Questions You Need To Ask Before You Buy a TV in 2018

Not necessarily because you picked out a bad TV, but because its characteristics don’t blend well with your environment or needs. 

Here, we’re going to help you identify the main factors that you should take into account when shopping for a TV in 2018. So with that said, let’s begin and see what you should ask yourself.

What kind of technology are you looking for?

Today, there are a lot of types of TVs available. If you’re going to buy a new TV, it’s in your best interest to go for a modern device which has all of the features of a new age model. 

Of course, your personal preferences will dictate what you will be leaning towards. Do you want a Smart TV? Do you want the latest Curved TV? Does it have to be 4K? 

Knowing a little bit about all these TV types will help you know what it is that you really want. Also, the more expensive models often incorporate multiple technologies. For example, a curved TV will most likely have a 4K resolution, and also Smart features.

What are you going to use it for?

There are two, big, main categories for which people would buy a new TV. They either want to watch movies or TV shows, or they want to play video games on a console. 

Some want to do both, but it might be trickier, unfortunately. If you just one to focus on one or the other, you’re in luck as you can also direct your attention to appropriate models. You see, while it doesn’t seem that way, watching movies and gaming are handled differently by the TV. 

You will need a much lower response time and a much better refresh rate for a game than a movie, and while a TV could be amazing for watching video content, it doesn’t guarantee, that games will perform as great. It’s best to filter your searches based on the characteristics necessary to enjoy the kind of content you’re interested in.

Is UHD/4K/The best available really worth it?

When you start looking for a TV, you might be tempted to just look for the best TV available in terms of picture quality. But before you go through a really expensive purchase of a 4K TV, you need to ask yourself if it’s really worth it.

No matter what kind of content you want to display on the TV, it will need to be 4K content in order for the TV to make an impact. Services like Netflix and even cable programs offer 4K packages which would give you access to the quality check required for the 4K TV to be justified. If you just watch regular cable, investing in a 4K TV wouldn’t pay off. You wouldn’t actually watch in 4K, even if you have a 4K machine.

If you want to play console games in 4K, owning a 4K screen won’t be enough. Do you actually have a 4K console? If your machine can’t render 4K, the TV’s performance won’t amount to much.

UHD upscaling

Many 4K TVs come with an upscaling feature which takes non-4K content and upscales it to a near-4K resolution. It still wouldn’t be 4K, but there would be noticeable differences when compared to a regular HDTV picture. 

This is worth taking into account but overall you would still lose big time on the performance front if you’re not actually watching 4K content. There are some great examples of this among 40-inch models, so check which is the best 40 inches TV for you. The best course of action is to make sure you have access to 4K content before buying a 4K TV.

How many devices would be hooked up to the TV?

Different TVs come with different numbers of ports. Before you buy, make sure that the model you pick has the required number of ports. If you have to plug in two consoles, a projector, a mobile device and a cable or antenna receiver, just having 1 HDMI port won’t cut it. Inspect the TV’s specs to see what kind of ports and how many are present on the back of the device.

What kind of store are you shopping from?

Usually, there are two main options here. You can get your new TV from a big box chain store, or from a specialized store. The latter would be a store that only deals with TV or electronics in general, while the former is any big store that sells anything you can think of, including TVs. There are some differences in the shopping experience. 

The specialized store will be able to help you out more as the employees know more about each TV mode. They can also help you with the installation and tips on which would fit best based on how you describe its future home. 

You’re a lot more likely to be allowed to turn off lights, fiddle with the remote or use your own content to test the device. These are awesome perks that help you test the quality and reliability of the TV before buying. However, you will most likely pay more for the same model available for cheaper at the big box chain store.

Do you have your own sound system?

The sound is often times the bane of a good TV. While the picture is great, the sound quality from the built-in speakers is lackluster, and as a result, these models are cheaper than others. 

If you want quality sound but don’t have your own HD sound system to hook up to the TV, you might have to look in a more expensive price range. However, If you already have great sound system covered and just want the picture quality, you can get away with a cheaper purchase without the inherent downside.

Sure, it’s a lot more than you would have hoped for. It’s understandable how having to deal with all these criteria can take the fun out of shopping for a new TV, but they are necessary so that you can be happy with your purchase later on.