serve coffee maker

    The Breville-Nespresso VertuoPlus, uses pods that deliver both espresso and “regular” coffee, could simply not be beat for its convenience. Intuitive and a snap to use right out of the box, it looks sleek on the counter, contains a detached 60-ounce water reservoir so you don’t have to refill it with each use and delivers perfectly hot, delicious coffee with a simple tap of a lever and press of a button.

    The best emergency radio

    With easy-to-use alerts, four charging options, a bright LCD screen, a powerful flashlight and straightforward controls, the Midland ER310 outperformed the other radios we tested in every area and makes a valuable addition to your household emergency kit.

    The best first aid kit

    An easy-to-use ring-binder-style design, high-quality products and all the essentials recommended by the Red Cross means you’ll be sure to have everything you need and be able to find it when you need it.

    The best budget first aid kit

    Don’t let the rock-bottom price of this kit fool you — it provides a useful collection of name-brand items packed securely in an easy-to-transport case.

    The best high-capacity solar powered generator

    Easy to use, packed with the most up-to-date features and battery technology, and expandable enough to serve as a whole-house emergency generator, the EcoFlow Delta Pro beat impressive competitors in our testing, emerging as the best large solar generator.

    A great collapsible water bottle with a built-in filter

    This water bottle is so versatile we think every traveler and camper should have it. It boasts a built-in filter, so you can fill it up and drink water from basically anywhere, whether it’s a river or a bathroom sink. And since it’s collapsible, you can always find space to bring it along.

    The best smart exercise bike

    The Peloton Bike+ came out on top (but honestly, just barely) due to its sturdy construction, variety of knowledgeable, inspiring instructors and many high-quality off-the-bike classes. It’s a great something-for-everyone buy.

    The best workout headphones

    We used the Beats Fit Pro in the gym and all day for work, play and commutes, and found their secure, sweat-resistant design and superb audio make them a perfect fit for anyone’s workout, no matter whether you’re an Apple or Android user.

    The best leggings

    Featuring, as its name suggests, pockets big enough to stash things like your phone or wallet, we loved this pair for its comfort during workouts and everyday activities alike, high-quality construction, secure waistband and chic aesthetic.

    The best rain jacket

    The Patagonia Torrentshell outperformed all the other jackets we tested in key areas. It’s ridiculously waterproof and will keep you bone-dry in the worst rain, not to mention it’s extremely breathable, durable and comes with Patagonia’s lifetime Ironclad Guarantee.

    The best smart scale

    Pulling this thin, elegant glass scale out of the box, we were immediately sold on its simple good looks. The design of this scale is on par with several we tested that were far more expensive. It’s sleek and lightweight, and it fits in places most people like to stash a scale — like under the bed, a dresser or a very slim bathroom vanity.

    The best sunscreen

    The Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport Sunscreen Spray scored miles above every other sunscreen we tested. An SPF 30, broad-spectrum, chemical formulation, this spray sunscreen applied super-light, rubbed into the skin right away and smelled deliciously of coconut.

    The best water bottle

    The Yeti Rambler came out on top during our testing thanks to its stellar thermoregulation, amazing durability and fantastic chug cap that gives you a comfortable and quick drinking experience while maintaining easy access to the superwide mouth.

    The best waterproof shoes

    Functional, breathable and incredibly comfortable, the Geox New Aneko B Abx Woman kept our feet dry through puddles, rainfall and spills. We ordered a half size up for a great fit.

    The best workout leggings

    If you’re looking for a sweat-wicking, breathable legging that’ll move with you no matter how brutal your workout is, and a pair that’s so comfortable you’ll nearly forget you’re wearing it at all, the Lululemon Align Pant is an investment we can get behind.

    The best yoga mat

    Hands down our favorite feature of the mat is the fact that it’s dual-sided, with a smooth and sticky polyurethane-coated top side and a textured natural rubber bottom side that provides loads of traction. Beyond that, though, we also loved that the mat is slightly oversized and provides ample cushion given its 5-millimeter thickness.

    The best headphones for running and outdoor workouts

    The Shokz OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones don’t sound as good as sealed earbuds like the Beats Fit Pro, but we loved them for running and hiking, since they let you hear your surroundings as clearly as you would without wearing headphones at all.

    The best sports bra

    All of our testers — even those with 38G and 36DD chest sizes — found the ultra-supportive Nike Dri-Fit Swoosh to be the most comfortable sports bra they’d ever worn. The soft, breathable, sweat-wicking fabric and simple zip-front design kept everyone comfortable even in high-octane workouts.

    The best budget gaming headset

    For under $50, the Razer Kraken X delivers some of the best comfort and sound quality out of all of the affordable wired headsets we tested. It also works well with nearly every platform, thanks to its versatile 3.5mm wired headphone connection.

    The best budget gaming monitor

    The Acer XF243Y is an inexpensive way to get in on HDR gaming. With a 1080p IPS display and 144Hz refresh rate, it performs outside its weight class while still being affordable for most budgets.

    The best 4K gaming monitor

    Asus’ top-of-the-line 4K monitor has the best picture quality we tested along with incredibly low input lag — it’s expensive, but it’s the best gaming monitor we’ve found, and for serious gamers who can make the investment, it’s the one to get.

    The best gaming keyboard

    When it comes to a keyboard that checks all of the possible boxes and then some, the Apex Pro shines bright, delivering extreme value with adjustable switches, individual key lighting and an OLED display that makes quickly changing settings a breeze.

    The best gaming laptop

    The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition offers the best combination of performance, battery life and features for the price, all packed into an attractive and highly customizable design.

    The best gaming mouse

    The Corsair Dark Core RGB does it all. It’s a gaming mouse that offers wired and wireless connectivity, a comfortable and adjustable grip and eight programmable buttons.

    The best gaming PC

    The MSI Aegis RS delivers high-end performance in blockbuster games for an affordable price, and has plenty of space for future upgrades.

    The best bidet attachment

    If you’re a bidet beginner and don’t want to spend too much money, the Tushy Classic mounts under your existing toilet seat and gives you a comfortable stream with just enough adjustability.

    The best electric toothbrush

    Affordable, full-featured, effective and compatible with many varieties of replacement brush heads from Philips and third parties, the Sonicare 4100 is a great way to improve your oral hygiene routine. A gentle mode makes it easy for beginners to get used to high-tech brushing.

    The best gas pizza oven

    The gas-fueled Ooni Koda 16 had the most even heat distribution of the gas ovens we tested, making for fuss-free operation and perfectly charred and blistered artisanal pizza crust.

    The best multi-fuel pizza oven

    The Ooni Karu 16 was the simplest-to-use multi-fuel oven we tested, with straightforward switching between wood and gas and easy fuel loading — plus it made great artisanal pizzas with either fuel source.

    The softest linen sheets

    The Brooklinen sheets are soft and light, wicking heat away effectively for people who sleep warm, but still regulating heat nicely in cooler climates. Simultaneously high-end and already perfectly worn in, these were delightful from the first touch.

    The best bath towel

    Fresh out of the box, Frontgate’s Resort Cotton Bath Towel was among the most luxurious-feeling in our testing pool. Thick, soft and snuggly, this product truly feels like a fine hotel bathing experience. At a generous 58 inches by 30 inches, it looks the part too, with a lush surface punctuated by a nice 2-inch-long trim near each towel end.

    The best bidet seat

    The Alpha JX bidet seat features an instantaneous and endless supply of warm water along with a fully adjustable stream, dryer, remote and heated seat, making it the best bidet on the market, especially for the price.

    The best bug repellent spray

    The Proven’s Mosquito and Tick Spray proved to be a winner during our user testing. Proven was nice and light to the point we barely felt it on our skin. While you might forget you’re wearing it, though, bugs won’t.

    The best home security system

    Ring Alarm Pro wasn’t just the most seamless to set up and customize with a range of add-ons, but it offers features that other systems can’t match.

    The best humidifier

    The TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifier was a breeze to use from the start. It was packaged so that the unit was easy to remove and assemble, and it was filled and misting quickly. The bulk of this humidifier is the tank, so it takes up minimal space, which is just one reason this humidifier ranked as our top choice. It was also a standout when it came to cleaning, which is huge if you’ve ever dealt with a gross, moldy humidifier filter or tank.

