I’ve written numerous rants warning against buying TVs on Black Friday, often referencing this time of year as a great time to buy a good set. This time of the year has arrived, and I’ve got some tips for landing a good TV. Hopefully this guide will help your tax refund go a long way.

1. Decide what you will be using your TV for. This will go a long way in determining which set you take home with you.

2. Know how much you plan on spending before you walk into a store. It should be noted that you will need to spend at least $400-700 if you want a TV with a solid picture and color profile. If you find a ridiculously sized TV at a cheap price, the picture will most certainly suck.

3. Stores love to upsell, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. You should definitely go in with a game plan. This leads me to my next point…

4. Research, research, research! It’s good to get an idea of the different brands and what they have to offer. It’s also a good idea to scope out different price ranges. Reading reviews also goes a long way.

5. If you want a nice selection of solid TVs, you will need to go to a specialty electronics store like Best Buy or Micro Center. A store like Walmart or Target has only the cheapest TVs followed by the most expensive. If you’re a middle of the road person like myself, you will need to go to a place that has a better selection.

6. Store displays can be misleading. They are a great way to see what the picture on your favorite TVs are when they are well calibrated. One problem however is that certain options are deliberately uncalibrated next to a far more expensive option in order to push you towards buying something you weren’t planning on spending your money on.

7. BUY THE PROTECTION! You may think the protection plan is some bullshit that stores sell you on to nickel and dime you, but even the best of technology can be fickle. The manufacturer warranty will only get you so far. That two year protection can really come in handy down the road. It is the difference between the gas you spend going to the store or $500 + you’d have to spend on another set.

8. Make sure you bring the correct vehicle for the correct size TV. Some stores due to warranty and insurance reasons will not let you leave the store with a TV larger than 55’ if it cannot fit into your vehicle. A lot of warranties do not cover damage due to mishandling.

Stay classy…

 

Flemmings Beaubrun is an avid gamer and lover of music. When not working, Flemmings likes to spend his time whipping up dank beats for the masses. He also spends his weekends thrift shopping for rare video games and obscure electronics. Other times he’s in front of a TV with a giant bowl of cereal enjoying shows from the 90s.