The box was 40 pounds and smelled like particleboard and regret. I slid it across the kitchen floor at 9pm. Scrape marks on the tile. Not the worst start.
Unboxing: Don't Do It in the Living Room
Clear a path first. I started on the rug. Bad idea. The boards came wrapped in foam and the whole thing weighs enough to leave dents. I moved everything to the hallway and worked from there.
The instructions are fine. They're not great. You'll need a screwdriver and patience. I used a power drill but stripped one screw. Go slow.
Took me about an hour and a half. The piece is thin, but not flimsy. It held together.
The One Decision That Matters: Width Gap for Ventilation
Third day in. The TV was on and the back panel got warm. That's when I looked at the gap between the back of the TV and the wall. The stand has a foot of clearance. Maybe less.
If you're putting a TV on this, measure the depth of the stand and the depth of the TV plus its base. You need at least 2-3 inches of air behind the TV to avoid heat buildup. My older TV had a fan that needed more space.
Also check the width. The 55-inch TV fit, but just barely. My mistake was only measuring the stand's width, not the diagonal of the base. The stand's top surface is actually only 45 inches wide. 55-inch doesn't mean the TV is 55 inches wide. It's more like 48. I got lucky.
Trust me, measure before you buy. I didn't. The measurement guide I should have read covers this.
Mounting the TV: Skip It If You Can
If the stand is thin, mount away. But it's not a wall. I mounted mine to the wall instead, above the stand. The stand just holds the soundbar and games. That worked.
The stand is 11 inches deep. A TV on top would've toppled forward on a small base. Not stable. Mount the TV.
The Saga of Hiding Cables
The back panel is solid. No hole. I had to cut one for cables. If you don't cut, cables hang out. Looks bad.
Also the back panel has no easy access. You'll need a screwdriver every time. I planned it.
Is It Actually Thin Enough?
The thickness of the side panels is less than an inch. Good for a small living room. It makes the space look less cramped than a bulky cabinet. My wife liked that.
The weight capacity: they wrote 88 pounds on the box. The whole thing is surprisingly sturdy. But if you're putting on a CRT TV or a big center channel, skip. That's not what this is for.
Who Shouldn't Get This
If you have a collection of games, a soundbar, and a subwoofer cup, you'll run out of shelves. There's one open compartment and two drawers. That's it. I owned this for a month. The drawers took a while to slide smoothly. They're metal runners, not great, but fine.
If you plan to store your cable box and a streaming device in the same compartment, make sure they fit. The hole at the back is small. I cut my own.
One Last Note
Overall, I'm okay with it. For the price, it does the job. But if I had to do it again, I'd measure the TV and the space more carefully. The cheap shelves article got me thinking. This isn't for heavy gear.
If you're sure your TV is small enough and you like the look of a thin stand, go for it. But if you have a 65-inch TV and a receiver, this won't work. You're better off with something wider.
No regrets on my side. Just think it through.