With most 4K big flat screen TVs from top brands such as Samsung, Sony, LG, etc, still hovering way above 1,000 US dollars, seeing these Ultra High Definition (UHD) screens inside most homes today may seem like a small possibility. However, with what the recently ended Consumer Electronics Show of 2014 is suggesting, this might change pretty quickly as brands like Vizio begin to offer sub-$1,000 4K models. As such, the Samsung-Sony-LG bloc are bound to notice and sooner or later may compete in that price point (or near it at least), especially as the technology continues to mature.
But if you wish to dip into the 4K trend early and get one into your living room right now, you can actually do so without having to withdraw a portion of your retirement savings. While most Samsung-Sony-LG UHD models are still priced around $3,000 and up, some small brands are actually undercutting these big 3 by a huge margin with sub-$1,000 units that are out in the market RIGHT NOW!
Related article: Using a Seiki 4K LED TV as your PC or Mac monitor
Sub-$500 39-inch 4K LED Flat Screen
First on the list is the Seiki Digital SE39UY04 39-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz LED TV which is the cheapest I can find right now (at least online). It is a full-fledged 4K device which features all the stuff you’d expect from such a television. It’s flat and thin with a 3840 x 2160 actual screen resolution and a widescreen 16:9 ratio profile and a refresh rate of 130Hz. All the standard connectivity features and ports are offered with 3 HDMI and 2 USB inputs available.
Sub-$1,000 50-inch 4K LED Flat Screens
I found 3 units that fit the bill and one’s another Seiki. The Seiki SE50UY04 50-inch (see product image above) is basically similar to the 39-inch model in features and specs save for the screen size. The other 2 models are from TCL: the TCL LE50UHDE5691 and LE50UHDE5692G which are both UHD models with very similar specs to the Seikis above. One difference is that the second model LE50UHDE5692G is actually a little over the $1,000 budget that I was shooting for (it’s currently $1,099.99 on Amazon). The reason for this is probably because this model is dubbed as a “Smart TV” because it uses an Android OS which means you can use Android applications and get Internet content on it.
If you’re the curious type and wondering what’s all the fuss with all the 4K talk going about the TV industry, but don’t want spend a fortune satisfying your curiosity, then it might be worth it to check out these models from Seiki and TCL. Sure they aren’t produce by the Ivy leagues of electronics manufacturing but if you base it on the current feedback from buyers, it might not be too much of a risk to purchase these things. Why go for HD when you can go Ultra HD, right?
Also read: Choosing between LCD TVs, LED TVs and OLED TVs