You’re standing in the middle of a Best Buy or scrolling through Amazon, and the price tags look like a glitch in the matrix. One 65-inch screen costs $399. The one right next to it, which looks identical from five feet away, is $2,499. It’s enough to make you want to stick with your dusty 2015 plasma. Honestly, trying to figure out how much is a television in 2026 feels like a math problem where the variables keep changing mid-calculation.
Prices aren't just about size anymore. They haven't been for a long time.
The floor has dropped out of the budget market. You can literally walk into a warehouse club and walk out with a 50-inch 4K TV for the price of a fancy dinner for four. But on the high end? Prices are stickier than ever. We’re seeing a massive divergence between "disposable" screens and "investment" panels.
The $300 vs. $3,000 Gap: What Are You Actually Buying?
If you want the short answer, a TV costs anywhere from $150 to $10,000. Not helpful, right?
Let's get specific. Most people end up spending between $500 and $1,200. This is the "sweet spot" where you stop getting junk but haven't yet started paying for diminishing returns. If you spend $300 on a 65-inch TV, you are buying a backlight that will likely patchy-cloud within two years and a processor that makes navigating Netflix feel like wading through molasses.
The price of a television is dictated primarily by the panel technology. LED-LCD is the old guard. It's cheap. It's bright. It’s what you find in those "doorbuster" deals. But if you want those deep, inky blacks that make movies look like a cinema experience, you’re looking at OLED or the newer QD-OLED. These aren't just marketing buzzwords. According to data from display analysts like DSCC (Display Supply Chain Consultants), OLED manufacturing costs have plummeted over the last few years, but they still carry a heavy premium because the yield rates—the number of screens that come off the line without defects—are lower than standard LCDs.
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Then there’s the "Smart TV" tax. Or rather, the lack of one.
Have you ever wondered why a "dumb" monitor for a computer costs more than a TV with a built-in operating system? It's because companies like Vizio, Roku, and Samsung make a killing on your data. They sell the hardware at a razor-thin margin—sometimes even a loss—because they know they’ll make money back by selling your viewing habits to advertisers and taking a cut of your streaming subscriptions. You aren't just the customer; you're the recurring revenue stream.
Why Size Doesn't Scale Like You Think
It used to be that doubling the size meant doubling the price. That’s dead.
The industry has standardized on specific "motherglass" sizes. These are massive sheets of glass produced in "Gen 10" or "Gen 10.5" factories, like the ones operated by BOE or LG Display. These sheets are cut into smaller panels. If a factory is optimized to cut six 65-inch panels out of one sheet with zero waste, those 65-inch TVs will be incredibly cheap. But if cutting a 75-inch panel leaves a weird, unusable strip of glass, the price of that 75-inch set skyrockets to cover the waste.
- 32 to 43 inches: These are mostly "secondary" TVs. Expect to pay $150–$300. Don't expect HDR that actually does anything.
- 50 to 55 inches: This is the entry-point for decent tech. You can find these for $350, but the $600–$800 range is where you find 120Hz refresh rates for gaming.
- 65 inches: The current market darling. Because of manufacturing efficiencies, you can get a stellar 65-inch Mini-LED for under $1,000.
- 75 to 85 inches: Prices jump here. You’re paying for the logistics of shipping a box the size of a dinner table. Budget versions start at $700, but high-end models easily cross $2,500.
The Hidden Cost of "Cheap"
Let's talk about the processor. This is the part nobody checks on the box.
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When you ask how much is a television, you have to account for the "frustration tax." A cheap TV uses a weak processor. It struggles to upscale 1080p content (like sports or older cable shows) to 4K. It looks blurry. It stutters. Brands like Sony charge a premium—often $200 to $500 more than a comparable TCL or Hisense—specifically for their "Cognitive Processor" or equivalent chip. Is it worth it? If you watch a lot of low-bitrate streaming or live sports, yes. If you only play 4K Blu-rays, maybe not.
Also, consider the brightness. Cheap TVs usually top out at 300-400 nits. In a bright living room with windows, that screen is basically a mirror. You’ll see your own reflection more than the show. A mid-range Mini-LED (like the Hisense U8 series or Samsung’s Neo QLED line) can hit 1,500 to 2,000 nits. You’re paying for the ability to actually see the image at 2:00 PM on a Sunday.
When to Buy (The Calendar Strategy)
Timing is arguably more important than the brand. The television lifecycle is predictable.
New models are usually announced in January at CES (Consumer Electronics Show). They hit shelves in March and April at "MSRP"—which is the most expensive they will ever be. Don't buy then. Honestly, just don't.
By Super Bowl Sunday (February), the previous year's models are at their absolute lowest prices. Retailers are desperate to clear warehouse space for the incoming stock. This is when you can get a "flagship" TV for mid-range prices. Black Friday is great for "derivative models"—these are special versions of TVs made specifically for holiday sales that often have fewer ports or cheaper speakers. They look like a deal, but they're often slightly stripped-down versions of the standard retail units.
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Gaming Features: The New Price Driver
If you own a PS5 or an Xbox Series X, the price of your television just went up.
Gamers need HDMI 2.1 ports. They need VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). These features used to be exclusive to the $1,500+ tier. They’ve trickled down, but you still won't find a reliable 120Hz panel in the "budget" bins. For a true gaming-optimized screen, you're looking at a baseline of $700 for a 55-inch. If you go cheaper, your games will feel "floaty" or laggy because the TV can't keep up with the console's output.
Practical Steps for Your Next Purchase
Stop looking at the resolution. 4K is standard now; even the cheapest trash has it. Instead, focus on these three things to determine if the price is fair:
- Check the Dimming Zones: If it’s an LCD/LED, ask how many "local dimming zones" it has. If the answer is "none" or it's "edge-lit," don't pay more than $400. You want Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) or Mini-LED.
- Verify the Refresh Rate: Look for "Native 120Hz." If the box says "120 Motion Rate" or "CineMotion," it's actually a 60Hz screen using software tricks to fake it. True 120Hz is worth an extra $200.
- The "Bedroom" vs. "Living Room" Rule: If the TV is for a dark bedroom, an entry-level OLED is the gold standard because of the black levels. If it's for a bright living room, save your money on OLED and buy a high-brightness Mini-LED.
The market in 2026 is weirdly bifurcated. You can spend very little if you don't mind a slow interface and mediocre brightness. But for a screen that actually does justice to modern movies and games, the "real" price starts at $800. Anything less is a compromise you'll likely notice every time the sun comes out or a dark scene plays.
Before you swipe your card, search for the specific model number on sites like RTINGS. They do objective testing that cuts through the marketing fluff. A "V" or a "C" at the end of a model number can mean the difference between a high-end panel and a holiday-special dud. Stick to the mid-range of reputable brands unless you have a dedicated home theater, in which case, prepare your wallet for the $3,000+ enthusiast tier.