    The best cooling fan

    The Honeywell Quietset Whole Room tower fan is well built, quiet and affordable, with a solid, stable build and a beautiful, colorfully laid out control panel that was simpler to figure out and use than the competition. It was easier to assemble than the other tower fans we tested, with tool-free construction and a simple connection to the base that was a lot easier to deal with than the other tower models we looked at.

    The best dehumidifier

    The Frigidaire dehumidifier was among the best performers in our testing, plus i has a superior interface and is easier to use than the competition.

    The best clothing iron

    Lightweight, super-steamy, able to get rid of even the stubbornest of wrinkles and priced affordably, Maytag’s M400 practically had us looking forward to laundry day. Heating up in a lightning-fast 39 seconds, the quickest of all irons we tested, it also features a handy indicator light that turns green to alert you it’s ready.

    The best SAD light therapy lamp

    The Happy Light Luxe by Verilux is sleek, slim, packable and stable, and its well-thought-out controls — which were missing from almost every other light that we tested — made customizing the experience a pleasure.

    The best shower head

    We loved the Kohler Forte Shower Head’s three spray settings: There’s the drenching, full-coverage rain shower, the pulsating massage and the “silk spray” setting that is basically a super-dense mist.

    The best thermometer

    With accurate readings and a positioning sensor that shines a light on your forehead, plus a silent option and an easy to read LED display, the Braun No-Touch thermometer offers everything you need in a thermometer.

    The best video doorbell camera

    Ring’s Video Doorbell 2 Pro uses radar to give you highly accurate motion alerts, has stellar looking video with a wide, tall field of view and crisp audio, and can even show you on a map the route someone took as they made their way to your door.

    The best window AC

    Midea’s U-shaped design makes installation a cinch and keeps the compressor outside, making it quieter than other ACs. It cooled the room more quickly and more effectively thanks to a motorized vent that effectively moves to waft cold air throughout the room.

    The best water flosser

    This full-featured cordless flosser takes up little space on the counter, but has a big reservoir that keeps you flossing — plus it was a pleasure to use in our testing.

    The best electric toothbrush for kids

    Easy to use, with a built in-timer, multiple modes and a simple app that guides kids through the brushing session. The Philips Sonicare for Kids makes brushing effective and fun.

    The best indoor home security camera

    Arlo’s Essential Indoor Security Camera is built with privacy in mind, easy to set up and inexpensive, with a monthly storage plan. The video quality is top-notch, motion alerts are prompt and audio sounds great.

    The best HomeKit indoor security camera

    The Logitech Circle View has a wide viewing angle, sharp video and solid built-in privacy features. It’s been around for a couple of years, but is still the best camera for Apple households.

    The best pizza oven

    The only electric pizza oven we tested, the Breville Pizzaiolo was our favorite oven overall because of its predictable, consistent results and even cooking.

    The best electric lawn mower

    Easier to operate than the competition, self-propelled and, best of all, great at cutting grass, the Ego Power+ Select Cut electric lawn mower packs plenty of power to get through mowing a standard lawn on a single charge and almost makes the chore fun.

    The best clothes steamer

    With a range of steam settings and attachments that let you take care of any type of clothing, and a stable, simple-to-use design, the Conair Turbo Extreme Steam Handheld Fabric Steamer combines ease of use with maximum functionality.

    The best air fryer

    Its heavy-duty feel, combined with the reasonable price tag, convenient controls and standout cooking results, made it easy to declare this fryer the best overall.

    The best air fryer toaster oven

    This fryer was extremely easy to use and allows you to air fry, bake, reheat or roast just about anything, thanks especially to its comparatively large fryer basket.

    The best blender

    The Breville Super Q features a slew of preset buttons, comes in multiple colors, includes key accessories and is quieter than other models. It does carry a steep price tag, but for those who can’t imagine a smoothie-less morning, what breaks down to about $1.30 a day over a year seems like a bargain.

    The best stand mixer

    The KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer delivered the best performance of the mixers we tested. With more than 20 available colors and a classic profile, you’ll want to keep this tilt-head mixer on display in your kitchen.

    The best compact microwave

    The GE Smart Countertop Microwave provides steady performance in a compact package with an intuitive interface, and the smart features make setup simple.

    The best stand mixer for large batches

    If you prefer a bowl-lift mixer because it feels sturdier, the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series is a solid upgrade option from the Artisan series. It has a bigger stainless steel bowl and a more powerful motor that can handle bigger batches and recipes.

    The best overall rice cooker

    The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy consistently had the best results in all of our cooking tests. It cooks perfectly fluffy rice every time and has handy features that make it a must for people who cook and eat rice regularly.

    The best budget immersion blender

    Nutribullet’s inexpensive take on the hand blender is simple to operate, has many of the features of its much pricier counterparts, and produces fab results.

    The best budget blender

    Besides doing an admirable job at blending up creamy soups and smoothies, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender comes with a number of presets, as well as low, medium and high manual settings. It doesn’t have the heft or quality materials of the high-performance blenders we tested, but for casual users, it won’t disappoint.

    The best cast-iron skillet

    The Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Skillet rose to the top of our rankings for not only delivering great results across all of our testing criteria but also for its affordable price. Weighing just 6.5 pounds, the Chef Collection comes pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil and has two slightly larger pour spouts that allowed us to deftly remove oil from the pan without a dribble in sight. It outperformed most of its much higher-priced competitors at nearly every test we threw at it.

    The best bread machine

    The Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is expensive for sure, but in this case, you get what you pay for. Each loaf we baked turned out beautifully, as if it came straight from our favorite bakery, with a crisp, golden-brown crust; soft, even crumb; perfect rise; airy, fluffy texture; and delicious taste.

    The best cutting board

    The Teakhaus Professional is a cutting board made from teak, a wood that stands up to heavy use, is resistant to stains and knife cuts, cleans up easily, is heavy enough to stay in place while you work and is reasonably priced compared to other wooden cutting boards of similar quality. Plus, it’s beautiful enough to earn a permanent spot on your kitchen countertop.

    The best Dutch oven

    The Lodge Enameled 6-Quart Cast-Iron Dutch Oven’s shiny, smooth finish had zero flaws out of the box, and the ombre blue hue was just plain pretty. Its 6-quart size was just right for all sorts of tasks. Its large handles and the lid’s amply sized metal knob are both features that make using a heavy pan easier. And its slightly sloped sides allowed a spatula to scrape up everything along the edges.

    The best charcoal grill

    The 22-inch Weber was the easiest to control temperature on during our testing, making it easy to cook hamburgers medium rare and juicy chicken with a solid sear. The large enclosed ash pan makes for easy cleanup, and it also boasts a built-in thermometer and lid hook.

    The best grill brush

    The Kona BBQ Grill Brush features a durable, stainless steel brush head that, according to the manufacturer, works best when dipped in water. This proved true in our testing, and the wet brush melts away any leftover food or gunk on the grill. The solid brush head ensures that no bristles, wire bits, food or residue from the tool is left behind on your grill.

    The best hand mixer

    This Cuisinart mixer caught our eye right out of the box, with a sleek design and sturdy build that felt stable in the hand. Testing confirmed our initial impression, with the appliance scoring top marks across the board for function — easily mixing, whisking, beating and kneading — as well as ease of use and storage.

    The best ice cream maker

    The Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt ICE-21P1 is incredibly easy to use, and made one of the smoothest ice creams, with only a little iciness, of all the ice cream makers we tested. While it was one of the loudest machines we tested, it also churned ice cream faster than many of its competitors (it only took about 15 minutes for both of the recipes we tested), so you won’t have to suffer through the noise for too long.

    The best instant-read meat thermometer

    The price of the ThermoWorks Thermapen One may make you raise an eyebrow, but based on our testing, it’s worth every penny. The backlit display is easy to read, and the digits automatically adjust their orientation when holding the thermometer vertically — something that was exclusive to this model.

    The best kitchen knife set

    This knife block set lets you easily take on almost any cutting jobl. Not only did the core knives included (chef’s, paring, utility and serrated) perform admirably, but the set included a bevy of extras, including a full set of steak knives. We were blown away by their solid construction and reliable execution for such an incredible value. The knives stayed sharp through our multitude of tests, and we were big fans of the cushion-grip handles that kept them from slipping.

