Top Picks

Top Values

Top Value of the Year:

Monolith by Monoprice Encore T6 Surround Speaker System
(February/March)

Monoprice has a proven track record of releasing high-quality, budget-priced A/V gear with its Monolith line, and this latest suite consisting of towers, center, and two-way surrounds checks in at just over $1,400. How do they do it? We don't exactly know, but the formula works. After giving the system a thorough listen, reviewer DK was clearly smitten, declaring, "With its impressive accuracy and peerless price, this Monolith by Monoprice Encore System is the new speaker value champ." $1,410, monoprice.com

Finalists:

TCL 6-Series 65R635 Roku Ultra HDTV
(April/May) Read Review

A 65-inch LCD with Mini-LED backlighting and effective, 160- zone local-dimming that sells for $1,000? Must be a TCL. The company's 6-Series UHD Roku TV not only brings the benefits of Mini-LED to the masses, but it delivered impressive enough performance that our TV tester TJN declared, "In most respects, the video perfectionist in me was totally satisfied." $1,000, tcl.com

Vizio V21d-J8 Soundbar
(August/September) Read Review

With its strikingly clear dialogue delivery and DTS Virtual:X processing, Vizio's all-in-one 2.1 offering might just be the best $100 soundbar you can buy. $100, vizio.com

Monoprice SB-500 Soundbar System
(October/November) Read Review

Monoprice strikes again with this high-value system that delivers near-wireless true 5.1 surround for a shockingly low, under-$300 price. $280, monoprice.com

OSD Audio Nero TubeBass 10 Subwoofer
(April/May) Read Review

Let's face it, most audio rigs benefit from the addition of a subwoofer. If you crave extra bass, but are short on funds, OSD Audio's tube-shaped TubeBass 100 will undoubtedly do the trick. $179, osdaudio.com

Earfun Free Pro True Wireless Earbuds
(June/July) Read Review

At $60, Earfun's Free Pro buds aren't free, but they're close to it. For reviewer SW, the tradeoff was not-great noise- canceling, but otherwise he "was quite frankly stunned by the robust sound the cheap Earfun Free Pros provided." $60, myearfun.com

JVC HA-A50T True Wireless Earbuds
(June/July) Read Review

JVC's under-$100 buds offer decent noise-cancellation plus effective Ambient sound performance for the budget-oriented listener. "Music reproduction is middling, but its noise-canceling and ambient sound modes perform on par with some buds at twice the price," said reviewer SW. $99.95, jvc.com

Vizio M70Q7-J03 LCD Ultra HDTV
(Online exclusive) Read Review

A 70-inch Ultra HDTV that lists for one grand, and can be easily found for a few hundred less? Yes, it must be a Vizio. Along with this 70-inch set's low price, the good news here is that the M70Q7-J03's overall performance left our TV reviewer TJN largely impressed: "Unless your budget is double the Vizio's $1,000 price you won't feel at all shortchanged by this impressive 70-inch TV. $1,000, vizio.com