Ask Engadget HD: Is this the best time to buy a new HDTV?
By Richard Lawler 
posted February 3rd 2010 3:30PM
posted February 3rd 2010 3:30PM
"With the Super Bowl coming up, it got me thinking - what's the best time to buy an HDTV with regards to price? I'm assuming right before the new ones come out, but when exactly is that? Or is that not even the right time?"
There it is, simple and plain. Is this the time to buy, do you wait a few months for 2009's HDTVs to thin out and the new 2010 models to hit, or are you bargain hunting on Black Friday? Of course, if anyone has spotted a particularly sweet deal, feel free to let us all know where in the comments.
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@roper Plasmas could beat a regular CCFL LCD, but the LED LCDs are truly the best experience out there, short of a front projector in an engineered room of course with a specialized screen.
The LED LCDs not only have the best black levels, but the 120/240hz TVs don't have the motion blur issues.
Plasmas draw a LOT more power than LCDs.
LCD has never had a burn-in issue, Plasmas had that under control when they became obsolete by the LED LCDs (although they were still a poor choice long before LCDs matched their black levels).
@(Unverified)
Your post is among the funniest.
1. Plasmas continue to routinely beat LCD's of all types in picture quality.
2. The highest end LED LCD's have been able to match the best plasma black levels, but none have been able to surpass them.
3. 120/240Hz TV's do have motion blur issues and give you that disgusting video game look when displaying something produced on film.
4. LCD's can suffer from image retention.
Now, let's look at the facts on energy consumption for a moment to dispute your claim that plasmas draw a LOT more power:
Panasonic TC-P54G10 plasma: 293 W
Sony KDL-52NX800 LED LCD: 169 W
Sony KDL-52XBR10 LED LCD: 248 W
The Samsung's draw less power, but we still aren't talking about much. You're talking about saving $25 - $50....A YEAR.
@Robert Mechum
1/2: Yes, the black levels are roughly equivalent between LED LCDs and Plasmas, but the LED LCDs have a much nicer, sharper picture. Plasmas are basically squished CRTs, which is a DEAD technology.
3. HUH? Video sources are 60hz in the first place, 120hz eliminates motion blurring.
4. LCDs may have some very short image retention, but its nothing significant enough to be called burn-in like plasmas used to have. Its a non-issue on any technology available on the market. That being said, I wouldn't leave it on a stationary image all day, but there shouldn't be stationary objects up for more than a few minutes, and tickers can be wiped out by switching channels.
I can't find power numbers, but plasmas are fundamentally power hogs. LED LCD is the technically the best TV (excluding front projectors) in every way, but they can be cost prohibitive against CCFL LCDs, which is why CCFL LCDs are still much more popular. Also, some plasmas, up to 42" aren't even 1080p! If you're going to settle for anything less than 1080p, get a used LCD off Craigslist and get a good TV for probably $500 or less.
@(Unverified) Wrong... LEDs do NOT have the best black levels... Plasmas still have the best black levels... LEDs are very close to having plasma quality blacks...
and as for the motion blur issues, you have NO clue what youre talking about... They still have motion blur issues... Just do a google search on motion blur on the new samsungs...
The amount of juice ont he 2008 and up lines of plasmas draw the SAME amount of juice as LCDs.... Backlit LEDs have the possibility of drawing more juice than a plasma...
LCDs DO in fact have burn in issues... they are NOT immune to them... Ever read an LCD or an LED manual? Ever actually seen one? I have... the pixels burn themselves to a single color and stay stuck...
and plasmas are still not obsolete... Youre just one of those tools that are fooled by a 17 yr old best buy employee who can't even afford a TV making judgement calls with zero experience... Go do some homework before you speak next time... you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about...
@(Unverified) @(Unverified) Wrong... LEDs do NOT have the best black levels... Plasmas still have the best black levels... LEDs are very close to having plasma quality blacks...
and as for the motion blur issues, you have NO clue what youre talking about... They still have motion blur issues... Just do a google search on motion blur on the new samsungs...
