Donald Trump’s new tariffs have put a strange pall on the US economy. Uncertainty abounds, but prices seem likely to rise on all kinds of goods, from food to construction materials. Big-ticket electronics like TVs and soundbars may be at the front of the line. Pricing for Sony’s new flagship Bravia 8 Mk II OLED TV, expected to launch at the same price or lower than 2023’s A95L, instead came in at a significantly higher cost, and it appears other brands are following suit.
With so many unknowns, it’s no wonder I’m getting questions from friends considering a new TV or soundbar. My advice on getting ahead of the tariffs is the same advice I give about saving cash in nearly every review I write: Buy last year’s models. Sure, you’ll miss out on a new feature or two, but you’re still getting great gear at a better price. With that in mind, here are some top suggestions on the best TVs and soundbars from last year or earlier that can save you big money right now.
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TVs
Roku’s Plus Series is a great buy for those looking to spend very little on a shiny new screen that keeps things simple. Controlled by Roku’s intuitive smart system, this TV is easy to use and easy on the eyes thanks to features like local dimming for solid black levels and contrast, and punchy quantum dot colors. Voice control makes it easy to find your favorite shows, and extras like simplified Bluetooth connection and a lost remote-finder (my personal favorite) keep daily frustrations at bay.
For videophiles who haven’t jumped on OLED yet, you won’t find a better mix of staggering picture quality and value than this. Considering I spent $500 more on an LG C1 at the smaller 55-inch size a few years back, this feels like a serious steal. The C4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) adds nearly double the brightness of my older model, advanced gaming features like a 120-Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 connection across all inputs, and LG’s signature Magic remote that works like a Wii controller for point-and-click control. This is one of the best OLED TVs we’ve ever tested and would be a hot pick without tariffs. Considering the state of things, it’s a no-brainer buy.
Looking for a TV that will look great on even the brightest summer afternoons? Hisense’s U8N (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a master blaster, getting nearly twice as bright as the same model last year, and its skills don’t end there. You’ll get great contrast and black levels with minimal light bloom, vivid colors, and advanced gaming features, along with an intuitive Google TV interface to run the show.
Not every deal requires going back a year. TCL jumped ahead of the line with the early release of the value-packed QM6K (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which we named the best TV for most people, and it’s on sale now. It’s not the brightest TV in its price class, but this display wins on balance, providing excellent black levels with very little light bloom, rich and natural colors, and an impressively clear screen. It’s got great gaming features, it’s light and easy to set up, and TCL’s version of Google TV makes streaming a breeze. I’ve got no idea how long this sale will last, but now’s a great time to get it before it’s gone.
Another fantastic OLED TV, this time from Samsung, the S90 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) was easily one of my favorite TVs for the money in 2024. Now “the money” is a lot less thanks to a sale price that, at time of writing, matches LG’s excellent C4. This TV is stylish, provides fabulous contrast with OLED’s perfect black levels, and its quantum dot colors make it bright and showy yet sophisticated. The only real downside to this TV is Samsung’s lack of Dolby Vision support, but I didn’t miss it much, as the TV lit up everything I watched with its beautiful OLED glow.
This isn’t exactly a bargain-basement deal, but considering the cost of Sony’s latest OLED (if that stands), I figured I’d throw it in as a bonus. This may be your last chance for some time to get a Sony OLED that isn’t shockingly expensive. Premiering in 2023, the A95L (9/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t as bright as the latest models, but there’s a reason it won “King of TV” at the prestigious Value Electronics TV Shoutout. Loaded with a Samsung QD-OLED display and Sony’s fantastic processing, this TV is a crystal clear marvel, with some of the best picture quality I’ve experienced. This TV could fall back to its MSRP by the time you see this, but if you’ve been hoping for a premium Sony OLED and it’s still on sale, now is your moment.
Soundbars
Vizio has cracked the code on affordable audio performance, and this nearly free soundbar is the latest proof. The AIO bar (8/10, WIRED Recommends) won’t get you much in the way of extras—there’s no Wi-Fi support, no analog inputs, or even a remote—but what you will get is clear and dynamic sound that blows away your TV speakers in a singular tube that looks good on your console. The bar is easy to set up and simple to control with your TV remote or the Vizio app, and you can even wake it from your phone for Bluetooth streaming.
If you’re looking for a serious sonic upgrade in a system that lets you grow as you go, Klipsch’s Flexus Core 200 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a smooth criminal. Made with real MDF rather than just the thin plastic of most bars, the Flexus is built around performance, including up-firing speakers for immersive Dolby Atmos 3D audio. The bar alone offers plenty of punch, but you can upgrade it with Klipsch’s Flexus surround speakers and subwoofer, or even add your own sub, thanks to its rare inclusion of a traditional subwoofer output. It doesn’t include Wi-Fi but does provide Bluetooth streaming and an app for settings adjustments.
We’ve been going back in time with Samsung’s flagship soundbar since long before the tariff worries arose. The Q990 series is the pinnacle of Dolby Atmos soundbars, comprising multiple speakers, 11.1.4 channels, and an intuitive interface for clear, full, and powerful immersion. Even in a booming economy, it rarely makes sense to buy the latest iteration of the Q990 when you can usually get similar performance for several hundred dollars less. One thing you won’t get with the Q990C (now two models back) is pass-through for VRR or ALLM when you connect a game console to its spare HDMI inputs, which the new models include. Otherwise, this is the bargain buy for those after knock-out surround in an all-in-one package.
