With Black Friday sales starting earlier than ever, consumers are already on the hunt for deals on top wish list items — including the always-popular big screen TVs. Yet the definition of a large TV has certainly changed over the years. So has the affordability.
Ten years ago, 55- or 65-inch TV were not only considered big but cost big bucks. When LG launched its 65-inch 4K OLED TV at CEDIA in 2014, the retail sticker price was $10,000. Today, an LG 4K OLED runs in the $2,000 – $3,000 range, depending on the model. And some 2024 Black Friday deals have select models priced under $2,000.
That’s a staggering difference over the past decade, yet not entirely surprising given that technological advancements tend to be cheaper to mass produce over time. And as new technologies are introduced and competitors enter the market, prices can also start to drop. We certainly see this with TVs.
But are 65-inch TVs still considered big?
Consumer interest in even larger TVs is on the rise, a shift that can be attributed — at least in part — to price. According to Circana, the average 2024 price for 97-inch or larger TVs is $3,113 versus $6,662 in 2023. And if that seems like a drastic drop, consider that Samsung’s first 98-inch TV retailed for $99,000 in 2019 and today its four versions start at $4,000.
Sales of 98-inch-plus TVs have increased 10x this year (January through September) compared to the same period last year. And Google Trends shows the number of online searches is starting to trend upward just ahead of Black Friday — like the 85-inch did last year, as seen on the chart below.
Google Trends Search Data
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Still, the extra-large TV trend hasn’t caught up with the popularity of those now mid-sized 55- and 65-inch models. Comparing search queries for “55 inch tv” and “65 inch tv” with the queries shown above is telling. Of the consumers shopping for TVs this year, more are searching for a 65-inch than any other size. And it does make sense, given that not every household has the room or the desire for a 100-inch TV.
Google Trends Search Data
Time will tell if these Google search trends equate to Black Friday sales — and whether the 65-inch TVs will remain on top. Either way, it looks like mega TVs are here to stay.
