Best Time To Buy A TV in 2024

Buying a new TV is no longer as expensive as it used to be, with a variety of products, brands, and prices to meet practically any needs and budget. But due to the sheer volume of options and affordability, shopping for a new TV in 2024 can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, we've put together a guide on how to decide when to replace your TV as well as the best times of year to shop, and even where to get cheap TVs on your journey.

The Best TV Deals to Shop Now

• Amazon: Up to 38% off select Fire TV 4-Series UHD 4K smart TVs
• Best Buy: Free $50 reward certificate with purchase of a 65" or larger TV
• Best Buy: Smart TVs under $300
• Best Buy: $100 off new select Samsung 2024 TVs for My Best Buy Plus and Total members + free 65" Samsung TV
• Costco: Save additional discounts by shopping select LG sets through Costco Direct
• Sam's Club: Members save big on select big screens from Samsung, LG, and Vizio
• Target: Up to $400 off select name-brand smart TVs
• Walmart: Save up to $1,300 on select smart sets
• Walmart: Up to 30% off select TVs from Samsung, Vizio, and more

When Should I Replace My TV?

Deciding when to replace your TV is pretty much a subjective journey. There are a lot of factors that can help you determine when to replace your TV, including obvious things such as:

Colored lines across the screen. These may not be consistently occurring, but if you're watching your favorite show only to see red, blue, or green lines appear on your screen, that's a high indicator that something is wrong with the hardware on your set. If you're seeing these kinds of issues on your latest Netflix binge, it's time to replace your TV.

Screen is going out or fading. This is another symptom of TV failure that may not happen consistently, but if you notice that the screen as a whole or in parts is fading or randomly going black, it's another indicator that something is wrong.

Your TV has screen burn-in. This is probably one of the most annoying indicators as it doesn't necessarily mean your TV is on the verge of failure, but it does dampen any viewing experience. Some TVs can have still images left on the screens without having to worry about burn-in but other models are very susceptible to this issue. If you have the ghost of a show permanently hanging out on your screen whenever you watch something, it's worth looking into a replacement. And before you purchase another model, check to see if your top pick has the longevity you're looking for.

The screen is cracked. This is a more obvious issue that signals it's time to consider a replacement. There's a chance that you can sort of "watch around it" depending on where the crack is as well as its severity, but it's basically a given that your set will need to be replaced as soon as possible if this happens.

Sound quality is poor. If you use an external soundbar, this may be harder to diagnose and may even be less of an issue altogether. However, if you notice that your sound quality is worsening, there's a chance that it's a sign your TV is failing, and you should start considering a replacement set.

There are other signs to watch for, too, though. For instance, if it won't work in tandem with your newer devices and services, if it takes longer to start now than it did when you first purchased it, or even if it powers off randomly with no discernible reason (like being on a timer). Of course, one of the biggest factors to consider if you simply want a new TV; if so, the next step is to figure out what brands and models fit your needs as well as what your budget will be.

How Much Should TVs Cost?

TVs have certainly become more affordable over the last decade, but that doesn't mean a new set will necessarily be cheap. The table below illustrates the lowest and highest prices we've seen for some mid-size and larger sets over the last year.

While the prices on sets will vary by time of year, brand, and features, this should give a very rough idea of the minimum and maximum costs we can see throughout the year.

When Do TVs Go On Sale?

Super Bowl

While the Big Game has been an incentive for many to purchase a new TV, it hasn't always provided the deals to entice customers. Recently, though, it's become more of a trend for retailers to offer at least some modest savings on select sets. It's becoming increasingly common to see stores like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart offer discounts on a variety of brands but mainly on larger sets, such as 65" or bigger.

Presidents' Day

This isn't the best time of year to buy a new TV, but if you're in need of a new set and you missed the Super Bowl savings, there's a good chance you can find TV savings in Presidents' Day electronics sales. The selection likely won't be huge, but you could still find a good bargain -- just be prepared to check multiple stores and have some backup options in mind just in case.

Spring

In general, TV manufacturers announce new models at the Consumer Electronics Show in January every year, and then in late winter and early spring, those new models begin to hit store shelves. Because of that, we often see the previous generations discounted deeply as retailers try to clear out the older stock to make way for the new.

