By Nick Gelling
Product Test Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakamātautau Hautaonga
It’s easy to spend too much on the TV showroom floor. Lights are flashing, jargon is everywhere and the pressure is on. Stay away from these 6 traps to help you come away with a cheap TV you’ll be satisfied with.
1. Buying the latest model TV
New TV models tend to be launched throughout the colder months, from May to September. Then, those models get discounted in waves over the following 9 months, before the next round arrives.
The best time to get a cheap TV is at the end of autumn, when stores need to get rid of last season’s models to make room for new stock.
For more tips, including whether Black Friday and Boxing Day sales are worth waiting for, read our article on when to buy a TV.
2. Choosing the wrong size TV
TVs always look smaller next to other TVs in the showroom, which might trick you into buying bigger than you need or can fit.
Of course, if you buy a TV that’s too small, you’re more likely to want to upgrade again soon, which isn’t cost effective. You need to future-proof against your own changeable desires too!
To figure out the ideal TV size for your space, measure the distance between your seat and where the TV will go. Then, consult our handy TV distance measurement chart.
Use our TV reviews to help you select some models of your chosen size to check in-store when you’re ready to go shopping.
3. Getting a cheap sound bar
It’s well-known that modern TVs struggle to produce great sound, and it remains a problem at large. However, you’d be surprised how decent the audio is on some of the latest TVs.
In fact, some TVs could sound worse if you hooked them up to a budget sound bar with poor sound quality.
In the past, we advised buying a sound bar alongside a new TV. But, because sound quality has improved on some TVs, we don’t think you necessarily need to do this anymore. You have 2 options now.
Buy a decent sound bar that will actually improve your listening experience. You can find the ones we recommend by checking our sound bar reviews.
Get a TV with good built-in audio so you can skip the sound bar. Three models in our tests currently share our lowest sound score of 30%, while one TV stands alone on our highest rating of 85%. To find out more, see our TV reviews, which include a ‘sound’ score.
4. Getting sucked in by an 8K TV
We thought the 8K dream would’ve arrived by 2026, but alas, there’s still very little point in buying an 8K TV.
Primarily, that’s because there’s so little content to use it with yet. Most of your favourite shows and movies still won’t be available in 4K, never mind the next step up.
8K screens are impressive technology, but they’re not an effective use of your money.
5. Paying more for an extended warranty
Rejecting the extended warranty is the easiest way to save money on a big purchase.
Extended warranties usually charge you extra for protection you already have under consumer law. Read more about our stance on extended warranties.
6. Choosing an unreliable brand
We survey thousands of New Zealand TV owners every year to find out which brands are more prone to faults. Some faults will be repaired under warranty or by invoking the Consumer Guarantees Act. However, others won’t – which could have you pouring a lot more money into repairing or replacing the TV a few years down the track.
If you’re a Consumer member, you can see the best TV brands for reliability on our buying guide.
