Article by Fairfax County Department of Cable and Consumer Services
(Posted 2022 November)
Two of the biggest shopping days of the year take place in November – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – and TVs are always a popular item with shoppers. If you are thinking about purchasing a new TV, make sure you understand the features and know what to look for so you can purchase the best TV available within your budget.
TV Prices
The good news is that you can now buy a 50-55” LED 4K TV starting at approximately $250-$350 (as of October 2022), which is a good value, high quality TV. Good quality name brand large TVs have come way down in price. Higher quality 55” TVs, such as QLED TVs, start from $400-$500.
Smart TVs vs. Regular TVs
Most TVs sold today include the smart feature which is very useful. A smart TV connects to the Wi-Fi in your home, so you can watch streaming video channels from the Internet such as Netflix (with a subscription), YouTube, or many other free channels over the Internet. Smart TVs cost about $50 more than regular TVs. If you decide to buy a regular digital TV without the smart feature, you can add video streaming capability by purchasing a streaming media player such as a Roku stick or Amazon fire stick. You must have Internet service (for example from your cable provider) to stream video over the internet with your TV.
Screen Size
Televisions are getting bigger and bigger, and you should not be fearful about getting a larger TV than you owned in the past. Most people buy at least 55”-65” TVs today for their living rooms. What size is appropriate for you? A good rule of thumb is to measure the seated distance from the TV in inches and divide by 1.5 to get a recommended screen size. For example, if your seating is 7 feet (84 inches) away from the screen, divide 84 by 1.5 to get a recommended screen size of 55”.
Recommended Screen Sizes
Screen sizes are determined by measuring the screen diagonally. You can go slightly bigger than recommended below (up one category) without a problem.
| Seated Distance From TV | Recommended Size of TV Screen |
|---|---|
| 3-4 Feet | 32” |
| 4.5-5.5 Feet | 40”-45” |
| 6-7 Feet | 48”-55” |
| 7.5-8.5 Feet | 57”-64” |
| 8.5-9.5 Feet | 65”-76” |
Types of Digital TVs
There are several types of TVs currently available (LCD TVs and Plasma TVs are no longer produced). TV Types starting with the lowest cost (and viewing quality) first:
- LED TVs are the most common type of television displays now sold and produce much higher quality pictures compared to the older analog CRT TVs we once used. LED TVs are backlighted with “Light Emitting Diodes” (LED) – similar to light technology used in a LED head-band flashlight.
- QLED (made by Samsung) – higher quality than the LED TV. Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology enhances everything you see on your screen, like the colors and the brightness of images, which makes for a clearer picture.
- Mini-LED (made by TCL) – Very high quality with much better contrast than the LED. Consists of an array of many mini-LED lights which means more light pixels per inch of screen and therefore brighter than an OLED TV.
- OLED (organic light-emitting diode made by LG). Very high-quality TV that uses an organic substance that glows when an electric current is introduced. The light passes through a combination of filters to reproduce spectacular high-definition images.
TV Resolution
The larger a TV’s resolution, the higher the definition and picture quality. Most TVs in the store today will be 4K or greater. Buying a TV with lower than 4K resolution is fine if it is viewed on a TV of less than 40”, otherwise a 4K TV is recommended.
Other Considerations
To get the most out of your new TV, make sure you consider the following before taking your purchase home:
- Make sure the TV you choose has enough HDMI or HDMI-2 inputs to accommodate all your devices such as a videogame console, Blu-ray player, cable box, A/V receiver or streaming media player.
- To play 4K (or HDR) content on your 4K TV from a 4K HDR Blu-ray disk, your device must also be a 4K, UHD or HDR-capable Roku Player, or 4K UHD HDR Blu-ray player, etc.
- Your connections (cables) should also be 4K capable HDMI 2, not HDMI 1.
- If you purchase an over the air antenna you can receive local broadcast channels in a digital format (including in high-definition broadcasts). Purchase an antenna (at Best Buy, Walmart or online for example) that is capable of receiving a signal from at least 65 miles (it says on the box).
- Decide how you want your TV to be displayed – freestanding or wall-mounted – and purchase the correct equipment. If you can’t install the TV yourself, you can also hire a reputable contractor or staff from the store where you purchased the TV may be able to install it.
- Always use a surge protector to protect your TV and other devices.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).