When you’re planning to buy a new TV, you should do a thorough market research before taking the final decision. While doing so, it’s natural to take reviews from friends and family. However, the market situation might be different as now there are so many options available. To narrow down your search and minimise confusion, let’s have a look at the most important questions –
Screen size & resolution
And here comes the question asked most – How many inches of TV screen do you want? We all want as big as possible, however, there are other factors like budget and room size which affects this decision. There are many rules out there which helps to calculate the ideal screen size. One of the more common way is to multiply the viewing distance (in feet) by 7.7 to find the ideal screen size. For example, if the room size says the viewing distance is 5 feet, then the ideal screen size will be 5 x 7.7 = 38.5 inches (appx). If you buy a huge screen size TV but don’t have the proper viewing distance, the experience won’t be good as much.
Resolution is another factor which is closely related with size. 4K is a splendid resolution which is meant to be viewed from up close, like about at a distance of 5 feet. In which case a 38.5 inch is ideal as calculations show. The magic of 4K resolution is not that much visible on smaller screens, and that’s why it’s better to buy 4K resolution TV’s if you’re planning to go over 40 inches. If not, then you can save some money and buy a different resolution. There are other resolutions available in the market as well. HD (720p), and FHD (1080p) resolutions are also there. It all comes down to personal preference, space and budget.
Screen technology
LCD, LED or OLED? Technology has come a long way when it comes to screen technology. OLED is the new way to go, which stands for organic light-emitting diode. The advantages of OLED is that it gives better image quality, and better colour reproduction. The blacks are deeper, and balanced contrast for all colours – making this an expensive option. If you have the budget, it’s better to go for an OLED.
Your OS of choice
By now most of us are familiar with what an OS (Operating System) is and thanks to smartphones, Android is the most popular OS around. Android has also come into the world of Smart TVs. It works pretty much in the similar way. For TVs, the experience is a bit different though. There are also other OSs which different manufacturers install in their own brand of TVs. There are obvious differences in UI/UX and also the functionalities. It’s better to have the salesman show you around the basics of the OS.
Miscellaneous tips
There are a lot of reviews online which will help you to get a basic idea but nothing beats hands-on experience. The model numbers may vary with country, manufacturer, location and model variants. Do not get confused with the differences between the model numbers you find online and offline. They are often not updated on the website.
Another important factor that impacts the price of a TV now-a-days is the thinness. TVs having the same resolution will have a higher price if it’s thinner than others. Also, there is another technology called curved screen, which is basically the screen being bent inwards in a convex shaped surface. This provides a bit more focused viewing angle. Again, this feature will add to the cost so choose wisely.