The Cheapskate

The EQD Auria EQ2367 may be an off-brand monitor, but it's also an unbelievable deal.

(Credit: EQD)

Update: Looks like this is sold out. (When I say act fast, I mean it!) But try checking back later and even in a day or two. Sometimes vendors get replenished stock.

Update #2: One commenter was told by the vendor that additional stock is expected tomorrow, so do check back!

I was going to post this yesterday, but I really thought the $149 Kindle was the more exciting deal. Judging from its lackluster response, I was wrong. Now I'm just hoping this monitor doesn't sell out or expire.

TigerDirect has a loaded 24-inch EQD Auria EA2367 LCD monitor for $159.99, plus $1.99 for shipping. It's a new monitor, not a refurbished unit. This is, without a doubt, the lowest price I've seen for a monitor of this size.

Actually, it's a little more than a monitor. Because it has an HDMI input and speakers, you could connect it to a Blu-ray player or game console--perfect for bedrooms, dorm rooms, and other small spaces.

I've never heard of the EQD brand, and I haven't been able to find any reviews on this model. But, hey, don't all flat-panel screens come from one of three factories anyway?

In any case, its specs look solid: 1080p resolution (1,920x1,080-pixels), 5ms response time, HDMI, and speakers (2 watts each--stand back!).

The monitor comes with a one-year warranty.

If you happen to own an EQD monitor--especially this one--by all means, share your feedback in the comments.

If I were in the market for a big, big monitor, I'd snap this up fast. Lowest. Price. Ever!

HDMI! Speakers! No rebates! This 25-inch monitor has it all.

(Credit: TigerDirect)

Riddle me this: What gets bigger while simultaneously getting smaller? Why, monitor sizes and monitor prices, of course. (Wow, what a terrible riddle. Now you know why I'm a blogger and not one of Batman's arch-enemies.)

Witness the 25-inch I-Inc iF251HPB LCD, on sale at TigerDirect for $199.99. It's a new monitor, not a refurb, and it requires zero rebate forms. Alas, shipping will run you about $22.

I-Inc may not be a household name (indeed, it sounds like some Apple spin-off), but the monitor has some seriously good specs.

For starters, it delivers 1,920x1,080 resolution, or 1080p in HDTV parlance. It also sports an HDMI input and built-in speakers, meaning this would pair very nicely with an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Alternately, if your PC has a TV tuner and/or Blu-ray drive, you could use the iF251HPB as an HDTV. (Just make sure to get some decent speakers, like the recently featured Logitech Z Cinema--which is still available for $79.99.)

Of course, it's a perfectly cromulent monitor as well, though I wish its secondary input was DVI instead of VGA. You may need an adapter (here's one for just $1.68) if your system has only DVI outputs.

Speaking of which, the monitor comes with a VGA cable. If you're making an HDMI connection, remember that you can get an HDMI cable for as little as $3.19. Don't overpay!

CNET hasn't reviewed this model, which includes a 12-month warranty, but TigerDirect's product page shows nearly 200 user reviews with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. Impressive.

So, the new rules of monitor pricing: Don't pay more than $130 for a 22-inch LCD, $170 for a 24-inch LCD, or $200 for a 25-incher. Do start shopping for a bigger desk.

For the unbelievable price of $169.99, you can get a new 24-inch LCD.

(Credit: Asus)

I know many of you were bummed about missing the dirt-cheap 24-inch LCD from the other day, which sold out soon after I posted it. Well, like I always say, there's usually a better deal just around the corner.

Case in point: ZipZoomfly has an Asus VH242H 24-inch LCD monitor for $169.99 shipped. That's after a mail-in rebate [PDF], but it's for only $10.

In other words, you can skip the rebate altogether and still get a 24-inch LCD for the same price as the ViewSonic posted Monday.

What's more, the Asus is new, not a refurb! That means you get a stellar three-year warranty on parts and labor.

On the spec front, the VH242H delivers with 1,920x1,080 resolution, a 5ms response time, and an impressive three inputs: VGA, DVI, and HDMI. (Need an HDMI cable to connect this to, say, an Xbox or PS3? Don't forget: You can get one for as little as $3.

The Asus also has built-in speakers, though as with all speaker-equipped monitors, don't expect theater-quality sound. Expect sound somewhere between AM and FM radio.

CNET hasn't reviewed this particular LCD, but if you bop over to Newegg (where it's selling for $187.99 after rebate, incidentally), you'll find hundreds of overwhelmingly positive user reviews.

A few readers have pointed out that ZipZoomfly doesn't cover return-shipping charges on defective products, so if you happen to get a bum unit, you'll have to pay to send it back. I don't consider that a deal-breaker, but it's something to keep in mind.

Even if you skip the rebate, this is a better deal than the one I posted Monday. Consequently, it may sell out, too, so hurry up and get clicking!

This spacious 24-inch LCD features an HDMI interface and built-in speakers.

(Credit: ViewSonic)

Still squinting at a 17- or 19-inch monitor? Heck, if you're using a laptop as your primary PC, you might be looking at a mere 15-incher. The horror!

