Welcome to the ConsumerReports TV Buying Guide

Television technology is changing fast, and this guide will help you make the best decision when buying your next model. If you're looking for a new TV, you'll likely wind up with an LCD set. Another option, OLED TVs, tend to do well in our ratings, but also typically cost more.

All TV brands offer LCD models in screen sizes ranging from about 20 inches to 90 inches. These sets are often referred to as LED TVs because of their LED backlights, which have replaced older fluorescent ones. The LEDs also allow LCD TVs to be very thin and energy efficient while still producing bright, vibrant images. However, many LCD TVs still have fairly narrow viewing angles, which means you'll notice colors look washed out and blacks look more like gray if you're not sitting directly in front of the TV.

We score every TV's viewing angle as part of our battery of tests. LCD TVs also have a tendency to blur during fast-moving scenes, known as motion blur, which is why some manufacturers tout higher refresh rates on certain models. For example, a 120 hertz means the image is updated 120 times per second. However, we found in our test that a higher number doesn't guarantee better performance.

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diodes. Unlike LCD TVs that require a backlight, OLED pixels give off their own light when hit with an electric current. OLED TV colors are vibrant, the picture is bright, and the black levels are truly black. That contrast allows images to really pop off the screen. We like about OLEDs that it delivers deep black levels and unlimited viewing angle we've seen on the best plasma TVs.

At the same time, it delivers power efficiency, super-thin profile, and the bright picture we've come to expect from LCD TVs. Right now, OLED TVs are still relatively rare in the market, but they're becoming more popular as technology advances. When choosing an OLED TV, look for features such as high contrast ratio, HDR support, and wide color gamut.

Resolution is also a crucial aspect of picture quality. The resolution refers to the number of pixels on the screen, which determines how sharp and detailed the image will be. Some TVs have higher resolutions than others, but it's not always a guarantee that a higher resolution means better picture quality. For example, some 4K TVs may still suffer from motion blur or other issues.

As TVs get thinner, sound quality can suffer because there's just not enough room for decent speakers. While many thin TVs can deliver sound that's fine for most sitcoms and news shows, few are able to deliver the sonic excitement of action shows or movies. If sound is important to you, check our ratings to find a set with either very good or excellent sound, or consider adding a soundbar speaker.

Another feature to consider when buying a TV is smart features. Smart TVs allow you to access online content directly from your TV via Wi-Fi or direct broadband connection. From there, you can usually access a wide variety of movies and original shows from streaming content services such as Amazon Video, Hulu, and Netflix, as well as watch videos on YouTube and listen to online music channels.

Some models let you download new apps, visit social media sites, or browse the web. On a budget and just looking for a basic TV? You can always purchase a separate streaming media player later, such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, or Roku, with many of the same features.

When it comes to connections on your TV, consider what devices you'll be hooking up and make sure the TV has enough of the right type of connections. For example, your cable box, Blu-ray player, or gaming console would all be connected with an HDMI cable. Devices like older DVD players or even VCRs use component or composite cables that go in the red, green, and blue or yellow ports for video, along with the red and white for audio in the back of your TV.

Don't waste your money buying expensive HDMI cables when it comes time to hook up your gear. We found that moderately-priced brands sold at most consumer electronics stores and online can do the trick. It's not generally worth the money to buy an extended warranty for a TV. For most major brands, our surveys have found that TVs have been fairly reliable.

