This is the best place to buy an HDTV. Really.

This may surprise you, but Dell, a retailer famous for its popular PCs, is actually one of the best places to find a deal on an HDTV -- no kidding! 

For many years now, Dell has posted a weekly HDTV deal that not only often matches the best prices online at the time its published, but also includes a gift card we've seen go as high as $500. For TVs in the 50" range, the cards are usually around $150 to $200. This is especially handy around the holidays, when you may be in the market for one than just one tech deal.

Wait, really?

Yes! For example, this week Dell is running the above Samsung 55" Curved 4K TV, plus a $175 Dell eGift Card for $699.99. This is currently the best price online and probably the lowest price we're going to see on this model during the holiday season. Even Target, which is offering a $70 gift card with that same TV, can't beat that offer.

What can I buy with the gift card?

The gift card is only for buying items at Dell, but don't let that convince you it's not worth the investment. Dell doesn't sell just PCs and laptops, it sells offer plenty of other household electronics. Use the $175 gift card from the above 4K curved TV deal and get the new Xbox One S for a net price of $124.99, or the Playstation Pro 4 1TB console for a net price of $224.99. You can also use it to get accessories for you new TV -- think audio systems like this LG Soundbar for a net price of $4.99, or any number of wall mounts. Or just buy some fun stuff for yourself! Use that gift card to get this Bose Bluetooth speaker for a net total $0, and keep $46 in your pocket. Dell even sells items not normally associated with its brand, like the very popular Nest Learning Thermostat, which you could get (again, with the gift card) for net total of $74.99.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the gift card arrives separately via email, and that can take 10 to 20 days, which is important to take into account when holiday shopping. I personally bought a TV from Dell in the past and got my gift card in about seven days. That early arrival is not guaranteed, but it does mean I can attest to the fact that Dell makes good on its offers.

This article first appeared in Brad's Deals.