Just like what to know before buying a TV, mistakes to avoid when buying a TV is equally important. The reason behind it is simple – purchasing a new TV can be exciting and a confusing affair. Although its large & vibrant displays and sleek designs seem attractive, data specifications may leave you at a toss. Therefore, to help you select an ideal TV as per your expectations and budget, here is a TV buying guide that you can always refer to when planning to buy the new TV.
Let us first start with the few things that you should consider before you invest in a brand-new TV. After that, we will move to the next section – Mistakes to avoid when buying a TV.
Also read: TV Buying Guide: How To Choose The Right One?
Things You Should Keep in Mind While Buying a TV
Make Sure Your Room Can Accommodate Minimum Viewing Distance
You should never buy a 55-inch TV just because you are getting it at a discounted rate. Measure the size of your room. It is always recommended that the viewing distance for any 32-inch LED TV should be four feet. The minimum viewing distance For a 40-inch and 48-inch TV should be seven feet. If you plan to buy a 55-inch or 65-inch LED TV, make sure your room can accommodate a minimum viewing distance of nine feet.
It Would Be Best If You Buy Full-HD TV Instead of HD-ready.
If you are not on a tight budget and can stretch a little bit, buying a Full-HD 1080p TV instead of 720p HD-Ready TV is advisable. Also, not all HD LED TV will offer Full HD 1080p resolution. Some cheaper variants are always 720p HD ready. If you are heavily dependent on the set-top box, 720p HD-ready models could be a decent choice. However, if you love to watch movies or play games, a 1080p-HD resolution is the perfect pick for you.
Check the Connectivity Options
Are you planning to use a TV for purposes apart from connecting to a set-top box? If yes, you should ensure that you get connectivity ports such as HDMI, USB ports, 3.5mm audio jack, and other AV ports. Remember, having Bluetooth is an added advantage. In short, more connectivity options = the merrier
Refresh Rate Matters a Lot
Refresh rate refers to how many times a particular picture on the screen will get refreshed in a second. The standard refresh rate is 60Hz. It means 60 times every second. However, sometimes, some fast-moving scenes might look blurred on TVs with a 60Hz refresh rate. Therefore, you should go for a TV with a higher refresh rate. Thus, the video will appear smooth and allow you to see content with more details.
Also read: How To Sell Old Tv Online And Get Amazing Buyback Value?
Better Contrast Ratio = Better Brightness Levels
The contrast ratio indicates the brightness level range that your TV can display. Therefore, you should always go for a TV that offers a better contrast ratio because a better contrast ratio will provide you with better displays in terms of colours and other image details.
Choose a TV that Offers Native Apps
You should never overlook the native app feature while selecting a TV model. Before settling down on any TV model, you should look at what the specific TVs have to offer. Some TVs support several useful apps, while others support none of these.
Keep In Mind, ‘Smart TVs’ are Not Always Smart
You should be aware of the smart tag on the TV. A specific model might have its ecosystem, app store, and OS, which indicates smart but in reality, it’s not a true smart TV. Some others run Android and offer access to much more apps apart from smart features such as voice commands and more.
Also read: Best QLED TVs You Should Consider Buying
Audio Output Plays a Major Role
Always keep in mind that most budget TVs come with not-so-great speakers. It might happen that picture quality will please you, but, in most cases, the audio will upset you. You should invest in a soundbar along with large TVs. Also, you should at least invest in a decent 2.1 channel speaker.
Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a TV
Never Buy a TV That is Too Small
When you plan to buy a brand-new TV in the market, you should prefer to go for a big TV. The reason behind it is that the bigger TV usually means better. Nowadays, 4K Ultra HD TVs let you experience stunning picture quality, and when the screen is big, you will get an immersive experience while watching the game.
Avoid Buying a New TV That is Too Big
Yes, you read it right. It would be best if you never buy a TV that is not appropriate for your space. If you have a small room, undoubtedly, a big TV cannot provide you with a fantastic viewing experience. It will make you feel like you are sitting in the front row at the movie theatre. Also, if you have not bought a 4K TV, it will look blurry up closely. If the budget is your concern, it is advisable that you step down in size but up in quality. It is because your TV is all about picture quality.
Not Thinking About The Future
Keep in mind that you should never buy a TV for now, but buy it for the future. There is no doubt that you want a TV that will serve you well for years to come. Therefore, always be an early adopter of cutting-edge technologies.
Not Paying Attention to The Sound
These days, TVs are thinner, which is excellent. However, you should always pay attention to the sound quality. When you are getting impressive picture quality, certainly, you will expect good sound quality. Therefore, buy a soundbar or surround system.
Never Bring the Wrong Car to Pick Your TV
Congratulations! You have picked out the perfect TV, but now the next important step is to get it home. The best thing you can do is to buy a TV with a free delivery option. However, if you want to bring it yourself home, make sure to bring the right vehicle to the store.
Avoid Solely Relying On a Sales Person
Many people listen only to the salesperson. However, they forget that salespersons are appointed to sell rather than to offer unbiased consumer advice. Their main goal is to make money. Therefore, if you want to have a truly unbiased opinion, you should look at independent sources such as journalists, reviewers, and experts in the field. Do not solely rely on a salesperson’s opinion.
Never Forget to Set a Budget For a Soundbar
Nowadays, TVs are getting thinner, and bezels shrink. Due to this, manufacturers do not have much space for in-built speakers. They angle speakers toward the bottom and then bounce sound out toward the viewer. It results in poor sound reproduction. Therefore, if audio quality is vital for you, you should certainly budget for a soundbar or surround sound.
Also read: Explained: What Is 4K HD and Ultra HD? A Byte Size Guide.
Here Are Some Quick Tips to Buy a TV
- You should never buy a TV that is less than 4K resolution.
- It would be best to skip buying 8K TVs for now as 8K movies and shows are not available. Besides, 8K TVs are pretty expensive.
- Always go for a TV with a refresh rate 60Hz or 120Hz as a higher refresh rate will provide you with a smoother motion for everything such as movies, gaming, live sports, etc.
- You should search for an HDR-compatible set as it provides you with more realistic colours and better contrast. Choose a TV that supports more advanced formats like HDR10+ or Dolby Vision.
- OLED TVs are better than LCDs, but if you are looking for some affordable middle ground TVs, select QLED TVs.
- While selecting a TV, select at least four HDMI ports.
- Never overlook buying a soundbar because these days, TV speakers do not provide the best results due to the thin screens.
- You should avoid extended warranties.
Also read: How To Connect Laptop To TV – Wired, And Wireless
Wrapping Up
In summary, a new TV is a considerable purchase. Therefore, you want to be sure that your investment is going to be worthwhile. Hopefully, this article has helped you get the knowledge of which things you should consider and mistakes to avoid when buying a TV.
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