Last year was one of transition, where people at home started to get settled into yet another complex stretch of time where it was still advisable to seek out entertainment in the comfort of home. Studios experimented with paired theater and streaming releases of new, substantial films, and for the most part it got the business through 2021, while television-style content mostly maintained the status quo. This year, however, has seen the resurgence of movie theater showings – led by the success of Top Gun: Maverick – as well the souring of the somewhat perfect relationships between streaming services and their audiences and the threat of digitally-purchased content just … disappearing. One wouldn’t call this a turning of the tide for the legacy ways in which we enjoy content, but it has resulted in a reevaluation of the speed in which it’s happening.

In 2022, things have started to normalize, from the genuine success of movies on the big screen again – not just “Good for a pandemic!” – to the release of big new shows on streaming services and the maybe-or-maybe-not nature of them seeing a physical release. Other factors may have infringed on the success of physical media, such as frustration with the increasing prices of goods in general and the reduction of media shelves in big box stores, but the merit of “little shiny discs” and the cases they come in has made a statement over the past year in its continued reliability and desirability. Ben’s Bargains has cobbled together a list of some of the more intriguing and desirable items from among this year’s 4K and Blu-ray media to point

Gifts For Those Who May Have Missed 2022’s Best At Theater

Doubt seemed to follow Top Gun: Maverick (4K Steelbook) for a while, of a caliber that continued to shift the longer it stayed at the box office.  Some were unsure of where a sequel could even go, let alone successfully; then, others were unsure whether this now record-breaking box office juggernaut could deliver the same awe-inspiring experience that so many seemed to be having with it.  Turns out, Top Gun: Maverick ends up being just about good enough to meet even the loftiest expectations. It delivers credible nostalgia with Cruise and the returning characters, tells a meaningful and timely story about young ace pilots that cleverly mirrors the original film, and wraps it all up in thrilling aviation action sequences and high-stakes, smartly-written drama. Coupled with amazing photography and a killer score, Maverick’s the kind of film that’ll make one want to watch it again immediately after, which makes it a no-brainer gift.

Otherwise, it’s been a tremendous year for truly unique blockbusters that push the envelope on their concepts. In the midst of the Marvel and DC movie attempting multiple universes, Everything Everywhere All At Once (4K) steals their thunder by delivering a Matrix-esque thrill ride of entrancing action, a sense of a humor, and a perfect emotional backbone. Jordan Peele unleashes his most overt horror masterwork with Nope (4K), in which he ties together stunt horses and flying saucers in a meaningful, enormously immersive gallop through terror. Ti West unravels a pair of excellent horror movies with Pearl and X that tie together into a new horror universe with a fascinating lead presence in Mia Goth, while Nicolas Cage brings an entrancing lead presence to his latest film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (4K)by playing … himself, or a spoof of himself. And one can’t get through 2022 movie recommendations without celebrating how Robert Pattinson absolutely rocks as the gritty new Batman.

Gifts For Those Who Like Their Media Pretty Both Inside and Out

Steelbooks were once predominately the domain of retail exclusives, producing high-demand collectible physical copies of everybody’s favorite movies. That’s still the case, but something’s shifted over the past year or so: studios are more onboard with making the premium metal cases widely available, which could be due to any number of factors. Regardless of why, it’s just nice to be able to find these editions without having to scramble to stores or place orders so far out. The folks at Shout Factory and Arrow Video both have had a grasp on this for a bit longer than the mainstream studios, and this year they’ve released some exquisite, coveted new 4K editions that also came with appealing Steelbook variants. Arrow’s True Romance (4K Limited Edition) delivers an impeccable presentation at what seems like the perfect time, and Shout Factory’s treatment of cult horror classic The Fog (4K) scares up a superior presentation with divine illustrated cover art.

That said, some of the other major studios have also jumped on that bandwagon by delivering attractive, fitting re-releases of some of their more popular films and/or those celebrating an anniversary. Notably, the re-releases of all the Indiana Jones films from Paramount operate on a simple premise: include the 4K disc, slap the beautiful poster artwork on the front, and call it a day …. And it works, because you don’t have to buy ‘em all. Paramount also threw together a pair of inexpensive Blu-ray Steelbooks that’ll tickle the fancy of certain fans, putting the “Burn Book” design from Mean Girls onto a new edition and sliding a VHS-themed slipcover over a TV-noise-covered shot of the Black Haired Girl for The Ring’s 20^th Anniversary Re-Release. Sony has also hopped on the Steelbook re-release bandwagon with an insanely satisfying design for Starship Troopers in 4K, but they’ve also done this unconventionally by first producing an exclusive for Best Buy with Spider-Man: No Way Home (4K) … and then re-released the same design on an unexclusive, albeit still limited scale.

Gifts For Those Who Need More Spine Numbers In Their Life

Every year, it seems as if The Criterion Collection has hit yet another stage of evolution in terms of the titles they’re able to offer in the landscapes of Blu-rays and 4K discs. While they once produced a widespread selection of mainstream titles for the laserdisc and early DVD eras, their attention seemed to shift away from that spotlight and far more toward classic, foreign, and otherwise more obscure films, resulting in a beautiful catalogue that hinged on the likes of Kurosawa, Tarkovsky, Bergman, Fellini, Wong Kar Wai, and such. The pivot wasn’t immediate, but starting in the mid-2010s, Criterion refocused their efforts on bringing more widely recognizable pictures – from 12 Angry Men and Dr. Strangelove to The Breakfast Club and Princess Bride – into their collection with often much-needed audiovisual or supplemental upgrades. Now, Criterion’s in a great spot to release significant movies from across the spectrum of cinematic desires, and they’ve delivered some surprises this year.

