While you’re working off the extra carbs and gearing up for a winner-take-all round of Black Friday shopping, you may want to pause if a big screen TV is on your Santa list.

Believe it or not, Black Friday may not be the best time to go out and pick up that monster television. According to experts, Black Friday is a good time to find some great prices, but that can be tricky.

Often the TVs offered for sale on Black Friday are on the lower end for performance. Lower screen refresh rates and other small changes can make a big difference in your television watching experience.

In fact, some brands actually create lesser quality televisions with the intention of selling them on Black Friday, holding back on tech to lower the cost.

So while your new home screen may have the same brand name and size as the higher dollar models, there is a reason for that: Check out the advertised model number and check the reviews to make sure that your “steal of a deal” is actually a deal.

When Should You Buy a Big Screen TV?

As always, I love to look to football to solve my problems. 

You guessed it: The best time is ahead of the Super Bowl. The biggest sporting event of the year — watched by as many as 100 million people worldwide — is the best time to pick up a new big screen TV.

Spring is right when television manufacturers roll out their newest line of TVs. So, they need to clear off the shelves of the older televisions from the previous year. Sure, you may be getting an “older” model as soon as you buy it, but the savings are there. Plus, unlike Black Friday, manufacturers are not putting out a lesser product — these are the best of the best, just from the previous year.

So if you can hold off, do so. Plus, the big game gives you the chance to invite over the neighborhood and show off that monster TV and wow them with all the extra bells and whistles that your model should have standard. 

Happy shopping!