TV Buying Guide. How to Choose the Best TV For Your Home

Today, there's a ridiculously wide array of high definition (HD),4K Ultra HD, and even 8K TVs in stores, huge screen sizes, and mind-blowing displays. Today's TVs have so many amazing technologies and features that make it a bit hard to make a decision. Today's Tv buying guide would help you through your decision-making process and show you a few top-rated TVs and what makes them so awesome.

A TV is a big part of our life, and your new TV could be your family’s best friend for years to come. So this isn’t like buying a toaster oven, you are going to want to get this right. After all, before you spend thousands of hours watching it, you will want to spend a few choosing it.

If you’re in a hurry, here are the most important things to consider before you buy a television. We explain each of these points in greater detail later in this post. If you are only going to read one thing, this is it.

• Bigger is better. Go for at least a 55-inch display size. And if your space isn't very big, then pick the largest screen size that will fit comfortably into that space.
• 4k is better. If you want to have the full immersive cinematic experience, then you should avoid full HD or 1080p sets. A 4K TV that is HDR compatible is the best option.
• OLED TVs offer you the best picture quality but they are super expensive. But QLED TVs from Samsung, Vizio, and TCL is an affordable middle ground. LED TVs are also good if you have a very tight budget.
• Choose a trusted brand.

What TV brand is the best?

Three rises above: LG, Sony, and Samsung. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

*WARNING: Skip 8K TVs. They are not worth the investment for now, as they are super expensive, and 8K movies and shows aren't available yet.

Let's move on now.

Simple TV Buying guide tips.

The first thing you want to do is to choose your price range so that it matches your budget.

TV PRICE RANGE.

TV prices have come way down in the last 3-5 years, and right now less than N200,000 will buy you a gorgeous, top-of-the-line, 42-inch, 4K smart TV loaded with the most amazing features. Knowing the cost of buying a television is important. Not only will you get a deal, but also get value for your money.

More money also buys you deeper blacks, better contrast, and a broader, richer color spectrum. And most of all, more money will also get you a bigger screen. TVs with 32inch display size usually go for N40,000, this is highly dependent on the brand, the resolution, and features.

The price range according to the screen size is listed below:

32-inches and Below = N30,000 to N150,000.

40-inches - 43inches = N65,000 to N400,000.

49-inches - 55inches = N125,000 to N1,000,000.

60-inches - 65inches = N230,000 to over N1,000,000.

Above 65-inches = N500,000 to over N10,000,000.

If you want to get an even larger display size, like a 98inch TV, then you should get ready to spend a whole lot more. However, you can be sure of getting a very good Television with amazing features for every budget size.

TV SCREEN SIZE.

Whether you're looking for a basic or high-performance TV, the biggest factor in your decision will probably be screen size. But before you zero in on what your TV’s size should be, decide where you’d like to place it. For instance, if your TV needs to sit in a small study room, then the dimensions are pre-determined. The design of your space and proximity to the screen are factors that you have to consider before choosing your TV size.

The recommended TV screen size, considering price, performance, and the typical living room, is between 55 and 65 inches. You should also consider the TV size concerning the design. Technology has moved us from big, gaudy black boxes that take up space and clash with everything to incredibly thin, beautifully designed TVs that work with our room.

The thing never goes too small else you might regret it. Things are easier now as you can get a 55" Tv for about N150,000.

Let it be as big as you can afford, if you can do 55 inches, chances are good. If you can afford a 65-inch TV that's even better and you will be much happier in the end.

TV SCREEN RESOLUTION.

Back in the old days, TV resolution was awful, but it was all we had. Then HDTV came along, and TVs went from 307,200 pixels to 1 million pixels (720P), then to over 2 million pixels (1080P), and suddenly TV was perfect. A few years ago, 4K arrived and we went from over 2 million pixels to over 8 million pixels, it was then we discovered what perfect looks like.

Resolution is described as the number of pixels that make up the picture on a display, described in terms of horizontal rows and vertical columns.

More pixels translate into a sharper picture and finer details, so higher resolution is most definitely better.

For many years, the 1920 x 1080 resolution, popularly known as the Full HD resolution has been the norm. It is still the most common resolution in TVs across the globe. Then 4K Ultra HD TVs came and blow our minds. The biggest benefit of 4K TVs is that small objects on the screen have more detail, including sharper text. Overall, images appear richer and more life-like than on an HDTV.

The benefits of a UHD TV are more apparent in larger screen sizes like 65 inches and above, or when you’d like to sit closer to the TV than you could with a 1080p set. If you have the budget and you want to get the best from your relaxing and family time at home, then I recommend you go for a 4K TV to get the full viewing experience.

Check out our article on "4K ultra HD TVs" to learn more about them.

A Full HD TV, with 1920x1080 resolution, will be fine for most viewers, and you will save a bit of money compared with a similarly sized UHD set. Regular Full HD TVs remain a great choice for many consumers when you factor in price, especially in screen sizes smaller than 65 inches.

HD TVs are sets that offer you a screen resolution of 1280x720 pixels. Even the best HD TVs are easy to afford and are best suited for standard definition content. Consider an HD TV if you are looking for a budget TV. If your budget is flexible, then spring for an FHD TV.

