If you’ve been checking prices on gadgets since the holiday decorations came down in January, you’ve probably noticed a trend: it’s been a dry spell. The deals just dried up. But if you held onto your wallet, your patience is about to pay off in a big way. It is Monday, February 16, 2026—Presidents Day—and the retail landscape has suddenly shifted from “full price” to aggressive clearance mode.
We are seeing what industry insiders often call “Black Friday in February.” Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart aren’t just feeling generous; they are under pressure to move winter inventory to make physical and digital shelf space for spring arrivals. This perfect storm of post-Super Bowl clearance and pre-spring refresh means we are seeing actual, significant price cuts on flagship hardware, not just the leftover junk nobody wanted in December.
Why are TV prices dropping so drastically right now?
The timing here is critical. We have just wrapped up the Super Bowl season, which is traditionally the peak buying time for large-format displays. Now that the big game is over, retailers are left with high-end inventory that they need to offload before the 2026 model year refreshes start hitting warehouses in earnest.
Consequently, we are seeing some of the lowest prices ever on top-tier OLED technology. The standout here is the LG C5 OLED. This 65-inch display, currently rated as a top pick by reviewers at TechRadar, has seen a massive price correction, dropping to approximately $1,399. That represents a discount of nearly $1,300 in some listings.
If that is still a bit rich for your blood, Samsung is playing hardball as well. Their S84F OLED 65-inch model has plummeted to around $899. Seeing a 65-inch OLED from a major manufacturer break the sub-$1,000 barrier this early in the year is rare, suggesting that Samsung is aggressively chasing volume sales to maintain revenue momentum in the first quarter.
Are the Apple deals actually significant?
Usually, Apple discounts are modest at best, but this Presidents Day feels different. Why? Apple has confirmed an “Apple Special Experience” slated for March 4, 2026. When new hardware is on the horizon, current stock has to go.
This has resulted in steep cuts on the Apple Watch Series 11, which has hit a low of $299. For a current-generation wearable, that is a compelling entry point. We are also seeing the entry-level iPad hovering around $299, and for audio fans, the AirPods 4 have started dipping to $99. These aren’t just minor percentage clips; they are aggressive moves to clear the channel. Even the M4 MacBook Air is seeing price action, signaling that retailers are preparing for whatever Apple plans to unveil next month.
Is it worth upgrading your home audio setup?
Audio equipment often lags behind other categories when it comes to discounts, but this week is an exception. Some of these deals are technically holdovers from Valentine’s Day or Super Bowl promotions that have been rebranded for Presidents Day, but the savings are real regardless of the marketing tag.
Sonos, a brand notorious for keeping its prices rigid, has dropped the price of its premium Arc Ultra soundbar to $899. That is a solid $200 savings on a piece of kit that rarely goes on sale. If you picked up one of those discounted OLEDs mentioned earlier, pairing it with high-fidelity audio is the logical next step to completing a home theater setup. This widespread discounting across audio and video suggests a coordinated effort by the consumer electronics sector to wake up a sleepy market.
Why It Matters
This wave of Presidents Day sales signals a shift in strategy for major tech retailers facing flat growth forecasts for early 2026. By slashing prices on premium, current-generation hardware like the LG C5 and Apple Watch Series 11, companies are prioritizing volume over profit margin to clear the decks for imminent spring launches. For the consumer, this creates a rare arbitrage opportunity: you can buy “last year’s” tech—which in this case is still cutting-edge—at clearance prices, provided you don’t mind missing out on the incremental updates coming in March. It is a buyer’s market, but likely only until inventory runs dry.
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