It’s a strange time to be shopping for a television. The technology is
halfway through its evolution from high-definition past to ultra
high-definition future (more on that later). For some shoppers, the best
strategy may be to wait and see how it all shakes out. But there are
also plenty of good reasons to spring for a new set now. Maybe you just
upgraded from a cramped apartment to a spacious new home, and your
peewee TV seems lost in the living room. Or maybe you’d like a screen in
the kitchen to watch those cooking shows. Then again, maybe your
5-year-old set just gave up the ghost and now you have an excuse to get
something modern. Our advice is to ignore all the hoopla and focus on
finding something that truly fits your needs.
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Go Big
Sometimes
the widely hyped “next big thing” in TV tech turns out to be a painful
waste of money, which is why a lot of 3D glasses are hibernating in
drawers right now. But you rarely regret investing in screen size. If
you have the room for it, a mega-television inspires maximum awe for
your dollar and showcases your favorite movies, TV shows, and games in
all of their high-def glory.
As
you’d expect, bigger TVs take a bigger bite out of your budget,
especially when the screen gets into the stratosphere of 65 inches and
larger. But prices have in fact been falling. You can still spend upward
of $3,000 for a loaded flagship model from a major brand, but you’ll
also find 60-inch sets with top-notch picture quality starting at about
$900. In our latest TV Ratings, which include at least 40 sets with screens 60 inches or larger, more than half cost $1,500 or less.
Of
course, “big” is relative. In some rooms, a 70-inch set looks
impressive; in others, it just seems menacingly large. But thin-bezel
designs and super-slim depths common in many new models make them far
less imposing.
When
it comes to the right TV size, there are no hard-and-fast rules;
personal preference and even visual acuity come into the picture, so to
speak. But there are general guidelines. To figure out the size that’s
best for you, use one of the many online calculators or apply the
following simple guidelines.
With
a 1080p set, pretty much standard for high-def resolution right now,
measure the distance in feet between your couch and where you’d like to
place the TV. Then divide that number by 1.5 and multiply the result by
12 to determine the size of the optimal set in inches (measured
diagonally). If you’re going to sit 8 feet from the set, for example,
you should shop for a model that’s no bigger than 60 inches.
With UHD TVs, which have higher-resolution screens with more densely packed pixels, you can go even larger.
The
goal is to create a comfortable, immersive viewing experience. You
don’t want to be so close that you can’t see the whole picture or so far
back that you miss the high-def detail you just paid for. Ideally, that
Discovery Channel documentary on lions should fill your field of
vision.
In
terms of screen technology, the decision pretty much has been made for
you, which may come as a relief to confused consumers. Manufacturers no
longer make plasma sets, and OLED TVs, which combine the deep blacks and
unlimited viewing angles of plasma sets with the thinness and energy
efficiency of LCD TVs, are prohibitively pricey.
So
the average buyer will almost certainly be purchasing an LCD set. Just
don’t confuse so-called LED TVs with OLED sets; LED TVs are just LCDs
with LED backlights. The downside to LCDs, however, is that many models
have fairly narrow viewing angles, so the picture can look washed out or
hazy if you’re seated too far to the side of a room instead of directly
in front of the screen.
Don’t rely on the manufacturer’s viewing-angle
claims of 170° or better. Consult our Ratings and spot-check TVs while
in a store by stepping off to each side and viewing from above and below
the center of the screen to assess the picture quality from various
positions.
Before You Buy A UHD TV, Read This
These
days, most manufacturers spotlight Ultra HD TVs—which can display
greater detail than regular 1080p sets—as the premium models in their
lineup. Almost all of them are LED LCD models, though LG offers a few
UHD OLED sets. Here are three compelling reasons it may pay to wait
before buying one:
1. You’ll still pay a premium.
Prices have fallen in the past eight months, but some big-screen
flagship models still sell for $3,000 to $4,000—and OLEDs for many
thousands more. We expect significant price drops by this time next
year.
2. There’s not a lot of 4K content.
To date, only a trickle of movies and programs—primarily from streaming
services such as Amazon, M-Go, and Netflix—have taken advantage of the
greater picture detail. But expect to see the first 4K UHD Blu-ray
players and discs later this year, and a lot more ultra-high-def
streaming options in 2016.
3. Standards are still evolving.
Some UHD features, such as high dynamic range (HDR) and a wider range
of color, have yet to reach their full majesty. And some new TVs claim
HDR capability. But we think it makes sense to wait until all of the
standards—for TVs, streaming media, and Blu-ray discs—are nailed down to
ensure that your TV can take full advantage of them.
Go Small
Giant-screen
TVs are great for a living room or basement home theater, but you
probably don’t want to shoehorn a 65-inch set into a bedroom or tiny
apartment. You can find plenty of TVs at 32 inches and smaller without
skimping on features or picture quality.
