Before we discuss the important considerations when choosing a smart television, we need to take a moment to define “what is a smart TV?” And no, it doesn’t mean all the other televisions are dumb! In today’s world, people throw around the phrase “smart technology” all the time – and it gets applied to all different types of products. There are
smart thermostats,
smart watches, smart phones and smart homes and believe it or not, there’s even smart bacon!
Originally, the term “smart” was used to describe products that traditionally couldn’t be connected to the internet but, with the addition of new technology, now have different new uses. The Smart Phone is probably the best known example – so much so that people are using their phones as much for other things as the primary function of making phone calls. Another way the term “smart” is applied to products is when something is added so it does something totally new. For example, glasses have been used to help people see better since the 13th century, but today you can get glasses that have built in cameras – which adds a whole new function and smartness to it!
When it comes to Smart TVs, a bit of both definitions applies. They can connect to the internet (either through built in Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi receiver/modem purchased separately). With this connection, you get access to a broader variety of shows, movies, sports and music than you can get with your regular service provider. This is an expansion of what that “little box” was designed for – to bring you viewing entertainment in your home. But that’s not the only thing a high quality smart television can do. Depending upon the apps it has, you can access social media websites,
play games and even browse the internet on some – adding a totally new function for your TV. Now, if this wasn’t what you were looking for, and what you really want is just a television that offers great picture and sound, then what you probably want is a super high definition TV (although they do make those with smart features too!).
By the way - in case you're wondering – smart bacon connects to the inter- no, it doesn’t – it’s a vegan version of everyone’s favorite crispy treat. Ok, now let’s get on to the task of what you need to look for to determine which of the smart TVs out there is best for you.
Price
The price of a smart television will depend upon several things such as the picture quality, the sound quality, the construction and the size. When comparing one brand with another, both in terms of features and price, it’s important to make sure you’re comparing the same size for an accurate comparison. For example, a larger size TV of lower quality could cost the same as a smaller sized one that offers more features. When determining the budget for how much you want to spend, you will need to determine which is more important - picture and sound or size.
That said, you can get a smart TV for as little as $500, although most of them average at $2000 (some really high-end models can go higher than that). We featured products covering the entire price spectrum listed above so you’re assured of a reliable smart TV no matter your budget.
Granted, there are ridiculously cheap smart TV sets out there but most of them have below par picture quality and their smart options leave much to be desired. Why don’t you stick with us and let us give you the best smart TV options that’ll be worth every penny spent?
Features
When it comes to important features in a smart television, we’ve already covered the important ones – good picture, good sound and good capabilities for watching things beyond what you get from a cable/tv service provider. But sometimes a manufacture will offer something extra – like a REALLY great remote control, options for wall mounting (along with the necessary hardware) or maybe it’s a technology that makes that particular TV stand out from the rest.
Another feature that better quality TVs will offer is the ability to connect with other systems and will have the ports necessary – look out for a few HDMI and USB sockets, as well as ones for external audio.
Construction and Design
As with all products, the actual physical construction of a television is important. One built from better materials will last longer and will have less chance of having parts like knobs and connections break. And yes, the size of a TV is also important to consider – just because you can afford the biggest TV on the market, doesn’t mean it will fit in your room – or even if you can manage to get it in there, that doesn’t mean watching it will be pleasurable up close.
Beyond these two obvious considerations, there are three other things you need to look at when picking out your new smart television – picture quality, sound quality and smart functionality. For the last of those, read on to the performance and ease of use section.
The key thing to remember is know your priorities – are you after the ultimate picture, but not bothered about the sound (perhaps you use an external audio system for that), does the TV itself need to produce good sound – ie if you’ll be using the built-in speakers – or is the Smart functionality the main draw, perhaps so you can drop your cable or television provider? Different models will show strength in different areas, so make this priority core to your choice.
Performance and Ease of Use
Good quality high definition TVs are made so the picture looks good whether you’re watching it from across the room or up close. It’ll also sound great at any volume. It might have built in surround sound, or audio ports to connect an external sound system. All this is a given – a good quality, traditional TV should provide you with an excellent home entertainment experience – but let’s cut to the chase. You came here for information about SMART TELEVISIONS!
Because they connect you to the internet, this type of television is also called a connected TV (or even a hybrid TV) – older versions (or less expensive ones) integrated Web 2.0, but the latest models offer Web 3.0 features. Just about everyone will let you stream shows and movies from services such a Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu and Pandora (each with their own separate fees). Others will give you access to Roku and/or Google Play. In addition to these “classic” entertainment apps, depending upon the television you get, you will get other apps that give you access to things such as YouTube, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, games, customizable home pages, and full internet browsing capability.
