Best TV: Buying Guide

If once the purchase of a TV was an investment that lasted over time, now the technological evolution is such that within a few years even a high-end model can become obsolete. In short, it must keep you constantly informed to choose the best TV for your needs and your pockets, but don’t worry because on this page you will find all the necessary tips to avoid making mistakes during the purchase and to choose a model that satisfies yours. expectations and with the best value for money.

Here at the bottom of the page you will find a list of televisions (which I will update from time to time) with TVs of various sizes and price ranges that will help you make the right choice. To find out which is the best TV for your needs, all you have to do is analyze the technical characteristics of each TV, find out which features distinguish it from the others and identify the product with the best price according to your budget. Before, I was talking to you about continuous and unstoppable technological evolution: have you ever heard of 3D?

A few years ago the producers were focusing heavily on this category in order to fuel their sales. According to their press releases, it seemed that it was essential to buy a TV with three-dimensionality support in order to fully enjoy compatible films, but 3D never caught on because in fact it did not offer such an innovative experience. It is precisely in order not to take such scams that you have to keep yourself informed: the trends of the moment are Smart TV, Ultra HD 4K, HDR, OLED and Quantum Dot, all much more interesting than 3D: but what do these names represent? Let’s find out together below.

Index

  • Best TV: Smart or not?
  • Best TV: technologies
    • LCD, LED, OLED, plasma
    • Quantum Dot
    • Curved TVs
  • Best TV: technical characteristics
    • Resolution
    • HDR
    • 3D support
    • Number of entrances
    • Standards supported
    • Slot Common Interface Plus (CI+)
    • Other characteristics
  • Best TV: which one to choose
    • Best cheap TV (under $350)
    • Best mid-range TV ($ 350 to $ 800)
    • Best high-end TV (over $ 800)

Best TV: Smart or not?

What is the difference between a Smart TV and a traditional TV? The former are distinguished from traditional TVs for Internet connectivity and support for applications, such as those for YouTube, social networks and viewing of streaming content. A Smart TV usually has an advanced operating system, just like that of your smartphone or computer and when choosing a model you must always consider which operating system is installed since the compatibility list of the product depends on this, both with applications. of third parties than with external peripherals.

The operating system plays a fundamental role in the amount of applications available and in the ease of use of the TV. The most popular operating systems are: Samsung’s Tizen OS (present on the most recent models of the Asian manufacturer), LG’s WebOS and Android TV, which sees some of its most important promoters in Sony and Philips and brings all the apps available on TVs to televisions. smartphone and tablet.

On the hardware side, particular attention must be paid to the processor power, on which the speed with which the TV runs the various apps depends. We must also pay attention to the Wi-Fi support: not all Smart TVs are able to connect to the home network wirelessly, some only support a cable connection (Ethernet) and require a key that can be purchased separately for the Wi-Fi connection. Fi. Finally, you must consider that there are very cheap devices, such as the Google Chromecast and Android TV Boxes which, if necessary, allow you to  transform traditional TVs into Smart TVs.

Best TV: technologies

The latest generation televisions are not all the same, and even in the highest range of products there can be substantial differences between the models produced by the various companies: for example Sony and LG are focusing above all on the OLED, which offers very deep blacks and a large range of colors, while Samsung prefers to focus on the latest Quantum Dot technology which guarantees better color fidelity but with a lower contrast ratio than OLEDs.

Below I offer you a series of tips so that you can better orient yourself in choosing the various types of panels for televisions.

LCD, LED, OLED, plasma

The choice between plasma, LCD, LED and OLED TVsit’s simpler than you can imagine. Plasma technology is now outdated, televisions of this type consume too much energy and heat excessively. I advise you to avoid them (also because nowadays there are very few of them on the market). LCDs and LEDs are basically the same thing: LED TVs are LCDs that use LEDs instead of fluorescent lamps for the backlight (which drastically reduces their energy consumption and makes them thinner). Finally, there are the OLEDs, which are even more efficient than LEDs in terms of consumption, they ensure very deep blacks because the pixels can be individually turned off if necessary, but currently they are still quite expensive. Moral of the story? If you want the best value for money go for an LED TV.

Quantum Dot

Some of the major television companies are marketing LED televisions called Quantum Dot . These televisions are based on a new backlight technology that uses microcrystals for a more “precise” rendering of colors. The microcrystals are illuminated with a blue ray of light and in this way they are able to reproduce a wider range of colors on the screen than that of classic LED TVs. It must be said that at the moment it is a technology reserved for a few top of the range, but in the future things could change.

Curved TVs

Some companies are focusing heavily on curved display TVs . But are they really needed? What advantages do they have over classic flat displays?

Well, broadly curved TVs offer a more immersive experience for the viewer than flat displays, they make the screen seem bigger… but they also have several drawbacks. First of all, to fully enjoy this format you have to stand in front of the screen, moving to the side the vision is much more limited than that of traditional displays.

Best TV: technical characteristics

When choosing a TV it is essential to know the definitions of the technical characteristics to understand which model is better than another without necessarily having to try it. Below I offer you the basics to guide you in your purchase.

