The Big Game is one week from Sunday, and millions of sports fans are probably considering buying a new television to watch the Chiefs and Eagles play for a championship, especially with the game available in 4K UHD via FOX. We have you covered with some options for a new television if you are considering making a big purchase. And now is a good time to consider a purchase, with companies offering sales ahead of the most-watched broadcast of the year.
LG OLED
LG OLEDs keep getting better and better, both in terms of quality and price. Thanks to big sales of up to 20 percent off, you can get the LG OLED C2 for $3,999.99 at a whopping 83 inches—down to $2,499.99 for 77 inches, $1,699.99 for 65 inches, and $1,299.99 for 55 inches. The B2 is a step down in picture quality (but still superb) and is $1,999.99 for the 77-inch version. You might also be interested in the G2, which is a “Gallery Edition TV” that basically goes flush to the wall almost like a piece of art (but is the same as the C2 in terms of picture quality). The improvement isn’t expected to be massive, but just keep in mind that the LG OLED 3 series is due out in the coming months.
Sony OLED
LG and Sony are neck-and-neck to best current television offering to consumers, and Sony postures itself as the more premium option at a higher price than LG—but the Japanese company is also offering discounts around the Big Game. It starts with the Class A95K OLED, which only comes in 65-inch (currently on sale for $2,999.99) and 55-inch ($2,499.99) versions. If you want a Sony OLED and want to go bigger and are willing to spend, the 83-inch Class A90J is the way to go (currently $4,999.99).
Samsung QLED
QLED is listed here for Samsung, but they’ve also entered the OLED competition and are worth looking there too. But Samsung has excelled with QLED—which delivers a bright picture and is good for gaming but clearly isn’t as good as OLED, particularly when it comes to delivering perfect black levels—and makes for a fine option if you don’t want an OLED. For example, if you are in a bright room, QLED might make for a more comfortable viewing experience. However, keep in mind if you want to watch the Super Bowl in Dolby Vision (which is being offered by Xfinity), Samsung does not offer Dolby Vision on its TVs.
Vizio
There are other cheaper options if you want to go that route. Vizio arguably stands at the top for more of a budget television. Vizio is an American company that’s been around for over two decades now. Don’t get it twisted: Samsung and especially LG and Sony all offer superior picture quality. But if you are on a budget, either Vizio—or the lower-end (non-OLED or non-QLED) offerings from one of the big three—is probably the way to go.
Stay away from TCL
Cheaply built with subpar picture quality relative to the top players in the market, TCL is not a strong choice for a television purchase in 2023. Some might be fine with just having “4K” and might not realize the difference between TCL and a premium option. But don’t be fooled by partnerships with star players and leagues—what you’ll be getting will be a disappointment if you are expecting top quality like that of LG or Sony. I once set a TCL and an LG side-by-side, and it was no contest. Overall, you get what you pay for, and you might be better off holding your money and saving for a better option, which is getting cheaper by the year thanks to a competitive market.