The price of TVs continues to fall every year as new technology comes along. Unless this is the tariff question in disguise, I would say never buy a TV until you have to. It will be cheaper next year. IMHO
Should I buy another flat screen now while they are still relatively cheap?
My current Vizio 65" is either 7 or 8 years old, and it gets a lot of use. Is there an average life span on these? My previous Samsung 70" made it about ten years as I remember. I see that WalMart still has flat screens in that (or around that) size for relatively cheap.
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It is a serious question and one not intended to start a fire, @bigtwin , but the reason I am asking is because I would think that the ’T’ word will dramatically raise the prices, and I know how my luck usually works. Do you know if flat screens do have an average life? And this would be with heavy use? And I agree with you--they seem to be crazy cheap right now. I think I remember that Vizio I have now going for around $800 and the Samsung it replaced being around $1700 and the ancient RCA (that was big but not flat) costing about 3k. I was at WalMart today grocery shopping, and because I have been thinking about this, I went down the flat screen aisle and 65" (or even larger) can be had for under $400. And on edit: I also agree with you about usually not buying a TV until the old one craps out. 'Usually' being the operative word.
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I went down the flat screen aisle and 65" (or even larger) can be had for under $400. so an $800 65 inch TV is still a screaming bargain compared to 10 years ago. Let’s just hope that the current generation coming up who apparently doesn’t watch TV completely skew to where we have to pay $8000 for a 65 inch TV because nobody really wants one. |
AI Overview The average flat-screen TV can last anywhere from 5 to 16 years, with LED TVs potentially lasting the longest (11-16 years). LCD screens typically last 5-10 years, while plasma TVs have a shorter lifespan of 5-7 years. Factors like usage, brightness settings, and environmental conditions can all influence a TV's actual lifespan. |
It depends on how much tech/bells and whistles you want. Depending on your budget, spending extra does pay off in picture quality. Although they are clueless about higher end audio, Consumer Report does excellent testing and reporting on Tv's. Some other sources like "The Spruce" (no membership needed) are also helpful. i just purchased a Sony 65" OLED at the end of last year. $500 off MSRP. The picture quality is superb. Just as an add-on, Sony and LG usually test at the top of the test charts. As an added bonus, they also are at the top in reliability. |
That is not a factor for me, @llg98ljk .
That is helpful. I am literally half blind (probably more than half) so, in general, the bigger the better. I've seen bigger at Wal Mart, up to 80", but 65" is big enough right now. The reason for my question, however, pertains to near-future availability and pricing.
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We had a 10 year old Samsung flat panel, and we replaced it with a Sony OLED. Side by side, it was shocking. The Sony was bright and crisp, the 10 year old Samsung was much less so. I got mine at 500 off when Best Buy had a sale right after New Year’s Day in 2024. The Sonys are not made in China so there won’t be a 145% tax on them. |
I highly recommend getting a Sony along with the related accessories. I finally learned my lesson after 30+ years of owning Samsung products that after 5 years or so you'll be watching something and the TV will go click, the screen will go dark and the set will go silent and you won't be able to get it going again. Yeah, and good luck contacting Samsung for support who will then after much trouble refer to a technical or repair facility that's hard to get to or when you contact them they will be vague and seem only interested in collecting their diagnostic fee with no guarantee of a remedy. Or in the case of our last Samsung TV, we had issues every time we made settings to the sound bar they would default to factory every time you turned it off and the bass would be set at maximum when you turned it back on. We constantly had issues with getting the TV, soundbar and the wireless bass module to sink so that it didn't look like you watching a Japanese Godzilla movie. Then after about a year random blacklines started to appear from the left side of the screen which severely obscured the picture. We gave it to Waste Management and bought a similar Sony system. Which looks and sounds better and has been completely reliable. I recently replaced my 20-year-old Pioneer BlueRay player with a Sony UBP-X800M2 4K UHD and I bet it too will last at least 20 years. Live and learn! |
I think that costs on anything electronic will go up, particularly those components in the US made with parts overseas (and that is almost everything). Some companies will be legitimate in passing the cost of the “t” word to the buyer, others will be price gouging to increase profits. Be wary of the claim “our product is made here in the USA”. The fact is that the USA does not manufacture many electronic parts here anymore, and have not in many decades. |
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Following through with this mentality you should maybe think about other items that would also be affected. Why just the TV ? Don't stop there. Get a new refridgerator, dishwasher, washer/drier, AC units, new car. Furniture is way more expensive than the TV and as you are suggesting, most items will be subject to increases. So why wait? Go for it.
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My furniture does not tend to wear out and out right fail, @gdaddy1 , and unlike you, I can repair my 20+ year old vehicles. My AC unit only runs from June through August and in my experience they have lasted for a long time. Washing machine and refrigerator were replaced approximately two years ago before the threats of war on the American consumer started, and the drier a year before that, so they should outlive Dear Leader. My furnace is one of my other concerns. |
Just one will suffice, @jerryg123 . |
@immatthewj Wrote:
@jerryg123 is also,@hifiworld2024 Mike
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Good question. I have wondered the same thing. I decided to wait. Since even if the cost went up 50% they would still cost less than most of my audio cables.
