TV Guide

Things to Look Out for When Buying a TV Set

For those of you who are looking to buy a new TV set, it can be quite a challenge as you will be bedazzled by a plethora of features that you might barely be aware of, and there is also a sea of different brands to choose from. If you are looking to buy a new TV set but only have a cursory understanding of TV technology, we are here to help. This guide will walk you through the things you need to consider when you are purchasing a new TV set for your home.

SIZE

Most TV sets in the market you see are between 32-65 inches. Nowadays, there are very few sets which go below 32 inch (usually 24 inch), but there is an increasing number of high-end sets who are bigger than 65 inch (going from 75 to 98). The common belief would be that the bigger the TV set, the better it is. But the reality is that the size of the room determines the size of the TV set you should be purchasing, in order for you to have a comfortable viewing experience. In a smaller room, a TV that is too big may make it difficult to see the entire screen comfortably. On the other hand, a TV that is too small may not provide a satisfying viewing experience in a larger room.

Your TV screen size should be proportional to the distance between the TV and where you sit. There are different recommendations in terms of measuring proportionality. Some advocate a viewing distance that is roughly 1.5-2.5 times the screen size of the TV. Some would advise that a 55- to 65-inch TV is a comfortable size for a viewing distance of about 1.8-3m. Yet, others base it on the resolution (we will come to that later) of the TV, where a rule of thumb is that you should sit at a distance that is three times more than the height of a Full-HD (High Definition) screen, and just 1.5 times the screen height for a 4K Ultra HD screen. You may use Table 1 as a general guide on the size of your living room vs. the size of the TV set you should buy.