A TV is an integral part of every home — a centerpiece worth investing in.

That’s what I learned from the people around me while growing up. Although, I’ve never spent my life lounging on couches and watching telly until midnight, snacking popcorn and drinking soda while I laugh my heart out.

I was constantly moving, aimlessly wandering as if my life was a perpetual adventure; days spent hopping from one place to another. Little did I know, I would eventually learn to settle down.

Formerly averse to commitment, I met someone who made me want to stay. Now that I have been staying at home for almost eight months, my desire intensified even more. I started taking care of my little chateau. From buying furniture and spending on decors, to deciding to try a Smart TV — which I now believe is essential to every home.

Finding the right TV to settle down with

Smart TVs are expensive, gigantic, and requires a major decision before making a purchase. It was emotionally taxing to look at pricey, humongous Smart TVs in appliance stores. I asked myself, “Am I really ready for this?”

You could say my fear of commitment was triggered until I met XTREME’s lineup of Smart TVs. Most are half the price of what premium brands such as Samsung, Sony, and LG have to offer. In particular, the XTREME MF-4300s seems to fit what I need — without too much risk.

It’s a Smart TV, comes in an appropriate size, and a price tag that doesn’t break the bank. It’s not difficult to ease your way in the art of settling down since you’re not shelling out an insane amount of cash.

A low-risk investment

If you’re wondering why TVs are considered an investment, one of the reasons is how you need to adjust your living room to fit it in your space.

Having the MF-4300s made me realize I need to invest more in my home furniture. First off, I simply had a makeshift rack. I never really had a TV rack, considering my nomadic lifestyle.

My living room is comprised of a set of gray, textured fabric sofa, a shelf housing Buddha and gold figurines, a dedicated altar for my spiritual needs, an old speaker system to fill the house with lounge music, and a center table for my magazines.

Since the MF-4300s is a 43-inch Smart TV, my center table was more than enough to handle it. From the box, it comes with a stand you can easily set up, so long as you follow instructions and use your logic.

The TV’s bottom houses a built-in Pure Sound soundbar. For recognition, there’s a tag that can be found on the bottom right while Xtreme‘s branding is located on the middle part.

On its back, you can find the usual ports you’d expect from a typical TV, along with two HDMI and two USB ports. In addition, there’s a LAN port to make it easy for you to connect your TV directly to your router, especially if you don’t want to use Wi-Fi.

The remote is incredibly long (not that I mind) and it has dedicated buttons that let you access Netflix and YouTube.

Decent experience… for now

The XTREME MF-4300s delivered a decent experience for an affordable Smart TV. Comparing it to my previous experiences from the TVs I covered and used in studios and our office, the performance is quite stellar albeit there are compromises. But you get what you pay for, right?

Oftentimes, I found myself waiting for Netflix to fully load, which is sometimes affected by my crappy internet connection. There’s a bit of noticeable delay when using the remote control, but definitely not a dealbreaker.

Sometimes, both apps — Netflix and YouTube — decide to freeze, which can be solved by restarting the XTREME MF-4300s. Turn off, unplug and plug, then turn on again.

Frankly, it was a bit frustrating but it was one of the compromises you’ll have to consider especially since this is unlike any premium TV offerings. If you really want an extra seamless experience, better raise your budget and get an expensive one.

Just the right audio and visual quality for me

In the audio-visual department, the MF-4300s presents a decent quality for the price it commands. It uses an IPS panel with an FHD resolution of 1080p. Forgive me for not accurately depicting it, my camera wasn’t able to give the TV some justice.

Colors — despite using different presets — are a bit washed and lack vibrance. However, the overall image quality is clear especially when my Fiber internet connection is doing its job properly.

Viewing angles are satisfactory, though the faded blacks are inherently visible the more you watch at an acute angle. Light can be a nuisance, since the panel reflects it. Honestly, the best experience I had with this TV is when I used it at low light and at night. It’s quite like a smaller home theater setup.

On the other hand, sound quality is average. Surround sound was fabulous, but the lack of clarity makes it unpleasant to listen to when watching action films. It’s exceptional when you’re watching your favorite dramas and sitcoms.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The XTREME MF-4300s is definitely a utilitarian Smart TV. It doesn’t offer a sleek design, top-of-the-line performance, and a buttery smooth experience like most expensive offerings from Samsung, Sony, and LG. Simply, it provides what you need: a practical and smart television for your home.

For PhP 15,995, the MF-4300s allows you to experience the basics of a smart TV, focused on functionality rather than aesthetics. It’s a low-risk investment for those who started concerning themselves with appliances and other home stuff.

What I can certainly vouch for is how this Smart TV filled the missing ingredient in the art of settling down. A TV is indeed an integral part of every home, and it made me want to enjoy quality time with someone that I love, instead of constantly moving around. You don’t have to fear commitment and making investments anymore, especially when the risk is low and it yields a high return.

SEE ALSO: How Sony’s newest TV made me remember what matters most