Winner: Best Gadget for Black Friday 2010

Black Friday 2010 is upon us, and after much competition and thousands of votes, we narrowed best gadgets on HDTVs, eReaders, video game systems and mobile computers down to the final four Black Friday gadgets.

In the semifinal, we compared the Kindle WiFi, Vizio 55" HDTV, Acer Aspire AS5742-7653 laptop and the Microsoft Kinect video game upgrade to see which of these gadgets would emerge as the ultimate best buy gadget for Black Friday 2010.

After much debate over the value, usefulness and Black Friday discounts, we have a winner: the Vizio 55" 1080P 120Hz HDTV.

While the competition was fierce, the savings on a large HDTV during Black Friday was too much to stand up to. If Amazon had discounted the Kindle or we didn't expect to see another Core i5 laptop in the $500 price range anytime soon, these gadgets would have stood a chance. But instead they came up just short; especially the yet-to-prove-itself Microsoft Kinect, which isn't on discount this season.

Given the amount of time many Americans spend watching TV and playing video games connected to the set, picking a big screen as a Black Friday purchase and as a present to the whole family is a no-brainer.

We've seen the Vizio E550VL 55" HDTVon sale for as low as $900 in the past weeks, although now it is listed at most retailers for $1,000. We wouldn't be surprised to see it drop back down in that range come Black Friday or Cyber Monday at an online retailer, so stay tuned for ads or look for unannounced deals in stores. With an ambient light sensor, full array of connections, 1080P resolution and fast 1020Hz refresh rate the EL550VL and other similar 55" HDTVs represent the pinnacle of Black Friday deals.

Even if this specific set doesn't get down that low $900 price, a 55" 1080P 120Hz HDTV from a similar brand is still going to be a great gadget to buy on Black Friday 2010, like the Toshiba 55" at Best Buy we highlight in our new Guide to the Best Black Friday Deals.

Josh Smith is a freelance writer who writes frequently about technology and consumer electronics and is based in Ohio. Follow him on Twitter — @josh_smith. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.

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