Final Roundup of the Best Black Friday HDTV Ads

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By , dealnews Senior Feature Writer

If you're in the market for a new HDTV, this is your week. As we've been telling you throughout the year, November and December are prime shopping months for HDTVs. Below, we've updated our roundup of the best Black Friday HDTV ads. Each of the deals was hand-picked for being amongst the best TV deals we've seen this year.

If your heart was set on a 3D TV, we're sorry to report that deals on 3D TVs have been rare and disappointing. (Only the three best Black Friday offers are listed below.) Prices have indeed dropped, but value-wise, your money is best spent on non-3D HDTVs. But with a 50" 1080p HDTV for $298, a 32" for $97, and a brand-name 40" set for $180 (amongst many others), we wouldn't worry much about it.

Best 32" to 46" HDTV Ads

  • 32" LCD HDTV for $97 at Sears
  • Thanks to a reader tip, we were able to find this amazing deal on a 32" LCD HDTV. Not only does it crush our Black Friday prediction by $62, but it's also the cheapest 32" HDTV we've seen by $72. Though keep in mind that the TV's make and resolution are not listed, and at this price, we doubt you'll get anything but 720p resolution.

  • Westinghouse 32" 720p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $127 at Menards
  • This deal is $20 cheaper than Target's advertised TV below, although this set maxes out at 720p resolution, whereas the Apex TV offers 1080p resolution. However, even at 720p, it's among the cheapest 32" sets we've ever come across.

  • Apex 32" 1080p LCD HDTV for $147 at Target
  • Not a fan of mystery deals? This in-store only deal beats our Black Friday prediction for 32" HDTVs by $12 and unlike the above-mentioned deal from Sears, lists the manufacturer and resolution. (Update: Target has posted this deal to its site, and instead of a 1080p resolution, it only features 720p.)

  • Samsung 32" 720p LCD HDTV for $248 at Walmart
  • Although it's a 720p set, this Walmart deal is $2 under Dell's and hhgregg's Black Friday price on a similar 720p Samsung and earns its pixels as the lowest price we've seen for a 32" Samsung.

  • Toshiba 40" 1080p LCD HDTV for $180 at Best Buy
  • The first true "doorbuster" of the season, this 40" 1080p HDTV is $9 under our Black Friday prediction and the star of Best Buy's circular. And for those keeping count, it's also $9 under last year's best Black Friday price for a 40" 1080p LCD HDTV. Simply put, 40" HDTV deals don't get any better than this.

  • Samsung 40" 120Hz 1080p 3D LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $498 at Best Buy
  • This 40" 3D HDTV is a buck under last week's (now-expired) Editors' Choice mention of a similar Samsung TV. Unlike last week's mention, which was from Fry's, this deal does not require in-store pickup. It's also the cheapest 40" 3D Samsung TV we've ever seen, is $2 under BJ's Black Friday price, and $30 under Kmart's Black Friday price for a non-3D set. However, if 3D isn't important to you, Sears also offers a similar Samsung 40" 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $430. (We've seen it for $2 less before, though.)

  • Vizio 42" 1080p WiFi LCD HDTV for $400 at BJ's
  • Typically, only refurbished 42" Vizio TVs fall below the $400 mark. But this deal on a new, WiFi-enabled 42" Vizio HDTV is an all-time low for this brand TV in this size category.

  • RCA 46" 1080p LCD HDTV for $300 at Kmart
  • At $300, this 46" HDTV is just a buck away from our Black Friday prediction for TVs in this size range. It's also the cheapest price we've for any 46" LCD HDTV.

  • Samsung 46" 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $580 at hhgregg
  • Not only is this TV at an all-time low, but it's also $183 under the best price we've seen this year for this model.

  • Samsung 46" 120Hz 1080p 3D LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $648 at Best Buy
  • Although we saw a similar Samsung TV bundled with a Samsung 3D Blu-ray player for $49 less two weeks ago, (since expired for pickup at Fry's only), this deal merits mention because it's the second-best deal we've seen for a 46" Samsung 3D HDTV. (And one of the few 3D TV deals out there worth mentioning.)

Best 48" to 52" HDTV Ads

  • TCL 48" 240Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $480 at BJ's
  • This deal ties last week's (now-expired) Editors' Choice mention dollar-for-dollar. If brand name isn't of importance, then opt for this TV, which is the best price we've seen for any new or refurbished 46" or 47" 240Hz 1080p LED-backlit HDTV.

