Are you looking for a new TV in the market? Getting confused about which one to buy? Don't worry this article will guide you. Read on.
Reading this article till the end will save you your precious time and money. As a bonus, this includes a list of the best budget, middle and premium TVs from India.
While buying a TV you should consider your requirements and many additional factors. You should not buy it in a rush. Take your own time for the search and then decide. This article provides suggestions to consider and also a list of TVs that I like on Amazon India. You can scroll down to the end of this article to see all of them.
Please note that this article contains my affiliate links. I will earn a tiny commission if you buy through my link. But it will not cost anything extra to you. But that will help me a lot.
1. Look for only those features you need
What are your use cases? List it down.
Do you watch SD channels?
Do you play video games by connecting to Xbox or Playstation?
Do you love to watch more OTT content?
To watch SD channels you need better-upscaling capability. To play games you need HDMI 2.1 connectivity. More OTT contents are now in 4K and HDR. Check that TV comes with support for those features. If you avoid buying the latest greatest technology and features which you don't need then you can save some money.
2. Well known brands
It is better to go with brands with long-lasting products, good after-sales support. Good brand's products are usually well designed, repairable and components will be available.
Although it could cost you more and have lesser specs. But they will last longer and provide a better experience.
If you ask me I would prefer Samsung / Sony and LG without any order of preferences. All these are good brands.
But if you have less budget and aspire for more features then TCL, Hisense, Philips, Motorola, Mi, Redmi, Oneplus, Realme and Thomson brands might provide more bang for your buck. Keep in mind that few of these brands are licensed to different companies than the actual parent companies. Also, you need to be very selective on their models. But don't expect that these brands TVs will always outperform the major brands in terms of picture quality, experience, and service.
In each brand, they name series according to the range. In Sony you can find x74, x75, x80AJ, x80J, x85J, x90J, x95, and so on. Again they have prefixes based on technology X1/XR like XR, A, and so on. With the same prefix lesser the model number, features will be lesser.
Similarly in Samsung, you will find Crystal UHD, Q60, Frame, Q70, Q80, and Q90 so on. Frame TV picture quality will be in between that of Q60 and Q70. If your budget allows better select the one with a higher number.
Also, remember each brand has its own strengths and weakness.
| Brand | Strength | Weakness |
| Sony | Better upscaling, Better Color Accuracy, Better motion handling | Higher Price, Fewer features |
| Samsung | More Features, High Brightness, Gaming, Excellent Service | Not Color Accurate, Lower ranges TVs are just ok |
| LG | OLED TVs, Gaming | Less Brightness |
| Motorola / Nokia / TCL / Highsense / Vu / Redmi / Mi | Less Price, More Features | Service is average, Average Motion Handling, Average Color Accuracy, Average upscaling |
If you are not limited by budget then more beneficial to stay with these 3 major TV brands (Sony, Samsung, and LG). They do offer the best picture quality, upscaling, service, and color gamut. Specifically Sony BRAVIA Series, Samsung QLED Series, and LG OLED TVs.
3. Have a budget limit
Don't overspend on TVs thinking that they will last for multiple decades. They might not. Multiple factors will decide its life. There are budget, medium, premium, and ultra-premium TVs from each brand. Select the one which is appropriate for you. Keep in mind that the cost of maintenance and repairing will also increase with the price.
Decide a budget for your TV based on your financial state and stick to it.
4. Adequate size
It is always better to buy bigger sizes available within your budget. But also you need to decide based on your room or hall size. If the room is smaller then you cannot have bigger TVs.
You should view a 55" TV from at least 6 feet, a 65" TV from at least 7.5 feet, and a 75" TV from at least 10 feet so on.
Bigger TV in a smaller room will not be good for your eyes also. Bigger the screen cost of repair in case of panel issues will be high.
Sometimes a Projector could be more suitable for your bigger screen requirement. Keep that in mind.
5. LED or QLED or OLED?
Most of the budget TVs come with LED-backlit TVs. It could be Edge-lit or Direct Led array behind the screen.
