Whether you’re in need of an upgrade because someone accidentally spilled your old TV, or you just bought a new console, the only thing you need to worry about when shopping for a TV will be… Too many TV models on the market. Sooner or later, you will also fall into the matrix of brands, sizes, features and countless different features on similar models.
The experience of buying a TV just 2 or 3 years ago, even 1 year ago, will also become obsolete due to the series of technological innovations that are constantly being updated in this market.
So let’s focus on just a few of the biggest highlights before you throw down hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Don’t think of buying anything less than 4K/HDR
4K TVs are finally quite affordable.
There’s one piece of advice that comes before anything else: Don’t bother with a TV that can’t hit 4K and display HDR.
For reference, 4K is a misleading marketing term for super sharp 2160p resolution. HDR refers to a high dynamic range that dramatically widens the gap between light and shadow, making movies, TV shows, and games that support it look better than ever.
The bad news for people wanting a new TV is that opting out of TVs with 4K or HDR (most TVs that don’t have one will also have the other) will expose them to severe FOMO, as more and more content becomes available. broadcast that way. The good news is that it’s getting harder and harder to find a TV larger than 40 inches or more that doesn’t support 4K and HDR, and they’re getting cheaper by the day. A 43-inch TCL TV also has these two features for less than 300 USD.
However, there is a potential difficulty with the HDR feature, which is that there are many types of HDR (for technical reasons). They’re basically just a difference in color processing that most ordinary people probably won’t notice. The two most popular standards by far are HDR10 and Dolby Vision. To check, any TV with HDR will tell you which standards it supports with a sticker on the box. Remember, as long as it has HDR10 or Dolby Vision, everything should be fine.
LCD vs OLED
OLED TVs look great, but they’re expensive.
Unfortunately, there’s another important screen difference when buying a new TV in 2022: It’s having to choose between LCD and OLED.
Most devices with screens of any kind manufactured within the last 15 to 20 years operate on liquid crystal display (or LCD) technology. However, if you have a good budget to spend and want the best picture quality, look for a TV with an organic light-emitting diode (or OLED) display.
When choosing to buy, all you really need to know is that LCD TVs use a backlight to illuminate each pixel, while the pixels on an OLED TV are illuminated independently. The end result is that OLED TVs almost always look better than LCD TVs, but they are often a lot more expensive. A 55-inch OLED model can usually give you stunning images, but it will also cost you around $2,000.
But don’t feel embarrassed if you only have the budget to buy an LCD TV. It will still look great, just… not quite as great as something that costs more.
HDMI 2.1 is a must for gamers
You’ll need HDMI 2.1 to get the most out of the new consoles.
This last feature really only applies to gamers, so those who buy the TV for casual viewing can continue or stop reading here.
Both PS5 and Xbox Series X are supporting high frame rate options for certain games, meaning you can play at smooth 120 fps with the right hardware. That means you’ll need a TV with a refresh rate of 120Hz or higher (although most TVs these days have refresh rates at 60Hz or 120Hz).
You can easily find this parameter printed on the TV box or manufacturer’s website. However, to enjoy 120 FPS games with something around 4K resolution, you’ll need to make sure the TV has an HDMI 2.1 port, along with a separate HDMI 2.1 cable.
Basically, HDMI 2.1 provides enough power for the TV and connected device to display high frame rate and high resolution at the same time. Sadly, this is still not a very common feature in cheap TVs.
See it? Buying a new TV isn’t too difficult. All you need to do is learn a few new tech terms and pick something that can do everything you want without a lot of side effects. And amid today’s vast and varied TV market, there’s sure to be something to suit your needs and budget.
Refer Mashable
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