A little clean up from last week’s Buying Electronics theme. Reader +kent writes:

[I] will personally be in the market for my first HDTV, receiver, speakers and cable box in the next month or so. My question to you is, when will be the best time to buy? Before Christmas in the holiday sales, after Christmas in the Boxing Day rush (but not including lining up at 2am), or in the sales lull in January? I’m hoping to get a good deal on quality products. Additionally, I am in Canada, but hopefully that wont skew any answer.

There are certainly good deals to be had at Christmas time, as retailers make a final big push to clear out stock before the end of the year. If you can have a little patience, there’s an even better time to buy: After CES.

What’s CES? It’s the big “Consumer Electronics Show” that is held in Vegas in the second week of the year. That’s where all the product announcements are made by the big electronics companies, showing off their new “world’s largest” HDTVs and the like. While the announcements of all the new gear—thereby obviating the brand-newness of the gear on the shelfs—won’t send prices on every piece of electronics hardware plummeting, the combination of “newer, shinier is coming soon” and after-Christmas clearance sales can set you up for some pretty good deals. Plus you’ll miss the Christmas shopping rush, which is always a boon.

Yes, this means I’ll be in Vegas in January. Hint.