The television has come a long way from the old black and white screens of the 1950s. In fact, TV technology has probably evolved faster in the past ten years than in the previous 30. The holy grail of getting a good TV is, of course, getting the clearest picture possible. The latest iteration of that goal is the 4K TV, and the experts at DealNews are here to help you choose the best 4K TV for your needs.
Glad you asked! The most dedicated tech-heads would insist it means the television has 4,000 lines of horizontal resolution. However, the reality is a little different. Most 4K televisions have 3,840 lines. But that’s pretty close to 4,000, and the term “4K” is easier to remember.
DealNews has a lot of great Blog posts you can check for more information about TVs in general, and 4K sets specifically. You can read these to get a little more knowledgeable about the TV market and what’s available:
The Ultimate TV Buying Guide
Everything to Know about the Latest TV Technologies
What is HDR?
Want to Buy a Digital Antenna?
Most brick-and-mortar and online stores sell 4K televisions. Here are a few to check out:
Walmart
Target
Best Buy
Amazon
When you start looking for 4K TV deals, you’re bound to run into terms that don’t make a lot of sense. Here are some common terms defined, so you’ll know what you’re seeing in the stores:
HDR: High Dynamic Range. HDR refers to the color spectrum and brightness of the display. There are different HDR programs, though, with the most popular ones being HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. (For more information, see our HDR guide .)
LED Terms: The actual illumination/pixel panel of the TV.
Refresh Rate: This is how quickly a display refreshes an image. The faster it happens, the less motion blur is observed in quick-moving images. The standard is 60Hz, although 120Hz rates (and higher) are becoming more common. Beware, though: Some manufacturers often obscure the actual specs with terms like “motion rate” or “effective refresh rate.” But it’s all refresh rate.
Smart TV: A smart TV will connect to the Internet, either via WiFi or an Ethernet cable, and it comes with built-in streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now. Most 4K TVs are “smart,” but you can always use your preferred streaming device like Roku or a Fire TV Stick to get your desired programming.
Many people would say, “Bigger is always better!” That may be true, but buying bigger also means having a bigger budget and a bigger room for your TV to live in. So the first thing you have to do is decide what your budget is, and how much space you have for your new TV.
If you don’t have much room, or you live in an upstairs apartment, for instance, it may not be practical to buy an 80” TV! Even if you do have the space for a large TV, staying within your budget is still important.
Maybe. If you have wall space and can attach items to a wall (if you live in an apartment, check with management first), you probably can. Make sure your mounting hardware can handle the TV size you choose, and that you have the tools to install the bracket properly.
Otherwise, it’s always safe to have your TV sitting on a cabinet or another platform that can hold it. While a cabinet may take up floor space, you can use it for storage or other hardware, like a router, cable box, or satellite box.
Most stores have a return policy that includes TVs. It’s usually posted on the store website, so it’s always a good idea to check that out before you buy. If you buy in a store, ask an associate about the policy. Make sure you keep the receipt, invoice, or packing slip (if you have it shipped), as well as the box — at least until you know you want to keep the set.
Most TVs will come with a remote, and will walk you through the steps via the setup menu. Make sure you have your router’s password handy when you do this. Some sets may automatically detect your WiFi and simply prompt you to enter the password.
You’re buying a big ticket item, so your budget will determine your purchase. If there’s not much difference in the price between the LED and QLED displays at the size you want, you may want to bump up to the QLED set for a better, clearer picture.
Buying OLED will cost much more. An OLED set may cost twice as much as a QLED set, but you will get the OMG! picture clarity you paid for. Just make sure you have the cash on hand.
No, but that’s changing. More cable providers (and streaming services) are upgrading their service to be compatible with 4K TVs. Of course, you can still watch regular TV with a non-4K provider. Some local network channels offer separate digital HD channels for a better viewing experience.
You can shop the latest and best deals for 4K TVs on DealNews in three ways:
Amy Pollick lives in Decatur, Alabama and is based in our Huntsville office. She worked over 23 years for a daily newspaper and has been at DealNews since April 2016. She's married and has three spoiled cats. A music nut, she can be found listening to the Beatles, the Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and other quality bands/tunes.
Preorder any of Samsung's new 2024 TVs at Amazon, and you'll get the Samsung UN65TU690TFXZA TU690T 65" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for free. Plus, Prime members also get $100 off each order. Here are the new TVs, with their starting prices after the Prime discount:
We've picked out this Samsung 65" OLED 4K S95C Series Quantum HDR Smart TV for $1,747.99 (best we've seen; most charge above $2,000.) Shop Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
Insignia Fire TVs start from $69.99, while Amazon's own Fire TVs start from $119.99. We've pictured the Amazon 4-Series 4K55N400A 55" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for $329.99 ($150 off). Shop Now at Amazon
Many of these refurbs are current models priced hundreds less than new, factory-sealed units. We've pictured the refurbished Samsung Q80C QN65Q80CAFXZA 65" 4K HDR QLED UHD Smart TV for $944.49, which is $253 less than what Amazon charges for a new one. Shop Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
Samsung's 2024 TV and audio line-up is now available to pre-order. Pre-order any of the new TVs (detailed below), and you'll also get a Samsung TU690T 65" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for free. (A savings of around $450 right now.) Pre-order the Samsung Music Frame (a customizable speaker that displays your photos) and you'll get a $50 Samsung.com credit. Here are the new TVs, with their starting prices:
Save on 50" to 75" sets, with prices starting from $300. We've pictured the Hisense 58U6HF 58" Class U6HF Series ULED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV for $419.99. ($130 off) Shop Now at Amazon
Save on TVs starting at $269, high-end projectors starting at $700, speakers from $95, streaming media players from $125, receivers from $149, and accessories including wall mounts, cables, and more. We've pictured the LG UQ7570PUJ 50" 4K HDR Smart LED TV for $326 (a price low by $103). Shop Now at B&H Photo Video
Take at least 33% off select models. We've pictured the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series 43" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV for $229.99 ($140 off). Shop Now at Amazon
Refurb Samsung TVs start from $444.99, but you can also save on LG and Sony, as well as TV wall mounts from $23.99, and a Fire TV Stick 4K for $22.99. We've pictured the Samsung QN95B QN55QN95BAFXZA 55" 4K HDR 120Hz QLED UHD Smart TV for $939.99 ($140 less than a new one). Many items carry a 90-day Woot warranty, but warranty length and backer varies – info is available on each product page. Shop Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
That's a great price for a 65" 4K TV and the best price we've seen on this one in a year. Buy Now at Walmart
It's the best price we could find by $502. Buy Now at Amazon
That's $100 less than the best price we've seen for a new one. A 90-day Woot warranty applies. Buy Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
That's its best-ever price. Buy Now at Amazon
It's $300 off and at the best price we've seen. It's also within striking distance of being an all-time low for any 75" 4K QLED HDTV. Buy Now at Amazon
We've pictured the LG 65" Class UR9000 Series 4K Smart TV w/ Alexa for $546.99, down from $630. Shop Now at Amazon
It's $250 at Best Buy. Buy Now at Amazon
It's $520 under list and the lowest price we could find. Buy Now at Amazon
That's $170 under our mention from a year ago and the lowest price we've seen. Buy Now at Walmart
Members get this for $100 under list price. That's $20 under Best Buy and the lowest price we could find, so it's well worth the currently discounted cost of membership right now. (See "Related", just below.) Buy Now at Sam's Club
You'd pay $181 at Best Buy. Buy Now at Amazon
