Holiday TV Buying Guide 2025: 7 Things You MUST Check First
Video Overview & Insights
Easy for everyone to understand, this holiday TV shopping guide includes a seven-point checklist for you to go through before you pull the trigger on a new TV. Avoid wasted money and regret!
Retail screwed the pooch. It's the end of January and no superbowl sales yet. I need tv to make plans and invite people.
Well none of that is going to happen now.
If something goes on sale why bother wait until march when the new model rolls out get nicer tv just have party next year.
Special Hisense TV Deals starting 11/17/2025::
116-inch Monster RGB mini-LED ($20K): https://bestbuycreators.7tiv.net/3JG4ZB
What would be the difference between Mini Led vs O-LED.?
Hisense U6 (U65QF): https://bestbuycreators.7tiv.net/7aZKdd
Hisense U7 (U75QG): https://bestbuycreators.7tiv.net/3JGzYk
I'm surprised you didn't mention avoiding those special holiday models that are named very similar to the normal models that have been out all year.
Hisense U8 (U8QG): https://bestbuycreators.7tiv.net/VxGd2M
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Just saw the TCL qm8 85 inch for less than 1000.
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Hey Caleb I hope you are reading this comment. TCL qm6k or the LG qned92a? Because I can get both of these at the same price for the 65 inch (LG are doing massive rebate on the qned92a in my country).
Qned92a I read is a full array miniled so no fear of it being an edge lit. And the price was the negative point before for this model but since I can get it at around the same price as qm6k I am considering it because LG is a more reputable brand.
What do you think? Or if anyone reading this which one would you prefer?
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Caleb, what's the site you keep recommending that's like a composite of reviews?
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Any tips on insignia TVs? Are they a good option? Looking into INSIGNIA 65-inch Class QF Series LED 4K UHD QLED Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote (NS65-UQFL26)
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Thanks for the tips! 🙏❤️✨
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TCL Q77 or samsung u700f or hisense qd6?
https://bit.ly/4sFvrkR
CALEB’S PREFERRED PICKS
Another exceptional video Caleb, your new venture hasnt missed a beat... I spent this past year slowly cobbling together my gear/furniture for my home theatre and its all in now, 7.1.2 surround, wall mounted fully articulated all wall installed cables beautiful seating/lighting/furniture etc... alot of your advice rests in my choices. Thank You! NOW C'mon Apple with the new AppleTV!!
The OLED TV I'd buy right now: https://amzn.to/49fDbmb
My favorite HDMI cable at the moment: https://amzn.to/4n9BA5H
I thought the Hisense U6 didn't have Google TV?
Rock Solid Power Strip:
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Random question: what calibration equipment and software would you recommend for a diy setup? A solid middle ground setup. Any advices would be great. Thanks
Awesome Power Conditioner:
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Love your new channel Caleb! Great tips, informative, easy to digest and you are by far the best tv enthusiast/reviewer on YouTube. All the way from the uk 🇬🇧 👋
SCREEN CLEANING KIT
Micro Mist Spray Bottle:
Reliability is my number one issue but because Every tv bought today has built in obsolescence you’re screwed regardless of the brand . Don’t be seduced by color , contrast , brightness etc . Any tv sold today is good enough in those areas . After a couple of weeks your brain can’t remember what is brighter or clearer anyway . The ability to compare shuts down in the brain very quickly .
I always buy last years or older model and not so big . If I want a bigger tv , I just sit closer . 😂
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Microfiber Cleaning Cloths:
WE HAVE A SONY A95L IN 77 INCH WITH A SENNHEISER AMBEO MAX SOUND BAR WITH A DENNON AVR 6800H , A PANASONIC DPU 9,000 4K UHD PLAYER WITH A
VINTAGE PIONEER SX-1980 RECEIVER , 4 7FT TALL MONOLEITH TOWER SPEAKERS WITH 7 SPEAKERS IN EACH TOWER A YAMAHA AMP 300 WATTS AND PLAY STATION 5 PRO .
