Why you should shop for TV deals today in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday

Fans have been watching the Super Bowl for over half a century. Whether your team made it this year, you just want to see elite-level competition, or you only tuned in for the entertainment, when you watch the game, there’s one thing everyone wants: to see it clearly. It’s the perfect time to upgrade and find the best TV for watching sports, and here’s why.

While watching one game might not be enough incentive to get a new TV, retailers are trying to reduce inventory to make room for new products. This means it’s a great time to shop because it’s a buyer’s market. We provide tips on choosing the best TV deal and model for your needs. Beyond these essential considerations, we’ve rounded up the top Hisense, Amazon Fire, TCL, Sony and Samsung TV deals today. 

Shop this article: Hisense 58-Inch ULED U6 Series Quantum Dot LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV, Samsung 55-Inch Class Frame Series 4K Quantum HDR Smart TV and Amazon Fire TV 55-Inch Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV

Set a budget and stick to it (within reason)

The price range for TVs is remarkably wide. Depending on size and features, you could spend anywhere from a couple hundred dollars for a cheap TV to a couple thousand dollars (or more). If you plan to buy a TV under $500 and purchase one for $1,999, it could do some damage to your budget. However, if spending an extra $100 means you get the best size for your living space, that might be a wiser option than regretting your purchase every time you turn on the TV and realize you need to scoot closer to see clearly.

Get the right size TV for your room

When watching, you don’t want to see every individual pixel. Alternatively, you don’t want to spend money on resolution and have a screen that’s so small you can’t appreciate the details. While it ultimately comes down to preference (and how good your vision is), a reasonable starting point is to consider a display that’s half the size (measured corner to corner diagonally) of the distance you sit from the TV. In other words, if you sit 10 feet (120 inches) away from the screen, a 5-foot (60-inch) TV will provide a suitable viewing experience for most people.

A 4K TV is the sweet spot

If you prefer watching standard definition, that’s fine. You can definitely stay with a 1920 x 1080 screen. However, upgrading to 4K resolution gives you a noticeably crisper picture that’s easier to see. A few years ago, 8K resolution seemed like it was going to be the next big thing, but it quickly faded away due to lack of content and a noticeable difference in clarity. For these reasons, 4K TVs are usually the best option for most people.

Understand the terminology

There are so many confusing terms that are touted as selling points, it’s essential that you know what they mean to help you know exactly what you’re getting.

• Anti-blur technology: When you’re watching fast-paced scenes with a lot of action, such as a football game, the images can blur and make it hard to see details. Anti-blur technology reduces this blur so you can enjoy the action.
• Black level: Since it takes light to show a picture on TV, it’s difficult to get true, deep blacks. OLED TVs are the best at producing blacker blacks, but most LED TVs can also provide decent results.
• HDR: You want a TV with High Dynamic Range. This enhances the picture quality dramatically, giving you a wider range of colors and brighter highlights. 
• LCD vs. LED: Believe it or not, an LED TV is actually an LCD TV. The difference is the backlighting: an LCD TV uses cold cathode fluorescent lamps, and an LED TV uses light-emitting diodes. In general, an LED TV offers a wider range of colors and contrast than an LCD TV.
• OLED: An OLED TV is an advanced version of an LED TV. It delivers contrast control down the individual pixel, while LED TVs only offer regional control. This makes an OLED TV the best on the market, but it’s also the most expensive.
• Quantum dots: Quantum dot technology resides between LED and OLED in both quality and price. Models with this technology are categorized as QLED TVs.
• Refresh rate: The refresh rate lets you know how quickly a TV can refresh its display. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the picture appears to the human eye. While 60Hz (refreshing 60 times per second) is generally acceptable, for video games and fast-paced action, 120Hz is better.
• Smart TV: Smart TVs are simply units that are connected to the internet. This feature lets you stream content and run apps.

Don’t forget the audio

The weak link in the world of TVs is the audio. It often seems that the more you spend on the television to get a sleek, thin, Ultra HD screen with HDR, the less impressive the sound is. To remedy that, unfortunately, your best course of action is to purchase a surround-sound system.

