With the quality of TVs from each year getting so close, it’s a better idea to save big on last year’s models.
With the quality of TVs from each year getting so close, it’s a better idea to save big on last year’s models.
by
is a senior reviewer covering TVs and audio. He has over 20 years experience in AV, and has previously been on staff at Digital Trends and Reviewed.
There are three times of year that are best for buying a new TV: leading up to the Super Bowl, Black Friday, and of course now, during Amazon Prime Day. Many of the new 2026 models have been released, and while some will be seeing discounts, the majority of the best deals are going to be on last year’s TVs.
While you might feel FOMO setting in, I don’t think there’s much to worry about. The quality of TVs — from budget models up to flagships — is closer than it’s ever been. And that goes for year-to-year improvements, as well. There’s been so much focus in the TV industry on new high-end RGB LED TVs coming out, like the Sony Bravia 7 II. Sure, the tech is interesting, but its performance is not drastically different than the LED TVs from 2025. Even OLEDs from last year can outperform some of the new RGB LED TVs.
We’re in a heyday of TV technology, and during the Prime Day sale, there sure are lots of options. These are the ones I think are the best right now. I’ve also included discounts on streaming devices.
The best deals on 4K TVs
- 65 inches is a sweet spot for TVs, and getting one as good as the TCL QM6K for only $527.99 at Amazon and Walmart is worth it (it’s only $2 more at Best Buy if you prefer them, too). It’s particularly good for someone looking for a lower-priced gaming TV, as it supports high refresh rates up to 4K/144Hz with a PC (or 1080p at 288Hz) with VRR and has low input lag. It’s not the light cannon that more expensive TCL TVs are, but in a light-controlled room there’s enough brightness for watching or playing anything.
- You and The Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel will own the same TV if you buy the Sony A95L, for 23% off. This 77-inch QD-OLED has incredible picture quality, thanks it part to Sony’s industry-leading processing. It’s still $3,498 during this Walmart sale and $3,499 at Best Buy, but if you want one of the best TVs ever (and a multi-year winner of the Value Electronics TV Shootout) this is the lowest price we’ve seen on it.
$1398
The QM8K delivers TCL’s best performance for the price in its 2025 TV lineup, and it still competes with 2026 TVs.
- If you do need or want a bigger high-brightness TV, there’s the 75-inch Hisense U8QG for $1,299 at Amazon and Best Buy. And if you want to go really big, Best Buy has the 100-inch for $2,220, which is ridiculous pricing for a TV so big. When I reviewed the 65-inch model last year, it was the brightest TV I had tested, with over 5,000 nits from a small window. Because of that, its HDR performance is excellent, with small specular highlights popping off the screen. And it means you don’t need to worry about ambient light ruining your ability to see the picture (and its glossy screen even handles reflections pretty well). The U8QG has great gaming support — AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR with a refresh rate up to 165Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, and good motion handling. But be aware that it also only has three HDMI 2.1 ports, with its fourth connection port being USB-C DisplayPort. So if you need to connect four HDMI sources, this isn’t the set for you.
The best deals on streaming devices
- One thing you can be certain of during Amazon Prime Day is that Amazon products are going to be on sale, even newly released updates like the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, now available for $15.99 (54% off its usual $34.99 price). This new version of the 1080p streaming stick has a smaller design — both in terms of width and volume — so its less obtrusive in a TVs HDMI port. The Fire TV Stick HD can now be powered by a TVs USB port instead of needing to be plugged into an outlet or power strip. And it comes with the new Fire TV OS, which is far better organized than it used to be and quite a bit faster, too. Since it’s a 1080p-resolution streaming stick, it’s probably best relegated to a secondary TV or a smaller one where the lower detail won’t be noticed as much.
$35
Amazon’s most capable streaming stick is faster than its predecessor with Wi-Fi 6E and double the storage. It also now displays widgets and artwork when idle while continuing to offer Alexa integration. Read our review.
- Google TV OS has emerged as one of the best options for a smart TV OS. If it’s not included on your TV and you need to get away from the baked-in Tizen OS on your Samsung TV (trust me, I get it), then the Google TV Streamer 4K is exactly what you need, especially if you’re already in the Google smart home ecosystem. During Prime Day it’s available for $74.99, which is the lowest we’ve ever seen it for.
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