When to get the best deal on a new TV

Don’t believe the hype. Our testing in the last decade has shown that, while TVs are making progress on performance, it’s incremental enough that you probably wouldn’t notice the difference between two TVs released a year apart.

That means, once you understand how each year’s release cycle unfolds, you can take advantage of it to save money.

New TVs appear during winter

The big four TV manufacturers (LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony) release a new range of TVs each year, replacing most of the models they released the previous year. Few models get picked up for a second season. Brand new TVs appear in stores between May and September. Unsurprisingly, they command a price premium when they first hit the market.

When to buy a TV

• After its successor has come out. Last season’s TV will be cheaper than the shiny new model, and likely just as good.
• During the Black Friday sale period at the end of November.
• In a Boxing Day sale in late December and early January.
• When the weather is warm. This rule of thumb is crude but correlates well with lower prices. It might have something to do with decreased demand while consumers can spend evenings outside.
  

If you’re after a small TV (50” or less), you can relax. Smaller models are cheaper to begin with and tend to stay on the market for several years, so don’t follow seasonal trends as strongly. You can safely buy them at any time.

When not to buy a new TV

• When it’s just been released. It’ll get cheaper if you wait a few months.
• Between April and October. Prices are usually highest during the colder, darker months.
• In November or December outside of sales. Prices get artificially bumped up to make discounts look deeper.