Not to state the obvious, but this fall and winter will be characterized with no shortage of time spent at home, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
That means that outfitting your living or entertainment space in the latest tech has never been more justifiable. After all, in the event of a potential second lockdown, you may as well get as comfortable – and as connected – as possible.
With a climate of financial uncertainty, however, dishing out a month’s rent or mortgage payment (or more) to help your at-home entertainment cause may not be feasible. But it’s more affordable than you’d expect to outfit your living space with the latest, greatest, and most convenient tech this hibernation season.
Gone are the days when a tech-packed TV came with a price tag of $1,000 or more.
You may be surprised at the quality and size of TVs you can now get your hands on for less than that – because watching Netflix on your computer should be reserved for college kids. For example, HiSesne offers affordable TVs ranging from 43 to 85-inches that rival some of the bigger, pricier names in the home entertainment game.
The Hisense TV (as pictured in the hero photo) is definitely a reliable, yet cost effective, option for everything from movies and TV, to sports and gaming. In particular, the Hisense Q8G Series –a collection of TVs that combine today’s must-haves like Android TV, quantum-dot colour, Google Assistant integration, a crisp HDR performance, and Dolby Atmos sound – has been met with solid reviews. Highlights include an excellent contrast ratio and full-array local dimming feature, making it great for those with a soft spot for watching movies in the dark. The gamers will appreciate a reliable response time and exceptionally low input lag. Other popular Hisense models include their line of Laser TVs.
Of course – though often the focal point of a living space – the TV is only part of the equation. Especially if dollars are tight and your current space isn’t permanent, there is no shortage of portable speakers on the market that offer the next best thing to a home audio system. The popular Sonos One, for example, is a popular option for lovers or music (and audiobooks), providing excellent quality sounds with built-in voice activation. Its sleek and compact design ensures it won’t take up too much of your limited square footage either.
Inevitably, your home living space will likely double as your office for the foreseeable future – whether you like it or not. A simple addition of a home charging station will ensure your work phone, personal phone, and tablet are always juiced up, minus the clutter of multiple wires and chargers (because a cluttered space means a cluttered mind). You’ll find many options just a few clicks on Amazon.
Speaking of clutter, when we’re spending so much time in the home, keeping your living space as clean as possible is more important than ever. Once complete with a luxury price tag, today’s robot vacuums are now attainable for most. Offering a clean space, minus the tedious cleaning, robot vacuums can set you back close to $1000 – but they don’t have to, especially if you’re simply looking for something to get the job done in smaller spaces like condo units. For example, the iRobot product line offers a range of options, including those priced at a much more affordable figure.
Lighting can also dramatically alter the look, mood, and connectivity of your living space – especially once the cold, dark days roll in. For example, the Sengled Smart LED Daylight A19 bulbs are paired with the Sengled Smart Hub and are voice-controlled through Alexa-enabled devices or Google Assistant.
The comfort and connectivity offered by these few simple additions can alter your at-home experience in ways you may have overlooked, making the cooler months a little more manageable. The only downfall? We can’t promise it won’t make you a little lazier.