  • Proscan 50" 1080p LCD HDTV for $288 at Walmart
  • That's no typo. Kmart has a 50" 1080p LCD HDTV for just shy of $300. That's $162 under the best price we've seen all year for any 50" 1080p LCD HDTV. Alternatively, if you can't make it to a Kmart, Walmart will offer a 50" Emerson for just $10 more. Both options are at least a buck under our Black Friday prediction for a 47" HDTV.

  • Toshiba 50" 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $500 at hhgregg
  • This confirmed, in-store only deal is $135 under the best price we've seen for this set and the cheapest 50" Toshiba LED-backlit LCD we've seen.

  • LG 50" 600Hz 1080p Plasma HDTV for $500 at BJ's
  • Who said plasma was dead? Not only does this deal trump last Tuesday's mention by $99, but it's also the lowest price we've seen for any 50" LG 1080p plasma.

  • Samsung 50" 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $698 at Walmart
  • Although we didn't see many deals on this specific model throughout the year, we did list it once in August. At $698, it's $102 under that August mention and it's also the least-expensive 50" Samsung LED LCD HDTV we've seen.

  • Samsung 50" 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $700 at hhgregg
  • This is the second-cheapest 50" 1080p Samsung LED LCD HDTV in our roundup. However, unlike our Walmart mention above (which is only $2 less), hhgregg gives you the specific model number of the TV you're buying. In this case, it's the EH5000 series.

  • LG 50" 1080p Plasma HDTV for $500 at BJ's
  • Not only is this TV $99 under last Black Friday's best deal for a similar model, but it's easily the cheapest price we've seen for any 50" LG 1080p plasma by at least $100.

  • Samsung Series 5 51" 1080p Plasma HDTV for $580 at Dell Home
  • Outside of refurbs, this is the cheapest price we've seen for any Samsung 51" 1080p plasma TV by $70.

  • Sharp 52" 120Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $800 at Sears
  • Although we've seen cheaper prices on name-brand 55" HDTVs, if your mind is set on Sharp, this is the lowest price we've seen for this set by $99. The same model is also available for the same price at hhgregg.

Best 55" and Larger HDTV Ads

  • Samsung 55" 120Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $880 at Sears
  • Samsung's EH6000 series has made many appearances in our deal archives this past year. At $880, this deal would be the lowest price we've seen by $168. However, keep in mind that Best Buy will offer a similar model for $80 less.

  • Sony 55" 120Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $799 at AAFES.com
  • Black Friday hasn't shown much love for Sony HDTVs, but this model is looking to change that. This 55" edge-lit set packs every feature you could want: WiFi, 120Hz refresh rate, Netflix streaming, and more for just $799. That's the lowest price we've seen for this popular dealnews model all year by $199.

  • Samsung 55" 240Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $800 at Best Buy
  • Although January typically rings in the best deals on brand-name HDTVs, this 55" 240Hz Samsung is at an all-time low, beating out every deal we've posted on similar 55" 240Hz Samsungs this year by at least $198.

  • Panasonic 55" 120Hz 1080p 3D LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $900 at Best Buy
  • If you must have a TV with 3D built-in, we'd recommend this 55" Panasonic. Not only is it at an all-time low, but it's $49 under the best price we've seen this year for this model.

  • Sony 55" 120Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $800 at Navy Exchange
  • Not only is this television $247 under our Monday mention, but it's also the least-expensive price we've seen on this TV all year by $198.

  • Vizio 60" 120Hz 1080p WiFi LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $688 at Walmart
  • A brand-name 60" for $688 is simply unheard of. Yet another deal worthy of its doorbuster label, this HDTV is $31 under our prediction and an absolute must-buy for anyone shopping for a big-screen HDTV.

  • Sharp AQUOS 70" 120Hz 1080p LED-Backlit LCD HDTV for $1,800 at hhgregg
  • The biggest HDTV in our roundup, this monster from Sharp hit this price point once back in February. Our one-time Editors' Choice deal was never matched again — that is, until now. If a big-screen set is on your wish list, they simply don't get any bigger than this.

There are still more ads trickling in as we speak, so be sure to keep an eye on the Black Friday HDTV ads page for additional deals. And if you just can't wait till Friday, check out our current HDTV deals.

Related dealnews Features:
An avid gadget lover, Louis Ramirez has covered technology for Gizmodo, CNET, Laptop, and various other publications. Follow him on Twitter at @LouisRamirez.

Follow @dealnews for the latest roundups, price trend info, and stories. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.

DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).