    The best kitchen scale

    Simplicity and reliability is what you’ll get with this scale. It can measure grams, pounds, ounces and milliliters, all the way up to 11.24 pounds. Of all the options we tested under $20, this one handled the most weight. When measuring the same item several times and/or comparing it to other scales, its accuracy was dependable.

    The best nonstick pan

    If you’re a minimalist and prefer to have just a single pan in your kitchen, then you’d be set with the T-fal E76597. This pan’s depth gives it multipurpose functionality: It cooks standard frying pan foods like eggs and meats, and its 2.5-inch sides are tall enough to prepare recipes you’d usually reserve for pots, like rices and stews. It’s a high-quality and affordable pan that outperformed some of the more expensive ones in our testing field.

    The best spiralizer

    The Spiralizer 7-Blade Spiral Slicer impressed us with the fact that every veggie we tested — on all seven provided blades — turned out perfect spirals, with almost all requiring barely any exertion on our part. There are blades for vermicelli, spaghetti, fettuccine, curly fry, chips/ribbons, fine groovy chips and coarse groovy chips, and they’re all clearly labeled by name. The spiralizer is dishwasher-safe and comes with a lifetime warranty.

    The best slow cooker

    The Cuisinart 3-in-1 Cook Central Multicooker gave us perfectly cooked meals, and while it’s very easy to use, it offers the best range of useful functions — browning, sautéing and steaming — of all the slow cookers we tested.

    The best waffle maker

    If you need a machine that makes great waffles, doesn’t take up too much of your precious counter space and still lets you make multiple waffles per batch, then this waffle maker may be the perfect waffle maker for you. This model goes a step beyond most flip waffle makers, featuring two sets of waffle grills, one on each side of the flip mechanism, so you can make two rounds of waffles at once — a real bonus for a hungry breakfast crowd.

    The best water filter pitcher

    The Brita Standard Everyday Water Filter Pitcher was a cinch to set up, left water free of any odd flavoring, features a simple pouring mechanism and is ideally designed for storage within a fridge.

    The best wine opener

    Lever-style wine openers are meant to be stable and easy to use, and the Rabbit Wine Corkscrew With Foil Cutter satisfies this most important requirement. During our testing, we got the cork out of our bottle in three seconds, as advertised. There was no setup or assembly required prior to use, and the silicone-lined exterior of this opener felt immediately comfortable in-hand upon unboxing.

    The best microwave

    The understated, well-built Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Countertop Microwave outshone more expensive models and delivered even heat and consistent results.

    The best toaster

    The simple, functional Cuisinart 4-Slice Compact Toaster outperformed more expensive models and produced crispy toast with even browning. With two sets of controls to tailor toast for the whole family, it’s a no-brainer for your counter.

    The best luxury toaster for enthusiasts

    The stunning Dualit NewGen 2-Slice Toaster is a kitchen obsessive’s dream. Assembled by hand (and priced accordingly), its manual controls let you peek at your toast without interrupting the heating cycle.

    The best toaster oven

    Large enough to fit nine slices of toast, easy to use and with even heat distribution, this toaster oven features a variety of cooking functions, comes with handy accessories and produces premium results.

    The best air fryer toaster oven

    Sleek and stylish, KitchenAid’s countertop oven adds air fryer to the mix, is a cinch to operate and performs as great as it looks.

    The best baking sheet

    The durable, affordable Nordic Ware uncoated aluminum pan performed as well as more expensive sheet pans in our testing and remained flat without warping even above its rated temperatures.

    The best nonstick baking sheet

    The attractive Willams-Sonoma has a true non-stick coating, the heft to avoid warping even at high temperatures and is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

    The best sleep mask

    Our favorite thing about this mask is its adjustable nose wire, which lets you get the perfect light-blocking, lock-in-place fit. Many masks we tested had a slight crack of light around the nose bridge. This mask, though, formed the best seal around the edges, blocking out more light than any other mask we tested.

    The best down comforter

    With the Brooklinen Down Comforter, we truly felt like we were sleeping on a cloud and never wanted to get out of bed. Between the softness of the outer material and the fluffiness of the fill, it’s one of those comforters that make you want to stay in bed all day, 12 months a year.

    The best duvet cover

    Made from crisp, luxe percale, the Brooklinen Classic Duvet Cover is light and airy, with large, easy-to-fasten buttons, and comes in tons of colors to suit any style.

    Meets the needs of all sleepers

    Marlow’s cooling memory foam pillow is prepared to meet the needs of all sleepers providing comfort and support all while taking the guesswork out of the pillow shopping process.

    The best pillow for back sleepers

    The Eden pillow from Coop Home Goods is supportive and plush, and lets you adjust its fill to accommodate your preferences for height and firmness, making it the best, most versatile pillow we tested.

    The best down alternative pillow

    The Parachute down alternative pillow has a soft and squishy fill that never got lumpy, even after multiple nights of sleeping and washing. We found the medium firmness pillow soft and supportive for both back and side sleeping, and firmer and softer versions are available for those needing more or less support.

    The best down pillow

    The plush, cloud-like Garnet Hill Heirloom pillow is 100% down, making for a silent and extra-comfortable sleeping experience. Unlike some other down pillows we tested, it keeps its shape through the night, with no flattening, and it comes in soft, medium and firm densities to suit your needs for support.

    The best cooling percale sheets

    The crispest set we tested, Casper’s percale sheets were the best we tried for hot sleepers. They are light and airy while wicking away sweat, and feel ultra-smooth to slip into at night.

    The best gauzy percale sheets

    Brooklinen’s gauzy percale material manages to be softer than others we tried, while still effectively cooling. Available in more fun patterns and colors than any other set we tried, they’re ideal for people tired of neutrals or wanting to take their bedroom decor up a notch.

    The best overall flannel sheets

    Luxurious without feeling overly thick or too weighty, Garnet Hill offers a delectably comfortable flannel sheet at a mid- to high-end price point, starting at $197 for a queen set (which includes two pillowcases, a fitted sheet and a flat sheet). These flannels come in lots of varieties of color and size, and instill confidence you’re getting a quality product that’ll last for years to come.

    The best lightweight flannel sheets

    Very close to our overall favorite because it is both supremely cozy and the most lightweight of all the sets we tested is West Elm’s organic flannel sheet, which starts at $135 for a full set. These sheets didn’t come out on top because they’re available in only two colors and cannot be ordered à la carte like Garnet Hill’s sheets.

    The best flannel sheets

    Luxurious without feeling overly thick or too weighty, Garnet Hill offers a delectably comfortable flannel sheet at a mid- to high-end price point, from $197 for a Queen set (which includes two pillowcases, a fitted sheet and a flat sheet). These flannels come in lots of varieties of color and size, and instill confidence you’re getting a quality product that’ll last for years to come.

    The best linen sheets

    Well made, luxurious to the touch and with the most versatile shopping options (six sizes, nine colors and the ability to order individual sheets), these linen sheets from Parachute were, by a narrow margin, our favorite set. From the satisfying unboxing to a sumptuous sleep, with a la carte availability, Parachute set the gold standard in linen luxury.

    The best silk pillowcase

    Fishers Finery — made from the finest silk available — felt luxuriously silky, fit our pillows perfectly, offered beautiful nights of sleep and were easy to wash and dry both by hand and in the machine.

    The best alarm clock

    The Jall Wooden Digital Alarm Clock looks great and has everything you need in an alarm clock. It’s simple to set, read and use, and can wake you dependably with multiple alarms.

    The best white noise machine

    The Sound+Sleep Mini contains 48 different sounds, like rain, brooks, fans, ocean sounds, white noise, and many more. The other devices we tested feature some of these soundscapes, but the Mini is one of the only ones that has them all.

    The best air mattress

    In addition to providing the most comfortable night’s sleep during testing, the King Koil Luxury Air Mattress uses a built-in pump for quick and convenient inflation, and features a raised pillow that helps mimic the feel of a real bed.

    The best pillow for stomach sleepers

    The Saatva pillow was a favorite, supportive enough while squishy and malleable in the best way. The outer layer is filled with down-alternative fibers and a removable inner core made of shredded latex is completely encased so the fill doesn’t spill out.

