Football, America's second-greatest pastime, is best enjoyed live and in person. Fortunately, seeing a regular season game is something that most people can afford. The Super Bowl, on the other hand, is a different story. With ticket prices reaching close to $800-plus, unless you're a real die-hard fan of either the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots (boo!), I recommend spending that cash elsewhere.
Second-best to going to the game is upgrading your home theater setup to deliver a great experience come game time. Not only is it the craftier option, this setup will keep delivering great experiences long after the Patriots lose this Sunday.
TCL Roku TV
We're all about value, which is why the TCL Roku TV was a real winner in our books this year. Available in a variety of sizes (32, 40, 48, 55-inches), the TCL Roku TV tops out at just under $600, which is shockingly cheap for what you're getting.
In every size variation except the 32-inch option, the TCL Roku TV is equipped with a 1080p LED screen that refreshes at a clip of 120Hz, which will make the game look simply buttery.
Better yet, it comes with Roku integrated right into the unit, so after the game you can tune into one of the thousands of channels available right out of the box. Simply put, it's one of the best values out there for a FHD television. While not FHD like the others, the 32-inch is a decent option if you're on a strict budget. It comes in at just under $200, but keep in mind that you'll be getting a 720p screen that runs at 60Hz.
Of the many sparkling compliments Matt Swider had for the TCL Roku TV, he was especially stoked to see that the intuitive Roku UI carried over nicely to the big screen. It's clean and responsive, which is already more than you can say for most television interfaces.
Razer Leviathan
To cover the sound in this setup, we're looking to the Razer Leviathan. It may seem like an odd choice given Razer's gamer-centric disposition, but it's totally game to bring the house down this Sunday.
For us, the Leviathan's greatest perk is its price, coming in at $199, followed closely of course by its bass-heavy sound. The whole system, which includes a soundbar and a subwoofer, is perfect for those looking for a versatile sound system.
The soundbar and subwoofer combo offers simulated 5.1 surround sound via an analog, optical or Bluetooth connection. While sound enthusiasts will notice the lack of oomph in the left and right channels, the sound can be toggled to your liking with the sound presets that optimize the delivery based on your content choice.
The possibilities for your Super Bowl home theater setup are limitless. While we've kept this setup to mirror the price of a horrendous nosebleed Super Bowl ticket, your final setup will obviously reflect your budget. It almost goes without saying, but if this is your first home theater setup, you'll need to consider the cost for cable in your final figure.
If you're already satisfied with your Super Bowl-ready home theater, let us know what you've rocking in the living room.
Image credit: Philip Robertson via Flickr Creative Commons
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