A smart TV is no small investment, especially if you’re looking for something that will serve as a central entertainment hub for years to come. One of the trickier parts to buying asmart TV, aside from the fact there are countless acronyms and abbreviations to navigate, is the fact that TV technology moves fairly quickly. There are a lot of manufacturers and they are looking to provide you with the highest quality features for watching TV,streaming movies, and playing video games.
It’s important tobuy a TVthat fits your current needs, including your budget, but it’s also wise to ensure the TV will support you in the future. Whatever your entertainment preferences are, these are the features and specifications you should look for when looking to future-proof a new smart TV.
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Check for enough HDMI 2.1 ports
Ensure high-speed connection for devices
Perhaps most important is the ability to connect various devices to your TV and ensure you can transfer high-quality audio and video. This is done through an HDMI 2.1 port, which features prominently on high-end smart TVs, though tends to only be available on one or two ports on older or cheaper TVs. HDMI 2.1 allows for a high refresh rate, quality gaming features, and surround sound audio formats to be moved back and forth from sources to your output devices.
HDMI 2.1 is essential for the latest gen consoles and allows for eARC (enhanced audio return), which can transfer uncompressed audio across multiple channels. It’s also what allows you to control multiple connected devices, like a PlayStation 5 and soundbar, with a single TV remote. While the next iteration of this cable, Ultra96, is on the horizon, it probably won’t be available widely on TVs and devices for a year or so. If you’re buying a TV now, ensure it has at least a couple HDMI 2.1 ports.
Your TV is probably using HDMI-CEC right now, even if you’ve never heard of it
This feature makes your entertainment experience more convenient. Most of the time.
High Dynamic Range is crucial for quality video
Experience bright colors and fine detail
It’s important to have a picture that is ready for current film and TV productions, and one that will be set up for years to come to provide a quality image. Just about every new smart TV features 4K resolution, but not everyone is equipped with the top High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats. Seek out those that seek either HDR10+ or Dolby Vision (some TVs support both) in order to ensure you’re set up for streaming and enjoying physical media now and into the future.
These two top video formats provide the most faithful viewing experience, with increased color accuracy and range, as well as improved contrast with deeper, truer blacks. Basic HDR is a static format, but HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are dynamic, adjusting and optimizing the image on each and every scene. Manufacturers and streaming services are sort of divided on which format they use (HDR10+ is an open-source format led by Samsung, while Dolby Vision is found on LG, Sony, and TCL TVs. They are both very similar and will serve as the foundation for beautiful visuals in the future.
The real difference between HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision
High Dynamic Range improves your TV’s image quality, but competing formats make shopping around confusing.
Maintain software updates and support
Keep up your OS performance and speed
You can’t set up your TV to withstand every single change coming your way, but you can invest in a manufacturer that will help you out over time. Look for a top operating system to support your content needs, and one that will be regularly supported by its creator. A smart TV’s operating system is key to keeping everything running quickly, safely, and easily. You want an OS that fits your entertainment preferences and allows you to organize and customize your titles and apps to your taste, but you also want one that will survive over time.
Be sure you’re investing in a TV with a well-known operating system that will be regularly updated, and with a company whose products and services you generally enjoy, because they will likely become a part of your entertainment ecosystem sooner or later.
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Seek out essential gaming features
Popular features ensure effective online play
There are a handful of key gaming features that anyone actively using a console or thinking about using one in the future should make sure they have. This includes Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K resolution at 120Hz. These features are compatible with the latest gen consoles, ensuring effective use for the foreseeable future.
Non-console gamers should take note too, as TV manufacturers are making a concerted effort to encourage online gaming. Some smart TVs, including the top options by Samsung, allow for console-less gaming with a paid monthly subscription. Even if you don’t have an Xbox, for example, you can enjoy myriad titles on GamePass by hooking up a controller to your TV and streaming games. You’ll want to hook up an Ethernet cable to your TV so that everything runs smoothly, but just because you don’t own an expensive console doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy new and exciting solo and multiplayer gamers.
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Invest in a relatively new smart TV
Be wary of older models that may fade fast
Lastly, avoid the urge to save money by purchasing an older smart TV. You’d be better off by paying a little more money upfront to acquire a relatively new TV that will last longer than an older model that you’ll have to replace sooner. Technology and innovation move at such a rapid pace, and with so much competition in the TV market, investing in a TV that’s well over a year old will only result in you losing out on useful and compelling features while also having to toss the TV sooner than you’d like.
As a general rule, avoid TVs that are more than 18 months old. It’s wise to time your purchase when there are major sales or ahead of new announcements, such as those that come from the top manufacturers in the Spring, but just be mindful of the calendar. For example, it’s going to be a great time to invest in LG’s G4 or C4 OLED models, as the company will soon be releasing its next iteration. However, investing in the G3 or C3, which will soon be over two years old, may not be the best investment.
Keep track of when TVs were made and released; you don’t need to buy a brand-new TV that costs a lot, but try to find something recent that will keep up with changing times.
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