Things to Consider Before Buying a Smart TV
The majority of us watch TV on a daily basis. Whether you enjoy watching Netflix and staying in or simply keeping up with current affairs, a TV is a must in most houses. When shopping for a new television, regardless of what you watch, it’s critical to know what you want in order to make the best financial decisions and get the model that best suits your needs.
Today’s TVs are primarily referred to as smart TVs, sometimes known as connected TVs(CTV). With built-in internet and a variety of both free and paid apps, smart TVs are the embodiment of the union of entertainment and technology.
You may have heard that if you’re in the market for a new television, a smart TV is the best option. Before you make your significant buy, though, you must conduct thorough research. Purchasing a smart TV can be difficult, just like purchasing any other device, particularly if you’re not tech-savvy. Thankfully, we have all the information you need to choose the best smart TV for you and your living area. The top factors to think about before purchasing a smart TV are listed below.
Size of Smart TV:
The ideal option for you will ultimately be the smart TV screen size that fits your living area and price range. When purchasing a new smart TV, it’s critical to carefully examine the size you want because size and resolution have a big impact on the cost of the device.
Measure the size of the room where you plan to place the smart TV to establish the ideal size, and then choose a display size that will maximize your viewing experience without taking up too much space.
The sizes of smart TVs vary depending on the manufacturer. When measured diagonally, the most popular sizes are 42 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches, 65 inches, and 75 inches. Anything longer than 65 inches puts you in a much more expensive range. There’s also an extremely high-end market that caters to those who want 80-inch or 85-inch smart TVs.
Screen Resolution:
This relates to the quantity of pixels and likewise holds true for traditional televisions. The screen resolution of any smart TV should always be checked before making a purchase because it has an impact on the picture quality, which is an important feature of televisions in general. The number of horizontal and vertical pixels on a screen determines its resolution; 4k and 8k indicate that there are approximately 4,000 and 8,000 horizontal pixels, respectively. Verify that the smart TV you are thinking about has a minimum resolution of Full HD (1980×1080). There are also 8K TVs available. 8K resolution TVs are somewhat expensive, too.
4K, also known as Ultra HD, is a great compromise since it offers a high-quality resolution at a number of reasonable prices. You can also fully utilize the 4K material that many streaming services and applications offer.
Picture Quality
You may have seen the phrases QLED, LED, or OLED used frequently in relation to televisions, but what exactly do they mean? Which one is best for you, then? Light-Emitting Diode is what LED stands for. An LED TV is made up of millions of individual lights that may be turned on or off. The light from these LEDs projects an image onto your screen. Quantum dot light-emitting diode, or QLED for short. This technology is identical to LED technology except that quantum dots are utilized in place of traditional LEDs. The image produced by these little dots is brighter than that of regular LEDs.
OLED translates to Organic Light-Emitting Diode. This technology is similar to QLED technology. It also uses tiny dots, referred to as sub-pixels, to produce an image. However, in contrast to QLED, each sub-pixel produces its own light instead of depending on neighboring sub-pixels to make it visible to the human eye.
So which is the best? That would rely on your criteria for what constitutes the “best” and what you are looking for. Do you want a product that looks amazing and has outstanding contrast? Something that’s affordable? or possibly a middle ground? OLED displays frequently offer higher contrast ratios than LED or QLED displays, but they can also be more expensive and need more energy. LED displays are frequently less expensive than OLED or QLED displays, however the image quality isn’t as good. The greatest visual quality/price ratio is frequently offered by QLEDs.
HDR a Smart TV Should Have:
Over the past few years, a new standard known as High Dynamic Range, or HDR, has gained traction. A Smart TV that supports HDR is specifically one that can provide a wide color gamut, a dynamic range of colors, and images that are clearer and more vibrant. Furthermore, HDR video has a higher contrast ratio. There are two types of HDR: Dolby Vision and HDR 10+. The color depth of the former is 10bits and the same of the latter is 12-bits making it superior.
The ability to create colors with a wider range that are more vibrant and lifelike is another benefit of HDR. Your eyes don’t have to strain as much to adjust when you want them to focus on something because the colors are brighter than what you would see on an ordinary TV.
Refresh Rate:
The refresh rate is a crucial component of a smart TV’s visual quality. It speaks to the speed at which the TV may change its image and offer new information. The normal refresh rate for 4K Smart TVs is 60Hz, which indicates that the image is refreshed sixty times per second. Refresh rotation is measured in Hertz (Hz). Smoother graphics on your screen will improve your viewing experience and lead to a higher refresh rate.
A lot of Smart TVs feature a 60Hz refresh rate, while some newer ones offer 120Hz or even 240Hz. Because of this, you will be able to see more details in each frame when watching sports or action movies on TV than you would when using a refresh rate of 30Hz or 40Hz. Generally speaking, you want to get a smart TV that has a refresh rate of at least 60Hz. Since most new games are optimized for higher refresh rates, you may want to consider a smart TV with a refresh rate of 120Hz or more if you plan to play video games on a more modern gaming console.
Sound:
When selecting a smart TV, sound quality is quite important, especially if you don’t want to use an external sound source. Most TVs have a basic sound quality that is usually not very good. To improve your viewing pleasure, it is usually worthwhile to invest in a TV with powerful speakers. Dolby Atmos, for example, creates surround sound with several dimensions.
Smart TV operating System (OS):
Every smart TV operating system has benefits and drawbacks, and users will have varying preferences.
If you’re looking for a simple, quick, and easy-to-use smart TV platform that doesn’t require a lot of technical knowledge, Roku might be the ideal option for you. Roku has been improving its content offering ever since its 2008 launch. If you’re on a limited budget or don’t want to spend a lot of money on a new television, Roku might be the ideal option for you because it’s less expensive than some other smart TV OSs.
If you want something more customizable that lets you set up every aspect of your TV experience the way you want it, Android TV might be the best option. Customers may easily access content from multiple sources, such as YouTube or Netflix, and can use all of the apps on their devices with Android TV.
For those looking for a smart TV platform that combines the finest features of both worlds, Tizen, a Linux-based operating system, is perhaps the best choice. You are able to find what you need and put it away when you don’t since the operating system is lightweight and flexible. The system isn’t as smart as other systems, though, and some people believe it should be better suited to their requirements.
Connectivity:
HDMI ports are essential to most modern console boxes, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes. Your images won’t be as clear if you connect to ports like component ports. Thus, make sure the Smart TV you choose has a minimum of two HDMI connectors. There are also Smart TVs available with extra HDMI connectors. Make sure it has USB connections as well so you can attach devices like pen-drives, Chromecasts, smartphones, etc. It will be preferable even if you are aiming for additional ports because they might be useful later on.
The internet connectivity of Smart TV sets it apart from conventional televisions. They even provide Netflix, Android apps, and other stuff. In any case, bear the aforementioned points in mind while selecting a Smart TV. Recognize the features, weigh the pros and cons, and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Also Read : How to connect a Nintendo Switch to your TV