The Best Time to Buy Gaming Monitors: Seasonal Patterns and Today’s Discounts

Stop overpaying for a gaming monitor: when to buy and whether today’s LG and Samsung deals are the real low

If you’re tired of chasing expired coupon codes and wondering whether that flashy LG or Samsung markdown is the best price you’ll see this year, you’re in the right place. Monitor pricing is noisy: retailers run flash sales, manufacturers refresh lineups, and algorithms raise or drop prices day-to-day. This article gives a data-driven playbook for timing your gaming monitor purchase in 2026 — including actionable rules of thumb, how to interpret recent LG and Samsung discounts, and exactly how to set best-price alerts so you never miss the true low.

Quick takeaways — what to do now

• If you need a monitor immediately: Buy when the discount is ≥20% and the model matches your needs (panel type, refresh rate). Use price-match policies and extended return windows to protect yourself.
• If you can wait: Hold out through Prime Day (summer), Black Friday/Cyber Monday (Nov), or brief mid-year clearance windows — but set alerts now; some 2024–2026 models could drop further after new product launches.
• About current LG and Samsung markdowns (Jan 2026): Many are deep relative to typical retail price, driven by post-holiday clearance and CES 2026 new model announcements — likely close to or at seasonal lows for mainstream 2024–2025 models, but specialty high-end displays may still fall another 5–15% over the next 6–12 months.
• Always set a target price: Use historical lows from price trackers and set alerts at 20–30% below MSRP for mainstream gaming monitors; for premium OLED/Ultrawide models, target 25–40% off.

How monitor pricing behaves: the data-driven patterns (2023–2026)

Over the last few years, monitor pricing has followed predictable seasonal rhythms — but new tech cycles (OLED, mini-LED, higher refresh 4K models) and supply normalization have layered complexity on top of those rhythms. Price tracker data (Keepa, CamelCamelCamel) and retailer feeds show repeatable patterns:

1. Major holiday peaks and troughs: Black Friday/Cyber Monday (late Nov) and Amazon Prime Day (typically summer) produce the most frequent and deepest discounts. Post-holiday January clearance often reveals additional markdowns on leftover inventory.
2. Mid-year product cycles: CES (January) and E3-era announcements historically push prior-year models lower. In 2026, CES 2026 launches introduced several next-generation displays, increasing downward pressure on 2024–2025 models.
3. Back-to-school: July–August sees moderate discounts on mainstream 27"–32" displays, less so for ultra-wide and high-end OLED models.
4. Random flash/stock-clearance: Retailers run unpredictable flash deals and open-box sales tied to inventory levels — these can beat seasonal lows but are hard to time without alerts or an AI-powered deal discovery system.

The practical outcome: if a mainstream LG or Samsung gaming monitor drops by 20%+ outside of a major sale window, that is often within historical lows for that specific SKU — but there are exceptions, especially when a successor model lands (which can push prices lower over weeks).

Why 2024–2026 is different: panel tech and supply changes

Two forces changed price dynamics heading into 2026:

• Wider availability of OLED and mini-LED panels: As manufacturing scaled in late 2024–2025, adoption rose in premium gaming monitors. That increased competition and created downward pressure on older LCD-based high-refresh models.
• Retailers leaning into dynamic pricing: AI-driven repricing means short-lived but steep discounts are more common. You’ll see deeper but shorter windows of markdowns that require alerts to catch.

Case study: tracking an LG and a Samsung model through 2025–2026

We monitored two representative gaming models across popular SKUs (a 27" 4K 144Hz LG model and a 32" 240Hz Samsung model) using public price trackers and retailer archives to understand how discounts unfolded. Key observations:

• Black Friday and Prime Day matched or beat each other: For both models, the deepest sustained discounts clustered around Prime Day (summer 2025) and Black Friday 2025.
• CES 2026 launches accelerated clearance: After new models were announced at CES, retailers initiated clearance sales in late Jan 2026 that matched or slightly undercut November lows for certain SKUs.
• Flash deals outperformed seasonal lows for a few days: Early December and late January flash sales produced bulls-eye savings, but stock depleted quickly.

Bottom line from the case study: major seasonal events still deliver the best long-term chances for sizable savings, but post-CES and targeted flash clearances in January 2026 were unusually generous for 2024–2025 inventory.

Are current LG and Samsung markdowns the seasonal low?

Short answer: Mostly yes for mainstream, widely-available models; maybe not for niche or high-end models.

How to evaluate a specific markdown

• Check historical lows: Use Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, or our price-history graphs to see the lowest recorded price for that exact SKU in the past 12–24 months.
• Compare across retailers: If multiple major retailers match the same discount, it’s likely a true aisle-level clearance, not a one-off price test.
• Look for model refresh signals: If the manufacturer released a successor (announced at CES or on product pages), expect further markdowns on the older model as retailers clear inventory.
• Factor in stock and bundles: Heavy inventory often drives deeper discounts; conversely, low stock may cause prices to bounce back quickly.

Applying that to LG monitor deals and Samsung discounts seen in early 2026: many mainstream LG and Samsung monitors that dropped in late December and January were either matched across retailers or followed manufacturer promotions tied to new product launches. That combination typically signals a seasonal low or very near it. High-end OLED panels and specialty ultrawides, however, often see their deepest cuts in later clearance waves (2–6 months after the successor release) — so they might fall further.

Practical decision matrix: When to buy vs. wait

Use this quick decision flow:

1. I need it now: Buy if discount ≥20% and the model fits specs. Confirm return window (30 days+), and leverage price match within 14–30 days for additional protection.
2. I can wait 1–3 months: Set alerts for your target price (see how below). If a model was just refreshed at CES, expect additional 5–15% cuts in that window.
3. I can wait 6–12 months: Expect the possibility of deeper clearance (25–40% off) especially for older LCD models once OLED alternatives proliferate or retailers clean inventory ahead of new holiday launches.

