Essentials

TV shopping guide: Super Bowl TV deals, how to buy a new TV, 4K vs 8K, OLEDs and more

By Carolin Lehmann

February 8, 2022 / 3:36 PM EST / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

Two friends watching sports on tv — Learn what TV is ideal for watching the Super Bowl and more. Getty Images

If you've been considering upgrading your TV, now is an excellent time to do so, before your Super Bowl guests arrive. But you'll want to pick a TV that will serve you beyond the big game, too. And you're likely looking for a deal to stay on budget. Plus, what do all those TV acronyms, like 4K, 8K and OLED, really mean?

Ahead: The CBS Essentials guide to all things buying a new TV. Find product recommendations below, and follow the links for more in-depth articles on each TV topic.

Super Bowl TV deals

There are plenty of TV deals available ahead of the Super Bowl. Samsung has put its best TVs for watching sports on sale, for one. There are also sales on soundbars to upgrade the audio on your new or old TV.

Check out the CBS Essentials article on which TVs are best for watching sports to pick the right one for watching watching Super Bowl LVI.

Don't have cable or streaming? Try watching the Super Bowl with a digital TV antenna.

55" Samsung Q70A QLED 4K smart TV

55" Class Q70A QLED 4K smart TV — Samsung

55" Samsung Q70A QLED 4K smart TV, $850 (regularly $1,100)

$850 at Samsung

How to shop for a new TV

Unsure where to get started when it comes to picking out a new TV? The CBS Essentials guide to shopping for a new TV walks you through picking the correct TV size, resolution, display tech and smart TV interface for you, as well as some deals available now. Plus, learn all about the new Amazon Fire TV, which feature integrated connectivity between the TV and other Amazon devices, such as Ring cameras and Echo speakers.

Want to take your new TV to the next level, or give new life to an older, not-so-smart one? Consider a Roku streaming device to upgrade your TV.

Amazon Fire TV 4-Series

43" Amazon Fire TV 4-Series, $260 (reduced from $370)

$260 at Amazon

55" Amazon Fire TV 4-Series, $380 (reduced from $520)

$380 at Amazon

4K vs 8K TVs

HD, 4K and 8K are all terms referring to a television's resolution. Full HD, or high-definition content, has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. By comparison, 4K has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels -- essentially, four times the resolution of HD content. And 8K televisions have a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels.

If you're shopping for a new TV, chances are you'll want to opt for a 4K resolution television over a standard HDTV model unless cost is an extreme factor -- most new TVs now support 4K content. While this year's Super Bowl won't be broadcast in 4K, some 4K televisions feature AI-powered upscaling to make HD content look more like 4K. (The picture quality of upscaled content won't be as good as genuine 4K, however, and some people may actually prefer the look of real HD to fake 4K.)

As for 8K TVs? There's very little content available in 8K right now, so if you pay extra for an 8K TV, you're mostly paying for (distant) future-proofing. But, again, most 8K TVs feature AI-powered upscaling.

65" Samsung 'The Frame' 4K smart TV

samsung-5522-class-the-frame-series-led-4k-uhd-smart-tizen-tv.jpg — Samsung via Best Buy

Transform your TV into a piece of art when you're not watching football. The Frame smart TV has a built-in motion sensor that activates your device to display your favorite pieces of art in 4K resolution whenever you enter the room.

55" Samsung 'The Frame' smart TV, $1,000 (regularly $1,500)

$1,000 at Samsung

65" Samsung 'The Frame' smart TV, $1,500 (regularly $2,000)

$1,500 at Samsung

65" Samsung QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV

65" Samsung QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV, $2,500 (reduced from $3,500)

$2,500 at Samsung

85" Samsung Class QN800A 8K Neo QLED TV, $4,000 (reduced from $6,500)

$4,000 at Samsung

OLED TVs

Organic Light Emitting Diode TVs -- better know as OLEDs -- are an excellent option for watching the Super Bowl. They they have elite image quality, with better contrast and more brightness than LEDs. OLED TVs typically have slim profiles -- the technology makes it possible for some OLED TVs to be less than an inch in depth.

You may want to consider buying a bigger OLED TV to fully take advantage of the difference in picture. Find enormous OLED TVs with amazing reviews in this CBS Essentials article.