A company that monitors the TV and computer screen industry, Display Search, has even reported that the 4th quarter costs of LCD screens will be being offered to industry manufacturers at below cost prices. For example, and see the table to the right courtesy of Display Search, a 42” panel TV costs about $256 US to make. But manufacturers will be getting their hands on one for about $223 US. Similarly, a 43” full HD panel costs about $435 US to make, but manufacturers will get them for about $425 US. So while the price breaks are not that amazing, there is one thing all of these screens have in common: they are going down in price and they are being sold for a loss to the big computer and TV makers.

In a Featured Yahoo Buzz article published on October 28th, 2008, the columnist even reflected that the prices may be going down due to lowered consumer confidence and spending as we near a frugal fourth quarter in the technologies industry. The columnist also was sure to make apparent that the TVs that we would be seeing with these drastic price reductions, such as the lauded 34” and 42” HD TVs, would be ‘Stripped Bare’ of all features and not able to operate at even 120-MHz.

The Bottom Line
If you want the best deal to be offered in years ever, buy up an LCD screen with a good warranty this X-mas and save a few hundred bucks. Because the major plants that make them will be eating losses all quarter long. They will be making payroll cuts and closing plants, which mean that ultimately the costs will level out again. Buy now and save money. Buy later and pay more. Ah yes, the frightful nature of Capitalism beckons its bargain hunting head once more my friends.