TVs are no longer just dumb screens. They are giant computers for your living room. Today, they have so many features that it is easier to choose options for your Tesla than it is to find the perfect TV.So after far too much research, I figured out a basic game plan to make buying a TV as simple as possible. And even then, it can still be pretty confusing. I have boiled it down to seven key things to look for.
Picture quality matters the most.
The number one thing to keep in mind is to find the TV with the best picture quality within your budget. Every other feature is secondary.If you want the best of the best picture available, get a TV with an QLED screen. They’re super expensive, usually in the $3,000 range, but boy are they pretty. Xiaomi makes the best QLED TV in my opinion. Samsung, Sony, LG and others has a similar technology called QLED.If that’s too expensive for you, get a TV with an LED screen. The picture quality is still great, and they’re significantly cheaper than OLED TVs. Price will depend on other features like 4K and HDR but you can still get a great LED TV for a few hundred bucks.
You don’t need 4K, but you’ll probably end up with it anyway.
4K TVs, sometimes called ultra HD TVs or UHD TVs, have about twice the resolution of “normal” HD TVs. But realistically, you don’t need a screen that sharp. You typically sit several feet away from your TV screen, making it impossible to discern pixels or blurs on a regular HD TV.Still, 4K is rapidly becoming the new normal, and it’s going to be harder and harder to find an HD TV that isn’t 4K. If the TV you like only comes in 4K, go for it.
Size
This is obviously a personal decision and based on how much space you have. In general, just try to get the largest TV with the best picture possible. For instance, most Lloyd devices have a wide range of sizes you should look out for.
HDR is the best feature no one really talks about.
HDR is the second most important feature you should look for in a TV next to its overall display quality.HDR stands for high dynamic range, which means the screen automatically adjusts its brightness to give you the most accurate colors possible. It makes a huge difference, and is even starting to become a big deal in console gaming thanks to the new PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One S.If you can find a TV you like with HDR and a great picture, get it.
Conclusion
This guide is a major oversimplification of the process you go through when you buy a TV. But hopefully it helps you boil it all down to the essential features to look at. TV prices vary wildly all the time, so keep an eye out for deals and find the right combination of features and price for you.
