A lot of people are interested in buying a new TV, but they don’t want to spend the time and money on researching what is out there and figuring out which TV will work best for them. This article will help you find the perfect smart TV that meets your needs with just a few clicks because we share the Smart TV Buying Guide.
You can also try our SmartTV Guide blog post if you’re looking for reviews of specific brands or models. We have reviews on TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, and more. We hope this article helps you figure everything out so that when it’s time to buy a new television set you know exactly where to go! Happy shopping.
TV shopping is tough these days, but this guide will help. You know that everything looks better on a bigger and sharper TV screen right? But how can you find the perfect one for yourself when there are so many display options available from different brands as well as technologies such as 4K Ultra HD TVs or smart functions which might confuse someone new to this technology.
With lessons learned across dozens of reviews by experts who have reviewed hundreds of models over their career in the television industry just like me then we’re going be able to answer all your questions about what features matter most while also giving advice whether it’s simple buying tips or more technical information regarding various types of displays out there today).
Contents
Screen size
If you’re looking for a new TV then the size of the screen matters to you most, right? Well, it does matter and we’ll start here because this is an important part of any decision about which television set will work best for someone.
The first thing I recommend does not to buy a TV that’s smaller than 40″ (measured diagonally) and not larger than 55″. This isn’t very big but it’s really all someone needs these days when prices have come down so much in recent years.
So go ahead and check out our latest smart TV reviews to see what fits your budget and need for screen sizes between 40-55 inches or more or less depending on your specifications.
4K Ultra HD
This is the trend and I highly recommend getting a 4K TV Under 40000 if you can afford it. But what is UHD exactly? Well, it’s an advanced type of television which offers four times more resolution than Full HD alternatives.
The technology increases clarity by enhancing pixels so that each pixel has more definition which means images are sharper, brighter, and come alive on screen. It all sounds very technical but basically, what this means for someone who wants to buy a new smart TV is that whatever you’re watching will look better, crisper, and might even seem to pop off the screen at you with its crispness.
If you get a 4K Ultra HD TV then make sure to take advantage of upscaling functions built into brands or streaming services because it will look better with smarter functions
One drawback is that some smaller companies have started producing their own 4K TVs but they don’t work as well and sometimes a manufacturer can do this for less money because it’s a bad TV.
So I recommend going with a big brand name rather than a new kid on the block when you buy your smart TV which has its perks too if you’re looking for something more affordable.
Curved Screens
This is a newer technology for TV screens and there are pros and cons with it. However, I would recommend not getting one if you’re looking for the best deal because these are about novelty rather than practicality.
You see curved TVs make images look more panoramic when you watch them head-on which might sound great to some people but after watching an entire movie in this way I can easily say that it’s not worth it anymore if the price isn’t a factor in your decision-making process.
Smart Functionality
This matters most when you want to hook up any smart devices like streaming sticks or game consoles through your television set. The good news here is that almost all new smart TVs come with “smart” functions pre-installed so you won’t have to buy one separately.
However, you should make sure your set comes with the latest apps pre-installed because some older smart TVs might not come with all of the up-to-date services that are currently widely used across other brands today. So you might need to contact support or try an external device that is compatible with your television if it isn’t working out well for you later on.
Picture Quality
This is literally how clear an image will look on screen and it’s measured in motion rate. This makes sense because PQ needs to be at least 120Hz so screens don’t blur during action films or other fast-paced content. However, this number matters less than viewing angles which matter more when you sit at different angles during movie viewing or game playing.
This is why I always say that people should spend more time watching television than they do shopping for one because the viewing angles are what really determines how good an image looks on screen. So wait until you’ve found the right TV before deciding to purchase it and not before; which brings me to my last point.
Don’t buy online! Trust me, this is a rookie mistake when it comes to buying TVs (or any other electronics like laptops) because screens look very different in stores than at home due to their size and lighting conditions. Because of this, it’s best to go into a store or mall where you can view multiple televisions side by side rather than the options online first.
HDR
This technology is made for screens and TVs which makes colors appear more vivid and beautiful than ever before because it’s a combination of brightness, color, and other state-of-the-art functions.
These are built to enhance images so they look three-dimensional when you watch them at home on your new Smart TV without the need for glasses or anything like that.
Basically, what HDR does is make blacks deeper and shades lighter (so shades can be seen better) and this provides a whole new perspective on watching television; whether it’s playing video games or watching movies.
The best part about these technologies is that even if you get an older model TV you can still take advantage of this by hooking up sources like streaming sticks to get the best image quality possible.
Overall, always keep these tips in mind when you’re looking for a new TV to buy because they are important factors to consider before making that final purchase decision.
Refresh rate
The refresh rate, expressed in Hertz (Hz) describes how many times per second a picture is refreshed on the screen. The standard for modern TVs is usually set at 60 FPS which can make things look blurry or jittery when displayed with higher frequencies such as 120Hz+ that are common nowadays to create a more solid image quality than what was possible back then before LCD HDTVs came about.
Basically, the higher the refresh rate is for a television set, the higher the quality image you will receive. This is why many high-quality screens and TVs come with at least 120Hz, which provides smoother images than 60Hz even though it does cost more.
HDMI and connections
4K Ultra HD TVs can be expensive, and it’s important to get one that has plenty of HDMI inputs. Manufacturers may try cutting costs by offering fewer plugs on the back for your components- add in a soundbar or game console before you run out.
