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.
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 Labor Day TV deals at Amazon
Amazon–> is an official retailer for many TV brands, including Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, and Hisense. You’ll also find Amazon’s own Fire TV models as well as smaller brands like Vizio and Panasonic. However, there are also third-party sellers on the site that may or may not be official dealers, so always double-check who you’re buying from online. Amazon runs daily deal promotions on a variety of TVs and home theater accessories, so you can check back often to snag premium screens at lower prices.
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The best Labor Day TV deals at Best Buy
Best Buy–> is an official retailer for many popular TV brands like LG, Sony, and Samsung, as well as TCL, Hisense, and other small brands. With both online and in-store shopping options, you can quickly check stock, choose store pick-up for online orders, and handle returns or exchanges with an actual person rather than a customer service email address. And since Best Buy has hundreds of locations across the US, if you shop in-store or choose store pick-up for online orders, you don’t have to wait for your new TV to be delivered.
Also: The best Labor Day deals at Costco
The best Labor Day OLED TV deals
If you’re looking to upgrade your home theater with a TV that provides the best picture quality money can buy, an OLED model is the perfect option. With bold, bright colors, deeper contrast, and sharper detailing, you’ll get incredibly lifelike images that will make everything from old Hollywood classics to the latest blockbusters look their best.
Also: The best OLED TVs we’ve tested
The best Labor Day TV deals under $500
If you’re working with a smaller budget for either a second screen or an upgrade for your main screen, buying a cheap TV no longer means having to sacrifice features you want. Big brands like Samsung and LG offer entry-level screens that offer a host of smart features like integrated voice controls, native streaming support, and dedicated picture modes for watching movies or playing console games. Smaller brands like TCL and Hisense specialize in budget-friendly TVs, offering stripped-back smart TVs that focus on a great streaming experience instead of trying to impress you with a ton of extra features you may not want or need.
Also: The best Walmart Labor Day deals
The best Labor Day TV deals under $1,000
For shoppers who are willing to spend a bit more to get access to premium features or future-proof their home theater can still find great TV options in the $1,000 range. Brands both big and small offer a range of big-screen TVs and midrange models that are still packed with cool features like Dolby Vision HDR support and a dedicated gaming dashboard, but won’t break your budget.
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.
Also: The best Labor Day smartwatch deals
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