    The best pillow for side sleepers

    The supportive Eli & Elm Side Sleeper pillow has a U-shaped cutout that makes room for your shoulder when sleeping on your side. It also cradled our necks well when we slept on our backs, so it’s great for anyone who shifts positions.

    The luxury pick for smart TVs

    The Sony A90J has the best picture quality we’ve ever tested, with superb detail and hyper accurate colors. It’s one of the brightest OLED TVs we’ve seen, supports all the standards videophiles demand and lets you access everything easily.

    The best smart electric toothbrush

    The Oral-B iO Series 9 offers more features and modes than any electric toothbrush we tested, from multiple modes to suit any brushing goal to a connected app that really provides useful feedback. It’s pricey, but a 60-day guarantee makes it easy to see if it will work for you.

    The best smart bulb

    The Wyze Bulb Color ticks all the boxes you want from a smart bulb, outpacing all other bulbs we tested — no matter their price point. If you prefer a white light, you have the option to adjust the temperature, changing the resulting light from warmer, orange glows to cooler, more natural white light.

    The best smart display

    The Echo Show 8 is the best smart display we tested, with a versatile 8-inch screen in a build that really fits anywhere. It can do everything you’d expect from a smart display, and Alexa can respond to your queries both vocally and visually.

    The best smart garage door opener controller

    The Chamberlain MyQ can manage up to two garage doors, and the wireless hub makes it easy to install. With a price tag of only $29.99, it’s also an excellent value for a basic smart garage controller.

    The best smart plug

    The Wyze Plug has everything a smart plug needs —- a plug to go into your current outlet, an outlet on the front to plug other devices in and connectivity to make it controllable —- and excels at the overall experience.

    The best smart thermostat

    The Nest Learning Thermostat studies your habits and controls the temperature in your home automatically. These smarts, along with the simple interface, make it best in class.

    The best smart speaker

    Amazon’s fourth-gen Echo is the biggest redesign to the original smart speaker; Amazon swapped the tall cylinder design for a spherical one. Not only does this give it a more appealing aesthetic than most competing speakers, but the form factor also aids in delivering richer and clearer sound with ample access to Alexa smarts.

    The best LED light strips

    The Govee Wi-Fi RGBIC Strip Lights perform brilliantly and give you longer lengths and more coverage for less money than the competition. The easy-to-use app lets you create warm ambiances and color-changing special effects for entertaining or everyday use.

    Smartphones and smartwatches

    The best smartwatch for Pixel owners

    If you own a Pixel phone or want a smartwatch with the full fitness capabilities of a Fitbit, the Pixel Watch is for you. Just note that its battery life falls behind the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch.

    The best smartwatch for Apple users

    The Apple Watch Series 8 is the new Apple smartwatch to get for first-time buyers or anyone coming from a Series 4 or older. Everyone else can hold out for a more meaningful upgrade.

    The ultimate smartwatch for those willing to splurge

    If you’re a serious athlete or adventurer — or simply willing to pay up for the most advanced Apple Watch experience out there — the Apple Watch Ultra is worth the money. For everyone else, the Apple Watch Series 8 remains a great pick.

    The best Android smartphone

    If you prefer Android, then the Galaxy S22 (or the larger S22+) is the way to go. These phones offer beautiful displays, long battery life, superb cameras and some of the best performance we’ve ever gotten out of a smartphone. Plus, these phones look great, with a glass-and-metal build that comes in four attractive colors.

    An excellent sub-$500 smartphone

    If you’re looking to spend less than $500 on an Android phone, it doesn’t get much better than the Google Pixel 6a.

    The best smartwatch for Android users

    The Galaxy Watch 5 is the best Android smartwatch for most people, offering long battery life, good performance and plenty of fitness tracking capabilities.

    The best smartphone for Apple users

    The iPhone 14 is the best new iPhone for most people, particularly if you’re coming from an iPhone 12 or older. Those willing to invest in a more significant upgrade should go with the iPhone 14 Pro.

    The best budget e-reader

    The sleek, waterproof Kindle Paperwhite features a large 6.8-inch screen and warmth adjustment, and most of the features we like from the more expensive Oasis, making it the best e-reader for the money.

    The best e-reader

    With access to Amazon’s vast library, a display that’s adjustable enough to let you read without fatigue in almost any light, easy-to-use controls and a comfortable design, the Kindle Oasis is the best e-reader we’ve tested. While you don’t technically need an Amazon account to use the Kindle Oasis, you’ll probably want to register in order to have access to the millions of Kindle books available from the Kindle library.

    The best hard-shell carry-on luggage

    The Away Carry-On has thoughtful organization, smart features and chic design, all at a fair price. It’s durable too, standing up to our abuse and featuring smooth YKK zippers, an aluminum telescopic handle and four easy-glide double Hinomoto spinner wheels.

    The best checked luggage

    With fantastic internal organization and compression, a durable exterior and comfortable handles, the Away Medium suitcase was the most well-rounded bag we tested, with a great combination of maneuverability, capacity, durability and style.

    The best portable charger

    The Anker PowerCore 13000 packs a ton of value. You can quickly charge a lot with the PowerCore 13000; it can bring an iPhone 11 to full charge two and a half times, or two Samsung Galaxy S20s from empty to more than 90%. And you won’t be sitting by idly for too long, either, as the PowerCore 13000 takes just 41 minutes to charge an iPhone 11 to 50%, tying for fastest charging in our testing.

    The best travel pillow

    The Cabeau Evolution S3 updates the standard U-shaped travel pillow design with raised sides that gently cradled our head and neck when we used it. The S3’s flat back also rested relatively flush against our seat, preventing our head from uncomfortably jutting forward, while an adjustable front clasp let us slightly tighten or loosen the neck opening to our liking, which makes it possible to tailor the pillow to travelers of different sizes.

    The best dash cam

    A dual-channel camera that includes front and rear video cameras, this Nextbase unit was the easiest to use and delivered the most impressive image quality in our testing.

    The best screenless dash cam

    Although it doesn’t have a screen, the budget-friendly Scosche camera has by far the easiest mobile app to use, and promises quick and easy video playback whenever you need it.

    The best water flosser for travel

    A big battery and reservoir, along with fully waterproof construction, make this a perfect travel companion. It’s easy to use and maneuver, and just as easy to pack away.

    The best hard cooler

    A solid, heavy-duty cooler that’s built to last, this Yeti model kept things cold for two full days in our testing, is durable enough to stand up to serious abuse and has enough room to hold 28 cans with plenty of ice.

    The best soft cooler

    Designed for maximum portability, this 4-pound RTIC soft cooler features multiple convenient carrying options and a heavy-duty nylon shell is durable enough for any outdoor adventure.

    The best robot vacuum

    The iRobot j7+ is the best robot vacuum you can buy right now. It beat out all the others in mapping, creating virtual boundaries and detecting and avoiding obstacles, which means it’s the best “set it and forget it” smart robot vacuum — and it even empties itself. More importantly, it picks up dust and debris and cat litter from hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting better than the others we tested.

    The best affordable robot vacuum

    The Eufy 11s may not be smart, but its brute force approach covered our test area almost as well as the connected robots, plus it’s quiet, slim enough to reach under most furniture and does a great job cleaning.

    The best robot vacuum for pet hair

    The budget-priced iLife V3S Pro uses a suction tube like a traditional vacuum cleaner rather than the roller brushes employed by other robot vacuums, and does a better job picking up pet hair without clogging.

    The best value self-emptying robot vacuum

    If you want the convenience of a self-emptying vacuum but want to save a couple of hundred dollars over an iRobot or Samsung, the Shark IQ XL cleans and performs almost as well for a lot less.

    The best luxury robot vacuum and mop combo

    The Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni offers the best hands-off cleaning experience and fast and accurate mapping, and won’t mop your carpeting. The cleaning station empties the robot’s dustbin, cleans its mop and refills the water tank.

    The best canister vacuum

    The Miele Classic C1 Turbo Team PowerLine is a powerful, maneuverable and built-to-last canister vacuum. It has six suction speeds and is great to use on hard floors and upholstery. Its suction-powered turbo brush is also excellent for dislodging hair and dust out of low-pile carpets and rugs.

