While TVs might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Labor Day sales, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are offering steep discounts on brands like LG, Samsung, Hisense, and more. You can save up to 50% on premium-grade OLED models, cinema-sized 100-inch screens, and even ultra budget-friendly options from Insignia and TCL. And whether you’re looking for a small-screen for your college dorm or bedroom, or you want to invest in a high-end OLED for the ultimate home theater, you can save hundreds on some of the best TVs on the market.
Also: The best Labor Day deals live now
I review TVs for ZDNET. To help you find the best value for your budget, I put together a list of the very best TV deals I could find. If you see a TV you like, I suggest you buy it now rather than later. Sale prices are constantly changing, and the more heavily-discounted models will sell out fast, so you don’t want to wait around too long, or you may miss your chance to save. (You can also check out the TVs our readers have bought most this year.)
Also: The best TVs we’ve tested
The best Samsung TV deals for Labor Day
Samsung is best known for its flagship Neo QLED TV lineup and more budget-friendly midrange options, but they’ve also launched its own premium OLED TVs to compete with LG and Sony. Many new Samsung TVs support object tracking sound as well as Dolby Atmos for a more immersive experience while streaming or gaming. And with integrated support for virtual assistants and smart speakers, you can get hands-free control over your new TV and easily integrate it into your smart home network.
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The best Sony TV deals for Labor Day
Sony is one of the top brands when it comes to high-end OLED TVs and premium-grade QLED models. Their flagship OLEDs, as well as the rest of their TV line-up, are packed to the brim with cool features like exclusive VRR support for the PlayStation 5, support for Bravia webcams so you can make video calls from your couch, and support for popular virtual assistants.
Also: The best Sony TVs you can buy
The best Labor Day LG TV deals
LG is the king of OLED TVs, offering high-end features like a dedicated Filmmaker Mode for streaming movies and shows, a 144Hz refresh rate, and support for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium VRR for console gaming. But LG also offers solid midrange and budget-friendly options that have plenty of smart features you’ve come to expect as standard, like a suite of preloaded apps, virtual assistant support, and Bluetooth connectivity for screen sharing from your mobile devices and setting up wireless home audio equipment.
Also: The best OLED TVs we’ve tested
The best Hisense TV deals for Labor Day
Hisense is a brand most known for its midrange and budget-friendly TV options, but the brand has also released a handful of premium-grade models in recent years to compete with larger brands like Sony and Samsung. Hisense TVs offer great picture and sound, often supporting both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision HDR for enhanced audio and detailing. Many also have higher refresh rates for smooth action during live sports and fast-paced movies, shows, and video games.
Also: The best Walmart Labor Day deals
The best Labor Day Fire TV deals
If you’ve cut the cord with your cable or satellite provider, or are thinking about making the switch to fully streaming your entertainment, a smart TV that utilizes the Fire TV platform is a great option. With access to the entire Prime library of shows, movies, and music, you’ll have plenty of ways to stay entertained. But if you ever need more, Fire TVs also support thousands of apps like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max so you can stay caught up on your favorite series. Amazon has also begun to produce their own branded Fire TVs capable of Alexa Skills and that feature Alexa voice control integration for hands-free use of your new TV.
Are TVs really cheaper during Labor Day?
Labor Day in the US hits the sweet spot between summer product launches and CES announcements for the next year’s models. Since many product refreshes and launches happen in the summer when it comes to TVs, and Labor Day is the unofficial end of the season, many retailers and brands will offer bundle deals or steep discounts on older models or even brand new products in order to clear inventory space for in-demand TVs to sell during the holiday shopping season. If you don’t mind not having the very latest and greatest TV to hit the shelves, you can score a premium TV at upwards of 50% off if you keep a sharp eye on retailer deal pages.
How did we choose these TVs?
I’ve been testing and reviewing TVs for the better part of a decade, and while all TVs offer similar user experiences, not all screens are created equal. While putting together this list of deals, I kept these criteria in mind:
- Price: Premium TV options like OLED or big-screen models often come with a high price point to match their premium features. However, brands almost always offer entry-level and mid-range options to help keep you on budget when shopping for home theater upgrades. I’ve made sure to include both budget-friendly and premium options on this list to help everyone find the right fit for their space.
- Picture and sound quality: Spending a lot on a new TV doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to get the best picture and sound for the price. Many new TVs support Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound for more immersive audio without having to set up a lot of extra speakers. Some, like Samsung and Sony’s flagship screens, have object-tracking sound that follows the on-screen action. And getting great picture quality doesn’t mean you have to fork over a ton of cash for an OLED, as Mini-LED and QLED technology have improved a lot in recent years to provide better color accuracy and contrast.
- Smart features: Televisions aren’t just screens we use for entertainment anymore: They connect us to the internet, let us make video calls, and even integrate hands-free voice controls. No matter your budget, it’s important to double-check the TV you want to make sure it supports your favorite apps and external devices like Amazon Echo speakers.
- Screen size options: No two living rooms or home theater spaces are built alike, so making sure you have the correct screen size for your space is important. The best formula for finding your ideal TV size is to measure the distance from your couch to where the TV will be, then divide it by two. So if your couch is 11 feet (132 inches) from where you want the TV stand or wall mount bracket, your ideal screen size would be about 65-inches. You can go a bit larger or smaller, depending on your budget and what is available at retailers. But choosing a TV that is too big for your room can overwhelm the space and even cause motion sickness, while a screen that is too small will make everyone crowd around to be able to see.
What should I look for in a TV?
With so many different brands and screen types on the market, it can be hard to narrow down what your must-have features are for a new TV. Aside from staying within your budget, here are a few things to stay aware of while you shop for a new TV:
- Worthy upgrades: Since brands release refreshes for almost all of their TV models on a yearly basis, sometimes it’s best to wait to upgrade if the latest releases don’t offer drastic improvements to picture and sound quality, smart features, or digital privacy and security. If you’ve bought a TV in the last 5 years to use as your main screen, you can still get at least 5 more years of use before you need to upgrade.
- Connectivity options: While streaming is one of the most popular ways people get their entertainment now, there are still folks out there who prefer physical media or want to set up home audio equipment for the ultimate home cinema. Most new TVs have multiple HDMI inputs as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, but not all support AV or optical inputs for specialized audio devices or older game consoles.
- Platform support: The operating system your smart TV uses determines a lot of features you may or may not have access to. Models that use the Amazon Fire TV platform don’t have native support for Chromecast screen sharing or Google Assistant voice controls. And Google TV models don’t have built-in options for Alexa voice controls. It’s important to double-check what OS your smart TV uses to ensure that it will seamlessly fit into your smart home network.
What is the best TV to buy right now?
I picked the Samsung S95D OLED as the best TV you can buy right now. It supports both Dolby Atmos and Samsung’s Object-Tracking Sound+ technology for audio that follows the on-screen action and a more immersive experience. It has a native refresh rate of 120Hz which can be bumped to 144Hz for live sports and console gaming. And with a dedicated gaming dashboard, you’ll get access to cloud gaming services like Xbox GamePass so you can play your favorite titles without a PC or console.
Are 8K TVs worth it?
The short answer is: not really. Televisions that offer 8K resolution provide four times the detail of 4K and 16 times that of 1080p HD. And while that sounds great on paper, the vast majority of people can’t really see the difference between 8K and 4K resolution, as the human eye and brain can only process so much information. There also isn’t a way to take full advantage of the 8K capabilities, as it is too expensive to store, stream, and broadcast content in that high a resolution.
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