Quantum LED TVs. QLED TVs come with one more quantum dot layer that enhances the brightness and color gamut.
Sony has its own proprietary display technology called TRILLUMINOUS and TRILLUMINOUS PRO. It does a very good job of displaying natural and vibrant colors.
Then we have Organic LED TVs. OLED TVs provide the best picture quality with deep blackness. They are not brighter and suffer from burn-in issues. They are expensive too. Make sure you have a comprehensive warranty for at least 5 years against screen damages for OLEDs.
In 2021 TRILLUMINOUS and QLED are better due to brightness and longevity. They have a wide color gamut too.
OLED is also good if it is within your budget.
But don't worry too much about technology except avoiding CRT TVs and LCD panels. A well-designed TV will provide you better viewing experience within your budget. If a QLED/TRILLUMINOUS TV with a better color gamut is in your budget prefer it over the LED.
In 2021 before buying OLED make sure it will last longer, there will be some challenges. Still, In my opinion, OLED technology needs to be improved longevity perspective.
In nutshell LED TV should be fine at the budget level, QLED / TRILLUMINOUS / Full-Array LED / NanoCell middle or higher middle range then Neo LED / OLED for the premium experience.
6. Full HD or 4K TV or 8K TV?
In 2021 better if you can buy TVs with 4k resolution for any TV bigger than 40 inches. For smaller TVs, full HD should be enough.
8K TVs are not recommended due to their high prices and also we don't have much 8k content for now. 8K TVs need to upscale most of the content available in the market which will degrade its experience.
It is better to buy 4k TV in 2021. Go for minimum Full HD screen for smaller screen sizes like 32" or 24 ".
7. Connectivity
You need an HDMI port to connect Settop boxes, Chromecast, Firestick, etc. Even a few soundbars require HDMI Port. Gaming consoles require HDMI 2.1 port for playing games at a higher refresh rate.
Your TV should have at least 3 HDMI ports and one USB port. If you are a gamer better to buy one with HDMI 2.1 port.
Optical Audio output and Headphone output are also useful. Bluetooth 5.2 and Dual-band WIFI will help you to connect to devices and the internet faster. If you want to connect the soundbar then better to have one more HDMI output.
8. VA or IPS Panel?
Usually, VA panels will have deep blacks, more contrast, and less view angle by default. IPS panels will have a wide view angle and less contrast. But some manufacturers tweak them with extra layers to get the best picture quality. So verify the TV in person or read reviews.
In general, go for VA panel for deep black experience and IPS panel for wide viewing angle.
9. Always buy the latest models
Always better if you buy the latest models released within two years. This will ensure support and spare components will be available for your TV for longer. Buying a model which is popular and a year old could be a cheaper option than the latest one. But if you are buying an older than two-year-old model make sure it is well supported by that company.
Don't buy 2019 or older models for minor gain in 2021.
10. Quality is very important
The quality of the TV is very important. Don't hesitate to buy a better quality TV with an extra budget. You will spend less money in the longer run.
11. Check the picture quality
Usually, in stores, they will set demo mode or vivid mode to show bright colors. But better to check the picture quality in standard mode. Look for the motion blurs in action and sports scenes. Make sure fast-moving scenes are being displayed without any blurs or bars. Upscaling performance is very much important in the case of 4K TVs considering there are very few 4K channels.
12. Panel brightness matters?
Panel brightness matters if you are watching more and more HDR content. But you need to consider other factors which affect picture quality. But never too much worry about specs, a well-designed TV from a good company can provide a good experience for most of the regular scenarios.
13. Don't purchase a TV in flash sales without proper analysis
Many companies release their product in flash sales. Please avoid buying TVs in a flash sale without seeing them based on specification. It will not be the end of the world. Don't act like you are missing it out. Don't buy under FOMO (fear of missing out or urgency). For yearly Diwali sales or Black Friday, sales do a proper analysis and be ready with your options.
