Buying a new television can be an intimidating task if you have no idea what you should look for. The investment is extremely pricey. Consequently, you're constantly afraid of doing it incorrectly. You feel confused when conducting an internet search due to the abundance of options. You might start to feel overwhelmed by the plethora of specifications and abbreviations, and you might start to wonder if the salespeople genuinely care about your interests. Don’t worry! This article provides a comprehensive guide to selecting the best smart TV for your home.
The Savvy Shopper's Guide to Finding the Perfect Smart TV for Your Home
Given the wide range of options on the market today, choosing the ideal TV for your home can be a very difficult task. To assist you in navigating the process and coming to a decision that best suits your needs and preferences, we have created this in-depth guide.
Screen Size
The size of the TV's screen should be one of your first considerations. Sometimes bigger isn't better. The size will depend on a variety of elements, including your room's size, viewing distance, and individual preferences. The size of the TV should generally increase with the size of the room and the distance from it that you will be sitting. As a general rule, you should position yourself three times the screen height away from the TV for HD and just 1.5 times the screen height for 4K Ultra HD. Therefore, you can position yourself twice as close to a 4K UHD TV.
Screen Resolution
The amount of pixels that comprise an image is referred to as the screen's resolution. Higher resolution will provide a more vivid and more detailed picture. These three resolutions—HD (720p or 1080p), 4K (2160p), and 8K (4320p)—are the most widely used. Since 4K TVs have four times as many pixels as HD TVs, they are growing more accessible and well-liked. 8K TVs are still uncommon and expensive, and in order to perform to their full potential, they need very fast internet and content that is compatible with them.
Display
The screen of a Smart TV is undoubtedly its most important component. There are a lot of Smart TVs available on the market today with different display panels, including LCD, LEC, OLED, and QLED. However, since the introduction of better panels like LED and OLED, people do not choose LCD TVs as frequently. The development of LCD technology began immediately after CRT displays were phased out. Since the development of technologies like LED, OLED, and QLED, LCD technology has gotten a little stale.
LED: LED is currently the most popular type of display. It applies the same Liquid crystal display technology but includes LED backlighting to provide viewers with a more vibrant visual experience while also making the Smart TV much thinner. LED Smart TVs use less power.
QLED: QLED is an innovative technology that uses quantum dots, a kind of semiconductor, to produce colored lights. They surpass LED screens by increasing the brightness and color saturation of the TV. When contrasted with LED screens, the visuals on QLED displays appear more vibrant. However, QLED is somewhat more pricey.
OLED: OLED is an additional technology that is widely used in various Smart TVs, and like QLED, OLED Smart TVs are expensive. When an electrical charge flows through an OLED, the mechanism produces light. To purchase OLED Smart TVs, you must have a larger budget.
Sound Quality
The built-in sound in TVs is becoming less of a priority for manufacturers as the picture quality of these devices improves. There isn't much room for built-in speakers because of how thin modern TVs are designed. Due to the fact that many TVs only have two speakers, understanding dialogue might be challenging without a high-quality built-in sound system.
Therefore, you need to buy a soundbar. For a fully immersive theatrical experience, an additional soundbar or full-on surrounding sound system is advised if your aim is to build a home theatre. While some soundbars can be wired, others can only be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth. Modern soundbars often have integrated smart assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa, which can stream music from Apple Music and Spotify Connect. It will enhance the audio quality of your home theatre.
HDR
High Dynamic Range aims to present the viewer with a realistic image that is full of contrast, brightness, and rich color shades. The dynamic range indicates the highest and lowest points in the contrast between brightness and darkness; the wider the range, the more detail is captured. Compared to models that cannot accommodate a high dynamic range, TV displays with HDR capabilities are capable of reading details and providing an image from a wider range of colors and brightness.
Keep in mind that a reasonably fast internet connection is required if you want to stream HDR content to your HDR-capable TV. You should be able to watch instant HDR content if your bandwidth is sufficient—at least 15 to 25 Mbps.
Contrast Ratio
The contrast ratio specifies the range of brightness levels that a television set can display. Better contrast ratios show more subtle shades and hues and, as a result, more detail. However, the methods used by manufacturers to calculate such ratios vary greatly. The specification has been thoroughly debunked. The best televisions will have deep, dark black levels, whereas cheaper displays will glow with a dark grey even when they are supposed to be showing black. These greys are known as "elevated black levels," and they are a common issue on less expensive LCD TVs.
