According to the latest market update from TrendForce, TV panel prices are starting the new year on an upward trend, with increases expected across several popular sizes in the first half of January.
Industry analyst Vincent Fan from TrendForce noted that TV brands have been stepping up their purchasing quite aggressively heading into the year. This solid demand has allowed panel manufacturers to keep their production lines running at relatively high capacity. With Lunar New Year falling in February - which usually means shorter work schedules and some production cutbacks - brands and factories are shifting orders around between January, February, and March. Overall, supply and demand look fairly balanced for now, giving panel makers the confidence to push through price hikes right from the start of 2026.
Specifically, TrendForce is forecasting a $1 increase for 32-inch, 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch TV panels in January. This marks the beginning of what could be a broader upcycle for TV panels through the first quarter.
On the monitor side, things are much calmer. Demand for LCD monitor panels is still in its typical off-season lull, but manufacturers are holding firm on pricing. As long as they stick to their guns, mainstream monitor panel prices should stay flat for January.
Notebook panels, however, aren't so lucky. Demand has weakened noticeably this month. Some brands stocked up heavily last quarter to get ahead, so they're slowing down purchases now. On top of that, the ongoing shortage and sharp price spikes in memory chips (DRAM and NAND) are putting extra pressure on laptop makers to cut costs wherever they can - and notebook panels are an easy target since the market has been oversupplied for a while.
As a result, TrendForce expects notebook panel prices to drop slightly in January, with most IPS-type panels falling by around $0.2. Only the basic TN panels are likely to hold steady.
Looking ahead, Fan pointed out that once TV panel prices start climbing more consistently in Q1, it might create some positive ripple effects for monitor panels too - especially if the February production cuts tighten supply further. Whether that actually translates into monitor price increases in the coming one to two months will be something worth watching closely.
All in all, it looks like the long slide in TV panel prices may finally be coming to an end, at least for the time being, as demand holds up better than expected and factories get ready to play the supply card more strategically. If you're in the market for a new TV, early January might still offer decent deals before the increases fully kick in.