Resolution

Most of the TVs on the market have three types of resolution : the HD Ready equal to 1280 × 720 pixels or 1366 × 768 pixels, the Full HD which is equivalent to 1920 × 1080 pixels and the Ultra HD (also called 4K ) which is equivalent to 3840 × 2160 pixels. TVs with 8K resolution ( 7680 × 4320pixels), which use complex artificial intelligence algorithms to convert signals produced in Full HD or 4K to 8K. Due to the scarcity of native 8K content, however, I don’t currently recommend this type of TV unless you want the best of the best to date (and are willing to spend a fortune!).

The most banal observation that can be made regarding resolutionit is related to the fact that the larger the resolution, the better the image quality. This is undeniable, but we must also consider the fact that the most advanced televisions, those with 4K resolution, are a little more expensive than Full HD. Is it worth buying one? In fact, in recent years the contents that allow you to fully enjoy this format are many, especially on online streaming services or on “premium” paid television services. In summary we can say that the purchase of a 4K Ultra HD TV is advisable if combined with a premium subscription, but be careful: if you use an online service make sure you have enough download bandwidth to be able to manage 4K (about 30 Mbps constant) . I recommend that you choose a 4K Ultra HD TV even if you have a latest generation console (like the PS4 Pro) or want to buy one in the future, since the latest titles on the market can also run at the typical 3840×2160 pixel resolution. of 4K. HD Ready TVs I would advise against them, they are now outdated and are not much cheaper than Full HD ones.

HDR

Some top-of-the-range televisions support HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology , which allows you to have on the screen all those shades of shadows, lights and colors that televisions normally cannot show us.

For some it is one of the greatest innovations since the introduction of high definition, but for the moment it is paying dearly. At present, in fact, only some medium-high or high-end TV models support HDR.

3D support

The 3D support allows you to improve the depth of the images reproduced on the screen using various technologies, with active and passive glasses that differ in the methods used. You can find all the differences between the two technologies explained in detail in my post on 3D TVs . This is a standard that is now almost completely forgotten by the industry, so I recommend that you rely on other characteristics when choosing your new TV.

Number of entrances

With the proliferation of multimedia decoders, media centers, HDMI dongles (eg Chromecast) and game consoles, it is important to buy a TV that has a good number of HDMI inputs . It should also be noted that some devices, such as 4K Blu-Ray players, need HDMI 2.0 ports (as well as an UltraHD TV) to do their job fully.

Equally important is the number of USB ports available on the TV, which are used to connect hard drives, USB sticks and power devices such as HDMI dongles. If you intend to connect a receiver or an external audio system to the TV, the presence of an optical audio output (in addition to the usual headphone jack, now present on all TVs, and the HDMI inputs) could also be useful.

Standards supported

In the technical data sheet of a TV there are also abbreviations that indicate the transmission standards supported by the device: DVB-T indicates the standard digital terrestrial support; DVB-T2 support for new generation digital terrestrial (which is slowly replacing DVB-T); DVB-S and DVB-S2 indicate televisions equipped with a satellite tuner. But be careful: full support for new generation digital terrestrial is guaranteed only by televisions which, in addition to being compatible with DVB-T2 technology, support the H.265 / HEVC code. Before choosing your next TV, take this parameter into consideration.

Slot Common Interface Plus (CI+)

The Common interface Plus (CI +) Slot is the slot in which the CAM is installed for reading smart cards (therefore for accessing digital terrestrial pay TV services). It is present in most televisions currently on the market, but may be missing on some cheaper models. Eye!

Other characteristics

Other features that I recommend you take into consideration before buying a TV are the following.

  • Refresh rate – is a value that indicates the refresh rate of the images on the screen. It can be 50Hz, 100Hz or 200Hz, but some manufacturers use higher digits (e.g. 400Hz, 800Hz or 1000Hz) to indicate the adoption of technologies that process the image to make it smoother. For the US market the standards adopted are 60Hz, 120Hz and 240Hz, so in the technical data sheets of some TVs you may find these values ​​instead of “our” 50Hz, 100Hz and 200Hz. It should also be noted that some manufacturers evaluate their motion processing technologies with values ​​other than Hz. For example, LG uses PMI and Samsung uses PQI, so it is not always possible to directly compare the values ​​of TVs from two different manufacturers.
  • Power Consumption – TVs stay on for several hours a day. Buy one of the high energy class if you don’t want to pay high bills. The energy classes range from class D (worst) to class A +++ (best).
  • Warranty – some TVs, if imported, may not have the standard European warranty we are used to. Check carefully before completing your purchase.
  • Miracast, Google Cast, AirPlay 2 and DLNA support – as I explained to you in my tutorial on how to connect the mobile phone to the TV , some Smart TVs are equipped with support for different technologies that allow you to transmit audio / video content to the TV wirelessly. Among these technologies, I point out Miracast, integrated in many Windows PCs and Android devices; Google Cast, which allows you to take advantage of Chromecast technology without using the Google key; AirPlay 2 by Apple integrated in all devices of the “bitten apple”, and DLNA, compatible with all devices but more limited than the others, as it does not allow direct transmission of the screen, but only that of individual contents.
  • Brightness – the maximum brightness level of a TV is indicated in Nit (cd / m 2 ). To learn more about the topic, consult this Wikipedia page .
  • Contrast – the contrast ratio of a TV indicates the brightness ratio of a white image to a black image. It is expressed using the formula “x: 1”, where the “x” represents the degree of brightness of white with respect to black.
  • Viewing angle – this is the maximum angle from which you can view the image on the screen without distortion (therefore with optimal colors and brightness). It is expressed using the formula “x: x”, where instead of “x” there is the maximum viewing angle.

