Key Takeaways
- New TV models flood the market year-round, leading to swift price drops, benefiting consumers.
- Naming conventions around TVs are designed to drive demand and confuse buyers into thinking they need something new.
- Competition drives innovation, which means it’s going to be hard to keep up with the latest TV tech.
I’m the first to admit it — tech is hard to resist. Whether it’s a phone, laptop, watch, gaming console, or especially a smart TV, something new and shiny with a lot of buzzwords that costs way too much money is somehow, inexplicably, wildly tempting.
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While just about everything new in the tech world isn’t worth buying right after it becomes available, TVs still land high on the list of some of the most wasteful purchases. It’s not quite the same as buying a new car (although the price might be similar in some cases), but it’s certainly not wise to dump all your money on a brand-new model.
I’m not saying buy a used TV by any means; that might be worth it in some cases, but the argument that’s being put forth here is that you need to wait, at least six months, to buy a specific TV after it’s been released. Stay away from brand-new ones. Here’s why.
The TV market is saturated
Thank goodness for the competition
There isn’t always a ton of freedom and choice within the tech industry, especially when it comes to social media platforms and smartphone operating systems — in some cases, there is no choice. And even when you do have limited options, aligning yourself with a specific brand or company tends to make decisions for you in the future. However, TVs are one area of the electronics world where there is actually quite a bit of competition, and that novelty fosters innovation and growth, affording consumers more options.
All of this is better for the consumer.
TVs are in a crowded market, with industry leaders Samsung, Sony, and LG making high-end TVs. Companies like Hisense and TCL offer plenty of value and innovation, while big names like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy all have their own in-house TV brands. All of this is better for the consumer, particularly as buying a TV means deciding on size, screen type, operating system, video and audio formatting, gaming specs, virtual assistants, and sound quality.
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It also means though that every company is going to continuously work towards advancing their own tech while looking to others to match what they’re doing. The speed at which innovation takes place is pretty rapid, and if you’re buying a new TV today, it may not be so new in a few months’ time.
TVs come out regularly
New models are released year round
A new TV isn’t the same as a new phone or even new Bluetooth speaker or headphones; it’s simply not as rare and unique. TVs come out throughout the year, every year, which means that when you buy a brand-new TV, there’s an even more brand new one coming down the road from that same company and many others.
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When models are so often released, it becomes harder and harder to pinpoint what exactly “new” means. A 2024 TV at the moment is new, but it may not be that new in a few months when fall rolls around and the year nears its end. However, buying a 2024 TV as the calendar rolls over to 2025 is likely to provide incredible value. The price will likely drop, but if it’s a later-year model, you’ll still have some high-end tech. When a new TV is released, it may only be slightly faster, or slightly more powerful, or slightly more accessible. The differences can be imperceptible, especially if you’re comparing it to a TV that’s still only a couple of years old.
Prices drop quickly and often
Wait for good deals
Buying anything brand-new means likely paying the most money possible for that item. It’s never going to get any “newer,” and in time, more models will replace it, and it will eventually go on sale. One TV or another will always be on sale, and they tend to follow the typical sale cycles throughout the year, with models discounted on Prime Day, Black Friday, after Christmas and New Years.
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At this very moment of writing, Best Buy is offering $300 off a 75-inch Samsung QLED TV, albeit a 2023 model. Amazon is offering $500 off a 65-inch OLED TV from last year, while you can also get an 85-inch Bravia mini-LED TV directly from Sony for $3,600, which is $400 off its retail value.
There are discounts happening all the time — Best Buy, Amazon, and even directly from companies like Sony are always having promotions that sometimes shave off hundreds of dollars. A few hundred chopped off a TV that’s still a few grand isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s a testament to how discounts do exist. Whether these listed retail prices are really that common is another matter, but there is always a deal available and money to save when you’re shopping for a TV — just don’t look for the latest option.
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Marketing terms cloud innovation
Beware of popular buzzwords and new names
Almost ten years ago, Samsung wowed tech consumers when it released a quantum-LED TV. It features peak levels of brightness and vivid detail on a screen using quantum dots to enhance the TV’s image.
The ‘Q’ in ‘QLED’ served to describe the type of TV, yes — but it was also there to sound cool.
It was the future of LED screens, boasting an even more awe-inspiring spectrum of pop and color. The thing about these so-called QLED TVs, however, was that the ‘quantum’ was as much a marketing term as it was a science term, if not more. The ‘Q’ in ‘QLED’ served to describe the type of TV, yes — but it was also there to sound cool.
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It worked. Many companies make QLED TVs now, but Samsung also makes neo-QLED TVs. LG has long championed OLED TVs, but they also make OLED evoTVs. TCL offers QLED TVs, pro QLED TVs, and premium QD mini-LED TVs: they are all superb, so if your one or two-year-old TCL TV doesn’t have a superlative in front of its description, don’t go and dump it for something new. These terms do indicate the type of TV and offer some level of description, but they also exist to both inspire awe and confusion, making it seem like it’s something bigger, grander, and more special than you own right now. Don’t get sucked in.
Newness is relative and fleeting
What is this feeling?
What’s curious about TVs is there aren’t the same reasons for wanting to own a brand new one as there are with other products. With smartphones, there comes some feeling of pride when buying a new one upon release (even though that’s not the best idea, either). With video games, you’ll be paying the highest price possible, but it can be a long time to wait for a price drop, and if you want to play it, you should play it.
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There’s not exactly pride or purpose when it comes to buying a TV upon its release. It’s not a phone you carry with you or earbuds you might be showing off. It’s a large, static piece of tech that’s enjoyed only by those in the immediate space. Maybe you’re preparing for a big watch party for some television event like the Super Bowl, but in most cases, there isn’t any early adopter benefit. Most people aren’t able to look at a TV and quickly determine the specific model and year. There just isn’t much status that comes with it, unless you’re super-rich and have some wild theater setup.
Don’t go rushing to buy the next hot thing.
It doesn’t take long for a brand-new TV to become less than brand new. Costs drop quickly, and technology continues to advance, but a quality TV will serve you at least for a few years. Don’t go rushing to buy the next hot thing.
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