Best guide to buy the perfect TV for your budget. [Updated 2018]

Want to buy the perfect TV for your budget?

Read on my fellow neophyte...Cause I’ve got the perfect TV buying Guide for ya. 

Be it a 4K TV, or a 720p or even a Full HD 1080p TV, or one with high refresh rates ... I’ve got you covered.
Buying a new TV can be quite complicated, but don’t worry, it’s pretty easy to choose once you know what to look for.
It is important to understand what makes TV-viewing immersive for you. Is it the size, resolution or sound quality that appeals to you the most? 
So without further ado, let’s begin.

1. Choosing the screen size and resolutions: 

One of the easiest steps, but the most important one nonetheless because upon this rock you shall build your church.

Basically the screen size and the resolution you need will decide your budget for you.

Start by questioning your soul--- What is your need?
What kind of contents do you wanna consume (HD or Full HD or 4K)?

HD

On a tight budget? Looking for a smaller screen size? Opt for an HD TV.

An HD capable TV produces a resolution of about 1280x720 Pixels, which is just about enough to watch DTH or regular over-the-air TV programs.

Full HD

This will give you significantly better clarity over an HD TV, all the way up to screen sizes of 127 cm (50).

You get a crisper 1920x1080 pixel resolution.

4K (Ultra HD)

Ultra HD or 4K TVs deliver the minute of visual details and color variations, offering the highest image quality out of all the 3 types of resolutions.

TVs with a screen size of 127 cm (50) and above do a great job of portraying 4K content.

4K TVs essentially double the resolution offered by Full HD TVs with a stunning resolution of 3840x2160 pixels.

Note:

Before choosing the resolution, please keep in mind of the availability of content in your area like the resolution in which your cable or DTH service provides in. Currently in India most Cable or DTH service provider offer Full HD, or 1080p content while online streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu offers 4K with many contents even having HDR support.

Now comes the screen size.

For determining the ideal screen size you have to figure out from what distance you will watch the TV.

Up To 81 cm (32”)

For HD (720p) contents, choose an 81 cm (32) TV or one with a smaller screen.
Maintain a viewing distance of at most 5 feet for the best experience.

81 cm (32”) - 127 cm (50”)

For Full HD content (1080p) from DTH services and Blu-ray players, choose a TV with a screen size between 81 cm (32) and 127 cm (50). In this case, the least viewing distance must be about 6 feet.

Above 127 cm (50” +)

For getting the most out of 4K/Ultra HD content, get a TV with a screen size that's above 127 cm (50”) with the least viewing distance of 8 feet.

2. Choosing the features:

Smart TV: 

Do you really need an Out-of-the-box smart TV with WiFi connectivity for streaming contents from Netflix or the casting feature (screen mirroring feature) from your source devices (phone, tablets or laptops) and spend a ton of money on it? Or would you like to save money by buying an external Casting device (like Chromecast from Google, Firestick by Amazon or Miracast, etc.) which connects via the HDMI port.

Note:  Not all Streaming apps are available in Smart TVs (While Netflix is widely available, Hulu or Amazon Prime may not be available. But Casting devices depends upon the services installed on the source device from which the screen is being mirrored.)

Sound: 

Good sound quality is essential for best TV experience.

Here are 3 factors you should consider:

1. Audio Output:                                               

  Check the sound rating in watts.

• A 15 W speaker system is ideal for up to 101.6 cm (up to 40”) TVs.
• Go with a 20-25 W rated sound system for larger TVs for enough loudness of those High-octane Action flicks. Some TVs also come with woofers which provide a high bass response.

2. Speaker Positions:

Speakers are mounted either at the bottom or the front.
Front-mounted speakers offer the best quality, but the current due to some TV with thinner-frame, the position of the speakers gets replaced at the bottom. In that case, mount it on a wall for sound waves to move freely.

3. Sound Customization:

Not all rooms and environments are the same.
TVs with surround-sound modes and graphic equalizers allow you to fine-tune the sound output.
For best experience buy a TV with Dolby Surround Sound System.

4. HDR:

This feature expands the range of both contrast and color significantly.
Bright parts of the image can get much brighter, so the image seems to have more "depth." Colors get expanded to show more bright blues, greens, reds and everything in between.
So, HDR is an important optional feature that you need to consider.

3. Connectivity:

USB Port

     A USB port is very handy if you want to play content directly from pen-drives and external hard drives on your TV. At least 2 ports are recommended.

HDMI Port

Most LED TVs come with at least 2 HDMI ports – for your cable/DTH connection and DVD/Blu-ray player. A couple more ports are recommended for connecting Gaming Consoles, PCs or Casting Devices.

Optical Audio

If you plan to connect your TV to an external audio system for superior audio-quality or that dope Surround sound effect, it is suggested to look for TVs with the digital, optical audio-output jacks as well.

Note:

• Component Port
  Still have an old DVD player? If you need to connect older-generation devices, look for component ports and 3.5mm audio-out ports.
• VGA Out
  Want to connect your old laptop to your TV? Since most of the old ones have VGA ports, you’ll need a VGA input-port on the TV.

Hope these points help you to choose the perfect TV for your need.

If you have any more suggestions, please absolutely add that in our comment section.

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