I'm a TVs editor and here are five things I wouldn't spend my money on

Over the years our TV reviews and research have allowed us to develop a pretty consistent and reliable picture of the market – a benefit that means our in-house experts rarely put a foot wrong when shelling out for a new set.

We'd like to share those secrets with you. Below are five things we wouldn't want to spend our money on when shopping for a new TV.

Our ultimate guide to the best TVs for 2024 is packed with great TV picks and in-depth buying advice.

A cheaper LCD model from a brand other than Samsung and LG

It might sound harsh given the range of very capable TV brands there are, but if you're not shopping for a more expensive OLED panel, there are only two that regularly stand out in our tests.

Samsung and LG know how to produce stunning OLEDs, but also put enough love and care into their cheaper LCD models to mean there are good options for those who don't want to spend more than £1,000 on a new set.

Of the TVs we've tested that score 60% or above, nearly two-thirds are made by these two brands. Almost 80% of the Best Buy and Great Value endorsements in this bracket are commandeered by Samsung and LG, too.

There are more LCD TVs to come this year, so time will tell if the likes of Sony, Panasonic and Hisense can step up. You can browse all our Samsung LCD TV reviews and LG LCD TV reviews in the meantime to see which models stand out – including Great Value picks for under £400.

Our guide to Samsung vs LG TVs reveals more about the strengths and weaknesses of the world's two biggest TV brands.

A brand-new TV

TV manufacturers would love nothing more than for you to race down to the local store to splash out on their newest OLED on the day of launch. This would be a mistake.

TV prices are notorious for dropping steeply, and there's a fairly consistent pattern you can rely on each year:

• New TVs tend to launch from the end of May through July, commanding top prices.
• The first big wave of price drops can happen fairly quickly - sometimes just two weeks to a month from launch. Now is still not the time to buy.
• Prices can then steadily decline throughout the year, running into the Black Friday period, which is often a great time to keep an eye out for a bargain.
• But you could save even more in January, when we sometimes see another big drop.
• For the super-savvy, April is a sweet spot - but you'll probably need to act fast. This is when the previous year's TV releases begin to leave the shelves for good, so if you see a real bargain, snap it up.

The other trend we notice is that, unlike many other products, prices don't tend to yo-yo. A TV price drop is more likely to stay, at least until it is reduced even more.

Can't wait to time the market? Look no further than our guide to the best TV deals. 

A cheap soundbar

Some TVs are blessed with exceptional sound, but these are few and far between. For those who want the full cinematic audio experience, a sound bar is a must-buy alongside a shiny new set, but don't go too cheap.

50% of the soundbars we've tested that cost under £100 are Don't Buys, and while there are a couple of Great Value models around the £150 mark, you can expect to spend double that on a Best Buy.

That leaves you with three options. You could pick a TV with capable-enough sound to tide you over – our TV audio rating is born from three expert listeners, each with an extensive background in audio reproduction or live music. Or you could be prepared to spend a fair amount on a soundbar. Or use our soundbar reviews to track down an elusive Great Value bargain. 

Get tips on how to improve your TV's sound while you're waiting for that new soundbar to arrive.

A TV that's too big (or too small)

It's easy to fall in love with the stunning 65-inch (or larger) OLEDs that fill the floors of your local Currys, but don't go out shopping for a TV before you know what size you need.

Our TV screen size calculator can help – simply measure the distance between where you'll be sitting and where your TV will go, and we'll suggest the optimum size of the screen.

You should also be careful not to buy a TV that's too small – particularly if you're replacing an older set. The bezels on modern TVs have been getting thinner every year, so if you own one that's a few years old, you might find a new TV with a screen that's five inches larger isn't much bigger in terms of physical dimensions.

An 8K TV

8K promised much as the natural evolution of 4K, but this is where that shopfloor could mislead you into splashing out a relative fortune on an 8K set. Sadly, the shop is probably one of the only places you'll be able to watch that 8K content – there's very little around, and that's not something that looks like it'll change any time soon.

While 4K is becoming more available on video streaming services and the odd terrestrial channel, it's still far from ubiquitous. We took particular umbrage with the fact that despite successful trials in previous years, neither the 2024 Euros or Olympics were available in 4K in the UK, although it did make an appearance for Wimbledon centre court matches.

Fortunately there's no decision to be made on the 4K front - almost all modern TVs have it built in anyway. But 8K? Definitely not worth the expense.

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