Start
by thinking about what content you’ll be watching. If you’re looking
for a bedroom TV for talk shows or nightly reruns of “Seinfeld,” a basic
set may do. But if you plan to stream movies and TV shows from Amazon
Prime or Netflix, a smart TV with built-in Internet access may be a
better choice. Don’t pay too much more for that access, though, because
you can add a streaming media player for as little as $35 if your TV has
an extra HDMI input.
You
can get 1080p on even the smallest screen sizes, but it’s not
necessary. Many viewers will be just as happy with a 720p model. At
normal viewing distances, you won’t notice the dip in detail and
resolution. (But if the TV is doubling as a computer monitor, go with
the higher resolution. It will produce clearer, easier-to-read text and
more detailed images.)
The
viewing angle is just as important with a small TV as a large one,
especially when the set isn’t placed directly in front of your bed,
chair, or sofa. Most of the smaller models we’ve tested have fairly
narrow angles, but there are a few standouts that will let you get a
clear view of Jimmy Fallon’s hijinks even if you’re sacked out on the
side of the room.
Relatively
few TVs this size have 120Hz refresh rates, but don’t sweat it. Here
again, it’s hard to detect a difference at normal viewing distances.
Many
small TVs will let you down in audio quality. Few in our Ratings do a
bang-up job there. But if the dialog is intelligible, even so-so sound
from the built-in speakers may be sufficient for newscasts and sitcoms.
If you watch a lot of concerts, movies, or action-oriented fare, you may
want to consider adding a sound bar speaker. Many of them have
Bluetooth, so they can be used to play music from a phone or tablet as
well.
Don’t
forget about the TV’s connections, too. Smaller sets generally have
only one or two HDMI inputs, the most common way to connect Blu-ray
players, cable boxes, game systems, and other devices. Make sure your
set has enough for all of the high-def sources you use. If it doesn’t,
you may need to spend another $30 to $80 on a separate HDMI switcher.
You may also want to think about a USB slot for playing songs and
displaying photos stored on a flash drive, or a headphone jack for
listening to late-night programs when your partner is trying to sleep.
What
you get is a good deal: Expect to pay about $230 to $300 for a basic
32-inch set from a major brand and as little as $160 from a lesser-known
manufacturer. A smaller set can be had for even less.
Go Frugal
You
can get a great set of any size without spending a fortune, especially
if you forgo some of the bells and whistles that drive up the price. In
fact, the secret to choosing a budget TV isn’t deciding what you want,
but what you’re willing to give up. Here are a few suggestions:
Stay in the second dimension.
Three years ago, 3D was the rage. Now? Not so much. In fact, some
manufacturers, including Vizio, don’t even offer 3D-capable sets. Unless
you’re a die-hard 3D-movie fan, skip that feature—and the 3D Blu-ray
player. That will save you money on 3D glasses, too.
Be fine with flat.
Curved screens are another specious trend. Some people find them
visually attractive. But our testing shows they do little to enhance
picture quality. And when mounted, they don’t sit flat against the wall.
Don’t pay a premium for pixels.
Prices for UHD sets continue to drop, but we think most
budget-conscious buyers would be just as happy with a 1080p TV. For one
thing, when watching from normal distances viewers often have a hard
time seeing the greater picture detail that UHD sets provide. You won’t
find a lot of native 4K content, either. Many things about UHD sets are
still being finalized—read “Before You Buy a UHD TV, Read This”—and
they still command a hefty premium over regular HD TVs, although prices
will almost certainly fall soon. For now, a top-performing 1080p set is
still a smart choice for most people unless you’re buying a huge TV and
have a huge budget.
Skip the ‘smart’ set.
If you want to keep your spending in check, prioritize picture quality
over Internet connectivity. We like smart TVs that can stream video, but
that can add $100 or more to the price. By contrast, a streaming media
player provides similar functionality at a cost of about $35 to $100.
Save on speed.
Some sets have refresh rates of 120Hz to 240Hz, which can help reduce
blurring motion during fast scenes. But for many viewers, especially
those who don’t watch a lot of sports, a regular 60Hz set is good
enough. Our tests have found that some 120Hz models perform no better
than 60Hz sets. If you decide you simply can’t live without a fast
refresh rate, check the motion-blur test scores in our Ratings and find a
model judged at least Good overall.
Count your inputs.
Many budget TVs have only one or two HDMI inputs, which can be a major
drawback if you have a lot of gear to connect, such as a cable box,
Blu-ray player, streaming media player, and game console. We recommend
that you choose a model with at least three HDMI inputs unless you’ll be
connecting your devices to a home-theater receiver.
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