Are Plasma TVs Worth Anything? How Much It’s Worth (Explained)

You may not hear much about plasma TVs nowadays. They were very famous before but their eminence was just short as we moved to a more innovative period.

Many people still have their plasma TVs in their houses, perhaps still displayed or just hidden in an attic.

Are these plasma TVs worth anything?

Are Plasma TVs Worth Anything?

Yes. Plasma TVs are worth anything but not as much as you can expect.

You can no longer see plasma TVs in the appliance centers in your neighborhood these days. Instead, your eyes will be greeted with various high technology televisions with superb features and sizes that were not expected many years ago.

Televisions today are beyond the imaginations of people many decades ago. As the primary source of entertainment at home, TVs are important devices that should be maintained and updated if the consumers’ resources will afford them.

Plasma TVs are obsolete now and consumers prefer those kinds that can offer a better viewing experience. Thus, these plasma TVs today are not worth much today.

In fact, a lot of owners of old plasma TVs are just giving them to relatives or friends for free rather than selling them. Plasma TVs can still be worth a small amount of money yet most owners prefer just giving them away as the happiness they will get is priceless.

What To Do With Old Plasma TV?

You can sell, give, donate, or recycle your old plasma TV.

You are probably using LCD, LED, or OLED televisions for your daily entertainment nowadays. The old plasma TV that you valued so much before may just be placed in the corner of one room, collecting dust.

One day, you have decided it is high time to dispose of this plasma device. Since plasma TVs are no longer famous, you are skeptical of what to do. How can these devices still be useful?

Well, there are lots of options for you if you will not be using the plasma TV in your house.

The first thing that you can do is to sell it. If it is still working fine, with or without simple issues, you can try to sell it. However, you must be patient with the selling part as it is a real challenge to find someone who will buy a plasma TV.

You can also give or donate your old plasma TV which can give you more satisfaction than getting paid in cash. You can give it to a friend, relative, or neighbor who needs it.

You can also donate it. Various organizations are accepting electronic donations, just find one near your location to be convenient for you since plasma TVs are quite heavy and fragile.

Recycling can also be another option for your old plasma TV which is eco-friendly! You can drop off your plasma TV at different electronic recycling companies like High Tech Recycling. These companies will be the ones to assess, break down, and reuse the functional parts of the old device.

Recycling your old plasma TV is definitely a better idea than sending it to a landfill. Televisions are composed of heavy metals and chemicals that can poison water and soil.

Are Plasma TVs Worth Repairing?

No, plasma TVs are worth repairing since they are obsolete already. Their performance and quality are limited and fixing them can be really expensive.

A plasma TV can still be repaired, of course. However, the cost of fixing can be so costly that you may just opt to buy a new LED, LCD, or even an OLED TV.

Plasma TVs were surely great devices during their peak years, however, it is a different story now. There are lots of options to choose from when it comes to televisions that reflect the modernization that we have nowadays.

Plasma TVs were tagged as a guzzler of electricity and power with lots of power electronics on them. They were heavy, fragile, and were not as light and bright as LCD TVs now. They were also prone to picture burn-in especially if you are to use them as gaming monitors.

The complexities of plasma TVs make them more expensive to repair compared to other televisions. Since this kind of television is no longer manufactured, many people are no longer considering repairing their old plasma TVs.

The repair cost of a plasma TV can be roughly around $100 to $400. If the entire screen is the damaged part, then expect to pay $1,000 or even more!

When it comes to lifespan, a plasma TV can run for 60,000 hours to 100,000 hours. If you are running your plasma TV with a 60,000 hour-rating for 8 hours per day, then it may last for 7 years.

At the end of the day, the choice of whether the repair will be worth it or not depends on various factors. Your preference can affect as if you like the features of plasma TVs, having it repaired will be beneficial for you.

Can I Sell My Old Plasma TV For Cash?

Yes, you can sell your old Plasma TV for cash.

If your old plasma TV is still working fine, you can definitely sell it for cash. However, challenges will arise as this type of television is no longer famous in the market.

It is not being manufactured anymore by electronic companies so some people are not familiar with it. Some will be hesitant to purchase an old plasma TV as it is outdated and possible damages that can be an expensive fix are possible.

Plasma TVs dominated the market for televisions before and were able to offer the most satisfying viewing experience during that time. Yet, we are in a more innovative period today where more advanced televisions are designed and built.

How Much Cash Can I Get For An Old Plasma TV?

An old Plasma TV can cost very little, around $40 to $80.

The production of plasma TVs ended in 2014 so the ones that you can see in the market are pre-owned or refurbished already. Because this kind of TV can be considered obsolete, its value just cost very little. 

The price of an old plasma TV can start at around 40 depending on its size, features, and issues. If lucky, you can trade a 50 inch-Panasonic plasma TV for $80 on Craigslist!

Selling an old plasma TV is not easy to do as many are no longer interested in getting an obsolete device. Perhaps, those with a real frugal budget or those that are looking for plasma TV based on their personal reasons and preferences are your most prospective buyers.

Where Can I Sell My Old Plasma TV For Cash?

You can sell your old plasma TV on different online sites such as eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. You can also sell it personally by having a yard sale or bringing it to repair shops that buy old televisions.

You might wonder where you can actually sell your old plasma TV. Well, let’s give thanks to the power of technology which made it easier for us to communicate with other people in different locations.

With the help of the Internet, you can now post your old TV for sale on different online sites and reach out to possible buyers in just a few clicks.

The famous online selling sites are eBay and Craigslist where you can meet a lot of interested buyers. Facebook Marketplace is a new additional favorite for both sellers and buyers which offers great convenience if you are a Facebook user. However, eBay charges fees while Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are free. Just always be careful in making online transactions as you are dealing with strangers so always make sure you are not giving too much personal information.

If you are not a fan of these online options, you can do direct selling by having a yard sale. With this, the buyer that you can get may be your neighbors or friends with whom you are comfortable haggling.

You can also sell your old plasma TV to the nearest repair shops in your area. This is the best choice if you want to dispose of your TV immediately while transacting with trusted people.

How Much Gold Is In A Plasma TV?

The gold in a plasma TV can be found in its printed circuit board, yet do not expect them to have a great value.

Have you ever wondered if a plasma TV has gold in it? After all, gold is a good conductor of heat and electricity.

Well, you should be interested when you discover that there is actually gold in plasma TVs! You can find the gold on their printed circuit board.

However, this gold is only a small portion so it may just cost a very small amount. Some may even say to you that it is not worth the effort.

Plasma TVs have a bigger amount of silver instead. Aside from gold and silver, they also contain heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

References:

May, A. (2021, March 20). Plasma TV: why Samsung and Panasonic ditched the technology for good. Tech Radar. https://www.techradar.com/news/plasma-tv

Savvides, L. (2014, December 2). How to recycle your electronics and gadgets. CNet. https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/how-to-recycle-your-electronics-and-gadgets/