TOTAL INVESTMENT OF HOME THEATRE IS AROUND $ 25,000-27,000 CDN
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Thanks Caleb, always great advise!
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IN THE BACKGROUND
What's the stereo system/receiver in the background of your video? Just curious.
Douk Audio VU3:
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As someone who has zero subscriptions, what advice can you give on Next Gen antenna (embedded or external)
U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus Turntable:
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Don't ask yourself any dumb questions - just ask yourself ONE question: "Do I want a good TV or a crappy TV. If you want a good TV - just get yourself Panasonic or Sony OLED TV. You can't go wrong with them. Stop wasting your money on cheaply made overpriced chinese/korean 💩. They have crappy picture quality and don't last in terms of build and electronic component quality. Especially, stay away from chinese 💩Personally, I prefer Panasonic, because, usually they are built better and last longer and have great picture quality..
My Fake Bonsai:
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Caleb, thx for your amazing contect!! Have a question: will be sitting 11 feet from TV so looking for a 75-85 inch unit in the 2k range. In the interest of gaming performance we have narrowed it down to a 77" OLED (LG C5, Samsung S90F, or Sony) versus a QM8K if the 85" goes on sale for 2k again. Anyway, the deciding factor for me will be stability of the eARC soundbar connection, I hate audio glitches or having to think about the technology. I have left room in my budget for a good soundbar with low latency per Rtings: LG SC9S, Sony Bravia Theater 6, Samsung Q800F, and Sonos Arc Ultra if I go TCL. Which of these TV soundbar connections do you think would be most stable across eARC connection??
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Hi guys,thats true about sound,my Q8FN 2018 model has better sound than more tv’s made years after,i sold QN95A because of sound quality,tv was mounted on the wall,sound was very poor,i couldn’t add sound cause i had no space and i dont want hung up under tv on the wall,my other tv s95b 2022 oled finally got decent speakers and dolby Atmos passthru,my next tv will S90F or S95f,depending on the upcoming deals,great video Caleb,Love from Scotland 😉🫶🏴
Publication date: November 18, 2025
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Caleb is a life saver when it comes to buying TVs. Thanks Caleb 👍
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More User Perspectives
Everyone should worry about burn in. So they don't buy an expensive OLED because of the great contrast and have to dump it after 2 years because they watch sports or news stations
@neorick27You didn't mention viewing angle. Not a big concern for OLED. Over the last couple of years, LED TVs switched from IPS to VA panels. IPS panels offer off-axis viewing that rivals OLED. VA panels can be very bad. My family watches from a variety of angles. Only one is dead center. Very few LED TVs have decent viewing angles in 2025. This should be a primary consideration for most LED buyers.
@NotElvisWe bought the TCL C7K, but we have doubts. Overall a great TV but subtitles and the local dimming don't look right. Around the edges there's a yellow tint, only when local dimming is active. So everytime when you have 2 lines of subtitles the second line has a yellow tint.
@MrJekyll17Mini led is evolving like thr premium version of 2024 becomes, almost the intermediate 2025 model. Do you guys think 2026 tcl qm7 is going to be like 2025 qm8k?
@diego1294Ask Caleb: A95L or Bravia 8 II, in 65”, dark bedroom.
@AdRockI currently have a 50 inch x85k due to space issues. It's my first 4ktv and I do like the HDR despite its limits. However I do want to upgrade the day I move out. I want it to be Sony. Bravia 5 looks like a good option for big however I can always get a 65 inch Bravia 8 or 7. Or whatever model replaced those when it happens.
@Bisaju2Tempted to order 2x 65" TCL QM6K PRO from Costco... Currently on sale for $499, plus $100 off for ordering 2, so $450 each. But... My 2017 TCL 55P605s are still going strong. Maybe I need to save my money and continue to improve the value I got 8 years ago.
@minnybiker4505Top notch advice.
