Gifts for Dad that are less than $250
The TCL 43s325 smart TV has a responsive user interface and features thousands of apps. Credit: CBS Interactive
Father's Day is here again, but this year you want to find something a little more interesting for Dad than a necktie or a pair of socks. If you're thinking of splurging on something extra-special, here are four of CNET's favorite gifts in the $100 to $250 range.
Vizio SB3621 sound bar
CNET rating (out of 5)
5 stars (spectacular)
THE GOOD Excellent performance for an ultra-budget sound bar combined with great movie sound and toe-tapping music playback. The Vizio offers a decent selection of inputs including Bluetooth and will decode Dolby and DTS. The sound bar and wireless sub feature superb build quality and a seamless setup.
THE BAD The LED display is not helpful, and the WAV-file-only USB port is a little weird.
THE COST $119.99 to $149.99
BOTTOM LINE This is the best sound bar you can find for less than $300.
Sonos One smart speaker
CNET rating (out of 5)
4.5 stars (outstanding)
THE GOOD The Sonos One integrates full-fledged Alexa voice control, just like an Amazon Echo speaker but with better sound quality. It offers most of Alexa's smart home controls and its far-field microphone performs similarly to an Echo.
THE BAD The One costs twice as much as the new Echo. It cannot form a stereo pair with an existing Sonos Play:1, and there’s no Bluetooth.
THE COST $149.99 to $199.99
BOTTOM LINE It's the first smart speaker that actually sounds good with music.
Sony UBP-X700 Blu-ray player
CNET rating (out of 5)
4 stars (excellent)
THE GOOD The player includes a host of streaming options, plus Dolby Vision support. The time it takes for the player to load Netflix is insanely fast.
THE BAD Both cheaper competitors and Sony's own X800 offer better DVD performance.
THE COST $179 to $199.99
BOTTOM LINE The Sony UBP-X700 is at the cutting edge of 4K Blu-ray technology and rewards with a solid performance at a reasonable price.
TCL 43s325 (2019 Roku TV)
CNET rating (out of 5)
3.5 stars (very good)
THE GOOD This is one of the least expensive smart TVs you can buy. Roku TV delivers the best smart TV experience on the market, with a simple, responsive user interface, thousands of apps and constant feature upgrades.
THE BAD It has a weaker picture than Vizio's E-Series TVs.
THE COST $219.99
BOTTOM LINE If you want an affordable TV smaller than 50 inches, this should be one of your first choices.
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg, section editor David Katzmaier, senior associate editor Ty Pendlebury and senior editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit cnet.com.
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