Shows like The Wife, Generations, and Gomora play parts in both our personal and professional lives. We love discussing them, we love the culture around them, and, most of all, we love to watch them. Though it’s something we glaze over as we search for the most convenient option, getting the best experience can mean taking a deeper look at what really matters in display technology. If you want to watch on your phone, that’s fine too, but those looking for the biggest experience need to turn to their TVs, so what do you need to know when looking for an upgrade?
Resolution Counts
The most widely advertised component of modern televisions is usually the resolution. This is the number of pixels, or tiny squares, that make up the screen. The more pixels, the more detailed the image can be, and the more expensive the TV can be too. Currently, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) illustrates the upper standard of most TV sets. Though it is possible to go higher, very few pieces of media support higher resolutions, which makes going over 4K overkill.
“Pixels” (CC BY 2.0) by mjambon
What you need to keep in mind is that 4K can be difficult for some people to see, it’s not always supported, and it can be demanding on your internet connection. Check to see if you can see the difference between models in a store before jumping in, whether your shows feature 4K streams, and if your home internet connection can handle it before bothering to go this high.
Fancy Features
Outside of resolution, some features of television sets can be hugely important to some, and completely ignored by others. The firmware of smart TVs is one example, where an open system like Google TV can open your options considerably. A basic system might let you just watch Idols, for example, but a good one could let you vote with the official Idols TV app.
If you want to install a wide range of apps or browse with a full-featured experience, a system like Google TV can be perfect. Outside of passively viewing shows, the right smart TV can also let you interact with games, like those in this Zambia casino. Titles like Buffalo Blitz and Peak Power are streamlined enough to play without issue on many smart TVs, just as they are on mobiles and desktops. Though it can be worth investing in a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to further enhance input, the remote controller still works fine. Casinos like this tend to be better suited to smart TVs than most games, but there are still a plethora of options available.
From here, elements like HDR, refresh rate, and display type are also going to influence the cost and quality of what you get. Each can also be quite complicated, so be sure to Google these features before deciding whether they’ll matter.
“Samsung Curved TV” (CC BY 2.0) by Janitors
A good TV can easily last a decade, so you don’t want to be left with a bad choice. Remember to read reviews before you invest, check which features you care about, and your odds of a perfect purchase will be better for it. Remember – expensive doesn’t always mean better.