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Black Friday is still a little over a week away, but many of the TV deals we expect to see are already up for grabs. If youre hoping to make a living room upgrade but arent sure which set to get, allow us to help. Though we dont formally review TVs here at Engadget, weve dug into trusted reviews, checked price histories and researched the market to figure out which Black Friday TV deals are actually worth your time. You can find our current favorites below, which include OLED and QLED panels from Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sony and TCL. If you're already happy with your TV, we've also included a few deals on streaming devices. Some of the discounts below have actually been available for a couple of weeks, but most represent the lowest prices to date for each respective device. We'll update this post as more Black Friday sales go live, so check back if there's particular set you want that isnt significantly cheaper just yet. Hisense U6N QLED TV (55) for $348 at Amazon: Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the years best budget-level TVs. Its one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, all of which help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you dont view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isnt the best for gaming, but its a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, its still an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Hisense U7N QLED TV (65) for $700 at Best Buy: The U7N is a standout LED TV for those who dont want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can get more out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Its viewing angles still arent ideal, though, and its limited to two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal weve seen for the last few weeks, but its the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. Hisense U8N QLED TV (65) for $898 at Amazon: The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot color and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isnt as bright as the larger variants, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles arent super wide either way. LG B4 OLED TV (55) for $997 at Amazon: The B4 is LGs entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. but its not as bright as higher-tier models, so its best kept in a darker room. We've seen this discount in the past, but it still marks an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. The Samsung Frame TV.Amy Skoheim Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (55) for $1,298 at Amazon: The Samsung S90D is a premium set thats notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to pop more than they would on traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, though, it doesnt support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This is another deal thats been live for weeks, but its the second-best price weve seen for the 55-inch model. Also at Samsung and Best Buy. Other sizes are similarly discounted, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch variants use the superior QD-OLED tech. Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55) for $1,898 at Amazon: The S95D is Samsungs flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, theres no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, its more TV than most people need. But if youve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy, with other sizes on sale. Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43) for $898 at Amazon: The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. Theres still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set comes with two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price weve seen for the 43-inch model, though again, the deal has been available for a few weeks. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung, B&H and others. Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55) for $898 at Amazon: The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, youd buy it for its style, since its built to resemble a framed piece of wall art and you can use it to display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. This deal marks an all-time low. Other sizes are on sale, but note that the 43- and 50-inch models have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also at Best Buy and B&H. The Sony Bravia 7.Sony TCL Q550F QLED TV (55) for $250 at Best Buy: The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports and a 60Hz refresh rate. This model also uses Amazons Fire OS software, which isnt quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best weve tracked. TCL Q68 QLED TV (55) for $300 at Woot: The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6Ns picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you dont want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price weve found for this particular model. TCL QM8 QLED TV (65) for $1,000 at Amazon: If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust, but it has slightly worse contrast. Weve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy. Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55) for $1,298 at Amazon: The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so its worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and its another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at Walmart and B&H, with other sizes similarly discounted. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for Black Friday.Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon: This is a new low for Amazons top-end streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major streaming apps and HDR formats. Weve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device, too, though youll have to put up with an ad-heavy interface that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above everything else. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon: The standard Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max for better or worse but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the technically-faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Roku Ultra (2024) for $80 at Amazon: The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worthwhile if you like Rokus simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can buy that separately, though.) This latest model also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price weve tracked. Also at Roku, B&H and others. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-on-sets-from-samsung-sony-hisense-and-more-161445151.html?src=rss
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Black Friday deals are already here (no, we don't know where the year went either) and they include discounts on some of our favorite phones. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is currently down to $950 from $1,300. The Ultra came out in early 2024 and quickly became our choice for best premium Android phone. It scored an 89 in our review thanks to features like its long battery life we often had over 50 percent left after 24 hours. It has a titanium frame and a 6.8-inch OLED panel that peaks at 2,600 nits, rather than the previous 1,750 nits. Plus, it has a slew of AI tools and utilizes Samsung's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for fast performance. If $950 feels (understandably) a bit steep then check out the Samsung Galaxy S24+. The 256GB model is currently marked down from $1,000 to $800 still a solid chunk of change, but a noticeable difference. The Samsung Galaxy S24+ garnered an 87 in our review, not far off from its sister device. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and features like Chat Assist and Live Translate. Its battery life impressed us, though its low-light photography performance left something to be desired. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-black-friday-deals-save-up-to-300-on-galaxy-s24-smartphones-150043604.html?src=rss
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Its no secret that non-traditional news sources are becoming an increasingly relevant part of the already fractured online media environment. But a new report from Pew Research and the Knight Foundation offers a more complete picture of what the growing crop of news influencers on social media believe. Titled Americas News Influencers, the report is based on a survey of 10,000 US adults, as well as an analysis of 500 news influencers. Pew defined the latter group as individuals who regularly post about current events and civic issues on social media and have at least 100,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok or YouTube. The report highlights the growing popularity of these accounts, particularly among younger Americans. The researchers note that 20 percent of US adults report regularly relying on influencers as a news source, and that the number climbs to 37 percent for people between the ages of 18 and 29. It also offers new insights about the people behind these influential accounts. The researchers found that news influencers are far more likely to be men and slightly more likely to identify with the political right than the left. (Pew notes that about half of the influencer accounts studied didnt explicitly identify with a political ideology.) But regardless of political affiliation, its clear that influencers are tapping into a real demand for non-traditional news sources. There's no partisan split, says Galen Stocking, a senior researcher at Pew. Republicans and Democrats are saying they're getting news regularly from news influencers at roughly the same rate. Pews researchers did, however, uncover some notable differences between platforms. While most of the 500 influencers they studied were active on multiple platforms, X was by far the most popular with 85 percent of influencers having a presence on the platform formerly known as Twitter. News influencers on X were also more likely to explicitly identify with the political right (28 percent) than the left (21 percent), the report says. In fact, that trend holds true for almost all of the platforms in the study. On Instagram, 30 percent of news influencers identified with the right while 25 percent identified with the left. YouTube had a similar split with 28 percent right-leaning influencers and 21 percent left leaning. On Facebook, it was even more pronounced. Influencers on Facebook are particularly likely to prominently express right-leaning views: There are three times as many explicitly conservative news influencers (39%) as liberal ones (13%) on the site, the report notes. Pew-Knight Initiative TikTok, meanwhile, looks somewhat different. It was the only platform to have a slightly higher share of left-leaning news influencers, at 28 percent, compared with 25 percent on the right. It also had the highest share of women news influencers at 45 percent. While the report doesnt attempt to unpack what the greater share of conservative voices may mean, Stocking points out that the social media users surveyed by Pew also expressed some differences in how they perceive the content shared by news influencers. There's actually a pretty interesting gap where the moderates within the parties are less likely to say that it helps them better understand current events, Stocking tells Engadget. Pews researchers are far from the first to note that the political right is often more prominent on social media. A 2021 report from Media Matters found that posts from Facebook pages aligned with the political right consistently outperformed those from nonaligned and left-leaning pages. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found in 2022 that conservative news was more visible on the platform then known as Twitter. And while Pew doesnt speculate about whether platforms themselves are incentivizing certain viewpoints, the researchers note that their findings are at odds with what many on the right believe about mainstream social media. Many Republicans have long believed that social media sites censor conservative viewpoints, the report says. But overall, more news influencers explicitly present a politically right-leaning orientation than a left-leaning one (27% vs. 21%) in their account bios, posts, websites or media coverage.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/americas-news-influencers-skew-conservative-pew-report-finds-150002876.html?src=rss
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