What You Should Know Before Buying a Cheap TV

Who doesn’t love a bargain? Money is hard to come by, so you might search for ways to stretch your dollar. Whether you’re buying electronics, clothes, groceries or planning a trip, it’s only natural to shop around and get your money’s worth. Realize, however, you get what you pay for. So if you’re thinking about purchasing a new TV, there are reasons to avoid the cheapest model.

Not to say you should always buy a higher priced TV. There are certainly situations when buying a cheaper brand makes sense. Maybe you’re purchasing a television for a child’s room and they don’t need anything extravagant. Or maybe you’re purchasing an extra TV for a spare bedroom and you’re looking for a low-cost model.

On the other hand, if you’re purchasing a television for the living room or a den and you want an amazing entertainment experience, taking the cheapest route doesn’t always pay off.

1. Lower quality sound

Some inexpensive brands don’t offer the best sound quality. I discovered this the hard way when searching for a cheaper television for our bedroom. Our 10-year-old flat screen died and after days of window shopping, I stumbled on a deal I thought was too good to pass up. And, unfortunately, I was quickly reminded that we get what we pay for.

Although the price was right, the sound quality of the television was awful, and the picture quality and color was a little off, despite frequent adjusting. After comparing this television with high-quality models we’ve purchased in the past, I vowed never to purchase a low-quality television again.

We ended up buying a sound bar for this television, which greatly improved its sound. But there wasn’t much we could do to improve the picture.

2. Low-quality materials

In addition to poor sound and picture quality, the materials used to construct a cheaper TV might be inferior to those used to construct more expensive brands.

Sure, a cheap television will serve its intended purpose. But if made with cheaper materials, there’s a good chance that the TV will die early or not last as long as a higher-quality television. Typically, the average modern day television has about a 10-year life span. However, a low-quality television might die years sooner, and you could find yourself in the market for another TV in a few years.

3. Limited number of inputs/outputs

A friend recently discovered that purchasing a cheaper, off-brand television can also result in getting a television with a limited number of input and output jacks. Some higher-quality television sets comes with three or four HDMI input jacks, as well as a digital optical input.

Never assume these features come standard on all televisions. Some new bargain TVs have fewer input jacks. You might also run into this problem if you buy a used TV to save a few bucks. If you don’t receive enough input or output jacks, you’re limited in the number of devices you can connect to the TV. Before purchasing any television, think about the number of connections you’ll need, and then make sure the TV can accommodate your needs.

Buying a cheaper TV can definitely save you money, but it can also result in missing out on an amazing entertainment experience. Rather than always go with the cheapest model available, hold off buying a TV until there’s a sale—perhaps on a holiday or around Black Friday. This is when many electronic retailers mark down their prices, allowing you to buy a higher-quality TV at a bargain price.