Make sure also if getting this new technology because many sets only support 1 port with all the high bandwidth digital content protection needed (HDCP 2).
Many of the most popular high-end 4K TVs include four to five HDMI ports, and sometimes more. That should be plenty for all your components (including a set-top streaming box such as Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku while leaving room for expansion.
These input types vary from one manufacturer to another so some sets have many different ways of connecting with the external devices that you plan on hooking up to the television before purchasing it.
The best thing about this is that there are adapters that can be used if the port doesn’t fit what you need to do research online beforehand before making any connections.
In addition to having enough HDMI inputs, look at how accessible they are from the front and back of the set because cables can be bulky and some TVs have inputs that are hard to access. Having them more visible is just a convenience feature you really can’t go wrong with when getting your new TV ready for all the action!
Remote controls
Having an intuitive remote control is essential because it makes changing channels or switching between devices much easier than doing it manually on the device itself.
The best example of this is having a full keyboard for web browsing and typing in URLs without using the directional pad (which takes forever) and also allows you to do other things like adjusting settings or surfing online while viewing content at the same time without interruption by making these changes from the main menu itself.
Different brands offer different features like voice commands, wireless connectivity through Wi-Fi, touchscreens, 3D capabilities, and more so do look around before making a purchase decision.
These are just some of the things to be mindful of when it comes to buying your new LCD HDTV. Remember that you don’t have to break the bank or go broke trying to get one because if you shop around enough you can find something great on sale with money left over for other things.
So keep these tips in mind before taking out your wallet because it will definitely help you save more money than what was initially intended.
Contrast ratio
The contrast ratio is a measurement that describes the range of brightness levels an LCD monitor can display. It’s important because it determines how subtle shadows will look on your screen, which makes for better detail when watching movies or playing games with detailed graphics.
But not all manufacturers use this specification in their tests – so if you see someone using “contrast” as one big selling point don’t trust them.
The best thing about contrast ratios is that the higher it is, the better your image will look (provided other settings such as color and brightness are set up correctly). Manufacturers sometimes even give two different contrast ratios for the same monitor which could be misleading so if you see this happening make sure to do some research beforehand.
If possible find out what the static and dynamic contrast ratio of a 4K TV set is before buying one because it determines how well blacks and dark shades will look versus lighter colors like white or grey.
The static numbers represent the overall range of colors displayed on the screen at once while dynamic represents how many shades can be displayed per second at certain brightness levels without any drops in performance.
It’s pretty much impossible to determine whether or not your TV is using its maximum range of colors without getting the chance to test it out first so just keep that in mind before making any decisions.
Sound quality
TVs today are equipped with subwoofers and satellite speakers for sound instead of just having one or two large ones like they used to have years ago. This means that the quality of sound these sets put out has gone up considerably which is great if you enjoy listening to music or watching movies on them with surround sound enabled.
But make sure that bass levels are powerful enough for your own personal taste because some may consider them too low even at their highest setting.
Having an Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature also comes in handy if you want to send audio from your TV set to an external speaker system such as a 5.1 channel sound theater setup without having to use extra cables or adapters.
This is also useful when you want to listen to music from your smartphone because it allows the audio signal (which is in digital format) to travel back and forth between both devices using just one cable instead of two.
Beamforming+
This isn’t something that’s advertised much but if you notice that your new 4K TV has this feature then take advantage of it because it can significantly improve wireless connectivity for devices that support this technology.
Wireless routers typically send out signals in all directions so if there are any objects blocking these waves such as walls, doors, furniture, or even other electronic equipment then the connection becomes weaker or weaker as a result.
Wifi signals typically operate on the 2.4Ghz band and the 5GHz band so if you notice that your new TV has one of these bands built-in then it will be able to receive more consistent connectivity throughout your home regardless of where you place it which is great for streaming 4K content wirelessly from online sources such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and YouTube.
Smart Functions and Apps
You don’t really need these features if you’re just going to use your TV mainly for watching cable or satellite broadcasts because most providers have their own applications available which can be used with these devices instead.
But having an OS built into your TV set means that you’ll be exposed to additional functionality such as streaming music and video from online sources as well as having access to plenty of apps that can be used for playing games or doing other things.
In addition to conventional apps, you’ll also come across downloadable ones that are available for specific TV models only which is great because it gives you more options to choose from depending on your own personal preferences, needs, and requirements.
Keep in mind however that some of these titles may not work correctly with certain TVs simply because they’re not fully optimized yet so if one doesn’t work at all try looking for another one instead.
Some 4K TV will also require an Internet connection to perform updates or check for new software so make sure that the device you want to buy provides this feature out of the box especially if it doesn’t have its own Ethernet port.
This is a pretty cool feature that allows you to take content such as photos, documents, or files from your smartphone and display them on your TV screen by tapping it with the latter device when they’re both connected to the same WiFi network. Mobile devices typically use apps to make this possible so you need to be using one in order for this function to work properly.
This makes sharing things much easier because no cables are needed unless there’s a specific app that only works wirelessly which can also be used for getting content onto your home theater system instead of just displaying everything on mobile gadgets themselves.
Final Words
When it comes to buying a Smart TV, there are many considerations and factors that you should take into account before making your final decision. The resources we’ve provided will help you make the best possible purchase for yourself or someone else this holiday season by highlighting some of these important features. We hope our guide has helped you narrow down what type of smart TV may be right for you so all that’s left is deciding which one.