The best October Prime Day deals on TVs, soundbars, and more

3 weeks ago 27

Brandt Ranj

is a commerce reporter for The Verge writing about the best deals and gadgets. He previously wrote for Business Insider, Rolling Stone, Futurism, and Popular Science.

The day has finally come for a home theater overhaul. Perhaps you’re looking for a low-cost replacement that offers more features and a sharper design. Or, maybe your gaze is set upon massive OLED TVs with all the fixings. Regardless, Prime Big Deal Days sale is here, with deals from noteworthy TV makes including Sony, LG, Samsung, TCL, Hisense, and more.

But we’re not only focused on TV deals in this post; we’ve also included a number of great soundbar deals, ensuring your favorite TV shows and movies sound as good as they look. Also, it might be worth upgrading your streaming device if what you’ve been using feels sluggish. We’ve found deals on the latest 4K-ready options from Amazon, Google, and Roku, as well.

$1798

Samsung’s latest Frame TV features a matte QLED panel, a Wireless One Connect box to minimize cable clutter, and Alexa support. The built-in “Art Mode” also allows you to choose or cycle through famous works of art if you’re willing to pay for a monthly subscription.

$1498

Sony’s Bravia 8 OLED features a slew of exclusive gaming features when connected to a PlayStation 5, compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant, and access to Sony’s premium Pictures Core streaming service.

Hisense’s aptly-titled CanvasTV, a cheaper alternative to Samsung’s Frame TV, is on sale in a 75-inch configuration for $1,299.99 ($1,200 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The 4K TV features a subscription-free “Art Mode” for displaying famous paintings when you’re not watching movies or playing games, as well as a swappable magnetic bezel that you can change to suit your style. Its matte display won’t be as susceptible to glare as an LCD would, and it comes with a wall mount to make it look even more like a painting attached to your wall.
I’ve tested Hisense’s 65-inch U8QG and came away impressed with its high contrast, evenly distributed brightness, and stellar color reproduction when streaming movies or playing games. It features a 5,000-nit peak brightness when watching HDR-encoded video, making images look vivid, even in brightly lit rooms. And thanks to Amazon’s fall Prime Day sale, you can currently grab the 65-inch model at Amazon or Best Buy for $999.99 ($1,300 off) or the 75-inch model at Amazon or Best Buy for $1,499.99 ($1,000 off).

$1099

Samsung’s S90F is a premium OLED TV with a 120Hz panel, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and access to game streaming services like Nvidia’s GeForce Now via Samsung’s Gaming Hub.

$848

Samsung’s QN70F QLED offers many of the same features as the S90F, but for under $1,000. It’s equipped with a 120Hz panel, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and access to game streaming services via Samsung’s Gaming Hub.

Now that it’s on sale at Amazon for $169.99 ($130 off), Insignia’s 50-inch F50 is one of the best affordable TVs you can get. It’s outfitted with HDR10 support for better-looking colors, it supports hands-free Alexa voice commands, and it runs on Fire TV OS, so you don’t have to plug in a media streaming device just to run apps. It also supports AirPlay 2, so you can wirelessly stream music or videos from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
If you can stretch your TV budget a bit further, Roku’s 50-inch Select Series TV is down to around $258 ($41 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The 4K set features Roku’s easy-to-use operating system and comes with a voice remote equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack, letting you privately watch movies and play games without disturbing the household. It also supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HDR10, and can be controlled using Alexa via a compatible smart speaker.

$447

LG’s QNED82A features an AI processor to optimize picture quality, provide personalized answers to your questions, and recommend content based on your viewing habits. LG has also promised five years of software updates.

