Best HDTVs for College Students Under $500

HDTVs have grown in popularity for college students due to their low prices, excellent picture quality and thin design. When choosing an HDTV, college students look for ones that fit both their budget and room size. For instance, most TVs with screens larger than 42" would look out of place in the average sized college dorm room. We judged our picks for best HDTV for college students based on the following categories: price, size, picture quality and overall value.

Insignia 42" 720p Plasma HDTV NS-42P650A11 $430 (Link)

The Insignia 42" HDTV features a slim 2-3/4" deep design, 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, great built in speakers and 2 HDMI inputs. This low priced TV is great for watching sports games with your friends, weekend movies and your favorite TV shows while in college. The picture quality on this TV is amazing for the price. The 720p resolution is the lowest of HDTV resolutions, but the diminished picture quality is rarely noticed on a college campus because there are typically no HD cable channels. The high-definition in HDTVs is fully utilized with cable with high-definition channels, game systems such as the PlayStation 3 with and with Blu-ray. Overall, this HDTV provides great picture quality and size for the price.

Samsung 32" LCD HDTV $400 (Link)

As a college student myself, I look for affordability and function with every purchase I make. I understand that most students do not have a lot of disposable income during the school year. The Samsung 32" LCD HDTV combines great picture quality with a very affordable price. The two built in 5W speakers are great for the TVs size and are more than adequate for the size of dorm rooms. The TV comes with 2 HDMI inputs, color enhancer for better picture quality, USB 2.0 port, game mode and a slim 2-5/8" design. The TV has 720p HD resolution, which may seem low when compared to higher-priced models, but as we mentioned earlier, most colleges do not provide access to HD cable channels.

Dynex™ - 40" Class $500 (Link)

The Dynex 40" provides an excellent combination of value with the 1080p HD resolution, large screen and great 24W built in speaker system. College students will love the fact that this TV is both affordable and offers excellent picture quality for playing video games, watching sports, or for watching a movie. The TV includes 4 HDMI inputs, PC video input, slim 4-1/2" design and a 10,000:1 contrast ration. Overall, the Dynex 40" TV is perfect for college students looking to get a great HDTV for a relatively low price.

LG - 32" Class $500 (Link)

The LG 32" is perfect for students looking for a TV with a stunning display that is small enough for their dorm room. LG is one of the best name brand HDTV companies for the price. I currently own the 55" LED version of this TV and could not be happier with the amazing blend of picture and sound quality. This 32" version is no different; it combines a stunning 1080p display with a virtual sound speaker system. The TV includes 2 HDMI inputs, 80,000:1 contrast ratio, high-resolution display and a slim 2-9/10" design. The 1080p HD is perfect for hooking up a Blu-ray player or your favorite video game system, but is not fully utilized for cable TV at most colleges due to the fact that HD cable is a rare option at most colleges. Overall, the TV provides an excellent blend of graphics, sound quality for small rooms and affordability.

Dynex™ 32" Class 720p HDTV $320 (Link)

The Dynex 32" HDTV is not the best HDTV on the market, but it is one of the lowest priced TVs that combines decent picture and sound quality. The two 8W built in speakers are not amazing for large rooms, but are perfect for the small size of dorm or apartment rooms. This HDTV features a slim 3-7/8" design, 3 HDMI inputs, PC video input and 720p HD. Overall, the Dynex 32" is great for the price and perfect for college students on a budget.

Sources:

Personal experience

www.bestbuy.com