Cheap big-screen LCD TVs could be in trouble for Black Friday panel prices are going up

Date:
Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Description:
LCD panel prices are going up just in time for the peak TV buying season, and Samsung is considering dropping QLED

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Key LCD panel makers are upping prices this month, which is a crunch manufacturing period ahead of Black Friday and end-of-year sales There are only three TV LCD panel manufacturers, and all have decided to protect profits with price rises, reportedly
Samsung's is also said to be cutting QLED TV production by up to 80% If
you're planning to pick up a super-cheap big-screen LCD TV for Black Friday this year, you may need to temper your expectations.

Key LCD panel makers have reportedly told manufacturers including Samsung , Sony and LG that they're putting their panel prices up just in time for production ready for the busiest sales period of the year. Samsung Display doesn't make LCD panels any more, and LG Display has also stopped making
them. That means the big TV brands are reliant on a handful of Chinese panel producers who now dominate the market: BOE, TCL CSOT, and HKC. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Those producers aren't running at full capacity, but rather than increase supply and potentially lower prices, they're restricting production to "contain oversupply and defend prices", according to The Elec .

TCL CSO and HKC will raise the price of some products this month, September 2026, with BOE upping prices in the fourth financial quarter. As The Elec notes, "concerns that Chinas dominance of the LCD supply chain would
translate into greater control over panel prices are becoming a reality." You may like The best Samsung TV for all budgets, tested by our reviewers Ive chosen the best TVs you can buy to suit every budget, after hundreds of hours of real-world testing The best mini-LED TVs for all budgets, tested by our experts

The price hikes leave the big-name TV manufacturers in a bad place, because they will have locked in their LCD panel orders for Black Friday and the holidays already, and it'll be difficult for them to change their production plans.

That means price hikes on the panels used in affordable sets, which already have razor-thin profit margins, could have an effect on how exciting the TV deals on LCD models this year and with giant-screen LCD TVs being the super-popular pick right now, it could make a real difference. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Samsung has dropped QLED from its new 2026 mini-LED line-up this image compares the QLED-less budget M80H on the left with the Neo QLED QN80H on the right. The Batman provides a great test for how they handle contrast. (Image credit: Warner
Bros / Future) Does the Q in Samsung QLED stand for "quitting"? In another blow for price-conscious LCD buyers, Samsung is reportedly scaling down production of its QLED TVs dramatically, by up to 80% this year, while considering dropping QLED altogether by 2028.

QLED takes LCD panels and applies a layer of quantum dots to deliver better colors, and launched as a more affordable and very bright rival to OLED . However, as the best OLED TVs continue to get better and have a big grip on the premium end of the market, QLED has become a tech you see a lot on budget models.

According to ETNews (via FlatpanelsHD ), Samsung is slashing QLED production from 10 million units to 2-3 million units this year and shifting its focus
to mini-LED-branded and Micro RGB LED TVs. What to read next Want a cheap
OLED TV or monitor? There's good news The best 8K TVs: super-detailed
displays from Samsung and LG The best TV deals in September 2026

The high-end Neo QLED lineup is being slashed too: "Samsung Electronics' QD
TV shipment plan this year has been significantly reduced to less than 30%. Neo QLED will also produce only half of this year next year and gradually
stop manufacturing."

In 2026, Samsung launched a new line of budget "Mini-LED" TVs that don't include QLED tech , including the Samsung M80H, which we tested alongside one of Samsung Neo QLED QN80H , and found to be a clear step down in image quality.

At the other end of the scale, we reviewed the flagship Samsung R95H Micro
RGB TV, which also doesn't use QLED tech, and found it to be "a brilliant evolution" of LCD technology.

Quantum dots aren't dead, though: according to FlatpanelsHD, Samsung is continuing to invest in QD-OLED and in future technologies such as QD-EL ,
aka NanoLED, which is basically the quantum dot equivalent of OLED.

But we have to assume that if Samsung is already wavering over the viability of its QLED screens, a price rise in the panels it buys will probably just be another nail in the coffin. Thinking of buying a new TV? Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/cheap-lcd-tvs-could-be-in-trouble-for-bl ack-friday-the-chinese-companies-who-control-production-are-reportedly-raising -prices-at-a-crunch-time


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