There has to be a lower price limit for large-screen TVs, and it’s looking more and more like we’ve just hit that mark. Soniq has just announced a new 55-inch smart TV that will set you back under $800.
JB Hi-Fi has the new Soniq E55V13A for $799 on sale from today, and even though it’s running the less-than-stellar Cinavision Smart TV platform, it’s a reasonably full-featured television. Built-in Wi-Fi, a USB port with high-definition video playback, a Web browser and 4 HDMI inputs means the new TV should suit the needs of most users.
It’s definitely missing some polish and a few useful features like Miracast or Wi-Fi Direct wireless media streaming, but you can’t expect too much from a TV of this size for under $1000. We genuinely can’t see big-screen TVs getting much cheaper than this, unless you buy a refurbished unit. Kogan has had a $799 55-inch LED TV for some time, although it’s not as smart (which is not necessarily a bad thing).
With the gradual disappearance of cheap, high quality plasma TVs like the Panasonic ST60 from Australian retail store shelves, it’s looking more and more like budget-brand LED TVs will be the go-to choice for decent image quality at a rock-bottom price. [JB Hi-Fi]