Panasonic’s Z95 is an OLED TV with great features for gamers, and you can get the 55-inch model for $1,999.99 ($600 off) at Amazon right now. It touts a 120Hz panel, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, so you shouldn’t see screen tearing or other graphical artifacts when playing games. Its speaker system is built into the bottom of the TV (it resembles a thick bezel) and includes forward-, side-, and upward-firing drivers for improved sound quality compared to ultra-thin sets. It also features built-in Alexa support, so you can control it with your voice.
If you want an OLED with similar features to Panasonic’s Z95 but you don’t have much room, you can pick up LG’s 42-inch C5 at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy for around $996.99 ($403 off), matching its best price to date. The compact TV also features a 120Hz display and four HDMI 2.1 ports, a 0.1ms response time, and support for AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. The C5 runs WebOS, LG’s proprietary software, but it also features built-in Alexa support for easier navigation.
Looking for a massive screen that can compete with the brightness of a projector? TCL’s 98-inch QM8K is down to $2,997.99 ($1,002 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The TV’s mammoth size is complemented by its bright, fast, low-reflection panel, which makes it well-suited for both gaming and movies. The TV’s 5,000 local dimming zones ensures robust color accuracy, and prevent parts of the screen from looking blown out when a bright object appears on-screen.

The best streaming device deals

$80

Google’s terrific TV Streamer (4K) is the company’s best attempt at a streaming device yet, with built-in ethernet, an excellent interface, and smart home compatibility with both Matter and Thread. Read our review.

$25

The latest version of Amazon’s zippy Fire TV Stick 4K streams in 4K resolution, as its name suggests, and features support for Wi-Fi 6, Dolby Atmos / Vision, and HDR10 Plus.

$69

Roku’s latest Ultra streamer has built-in ethernet, a rechargeable voice remote with backlit buttons, and AirPlay 2 support. You can also control it with Amazon Alexa through a compatible smart speaker. The Roku Channel app lets you stream over 400 free live TV stations, plus exclusive movies like Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

$100

The hybrid Echo and Fire TV is faster than its predecessor with extensive hands-free voice control capabilities, support for Wi-Fi 6E, and excellent performance. Read our review.

$369

The Sonos Beam (second-gen) is a compact soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos and can stream music from a plethora of services. Read our review.

$499

Sony’s Bravia Bar 6 is a 3.1.2 audio system, meaning the soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer and features multiple drivers pointed at you — and upward — for playing Dolby Atmos audio. You can also purchase the soundbar in a bundle with rear speakers if you want a more traditional surround sound setup.

$800

Sony packed 11 drivers into the Bravia Theater Bar 8, including both side- and upward-firing drivers for a wider soundstage and better Dolby Atmos playback. If you have a Sony TV, the soundbar and its built-in speakers can work together to create an audio system tuned for even clearer-sounding dialogue.

Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar Plus is a surprisingly robust audio system, one you can grab at Amazon for an all-time low of $399.99 ($100 off). The soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers, and can decode both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound audio streams. It also features built-in Bluetooth support, allowing you to use it as a wireless speaker regardless of the type of device you have.
If you don’t need surround sound but still want something that can outperform your TV’s built-in speakers, Amazon’s entry-level Fire TV Soundbar is a great budget option that’s now matching its all-time low of $89.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. The loud, inexpensive soundbar measures a mere 24 inches long — so it’ll fit comfortably on most media centers — and features built-in Bluetooth support for expanded audio playback. Read our hands-on impressions.
Roku’s Streambar SE is the perfect home twofer for $79.99 ($20 off), its current price at Amazon and Best Buy. The compact stereo soundbar should sound better than your TV’s built-in speakers, and it also functions as a 4K streaming device, allowing you to access the latest streaming apps without the need for yet another gadget.

$250

The punchy, 32-inch Bar 300 supports Dolby Atmos, Apple’s AirPlay 2, and Alexa Multi-Room Music. It also features a built-in Chromecast and Bluetooth, meaning you can use it as a wireless speaker for all your devices when you’re not watching anything on the TV.

$500

JBL’s Bar 700 is a Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar with a twist — its battery-powered rear speakers attach to the sides of the bar to charge. You’ll get a wider stereo soundstage when the bar is in one piece, along with wireless surround sound without having to worry about outlets when the rears are detached.

$398

Vizio’s Elevate SE is a stripped-down alternative to the company’s high-end Elevate soundbar. The 5.1.2 sound system features many of the same highlights, though, including booming sound quality and rotating speakers that provide the verticality required for Dolby Atmos content.