Amazon Prime Day TV Sales: Worth Buying Now or Wait Till Black Friday?

The short answer: Prime Day sales on  are generally excellent, but if you want a different smart TV system, or are shopping for a midpriced or high-end model, prices might be better — and you’ll have more choices — if you wait until later in the year.

If you’re in the market for a new TV, it’s still worth paying attention to the sale prices on . The giant retailer’s annual summer extravaganza won’t have the sheer variety of brands and price drops as  or the holiday season, but if you don’t want to wait for a new screen it’s the next-best thing.

That’s because . In spring and summer the new 2022 models are first introduced, and that’s when prices are at their highest. The first big opportunity for price drops in a year is often Prime Day, but it’s just a few days long and after it’s over TV prices will remain relatively high until late fall, when the Black Friday sales start. Those sales typically last longer and are spread out among more retailers and brands. 

If you’re considering a new TV on Prime Day here’s some trends to watch for, based on my years reviewing TVs and tracking sales. They’re not set in stone, but they can give you some guidelines going in.

Amazon Fire TVs will predominate

Prime day deals often feature Amazon’s own gadgets, from to , and that group includes that run Amazon’s own Fire TV system. Featured on brands including Toshiba, Insignia and Hisense, Fire TV is also available on Amazon-branded TVs including the  (which my colleague Jared DiPane spotted is slashed to just $100 for the 50-inch model). All could receive steep discounts on Prime Day.

Prime Day TV sales will likely include a few non-Fire TV screens too. Samsung, LG, Situs Slot Online Sony and TCL TVs could get discounts, but they probably won’t be as steep as those offered on Fire TVs. That’s because Amazon tends to favor its own products, especially those that cater to its own ecosystem. That said, many compatible TVs have Alexa voice built-in, including most Samsung and LG TVs, and nearly all smart TVs run the app.

Expect lots of smaller, less expensive TVs

If you’re in the market for a high-performance models such as an , or even a midpriced LCD with a few extra bells and whistles like or , don’t hold your breath. Those features are largely absent on Fire TV models () and the non-Fire TVs on sale during prime day are often relatively entry-level too. Sure you might see some exceptions, particularly on 2021 TVs to clear inventory, but smaller, cheaper TVs are the rule.

Check Best Buy, Walmart, Target and other retailers too

Amazon’s competitors also hold sales around Prime Day to hitch a ride on the buzz. Many of them offer TV deals too, and since they don’t have a Fire TV ax to grind, they often feature a wider variety of brands, sizes and feature sets. 

Inflation is a wild card in 2022

TV prices and that was before the current spike in . That doesn’t mean you won’t find deals and discounts on TVs during Prime Day and Black Friday, but it could mean prices are a bit higher than in the past. If you don’t find a deal you like on a Prime Day TV, it could be worthwhile waiting until those sales later in the year to pull the trigger.