Perhaps it’s not a huge surprise given the label’s recent amorous partnership with David Lynch, but Lost Highway (4K) remained one of the director’s elusive films without a fine home-video presentation before Criterion finally answered the call of many a cinephile … and they did so at 4K to boot. While arthouse enjoyers are entranced with that one, fans of old-Hollywood classics will revel in the recent edition of the dark slapstick comedy Arsenic and Old Lace, while those with an eye for classic blaxploitation cinema will relish their new edition of the OG badass Shaft (4K). Devotees of the Brothers Coen finally get a robust presentation of their straight-faced noir thriller Miller’s Crossing, and foreign aficionados will be delighted to have the Japanese ‘90s horror drama Cure at their access. Yet, even though all of those films have been requested for a while, they don’t match the immense surprise of Criterion’s latest 4K announcement: a partnership with Disney and Pixar starting with WALL-E (4K), which’ll make a perfect gift.

Gifts For Those Who Relish Seeing New Details In Old Classics

During the process of DVD transitioning over to Blu-ray, many people wondered whether the audiovisual uptick would be worth it on classic movies or smaller-scale films such as comedies, and whether it’d be worth the cash to buy another presentation. It became clear – no pun intended – that especially with classic black-and-white films and those with age, the increase in resolution and contrast was beyond worth it, especially if the particular film also received a much-needed restoration alongside it. Back 15 years ago, this was a much easier conversation; in 2022, after years of restorations and technique refinements, most films that absolutely needed such improvements have seen them now. When it comes to jumping from Blu-ray to 4K, however, the answer remains the same: those jumps in resolution and improvements in contrast and black levels make yet another shiny disc worth the dollar figure, and thus worth gifting the film lover in your life.

It all boils down to the studios responsible for the classic being represented in 4K, and boy, there are some doozies this year that nobody would ever want to mess up. Oftentimes in the debate for greatest film ever made, Casablanca enjoys a beautiful new 4k presentation this year that shines a light on the one-revered Blu-ray edition from a decade prior.  Criterion finally jumped into the 4K ring last year, and they’ve made short order of getting impressive new presentations in the hand of cinephiles, from the ‘50s noir stalwart Double Indemnity to Martin Scorsese’s immersive, hard-hitting Oscar winner Raging Bull. While these were previously released by Criterion but aren’t this time around, a trio of wonderful Stanley Kubrick films came out of Kino Lorber in tremendous 4K presentations this year: Paths of Glory, The Killing, and Killer’s Kiss. And, of course, let’s not overlook yet another technically immaculate presentation of the Godfather Trilogy, though this time it includes the reworked Godfather Coda Edition for the third film.

Gifts For Those Who Have Just Enough Shelf Space

With production channels the way they’ve been over the past year or two, it’s not surprising that there’s a lack of big-investment boxsets to have come out recently. Instead, as with the steelbook presentation, companies are mostly keeping their anniversary and limited editions to a smaller scale … and honestly, with the shift to more minimalistic spaces and conservation of packaging waste and what not, it’s not a bad thing at this point. As mentioned last year, however, it seems as if every time physical media has reached the point where it’s lost the ability to produce another hilariously unnecessary set that’ll grab the masses, they pull out at least a few more.

Perhaps the most obvious and appealing one this year goes back to the Top Gun franchise, in which Paramount has thrown together a lavish 2-movie steelbook boxset for both Tony Scott’s original and the sequel, Maverick. Both cases have coordinating artwork that kinda-sorta reminds one of the metal plating alongside jet bodies, and it comes in a fancy box with a bunch of goodies: dogtags, keyrings, replica photos, decals, and other goodies. Similarly, the Bourne franchise of movies will be seeing its own tactical Bourne: Complete Collection 20th Anniversary 4K gift set, encased in a backpack with BOURNE emblazoned on the front and including a keychain, a compass, even a monocular. And if we’re celebrating Maverick and Bourne, we might as well also celebrate James Bond and Daniel Craig’s final foray as the character with a lovely numbered diecast Aston Martin edition of No Time To Die (and a fancy box and character cards).

On a more practical level, but still impressive as a holiday gift, Sony will also be releasing a 30^th Anniversary of Sony Picture Classics 4K limited edition set, which includes an impressive range of indie titles that may or may not have actually received a 4K treatment otherwise. Tons are worth celebrating, but movies like Run Lola Run, City of Lost Children, and Volver should get their respective cult followings very excited.  

2022 Gift Guide: Top 4K & Blu-rays for Movie and TV Fans

The value of streaming services for movies and TV has come even more into view over the past year and a half, but something else has, too: physical media doesn’t get weighed down by internet overload, hiccups, or general outages. Sure, this still ends up being a small victory in a period where convenience and connectivity have really flexed their muscles — especially with theatrical new releases – but it’s also been seen on a practical level when there’s just too much surrounding internet activity eating up data to get a good or even functional image. Reliability will always be secondary to the true joy behind physical media, though, and that’s the satisfaction of, in some way or another, having content you like within reach in a library, in a presentation that the owner has selected from other viewing methods.

There’s another benefit to little shiny discs, though: they make awesome gifts.  Whether it’s giving someone a movie they already love or sharing with them something you’ve personally watched – or heard of through word of mouth – that you feel they’d enjoy, it can be a personal thing with lots of thought behind it. Or, it can make for an easy-to-wrap package for under a tree or in a stocking, or to be tossed in the mix of a random exchange, and all that’s required is a player and the removal of some plastic wrap to kick off the show. And in the case of 2021’s still complicated theater and stream service situation, there’s the good chance somebody may’ve missed a particular theatrical film … or just needs a really good classic, or a box of classics, to get lost in.

The guide below mentions over two dozen different 4K and Blu-ray discs that’d make for wonderful presents to give throughout the holiday season. Follow the links to get to product pages, most of which land at Amazon, and check ‘em out sooner rather than later to see if those elusive holiday deals are still going on for certain ones.  