TV SCREEN TYPE.

There are plasma types, although these are almost out of the market today. LCD TVs are still available today and are more affordable options when compared to the latest screen types we have today.

LED, OLED, and QLED are recent innovations and they offer better viewing, but at higher price-points.

LCD and LED TVs

Despite having a different acronym, LED TV is just a specific type of LCD TV. They should have been called LED-lit LCD TV, but as that is a lot to remember, it is popularly referred to as LED TVs. So in the true sense LCD TVs are no different from LED TVs, the traditional LCD TVs become enhanced with the input of LED (Light-emitting diodes).

The Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are used to "backlight" the LCD panel for a better viewing experience. At present, there are two main methods of backlighting in LCD flat-panels: Cold-Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) and LED (light-emitting diode). 

The traditional LCD TVs use the CCFL to backlighting, these are the ones that are referred to as LCD TVs. While the LED TVs use Light-emitting diodes for backlighting. A LED TV uses less power, provides a brighter display with better contrast, a thinner panel, and lesser heat dissipation than a traditional LCD TV.

LED TVs are much thinner than LED TVs, the more energy-efficient, and come in larger screen sizes, up to 90inches. They are of course more expensive, but that is well worth it as they last longer and they produce better picture quality. So even if you are on a tight budget, I would still advise that you get a LED TV. It is so easy now as you can get one for as low as N30,000.

QLED and OLED TVs

These are the more advanced version of the LED TVs. OLED TVs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) are TVs that can adjust the luminosity of each of their pixels individually. This allows them to turn them completely off and show pure blacks and infinite contrast. This gives them exceptional picture quality.

The OLED technology has pixels that are capable of emitting their light in response to an electric current. Individual pixels can also be shut off completely. As a result, OLED TVs are capable of deep blacks, high levels of contrast, and realistic colors. Since there's no need for a backlight, OLED TVs are thinner and have narrower bezels than those that use other TV screen technologies.

They are the most expensive, and the lowest for OLED TVs in the Nigerian market is about N600,000. However, if you have a high budget and want the best possible picture quality, then this is the TV for you.

QLED TVs (Quantum Light Emitting Diodes) on the other hand look like a regular LED TV, except it uses tiny nanoparticles called quantum dots to super-charge its brightness and color. QLED is a marketing name used by Samsung to describe their newer LED TVs. 

Other companies like Sony, Vizio, Hisense, and TCL also use this technology.

QLED TVs are known as the middle ground; they are not as expensive as the OLED TVs but the produce better picture quality than LED TVs. QLED TVs have better colors and brightness than LED and most OLED TVs but can deliver excellent contrast levels and deep blacks that OLED TVs offer.

They should be your next option if the OLED TVs are beyond your budget. You can get one for about N250,000 in the Nigerian market. Most of them are made by Samsung and the other brands mentioned earlier. These TVs offer better colors at slightly higher prices than most LED TVs but aren't quite as good on the whole as OLED TVs.

OLED offers the best performance, LED is the most affordable, and QLED sits somewhere in between. Your choice would depend on what you want and what you can afford.

Check out some the best Samsung QLED and LED TVs in our article one "Samsung TVs".

HDR COMPATIBILITY.

HDR is a new feature of 4K Ultra HD sets and it stands for high dynamic range, a reference to its ability to deliver more colors, more contrast levels, and increased brightness. It is the new standard for Ultra HD televisions with the potential to vastly improve the viewing experience.

HDR-compatible TVs are now very common. Nearly all mid-range and high-end TVs have HDR. At the same time, HDR TV shows and movies are becoming more common, both on streaming services like Netflix and Ultra HD Blu-ray disc.

However, you will find HDR TVs at tons of different prices and sizes, and picture quality can vary dramatically. A high-quality HDR TV will make HDR content look its best. With HDR, color on a TV remains true to form. So if you are looking to get an HDR-compatible TV, get a high-quality one to get the best picture quality.

CHOOSE A SMART TV.

Smart TVs are pretty much standard these days, and this is a good thing. Smart TVs make it possible to cut the cord and get rid of your cable or satellite service, thanks to the native apps they come with: streaming services like Netflix, Prime, Hulu, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.

Streaming apps available on smart TVs are also one of the best ways to find and enjoy 4K and HDR content. With movies and shows offered by services from Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube, it's quick and easy to find both 4K resolution and HDR-enabled content.

Many smart TVs also let you go to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and several support casual games as well. All smart TVs now also have built-in Wi-Fi for accessing your network wirelessly. With a smart TV, you get access to more content than your regular TV shows.

In Conclusion.

Now that you have read our in-depth TV buying guide, you can easily choose a television that meets all your needs. All the above factor, not just one, is needed for you to make a good decision. At Zit Electronic Online Store, bringing home your dream TV, whether it’s the best-LED TV, best LCD TV, or best 4K TV is easy.

Follow this TV buying guide, select from the best TV brands, and take home a top-of-the-line TV without putting any strain on your monthly budget.

Zit Electronic Store stocks trusted brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony at competitive prices making online shopping safe, affordable, and convenient.

Visit here to browse through our range of High-quality TV sets.