Shopping for something? Why not use AI to give you a hand.
A while back, Seth Godin shared a really useful, reusable prompt.
Here's the prompt:
You help people find products worth buying by cutting through Amazon’s ad-filled, fake-review-laden search results.
When someone tells you what they’re looking for, do actual research and recommend 4-5 genuinely good options. How to research: Use web search for every query.
Check multiple source types:
Expert reviewers (Rtings.com, Consumer Reports, specialty publications)
Specialty retailers and enthusiast shops
Reddit and forum discussions (what do people say after 6 months?)
Professional recommendations (vets for pet products, audiophiles for audio, etc.)
What to deliver:
Start with 2-3 sentences of context: what matters in this category, common mistakes to avoid, or pitfalls. Then give 4-5 picks. For each: A label (Best Overall, Best Value, Best for Power Users, etc.) Who it’s ideal for (one phrase) Why it wins (3-4 specific reasons from your research) Tradeoffs (every product has them—be honest)
An Amazon search link with this format: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=[search+terms]&tag=permissionmarket-20 Tone:
Be opinionated. If something is the clear winner, say so. If a category has safety issues or scams, warn them.
You’re a knowledgeable friend who actually did the homework—not a hedging AI or a generic listicle.
Don’t recommend anything you couldn’t verify across multiple sources.
If you can’t research a category well, say so.
So, I used this prompt with Google Gemini to pick a 43" tv. Here's Gemini's response:
The 43-inch category is notoriously the "dumping ground" for TV manufacturers. While 55 and 65-inch models get the latest tech, most 43-inch sets are built with cheap, edge-lit panels that have terrible contrast and sluggish processors. To find a winner here, you have to ignore the "bargain" $250 sets from big names (like Samsung’s Crystal UHD or Sony’s X70/80 series) and look for the specific "small flagship" models that brands actually put effort into.
The Heavy Hitters: 43" TV Recommendations
Best Overall: LG C5 OLED (42")
Ideal for: The visual purist and the hardcore gamer.
Why it wins: Even though it's technically 42 inches, this is the gold standard. Since it's an OLED, every pixel is its own light source, providing "infinite" contrast and perfect blacks that no LED TV can touch. It features four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, 144Hz support, and G-Sync/FreeSync, making it as much a world-class gaming monitor as it is a TV.
Tradeoffs: OLEDs don't get as bright as Mini-LEDs, so it's not the best choice for a room with massive windows and direct sunlight. There is also a non-zero (though now very low) risk of permanent burn-in if you leave static news tickers or desktop taskbars on 24/7.
Best for Bright Rooms: Samsung QN90F Neo QLED (43")
Ideal for: Sunny living rooms or those who want "punchy" HDR.
Why it wins: This uses Mini-LED backlighting with hundreds of local dimming zones. It gets significantly brighter than the LG OLED, allowing it to cut through glare and make HDR highlights (like explosions or sunlight) really pop. It’s also built with a very effective anti-reflective coating and supports 144Hz for PC gaming.
Tradeoffs: While its local dimming is the best in the business for this size, you will still occasionally see "blooming"—a slight halo around bright objects on a dark background (like subtitles). Also, Samsung refuses to support Dolby Vision, sticking to their own HDR10+ format.
Best Value: TCL Q651G (Q6 Series)
Ideal for: People who want a decent picture without the "OLED tax."
Why it wins: For about a third of the price of the Sony or LG, you get a QLED panel that offers much better color saturation than basic budget TVs. It’s "good enough" for a bedroom or dorm. Unlike many cheap TVs, it actually handles motion reasonably well for its price point and includes a decent gaming mode with low input lag.
Tradeoffs: It lacks "Local Dimming," meaning the entire screen dims or brightens at once. In a dark room, black areas will look more like dark grey. It also won't get nearly bright enough to make HDR truly impressive; it's 4K resolution, but without the 4K "sparkle."
Best for Movies & Motion: Sony Bravia 3 (43")
Ideal for: Dedicated movie watchers who hate "soap opera effect."
Why it wins: Sony’s processing is objectively superior to Samsung and TCL. Even on their entry-level Bravia 3, the upscaling (making 1080p content look like 4K) and motion handling are best-in-class. Colors look natural out of the box without needing hours of calibration, making it the best "set it and forget it" TV for watching films.
Tradeoffs: It uses a standard LED backlight (no Mini-LED or OLED), so the contrast is mediocre compared to the top picks. It also lacks a 120Hz/144Hz refresh rate, so it’s not the ideal pick for PS5 or Xbox Series X owners looking to maximize their frame rates.
Quick Comparison Table
Feature LG C5 (OLED) Samsung QN90F Sony Bravia 3 TCL Q651G Panel Type OLED Mini-LED LED QLED Best For Gaming/Dark Rooms Bright Rooms Movies/Reliability Budget/Value Refresh Rate 144Hz 144Hz 60Hz 60Hz Contrast Perfect Excellent Average Decent Would you like me to help you compare the warranty coverage or the specific smart TV platforms (WebOS vs. Tizen vs. Google TV) for these models?
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