Gifts For Those Eager For Something New From The Theater

Let’s start off with the new releases of 2021 and how superhero movies hit differently. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Target Art Edition, 4K) presented the first real Asian comic-book superhero film, with a lead actor in Simu Lu who trained in several martial-arts styles in the lead-up to Marvel’s well-told hero’s journey.  Elsewhere, The Suicide Squad (Amazon, 4K) gets the DC film universe back on track by enlisting director James Gunn, who reveals that he gets the core of why the squad’s appealing with a hysterical, colorful, and chaotically violent trip with Harley Quinn and the gang to save the world from a … starfish. Then, there’s the live action origin story of Cruella (Amazon, 4K), which harnesses Emma Stone’s charismatic quirks in a meaningful, delightfully gray depiction of a villain’s ascent that, despite being a Disney movie, has the edge of a comic.

Other new movies discovered quality by exploring familiar ideas from different angles. On the heels of John Wick, both Nobody (Amazon, 4K) and Pig (Amazon, Blu-ray) take on the idea of a retired or reserved man of danger whose fighting spirit is reawakened by tense circumstances: home invasion in one, theft of a pet in another. Nobody gets Bob Odenkirk involved with vigorous action entertainment, while Pig taps into heavy drama involving Nic Cage about rediscovering oneself. Similarly, Free Guy (Amazon, 4K) takes the idea behind The Truman Show and brings it to the landscape of video games, where a non-playable character living in an MMO discovers the truth of his reality and pushes to break the illusion. Then, there’s A Quiet Place Part 2 (Amazon, 4K), John Krasinski’s horror sequel which tries to capture the same disquieting terror beyond a family’s isolated home.

Gifts For Those Who Enjoy Classics In New, Clear 4K Light

This year also marked the long-awaited arrival of The Criterion Collection to the 4K arena, and with that milestone also came the announcement of perhaps the company’s most monumental release: that of Citizen Kane (Amazon), often considered – and frequently debated – as being the greatest movie ever made. Regardless of how one feels about where Orson Welles’ grand drama about the rise and twisted perseverance of a newspaper tycoon falls on the “best of” list, it still makes for a brilliant gift for any film lover, as they’ll eventually want to revisit it alongside Criterion’s glorious supplemental package.  This grand entrance into 4K media for Criterion also quietly marks the introduction of David Lynch’s body of work into the ultra-HD format, as Mulholland Drive (Amazon) also gets a new scan and presentation.

Interestingly, one movie that probably comes up in most conversations about the greatest movies ever made also received a new 4K transfer presentation from Warner Brothers: A Clockwork Orange (Amazon). Like Stanley Kubrick’s other films found in a 3-movie 4K boxset from WB, it’s a worthwhile visual upgrade for a film that’s both increasingly tough to watch and absorbing to watch.  Speaking of upgrades, Shout Factory delivered one of the first substantive 4K-to-4K upgrades with John Carpenter’s seminal classic Halloween (Amazon), finally coming together in a not-so-debatably definitive presentation alongside individual releases for the rest of the franchise. Also, for those Wes Craven and ‘90s cinema fans, meta-slasher classic Scream (Amazon) has also finally been given the visual treatment it deserves with a fine new transfer from Paramount, just in time for the new movie.

Gifts For Those Who Like Old Hollywood, Subs, Spicoli and Spine Numbers

Over the past few years, The Criterion Collection has revived their reputation from the laserdisc days for pulling big, important movies into their workspace and giving them impressive treatments. While they’ve maintained a steady stream of variety from indie, arthouse, foreign, classic, and cult spectrums during the DVD and Blu-ray era and they’ve certainly offered a mainstream hit or two, they’ve tended to be more focused on smaller films that seem to need more than most. Now, on top of Citizen Kane, they’re digging deeper into studio catalogues for high pedigree classics that also “need it”, including the Bogart gangster-noir vehicle High Sierra (Amazon, Blu-ray), the classic ‘50s sci-fi thinker The Incredible Shrinking Man (Amazon, Blu-ray), and the renowned screwball rom-com Bringing Up Baby (Amazon, Blu-ray) with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.

They’re not just going after black and white classics, either. After The Breakfast Club proved that they’re interested in more mainstream ‘80s comedies with significance behind them, this year they delivered the iconic coming-of-age dramedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amazon, Blu-ray), complete with new interviews and the TV edit of the film. On top of this, The Criterion Collection have also procured the rights to two significant Asian cinema releases this year. Academy award-winning director Bong Joo-ho’s Memories of Murder (Amazon, Blu-ray) finally made its English-friendly Blu-ray debut in this region from Criterion, a masterful presentation of director’s most harrowing, gripping piece of cinema. Similarly to their beautiful Bruce Lee set, the label will also be producing a sprawling 6-disc boxset for the entirety of Once Upon a Time in China (Amazon, Blu-ray boxset) saga, mostly driven by director Tsui Hark and action legend Jet Li.

Gifts For Cult-Classic Lovers and ’80s Kids

Criterion wasn’t the only boutique label to have success in getting out some surprising titles this year, as cult-classic aficionados Arrow Video also produced some great ‘80s-era packages. Naturally, attention falls on David Lynch’s Dune (Amazon, 4K), which more than anything exists as a hypnotizing sci-fi curiosity nowadays … and, in a sense, as the oddball of Lynch’s body of work. Arrow provides a beautiful 4K transfer and heaps of extras to show and tell that story, though. They’ve done something similar for Ridley Scott’s Legend (Amazon, Blu-ray), another uniquely beautiful genre entry with a devoted fanbase, which arrives alongside a bountiful set of extras with the US and Director’s Cut versions in the best shape they’ve ever been.  Arrow also slipped in a stunning presentation of Tremors (Amazon) in 4K, an honorary ‘80s flick and action-horror classic.