After years of buying by cost point, my last 78" OLED and 65" LED for the bedroom have been top of the line Sony. Both were replaced under warranty when they failed in different ways. I had done my research and knew they were the most reliable at the time, so I was unlucky. They have very high video quality and the Bravia warrantee is better than the lower cost ones. When these need replacing I will replace with Sony. |
Sony , Panasonic and LG all use the same panel from LG. It seems the Sony's many times have software issues according to the Costco reviews which is the best place to buy , better prices , service and warranty by far. For me the brilliance of the QLED Samsung is far superior to the other brands and reliability is excellent. Last year and most others Samsung sells more TV's than LG and Sony combined. Can't see buying a set you don't need and as others pointed out they keep going down and also technology keeps improving. I don't buy into the tariff stuff. |
@bigtwin entry is correct and accurate. I have a Sony LED that I bought 16 years ago. That TV owes me nothing. I use it approximately 15 hours a week , sometimes more. Never fails me ( of course tomorrow it probably will crap out). I dread looking for another screen 16 years later. |
@texasblues1959 Are you really @jerry123 and @hifiworld2024 ? That is fascinating. To the OP. Your concerns are valid. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the US is not getting shipping containers at the ports. If somebody knows where thousands of factories are being built in the US right now... please tell us all. |
Container ships are down and what is coming in has about 1/3 what they used to bring in. My LG OLED is around 8-9 years old and had a complete screen and internal processor replaced a few years after warranty for just the labor costs (about $70). That's why I'll stay with LG. This is not to say it'll happen all the time but they figured out they had a lousy processor in the C class and word got around that they'd fix it just for the labor costs if you had the receipt. This has me looking at a newer model with current technology and you can get a deal on a 65" G model (entry level but it would walk all over what I have) for $999 as they blow out the old stock. As you go up the line it adds about $100 so if you need some extra features, go for it. You may not have to as the G model has 4 HDMI inputs, which is rare for an entry level product. As you go up the line, I believe they use a better processor. All the best, |
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Replaced a 42" LG with a 55 LG during a Xmas closeout when spouse complained that it wasn’t sharp enough when the distance from screen was increased.... What blew my mind was the difference in weights.....the old one required both of us to wrestle on and off the articulated wall mount, whereas the new one I could handle it with spouse spotting the proper linkup to the mount.... Early last year, the washer and dryer pair we had still worked, but were starting to push 20 years on the job; the squasher was a top load and we were interested in a stacking pair.. Got that from Costco 50% off, the one of 2 that was still boxed up (other a floor sample), the dryer (also boxed) from BB for the same off but had to day trip to pick it up in TN with the kit to stack them.... Both nice LG in the ’dark stainless’....Both quiet enough to nap to in the next room... Tariffs? Wait them out...the Chump only likes large numbers, no matter who has to pay them....except when the bill is his. *expletive* Use your fav... Samsungs’ audio buying splurge? Another ’one ring to bind them’ scenario...*yawn* Warranty woes and repairs? All of ’us’ that knew how to actually hunt a bug down and just fix IT takes too much time (= -$’s) so replace the whole board involved, just like your car. ...or any other thing that has ’died’ or merely developed ’hiccups’, for that matter. I don’t buy ’brushless’ cordless tools if I can manage it. What dies in that sort of thing with brushes is, in order: Brushes, triggers, and the reverse switch; all of which, generally, can be bought and swapped in a fat hour... Worse is a judgement call. Enough rant 'n rave.... ...and I Still can’t wrap my head around how someone can cut the cord of the tool they are using....🤷♂️😒
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When I was house hunting a few years back (7-8 yrs), many homes were "conveying" whatever wall-mounted flat screens were used by the sellers. The resolution improvements in flat screens and costs of replacements made removal an undesirable prospect. Why they thought the buyers would think that was a feature and not a bug was a wonder. The realtors basically acknowledged the fact, and one could always make their removal part of the contract. |
65-inch Panasonic plasma from 2011 is still going strong here. I added a 4K television to our workout room a few years ago but still have not seen anything that compels me to replace the plasmas in our living and recreation rooms. The newer televisions do indeed display more detail and appear brighter but our two plasmas remain enjoyable to watch due to the natural color tones and smooth tracking of motion. To me, it is sort of like an analog vs. digital thing. At some point, the newer technology will achieve excellence in detail, color, and motion and, a couple of years after that, Costco will sell them for about half the price they started at. However, for now, I am in no rush to replace our older units. |
Just a heads up for those looking for really good performance for less money than you would think you should be required to spend for good performance. the new TCL Qmk6k in the 65" inch version is a serious bargain. Its accuracy is better than average. Put it next to a Sony high end model that sells for 4 times more and yeah the Sony is better but not by much. The only way you would know its less than the best is to see them side by side. For my money I will take the TCL...if it craps out after 2 years then I didnt lose $3000 like I would with a Sony. Sony doesn't have good enough longevity and out of the box quality to justify the price paid to have it. I am a TCL fanboy at least for now. :) The 65" qm6k is about 750 at the time of this post. |
I have an 8 year old Samsung that I’ve watched for several hours every day. I’ve also got an 8 year old LG that I view for streaming and movies. When I want to get serious about watching a movie it’s definitely on the LG. It’s got the best blacks by far. I go to Costco once a week and often stop to view the new tv’s. But I’ve no reason to purchase one when I’ve got two at home that work fine. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m not about to purchase something simply because it’s new. |
@ immatthewj I saw a 65" TV recently for $268, and although it was not the newest model it wasn’t "blowout clearance" either. If you’re going to have a TV in your house at all (I don’t own one), why not put back a spare while they are this insanely cheap?
PS - I just looked on the BrandSmart site (not even where I saw the 1st deal) and they have an Element 65” Class Revolution Series LED UHD 4K XUMO TV for $279.98 this weekend. |
