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It’s safe to say all the holidays will be different this year. Did you stand in line for a Covid test before Thanksgiving dinner? Maybe. But storming the mall for the best Black Friday deals? Not so much. So, it should be no surprise that to capitalize on our consumer confusion and, for many of us, the inability to travel to see our families, most retailers are dropping even more holiday deals—hoping online shopping therapy will fill the lonely, pandemic-sized hole in our hearts.
Consider consumer electronics giant Best Buy, which not only rolled out an early schedule of holiday deals but is now offering an even more timely Black Friday sale. Here are the products we think are worth checking out right now.
Rocketfish Tilting TV Wall Mount, $50
Finally ready to mount that flat TV on the wall? Then this $50 tilting wall mount from Rocketfish, only at Best Buy and a full 50 percent off for Black Friday, is a steal. It’s also compatible with most 32-inch to 70-inch TVs up to 130 pounds, so this is a no-brainer.
Buy the Rocketfish TV wall mount Best Best Buy
Sonos Move, $300
Whether you’re a Sonos whole home user or just looking for a high fidelity, affordable wireless speaker, the Sonos Move is one of our favorites–and $100 off! The first portable option from Sonos, you can stream music via WiFi, Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay and look so good doing it too.
Buy the Sonos Move at Best Buy
Xbox Wireless Controller, $40
This Carbon Black wireless Xbox controller works with the newest and hottest (and hard to grab!) Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, as well as the Xbox One, Windows 10 PCs, and Android. And at $20 off, you may want to grab two. Also comes in Robot White, though if you want the Shock Blue, you’ll have to throw in an extra $5.
Buy the Xbox Controller at Best Buy
Samsung 70” 4K UHD Tizen TV, $530
It’s big and it’s simply beautiful. And the $220 discount on this 70-inch Samsung 4K UHD TV is just as huge. Plus, it’s an exclusive to Best Buy, so this is a Black Friday deal that won’t come knocking twice. The included Smart TV apps are icing on the cake and let you immediately start streaming your movies and TV shows right out of the box.
Buy the samsung 70-inch 4K UHD TV at Best Buy
HP 14” Touch Screen Chromebook, $380
This Chromebook does double duty for these Covid times—gives someone in your household an extra Chromebook for school or remote work, plus a 14-inch screen to stream to your heart’s desire. And with the Black Friday discount of $250, it’s worth a second (or third or fourth) look right now.
Buy the HP Chromebook at Best Buy
Insignia HDTV Antenna, $15
We love this super inexpensive, flat plate HDTV antenna to help you watch on-air programming if you decided to cut the cables from your satellite or cable provider. At $15 off, it’s simple to install and comes in black and white.
Buy the Insignia HDTV Antenna at Best Buy
Microsoft Surface Pro 7, $599 (Originally $959)
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a durable, portable convertible tablet which reliably fills the gap between work and play. In our home, this handy device goes from remote work or school to streaming The Mandalorian in a matter of moments, and the included magnetic Type Cover with keyboard can be instantly removed to transform it into a 12.3 inch tablet. When using it as a PC, it’s good to know it does not skimp on power or processing speed and this particular product comes with 4GB memory. Other premium features we love include the utilitarian kickstand which lets you prop it up for easy streaming and the simple document scanning options offered by the rear-facing camera. And with the steep $360 discount, it’s a convenient option that can be effortlessly passed around your household.
Buy the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 from BestBuy.com
TCL 75-inch Class 4 Series LED 4K Smart TV, $499 (Originally $799)
Looking to up your game with a big-big screen TV? This TCL Smart TV is a massive deal right now with a savings of a whopping $300. TCL may not be one of the more recognized names in televisions, but this budget brand has captured many reviewers’ hearts with its easy-to-navigate Roku TV platform. You’ll also get a plethora of ports, including three HDMI ports, a USB port, an Ethernet port and an antenna/cable connection. We especially appreciate the built-in Roku, which lets you instantly stream most of your favorite streaming services. Plus, this baby is a massive 75-inches for less than $500. Need we say more?
But the TCL 75-inch Class 4 Series LED 4K Smart TV from BestBuy.com
Definitive Technology 5.1 Channel Soundbar with Subwoofer, $999.98 (Originally $1,499.98)
Definitive Technology is one of those audiophile brands which rarely goes on sale. So, we were thrilled to see such a steep $500 savings on this full-featured Studio Advance soundbar. The beauty of this system is its minimalism, consisting of just a soundbar and 8-inch subwoofer, which together offer Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1 decoding, and nine amplified drivers for full 5.1 virtual surround sound. In our home, that means we don’t have to find a way hide all those surround speakers and we can safely fit the subwoofer in the media cabinet. Out of sight, but not out of mind. It also includes a movie mode which emphasizes dialog and effects, and a music mode for more focused imagery. But our favorite feature is the Night mode, which lets us turn down the volume to watch The Haunting of Bly Manor when everyone is sleeping—without turning down the bass.
Buy the Definitive Technology 5.1 Channel Soundbar with Subwoofer at BestBuy.com
Amazon Fire TV Cube, $79.99 (Originally $119.99)
The Fire TV Cube is Amazon’s advanced streaming device and already in its second generation. This quicker model now offers YouTube and YouTube TV, unlike the original box, and we adore the ease of the voice control to call up movies, TV shows and videos with built-in Alexa (though a comprehensive remote is included as well). The Cube is compact enough to hide away, and its HDMI port insures you can take advantage of the 4K HDR content you’ll probably be streaming to your screen. Plus, the interface not only shows streaming channels, but also puts titles front and center–meaning you can instantly get to whatever you’ve been watching without having to first click into the service. One caveat: HBO Max is not available on the Fire TV Cube yet, or any Amazon streaming device, but if you’re dying to add it, you can easily sideload it without breaking warranties or doing anything illegal. You’re welcome.
Buy the Amazon Fire TV Cube at BestBuy.com
Linksys Velop Tri-Band Mesh WiFi System, $199.99 (Originally $399.99)
Reliable, fast WiFi has never been more important. And these days, with everyone consistently at home, working and watching, getting a strong wireless signal from your router to your connected device can be a frustrating problem. Mesh WiFi systems were created to extend your coverage using links, or nodes, which then create an invisible daisy chain around your home—eventually connecting you to the strongest signal. This Linksys system uses Tri-band technology to balance and deliver the signal to multiple devices, and it comes with three mesh units which cover larger homes, up to 6000 feet. Just place the tower-like nodes in areas that need the most coverage and use the included Amazon Alexa to simply control it.