The amount of juice ont he 2008 and up lines of plasmas draw the SAME amount of juice as LCDs.... Backlit LEDs have the possibility of drawing more juice than a plasma...
LCDs DO in fact have burn in issues... they are NOT immune to them... Ever read an LCD or an LED manual? Ever actually seen one? I have... the pixels burn themselves to a single color and stay stuck...
and plasmas are still not obsolete... Youre just one of those tools that are fooled by a 17 yr old best buy employee who can't even afford a TV making judgement calls with zero experience... Go do some homework before you speak next time... you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about...
@(Unverified) again... please dont ever speak about things you dont know... youre throwing out so much misinformation about tv technology... youre sooo far off on how these things work...
@(Unverified) LEDs fundamentally have perfect blacks, due to the technology. They are absolutely stunning in comparison to the current standard of CCFL.
Modern sets that are 120hz or 240hz don't have motion blurring issues of any significance. That's an issue from years ago with computer monitors on high-FPS games and first-generation LCD HDTVs.
Plasmas fundamentally draw a lot more power than LCDs, and LEDs are MUCH more efficient than even CCFL LCDs. An LED backlit set isn't going to draw the same amount of power as a CCFL set, much less more power.
Plasma is dead, and has been dead for several years. They are expensive, power hogging sets. In fact, Plasma never was a good technology, as DLP RPTV was the thing for a while, and then the CCFL LCDs came down in price and took over the market. I don't believe anything that the Best Buy people say because they don't know anything. Although I'm not totally up to date, I have read many reviews of HDTVs over the years, and I know what I am talking about.
The best (non projector) technology out there right now is undeniably LED LCD, although I think you would have a very good argument that CCFL HDTV is the best thing to buy right now because it is a better value.
Unfortunately this entire thread started out in the toilet because of the very first post. People just can't stand not getting in their prejudice remarks no matter what the question.
Now is a good time to buy a HDTV but the newer technology upgrades coming out in the next few months looks to be more significant than in average years. If possible, and that's a big if, I would wait till Black Friday and see what shakes out. That's a long time though.
On topic post:
With 3D just over the horizon, I would hold off for a year.
1. We should wait until 3DTV is out before we judge it.
2. Even if you don't want 3DTV, it should drive down the prices of non-3D-capable televisions.
I cannot wait for the forthcoming (August 2010) 72" Vizio LCD LED backlit 480hz 3D television, at a $3500 price point. I need a panel bigger than 65" for the living room. I have a samsung 63 plasma in there and it seems small to me.
A tv with in that size with that feature set at 3500 dollars will be very disruptive to the pricing of large LCDs, which is always a good thing for the consumer, regardless of the brand you prefer.
@roper how far are you sitting from your TV?? 72" is huuuuge (thats what she said)...
@andyg8180
I sit about 13 feet from the tv - like 2.5x diagonal - my living room is about 20 x 30 so any tv will seem small in there. The 63 is, and the 72 will be, just used for casual viewing, like news and sitcoms.
@roper That's what we call pampered :) Although I used to think 50 inches (in general) was huge. Now it seems anywhere from 40 to 50 is becoming normal and if you have money TV sizes don't seem to even *start* to become absurd until well past 60something inches.
I'll receive it next monday. Of course it just had to be one day after the superbowl. I delayed my order a bit just to do some extra research and take a look at iat at bestbuy. They had a nice crappy SD feed going to it in store, so i really just looked at its physical characteristics there. For performance i've relied on the many review that I've found online. We'll see next week.
@yaksplat yea my BBY was obnoxiously backordered. The kid walked to the back warehouse and found 1 left... Side by side with an LED, the LED was obviously brighter, but the plasma was just awesome... I threw some movies i snagged from bit torrent on a pen drive and the TV accepted it and played it VERY cleanly...