Bottom line: You can disregard manufacturers' contrast-ratio specifications because they are not cross-brand identical. Search for deep black levels and limited haloing around high-contrast elements instead.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate, measured in Hertz (Hz), indicates how frequently a screen image is refreshed. The refresh rate is typically 60 Hz or 60 times per second. However, a 60 Hz refresh rate can appear jittery or blurry in scenes with quickly moving objects, especially on LCD HDTVs. The refresh rate was therefore doubled to 120 Hz (and in some cases, up to 240 Hz) by manufacturers in order to produce a more solid image. For the smoothest picture, you should never purchase a TV with a refresh rate lower than 120 Hz.
Smart Features
The majority of TVs on the market today will have Wi-Fi built in, allowing you to connect to web-based applications like Netflix, download movies on request, play games, and even post to Facebook. Even online services and live cable and satellite programming can be searched for using the most recent models.
While most smart TVs come with the main services like Netflix and YouTube, ensure that the TV you buy has the features you require. One of the best methods for discovering and getting 4K and HDR content is through streaming apps that are available on smart TVs. Finding 4K resolution and HDR-capable content is quick and simple with the help of Netflix and YouTube's services of movies and television shows. The only thing to worry about is whether or not your internet connection has enough bandwidth.
However, many low-cost brands will provide smart TV functionality without mentioning the specific platform they employ. Off-brand smart platforms frequently have a very small selection of apps, poor performance, and significant security flaws. Therefore, you must make sure to purchase one from a reputable company. The best choice you have in this situation is Haier.
Gaming Feature
If you plan on gaming on your television, you should consider two factors: refresh rate and input lag. Most standard televisions have a refresh rate of 60 frames per second, which means the screen displays 60 images per second. Modern consoles and games are capable of supporting up to 120 frames per second, so the display can display 120 images per second. As a result of the improved screen motion, your game will feel more receptive and fluid.
The amount of time it requires for the movements you make on a gamepad or keyboard to appear on the screen is known as input lag. The lower, the better. The average input lag on TVs is 15 milliseconds. This is especially useful for fast-paced games that demand quick reactions.
HDMI and Connections
The majority of televisions have three HDMI inputs, an audio-optical output, and some sort of internet connectivity. A TV should have a minimum of one HDMI 2.1 port and an ARC (Audio Return Channel) HDMI port, as the latter type of port makes it simple to connect modern soundbars and receivers. The most recent version of the HDMI standard, HDMI 2.1, supports 4K video streams at extremely low delay. It needs to be present on all high-quality televisions. Beyond that, determine the number of game consoles, Blu-ray players, and other devices you intend to plug into your TV and choose a model with at least that many HDMI ports.
Price and Warranty
The last thing to think about is your budget and the expected lifespan of your smart TV. The smart TV's cost is determined by its brand, size, resolution, features, and other factors. In general, larger, higher-resolution, and more feature-rich televisions cost more; smaller, lower-resolution, and fewer feature-rich televisions cost less. However, the cost may change in accordance with the supply, demand, and TV discounts. To determine which model or brand offers the greatest value for your money, compare the costs and features of various models and brands.
The smart TV's warranty is a promise that, if any flaws or malfunctions are discovered within a specified timeframe, the seller or manufacturer will make a repair or replace the TV. In general, warranties that are longer and cover more coverage are preferable because they defend you from unanticipated costs and difficulties. See what is covered and what isn't covered by the warranty terms and conditions.
Finally, a smart TV is an expensive investment. If you make the right choice, it will go a long way! Haier offers high-end smart TVs with a variety of features and options that will meet your exact needs.
Summary
Choosing the right television size for your home has never been more important than it is in the modern digital age. Making the best choice can be difficult given the wide range of TV options available, each boasting different sizes and features. Screen size, viewing angle, resolution, and display should be among your first considerations. The sound quality, HDR, contrast ratio, and refresh rate must all be taken into consideration. The availability of smart features and gaming options cannot be overlooked. Most importantly, you need to think about your budget and the warranty. Haier is your best choice if you're looking for a TV that can meet your needs in that regard.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What television is ideal for video games?
To deliver a rich color experience, the best gaming TVs use OLED screen technology. To make the most of their gaming consoles, users can also benefit from high refresh rates and a variety of ports, including HDMI 2.1, eARC, and USB.
What's better, OLED or QLED?
If you prefer deeper black colors, a wider viewing angle, and lower power consumption, OLED TVs are superior to QLED TVs. The higher brightness, larger average screen size, lower overall cost, and longer lifespan of QLED TVs make them superior to OLED TVs in contrast.
How do I pick the ideal TV?
The size of your living room or other area where you plan to place your TV, as well as other features like picture and sound quality and built-in streaming services, budget should all be taken into account. After that, you can select the ideal TV for your house.
What factors should I think about when buying a TV?
When purchasing a TV, you should think about several important characteristics, including the size, resolution, viewing angle, and sound. Most buyers also think about the cost and how much room they have for a new TV. When purchasing a TV, you should also take into account any built-in voice technology or streaming services.