If you are anything like me you love researching a decision, agonising over the little details, which screen size is best 24 vs 27 inch, should you get 144hz or will 120hz be enough, should you look for a matte or glossy finish, should you get an IPS or VA panel type.
The list goes on and on. There is even more to consider if you are buying a new gaming monitor as there are factors that can give you a competitive edge over the competition, that can make or break a game, like input lag and picture quality.
Needless to say there is a lot to consider when you look to buy a new monitor. That doesn’t mean that the best time to buy a monitor is on your schedule, new technology develops at a certain rate meaning there is a best time to buy the latest technology. If you are price aware then there are certain times of the year that are better to make your shiny new purchase.
Considering Price of a monitor
When is the best time of year to buy a new monitor?
Without question we all know the number one time to make any new consumer purchase, including technology and monitors.
Black Friday for in person shopping and cyber Monday for online shopping.
This time of the year is always when you will find the best deals, so if you can hold off until then it is possible to snag yourself a bargain monitor. Everything from old LED 60hz monitors to the new flashy LCD 240hz monitors go on sale.
As a general rule the older the computer monitor being sold the bigger the discount you could find, monitor manufacturers are looking to move old product so they can refocus efforts towards new technology so offering steep discounts at sale periods is a great way to do that.
There are also other time during the year if you’ve missed BFCM and can’t wait until next year.
January and February are great times to make new purchases including monitors and displays. Most of consumer spending is done in the last quarter of the year around the major holidays, to compensate for that monitor and TV companies discount prices at the start of the year so they can still make sales.
If you are in the US there are a lot of great TV deals around the superbowl and in late January as companies increase their advertising budget and look to take advantage of the event. Meaning around this time can be a great time to buy a new OLED TV.
Finally there is the back to school sales.
At this point you might have caught on that monitor manufacturers use sales and discount periods a lot throughout the year to increase sales when consumers don’t typically buy.
As laptops and monitors relate to office and school supplies you can snag a good deal if you buy from the right outlet that has a back to school special on.
What about buying an old or refurbished monitor?
This is another way to save on price throughout the year. Older monitor models can quickly become obsolete as technology progresses so quickly so buying an older model is a smart way to get a lower quality model for a reasonable price.
Refurbished monitors can also be great deals, you can find some that still have relatively new monitor technology and if done up correctly still have the longevity factor.
The most important thing to consider when looking at a refurbished monitor is who refurbished it, the original monitor manufacturer will generally do the best job of this and the technology replacements made are safe. Third parties can be a little more reckless and less dependable.
When to buy a new monitor for the best technology?
Technology changes quickly and this is no different in the TV and monitor world. Companies are always looking for slight improvements and drastic changes that they can make to get the leg up on the competition.
Given technology is one of if not the fastest moving development in the world it can be way too quick before your monitor isn’t the latest and greatest anymore, but that doesn’t always mean it is obsolete.
If you care more about the best monitor technology and less about durability you are probably looking at a gaming monitor where the improvement in technology means a competitive edge.
If this is the case then realistically you will be buying a monitor more frequently than the home office or casual user but we think the best time to buy for the best bang for your buck is right after a large technological improvement is made.
Small adjustments and improvements to monitors happen all the time, but big changes like reducing the input lag significantly or introducing anti glare technology are harder to come by.
That’s why right after a big change is your safest bet as it could be a while before the next game changer comes out.
Wrapping up – the best time to buy a new monitor
As you can see if you care about price or technology there are certain times of the year and technology cycle that are better than others, especially if you are after a gaming monitor or high end pc monitor.
With that said the best time to buy is still right now so you can actually enjoy your purchase.
If it isn’t close to a major sale, why delay the purchase you’ve been wanting to make any longer? But if you can hold off just a little longer, sales are a great way to snag a good monitor deal.