Haier HL46XSL2

Haier HL46XSL2 46-Inch LCD TV

The Haier HL46XSL2 LED edge-lit LCD HDTV retails for around $850 (as of March 18, 2011), making it a good deal for a 46-inch HDTV. But you get what you pay for: This TV posted mediocre scores in both performance and design, and it's fairly bare-bones features-wise. The HL46XSL2 stands out from other HDTV models, but not for the reasons you might expect. Unlike most HDTVs, which have dark, muted bezels and casing, this HDTV is white. Color aside, the case materials felt cheap compared with some of the other TVs we've looked at. On the other hand, the ports are generally easy to reach; all of them are located along the left side of the unit, and don't require much contorting to access. The set boasts four HDMI ports, two component inputs, a USB port for media playback, and a headphone jack, but it lacks the Internet connectivity and related features that many other TVs offer. Haier employs an unusual configuration for component video and audio, though; instead of including the separate red/green/blue video connectors and left/right audio connectors, it provides only one of each.