Shout Factory devoted energy to their Halloween collector’s edition 4K releases, but they’ve also cranked out impressive discs from outside their ‘80s-cinema wheelhouse.  Moving to the ‘90s, they’ve presented the underappreciated Lovecraftian space horror flick Event Horizon (Shout Factory, Blu-ray) in a handsome package, and while it looks great, it’s the assertive sound that makes the disc mesmerizing. From there, Shout moves to modern cinema for a surprise release of Krampus … the Naughty Cut (Amazon, 4K), which features additional scenes and the original dialogue that was tweaked for the film to get a PG-13 rating.  Already a pretty fierce horror movie in its “tame” cut, this should be a perfect offering for the right film buff.  Perhaps even more surprising, however, is the fact that ultra-boutique label Vinegar Syndrome entered into the mainstream with a magnificent 4K release of the classic ‘80s fantasy film Beastmaster (Amazon, 4K + Blu-ray).

Gift For Those Who Take Pride In Filling Shelf Space With Cinema

Every time that it seems like the days of elaborate gift sets for physical movie releases might be in the rearview mirror, there’s always one or two in a given year that keep the energy alive. For 2021, that distinction largely falls on the 20th Anniversary 4K/Blu-ray release of Harry Potter (Amazon Exclusive), which comes in a nifty box designed to look like the Hogwarts Express train. Beyond that one, the rest of the gift sets this year have been designed to be slightly more manageable and streamlined on a shelf, letting graphic design do the work. As expected, a complete Middle-Earth 6-Film 4K Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Amazon, 4K + Blu-ray) batches the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit 4K trilogy sets from last year and adds new extras. There’s also the Karate Kid 4K Collection (Amazon, 4K), which presents the three Macchio films with classic poster cover art.

The rest of the gift sets on this list come with little caveats or asterisks, but they’re wholly worthwhile gifts for any cinema lover.  First, there’s the Evil Dead: Groovy Collection (Amazon) in 4K, which bundles together both the film and TV sagas of Bruce Campbell’s Ash against zombie-poltergeist baddies from the beyond … though, asterisk, this set doesn’t come with Army of Darkness, likely due to studio rights. The Criterion Collection has also lovingly crafted a World of Wong Kar Wai (Amazon, Blu-ray) boxset that curates all his “most beloved works” – including Blu-ray newcomer 2046! – in a beautiful package with, asterisk, controversially modified transfers under the supervision of the director. And then, continuing on the Criterion train, there’s the Essential Fellini (Amazon, Blu-ray) boxset released in November of last year, so the asterisk here is to make sure they didn’t get it last holiday.

2021 Gift Guide: Top 4K & Blu-rays for Movie and TV Fans

Shopping for a 70-inch 4K TV this year? Or perhaps larger? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest 70-inch TV, two of the cheapest 75-inch TVs and the cheapest 82-inch 4K TV.

Best Price on a 70-inch 4K TV: $549

Listed on the front page of the Best Buy ad, the 70-inch Samsung 6070 6 series will drop $350 from the $899 MSRP, matching the lowest Ben’s price posted earlier this month.

The Samsung UN70NU6070FXZA offers 4K / HDR 10+ / HLG functionality, Motion Rate 120 tech, and Samsung Smart TV interface. Be aware that this set only comes with two HDMI ports (one of which is ARC).

• Best Buy: 70-inch Samsung 6070 6 series

Best Price on a 75-inch 4K TV: $599

Only available online at Sam’s Club, this Philips 75″ Android TV (75PFL5704/F7) appears to be a set exclusive to the warehouse chain. It’s not listed anywhere else beyond the Philips site.

Regarding specs, the set offers 4K / HDR 10 functionality, Android TV for smart apps (Oreo), and 3 HDMI inputs (one of which is ARC). It does appear to be limited to 60Hz though.

• Sam’s Club: Philips 75″ Android TV

2nd Best Price on a 75-inch 4K TV: $749

Beating Best Buy’s price by $150, both Sam’s Club and Costco have a 75-inch Samsung in the 6900 6 series for $250 less than the MSRP. This price seems to be common among the warehouse chains, including BJ’s.

The Samsung UN75NU6950FXZA offers 4K / HDR 10+ functionality, Motion Rate 120 tech, and Samsung Smart TV interface. Similar to the 70-inch model listed above, there are only two HDMI inputs on the TV.

• Sam’s Club: 75-inch Samsung 6900 6 series
• Costco: 75-inch Samsung 6900 6 series

Best Deal on a 82-inch 4K TV: $1,599 + $150 Gift Card

Both Best Buy and Sam’s Club will be selling the LG 82″ 8070 series for $1,599 on Black Friday, but Sam’s Club is offering a bonus $150 gift card with the purchase. That’s a better overall deal than our last price low on this set, $1,569 on eBay.

The LG 82UM8070PUA offers 4K / HDR10 / HLG functionality, Motion Rate 240 tech (Native 120Hz), Dolby Atmos support, 4 HDMI inputs and LG’s webOS user interface for streaming.

• Sam’s Club: LG 82″ 8070 series

Here’s the cheapest 70-inch and larger 4K TVs on Black Friday 2019

Shopping for a 65-inch 4K TV this year? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the top 3 cheapest 65-inch 4K HDTV doorbusters as well as the best price on a mid-range 65-inch model, the best price on a higher-end 65-inch 4K TV and the best price on a 65-inch OLED.

Best Price on a 65″ 4K TV Doorbuster: $278

Walmart takes the crown for the cheapest 65-inch 4K TV this year, by a single dollar. This Philips 65″ 4K LED TV usually sells for $499, but will be $278 in store at Walmart and online on Walmart.com. It’s likely to sell out within minutes when Walmart’s online deals go live at 10 pm ET on Wed.