    The best upright vacuum

    With great cleaning power and maneuverability, the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away NV501 was a standout in all of our testing. It was one of the easiest vacuum cleaners to maneuver, thanks to its swivel head and fairly light weight. It comes with an upholstery tool, a dusting brush and a crevice tool, which all worked well. An extra bonus was how neatly the attachments fit onto the machine. They’re easy to grab and remove, and they don’t get in the way when you’re using other features.

    The best cordless stick vacuum for pet hair and deep carpet

    With impressive power and the ability to tackle cleaning tasks on surfaces ranging from high-pile carpet to hard floors, the Dyson V11 Animal is the most capable cordless stick vacuum we tested.

    The best smart TV

    No matter what content you’re watching, the 55-inch TCL 6-Series TV makes it look good. It zooms past the 5-Series with better color accuracy and holds up better at various viewing angles. The 6-Series features Mini LEDs, meaning it packs more LEDs behind the panel to allow the TV to illuminate more specific details when creating an image. The result is a strong image with vibrant colors and strong contrast points.

    The best streaming device

    The Roku Ultra is fast, responsive, delivers the widest variety of streaming services through up-to-date apps and lets you find everything easily with universal search, for a reasonable price.

    A great smart home hub with OK picture quality

    The Fire TV Omni QLED has a decent picture for a 4K TV at its price. But it integrates Alexa better than other TVs, making it a powerhouse for managing your smart home. Ambient Experience turns your TV into an always-on display — for better or worse.

    The best Windows laptop

    The Dell XPS 13 packs a gorgeous, lightweight, slim and highly portable design for working anywhere, a nearly borderless display that makes content pop and a powerful 11th Gen Intel processor that can burn through most workloads with ease.

    The best 2-in-1 laptop

    The Surface Pro 8 delivers fast performance, a vivid display and an excellent keyboard within a versatile, detachable design.

    The best Apple laptop

    The MacBook Air M2 is the best Apple laptop for most people, perfect for everyday multitasking and able to handle a good amount of gaming and video editing. It’s the fastest laptop you can get for the money, and an especially big upgrade if you’re coming from an Intel-powered Mac.

    The best Windows laptop

    The Dell XPS 13 is the best Windows laptop you can buy, offering a stunning display, a great keyboard and long battery life within an attractive, slim design that’s easy to take anywhere.

    The upgrade pick for best Apple laptop

    The 14-inch MacBook Pro offers beastly performance for serious power users, as well as the best ports, display and speakers you can find on a MacBook.

    The best tablet

    The ninth-gen iPad stood out as the best overall option in our testing, thanks to a faster processor that crushes everyday tasks with ease. It mixes performance and value in a way that no other tablet can, and tosses in support for core iPad accessories.

    The best wireless charger for iPhone 12 and 13

    The iPhone 12 and 13 can charge twice as fast via MagSafe as they can over standard wireless charging, and the magnets built into the phones and charger ensure perfect alignment every time. Too bad the cable’s so short, though.

    The best budget tablet

    The latest Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a great and affordable option for kids or anyone who just wants a basic device for reading and watching shows. It’s also an ideal content consumption device for younger kids, when you need an extra device in the house or when you’re taking a car trip or vacation.

    The best Android tablet

    The Galaxy Tab S8+ impresses with a vibrant, clear display that’s great for play and has plenty of power for nearly any task. If you’re already invested in Samsung’s ecosystem of products, this tab slots in nicely with the rest of the company’s Galaxy products. It’s perfect for using as a secondary computer — that is, a tool for drawing, video calls and responding to emails or Slack messages.

    The best basic phone charger

    If you’re looking for a compact charger with modern fast-charging support to go with a new phone that ships without one, the PowerPort Nano Pro 511 does a great job at an affordable price.

    The best mechanical keyboard

    Quiet, stable and simple to customize and configure, the Keychron Q1 was the best built and most comfortable to type on out of all the keyboards we tested.

    The best low-profile mechanical keyboard

    If you prefer a low-profile model, the comfortable, feature-packed, wireless Keychron K3 Version 2 is a vast improvement in feel over membrane keyboards and fits into any desktop setup.

    The best budget keyboard

    The compact, portable K380 offers a typing experience that compares to keyboards twice its price, plus two years of battery life and pairing with three devices.

    The best budget app

    Without question, PocketGuard is our favorite budget app. It’s easy to set up an account and straightforward to use. The app is available from the Apple Store and Google Play, and there’s a desktop version if you get sick of the tiny screen on your phone.

    The best computer microphone

    The Yeti consistently delivered warm, bright voice recordings, preserving every detail of our voice without any distortion or crackling. It sounded nearly identical to its more expensive sibling (the $169 Yeti X, which offers more sound customization and LED lighting), and was richer and crisper sounding than premium rivals like the HyperX QuadCast S.

    The best computer monitor

    After many hours of testing with a multitude of content and workflows, the 23.8-inch L24q-30 monitor stood out The super-slim bezels don’t distract the eye from its vibrant panel, and the small footprint will fit into any workspace. A blue-light filter helps decrease eye strain, making it ideal for longer workdays.

    The best computer mouse and best ergonomic mouse

    The updated Logitech MX Master 3S is comfortable to use, has tons of controls, and connects to three devices over Bluetooth; you can switch between them with a button, or even control and drag and drop files from one to another — even cross-platform — with Logitech’s Flow software.

    The best computer speakers

    The Logitech Z407 computer speakers leverage the company’s years of experience in building computer peripherals, delivering a versatile, high-quality pair of speakers that doesn’t break the bank. Perhaps the best thing about these speakers is how great they sound for the price, boasting relatively crisp highs with a well-tuned mid range.

    The best ergonomic keyboard

    We found the Logitech Ergo K860’s wave-like split keyboard to be phenomenally comfortable. It allows your shoulders and hands to rest in a more natural position. Add the cozy palm rest along the bottom edge and you’ll find yourself sitting pretty comfortably.

    The best external hard drive

    The WD My Passport solid-state drive is not the cheapest external drive, but you do get what you pay for. Files transfer quickly: We were able to back up Word documents in just a few seconds, full photo albums in less than 20 seconds and even large video files in under a minute.

    The best keyboard

    The full-size, full featured Logitech MX Keys offers a terrific typing experience, easy device switching, and simple customization.

    The best Lightning cable

    Anker’s Powerline II is a basic cable that does everything well. Our stress testing (and long-term use of this cable) leads us to suspect it will hold up well over time. It’s available in 3- and 6-foot lengths and white, black or gray colors.

    The best mesh Wi-Fi router

    Eero continues to make Wi-Fi easier and better for the masses with a streamlined setup, wide-ranging coverage, high speeds and affordability combined with easy-to-manage parental controls, ad blocking and network security.

    The best standing desk

    Branch’s standing desk is simple, affordable and easy to use, and has a sturdy build and a design that doesn’t distract. You can also opt for white or black legs, and tops in white, gray or woodgrain finishes.

    The best office chair

    The Steelcase Series 1 stood out as one of the most customizable, high-quality, comfortable office chairs we tested, beating out chairs double the price — making it the best bang for the buck.

    The best password manager

    1Password offers the total package: security, usability, features and pricing. After signing up for your account, which includes the option for a free 14-day trial, you can download an app or a browser extension. The apps and extensions are used to create, fill and store your complex passwords so you don’t have to remember them.

    The best portable Bluetooth speaker

    The UE Boom 3 gives you robust, 360-degree sound in a waterproof, dust-proof canister that you can take everywhere. It’s pretty much everything you could want in a Bluetooth speaker for the price.

    The best printer

    The HP Envy Pro 6455e is a feature-filled and reliable unit that proves you don’t need to spend a ton for great performance. As an all-in-one unit it offers quality prints across text and visually heavy tasks alike, while also being able to scan and copy with ease.

    The best ring light

    The Emart 10-Inch Standing Ring Light comes with a tripod that’s fully adjustable — from 19 inches to 50 inches — making it a great option whether you’re using a computer webcam, phone or camera. Three light modes (warm, cool and a nice mix of the two) and 11 brightness levels ensure you’re always framed in the right light.

