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Consider this the opening salvo of high-end TV pricing for 2018.
LG has revealed pricing for most of its 2018 lineup of OLED TVs. The good news is that they're less-expensive than last year, by $500 for the 55-inch and 65-inch sizes.
The bad news is that they're still really expensive. The cheapest series with official pricing per LG's site, the C8, starts at $3000.
LG 2018 OLED TV C8 series pricing
| Model | Size | Price | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLED55C8P | 55-inch | $3,000 | March |
| OLED55C8P | 65-inch | $4,000 | March |
| OLED77C8P | 77-inch | $10,000 | March |
The biggest model, the 77-inch C8P, is significantly less-expensive than the initial price on the 77-inch models from 2017, but it's still way out of reach for most buyers.
LG will also sell two more-expensive series this year, the E8 series and the W8 series, but pricing for those was not available at LG's web site. Flatpanelshd.com reports that the E8 will be $500 more than the C8 at 55- and 65-inches, while the 77-inch W8 will cost $15,000.
LG's 2017 OLED TVs are our all-time favorites for high-end buyers, with the best picture quality we've ever tested. The company's 2018 models look to continue that trend with a lineup, and feature set, that's mostly the same. The biggest improvement is the integration of Google Assistant. The company makes a big deal out of its new-for-2018 Alpha 9 processor, but it doesn't claim to have improved any of the basics, namely contrast and color.
Missing is word on pricing for the lower-end B8 series, due later this summer, which will lack the A9 processor. I expect it to cost a couple hundred less than the C8.
How low will they go?
The biggest question for anybody who wants to get a new OLED TV is how cheap they'll eventually get during the holiday buying season. In the last couple of years, LG has waited until around Black Friday to discount the sets to their lowest levels.
In 2017, for example, the B7A got down to $1600 for the 55-inch size and $2600 for the 65-incher. That's when I told CNET readers to pull the trigger.
I expect 2018 will be the same, and that the "B" series will again provide the best value. For Black Friday 2018, I wouldn't be surprised to see the B8 get down to $1200 for the 55-incher and $2000 for the 65-incher, with the C8 a couple hundred more.
LG traditionally sets the pace for OLED TV pricing, and in turn for high-end pricing in general. Sony introduced a step-down OLED TV at CES this year, the A8 series, that I expect to sit somewhere between the C8 and E8 in price. Meanwhile Samsung will roll out its newest QLED TVs, and they'll probably have to match or beat LG's OLED pricing to win over high-end videophiles.
I expect to hear about Sony and Samsung's initial price offers soon, and their prices to drop throughout the year as well.