Should You Buy a TV Now or Wait?

posted by Suzanne Kantra on February 16, 2010
in Music and Video, News, TVs & Video Players :: 4 comments

With 3DTVs going on sale later this month, wireless video coming into more models and the usual improvements year-over-year in technology, will you regret that close-out deal you got on a 2009 model?

The guys at HDGuru.com did a great job of taking you through the details in a recent post. So following are some of the highlights.

It's a fairly easy "no," if you're buying a set that's 37 inches or smaller. You'll find more LCD models with LED backlighting for better color reproduction and energy savings, but in general you can feel good about your purchase.

The buyer's remorse question becomes tougher as you move into the bigger TVs–42 inches and larger. For entry level LCD and plasma models at prices well below $1,000, you'll still be smiling in a few months. Above $1,000, you'll be missing out on some visible improvements. For LCD TVs, you'll find smoother 240Hz motion technology, better contrast, deeper blacks and LED backlight technology with more sophisticated local dimming. And for plasmas, at the high end there's better blacks and higher contrast.

And then there's 3DTV. Online retailers are already taking pre-orders and delivery is expected later this month for Samsung models. According to HDGuru's latest post, Electronics Depot is offering the lowest price–a 40-inch Samsung model for $1,719.59. And while that's certainly not entry-level pricing, it's lower than what you would have paid last year for a similar level 2d model. So it's safe to say that 3D will not come at a significant premium.

If you've decided to forge ahead with a 2009 model, check out our recently updated Flat Panel TV Buyer's Guide. And as the 2010 models are put through their paces, we'll be updating our guide with new models for Our Picks.