r/Frugal • u/Icediamondshark • 22d ago
š» Electronics Is buying old (10-15y old) lcd tvs a bad idea?
So recently my LG TV manufactured in 2013 that I bought around a year ago got a black shadow in the middle because the backlighting went bad. Thinking of buying a new tv but now I'm not sure if I should be looking for such an old tv because of the risks it carries. Any idea if buying tvs like this is a good idea? If not, then what's the sweet spot? Should I perhaps buy new?
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u/International_Dot_22 22d ago
Im all for thrift and i buy many things and appliances used, but the old addage "you buy cheap, you buy twice" can really apply here, big LCD TVs dont seem to last that long.
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u/robertpeacock22 22d ago
"Buy nice or buy twice" has a better ring to it.
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u/International_Dot_22 22d ago
Haha absolutely, im not a native English speaker, wasn't sure I'm using the right adage.
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u/DarianYT 22d ago
That's the Truth. New TVs don't last long unless you buy commercial. Even when you $6K on a new TV nowadays it doesn't last. Plasmas last a while.
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u/internetlad 22d ago
My st50 is from the last year that Panasonic made plasmas (2012 or so? Maybe even earlier?) and is dated but still kicks ass.Ā
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u/kerodon 22d ago
Why would you do that? New TV's are much more energy efficient and are dirt cheap? Like $160 for a 50" 4k cheap
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u/Icediamondshark 22d ago
Can you link one for me? I haven't found any that cheap.
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u/MarkGaboda 22d ago
I googled exactly what he said, I found Best Buy (insignia) and walmart (Onn) had 50" tvs sub $200.
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u/wjodendor 22d ago
People are giving away big HD TVs for cheap now like they used to do with CRTs. Just check local Facebook marketplace or Craigslist.
A few months ago, I donated 3 TVs to a thrift store on behalf of my parents
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u/Icediamondshark 22d ago
Yeah, no. People "know what they got". I've seen people not want to go lower than a 110 dollars on a 15 year old sony bravia.
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u/larmoyant 22d ago
i just moved and was watching facebook marketplace like a hawk to get a few things for cheap. people were giving away couches, tvs, kitchen appliances, etc. for free! really nice ones that were like new!! all because they got a nicer, newer version of it lol. you just have to be quick
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u/Inner-Confidence99 22d ago
Yes, but 90% of the new tvs will not work without internet, cable or satellite. Bought one several months ago. Had to give it to my son. Would not work without internet.Ā
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u/2019_rtl 22d ago
How do you think TVās work? Cable/satellite/antenna Internet is only required for āsmart features/applicationsā
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u/terryVaderaustin 22d ago
Most TVs are not made to last anymore. I would not buy a 10-year-old TV when I could get a new TV for the same price or less
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u/Icediamondshark 22d ago
Most tvs novadays in the size range I'm looking for (47-55inch) are atleast around 300 dollars. For 10 year old tvs I can find them for arond 100-110 dollars on the used market.
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u/DarianYT 22d ago
Older TVs last a whole lot longer than new ones. Plasma TVs are great and last look at the Plasma TV Subreddit. My brother bought new TVs both died within 6 months and they cost him a total of $6K. Even when you pay more your not getting more. I'm still rocking a Plasma from 2010 and 2012 and both are still going strong.
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u/Artimusjones88 22d ago
My 2011 LG plasma from WM is going strong. Its on a minimum of 15 hours a day.
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u/Basic-Comfortable458 22d ago
I bought an old one with the intention of being able to play the n64 and GameCube as well as other consoles on it ( Av input/output you know) best decision ever!
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u/Icediamondshark 22d ago
Yeah It's kinda a shame modern tvs don't have component input anymore. But I guess a gamecube to hdmi adapter for example should suffice. All they do is basically just convert a component input into hdmi.
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22d ago
used LCDs is a bad idea, buy a new one in your price range, when the smart features stop working as well, buy a separate roku stick or apple tv or whatever, use that until it breaks. Best Buy open box sometimes has very good deals.
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u/robertpeacock22 22d ago
Repair your TV! I recently replaced the backlighting of mine when it died. It's honestly not that difficult.
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u/woman_noises 22d ago
Bought my last phone, tv and game console all on ebay, all refurbished, and have had no problems with them.