This Philips set offers 4K / HDR 10 functionality, Android to handle all smart streaming apps, Google Assistant for finding content, wireless 802.11ac MIMO for streaming and 3 HDMI inputs (including 1 ARC).

• Walmart:  Philips 65″ 4K LED TV

2nd Best Price on a 65″ 4K TV Doorbuster: $279

In second place, Target’s Element 65″ 4K Roku Smart TV will be sold at a $279 price point on Black Friday. This 4K TV is featured on the front page of Target’s ad, thus expect lots of interest both in the store and online.

This Element set offers 4K / HDR 10 functionality, 3 HDMI inputs (including 1 ARC), a 1200:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the Roku user interface for streaming video apps like Netflix.

• Target: Element 65″ 4K Roku Smart TV

3rd Best Price on a 65″ 4K TV Doorbuster: $299

While Best Buy will be open on Thanksgiving, this Hisense 65″ model (MSRP $499) is strategically being held back until Best Buy opens on Black Friday at 8 a.m. According to the ad, tickets will be handed out to customers in line an hour prior to opening. There’s no indication Best Buy will offer the sales price online.

This Hisense 65″  set offers 4K / HDR functionality, 3 HDMI inputs,Motion Rate 120 tech, and includes the Android TV platform for streaming video as well as Google Assistant for finding TV shows or movies.  Disclaimer: Best Buy has “Dolby Vision” in the product image, but no mention in the specifications. It is listed in the product specs on the Hisense page though.

• Best Buy: Hisense 65″ LED H6500F Series

Best Price on a 65-inch mid-range 4K TV: $399

This deal already appeared at Target earlier in the month and will repeat at Target & Best Buy during Black Friday week. It’s a $350 reduction off TCL’s recommended $749 price point.

This TCL set offers 4K / HDR functionality, 3 HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 (One with HDMI ARC), 120Hz CMI effective refresh rate, Dual-band Wi-Fi and utilizes the Roku user interface for streaming video.

• Target: TCL 65S425 65″ 4K TV
• Best Buy: TCL 65S425 65″ 4K TV

Best Price on a 65-inch high-end 4K TV: $1199

While this sale has been going on for the entire month of November, it’s tough to ignore a $1,000 discount off the MSRP of the Samsung Q70 QLED. You won’t have any problem finding this set in stock at Best Buy and Amazon during Black Friday week. It’s unlikely that the TV will be dropped any lower.

This Samsung set offers 4K, HDR10, HDR10+ functionality,Motion Rate 240, the built-in Samsung smart TV interface and four HDMI inputs. Alternatively, you may also want to watch the Sam’s Club price on the 65″ Vizio Quantum X, which recently dropped to the same price as the Samsung Q70.

• Best Buy: Samsung Q70 QLED
• Amazon: Samsung Q70 QLED

Best Price on a 65-inch OLED 4K TV: $1799

Similar to the Samsung, Best Buy have been offering this price for most of November. Shaving $500 off the MSRP, the LG B9 is ranked number 1 in our Top 10 TV’s guide. It offers 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG functionality, LEG’s built-in webOS interface, 4 HDMI inputs, Dolby Atmos & DTS-HD decoder and a native refresh rate of 120Hz.

Alternatively, if you don’t mind buying last year’s model, watch the Ben’s feed for some excellent deals. For instance, the 65-inch LG C8 was recently posted for $1499. We also may see Amazon get creative with pricing on some of last year’s OLED models from LG and Sony in order to clear out inventory on Black Friday.

• Best Buy: 65-inch LG B9 OLED
• Amazon: 65-inch LG B9 OLED

Here’s the cheapest 65-inch 4K TVs on Black Friday 2019

Shopping for a 50″ 4K TV this year? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest 50″ 4K HDTV doorbusters as well as a couple backup doorbuster options, the best price on a mid-range 50-inch model and the best price on a higher-end 50-inch 4K TV.

Best Price on a 50-inch 4K TV Doorbuster: $148

This is Walmart’s front page doorbuster. I can’t imagine it will last long in-store, but it may pop up online sporadically on Wed night (Nov 27). It has a 49.5″ screen size and it’s 4K / HDR10 capable. It comes with 3 HDMI inputs and a 60Hz refresh rate. It also comes with the Roku interface for smart apps.

Is this something of a gamble due to the relatively unknown manufacturer . Yep! But it’s a cheap gamble at $148 for a 50″ model. This could make for a fun upgrade to the guest room or bedroom for a relatively inexpensive cost.

• Walmart: onn. 50″ Class 4K HDR10 Roku Smart LED TV

2nd Best Price on a 50-inch 4K TV Doorbuster: $149

Limited to in-store sales only, this Target doorbuster TV deal can be found on the last page of the ad. This Westinghouse 50″ 4K TV (usually $309.99) includes HDR-10 functionality, the Roku smart TV interface, and three HDMI inputs.

Target hasn’t advertised an online price for this model. It’s likely that the in-store price won’t be price-matched online at retailers like Amazon.

• Target: Westinghouse 50″ 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV with HDR

3rd Best Price on a 50-inch 4K TV Doorbuster: $179

This is also a Target doorbuster, but not advertised on the front page of their ad, thus it could last a bit longer. Similar to the other doorbusters, you get 4K / HDR10 functionality as well as the Roku interface for smart apps and a 60Hz refresh rate.

Compared to the first, Philips is a recognizable brand name. Again, this is an inexpensive upgrade for a smaller set and is a solid price reduction at $150 knocked off the retail MSRP of $329.99.

• Target: Philips 50″ 4K UHD Roku TV with HDR 10

Best Price on a 50-inch mid-range 4K TV: $249.99

This is going to be the sale price on the TCL 50S425 50-inch 4K TV at Best Buy. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Amazon pricematch it on Black Friday week (or perhaps sooner). It comes with 4K / HDR functionality as well as three HDMI inputs and a direct lit LED panel.

