The best budget TVs and streaming gadgets for students

Listen up, students: You deserve better than watching movies on a laptop in bed. If you want to truly be immersed in a film (or game, or TV show), nothing beats a large TV. And it turns out, you don't have to invest thousands to get started with a decent dorm entertainment system. LCD sets and streaming devices are cheaper than ever. So save that notebook for schoolwork consider these inexpensive ways to upgrade your movie-watching and gaming experience.

TVs for smaller spaces

43-inch TCL 4-Series

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A television with Roku or Google TV built-in is one of the easiest ways to start streaming content, making them ideal for most students. This 4-series TCL model sports a 4K screen (with upscaling from lower-res sources) and HDR, for better dynamic range. But best of all, you can usually find it under $300. It's not the most feature-packed TCL TV (the 5-series costs around $200 more and adds Dolby Vision), but it's one of the best options at that price. And at 43 inches, it's small enough to fit in most dorm rooms, while still offering enough screen space to immerse you in a film.

43-inch Vizio M-Series Quantum

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A slight upgrade from Vizios entry-level D-series TVs, the M-series sets are better suited for gamers with support for billions of colors and AMDs FreeSync (which makes gameplay smoother). It also has a sub-10ms response time not the fastest around, but speedy enough to make most games playable without feeling laggy. It also looks fairly modern, with a 3-sided bezel-less design. Best of all, its fairly affordable, starting under $400. And if you want these features in a bigger screen, you can scale all the way up to 75-inches (just imagine that in a cramped dorm room.)

Bigger and better TVs

55-inch TCL 5-Series

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TCLs 5-series sets are available in Google TV or Roku flavors, and pack in plenty of value for their price. That includes support for Dolby Vision, a wide color gamut souped-up with Quantum Dots, and plenty of local backlighting zones to manage black levels and contrast. Youll notice a significant visual upgrade over the other budget sets mentioned, so wed recommend upgrading to this one if youve got a discerning eye. The 5-series slim and bezel-less design also looks very modern, and it supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apples HomeKit.

Must-have streaming accessories

Chromecast with Google TV

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If you're a heavy Google user, there's no better streaming device than the Chromecast with Google TV. Unlike previous versions of Google's puck, it has an interface of its own, along with a suite of streaming apps to choose from. And yes, you can still cast video from Android devices or the Chrome browser. The Chromecast is a great option if you're buying a cheaper TV, but be sure to check if your set already has Chromecast streaming built in.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

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If you own an older TV, or you just want something a bit zippier than your set's onboard apps, Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is worth snapping up. It's just $40 (and often less), supports 4K (with HDR and Dolby Vision), and it gives you access to Roku's entire app library. Best of all, though, it's so tiny you can easily bring it along when you're traveling. The Streaming Stick 4K also supports Apple AirPlay, giving you a way to cast video from iOS devices and Macs. Roku's bundled voice remote also makes it easy to search for things without pecking away at an onscreen keyboard.

Roku Streambar

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The Streambar is an unusual device. It's both a decent soundbar and a media streaming box. That's just so Roku. Honestly, if you're picking up a TV, you should really consider a soundbar of some kind. (We have a whole guide dedicated to that.) But we're recommending the Streambar here because it's a relatively simple and inexpensive solution that solves two common pain points: getting streaming apps and better sound. It's also a nice thing to have around to play a bit of music when you're not watching anything. For even bigger sound, you might also want to consider the slightly pricier Streambar Pro.

Jabra Elite 45H wireless headphones

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If youre living with roommates (or in a place with thin walls), wireless headphones will definitely come in handy. We recommend Jabras Elite 45H because theyre relatively inexpensive (at just $100), sound great and have a very comfortable design. Theyll pair with most TVs or set-top boxes over Bluetooth, or you can just plug in a cable to Rokus remotes. The 45H last up to 50 hours on a charge, and, of course, theyre useful far beyond your living room. Theyre easy to wear all day, no matter where you are.