Black Friday is upon us, and already the lines have begun forming at popular retailers like Best Buy Co., Inc. But is the Black Friday madness worth the trouble? As it turns out, not all discounts are created equal. Did you know that television sets are typically cheaper to purchase after the Super Bowl season, not Black Friday?

This year we take a look at the top electronics that are actually discounted more than Black Friday prices at other times of the year, helping you determine which items to snag this weekend and which to skip.

What not to buy on Black Friday

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Television

Some shops offer big discounts on TVs during Black Friday, but the best deals are typically offered during the months of January and March. This may have something to do with the start of the Super Bowl season, much more reason than Thanksgiving to purchase a new TV set.

Also, TV manufacturers usually unveil new models during the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas every January, making the start of the year, not Black Friday, the best time for retailers to clear out inventory.

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Cheap tablets

During Black Friday, Thanksgiving and even Cyber Monday, retailers and online shops will be offering unbelievably low-priced tablets. These tablet would cost somewhere between $50 to $100, which sounds good but may be too good to be true. Cheap tablets tend to break easily, which means you won’t be able to use them for long before you need a replacement. When it comes to tablets, it’s better to go with quality over quantity to save more money in the long run.

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Laptops and desktop computers

The best time to purchase a laptop or desktop computer is actually during the months of July, August and September. The reason for this is the back-to-school sales being offered by retailers. To get awesome deals during these months, you probably need to have a student ID to get a discount, or just look for stores offering huge discounts on computers even if you’re not a student.

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Digital cameras

The best time to purchase a new digital camera is during March and April. According to AllYou.com, major brands are getting ready to release or introduce new models during this time, which means retailers will be marking down the prices of digital cameras. Consumers can get as much as $40 off or more for new digital cameras during this time.

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Smartphones

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deliver great deals on smartphones, but you may be faced with out of stock devices or tied to a two-year carrier contract. Retailers may also lower the prices of these devices off contract during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the best time to purchase them may be after CES in January. Most device manufacturers unveil new tablets and smartphones at CES, which means retailers need to clear out old stock to make room for new models.

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