Good luck with your new toy!
stupid commenting system.... this was a reply to the one i started above
I saw a 50 inch Panny at BJ's last night for around 749. Sure would look nice in the living room. I know it's only 720p but most people can't tell the difference and 720p is a lot better than the 480i set it would replace. If my wife is reading this, valentine's day is coming soon.
@N8theGr8
I bought that same 50" for my father-in-law and have been very impressed with it - it is an excellent bargain.
Here are some of the best options available right now:
Panasonic TC-P50G10: $1,271
Panasonic TC-P54G10: $1,499
Panasonic TC-P54S1: $1,367
Panasonic TC-P58S1: $1,599
Panasonic TC-P65S1: $2,199
I believe it's a game of luck and patience. You will find the best prices when the model gets discontinued. You need to snag it up before it's gone for good.
This is a great idea and all until you realize that the newer model will have additional features at a great price.
I was waiting for the end of life cycle for a Panasonic G10 or V10 until I lost my job. It seems like a perfect TV for me as it is. I don't need any additional features I was waiting for my pricepoint.
You just need to be careful. You need to pick a model you like and don't listen to everyone above. If you like Vizio, awesome. If you want a Kuro, great. Find one that makes you happy and wait till it gets reasonably priced. In a few years you can buy the same TV for half the price. It happens to everyone.
You asked for it. Good deal on a 42-inch 240Hz LCD HDTV, Toshiba's REGZA 42ZV650U for $734.93 http://dealzon.com/deals/toshiba-regza-42zv650u-42-inch-1080p-lcd-hdtv-black
I recently purchased a 46" Panasonic plasma and consulted with multiple stores and vendors on this exact question.
Basically, the best time to buy a 2009 HDTV would have been between November and December of 2009. Money flows more freely before Christmas and retailers are eager to trim their inventory before the 2010 models are announced.
I'll be frank: if you're going for a big HDTV (42+ inches) pass over the LCDs and head straight to the plasmas. The picture looks great from any seat in the room (the picture color on LCDs will change if you don't sit exactly in front of them), there is no "input lag" for gaming, and there is no "ghosting" which appears as a blurry picture in fast-moving scenes. Another huge plus: plasmas are almost always cheaper than a same-sized LCD.
One caveat with store shopping: Plasmas do not "show" as well as LCDs in a brightly-lit store - these environments are totally unrealistic of the light level in your home. The stores also put their plasmas in "Store" mode which is meant to over-brighten the image to make it look like an LCD.
Also, LCDs tend to be pricier AND carry a higher profit margin for the stores - that's why these are getting over-hyped.
Myth buster: Burn-in on plasmas is a thing of the past. Yes, there is "image retention" which, for lack of better words, is "temporary burn-in". But- when I say temporary I'm talking seconds or, worst case scenario, a few minutes. It is typically only visible if you put up an entirely black screen and the room is dark.
If you're committed to getting a TV this month, yes, you will get a good price on the 2009 models, just not the _lowest_ price that has been offered.
If you're willing to hang out for 6-9 months, the 2010 Panny plasmas are incorporating technology used in the much heralded Pioneer Kuro displays. Also, the MSRPs year-over-year are actually lower.
Whatever you do, don't get stuck in the waiting-game of "better is just around the corner". Flat-screen technology is _finally_ getting close to the picture-quality of CRTs and chances are good you will enjoy whatever you buy!
@Joseph Mama jeezus... its about time someone spoke correctly on this topic... nice job Joseph, you couldnt have said it better...
the 2010 lines are gonna be nice... all thin panel plasmas... very sexy...
I would never buy a vizio cus I kno I can get something better for a lil more. Vizio is low quality. You u guys that like vizio jus havnt seen what good quality is. Trust me it gets way better than a vizio. Vizio sucks.
I've been waiting just around the corner for years now. I've still been waiting for the SED...lol! I still have my 27' Zenith from Circuit City I bought for our first Christmas 12 years ago (as a newlywed). If you want to make fun of somebody, I probably deserve it.
Very nice