CES 2022 is technically still on, albeit in COVID-shortened, sparsely attended form, but the important news about new TVs is out of the bag …
CES 2022 is technically still on, albeit in COVID-shortened, sparsely attended form, but the important news about new TVs is out of the bag as the annual show opens Wednesday. Most major TV-makers have introduced their biggest and best screens, talked up improved picture quality and dropped buzzwords like HDMI 2.1, mini-LED and 8K resolution. Most will be familiar to TV shoppers, while some that are actually new, like QD-OLED, are mashups of existing terms that still require lengthy explanation. As CNET’s resident TV reviewer, I can link you to plenty of places to read those lengthy explanations, but this article isn’t one of them. Instead you’ll find my best advice on what those new introductions mean and how, when and even if it’s worth buying a new TV. Let’s dive in. Unless your current TV is broken, no you don’t. But if you want a TV in another room, or your current TV feels like it’s getting long in the tooth, its screen is too small or you want better picture quality or a better smart TV system, you might want a new TV. And if you’ve saved a bunch of money during the pandemic by not traveling or commuting to work or eating out, maybe you have a little extra to indulge that want. Depending on how old your current TV is, a new model — whether one released in the last year or a new TV just announced at CES — could be a sweet upgrade you’ll appreciate every time you watch. Starting in the fall. New models like the TVs introduced at CES 2022 appear in spring and their prices are highest then. Significant discounts start in November and go through Black Friday and the holiday season.
