Briefly about Smart TV
A TV with Smart TV functionality is a cross between a computer and a mobile device housed in a modern TV case. Its power and speed depend on the components, and its functionality depends on the pre-installed operating system.
Yury Knyazev, editor-in-chief of M.Video brand media M.Click, drew attention to five important points to consider when choosing a smart TV.
“If the TV is placed in a small room, you should not chase a large diagonal. If the television is the size of a computer monitor, too large a resolution makes no sense.”
Image enhancement features can be useful. So even on an average screen, technologies such as HDR can make the image much better.
It is also useful to look at models with TimeShift support. Not all apps allow you to pause or rewind the video sequence, but you can even change live TV shows with the TimeShift function.
TVs with support for voice control, input and search deserve special attention, since it is more convenient to search for the desired movie or video on YouTube, rather than manually entering letters from the remote control.
Finally, the presence of a Wi-Fi module not only allows you to connect it to the Internet, but also connects the TV and other devices to a single network: for example, for broadcasting images from a smartphone to a TV.
Smart TV mostly works the same as a regular TV, but it also lets you run thousands of apps to watch movies or play games online.
Size and Resolution
“When choosing a TV, it is important to choose the right diagonal. Ideally, the size should be such that 2.5-3 of its diagonals fit between the viewer and the screen. If the sofa is three meters from the TV, the screen size should be approximately 100-120 cm (40-48 inches). With such a distance, you do not need to turn your head; all edges of the screen will be in the field of view at the same time, ”shared Knyazev.
In addition, according to the expert, choosing a TV with the right screen resolution remains important. The higher it is, the smaller the “mosaic-like” image. The most common option is Full HD, which is enough for a diagonal of up to 40 inches. But for larger size it is better to choose 4K or higher resolution.
LED or QLED?
Currently, the most common types of TV backlights are LED, QLED, and OLED. FALD backlit devices are not worth buying. According to Knyazev, this is a very old version.
In most cases, an LED TV that uses LEDs to display a picture, which emits light when an electric current is passed, will suffice. The brightness and clarity of such a TV is sufficient for images with resolutions up to 4K.
QLED is an enhanced version of LED backlight technology. These TVs use quantum dot technology that glows in different colors depending on their size. As a result, QLED TVs have higher brightness, contrast and color reproduction than LED TVs.
OLED LCD TVs, unlike LED and QLED, use discrete light-emitting diodes that emit different colors of light without additional backlighting when electric current is applied to them. It allows you to create a bright, contrast and saturated image on the screen. Such screens can display deep blacks because the diode does not glow when this color is displayed. However, such TVs are noticeably more expensive than others and may have a problem with their screens burning when the TV channel logo or other static items are “pressed” to the screen.
That’s why an LED-backlit TV is suitable when looking for a budget solution, and you can pay attention to QLED when choosing more expensive models. Compared to LED TVs, it offers a wider color gamut, higher brightness and contrast ratio, wider viewing angle, and HDR10+ support.
TVs with QNED and mini-LED matrix are also currently being actively developed, but their cost does not yet allow them to be called mass production.
Operating System and Applications
Before buying a TV with Smart TV, you should pay special attention to the operating system. The most useful and common is Android TV. On such a TV, you can download applications from Google Play and even from the local RuStore, just like on a smartphone. The second most popular system is webOS, which is also very useful and functional, but has a much smaller suite of applications.
“Various manufacturers also provide their own operating systems. For example, TVs from Sberbank or Yandex offer stand-alone systems that are not worse in functionality than basic Android, and in some ways even better. Just in case, the available options for these operating systems it is better to know the cluster in advance, ”the expert warns.
On Smart TV, you can install applications for every taste, especially in operating systems built on Android. It allows you to customize the desktop, design it at your discretion, and even install a third-party launcher if you wish. In addition, smart TV has an unlimited number of online movie theaters and music players – RuTube, Okko, VK Video, YouTube, KinoPoisk.