Rather than paying for extended coverage, use a credit card that doubles your warranty or ask retailers if they supplement a standard manufacturer's warranty. To find the best model television for you, check out our full ratings at consumerreports.org. We purchase all products we test, are a nonprofit, and accept no advertising. Thanks for your support.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWelcome to the ConsumerReports TV buying guide.Television technologyis changing fast,and this guide will helpyou make the best decisionwhen buying your next model.If you're lookingfor a new TV, you'lllikely wind up with an LCD set.Another option, OLED TVs, tendto do well in our ratings,but also typically cost more.All TV brands offer LCDmodels in screen sizesranging from about 20inches to 90 inches.These sets are often referred toas LED TVs because of their LEDbacklights, which have replacedolder fluorescent ones.The LEDs also allowLCD TVs to be very thinand energy efficientwhile still producingbright vibrant images.But many LCD TVs still havefairly narrow viewing angles,which means you'll noticecolors look washed outand blacks look more like grayif you're not sitting directlyin front of the TV.We score everyTV's viewing angleas part of our battery of tests.LCD TVs also have a tendency toblur during fast-moving scenes,known as motionblur, which is whysome manufacturerstout higher refreshrates on certain models.For example, a 120 hertz meansthe image is updated 120 timesa second.But some TVs claimeven higher numbers.We found in our test thata higher number doesn'tguarantee better performance.OLED stands for OrganicLight Emitting Diodes.Unlike LCD TVs thatrequire a backlight,OLED pixels giveoff their own lightwhen hit with anelectric current.OLED TV colors are vibrant,the picture is bright,and the black levelsare truly black.That contrast allows imagesto really pop off the screen.What we like about OLEDis that it deliverson the deep black levelsand unlimited viewing anglewe've seen on thebest plasma TVs.At the same time, it deliverson the power efficiency,super-thin profile,and the bright picturewe've come toexpect from LCD TVs.Right now, OLED TVs arestill pricey, especiallylarger-sized sets.But we expect prices to fallas more manufacturers enterthe OLED market.4K or UHD UltraHigh Definition TVshave made their way into morehomes thanks to lower prices.UHDTVs have higher resolutions,with four times the numberof pixels of regularhigh-definition TVs.So they have the potentialto deliver razor-sharp detailwith the right content.That programming isknown as 4K content,and right now, there'snot a lot of it out there.But more 4K movies and TVshows are coming, especiallyfrom streaming videoservices like Netflix.In the meantime, you canstill view regular HD programson your UHDTV.You just won't getthat extra detailyou'd see with 4K content.HDR, or High DynamicRange technology,can boost TV'sbrightness, colors,and contrast so thatthe images you seeare closer to like whatyou see in real life.HDR does all that byincreasing the contrastbetween the brightest whitesand the darkest blacksa TV can produce.Typically, HDR TVs alsoproduce more vibrant,varied colors than other sets.That's because HDR is oftenpaired with Wide ColorGamut, or WCG, capability.Standard HDTVs can displayabout 17 million colors.But those with WCG candisplay up to a billion.That's like givingyour TV a largerbox of crayons to play with.But you won't see all thatfantastic contrast and colorevery time you turn on the TV.You have to beplaying a movie or TVshow that has been made totake advantage of HDR and WCG.Some TVs have curvedscreens, whichare marketed as providing a moreimmersive viewing experience.But in our labs, we found thatcurved models don't reallyoffer much advantageover flat ones,especially in the screensizes most people wouldhave in their homes.And if you're planning onmounting your set on the wall,just remember, curvedmodels won't sit flat.Most people may thinkthe size of their roomreally determines what sizetelevision they should buy.What's more important?The distance you'll actuallybe sitting from the screen.As a general rule of thumb,your closest seating distanceshould be about 1.5 times thediagonal length of your screen.So if your favorite spot is8 feet away from your TV,you can consider buyingone as big as 60 inches.But if you get anUltra High Def TV,the finer imagedetail means you canget a bigger TV without movingfurther away from the set.Display resolution is the totalnumber of pixels in a screen.TVs with more pixelshave the potentialto display greater detail.UHDTVs have 3,840 by 2,160resolution screens, or just 4Kfor short.That means there are3,840 pixels goingacross the screen and 2,160pixels from top to bottom.Some TVs, especiallysmaller sets,still have regular HDresolution, 1,920 by 1,080,or just 1080p for short.Some less-expensivemodels may have720p resolution, whichis fine for screenssmaller than 40 inches.However, you'll probablywant a 1080p setif you plan to use itas a computer monitor.But resolution is just one ofa number of display attributesthat contribute topicture quality.We also look at a TV'Sbrightness, color accuracy,black level, and contrast.These are some of themost important aspectsof picture quality.As TVs get thinner,sound qualitycan suffer because there'sjust not enough roomfor decent speakers.While many thin TVscan deliver soundthat's fine for mostsitcoms and news shows,fewer are able to deliver thesonic excitement of actionshows or movies.If sound is important toyou, check our ratingsto find a set with eithervery good or excellent sound,or consider addinga soundbar speaker.Do you want to also have accessto online content directlyfrom your TV?Then you'll want a smart TV.These sets allow you to accessthe internet via your home'sWi-Fi or directbroadband connection.From there, you can usuallyaccess a wide variety of moviesand original shows fromstreaming content servicessuch as Amazon Video,Hulu, and Netflix,as well as watchvideos on YouTubeand listen to onlinemusic channels.Some models let you download newapps, visit social media sites,or browse the web.On a budget and justlooking for a basic TV?You can always purchase aseparate streaming media playerlater, such as Amazon Fire TV,Apple TV, Google Chromecast,or Roku, with manyof the same features.When it comes to theconnections on your TV,consider what devicesyou'll be hooking upand make sure the TV hasenough of the right typeof connections.For example, your cablebox, Blu-ray player,or gaming console would all beconnected with an HDMI cable.But devices like olderDVD players or even VCRsuse component orcomposite cables.Those go in the red, green, andblue or yellow ports for video,along with the red and white foraudio in the back of your TV.And don't waste your moneybuying expensive HDMI cableswhen it comes timeto hook up your gear.We found thatmodestly-priced brands soldat most consumerelectronics storesand online can do the trick.It's not generallyworth the money to buyan extended warranty for a TV.For most majorbrands, our surveyshave found that TVs havebeen fairly reliable.Rather than payingfor extended coverage,use a credit card thatdoubles your warrantyor ask retailersif they supplementa standardmanufacturer's warranty.To find the best modeltelevision for you,check out our full ratingsat consumerreports.org.We purchase all productswe test, are a nonprofit,and accept no advertising.Thanks for your support.\n"