@LouMontuoro5:07 I've been seeing more and more youtubers doing this, just say arc and stop spelling it out please
@larshoneytoast722i got myself a 55" U8QG 2 weeks ago as the price dropped to it's lowest ever on amazon. the TV is fantastic, but i've gone over the settings a lot to make sure everything is dialed in correctly. making sure the refresh rate matches the frame rate of the content helps a ton with judder. i think most apps do it automatically now, but my Plex app i needed to set it in the settings. doing the refresh rate matching allowed me to lower the judder setting to 2 in, so i get better motion without any SOE at all.
@Ryan-093I’m hugely contemplating on getting a C5 OLED or TCL QM7K for my living room, yeah it’s a bit lit up but I have curtains. Just don’t know whether I should future proof with the OLED or not
@BubbaTrikzWith number 5. Also look at the drive space. If you can find it.
I just updated Paramount plus app. I was a 150mb update. Had to delete other apps. Which came preinstalled, and I never used cause I don't pay for those platform.
Apps just keep on getting bigger and bigger.
Yo Caleb, which tv's handle upscaling the best ? The Mrs watches lots of old stuff so anything that handles that upscaling needs to be on the list ! thanks
@flyoverfred@caleb I grabbed an 83” C5 and, outside of HDR demos, I’m thinking this is NOT offering a great picture. I feel like my 65” C1 is better. Starting to think a G4 would have been a better choice tech & cost wise. But, big BUT, I kept reading in the threads about the G4 having burn in issues being covered up. Maybe I fell for propaganda either way you slice it. I’m bothered.
@TheJohnnyNeatGeezus H, man, how much did TCL pay you for these constant commercials? WARNING…if you buy a Hisense, TCL, Vizio, etc…you will be buying another TV in 2-3 years, maybe sooner. Bad content, which includes ALL cable, most streaming, and pirated stuff is NOT presented in UK 4HD or even 1080p usually. This will look like absolute crap…even on an OLED. It will be FAR worse on a crappy cheap TV, no matter how much they paid this guy to push them this season.
@jpman9You tell me to get a qled tv but you tell us to stay away from edge lit. Plus local dimming does not perform that great! I just returne the Samsung QN80F tv because I noticed the local dimming was not always in sync with the picture! And I’m going to return my 55 inch LG C5 for a Samsung Q8F tv because I don’t like the green tint on the LG C5 display. 🤮
@mrk1075Just purchased a 85" U6N from BB for $780. It's a Christmas gift for my brother and his wife. They have a 2021 55" TCL S5 now.
@nabibutterfly5385Caleb, I thought OLED had solved the "on all day" issues and that the only concern there would be if there were a static image left on screen for all day. Is there a real concern with image burn-in, or with other issues, if left on all day (10 hours or more)?
@formerhobbit5599Oleds suck!
@cavitycreepCan we call things oled or lcd. Led tvs are are different thing like qdel or micro led. I know the war for branding is lost but it always helps to call a spade a spade
@zanzabar4ky74.45...unless you buy a panasonic W95 or Z95 series...sound from these ARENT awful🤣
@setorliguddahTip #1a: Watch the reviews!
@Iamsuperb4Hey Caleb, or anyone else that might have a good answer for this. I will be buying the 100 U7 from Hisense and we are looking to get a soundbar or soundbar/woofer combo. We don't really have an area behind where we sit to watch the tv for speakers. Do you have a recommendation for one that would pair well with this tv? We would like to stay around $500 or so on the soundbar, willing to go up a little bit if it really makes a difference. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
@shaunzamora6835Love these vids. Cheers. Nice album covers in the background too. 👍🤪🏳️🌈
@user-hf8ie8mf3nCaleb if You happen to read this comment... Please turn off autodubbing for Your videos. The viewers have to turn if off for every video They watch if it's enabled by the creator. The AI voice is really anoying. I assume You were planning to reach more people with that option on.
@HansatarI wish this video was released yesterday. Bought a Hisense U7QG thinking it was a great deal, and realised after seeing tech outlets outside the US, it's actually the U65Q but with Google TV here where I live, at the same price as the U7N. It's worse than what TCL does with model numbers around the world. Amazon don't want to cancel it so I'll have to refuse the delivery tomorrow.
@phawxhunter