We’re just days away from yet another big championship matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, and all of your friends are coming over to watch the action. There’s just one problem: you’re still using your dingy old TV from 2010, and the words “surround sound” have never even crossed your mind in your many years of binging sports. Don’t worry. We’re here to turn your football fiesta from a potential butt fumble to something truly trophy worthy.
Having tested the top TVs, soundbars, streaming devices and home gadgets extensively, we’ve got recommendations for everything you need for the ultimate big game viewing experience. Better yet, this is all stuff you’ll want to use long after the Lombardi trophy is lifted in New Orleans come Feb. 9. Whether you’re looking to fully revamp your entertainment setup or just need a cheap TV in a pinch, we’ve got you covered.
Buying a good TV for the big game no longer has to be as financially ruinous as betting on said game, and TCL's budget sets continue to prove that point time and time again. Contributing writer Michael Gowan praised the previous-generation TCL Q6 for offering impressive image quality and color for the price, and the newer TCL Q7 model offers an even more refined picture while staying affordable. It's currently on sale starting at just $400 for a 55-inch model, making it a great last-minute pickup for your living room — or even as a secondary screen for those hosting a big viewing party. — Mike Andronico, senior tech editor
What if you want a true flagship-quality TV but still want to have some budget leftover for that massive order of catered buffalo wings? The Hisense U8N, our pick for the best midrange TV, is an excellent middle ground. This set's immersive picture, snappy performance (an impressive feat considering it runs the demanding Google TV platform) and strong built-in speakers combine for a package that "feels like it costs more than it does," according to our reviewer. It also comes fully optimized for modern game consoles, so you'll have the smoothest experience possible when you fire up Madden to get some revenge on your team that just lost. — Mike Andronico, senior tech editor
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If you watch so much sports that your friends and family find it concerning, it's worth investing in the best possible screen for it. And in our testing, the Sony Bravia XR A95L is that screen. This premium TV offers gorgeous OLED picture quality and does a great job upscaling regular ol' HD to 4K — perfect for sports nerds who like watching old games. Its built-in sound is about as good as it gets for a TV (we don't blame you if you blow your soundbar budget on this instead) and it even comes with a special webcam that allows the A95L to adjust picture and sound settings based on where you're sitting. It also supports video calls, so you can immediately talk trash to distant loved ones after the game. This high-end set certainly doesn't come cheap, but recent sales have knocked a good few hundred bucks off of its asking price. — Mike Andronico, senior tech editor
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Soundbars and speakers
The easiest way to upgrade your home audio equipment comes from Vizio’s shockingly affordable VIZIO 5.1 Soundbar SE setup, which is slightly misnamed as it's more than a soundbar. For around $200, you get a soundbar, a subwoofer and rear speakers. You won’t find a better budget surround sound system than this, especially since it supports Dolby Atmos spatial audio. I can’t guarantee the big game will sound more immersive, but at least your favorite movies will. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
If you want great sound quality instead of simply more immersive audio for the big game, I’d recommend you pay a little more for a great soundbar. This way, you’ll hear all of the noises from every collision and celebration with a bit more oomph, without having to turn your volume up higher. Sony’s Bravia Theater Bar 8 is my favorite soundbar for most people because not only does it produce excellent audio, but it works with all the right connectivity protocols for connecting your phone. Just like the Vizio soundbar, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 supports Dolby Atmos, but it also works with DTS:X and the Imax Enhanced standards as well. You can expand its sound with Sony’s SA-SW3 and SA-SW5 subwoofers or its SA-RS3R and SA-RS5 rear speakers. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
Just like the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8, the new Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar produced fantastic audio — and actually the best sound — in my testing. The big difference between the Arc Ultra and the Arc it replaces is that this newer model has stronger low-end audio, which is a big deal to the bass-heads out there, and it’s enough that you might not need Sonos’ new Gen 4 subwoofer. And while you can connect the Arc Ultra to Sonos’ rear speakers and subwoofer like the Sony soundbar, Sonos lets you connect speakers in different rooms together for people who want to hear the big game throughout their house as they move from the den to the kitchen. This way you won’t even miss a play if you go to the bathroom. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
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The best affordable way to smarten up a TV in time for the big game is with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which is snappy, straightforward and will let you watch the game in 4K. At the very least, it will be in 4K on Fubo, which has a Roku app. Roku has historically also offered free ways to watch the game via various ad-supported services. I love the Roku Streaming Stick 4K for other reasons, including its fast performance and how it hides behind your TV. It’s also good for streaming things other than football, thanks to its support for the Dolby Vision and Atmos video and audio standards. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
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My personal favorite streaming device has most of the same perks as the Roku stick, though it costs a bit more and doesn’t hide behind your TV. You’ll get all the same video and audio standards, plus an Ethernet port for more reliable and stable streaming — which can come in handy when you’re trying to watch the big game in 4K. But I prefer the Apple TV 4K because it’s the fastest streaming device with the cleanest interface. It offers practically every single app that Roku and all the others offer, and can even play Apple Arcade games if you need to settle some scores during halftime. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
Smart home and cooking
If you're looking for that last bit of flair for your Super Bowl party, strip lights are a great option — and Govee's are the best we've tested. Available in 16-foot, 32-foot and 64-foot variations, these strip lights make it easy to cover your home in vibrant LED lighting that you can easily customize with Govee's companion app; perfect for blanketing your football den with the colors of your favorite squad. Better yet, Govee's lights are compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, making them easy to control hands-free with your smart home devices of choice.
A smart speaker is a great companion for any sports game, whether you want to quickly learn more about a player, control those aforementioned smart lights or ask Alexa for the score when you've stepped away from the TV to grab some ever-important snacks. The latest Echo Dot is our favorite pick for folks on a budget, complete with some great audio quality for pre-game jams and the ability to double as a Wi-Fi extender to keep the whole home streaming the action. As an alternative, you can pick up the adorable Echo Pop — which doesn't quite have all of the Echo Dot's smarts but still covers the essentials — in a special NFL edition featuring your favorite team's colors and logo.
Seasoned hot wing chefs may scoff at this idea, but the air fryer is a great tool when it comes to making wings for your big game snacking. I’ve found great success with the Cuisinart TOA-70 Air Fryer. This 8-in-1 oven became an MVP around my house after I realized I could use it for reheating practically everything from pizza to cookies.
Oh, and if you want a tried and true method, here’s a strategy I’ve learned from chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and YouTuber LifebyMikeG. Make a wings seasoning with one teaspoon each of garlic powder, ginger powder, onion powder, cumin powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and black pepper, with a tablespoon of salt. Then, after coating your wings with that spice, coat them with all purpose flour. Now, while we’re going to make a hot sauce next, start airfrying your wings at 380 degrees for 8 minutes, flip them, and once that’s over, you’ll fry the other side up for 400 minutes.
For my hot sauce, I melt down two tablespoons of butter at medium heat with two cloves of chopped garlic per pound of wings. Once it begins to bubble, add two tablespoons of a vinegar-based hot sauce like Frank’s, and whisk together, turning the heat off once it all blends together and before it burns. – Henry T. Casey, electronics writer
CNN Underscored’s writers and editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team with many years of product testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico and electronics writer Henry T. Casey have been reviewing tech products for a combined two decades, with Casey being a lead streaming writer (and spending many a big game weekend working) for much of his career. They curated this guide based on Underscored’s own hands-on reviews as well as their own personal experience, so you can rest assured that every pick on this list is backed by real-world testing.
