TV Black Friday 2020 deals: Are they worth it?

Gunnar Rathbun/AP IMAGES FOR WALMART

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR WALMART - Excited shoppers line up at Walmart's Black Friday event on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 in Bentonville, AR. The retailer offered store maps for customers to find popular products like televisions, tablets, drones, toys, small appliances and children's clothing. (Gunnar Rathbun/AP Images for Walmart)

By: Lauren Schwahn, Nerd Wallet

TVs steal the Black Friday spotlight year after year, for good reason: Electronics retailers, big-box stores and wholesale clubs all cut prices on TVs of different brands, sizes and resolutions. In the past, retailers often reserved the biggest deals for in-store shoppers. But with the pandemic still going on, there’s a good chance you’ll see more online doorbusters than ever this year.

Many TV bargains kick off at specific times or will be available in limited quantities, so you’ll have a better shot at them if you act fast. Check out our deal breakdown below.

What are the best Black Friday TV deals in 2020?

Retailers’ Black Friday TV deals are starting to land. Here are some of our top picks:

Amazon is advertising discounts on select Samsung and Sony TVs, plus up to 25% savings on TVs 75 inches and larger.
Best Buy’s sale will include a 70-inch Samsung 4K Smart TV for $529.99 ($220 savings). This deal is only in stores, beginning Sunday, Nov. 22.
Best Buy is also shaving $200 off the Insignia 50-inch Class LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV Edition TV (on sale for $149.99, regularly $349.99). The TV will be available in limited supply starting Nov. 26 online.
Costco’s sale features several TVs, including a Samsung 70-inch Class Q6DT Series 4K UHD QLED LCD TV for $999.99. It comes with a $65 Allstate Protection Plan bundle and a six-month Showtime credit. The deal is available online and in stores through Nov. 30.
Dell is selling a 65-inch LG OLED 4K Smart Ultra HDTV for $1,999 ($800 savings).
Target has a 65-inch TCL 4K UHD HDR Smart Android TV in limited quantities for $229.99 (regularly $399.99). The sale starts Nov. 22 online and in stores.
Target also has a 65-inch Sony UHD HDR Smart Android TV for $629.99 (regularly $799.99). Shoppers can get a $30 Target gift card free with the purchase.
Walmart is offering a Vizio 70-inch Class 4K UHD TV for $478, online only in limited numbers. The deal launches Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. ET.

What were the best Black Friday TV deals in 2019?

In 2019, as in past years, you could find TVs on sale almost anywhere you looked. But major Black Friday players like Target and Best Buy lived up to their reputations, serving up supreme savings.

Best Buy’s sale included the Insignia 58-inch 4K UHD HDR LED smart TV with Fire TV and Amazon Echo Dot for $199.99 ($280 off).
Dell offered a Vizio 65-inch 4K UHD HDR smart TV for $639.99 ($360 off), plus a $50 Dell eGift card. The doorbuster deal started Nov. 28 at 11 p.m. ET.
Target sold a 50-inch Westinghouse Roku 4K HDR UHD smart TV for $149.99 ($160 off, in-store only).

How to decide if it’s worth it

If you need a TV upgrade, now might be the time to act, especially if you’re expecting to hunker down indoors this winter.

However, Black Friday isn’t the only opportune time to buy a TV. Discounts are also common in January and February — close to the Super Bowl — and around the time new models hit shelves, which is usually in spring.

How to budget for a TV
Before you drop several hundred dollars on a new TV, decide how much you can comfortably afford to spend on Black Friday purchases. You can use a budget calculator as a guide for distributing your monthly income toward different expense categories.