TV Buying Guide 2021: How to Choose the Best TV

My.Priceshop.com TV Buying Guide

A good TV can bring great visual enjoyment to you and the family. We’ve prepared a comprehensive TV buying guide to equip you with all the necessary knowledge for buying a TV!

Types of TVs and features

1. LCD TV

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. It is a television set that uses liquid-crystal displays to produce images. They are, by far, the most widely produced and sold television display type. LCD TVs consume much less power than plasma displays because they work on the principle of blocking light rather than emitting it. An LCD display uses either a passive matrix or an active matrix display grid.

2. LED TV

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. Unlike the typical LCD TV, which uses fluorescent lamps, LED uses light-emitting diodes as the backlight. One of the advantages of using light-emitting diodes is that they can greatly enhance brightness and contrast, allowing for greater colour saturation.

LED tubes are smaller than Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) tubes. As a result, the screens can be made thinner. In addition, coupled with the fact that LED-backlit screens do not contain mercury, hence, the power consumption is 36%-50% lower than LCD TVs.

3. OLED TV

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. It is self-illuminating and does not require a backlight. When there is no electricity flow, an OLED screen does not produce any light. Compared to LCD or QLED, it can present pure black and has a better black performance. In addition, the viewing angle of an OLED screen is wider, so users can enjoy excellent picture quality with a brilliant range of colours at different angles.

4. QLED TV

QLED stands for Quantum-dot Light-Emitting Diode. It is like a regular LED TV, except that it uses tiny nano-particles called quantum dots to increase its brightness and colour. With QLED technology, it can increase the brightness of a TV by nearly 40%. As a result, the colour gamut of the display is also relatively wide, allowing the most realistic image colours to be restored.

What is 4K and HDR? 

1. 4K TV

A 4K TV is a UHD (Ultra High Definition) TV with a resolution of 3840×2160 and the total number of pixels is 4 times more than a typical 1080P Full HD (FHD) TV. 

The resolution refers to the number of pixels on the screen, and a higher value means a more detailed picture, which can present a sharper and more realistic image. Assuming an FHD TV and a 4K TV have the same screen size, the FHD will have 2.07 million pixels and the 4K will have 8.29 million pixels. 4K TVs are made up of more pixels, so the picture is more detailed and can be distinguished even by the naked eye.

2. HDR

‘HDR’ stands for High Dynamic Range. It is a new technology that improves the dynamic range of a picture. With an improved dynamic range, the brightness difference and colour range between the brightest white and darkest black in the image become more evident.

In other words, colours appear to ‘pop’ more when displayed on a TV with the HDR feature. Nevertheless, visuals still appear natural and realistic even with a widened range of contrast.

In addition, HDR TVs are capable of displaying more distinctive colours than traditional SDR TVs. Under the SDR standard, the three primary colours are divided into 256 levels of brightness, allowing 16.67 million colours to be displayed. 

As for the HDR standard, all three primary colors are divided into 1024 levels of brightness, which can display a total of ~1.07 billion colors. In other words, HDR provides more details and richer colors.

If comparing against a TV with Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) format, you’ll definitely notice a relatively stark difference in visual output. Visuals on an SDR TV will appear dull in comparison with a HDR compatible TV.

The relationship between 4K and HDR

People often confuse 4K and HDR technology thinking that they are the same. But in fact, 4K is used to describe the number of pixels on the display which produces a higher resolution. HDR, on the other hand, is a technology that enhances the dynamic range of the picture, primarily to make pixels and colours richer.

A TV with both 4K and HDR technology, will produce a better picture display. To summarize, 4K describes the number of pixels and HDR that describes the dynamic range.

What size TV should I choose?

When it comes to TV screen size, the most common advice is “the bigger the better”.

With the increasing maturity of TV panel technology, the price of large-size TVs is now much more affordable. 50-inch and above TVs are gradually becoming more mainstream in the market today. 

Although buying the biggest TV is a great idea, it is more important to consider the space and placement of the TV. You can refer to the following chart of “Best Viewing Distance for TV” to choose the most suitable TV size.

What additional features do TVs have?

1. Smart TV

Smart TVs are becoming more and more popular. In short, TV + internet + apps = Smart TV. Most smart TVs are equipped with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities which allows you to access online content such as streaming video from YouTube, Netflix or even music streaming services like Spotify.

In addition, with a cast feature, you can enjoy any content on your TV through any mobile devices such as smartphones, tables and more.  With Smart TV, you can have much better overall user experience than before.

It is important to note that Smart TVs differ from Android TVs. A smart TV is limited to the built-in apps while an Android TV allows you to access the Google Play Store which ultimately grants you access to a wider variety of apps.

2. Eye protection

As TV and cell phone screens will produce blue light, looking at a screen for long periods can lead to macular degeneration. Therefore it is important to have a TV with built-in eye protection features.

The two most recommended features to look out for are the low blue light and no flashing screen. It can provide users with a more comfortable viewing experience, while reducing eye fatigue and protecting the eyes from premature aging.

3. Smart Blue Light

A smart blue light can filter short-wave blue light (420~454nm) into long-wave blue light (460~480nm), which can reduce the burden on eyes and ensure the picture color.

4. Energy-efficient TV

With an energy label, consumers can choose the most energy-efficient and suitable TV set by referring to its class and electricity consumption.

According to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, “Level 3 Energy Label” TV sets consume 77% more electricity than “Level 1 Energy Label” on average, while “Level 5 Energy Label” uses 177% more electricity than “Level 1 Energy Label”

TV Care

1. How do I clean the screen?

To clean your TV screen, you can use a soft microfiber cloth and it is best to wipe in a circular motion. For more stubborn dirt, you can use the aid of dedicated screen cleaners. Never use a wet cloth to wipe the screen as it could cause damage to the screen.

Aside from that, do not use the following tools as they may scratch the screen surface.

• Commercially available gasoline and stain removers, diluted chemical agents
• Cleaners containing surfactants such as soap 
• Normal wet paper towels or wet paper towels that used for cleaning
• Toilet paper, etc. that can scratch the screen surface

2. How to maintain a TV?

The daily maintenance of a TV is closely related to its service life.

• To avoid placing the TV in a space with too much dust, direct sunlight or humidity to prevent the TV parts from being affected.
• Make sure there is enough space for heat dissipation around the TV to avoid overheating.
• It is recommended not to turn on the TV for a long period of time to prevent the parts from burning due to the prolonged on time, and to turn off the TV when not in use.

Top 5 TVs available now on PriceShop

We hope that you were able to learn a thing or two about TVs available in the market through this TV buying guide. Happy shopping!

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