Shopping for a Smart TV – Simple Right?
With more choice online than ever before, and comparison and review sites to scrutinize everything before we buy, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s never been an easier time to choose and buy a new TV. While there may be some truth to this, the sheer range of choices and options can also make it a bit of a mystery as you try to make the right choice for your taste and budget.
In this article, I look at some of the main specifications and features of Smart TVs, and spell them out for you to unlock some of the mystery world of HDR, UHD, 4K and 8K!
Seeking resolution…
The resolution of your TVs screen, in simple terms, is all about the picture quality, and the picture quality is determined (mostly) by the number of pixels. To really go back to TV 101, pixels are the tiny interconnected dots that combine to produce a picture on your screen. So what different pixels do different TVs contain?
Standard HD models, or 1080p’s (named after their screen resolution of 1920×1080 pixels) are comprised of around 2mil pixels.
Ultra HD (or UHD) TVs boast resolutions of 3840×2160, which means they contain around 8mil pixels. In simple terms this is four times the number of pixels than that of a standard HD TV, and the result is a much more defined picture quality. In larger screens of 65” and above, UHD screens really come into their own, with very obvious advantages in the picture quality.
Another small tip – when shopping for your TV, look out for UHD TVs also being referred to as 4K.
The first 8K Smart TVs are also starting to hit the market with resolutions of 7680×4320 (more than 33 million pixels to save you doing the math), or more than 4 times again the resolution of 4K UHDs. Without stating the obvious, these models offer superior viewing quality, but come at a price, especially given that there isn’t a lot of choice on the market at the present time.
How big a screen do you need?
The most important, or at least one of the most discussed, aspects of buying a new Smart-TV is the screen size. Screen measurements are provided diagonally, and as a rule the choices fall into the 20-80” range. Requirements can obviously vary from a small 24” Smart-TV in the background in a shop through to 65” centerpiece of a home entertainment system.
It’s difficult to offer hard and fast advice on which size of screen is best for you because you’ll make your choice depending on your own taste, requirements and budget, but you should take into account the size of your room, the field and vision, and what you’re looking for in your TV.
There are also a range of free-to-use online calculators and sizers that assist with making the best use of your space and budget.
Similarly, the resolution is difficult to advise exactly because there are so many choices and tastes. But the best thing to think about is how the TV will look in the space that you have. Also, make a shortlist, and be sure to consult online reviews of those models before you make your choice, as current customers will know the ins and outs of the TV in more detail. Overall, a good, safe bet is to go with a 4K screen, and think carefully about how it fits into the space you have.