But, as some users of the Android-based Smart TV admit, what attracts them the most in this system is the opportunity to set up pirated online cinemas with Russian dubbing of movies and series that cannot be watched officially in Russia.
Of course, Smart TV can also play its direct role: hundreds of applications such as IPTV are provided for this. They can collect playlists from thousands of channels. There are both free and paid selections from different TV channels.
Brands and models
Expert Knyazev believes that now on the Russian market, in addition to the already well-known brands Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips, there are no more budgetary, but no less good alternatives. Among the manufacturers are Sber, Yandex, Uzbek Artel, Grundig, which returned to Russia, as well as TCL, Hisense, Haier and others, which are loved by buyers.
Knyazev recommends focusing on the 43- and 50-inch models. According to him, this is the “golden way” to watch movies and play games.
“Artel UA43H3401 is a standard 43-inch Full HD TV based on the Android operating system. Average size and basic functionality allow you to use it in any room: in the nursery, in a small living room and even in the kitchen. It can also be placed in a closet and hung on the wall with a bracket. The expert stated that the TV comes with a handy voice-controlled remote control.
On average, an Uzbek TV in Russia is offered at a price of 20,000 rubles.
Another 43-inch TV that the expert recommends to look at is the Hisense 43E7HQ. Its functionality is similar to its predecessor, except that Hisense uses a more efficient processor. This means that the TV can run more demanding applications on the hardware. Its main difference is that it works on QLED quantum dot technology, which significantly improves image quality.
As the socialbites.ca correspondent noted after studying the TV market, Sber TVs can be one of the most profitable solutions today, because the manufacturer often organizes promotions with large discounts.
For example, a 50-inch Sber SDX-50U4123B with 4K resolution can be found on MegaMarket for 24 thousand rubles, and taking into account the cashback in the form of “Thank you” bonuses, the device will cost only 13.6 thousand rubles. Based on customer reviews, the average rating for this model is 4.8 out of 5.
This Sber TV uses DLED backlighting, which differs from traditional LED in that the diodes are distributed over the entire surface of the screen. This improves the quality of the final image compared to the basic backlight.
Still, it is worth paying attention to the Haier 50 Smart TV AX Pro with QLED backlight, according to Knyazev. This is a 50-inch model with a 4K display. This model distinguishes itself from its competitors with its high brightness and contrast ratio, thin body and minimalist design with narrow bezels on three sides of the screen. This TV, worth 55 thousand rubles, is based on Android TV.
“The TCL 55C745 is a premium model with a 55-inch wide diagonal and QLED technology. In 4K resolution, 144 Hz, the highest refresh rate with VRR technology, is responsible for the smoothness of the image, and the contrast up to 6000:1 is responsible for the color saturation. This TV is also perfect for console gamers. This model works under the control of Google TV,” said Knyazev.
TCL’s flagship TV with a smooth screen can be found in Russia at an average price of 75 thousand rubles.
You better not save
As practice shows, the modern TV market with Smart TVs in Russia is saturated and offers many models for every taste and budget. The most surprising thing is that while everything around is getting expensive, televisions are getting smarter and getting cheaper at the same time. For example, in 2007 the first iPhone (2G) sold for $500, while today the current number line sells for $800.
At the same time, Samsung’s “antique” 19-inch HD TV sold for $530 in 2007. Now a similar 43-inch device with 4K resolution from the same company is available for $300.
Most likely, the drop in prices is due to reduced demand. While people try to replace their smartphones in 1-2 years as they get old fast, the television will continue to show their favorite channel until it breaks.
That is why when choosing a TV it is better not to save money, if possible, because this device is purchased at once for several years. Especially given the fact that modern devices are getting “smarter” and the requirements for applications are increasing. By buying a budget TV with only 1 GB of RAM and a weak processor, you should be prepared for the fact that in a year or two the YouTube application will begin to crash due to memory. After all, it will only be enough for cable TV.