Consider an older model

The best way to get a quality TV at a low price is to shop last year’s models. Since technology has somewhat leveled off, you won’t miss much by purchasing the bestselling TV from the previous year, and you can usually get these models for hundreds of dollars less than the newest version. The important thing is to do your homework and make sure last year’s model has all the features you want. 

Stick with recognized and trusted brands

If you aren’t big on legwork and research and you just want to buy a good TV that will suit your needs, the easiest way to do that is to shop recognizable brand names. There is always the chance you’ll get a dud or not be happy by shopping this way, but if you don’t want to put in the work (or read this entire article), this strategy gives you the best chance of getting an adequate TV.

Best TV deals right now

We scoured the market to find the top TVs on sale that will take your Super Bowl watch party to the next level. This includes smart TV deals, LCD, QLED and OLED TV deals, as well as 4K TV deals. What’s more, nearly every top pick comes in multiple sizes, so you can choose the best one for your space.

Top TV deals to set you up for Super Bowl Sunday

Best cheap TV deals (under $500)

Amazon Fire TV 55-Inch Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV

Amazon shines when it comes to delivering value. This Amazon Fire TV is affordable, yet offers 4K Ultra HD with HDR 10 to give you a crisper, more vibrant picture with brighter colors. The smart TV has three HDMI inputs so you can connect multiple devices, and offers built-in voice control so you can enjoy hands-free TV. This 55-inch model is currently offered at 29% off, with other deals on 43-, 50-, 65- and 75-inch versions.

TCL 43-Inch 4K UHD HDR Smart Roku TV

If budget is your primary concern, this smaller option might be the right fit for you. It has everything you need, from a 4K display to a 60Hz refresh rate. However, at 43 inches, it’s best for a more intimate Super Bowl crowd. This TCL TV has built-in Roku streaming, available for 26% off.  If you’re looking for something bigger, 55- and 65-inch models are also on sale.

Hisense 58-Inch ULED U6 Series Quantum Dot LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

This is Hisense’s quantum dot offering. It features 32 local dimming zones to deliver a quality HDR experience. It has a 60Hz native refresh rate and HDMI 2.1. The built-in Fire TV means you immediately have access to all of your favorite entertainment apps. You can get this Hisense TV for 42% off. Discounted 65- and 75-inch options are available, as well. 

Best midrange TV deals (under $1,500) 

Samsung 55-Inch Class Frame Series 4K Quantum HDR Smart TV

This QLED Samsung TV stands out from other models because it turns into artwork when not in use. The thin frame on this Samsung smart TV makes it possible to display replicas of paintings from museums and galleries when you aren’t watching sporting events, a movie or other content. It’s one of the top frame TVs with 4K resolution out there, available for 18% off. Aside from this 55-inch option, there are other 32-, 43-, 50-, 65- and 85-inch TV models on sale.

Sony 55-Inch XR OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV

This 55-inch Sony TV has 4K resolution, Ultra HD and HDR 10 features with a built-in Google Voice Assistant. It has a quick refresh rate of 120Hz and XR OLED motion enhancement technology that smooths out faster-moving pictures to reduce blur and pixelation.  You can snag this Sony smart TV for 33% off, with other 43-, 50-, 65-, 75-, 77-, 83-, 85- and 98-inch models on sale, too. 

Best high-end TV deals ($1,500+) 

Samsung 77-Inch Class OLED 4K S90C Series Quantum HDR Smart TV

This OLED Samsung TV has 4K HDR resolution and a QLED display with a nearly instantaneous response time. Combined with motion enhancement technology, you’ll get to watch even the most rapid live sports sequences without blurriness. It comes with Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which gives you access to the most popular games and franchises from the leading game streaming services. This model has a large 77-inch screen, on sale for 36% off, but it’s also available as discounted 55- and 65-inch versions.

Sony 65-Inch Class XR Mini-LED 4K UHD Smart Google TV

This 4K UHD TV has superior brightness and contrast, with local dimming for deeper darks and richer colors. It has a built-in Google Assistant, a fast 120Hz refresh rate, as well as motion enhancement and anti-glare technologies. This 65-inch unit is 25% off, and 43-, 55-, 75-, 77-, 83-, 85- and 98-inch models are also available at a discount.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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