Fortunately, loads of extra screen estate await you: PC Connection has a refurbished ViewSonic VX2433WM 24-inch LCD monitor for $179.95 shipped. (You may have to pay sales tax, which in my neck of the woods comes to about $11.)

It wasn't too long ago that a 22-inch LCD for under $200 was something to crow about, so a 24-incher for even less is mighty impressive. Based on my calculations, that extra two inches works out to about 900 percent more display area. (Why, yes, I was an English major, why do you ask?)

The VX2433WM has all the specs you're likely to want from a big LCD, including 1,920x1,080 resolution (that's 1080p if you're talking in HDTV terms), DVI and HDMI interfaces, a 5ms response time, and built-in speakers.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Sure, this would be a great match for a desktop or laptop, but it would also work nicely with a game console or media-center PC.

Because it's a refurb, the warranty expires after 90 days, which is normal (and, to me, acceptable). The couple dozen users reviews on PC Connection average 4.2 stars out of 5, with the main complaint being the mediocre speakers (big surprise).

This is the best price I've seen to date on a 24-inch LCD, so if you want to seriously expand your available workspace (something you'll never regret, trust me), I'd jump on this.

Update: Well, this didn't last long. Looks like PC Connection is already sold out. Sorry for the late post and short-lived deal!

Westinghouse's 42-inch LCD delivers 1080p, but only a 90-day warranty.

(Credit: OnSale)

This is one of those good news/bad news deals. The good news: OnSale has the refurbished Westinghouse VK-42F240S-R 42-inch LCD TV for $499.99 (plus about $53 for shipping). That's one of the lowest prices I've seen on a 42-inch HDTV, particularly one that supports 1080p.

The bad news: Because it's a refurb, you get a 90-day warranty--and Westinghouse has a pretty poor reputation when it comes to customer service.

Now, that being said, I've owned a 46-inch Westinghouse LCD for years, and it's been a champ. The VK-42F240S-R (just rolls off the tongue, eh?) features 1,920x1,080 resolution, 2 HDMI inputs, 2 component inputs, and an ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM tuner. It also has auto source detection, which I've always liked on my Westy.

I haven't found any reviews of this particular model, other than the single five-star user review on the product page. If you happen to own this LCD, share your thoughts about it in the comments.

Ultimately, the good news here is quite good--sweet price on a big TV--while the bad news isn't all that bad. You're not likely to find a better deal on a 42-inch 1080p TV.

A 1080p LCD for $139? Grab this before Dell fixes the price mistake!

(Credit: Dell)

Much as I hate to post back-to-back deals from the same vendor, I couldn't let this go by: Dell has a 22-inch LCD monitor for $139 shipped (plus sales tax in some states). That's already a stellar bargain, but this monitor has something I've never seen at this price point: 1080p resolution.

See, a 22-inch LCD in the $140-150 range is nothing new (heck, I found one for $129 a few weeks back), but I've never seen one with a resolution higher than 1,680x1,050.

The Dell S2209W tops out at 1,920x1,080 (that's 1080p in HD-speak), making it a perfect match for PCs with Blu-ray drives. And to that end, it includes an HDCP-compliant DVI port (as well as standard-issue VGA). Sorry, though: no HDMI.

In most other respects it's a pretty vanilla monitor, albeit one with sleek, rounded corners. Compared with most budget LCDs, this one's a looker. Plus, it comes with a three-year warranty. (What, you thought this was another refurb? Nope, it's new!)

If you're in the market for a new monitor, the S2209W's a slam dunk. (Check the user reviews if you don't believe me.) I don't know how long the sale (or stock) will last, so act fast if you want in.

The Aiptek Action can record 1080p video at 30fps or 720p at 60fps.

(Credit: Walmart)

In the market for a digital camcorder? You could spend $179.99 on one of those Flip Video Minos, which let you record a whopping 60 minutes of YouTube-quality video. Or you could pay $149 for the Aiptek Action, which records hours' worth of HD (up to 1080p) video on inexpensive memory cards. Hmmm...

Yep, sounds like a no-brainer to me. The Action is a slim, pocketable camcorder (and 8-megapixel camera) with a swiveling 2.4-inch LCD and an SD slot that accommodates cards up to 32GB. It captures video in H.264 format, which you should have no trouble editing in programs like Pinnacle Studio. And it includes a 3X optical zoom and component-video outputs for connecting directly to your HDTV.

I haven't tried the Action myself, but Walmart buyers collectively rated it four stars out of five. (That's significant because the Action is available only at Walmart.) However, while video quality was reported to be quite good, still photos come out mediocre at best. I'm more concerned with the lack of an optical zoom.

Walmart's product page is annoyingly light on details, but you can get the full scoop on the Action at Aiptek's site. This could be a great "starter" HD camcorder, or even a secondary one for two-camera shoots. I must confess to a misguided love for the aforementioned Mino, which is tiny and drop-dead simple to use, but for less money you can get a major bump in pixel count. Like I said, kind of a no-brainer...