14. Protect the screen with a screen guard if you have kids at home
If you have kids at home then plan to buy an acrylic screen protector and insurance for any damages. This could look strange but you will never know when your angry kid's toy will come and land on your TV!
15. Protect your TV with Voltage Stabilizer
Voltage fluctuations can damage your TV easily and make them unusable. Manufacturers warranty will not cover them. Buy a good voltage stabilizer and have peace of mind. For a 55" TV I suggest going with
this voltage stabilizer.
16. Have a budget for Sound Bar In case the room is bigger
Usually LED TVs will be thinner and their sound performance will not be sufficient for bigger halls due to small speakers. Have a budget for Sound Bar, in case after installation, if the sound performance is poor then you may need to buy them. Check
this soundbar if you want to buy one.
For smaller rooms or halls usually, Sound bars are not needed. Let your TV get installed then decide.
17. Don't focus too much on specifications
Focusing too much on specifications might not be always good. Reliability and overall experience provided by the TV is very important than anything else.
Just for example 120Hz Panel or 1000 Nits brightness. Will that be required for every user? No. Even many reviews compare a TV with an OLED TV and tell the TV picture quality is average. That really does not mean that TVs overall experience will be bad.
Go and check it personally. A TV from a well-known brand is usually designed to provide the best overall viewing experience.
18. Should you buy a Budget or Premium TV?
This should be the question you should ask yourself. Premium TVs come with a lot of features that may not valuable for you. Then purchase the middle or budget range.
Just for an example from all major brands (Sony, Samsung, and LG) have Series 7, 8, and 9 models.
In my opinion, if you are on a tight budget go for Series 7, otherwise better to go for Series 8 and go for Series 9 only when your budget is not limited. Series 9 TVs are premium TVs of each brand.
Usually, premium TVs comes with below additional features:
- Faster processor and GPU
- More refined motion handling
- More memory
- Faster startup and smooth UI
- More color gamut supported panel
- More brightness
- Higher refresh rate
- Less input lag
- Faster Wifi speed
- Higher quality components and panels
But many of these improvements will not be necessary for normal users. If you are looking for a better gaming experience with a gaming console or you are a filmmaker looking for accurate color representation for video editing then priorities will change.
Usually, the middle-range TVs from well-known brands will provide the right balanced offering. But if a premium TV is within your budget then it could be a better choice, check it out.
19. Don't expect your TV to fix the issues in Source
Most of the content streamed, broadcasted by OTT or DTH will be lossy MPEG compression. During this process, artifacts might get introduced in a video! Don't expect your TV to fix it. There are a lot of other factors also which will decide the video quality.
- Camera quality and movement
- Lighting
- Video Compression
- Resolution
- Video Editing
Don't expect your TV to fix those issues which already in the video source.
List of TVs which I like
These are the best 4K TVs available on amazon as per my choice. Please check more details on Amazon India. Please note that these links are my affiliate links. I will earn a tiny commission if you buy through my link. But there will not be any extra cost to you. You will get the same best price/discounts that Amazon provides.
In my opinion, if you watch more SD channels then Sony TV would be better due to its high quality upscaling and motion handling. Samsung TVs provide more deep blacks, motion, and gaming capability. LG is also good for Gaming and they have OLED TV options also. Google or Android TV supports more apps than Tizen or WebOS. But most of the major OTT apps will be supported by all smart TVs.
This is a value for money option. It also comes with good features. If you want to watch more sports/actions and better picture quality then other options on this list are better.
If you watch more SD channels then this is recommended one.
This is a very thin QLED TV with, wide color gamut, good picture quality, and motion handling, it comes with ART mode which can make it look like a photo frame. 55 Inch TV has a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 port, good for Gaming and Movie watching. It has a good aesthetic look also. Slightly expensive compared to budget TVs.
Good SD Upscaling, motion handling. X90J mentioned first in this list is best then this is the next option. If you have a good budget then consider X95J also.
This TV from Sony has very good picture quality. Slightly expensive.