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10 comments
7OhSeven
Sony? They're usually average while being over priced. No way I'd include them in my top brands. I'd say Panasonic, LG and then Samsung. 
November 22, 2012
7OhSeven
I'd say 32", 42" and then 50" are the most popular. 47" were always this middle of the road solution IMO. 
November 22, 2012
Shyster
I was thinking about the Bestbuy Toshiba Blockbuster deal, but I read on Yahoo that apparently Amazon is going to be doing the same thing with a similar Toshiba or HDTV.

Just wondered if dealnews knew this too.
http://finance.yahoo.com/...tailers-180811354.html

And I did read quite a few of their articles regarding this.
Most of them in fact. It's just that you guys are a bit vague when it comes to actual pricing numbers. Like how much would a HDTV go for during the days after Black Friday to January and Feburary or rather, how much did the cheapest or best deals go for last year?

I know that this type of thing is actually pretty damn hard, as there are probably so many variables that determines just what a good deal is comparable to how much it originally was to how much you'll save and such.

It's just...A bit frustrating when you see all of these deals and you don't actually know which one is worth it the most to you. 
November 21, 2012
Lindsay Sakraida (DealNews)
In addition to my comment above, it does look like the best brand-name TV deal in that general size range that you can get for under $400 so far will be that Toshiba for $180 at Best Buy. That said, it's in-store only and will probably be in very limited quantities.

Instead, try setting up an email alert here:
https://dealnews.com/...alnews/alerts.html?cat=159

We will see other brand-name options under $400, like this guy:
http://dealnews.com/...-for-378-12-s-h/637309.html

But like @chrisbrendel pointed out, we generally see high-end brands fall even lower in January and later. If you really want to buy a TV now, keep an eye on the incoming deals; this roundup has the best we saw in the ads, but a ton of retailers will release new deals throughout the next few days.
November 21, 2012
Lindsay Sakraida (DealNews)
Thanks to @chrisbrendel  for pitching in! @Shyster, we do frequently mention that the high-end TVs will typically see their best prices later on in the year, after they're replaced by 2013 models. Retailers will start taking even more aggressive price cuts in January and February.

Black Friday IS a good time if all you want is a budget TV from one of those third-tier brands though. Unfortunately we don't have a hierarchy for the budget brands; in general, they're likely of similar quality, but you can probably do searches for each manufacturer's customer service reputation. That's probably where some will stand out.
November 21, 2012
chrisbrendel
Shy,

I'm no dealnews rep; however, I am an avid electronics guy. Personally, I would say Samsung, LG, Sony in that order are the best three brands. Depending on the model, Panasonic could be included.

I've had a 40" LCD HDTV by Samsung for the past 4 years and still love it. Good picture quality, good aesthetics, and very reliable.

DN runs loads of deals on the screen size and price point you're looking for. They even have articles regarding the best time to purchase a TV, Black Friday is not one of those prime times. I would recommend waiting it out, saving some more money and purchasing one of the better brands as aforementioned.

Get a good, reliable set and it will last you a good while, like my Samsung.
November 21, 2012
Shyster
Hey there, I'm a first-time TV buyer and I was just looking at the the RCA 46 Inch at K-mart and the 50 inch Emerson and Proscan and I was just wondering generally how good the quality for those brands are.

I've heard a bit about RCA and that they're a okay low brand (Would you guys happen to have a HDTV brand hierarchy list? I know you have a buying guide for that, but it's a bit useless without the brand knowledge. Assuming, that a brand name means a certain level of quality that's standardized through out it's products.)
But I know next to nothing about Emerson and even less about Proscan, which I've never heard of before and a quick look online showed that the quality of the tv's weren't so good, by at least a few customers.

Which of these would you refer, or at least, tell me a bit more about?
Ah, and just in case this was important, I'm not settling for anything less than 1080p, HDMI, and 37-39 inches. I don't make a lot of money, but I've been saving up for a month to get a good first HDTV. 
Anything over 400 is more than I can handle.
November 20, 2012
chrisbrendel
Great write-up. Nevermind those who complain rather than compliment.

Odd request: are there any good deals on 17-20" HDTVs? Looking for the in-laws who need a small upgrade.
November 20, 2012
Lindsay Sakraida (DealNews)
The headlines were labeled strictly based on the deals we found, and according to our price analysis, none of the 47" TVs were particularly noteworthy. That said, 46" sets are typically lumped in with 47" models, and we found three good deals within the former size category.
November 20, 2012
WayneAC
From the list it looks like no one makes 47" TVs...
"Best 32" to 46" HDTV Ads" and then "Best 48" to 52" HDTV Ads"?
Seeing that 47" TVs are one of the most popular and one of the most common sizes it is hard to see how an analysis could be missing this.
November 20, 2012