    The best tax software

    Throughout the entire process, TurboTax is the easiest to use, helping you figure out which forms you need in a customer-friendly way and offering live customer support whenever you need it. From the moment you arrive at the TurboTax website, the company holds your hand to help you figure out the right software version to use for your specific taxes.

    The best USB-C cable

    Anker’s Powerline + II USB-C cable is the latest version of our favorite cable; it’s durable and functional, with a braided jacket, robust connectors, and handles up to 60 watts of power for fast charging. And it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

    The best USB-C charger

    Like the rest of the company’s recent chargers, the Anker PowerPort Atom III Slim is based on GaN (Gallium Nitride) rather than silicon, which conducts electricity more efficiently, stays cooler, and thus allows for smaller, lighter electronics. With 45 watts of power, support for all the major fast-charging standards, cool-running GaN circuitry and a slim design that makes it easy to plug in anywhere, the PowerPort Atom III was the most versatile single-port charger we tested.

    The best USB-C hub for 13-inch laptops

    If you’re looking to expand the functionality of a 13-inch laptop (such as a MacBook Air or Dell XPS 13), the Satechi Multi-Port Adapter V2 is the best hub of its kind we tested in terms of overall speed and reliability. Satechi’s sleek “Space Gray” hub stands out against the rest of our testing pool, having one of the sleekest designs and some of the fastest data transfer speeds.

    The best webcam

    The Logitech C920S is the best webcam overall, delivering excellent picture quality in both bright and dim lighting conditions. Its design is sturdy and versatile, and it has some handy companion software for customizing your shots.

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  • The excellent LG C2 OLED TV is on sale at Best Buy for its lowest price ever | CNN Underscored

    The excellent LG C2 OLED TV is on sale at Best Buy for its lowest price ever | CNN Underscored

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    Want more deals? Visit CNN Underscored’s Guide to Black Friday for wall-to-wall coverage of the best discounts to be found during the biggest shopping event of the year.

    Black Friday is typically the best time of year to pick up a new TV on sale, and you don’t even have to wait until the big day to get a huge discount on one of the best sets we’ve tested. The excellent LG C2 is already at its lowest price ever, allowing you to save hundreds of dollars no matter which size you choose.

    An amazing 4K OLED television

    The LG C2 OLED is one of our favorite TVs, offering incredible picture quality and a snappy interface. It’s currently at its lowest price yet.

    LG’s latest high-end OLED is deeply discounted at both Best Buy and Amazon in various sizes, starting as low as $896 for the 42-inch model (a $400 savings) all the way to $4,000 for the massive 83-inch model (for a whopping $1,300 off).

    We reviewed the LG C2 earlier this year and found its stunning 4K OLED picture quality to be right up there with the best TVs we’ve ever used. It looks great out of the box with minimal tweaking required, has all of the latest gaming tech to keep your PS5, Xbox Series X and PC games running as smooth as possible and offers a snappy interface that makes it easy to fire up your favorite streaming apps. Just note that its stand and speakers aren’t the best, so you may want to consider a separate stand or mount, and pair it with a soundbar for the best audio.

    This discounted LG C2 is just one of many great Black Friday TV deals we’ve been tracking this week, so be sure to check back often to score big on everything from sub-$100 bargains to steep discounts on our favorite high-end sets.

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  • Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED Series is a great smart home hub — and an OK TV | CNN Underscored

    Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED Series is a great smart home hub — and an OK TV | CNN Underscored

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    Amazon thinks your TV isn’t working hard enough when you’re not watching, and its new Fire TV Omni QLED Series aims to fix that. With hands-free Alexa built in, it can do everything the powerful voice assistant is capable of. Plus, it becomes an always-on (or mostly on) screen that can double as a really big picture frame, and it also displays widgets to keep you up to date on the weather, upcoming events and more.

    Oh, and you can use it to watch TV shows and movies and play games — you know, like a regular TV. With its QLED display tech, it produces a decent picture. But that’s almost a second thought.

    A great smart home hub with OK picture quality

    The Fire TV Omni QLED has a decent picture for a 4K TV at its price. But it integrates Alexa better than other TVs, making it a powerhouse for managing your smart home. Ambient Experience turns your TV into an always-on display — for better or worse.

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Amazon’s voice assistant is a part of many TVs now — in TVs that run the Fire TV OS as well as models that don’t, like those from LG and Samsung. But none have the deep Alexa integration that a TV made by Amazon can offer, which results in a more seamless voice control experience. In many ways, using your voice to control the Fire TV Omni QLED is easier and faster than using the remote. You can use your voice to turn on the TV, launch a show, rewind, pause, adjust the volume and more.

    amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-widgets

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Alexa on the Fire TV Omni QLED can do more than control the TV. It can manage your smart bulbs, check your smart security devices, change the temperature on your smart thermostat — if you live in a connected home, the TV screen can become the hub for it all. And Alexa works when the screen isn’t on, so you can queue up tunes or use other features of the virtual assistant whenever you need.

    Other Fire TVs can do all those things too, though the Omni QLED makes the experience smoother. The innovation of the Fire TV Omni QLED is something Amazon calls the Ambient Experience. This feature turns your TV into an always-on display. When you’re not watching TV, it shows photos, art or other images — like a giant picture frame or screen saver. You can control how long images display and pick what images show, selecting from a library or using your personal photos. If you like the idea of Samsung’s The Frame TV, you’ll like the Ambient Experience on the Fire TV.

    You can also choose from a few widgets to display info while in Ambient mode. These include showing your calendar, suggestions for things to watch and sticky notes, which let you post a note on the screen as a substitute for leaving a note on the fridge or counter. The widgets make the TV feel like a lockscreen on a phone — you’re never away from the latest info about your life.

    You can set up the Ambient Experience so that it only turns on the screen when it senses someone in the room. This helps save energy, but it also feels kind of creepy. When you walk into the room and the TV automatically turns itself on, you can’t help but feel like you’re being watched. Fortunately, you can turn off Ambient Experience if you don’t feel the need for your TV to work so hard.

    amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-stand

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Given Amazon’s experience in making smart speakers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Fire TV Omni QLED delivers decent sound for a TV. Even though it only has two channels, dialogue was clear and it even produced a little bass. While listening to music, it sounded about as good as an Echo. However, the TV doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and lacks any virtual surround sound modes. A good soundbar would be a welcome addition to your setup.

    amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-rings-of-power

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    The Fire TV Omni QLED has the tech you want in a mid-priced 4K TV — a QLED screen with full array backlight and local dimming zones, and one input that supports HDMI 2.1, the latest standard. In theory, that should produce a sharp image with excellent contrast and vibrant colors.

    But the reality is it has a very average image. Colors often looked flat. It had better contrast than a TV without its tech, with deep blacks, but in many scenes the dark areas overwhelmed the light. The picture quality depended on the source content. For example, while watching “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” the TV switched to Dolby Vision IQ mode, which resulted in washed-out backgrounds and dull greens, but reds were lively. The TV produced good contrast on a 4K Blu-ray version of “Blade Runner 2049,” though some of the colors seemed oversaturated.

    There are plenty of adjustments you can make in settings to help overcome these issues, but I was never able to tweak the picture to make it as good as it should be.

    Other TVs in this price range, such as the Hisense U7H, deliver much better pictures. And the U7H offers 120Hz refresh rate, while the Omni QLED is only capable of 60Hz — something gamers will want to take note of.

    It’s focused on Amazon services and products

    amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-home-screen

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    All Fire TVs put Amazon Prime Video content front and center, so this isn’t a complaint that’s unique to the Omni QLED. But on the home screen, where it suggests shows to watch, you’ll see Amazon content featured more prominently than shows on other services. And you don’t have much control over what shows up on the home screen. If you’re not a Prime member, the TV becomes much less capable or useful.

    amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-football

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    The Fire TV Omni QLED is available in 65 inches for $800 or 75 inches for $1,100 (we tested the 65-inch model). If you want the features that it offers but don’t have room for a screen that large, you’re out of luck. Amazon’s first Omni TV (sans QLED technology), released last year, comes in a greater variety of sizes, from 43 inches ($330) up to 75 inches ($1,050), and the U7H ranges from 55 inches ($570) to 85 inches ($1,800).