Best TV: which one to choose

At this point you should be able to find the best TV for your needs. Take a look at all the models listed below and choose the one you like best.

Best cheap TV (under $350)

Xiaomi Mi Smart TV 4A / 4S – 32″

Characterized by the excellent quality-price ratio, Xiaomi TVs are cheap products that are able to meet the needs of the vast majority of users. Xiaomi Mi Smart TV 4A is an entry-level from less than 200 euros with a diagonal of 32 ″, support for HD Ready resolution, Smart TV functionality thanks to the presence of Android TV 9.0, and with triple tuner with full compatibility with DVB-T2 alo HEVC. Xiaomi Mi Smart TV 4S is a more expensive and performing model, with a diagonal of 43 ″ and support for 4K Ultra HD resolution. It supports Wi-Fi and here too we find Android TV 9.0 which enables all Smart features.

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Resolution – 4K Ultra HD
  • Smart TV – Yes.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – 3 HDMI, 3 USB (2 on 4A), 1 Ethernet, Composite Video In, Headphone Out, Optical Out.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2 / C.

Samsung Serie TU7090 – 43″, 50″”

Under 350 euros you can also find different models of Samsung TVs, with a graceful aesthetic thanks to the reduced frames and the quality of the images of a good level. We have two models, specifically, that I recommend below, respectively 43 “and 50”, both with support for 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 × 2160 pixels). They are two smart TVs, with functions for image enhancement and support for HDR content. They can also be managed by voice, through the default virtual assistant Bixby or Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, if you have a compatible smart speaker.

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Resolution – 4K Ultra HD
  • Smart TV – Yes.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – 2 HDMI, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, optical output.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2 / C.

TCL Serie ES561 – 32″, 40″

TCL ES561 is an entry-level TV series based on two main models, one 32 “and the other 40”. They are basic TVs that support HD Ready resolution and Full HD resolution respectively, but can connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi supporting the Android TV operating system. They have triple tuner and support for all Google Play Store apps, as well as Google’s virtual assistant.

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Risoluzione – HD Ready / Full HD.
  • Smart TV – Yes.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – HDMI, 1 USB, headphone out, 1 Ethernet.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2 / C.

Samsung T4000 – 32”

If, on the other hand, you want to stay in the Samsung home and intend to buy a model with a compact size and an absolutely inviting price, I suggest the Samsung T4000 , which does not have access to the Internet and supports HD Ready resolution. It has two HDMI ports, DVB-T2 tuner, a USB port, and good picture quality.

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Risoluzione – HD Ready.
  • Smart TV – No.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – 2 HDMI, 1 USB, headphone jack, optical audio.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2 / C.

Hisense Serie BE5500 – 32″, 40″

Hisense is one of the best TV manufacturers when it comes to value for money. The BE5500 Series has two models, one from 32 “with HD Ready resolution, the other from 40” with Full HD resolution. Both support Internet connectivity via Wi-Fi, the Vidaa U operating system with several popular apps, and offer two HDMI and two USB ports, as well as optical digital output and headphones. These are basic TVs, but the advanced features are many.

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Risoluzione – HD Ready / Full HD.
  • Smart TV – Yes.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – 2 HDMI, 2 USB, Headphone Out, 1 Ethernet, Optical Digital Out, Headphone Out.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2 / C.

Hisense Serie BE7000 – 43″, 50″, 55″

The Hisense BE7000 family is also very interesting , which consists of different models all with support for 4K Ultra HD resolution, HDR, Dolby audio and powered by the Vidaa U3.0 operating system with Artificial Intelligence algorithms to improve the user experience and content search. There is no shortage of Prime Video, Netflix, TIM Vision apps and there is also Dazn for viewing football and sports content via the Internet. Among the ports we have 3 HDMI, 2 USB, the CI + slot and for Internet connectivity there is no lack of Wi-Fi. These TVs are also offered in a single stand version ( Hisense BE7200 Series ).

Technical features

  • Type -LED.
  • Resolution – 4K Ultra HD
  • Smart TV – Yes.
  • 3D Support – No.
  • Inputs – 3 HDMI, 2 USB, headphone out.
  • Slot Common interface Plus (CI+) – Si.
  • Supported TV standards – DVB-T2 / S2.