My Cart - We know that there are a lot of choices to look at and factors to consider when it’s time to buy your new TV, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to get the perfect television for your watching needs. Each viewer is different, so we’ve put together this handy guide to help make sure that your TV experience is just right.
General Use
For the Family
A family Television is probably going to be used for a pretty diverse array of different things, so we would recommend choosing something that has fantastic all-round capacities. Here’s what you need to look for:
- A brand that you trust. Companies with name recognition, such as Samsung and Panasonic, will typically build their TVs so that they last longer and are more resilient, perfect for a family that will get a lot of use out of their machine.
- Smart functions. Smart TVs are becoming increasingly popular for a reason: unlike a lot of other new TV technologies, they aren’t about improving viewing quality so much as giving you lots more options for what you choose to watch – connecting up to apps like Netflix and iPlayer can be very handy when you’re looking for more kid’s movies or something that the babysitter can watch!
- Tailor to your family. Below we’re going to give a list of several different specialist interests and technical considerations, so if you have an avid sports watcher or games fan in your family, you can refer to the list that makes the most sense for you.
Specialist Interests
For the Gamer
Fast action and fantastic graphics, whatever generation of gaming you’re into, the TV set that you plug your console into is definitely important. Consider these crucial factors:
- Input Lag. This is one of the single most important things that you need to get right, since it will have an effect on the actual game play. This is particularly relevant for fast-paced, online games, and you need to be on the lookout for a TV with the lowest lag possible.
- Size. How close do you like to sit to your TV while you game? This is the single most important factor in establishing the correct size, since if you like to get up close and personal, a large TV will actually lead to a less immersive experience. Here’s a handy guide for choosing size.
- Resolution. An important factor, although probably not one which should get the final deciding vote. Generally speaking, for a current-gen gamer, the higher the resolution the better – but the difference isn’t huge, so opt for the best within budget. If you use older consoles resolution may be more important, because if you choose one that is too high it could actually harm the image quality.
For the Sports Fan
If you want the best view of that crucial last-minute goal then you need a television which excels at displaying motion, and something which has a bright and colourful display, so that you can watch sporting events that take place during the day:
- Size. A lot of people see big sporting events as a communal activity, with friends coming round to watch the bigger games. If that applies to you, a bigger TV will be worth the investment, giving more of your mates a better viewing experience.
- Refresh rate. The higher the better, basically. This will mainly affect how the motion displays, making it appear smoother.
- 4K? Choosing 4K is a good idea if you go for a really big TV because it will keep the picture clearer.
For the Musician
Increasingly people are choosing to use external devices to play their CDs or digital music through the TV. Here the importance of picture quality drops off almost entirely – even if you’re an avid fan of music documentaries, it’s the speaker quality that you’re really going to care about. So, although we’re TV experts, we’re going to give you a few quick tips for choosing a good sound system (these are also good to consider if you’re a film buff who cares about an immersive home-theatre experience):
- Consider the size of your room. There’s no point filling a tiny room with a huge surround sound system – shop smart and find the best option for your space.
- In a small space stereo speakers will fill the room without taking up too much valuable space. In a larger room, a component surround sound system is optimal, but pre-matched options will provide a simpler set up.
Getting Technical
For the Avid Streamer
Netflix, Amazon Prime… even Hulu, if you’ve got them all, it makes sense to find a TV that makes it as easy as possible to use these great apps with as little hassle as possible, avoiding too much buffering or unnecessary complications.
- Shop smart. A smart TV is absolutely ideal for connecting to internet streaming services, and will make catching up with your favourite show a completely pain-free experience.
- Which apps? Not every smart TV supports every single app, so think about the services that you use the most (this could be anything from Netflix to YouTube) and make sure that they’re supported.
- Internet connection. When it comes to getting these services to load properly and play smoothly, internet connection is probably the most important factor – a faster connection will inevitably make for better viewing.
For the Early Adopter
We know that some of you simply want to experience the latest and greatest in technology: if you’re an early adopter, you’re all about the up and coming. At the moment, that means 3D TVs or 4K technology – either way, you’ll experience the very best that new tech has to offer!
Still not 100% sure which cheap TV deals are for you? Don’t worry about it, that’s why we’re here! Simply give us a call at 0121 327 3273, or contact us online today and we’ll help you narrow down the options, make your pick, and walk away with your perfect TV.