    Sizes

    65 and 75 inches

    55, 65, 75 and 85 inches

    Dimensions (for 65-inch model)

    57.1 x 33.4 x 3.2 inches

    57.0 × 33.1 × 3.5 inches

    Weight (for 65-inch model)

    45.4 pounds

    43 pounds

    Panel type

    QLED LCD

    ULED LCD

    Inputs

    4 HDMI (One HDMI 2.1 with eARC), 1 USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, coaxial antenna

    4 HDMI (2 up to 4K @ 120Hz, 2 up to 4K @ 60Hz), 2 USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, coaxial antenna

    Outputs

    Optical digital audio, 3.5mm auxiliary, Bluetooth

    Optical digital audio, 3.5mm auxiliary, Bluetooth

    HDR

    Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, HLG

    Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10, HLG

    Audio

    2.0 channels

    2.0 channels

    Price

    $800



    $798

    By producing its own line of Fire TVs, Amazon has the ability to innovate, thanks to its deep integration with Alexa. And the Fire TV Omni QLED shows how a TV can be more than a display — voice control is easy and fast and could change the way you interact with your TV. The Ambient Experience may also make your life full of more images and info — or you might decide to turn it off.

    As far as image quality, the Omni QLED can’t compete with other TVs in its price range, such as the Hisense U7H, despite having comparable tech. But if you’re looking for a TV that’s more than a TV, the Omni QLED shows promise for making the largest screen in the house the center of your smart life.

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  • Some of our favorite Samsung products are on sale right now — here are the best deals | CNN Underscored

    Some of our favorite Samsung products are on sale right now — here are the best deals | CNN Underscored

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    The Samsung Neo QLED 4K wowed us with its crisp, bright display and handy array of gaming features, and it’s available for as low as $1,000 right now.

    We love The Frame’s ability to serve as a gorgeous digital art display (and it makes a pretty dang good QLED TV, too).

    Our current pick for best Android phone, the Galaxy S22 packs incredible cameras and great performance into a slick design. You can currently get it with an upgraded 256GB of storage at no extra cost, and as low as $65 with eligible trade-in.

    The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is our favorite foldable phone thanks to its slick, compact design and fun suite of features. It’s available for as low as $310 with an eligible trade-in, and a still-solid $200 off without one.

    If you need a bigger screen for tablet-like multitasking, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a great option. It’s available for as low as $620 with eligible trade-in, and up to $400 off without.

    The Galaxy Tab S8 is a fantastic Android tablet that can even double as a lightweight laptop thanks to its useful DeX mode. You can get it for as low as $100 with eligible trade-in, or with a free $150 in Samsung credit without one.

    We love the Galaxy Book 2 Pro series for its long battery life, strong performance and sleek design, and you can currently get a 15.6-inch model at a steep discount.

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  • Samsung’s QN90B Neo QLED is a great smart TV — especially for sunny rooms | CNN Underscored

    Samsung’s QN90B Neo QLED is a great smart TV — especially for sunny rooms | CNN Underscored

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    In the battle between OLED TVs and mini-LED LCD TVs — the two technologies used in today’s best smart TVs — people who need a brighter picture usually go with an LCD. For those who want an intensely bright TV, Samsung has upped the ante with its QN90B Neo QLED 4K Smart TV. It uses its brightness well, creating a crisp picture with excellent contrast that rivals OLED screens.

    The QN90B is about more than brightness. It includes the tech that gamers want to take full advantage of the latest gaming consoles. It also integrates cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna so you don’t even need a console to play the best games. While it’s not perfect, it will be a great option for many people.

    A smart, bright TV

    The Samsung QN90B is one of the brightest TVs you’ll find, making it great for sunny rooms. The brightness, along with mini-LED and local dimming tech, also helps it produce excellent contrast in dark scenes. It’s also packed with the latest gaming tech, including cloud gaming.

    samsung-qn90b-LOTR.jpg

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    Did I mention the brightness? Because this TV is really bright. The first thing I needed to do was tone down the brightness to keep it from searing my eyes. The room I used the TV in gets average sunlight and the QN90B’s brightness can overcome a lot more. If you’ve had problems with not being able to see what’s on your TV during the day, this TV should be able to overcome them.

    The QN90B uses mini-LED backlighting and local dimming, which allow for a more nuanced picture. Thanks to those mini LEDs, the images on the QN90B are very sharp and detailed. I especially appreciated the crisp images while watching college football in 4K, where the blades of grass had excellent definition and the ball flew without blurring.

    Related: Samsung’s The Frame 2022 makes a gorgeous and unique TV even better

    The set also has excellent contrast, which is important for seeing details in dark scenes, as are common in shows like House of the Dragon, Sandman and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. While it doesn’t support Dolby Vision, it uses HDR10+ to adjust the brightness for each frame so you won’t miss the exquisite details of Khazad-dûm when Elrond visits Durin in The Rings of Power.

    The TV can deliver accurate colors, but I needed to adjust the settings to get a picture that was right for me (more on that below). Overall, I thought the LG C2 produced a more pleasing picture, but others may prefer what the QN90B delivers.

    samsung-qn90b-game-screen.jpg

    Michael Gowan/CNN

    That crisp picture paired with the QN90B’s 120Hz refresh rate and support for variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode, and Nvidia FreeSync Premium Pro result in a great gaming TV. Each of the four HDMI ports supports HDMI 2.1 to take full advantage of your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or high-end gaming PC, meaning it can deliver extra-smooth gameplay at 4K.

    Playing Forza Horizon 5 on an Xbox Series X, the screen delivered excellent details without blurring even as the car raced at its fastest speed. In Fortnite, the characters and backgrounds were sharp, though the colors seemed a little off compared to the LG C2.

    The QN90B also includes Samsung Gaming Hub, which lets you stream games from Xbox, Stadia, Geforce Now and other services without a console. Gameplay while streaming isn’t too bad, either: Playing Forza 5 and Fortnite through Xbox Game Pass was similar to the quality you’d get from an Xbox One.

    samsung-qn90b-oled-tv football picture

    Michael Gowan/CNN Underscored

    The speakers in the QN90B produce surprisingly good sound — for a TV. With its 4.2.2 channel audio (55-inch and larger models) and support for Dolby Atmos, voices were easy to hear, and, with Intelligent Mode on, it created an impressively wide sound and even produced a bit of bass.

    So technically you don’t need to add a soundbar. But do yourself a favor and get one for your home entertainment system anyway — it’ll add more depth to the sound and improve bass for a better viewing experience.

    Samsung makes the QN90B in sizes that range from 43 inches ($1.099.99) to 85 inches ($3,299.99), with many models available in between. That means you can find one that’s right for the room you plan to put it in. I tested the 55-inch unit ($1,499.99). Expect similar performance in other models, except for the sound in the 43- and 50-inch units — they have fewer channels than the 55-inch and larger TVs.

    samsung-qn90b-oled-tv brightness

    Michael Gowan/CNN Underscored

    While the final result can be impressive, you may have to work to get a pleasing image on the QN90B’s screen. Out of the box, I found the picture too bright and the colors weren’t right for my room. I really didn’t like the picture produced using the Intelligent Mode setting, which is supposed to automatically adjust to the room conditions; the AI mode of LG’s C2 produced a much better image.

    But the QN90B offers lots of adjustments you can make, so you can find the right settings for you if you take the time. I liked the picture best when I turned off Intelligent Mode; switched to Movie Picture Mode; made some adjustments to brightness and sharpness; turned off Picture Clarity; and increased local dimming to Standard. You see what I mean about working for it.

    The QN90B runs Samsung’s Tizen, which is one of the more robust smart TV operating systems. It has apps for the most popular streaming services, like Netflix and HBO Max. It integrates with Samsung’s SmartThings app to allow for control of other smart devices. It offers voice control through Alexa, Google Assistant or Samsung’s Bixby.

    But on the QN90B, everything seems to take forever to launch and load. In reality, it takes a few seconds, but it is slower compared to a Roku or the relatively speedy WebOS on LG’s evo C2. Those extra seconds while you wait for a show to start are just enough to make your question your choices in life. Of course, you can get around this by adding a streaming device and bypassing Tizen altogether.