When choosing which smart tv is right for you, especially if you’re going to use it for more than streaming Netflix or Roku movies, you need to look at the user interface. Is it easy to navigate and intuitive? Can you move things around so you have easy access to your favorites? What about “typing” – since the remote is going to be used for this, is it easy to use?
For some, the best is a fantastic picture and sound quality along with some decent “smart” features, while another might be looking for specific features. Have a look at some of the smart TVs we’ve reviewed, and we bet you’ll find the one that best suits your needs.
Features
LG is a truly global brand with millions of products in homes around the world. Its line of products aims at providing excellence in quality with simple, streamlined designs that fit into your lifestyle seamlessly. Its wide range of products encompasses everything from household appliances to electronics, mobile devices and computer products, all geared towards helping you interact with things that matter in your life and improving quality of living. Whether it’s preparing a healthy and delicious meal, cleaning and washing, relaxing at home with your surround system and home theater or downloading/uploading your favorite pictures and media on the internet, LG has you covered with premium performance products designed just for you.
This powerful LG 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV is guaranteed to give you the best, most realistic viewing experience. The black-as-night flat screen provides a stunning backdrop for the intense colors, making for vivid and life-like pictures. This is made possible by the LG OLED pixels that turn off and on individually, thereby achieving a lively picture.
In addition to the 4K picture quality, this TV also features the unique Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio that brings the cinema atmosphere right into your living room where you’ll experience brilliant images and sound quality like never before, with sound coming from everywhere and anywhere at once.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology lets you view content with the most amazing contrast, made up of inky blacks and popping colors that dazzle and bring the screen to life.
With the LG 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV, there’s absolutely no best viewing spot because no matter the viewing perspective or angle, you’re going to have the best sight of the screen. There’s no angular wash out tones as seen in other TVs and the person sitting by the side gets the same gorgeous image view as the person sitting in the center and directly opposite the TV.
And in keeping with its vision of making life good for you, LG designed this TV with smart functionality based on a Wi-Fi connection to ensure you have your favorite movies and music on your screen whenever you need them. Streaming live from the internet onto your TV screen with no additional cost or connection has never been easier as the smart feature gives you fast access to all hot, favorite apps and top content providers so you can line up TV shows, movies, online content and more from the internet and toggle easily between them from the simple and user-friendly interface.
For more convenience, it’s equipped with a Magic Remote that can be used to click, point, scroll, use voice commands and even allows viewers to zoom-in on live screen details while watching.
The blade-slim, ultra-light design will fit into any décor and heighten the tech-savvy look of your living room. You’ll be the envy of your friends with this classic TV in your home.
With 4K resolution, a Harman Kardon® sound system and 120 Hz display support/refresh rate, it really offers viewers high quality pictures. This smart TV captures every motion of what you're watching – perfect for action-packed movies and games – and is worth every penny.
Features
VIZIO is one of the leading brands in America for television and sound bar products. Its products are geared towards connecting you to your favorite entertainment in a simple and yet powerful way that leaves you with an unforgettable experience. Sporting straightforward and beautiful designs, its products blend in beautifully with your home entertainment devices and have various connectivity options to allow for seamless linkages with other compatible devices. They’re also incredibly affordable, so you won’t need to break the bank just to get a great TV / display monitor, sound bar, or wireless speakers.
This VIZIO D-Series Full‑Array LED Smart TV features a 1080p full high definition LED display with an amazingly fast refresh rate of 120Hz. With the Vizio app, you can easily transfer content between your mobile devices, smart phone and television. It’s got a sleek design with ultra-narrow frame and slim base. It offers great picture quality with its full array LED backlight technology. Gamers and action movie lovers are sure to be satisfied with its flawless and smooth picture performance.
VIZIO Internet Apps Plus® gives owners access to an almost limitless range of TV shows, movies and more, and it has a built-in super-fast Wi-Fi for trouble-free internet connection. What’s more, its HDMI and USB ports allow for more connectivity for your HD devices like Blu-ray players and media boxes.
The second screen interactive technology makes transferring content and controlling applications between your tablet, smart phone and D Series TV super easy and convenient. What's great about this feature is that it works on both Android and iOS tablets and smartphones!
Energy Star 6.0 means better energy saving capacity than the conventional LCD TV, hence more savings on energy bills for you. With a remote control as slim and smart as the TV unit, you can now control your TV with less button-clutter and more efficiency.
Access better surround sound with the latest DTS StudioSound from VIZIO built into the TV unit and get the best audio output irrespective of the media source for your movies and music.
Features
Sony is a global brand known not just for excellent electronics such as TVs to stereos but as a company that excels in entertainment and gaming with the PlayStation console line. The brand is built on innovation and taking things to the next level with cutting-edge technology aimed at changing the way consumers relate to devices. Its products are sleek, with a user-friendly interface that allows for better interaction between user and device. It’s associated with great and ground-breaking innovative designs that reinforce its claim as the leader in the consumer electronics and services industry.
