How to Choose the Right TV (2022): Terms, Dimensions, Ports and Games, Explanation

TV can difficult to shop. Whether my readers delicate guide to The best TV or not, you probably won’t find every top model at your local Walmart, Best Buy, or Costco. And when you’re browsing retail websites, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by marketing activities like HDR or local dimming. That’s why I’ve gathered some tips, tricks, and terms to help you shop smarter when buying a new TV. Think of this as a checklist to consider before you head to the store (or Amazon) to buy your next big screen.

Be sure to check out our guide to The best soundbars and our advice on Upgrade your home sound to round out your home theater.

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Bigger screen is always better, right? When it comes to TVs, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should always use the largest size. Pricing on larger models can be out of reach, and you should always make sure you have enough room for all of those screens.

Under 55 inches

Some High-end OLED TVs are smaller in size so they can double as computer monitors, but most TVs under 55 inches these days are largely substandard. Many manufacturers still produce models under this size, but you probably won’t get the latest and greatest performance if you’re not using a 55-inch or larger TV.

55 inch TV

This is the standard size of modern TVs. It’s ideal for the average room in a house or apartment, but if you have a larger space, you may want to upsize. Note that TVs this size and larger often have pins on both ends of the screen; If you’re not wall-mounting, make sure you measure the width of the TV stand to make sure it can hold your new TV.

65 inch TV

This is a good size choice for larger living rooms or for spaces where you will have multiple eyes on at once. If you have the extra money and space, it’s worth the upgrade for those who like to see even closer detail in movies and TV shows.

75 inches or more

I only really recommend TVs of this size and larger for people with large rooms who want a cinematic experience. Buyer beware: Prices on large TVs like this can be exorbitant (in dozens among thousands for high-end models). The cheaper ones (under $1,000) may not look good due to the low resolution.

Resolution means the number of pixels on your screen. Modern TVs come in 1080p “Full HD” (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), 4K “UHD” (3,840 x 2,160) and 8K “8K UHD” (7,680 x 4,320) variants. The former and the latter are a bit rare, but for the opposite reasons: Full HD displays are now old technology and only available to the smallest and cheapest monitors; 8K resolution is only available on large, expensive TVs.

What’s the difference? More pixels! 4K TVs have about four times as many pixels as 1080p screens, and 8K TVs have about four times as many pixels as 4K models, or 16 times (!) than 1080p. In theory, this should mean a much clearer picture, but that’s not necessarily true. Because the pixels in a standard-sized 4K TV (55-65 inches) are already packed so thickly into the screen, you may not see a difference between a 4K and 8K TV unless you’re watching at close range. . There’s also not much content available in 8K.

Stick with the 4K UHD display — it’s your best bet unless you want a big, expensive screen or something small and cheap for your bedroom.

Simply put, TVs (with the exception of OLEDs and some special models) are made up of several layers. There is a layer that produces colors and images as well as a layer that illuminates said image so that we can see it. These backlighting systems have a big impact on how well your screen looks in terms of contrast (the difference and sharpness between dark and bright objects). Here are some backlight terms you’ll likely encounter and what they mean:

Edge lighting typically used in low-end TVs or TVs that need to be thinner than their direct-lit counterparts and are dimmed locally. It consists of a ring of lights around the screen which is then used to illuminate the display.