    The stand gets in the way

    samsung-qn90b-oled-tv stand setup

    Michael Gowan/CNN Underscored

    Similar to complaints I had about the LG evo C2, the stand Samsung includes with the QN90B — while slick and attractive —  doesn’t work for the way I want to set up my TV. It sticks out about three inches beyond the screen, which meant I had to place my soundbar way out in front of the TV. It also only raises the TV 2.75  inches above the surface — which is better than the C2 — but that can still result in a soundbar or center speaker blocking the bottom of the image.

    Sizes

    43, 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches

    83, 77, 65, 55, 47, and 43 inches

    Panel type

    QLED LCD

    OLED

    Inputs

    4 HDMI (all support HDMI 2.1, one eARC), 2 USB, Wifi, Ethernet, coaxial antenna

    4 HDMI 2.1 (one with eARC), 3 USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, coaxial antenna

    Outputs

    Optical digital audio, Bluetooth

    Optical digital audio, Bluetooth

    HDR

    HDR10+

    Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

    Audio

    4.2.2 channels, support for Dolby Atmos

    2.2 channels, support for Dolby Atmos

    Price

    From $1,099



    From $1,149

    Fans of LCD TVs will love what the Samsung QN90B offers. It’s oh-so-bright and packed with the latest tech. That allows it to deliver a crisp and detailed picture with excellent contrast.

    My issues with the color were overcome by adjusting the settings, though the QN90B couldn’t match the vibrant colors of the LG C2. In the battle of OLED versus LCD, I still prefer OLEDs — but the differences continue to narrow, and no OLED can come close to the brightness of the QN90B. The LG C2 is the better overall TV, but the QN90B would be the right choice if you have a sunny room and need its extreme brightness.

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  • Amazon’s new Fire TV Omni QLED promises better picture quality and serious smarts | CNN Underscored

    Amazon’s new Fire TV Omni QLED promises better picture quality and serious smarts | CNN Underscored

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    A year after launching its first in-house TVs with the Fire TV Omni line, Amazon is back with an all-new lineup that promises even better picture quality — and improved smarts. Dubbed the company’s “smartest TV lineup ever,” the new Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED series packs a more advanced Quantum Dot display for immersive movie nights. But the real selling point just might be the new Fire TV Ambient Experience, which could make the Omni the center of your smart home — and a legit competitor to Samsung’s excellent The Frame TV.

    For those that are happy with their current TV, Amazon also has a new Fire TV Cube streaming player with faster performance, and a new Alexa Voice Remote Pro that should be easier to find in the dark. There’s a ton to break down in Amazon’s new TV lineup, so here’s what you need to know.

    Where to preorder the Fire TV Omni QLED and Fire TV Cube

    The Fire TV Omni QLED line is available for preorder now, starting at $799.99 for the 65-inch model and $1,099.99 for the 75-inch version. The TVs will ship on October 27.

    If you just want a new streaming player, the new 3rd Gen Fire TV Cube is available for preorder now for $139.99, with orders shipping October 25. Finally, the new Alexa Voice Remote Pro can be ordered now for $34.99 (or $49 with a Red Remote Cover), and will arrive on November 16.

    Amazon

    As the first TV line designed entirely by Amazon, the Fire TV Omni series is built from the ground up with Amazon services and Alexa in mind. That means that you can control virtually every aspect of the television with a quick voice command (such as “Alexa turn on the baseball game,” or “Alexa, which actor is this?”) rather than having to reach for the remote. The new Fire TV Omni QLED line has the same core concept, but promises some major improvements to both the picture quality and the overall smart home experience.

    For starters, and as the name implies, the new Omni TVs feature a 4K QLED display — which uses quantum dots to provide much better color and contrast than you’d get from a typical LED television. It features 96 local dimming zones that can adjust themselves independently, which allows for better detail and contrast in dark scenes which can often get muddy on cheaper TVs. The lack of local dimming was one of our biggest criticisms of last year’s Fire TV Omni, so we’re happy to see it come to the new QLED model.

    Improved display aside, the Fire TV Omni QLED supports all the latest formats, including HDR10+ and HLG. It’s also the first Fire TV to offer Dolby Vision IQ and HDR 10+ Adaptive, both of which can adjust picture quality based on your room’s ambient lighting. But the Fire TV Omni QLED doesn’t just want to be your main TV — it also wants to be the center of your smart home.

    The Omni QLED is the first Fire TV to get Amazon’s new Ambient Experience, which uses a number of onboard sensors to detect when you’re in the room and display things like artwork, useful widgets (like calendars and reminders) and content suggestions when it knows you’re nearby.

    Fire TV Omni QLED Series Art.jpg

    Amazon

    Amazon’s new TV can double as a digital art display, capable of displaying your personal photo collection or a selection of more than 1,500 “gallery-quality” photos that include collections from real museums like The National Gallery of Art and The Art Institute of Chicago. This seems like a direct response to Samsung’s The Frame TV, which also offers a vast library of 1,400-plus digital pieces from real galleries that you can enjoy when you’re not watching shows. We love The Frame TV — which can be mistaken for an actual piece of art when gallery mode is active — so we’re eager to see how the Omni QLED compares in this area. Samsung requires you to subscribe to its Art Store to use this feature, so the fact that the Omni’s collection comes free could be a major selling point.

    But the Omni doesn’t just display pretty pictures when you’re not watching TV. Just like on Amazon’s Echo Show devices, the Omni QLED lets you take advantage of Alexa widgets, which display quick bits of glanceable info like calendars, reminders and sticky notes reminding your loved ones to take out the trash. Think of it like a family bulletin board, but digital, and one that can also control smart devices in your home like your thermostat or Ring doorbell. There are also widgets that can suggest TV shows and movies, as well as the ability to pull up music from top streaming services by simply asking Alexa with your voice.

    Naturally, we wouldn’t blame you for being weary about a TV that can detect and listen to you at all times. Fortunately, you can disable the Omni QLED’s far-field microphone whenever you like, and customize presence detection to your liking — whether you only want it active during certain hours or not at all. During its Sept. 28 presentation, Amazon said that the Omni QLED is smart enough to turn on when you enter your living room during the day, while knowing to stay off if you’re simply roaming the house late at night for a snack.

    Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) and Alexa Voice Remote Pro

    Fire TV Cube 1.jpg

    Amazon

    For those in the market for a new streaming player, the Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen is poised to be Amazon’s most powerful, robust option yet. This $139 streamer features a new octa-core processor, which Amazon says is twice as powerful as the popular Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It’s the first streaming device to support Wi-Fi 6E (a new Wi-Fi standard built for even faster speeds), and is the first player of its kind with HDMI input control (meaning you can control your connected HDMI devices with the included remote). It also packs dedicated Ethernet and USB ports, ideal for fast wired internet or connecting a webcam for video calling from your TV.

    Alexa Voice Remote Pro 8.jpg

    Amazon

    Finally, there’s the new $34.99 Alexa Voice Remote Pro, which could solve our age-old problem of constantly losing our TV remotes. Ask “Alexa, find my remote,” and the accessory will start ringing — which should help you find it even within the depths of your couch cushions. The new remote also has backlit buttons, making it easier to use (and find) when watching movies in the dark or at night. Other notable features include two customizable shortcut buttons that can instantly pull up your favorite streaming apps, as well as a dedicated headphone button for quickly pairing your Bluetooth headphones for when you don’t want to wake anyone in your house up. The new remote works with most Fire TV devices, with a few exceptions that include the 1st and 2nd gen Fire TV.

    Fire TV Omni QLED Home Theater

    Amazon

    When we reviewed the Fire TV Omni last year, we were really impressed with its smarts — but not so much its picture quality. The Fire TV Omni QLED seems to directly address these concerns, while also adding some promising smart home features and even borrowing our favorite feature of Samsung’s The Frame. When you put that together for a starting price of $799, you have a serious contender to our best TV rankings, and one we can’t wait to test.

    We’ve found previous versions of the Fire TV Cube to be impressive, but also a bit excessive for the average user. That’ll likely remain the case for the new 3rd Gen model — though the Wi-Fi 6E support and improved ports could be a boon for power users who need the latest and greatest tech. Ultimately, the new Alexa Voice Remote Pro just may emerge to be the true star of Amazon’s new TV lineup, because seriously, how often do we all lose our remotes?

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