How to Choose a TV
Nowadays, buying a new TV can be a very difficult task due to all the different options the market has to offer. However, there are certain features you can pay attention to in order to cover all your preferences and make the best choice.
5-Minute Crafts has compiled the most important aspects that can help you get the perfect TV.
1. Size
When purchasing a new TV, one of the first things to take into account is the space you have for it and how far you will be sitting from your screen. Therefore, it’s important to check if there is enough room for what you have in mind by using a measuring tape. Remember that a TV size is measured diagonally, going from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.
Additionally, in order to get the perfect size, you may want to consider these recommended viewing distances:
- Less than 5 feet: up to 32 inches
- 5 to 6.5 feet: 32 — 39 inches
- 6.5 to 8 feet: 40 — 45 inches
- 8 to 10 feet: 46 — 55 inches
- 10 feet or more: over 56 inches
2. Display technology
When choosing your new TV screen technology, there are three main categories with the following characteristics:
- LED: this technology provides a bright image and good picture quality. Additionally, LED screens are slim and can be found in a wide range of sizes, giving you more alternatives if you’re shopping on a budget. Moreover, it’s a great choice if you want an energy-efficient TV.
- OLED: it can display vibrant colors and accurate details and shades. At the same time, an OLED screen can be thinner than a LED screen. Since they provide a smooth and realistic motion, they are great for action movies and sports. They also have lower levels of blue light, which reduces eye strain.
- QLED: these screens give you brighter and more realistic images. Moreover, they are perfect for bright rooms as there is less reflection and glare due to their intense colors, no matter the brightness.
3. Resolution
Picture resolution refers to the number of pixels on a screen. For instance, the more pixels a screen has, the better the picture will be. The chart above will help you understand the different options you may find on the market.
❗Keep in mind that choosing the right resolution can depend on how close you will usually be to the screen. If you will be sitting near it, you may want to opt for a TV with higher resolution in order to avoid pixelated or blocky pictures.
4. Connectivity and other features
- Additionally, it’s important to make sure that your new TV has all the connections you will need for the devices you currently have, such as gaming consoles, USB hard drives, sound systems, etc. Look at the information above to learn more about ports.
- Smart TVs, which require an internet connection, are a great choice if you’re looking for a TV that allows you to use apps and streaming services, play online games, and connect your smartphone or tablet to it. This way, you will be able to stream TV shows and movies, as well as share content between your screens.
- As there’s not much room for high-quality internal speakers in thin TVs, you may want to get a soundbar to enhance the audio.
- It’s also advisable to count the number of devices you will want to connect that require HDMI or USB connectivity, and consider two extra ports to cover the electronics you may get in the future.
- If you want to watch TV in bed or don’t want to miss any dialogues of your favorite shows while you do other things, make sure your TV has Bluetooth connectivity. This will allow you to link your Bluetooth headphones to it in order to move freely and not disturb others while they are sleeping.
- Some TVs will come with a voice control feature. This allows you to use services such as Alexa, Siri, or Google Asistant. They can also have a special remote control, on which you press down a specific button and speak your command, such as change the channel, turn up the volume, etc.