Panel technology, size according to distance and operating system: three decisions that weigh more than the brand.
Buying a television has become confusing because of all the acronyms involved (LED, QLED, OLED, Mini-LED, HDR…). The good news is that the important decisions come down to just a few.
Panel technologies
Basic LED sets remain valid for occasional use or second screens. QLED adds quantum dots to an LCD panel: more colour and more brightness, ideal for very bright living rooms. Mini-LED uses thousands of tiny LEDs as backlighting, offering stunning brightness and near-perfect blacks. OLED, where each pixel lights up separately, offers absolute black and the best viewing angles; it is the best option for films and series in dim light. QD-OLED combines both ideas.
Size according to distance
A practical rule for 4K resolution: the ideal distance is roughly 1.5 times the diagonal. As a reference: 43–50 inches for about 2 metres, 55–65 inches for 2.5–3 metres, and 65–77 inches from 3.5 metres. If you hesitate between two sizes, you will almost always be right with the bigger one.
Resolution, refresh rate and HDR
4K is the current standard and the reasonable minimum. 8K is not worth it yet: there is hardly any native content. A 60 Hz refresh rate is enough for series and films; 120 Hz only pays off with latest-generation consoles. For HDR, make sure it supports HDR10 and, if possible, Dolby Vision.
Operating system and connectivity
Check that the operating system (Google TV, webOS, Tizen) has the apps you use. Look for at least four HDMI inputs, ideally two with HDMI 2.1, an eARC output for a lossless soundbar, Wi-Fi 6 and a DVB-T2 HEVC tuner.
Sound
Even expensive televisions sound weak because they are extremely thin. Reserving part of the budget for a 2.1 soundbar drastically improves dialogue and bass.
Common mistakes
- Buying without first measuring the real distance to the sofa and the light in the room.
- Ignoring the launch date: when the new models come out, last year's drop a lot in price.
- Assuming more inches is always better without weighing resolution and distance.
