As we progress further into a world guided by technology our appliances are becoming smarter and smarter and TVs are no different. We are living in a different world from the one we grew up in, where a TV was a basic entertainment unit. They have evolved to multifunctional, internet-enable hubs of activity, some of which even respond to voice commands! We have come a long a way from getting up to change the channel like I had to as a child. The quality of the image has been transformed too, with an 8K TV you will feel like you are seeing your programmes acted out in front of your in real life. 

Image from Unsplash by Glenn Carstens-Peters

Historically, there are a few manufacturers who had the monopoly over the television market. Those days are long gone, as new (and good) manufacturers are popping up, with good products at competitive prices. This healthy form of competition means that brands that dominated the market in the past are forced to rethink their pricing in order to keep up with the new generation of televisions. 

Does a brand name really make a difference when buying a television? 

We have spoken about how there is a huge selection of brands available, but how do you tell the good from the bad? Which are reputable and which are best avoided? 

Of course established brand names come with a proven track record, and have reputations to uphold. This means that you can, as a rule, buy one of their products without any significant fear of malfunction, and if anything does happen, chances are that they will have a good warranty system in place. You put yourself at much less risk by buying from an established brand name, although good deals and surprisingly good performance can also be found in lesser-known brand names.  

What is too expensive?

In short, anything that is over your budget, is too expensive and should rather be avoided. A simple gauge to help you is to remember that as the specs on unit go up, the price will go up correspondingly. If you have a big budget, you will have more leeway in making decisions, but don’t be trapped into the idea that only high budget units are worthwhile! There are several lower-cost units available on the market, which are a perfect fit for a lower budget, where you can still access most of the perks of owning a Smart TV. As long as you can get an internet-compatible TV with a decent display to keep your family entertained, you will be good to go! 

Which size should I buy? 

When you consider the size of your TV, you will be best advised to weigh it up against the space in which the TV will go. A TV that is too big for the room in which it sits, can look silly and disproportionate, while a model that is too small can disappear in a room. You could also consider wall mounting your TV, as this is a great solution to save space. It will also free up some extra space for peripherals, like speakers and gaming units, if you hang it on the wall. 

***This is a collaborative post***