This is a really great set for people that play video games or really just want a well-rounded set. Personally, I have the 55-inch model in a bedroom and I love it. I really like the TCL models for guest rooms since all the smart apps are built into the Roku interface (no guests yelling at me to figure out how to change inputs).

• Best Buy: LINK
• Amazon: LINK

Best Price on a 50-inch high-end 4K TV: $349.99

If you are looking for a well-known brand name, check out the Samsung 7 Series (UN50RU7100FXZA). You will pay a premium for the size, but Best Buy is knocking $50 off the retail price. You get 4K / HDR, Samsung smart TV interface, 120Hz refresh rate, 3 HDMI inputs, 2 USB inputs and two 10-watt speakers.

Be sure to check Amazon’s pricing on this model as well. They typically undercut the price by a few bucks, based on the current pricing at their competitors.

• Best Buy: LINK
• Amazon: LINK

Here’s the cheapest 50-inch 4K TVs on Black Friday 2019

Announced this week in a blog post, Google is automatically upgrading past TV or movie purchases to Ultra HD quality (when the 4K option is available). This includes all SD & HD purchases made on Google Play.

To find these upgraded titles, open the Google Play Movies & TV app to search for content that has been upgraded. Those titles will include a 4K quality badge.

To stream in 4K, you will need a minimum of 15 megabits per second Internet download speed and compatible hardware like a Chromecast Ultra or a 4K television with the Google Play app built into the interface.

In addition to the free upgrades, Google has also announced they will no longer be charging a premium for 4K titles. 1080p titles will be sold at an identical price.

Google Play frequently runs sales on full price titles as well as offers discounts on rentals or content for free during promotional periods. You can find all the deals on Google Play on our feed here: LINK

Freebie Alert: Google upgrades your movie purchases to 4K

Roku is leading the pack again in terms of value. Announced today, the new Roku Premiere brings 4K streaming to your HDTV for just under $40.

The Roku Premiere supports HDR10 for HDR streaming (doesn’t include Dolby Vision support) and is equipped with a quad-core processor.

It’s capable of 802.11n Wi-Fi as well (supports WEP, WPA, and WPA2). It also supports Dolby Audio and DTS pass through via HDMI.

There are a couple downsides. If you like searching via voice using the remote control, the Premiere doesn’t support that. You have to upgrade to the Premiere+ at $50 (Walmart Exclusive).

If you want 802.11ac dual-band MIMO support, you have to upgrade to the Streaming Stick (also $50). If you want an Ethernet port, you need the Roku Ultra at $100.

However, the Premiere opens up a hefty gap between competitors like Amazon and Google. Amazon’s cheapest 4K capable Fire TV streamer is $70 (although it often goes on sale at $40) and Google’s cheapest model is the ChromeCast Ultra at $69.

Expect to see sale prices on the Premiere at the $30 to $35 level. The Premiere+ may drop to $40 around Black Friday as well. You can watch the announcement video below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: Roku Premiere (4K)

Typically, the experience of buying a launch console falls into two categories. Under most circumstances, this momentous occasion involves a from-scratch videogame system with an entirely new body and series of jacks to plug stuff into, along with massively upgraded graphical capabilities and – both a positive and a negative – the process of getting all new games and accessories. Other times, gamers who already own one system will buy a recently updated version of said system, and that can be because of a reduction in build size, an electronic or mechanical advancement, or their current system is wheezing and on its last legs after long nights in the trenches of the gaming realm.

All their games and controllers still work on this new system as they did before, only it offers something a bit better, in one way or another, that an identical and likely cheaper replacement console wouldn’t. One of the above experiences should seem more exciting and fun, while the other should seem a lot more effortless and less costly. Microsoft’s Xbox One X sets its sights on both experiences, and, boy, does it hit the mark.

Long discussed under the moniker Project Scorpio, this new console was developed from the start with a certain objective in mind: to make current games and media look, sound, and perform better, and to give future releases the option of tapping into this improved hardware for more powerful gaming experiences. The decision to upgrade based on those qualifications has branded the Xbox One X as a console mostly designed for the “elite” or “hardcore” player, but even at its higher price point, the technology under the hood starts to look like a decent value for any number of consumers, from those new to this console generation to those wanting to hop into 4K media playback.

Most often, that boils down to one’s point-of-view and circumstances; in the instance of this review, for example, the Xbox One X will be filling the void of a bulky early-release Xbox One, which had an expanded hard-drive hooked up to it due to the small internal space of those systems.  To this day, over years of continuous usage, that system still performs quietly and solidly … but the promise of hardware improvements, elevated backwards compatibility, and 4K playback proved compelling.

Included: Power Cable, HDMI 2.1 Cable, Vertical Stand, Riveting Literature, Lots of Black Foam.

Click Here to Pick Up an Xbox One X at Amazon

While a Project Scorpio Limited Edition will be reviewed here, the differences between it and a standard Xbox One X are only cosmetic, both the console and the packaging presentation itself. While one can appreciate the Project Scorpio logos on the front of the system and one the bundled controller, along with the slight gradient coloring at the top of the system’s chassis and the black accents of the foam supports on the inside of the box, they are identical systems in terms of unboxing and performance.

What’ll be noticeable regardless of the system purchased will be the decreased size of the X in comparison to the original Xbox One, which had shinier plastic accents, wide vents for circulation, and an external power brick that could be difficult to deal with in cramped audiovisual setups. Piggybacking off the Xbox One S’s design improvements, the X sports a sleeker, slimmer, yet noticeably heavier chassis with seemingly less ventilation — though that doesn’t seem to impact the volume factor – and an internal power supply that’s utilized with a standard figure-8 cord. Despite the reduction in size, it feels even more substantial than the One.  And I dig that it has actual push buttons for turning it on and ejecting a disc.

