There are times when painstakingly researching individual components for the ultimate home theater setup is just what has to happen. Of course, there also times when you just want a nice, simple 4K solution that has exactly what you need, and nothing more. That’s the philosophy behind Magnavox‘s just announced 3-in-1 home theater bundle, which features a 4K smart TV, 4K UHD Blu-ray player, and 2.0 soundbar.
True, these components aren’t packing the latest tech. You won’t find Dolby Atmos support, or HDR, or even surround sound, but what you give up on specs, you gain in convenience. All three components connect to one another via a set of color-coded cables, making it a cinch for even the most techno-nervous movie lover to set up, and the included remote control talks to the TV, Blu-ray player, and soundbar, with no apps required.
Despite its decidedly entry-level vibe, the 3-in-1 bundle still manages to pack in most of what you need to get a decent, and complete, 4K experience, including a 120Hz refresh rate, built-in Wi-Fi, and apps for streaming Netflix, Vudu, Pandora, YouTube, and Crackle, to name a few. The Blu-ray player also has an available USB port for accessing your local media files, after you’ve exhausted your streaming options. The soundbar can also double as a Bluetooth speaker.
Magnavox says the 4K TV will be offered in “screen sizes up to 65-inch class” but hasn’t yet said what the other sizes will be.
Speaking of screens, the company also announced a 24-inch LED HDTV that features an embedded 16-watt Bluetooth speaker in its base. The 24ME308S is being pitched as the ideal kitchen/bedroom companion, though we’re not so sure if it will satisfy today’s consumers as there’s no mention of Wi-Fi, or any kind of media support beyond broadcast TV.
These two new products will be available in the last half of 2018, according to Magnavox, but it’s keeping us in the dark on pricing until then.