Memorial Day

This is another holiday that will see electronics sales, but may not see a ton of TVs within. Similar to Presidents' Day, Memorial Day can be a good time to find a bargain, especially if you have many options in mind or aren't super picky about what you're wanting, but if you want something specific you may not find exactly what you're looking for in the TVs on sale at that time.

Independence Day

Strangely, July 4 might be a better long holiday weekend to seek out the best TV deals than some of the others. One key point to keep in mind is that those old models that started seeing discounts back in the spring could be on sale again, but the discounts might be even better now.

Prime Day

If you want to find where to get cheap TVs, Prime Day (and competing sales) may be one of the top opportunities of the year. Amazon will offer plenty of discounts on its Fire TV lineup for Prime Day, but other stores like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy often have competing sales. There's a good chance they'll also provide serious savings on select TV sets, which will offer even more options for savvy shoppers.

Labor Day

Unfortunately, the Labor Day weekend will have electronics sales that may be closer to what we see during Presidents' Day or Memorial Day rather than the amazing discounts on TVs Prime Day and Black Friday can bring. Even so, it's worth taking a look at your favorite electronic retailers to see if you can snag a great deal before the chaos of Black Friday a couple of months later.

November

While the end of the month will be the prime time for finding the absolute best TV deals, thanks to the expansion of the Black Friday period, there's a good chance you can find TVs on sale throughout the whole month. Several retailers will do countdowns to Black Friday, which means the best strategy is to start looking early in the month for deals to pop up. Even if you don't see any worth buying the first or second week in November, it's worth watching to have an idea of what to expect when Black Friday sales officially roll out.

Black Friday

This holiday has long been known as the time of year to find the absolute best TV deals. Even now with TVs on sale multiple times throughout the year, Black Friday is still high on the list, if not the number one spot for the best time to buy a TV. This is due not only to the fact that we tend to see some of the lowest prices of all time, but also just the sheer volume of sets that are on sale. These two factors combined are one of the reasons that so many shoppers hold out for Black Friday TV sales when considering how to shop for a TV.

Cyber Monday

Coming in a close second to Black Friday and right on the heels of the holiday is Cyber Monday. In some cases, Black Friday deals will persist into Cyber Monday so you can take advantage of savings you may have missed out on a few days before. In other cases, the discounts could be different, but similar to what retailers offered on Black Friday. If you're on the fence about shopping on Black Friday, you can hold out a couple of days to see what TVs on sale for Cyber Monday offer in terms of discounts and sizes, but it may be a gamble and you may end up missing out on a better deal by doing so.

Do TV Prices Differ By Season?

The only way that TV prices will really differ by season is if the discounts are better or worse. For instance, in the spring when older models are discounted, they may cut a modest amount off; it could be enough to entice shoppers, but not necessarily be the best-ever price. But if you shop for the same models in the fall, around Black Friday, then the discounts could be more significant. As for prices themselves fluctuating, that's less of a concern. The best time of year to buy a TV is really going to come down to finding the best discount, rather than waiting for a price to drop naturally because of a certain season.

How Do I Get the Best Price on TVs?

Pick out a range of models. By having a list of models you're interested in, you'll have more options at any given time you decide to shop TVs on sale. And the more choices you have, the more likely you'll be able to find a great price that suits your budget without having to wait for the major shopping holidays to roll around.

Don't buy into features you'll never use. Newer TVs tend to come with many bells and whistles that can sound really appealing, but if you'll never use them, you could be wasting cash by buying models with high-end features you don't care about.

Watch for sales. This is one of the most common ways to try to ensure you see the best TV deals before they sell out. Follow your favorite retailers on social media and sign up for emails, too, as these are usually the first ones to find out about big events coming up. By keeping an eye out for communications about TVs on sale, you can jump on these items before they have a chance to sell out.

Use price trackers. Some browser extensions will offer price-tracking capabilities and will let you know if another retailer currently has a lower price; however, you can also try to track prices via sites like Google and when the price drops, you'll receive a notification. This is especially useful because you'll find out about individual discounts outside of sales which could result in you bagging a great bargain without fighting other shoppers.