Unboxing, connecting, and setting up the Xbox One X was a simple and streamlined process, one that’ll seem almost identical to getting the original Xbox One ready to go. The power brick for the Xbox One will need to be removed, but the existing HDMI cable could feasibly be left in place and plugged into the rear of the Xbox One X; however, Microsoft have included a solidly-built (yet reasonably short) HDMI 2.1 cable that’ll better support 4K/High Dynamic Range (HDR) signals, so it’s worth considering a switch-out.

Ports are available at the rear for HDMI both in and out, so signals can be sent to receivers and TVs at the owner’s discretion, as well as a pair of USB ports for any number of useful devices, especially those expansion hard-drives … which might still be required since the system’s only working with 1TB of space, and those “enhanced” updates aren’t exactly small. After all those normal questions asked by the system upon being booted up – including getting internet connectivity up and running – the system will do a lengthy update, so grab a book, fix a sandwich, or plan on doing some housework.

After that, it’s all a matter of getting everything plugged back in and signing into an Xbox account.  Surprisingly, reconnecting my external hard-drive containing my gaming library was incredibly fluid, instantly recognized and accessible after plugging it in at the back and signing in. Had the Xbox One X not required a lengthy update, it’d probably only take about 15-20 minutes to switch out systems into a functional state.

Before and After a Couple of Years of Slimming Down.

Getting the Xbox One X to handshake with 4K TVs and receivers for UltraHD content takes some finagling, but nothing too complicated, and the Xbox’s menus will help if roadblocks are hit. In terms of resolution, the appropriate signals obviously need to be chosen in the system itself and sent to the TV, but the TV (and receiver) might also need to be tinkered with so that the specific input channel will process the increased resolution and, more significantly, the HDR capabilities; static, stuttering, and crashing of the visuals might occur in the absence of doing that.

The system will also need to download a specific app from Dolby to decode ATMOS object-based audio, and the changes are toggled in-app to process and/or stream the high-definition audio; sending audio to a receiver is free out of the box, but a $15 fee will be applied to enable headset connectivity. Preparing for 4K gaming might seem like a daunting task for some, but Microsoft have made the process relatively user-friendly in pointing folks in the right direction if something’s awry.

Under the hood, the Xbox One X boasts enough processing capability for gaming enthusiasts to give Microsoft a stamp of approval in its claims of this being the “world’s most power console”. The technical specs are led by the system’s 6 teraflop GPU, which stands tall against most of the gaming PCs out there not rolling with graphics cards that rival the cost of the entire system itself, and are supported by a 2.3GHz CPU and 12GB of DDR5 memory. Comparisons to other systems not only give the Xbox One X an edge, but a significant edge in rendering more details, generating smoother motion, and keeping everything stable.

In general, the system has been designed to run all games on a higher base level, but numerous titles have been – and will be – optimized for 4K/HDR playback, which can be spotted on cover artwork somewhere near the corners in hard-to-miss text. Those that have been optimized require a graphics pack update that triggers upon booting them up, but the wait time for those isn’t significantly more than a general update. HDR-active titles will indicate the effect is live by a nifty colorful button at the top-right of the screen; Xbox One X Enhanced titles (click here to read them all) can be singled out in the gaming library through an option in the pull-down menu.

The Included Not-So-Elite But Still-Pretty-Great Controller.

The results are, indeed, impressive. Indicated by exploring the cluttered Egyptian architecture and sandy, occasionally verdant vistas of Assassin’s Creed Origins, the system’s capabilities to render dense clusters and gradations of graphical detail are monumental. Keep an eye out for the organic textiles of garments and the contours of foliage surrounding protagonist Bayek, which are incredibly sharp and show very little aliasing in motion.

Observing the horizons from vantage points yields a beautiful experience on the X, too, with coarse stone textures and wisps of clouds beautifully observable in the distance. Shadows in tombs contrast against flickering flames for an immense representation of HDR’s capabilities, adding lifelike depth and responsiveness to the expanses of echoic tombs.  The ATMOS object-based sound environments further accentuate the confined chambers and sprawling citizen-filled deserts, with incredibly responsive fluidity while rotating Bayek’s perspective and navigating the roads on camel- or horse-back. The 2160p presentation holds up to the details and naturality of high-grade PCs.

Backwards compatibility has become a battlycry of sorts for Microsoft over the past couple of years, where they’ve begrudgingly transferred from wanting the Xbox One to concentrate on new games to making sure that every new free Xbox 360 title in their Games With Gold program would be playable. The Xbox One X continues that mantra by flexing new performance muscles with select titles, both from the 360 generation and, in something of a surprise, the classic Xbox; currently, only a dozen or so original Xbox titles are playable.

While a growing legion of 360 games continue to be backwards compatible on the One – click here for a full list – a select few have been christened as “enhanced” with spruced-up graphics, including Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.  Those expecting a night and day difference, transforming the standard game into a remastered or modded PC version, could be let down …  but they also might, and deservedly should, be impressed with the restricted cleanup effort.  Colors appear more vibrant and fluid, textures produce cleaner and nuanced details, and the environment’s depth brims with new life. It’s still got the flesh and bones of a decade-old game, but what’s been spruced up here looks stellar.

Cozying Up With Xbox’s New-ish User Interface. Streamlined is the Road To Awe.

Last year’s interim Xbox One re-release, the S, featured a few mild upgrades in the graphics department – notably, HDR support – but perhaps its biggest selling point came in its media playback: for a while, it was one of the least expensive and feature-rich 4K UltraHD disc playback devices. The Xbox One S still pulls this off, but it’s less of a talking point a year later now that standalone players have dwindled down in price; solid units can be had for about $50 less than Microsoft’s system.