The Sony 4K Ultra HD Smart BRAVIA OLED TV is designed with a neat slim display and sleek lines perfect for any home and space. Google's Android TV gives you access to Android TV rights using the buttons on the included remote – or you can use the voice search feature. This means you get Netflix, the Google Play Store and Google Cast for movies, TV shows, music, apps and more right on your television.
Connect most of your Android devices for flawless syncing and transfer of your favorite content. With its 4K UHD display and HDR for pictures, it offers sharp and smooth images that are realistic even when watching 3D images. This smart TV has a remarkable OLED technology that makes sure you get improved contrast ratio compared to other typical LED TV options.
Want to see your smartphone photos or videos on a bigger screen? Connect your compatible Android smartphone to your Sony Smart TV through the 4 HDMI or 3 USB ports and enjoy videos, photos, and even games and applications from your mobile device to your clear and beautiful Sony TV screen. It also offers high-quality picture even when in a dark room.
The 120Hz MotionFlow XR refresh rate ensures your fast-paced action movie scenes and even games are delivered with no freeze over or motion blurs, giving you smooth-flowing pictures for the utmost viewing pleasure.
Features
Samsung runs with the big boys at the head of the pack when it comes to technology, consistently churning out innovative products in today’s marketplace. For more than 7 decades, it’s been providing best-in-class products that make life worth living, cutting across almost all spheres of human endeavor from semi-conductors to fashion and medicine, plant and skyscraper constructions to hotels, petrochemicals, finance and many more. Its high-flying electronics brand is a leader in the industry, with innovative and pace-setting products in digital media and electronics manufacturing. It combines sleek designs, reliability and durability with great customer service to provide global customers with lasting experiences.
Redefine your viewing experience with the Samsung Curved 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV that offers 4x the clarity compared to standard HD TVs. Its Color Enhancer and Full HD 1080p gives clearer pictures with sharper contrasts and deeper blacks, even non-HD content and older shows are displayed with more enriched colors.
The automatic and ergonomically pleasing curved design comes with a depth enhancer that gets you pulled right into the thick of the action for an immersive experience like never before.
The motion rate 120Hz feature guarantees clear pictures even when watching shows that have a lot of movement like sports and action movies. With Samsung’s LED Smart TV, not only do you get to watch all your favorite shows live, but you have access to video-on-demand, TV and Movie apps and your favorite social media sites – with a navigation experience that’s easy to browse.
The Wi-Fi connection has no trouble connecting to the network, and once you're connected, you can stream files from your PC effortlessly, screen mirror your compatible smart devices and loads of other cool stuff. It also has HDMI and USB ports to plug in your favorite media to play games, music or see photos. Alternatively, you can use the Samsung Smart Hub to find all your connected devices.
For better control, the OneRemote control makes life infinitely simpler by automatically detecting and syncing with all connected and compatible devices, hence making it possible to control everything with a single device. This service requires an internet connection, though, to function properly.
Features
Although it can be regarded as the proverbial new kid on the block, TCL’s sheer determination has earned it a place at the top of the ladder in the TV industry and having gotten there, it aims to surpass all other expectations and competition in no time. Its high quality TV products are designed with the latest cutting-edge technology to meet with the high-tech needs of consumers. Not only that, they come at prices that are extremely competitive. To ensure the lowest possible prices for its products, all component parts of the TVs are manufactured in its state-of-the-art plant and the TVs are assembled therein, meaning the whole production process is fully monitored and controlled from the raw materials stage to the final production.
For a really comprehensive yet affordable Smart TV, consider the TCL 720p Roku Smart LED TV. Its direct-lit LED feature plus the full HD display combine to give the best picture quality and contrast with popping colors while the modern, sleek design makes it a great addition to any room whether switched off or on.
A customizable home screen option brings all your favorite apps and channels to the fore so you don’t have to flip through endless channel lists and confusing menus again.
More than providing an efficient smart TV experience, this smart LED TV offers great applications. It’s very easy to set up and use, and allows users to take pleasure in infinite entertainment options. It provides full Roku capabilities and has thousands of streaming channels with a free Roku app on your android device. And although it comes with a user-friendly ROKU TV remote, your connected smartphone can also double as your remote control – great news if you’re prone to misplacing your remotes.
It’s dual band Wi-Fi capable and can be wirelessly connected to your smartphone.
Unlike most typical smart TVs, this TCL 720p Roku Smart LED TV lets you enjoy content either from your satellite TV subscription or paid cable, and you can also use the in-built tuner to access free-to-air channels. All these in addition to the live streaming smart option.
Thank you for reading and having made your decision (most likely). Why not go ahead and place the order right away and start enjoying the numerous benefits of your new smart TV?
