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9 Things to Consider When Buying a TV in 2023

By Devices and Delight Staff

Looking for a new TV? Well, it may be an item you use pretty much on a daily basis, but also one you certainly don’t buy every day. So, if only to refresh your understanding and simplify shopping, here’s our list of 9 things to take into account.

1. Location and Size

When planning to buy a TV, the very first thing to consider is the architecture of the room where the set will be placed — most likely the living room or family room. In particular, you want to look at the following:

  • Dimensions of blank wall space will determine the maximum TV size.
  • Room proportions, hence seating distance from the set, will affect viewing angles relative to the TV size.
  • Windows: To reduce daylight glare, you don’t want the TV to be on a wall directly opposite large windows or sliders.
  • Doors and other passages affect the amount of blank wall space.
  • Furnishings: Can these be moved around to create enough blank wall space?

The totality of these factors will thus inform the size of your TV and whether it should be wall-mounted or otherwise.

If the room has a big blank wall and you happen to be an avid art lover, you could even consider a wide-screen Art Mode TV, which will allow you to display wall art in high-tech fashion.

2. Price

A TV in the range of 45 inches to 65 inches, with premium features, costs about US$500 to US$1,000. Bigger than 65 inches, be prepared to pay north of US$1,000. Even on a budget, you can still get a good-quality TV. Small sets cost between US$250 and US$400. And remember there’s always a bargain somewhere. With a little patience, you can land your dream set for much less than you think.

Should Art Mode TV be your pleasure, just note that these are very expensive sets, ranging from about US$600 for 32 inches to around US$5,000 for 85 inches. For someone really into art, that would be money well spent.

3. Screen Resolution

4K Ultra HD is the choice resolution to look for. Screen resolution represents the overall richness of images. The higher the resolution, the better, and 4K is currently the optimum level in the industry — considering that the newer and higher resolution 8K technology is still relatively uncommon, if not a little expensive for many.

There’s also 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) resolution, which is effectively an embellishment of 4K Ultra HD. This offers greater brightness, more colours, and better contrast. HDR has three sub-levels on the market: HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.

4. TV Panel Type

Your choice is between LED and OLED, both excellent screen types suitable for rooms of all lighting conditions. But the more expensive OLED functions well even in darker rooms, and in addition, has the better image quality. Samsung’s high-end QLED TV is a variation of LED TV, offering improved picture brightness and colour. For the latest tweaks in panel design, there are mini-LED TVs and micro-LED TVs, both of which provide brighter, higher-contrast images, and are pricier than regular LEDs.

5. Smart TV

A smart TV has built-in Wi-Fi and other internet features for streaming television, internet radio, music, videos, browsing the web, and viewing photos. It’s the Internet of Things features that distinguishes it from a traditional TV set.

Most sets on the market today are smart TVs. But it’s worth emphasizing that smart benefits largely depend on internet connectivity.

6. Ports

Your TV set should have at least 3 or 4 HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) ports, which connect devices such as laptops, DVDs, Blu-ray, Ultra HD players, media streamers, smartphones, game consoles, and more.

Look for high-speed HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1.

By default, a smart TV will also have a USB port for flash drives and other sources, and an Ethernet port for a more stable connection to the internet than Wi-Fi.

7. Audio System

Sub-par default audio on a typical flatscreen TV is usually improved by connection to a surround sound system or a soundbar.

A soundbar, which features built-in speakers, is more straightforward to set up, and hence less expensive than a surround sound solution.

But if you are very exacting about immersive sound quality, and depending on room size, then a surround sound system may be the better option.

8. Brand

According to many sources, the Top 5 TV Brands in the world are Samsung with about 29% market share by revenue, LG with 18%, Sony with 9%, Hisense at 8.2%, and TCL at 8%.

Chances are, your new TV will be one of these brands.

9. Extended Warranty

Every new TV comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. On top of that, a dealer will offer an extended warranty for the period after the factory warranty expires.

Extended warranties are always a good idea to be considered in the same light as insurance for general household items.

Author: Devices and Delight Staff