Target price rules by category

• Mainstream 1080p–1440p 144–240Hz (27"–32"): Aim for 20–30% off MSRP.
• 4K 144Hz and high-end gaming (G-Sync/FreeSync Premium Pro): Aim for 20–35% off; rare models drop deeper only during big clearance windows.
• OLED/mini-LED premium monitors: Aim for 25–40% off after successor announcements or in deep clearance — earlier cuts may be smaller.

How to set airtight best-price alerts and increase odds of snagging true lows

Here’s a step-by-step system used by our deal team to catch the best monitor sales in 2026:

1. Find the exact SKU: Monitor model numbers matter. Search product pages and the manufacturer site for SKU (e.g., model 27GP950-B).
2. Load that SKU into multiple trackers: Use Keepa and CamelCamelCamel for Amazon SKUs, and Distill.io / Visualping for retailer price pages that don’t show on Amazon. Add the SKU to our site’s monitor deal tracker if available.
3. Set two thresholds: A conservative alert at ~10% below current price (to catch short dips) and a target alert at your true buy price (20–30% below MSRP).
4. Enable multi-channel alerts: Turn on email, SMS, and browser push so you catch short-lived flash deals. Consider stacking with an AI-powered deal discovery tool to surface sub-hour bargains.
5. Use coupons and cashback stacks: Combine retailer codes, credit-card cashback, and shopping portal payouts. Sometimes a 15% site coupon + 5% cashback equals a 20% effective discount. Our team often pairs portal cashback with store coupons (see tactics in the promo stacking guide).
6. Watch return and price-match windows: Buy from retailers with liberal returns and price-match policies — you can secure a monitor during a small discount and then price-match a deeper sale within the allowed window.

Other advanced tactics that save real money

• Open-box and refurbished: Many monitors are fine as refurbished for gaming; warranties from manufacturer-refurbished units are often comparable and cheaper by 25–40%. If you consider refurbished, check marketplace reviews and certified refurb sellers (see our inflight/refurb guidance notes on refurbished gear).
• Bundle leverage: Look for GPU + monitor bundles or mail-in rebates; sometimes bundles create the best effective discount even if the monitor alone isn’t heavily marked.
• Credit-card and retailer promos: Some cards offer price protection or statement credits for electronics; time purchases to coincide with those promos.
• Trade-ins and sell-old options: Vendor trade-ins or marketplace resale can lower effective cost — include expected resale proceeds in your target price calculation.

What to watch for in 2026: trends that will change pricing

Expect a few market shifts that influence monitor pricing in 2026:

• Faster OLED adoption: As OLED yields improve further through 2026, more premium models will enter the mainstream. That speeds up markdowns on older LCD high-refresh models.
• Bundled AI features and firmware upgrades: New models will add software-enabled features (AI upscalers, VRR enhancements). These can command a price premium and slow discounts on first-year models.
• Supply stabilization and fewer supply shocks: With panel supply normalized compared to early 2020s, price swings will be more retailer-driven than supply-driven — meaning flash sales remain the best source of surprise bargains. Follow week-by-week roundups like the Green Tech Deals Tracker for examples of how retailers cadence clearance.

Real-world example: How we saved 28% on a Samsung gaming monitor in Jan 2026

Our deals team watched a Samsung 32" 240Hz model for two months. The model had a modest 12% drop in early December, but after Samsung announced a newer refresh at CES, multiple retailers matched new clearance pricing. By using a Keepa alert, stacking a retailer 10% site coupon, and applying a 4% cashback portal, the effective savings reached 28% from the previous street price. We also used the retailer’s 30-day price-match policy to lock the purchase and then matched a deeper flash deal that hit two weeks later, improving the total savings further.

"Set a target price, set multiple alerts, and be ready to move — the best deals last hours, not weeks."

Checklist before you click "buy"

• Confirm the exact model and panel type match your needs.
• Check the historical low on at least two price trackers.
• Verify return window, warranty, and restocking fees.
• Look for stacking opportunities (coupons, cashback, promo codes).
• Set a secondary price-match plan if a better deal may appear within the retailer’s match window.

Final verdict: Should you buy the LG and Samsung markdowns you see today?

If the markdown is 20% or greater and the SKU is a 2024–2025 mainstream model: buy if you need it now. Those prices in January 2026 are commonly at or very near seasonal lows because of CES-driven clearance and post-holiday inventory adjustments. If the model is premium (new OLED or a professional-grade ultrawide), consider waiting 1–6 months — those categories typically see deeper, targeted discounts later in clearance cycles as production shifts toward newer panels.

Remember: the single best move is to set a smart alert and define a target price. Alerts catch the short windows when dynamic pricing algorithms create true bargains. Combine that with the checklist above and you’ll avoid buyer’s remorse while maximizing savings.

Action plan — 3 steps to save on your next gaming monitor

1. Identify the exact monitor SKU and pull its 12–24 month price history (Keepa/CamelCamelCamel).
2. Set two alerts: a conservative dip alert and your target buy-price alert (20–30% off for mainstream; 25–40% for premium).
3. Prepare to act: have payment ready, confirm return and price-match windows, and enable coupon/cashback stacks.

Get notified — let us do the heavy lifting

If you want a hands-off approach, sign up for our free Best-Price Alert for gaming monitors. We monitor LG and Samsung drops in real time, cross-check historical lows, and ping you only when a price meets or beats your target. Join thousands of savvy shoppers who stop wasting time and start saving smart.

Ready to save? Set your alert now and snap up the next true low before the window closes.

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