What Criteria Should I Use When Shopping for TVs?

When deciding on how to shop for a TV, there are definitely several things to keep in mind. It helps to start with why you're shopping now for a TV so that you can note any issues with your current set and make sure to avoid similar problems with your new one.

Mount or Unmounted?

Depending on this, you'll need to consider hardware for mounting the TV or if you're going the unmounted route, you'll want to make sure that the TV stand you have can handle any new sets you're eyeing. And if they can't? You'll need to budget for a new TV stand as well, or adjust your other search criteria.

Display Size

It can be really tempting to go for the biggest size available in your budget, but you'll need to decide if that's something you have room for. There's an optimal distance from TV sets to provide the best viewing experience and angle, so you'll want to make sure you can accommodate that before buying the largest TV you can find.

Brand

You don't have to opt for name-brand sets that may be more expensive than your budget can handle; there are plenty of mid-tier brands that are well-rated, including Vizio, Hisense, and TCL. But if you do want a name-brand set such as Samsung, LG, or Sony, you may still be able to find something to fit your budget — just make sure you shop at the right time to find the best price.

Features

As technology advances, TVs are released with more and more features meant to appeal to shoppers. From fancy viewing modes to smart capabilities and more, it can be overwhelming looking at all the perks a new TV promises to deliver. It's best to do this research online and go through each one to see if it's something you're interested in or will find useful; if you answer no to any features, it should widen your options and could also result in looking at where to get cheap TVs in your area because you don't need those new bells and whistles.

Ratings

If you're shopping newly released models, it may be difficult to find many ratings on the TVs so if you can afford to wait, it's a good idea to do so. But if you're shopping older models, it should be relatively easy to find ratings that call out the good and the bad. Especially if they're a year or two old, you should have multiple avenues for finding honest reviews of the TVs you're interested in.

Where to Get Cheap TVs

If you aren't concerned with brands, it can be pretty easy to find cheap TVs any time of year. Stores like Walmart offer brands like onn. that have rock-bottom prices almost all of the time. For instance, at the time of this writing, the lowest price Walmart had for an onn. TV was $74 for a 24" Roku smart TV, while the highest price was $448 for an onn. 75" frameless Roku smart TV.

If you're looking for where to get cheap TVs besides Walmart, it's worth looking at store brands at other major chains like Best Buy. And if you'd rather find name-brand sets at cheaper prices, it's still entirely possible, but you may have to wait for one of the periods mentioned above for the best TV deals to pop up. When those times of year roll around, check your favorite retailers, both national chains and any local stores that may be able to offer a great bargain, too.

How Does Shopping Compare Online vs In-Store?

There are going to be some major differences between shopping online and in-store, but the best approach may be a combination of the two methods rather than one or the other.

You can't really know how a TV looks or how it performs if you're only looking online. Sure, you can use things like augmented reality from some retailers to see a rendering of the TV in your space, but that won't show quirks or what the picture quality is actually like. Because of that, it's best to find a store nearby that has the exact same model on display and venture into the store to check it out and see what it looks like in person. If you like the way everything looks in-person, then you can move on to deciding whether you want to order it online or pick it up in the store and carry it home yourself.

Other downsides to ordering online also include running the risk of your set being damaged in transit. If you have a particular issue with carriers leaving beaten up packages on your doorstep, it may be worth doing the shopping in-person rather than risk a new TV arriving with a cracked screen and having to go through the hassle of returning it for a replacement or refund.

Shopping in-store may offer you the chance to negotiate prices to some degree at some retailers, but if you're shopping at major chains, the price you see is basically going to be the price you get. The one exception to this is if you want to try to save a little by buying the display model. But if you do that, remember that all sales are typically final in this situation and you'll want to carefully check the display model for more than just cosmetic imperfections before you lean into a deal like this.

Figuring out how to shop for a TV can be daunting between deciding on features, sizes, and accessories you may need while staying within budget. But this guide is a good starting point for things to keep in mind as well as the times of year that should have the top chances of finding TVs on sale. And if you're ready to shop, check out the best TV deals available right now.