Therefore, the Xbox One X’s 4K playback functionality serves more as a secondary feature than it did with the prior system, and it feels about as such with the sturdy, yet serviceable presentation of the discs, accessible after downloading the (free) Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store.  The craggy landscapes, robotic weaves, and futuristic electronics of Ex Machina are stunning when rendered by the player, projecting supple skin tones and deep, responsive black levels alongside brighter elements that accentuate the HDR functionality.  Granted, this is only the case after Microsoft sent an update to the system, which was marred with elevated black levels beforehand.  After a month, it’s a respectable 4K device.

The Xbox One X also serves as a robust media playback device, one that readily streams content through service apps and accesses various files with ease.  Booting up Amazon Prime and hunting down 4K content led me to The Neon Demon, which boasts a wide array of bold shades and complex shadows that looked smashing at 2160p. As with prior systems, all it requires is a quick app download and logging into the service to start streaming content, which, after a few seconds of buffering, quickly yielded a sharp and vibrant image for the film over a stable internet connection.

Accessing photos requires little more than plugging a USB device into the front port and clicking on the green Media Device icon; this is how custom wallpapers are made possible, after pressing the three-line button on the controller while looking at a specific image.  Playing music files operates on about the same level of user friendliness with the USB jack, where opening a file or folder summons the in-system music player, as does video files. It may seem customary at this point, but the ability to plug and play one’s storage devices and media files on the fly furthers the Xbox One X’s general versatility.

A Better Name. Guess It Didn’t Have the X-Factor.

With such unique and specific improvements, the elephant in the room naturally becomes the entry fee for savoring the luxuries offered by the Xbox One X, which currently sits at about double the cost of Microsoft’s prior version of the system.  Whether the upgrade in graphical prowess alone justifies the pricetag will depend on who’s using it, but the tech specs aren’t just smoke and mirrors, rendering near-PC level 4K/HDR graphics for “enhanced” titles and notable, if modest upticks in quality for a handful of Xbox 360 titles.

Also, unlike their current competitor, Sony’s PS4 Pro, the Xbox One X comes equipped with an in-deck UltraHD Blu-ray player, enabling direct 4K/HDR support and enhanced object-based audio.  Looking at its individual components and the availability of the significantly less-expensive Xbox One S, this system mostly stands as a smart investment only to those so-called “hardcore gamers” who will relish improved visuals and sound just as much as access to new or exclusive titles. Considering the full experience, however, the Xbox One X fuses together news bells-‘n-whistles with library cohesiveness into a worthy and worthwhile apex of this generation’s console gaming.

The Xbox One X, Microsoft’s ‘Project’, Is a Robust Console Enhancement

Rolling out a broad range of electronics deals per usual, Best Buy’s Black Friday 2015 ad isn’t as strong as previous years. However, we may see additional deals when the paper version of the Black Friday ad drops. In any case, we have looked through the entire 37-page scan to bring you the best of Best Buy’s Black Friday deals. Check out our top 10 below:

1. 49″ Toshiba 1080p LED HDTV ($150)

Definitely a fantastic price for a name-brand television, this 49″ Toshiba HDTV (49L310U)normally sells for $429. Prior to this point, the lowest price on the 1080p television was $350 based on our deal history. While it will likely be tough to snag this model without camping out in front of a local Best Buy store, it’s great to see a name brand television at this price rather than off-brand models.

2. Dell Inspiron 5000 Core i3 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop ($300)

Beating a historical low of $375 for this model at Dell, this model actually comes with an additional 4GB of RAM (8GB total) and a 1TB hard drive. Definitely a solid model for teens or college students that need a start Windows 10 laptop.

3. Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones ($60)

To date, the best price we have seen on these Bose headphones was $80 during an Amazon sale limited only to Prime members during July. Chopping 60 percent off the original MSRP, this is an excellent price for a set of well-reviewed Bose headphones.

4. Acer Chromebook Dual-Core 16GB 11.6″ Laptop ($99)

According to our data, the lowest price this Chromebook has dropped to in the last six months was $130. This is an ideal computer for kids that are just starting to get online, specifically due to Google’s supervised users software.

5. Samsung 40″ 1080p LED HDTV + Xbox One: The LEGO Movie Bundle ($499)

Definitely a solid bundle deal for anyone that’s looking for both a television and a Xbox One, getting both of these products for $250 each is a bargain. Of course, this bundle is limited to stores only, thus you should get in line in order to snag your bundle.

6. Logitech Ultimate Ears BOOM Bluetooth Speaker ($100)

Beating a historical low of $118 (offered by Amazon earlier this month), this is a killer price on a speaker that rarely falls below $125 when on sale. In addition to these colors, look for more models on the Best Buy site on Thanksgiving.

7. Microsoft Surface 3 64GB Windows 10.8″ Tablet ($400)

Matching a previous price low of $400 from Quill, this is another product that rarely goes on sale. If you are in the market for a Surface computer, this is an excellent deal; likely not to reappear for months.

8. LG 49″ 120Hz 4K Ultra HD Smart LED HDTV ($500)

Beating a historical low of $520 on eBay during October 2015, this a fantastic deal for anyone that wants to take the leap into 4K content without spending a ton on those additional HDTV inches. It’s unlikely this price will drop this low until the model is discontinued shortly after CES.

9. Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE 5″ No-Contract Smartphone ($30)

Beating a historical low of $60 at Best Buy last month, this is a killer deal on a no-contract Window 10 Phone (assuming you have service through AT&T).

10. Xbox One 1TB Console Tomb Raider Bundle + Extra Controller ($350)

While the price point on this bundle is pretty standard compared to other stores on Black Friday, the fact that it includes an additional $50 wireless controller is pretty fantastic for anyone purchasing a Xbox One for a 2-player household. That’s a $100 savings when factoring the sale price and the controller value.

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on HDTVs, laptops & gaming systems