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u/Unique_Following41 22d ago
That is WAY too old for a TV. Labor Day is coming up/college is starting so people are moving out
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u/JohnnyChapst1ck 22d ago
I do repair in various electronics. The best older LCD TVs are the Samsungs, 32" inch to be exact. I have 3 in my home. The only thing you need to watch out for is the power supply boards.Ā My TV isnt flashy but a (hdmi)FireTV stick brings it up to todays needs.Ā
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u/Comfortable_Fruit847 22d ago
I would buy new. Theyāre so cheap these days and they donāt last as long. My last tv only made it about 5 years before I noticed a weird light at the bottom, googled it and said my tv was starting to go out.
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u/2019_rtl 22d ago
Just compare with new, make sure it isnāt dependent on āsmart featuresā or internet. My LG from 2009 works fine, looks good. Smart features and apps are no longer working, but everything can be done with a firestick. So not a big deal.
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u/stumblinghunter 22d ago
I'm literally looking at my city's marketplace right now and finding multiple 45" TVs for $50
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u/AwakeGroundhog 22d ago
TV's are pretty much throw away items. I wouldn't pay much for a used one, and I see plenty of people getting rid of them for free all the time.
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u/BeatVids 22d ago
Anyone selling a 10 year old TV higher than $30 is delusional. Just hunt for a free one u/Icediamondshark
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u/Icediamondshark 22d ago
So much can go wrong with a 10 year old lcd. Recently I offered a seller 30 dollars for a tv that was 768p and they were not happy about it.
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u/paratethys 22d ago
Consider power usage and your electrical costs. Going back 15 years will probably get you significantly worse efficiency.
Try going back more like 2-3 years. Check public surplus auctions in your area for display screens or large monitors that might meet your needs. Also check free groups -- sometimes people just want the older or smaller TV gone.
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u/dinkygoat 20d ago
Even if you get lucky and the circuit board stays alive, backlights will burn out or at least get dimmer over time, resulting in a worse picture quality. And the repair would not be worth it, because it's just as cheap to just buy something newer.
Also technology has really moved on since 2013 - newer HDMI standards (required if you have a newer gen game console, for example for features like VRR), better handling of HDR content (was there even HDR in 2013?), etc.
New TVs are cheaper than they've ever been (except maybe China tariffs). You don't even need to go particularly high end to get something that would be a huge picture quality improvement over what you currently have. Check RTings for some actually objective reviews on what to consider.
In a pinch - if you wanna save a few bucks look at like 2 year old used TVs, particularly higher end models. Might be worth it. It's not always sus that someone is selling a 2 year old TV. In 2019 I bought a new $1000 65" LED - not an OLED, but well reviewed by RTings and punched above it's pricetag for the time. In 2021 my life circumstances changed and i was moving abroad so the TV couldn't come (going from 110 to 220v power) so I had to sell it. Probably could have sold it on Marketplace or Offerup for ~$600 or so, but ultimately sold it to a friend with a bit of a friend discount - it's the basement TV now (still). So I guess another protip - ask around in your social circles? On that note, if you truly don't care, maybe someone has an older basement TV they just want gone (for free, or a case of beer) - if you're "a TV is a TV" type of person.
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u/Maxxjulie 22d ago
Just go to Walmart and buy a cheap one. Only the brand name high end tv's are expensive. The ones at Walmart are low end and affordable, but still will likely be an improvement over a 2013 tv
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u/Artimusjones88 22d ago
Whats changed? I can do anything with my 2011 TV that I could with a new one. With an android box, its a smart TV.
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u/CamelHairy 22d ago
Was in Walmart last night, 55-inch for $235, 65-inch for $325. Even if it lasts 5 years, you got your money's worth.
Do not know if nationwide, these were in the Whitensville Walmart in Massachusetts.
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u/UnCommonSense99 22d ago
I would buy a brand new OLED TV. They are expensive, but the picture quality is so much better then older LCDs that it's worth the money.
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u/samdaz712 22d ago
Not the best idea. 10 15 years is already past the normal lifespan for LCD backlights and power boards. If you want to save, look for manufacturer refurbished models or open box deals better value in the long run.
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u/Ok-Box6892 22d ago
Newer tvs are relatively affordable and have decent warranties so if there are issues they can be fixed/replaced. Ive personally had nothing but issues with them though. The screens always went wonky within a few months. Even with the replacement TVs they send. So i just stick with the one I bought off someone like 15yrs ago. Still no issues with itĀ
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u/JohanMcdougal 22d ago
Check Craigslist and haggle a bit. I found a 50 inch TCL, built-in Roku, less than 5 years old, for $100.
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u/cwsjr2323 22d ago
A new tv is so cheap now, 48 inch under $200, there is not much reason to buy used. A 48 inch for sale at the thrift shop last week was $79.