Image: sony
Prime Day might be the smartest time of the year to buy that new TV. Hear us out.
Waiting for Black Friday excludes a few key TV situations in the upcoming months. Grabbing a 4K TV now means you’ll be set for football games that won’t require guessing where the ball is, Halloween movies that don’t require getting lost in shadow scenes, and an all-day fireplace in 4K on Thanksgiving. Scoring a TV during Prime Day 2021 specifically sets you up for a sweet Olympics experience.
This Prime Day, Amazon has two main pockets of TV deals: Its own mid-size Fire TV-edition TVs and a few juicy 2021 releases like Samsung’s Neo QLED and LG’s C1 series. Expect affordable 40- or 50-inch TVs to get even cheaper with Walmart’s Deal for Days event and expect savings on 60-, 70-, and 80-inch OLEDs (similar to Amazon’s target) at Best Buy’s various flash sales.
4K TV models listed below are organized by retailer, then size and price. Check back as more deals drop during the second leg of Prime Day. TVs with a strikethrough have sold out already but could make a second appearance.
Amazon Prime Day
OUR TOP PICK: Samsung 65-inch Q900TS 8K QLED Smart TV (QN75Q900TSFXZA) — $2,697.99 (save $2,802)
Upgrading to 4K isn’t as exciting when you’ve been watching a dated 4K TV for the past few years. Double your resolution for less than $3,000 with Samsung’s 2020 8K entry: The Q900TS. The combo of accurate black uniformity, precise local dimming, crisp upscaling monitored by artificial intelligence, and robust brightness scale make this a one-of-a-kind watch experience that you won’t get with 4K.
Best Buy: Home Entertainment Flash Sale
OUR TOP PICK: Sony 48-inch A9S Series 4K OLED Smart TV (XBR48A9S) — $1,299.99 (save $500)
We’re ditching the unspoken rule that TVs for any room but the living room need to be a dinky hand-me-down. The 48-inch model of Sony’s A9S OLED Series is particularly great for sports fans watching in the kitchen or garage. Outstanding gray uniformity and self-lighting pixels eliminate the need to squint to decipher on-screen details, and reduced input lag keeps you updated as if you were watching IRL. Light reflection isn’t an issue, either — no matter the viewing angle, which are superb any way.
Walmart: Deals for Days Event
OUR TOP PICK: Samsung 75-inch Q70T 4K QLED UHD Smart TV (QN75Q70T) — $1,797.99 (save $402)
Samsung gave us its best in the Q70T line and isn’t asking for much (money) in return. The expected advantages of Samsung’s QLED tech — a lush array of colors, dual backlighting for sharp contrast, and low input lag that’s ready for gaming — are present, plus Ambient Mode made famous by The Frame. If you want a solid purchase that you can trust to keep it crisp over the years, this is an investment to feel good about.
