Last-minute electronics gifts under $300, Part 2

Dec 16, 2009 11:43 AM

A few more ideas to help when you hit the mall this weekend:

TVs
Yes, Virginia, you can buy a decent high-def LCD TV for under $300. Some of the 26-inch sets our testers judged to have very good or excellent picture quality squeak in at under $300, and several more are just a few bucks over. Two that stand out are the Insignia NS-L26Q-10A and Sanyo DP26649. Both go for about $300.

Speakers
We've seen plenty of big-screen LCD and plasma TVs with great picture quality, but very few that have great sound. Sure, you could hook up a full-fledged sound system and string cables to speakers all over the room. But if you want a quicker, easier, more aesthetically pleasing fix, consider a soundbar.

As the name suggests, these are slim bars that you can mount or place on a shelf right below a TV. Many have a separate subwoofer you can place nearby. You won't get true 5.1 surround sound, but you'll get much better audio than your TV can produce from its little speakers. One low-priced model we like is the Vizio VSB210WS, which sells for about $300.

Home theater in a box
If you want nothing less than full surround sound, you can go with a modestly priced home-theater-in-a-box system. The Yamaha YHT-391, for example, bundles a receiver with five speakers and a subwoofer to envelop you in audio bliss. It can give you very good sound from your TV, making the most of the 5.1-channel soundtracks on most HD TV programs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. You'll find it for $300 or a bit less.

Check out the rest of the list: "Last-minute electronics gifts for under $300."

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