Since OLED TVs are no longer prohibitively expensive, more buyers have become interested in them. Today, information on how to choose a TV with a OLED display is useful to anyone who is thinking about buying a TV in 2021.
For many years, the cost of OLED 4K TVs has been their main disadvantage. But each technology improves over time and becomes cheaper in production. Today, almost every consumer can seriously consider buying an OLED TV.
Since these TVs have been around for a long time, there are both fresh models with innovative technologies and outdated ones that are far from modern standards in stores. Here are seven things to consider when choosing an OLED TV.
1. Brightness level
The main disadvantage of OLED compared to related technologies is the brightness levels. OLED loses, but not by much: in recent years, the technology has improved enough to transmit enough brightness in different areas of the screen for a high-quality HDR effect .
Before buying, it is important to make sure that the OLED TV that caught your eye has a maximum brightness of 700-800 nits when displaying HDR. In standard mode, i.e. SDR, the recommended brightness is 400-500 nits. With such indicators, viewing will be comfortable even in the presence of a bright light source nearby.
If the TV will be in a darkened room, there is no point in fixing the brightness.
2. Maximum Refresh Rate
60Hz is typical for movies, TV shows and other types of video content, but not enough for games. The latest PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles are designed for 4K/120 FPS, but to see the benefits of overclocking, you need a display with a high refresh rate.
Fortunately, you won't have to look for such a TV for a long time. Models released in the last year or two are mostly getting a 120Hz refresh rate along with HDMI 2.1. In addition, some support variable refresh rate, which dynamically adjusts the frame rate on the screen in accordance with the speed of the video processor. This eliminates image tearing in high-energy game scenes.
If you plan to use your TV for gaming, look for a 120Hz HDMI 2.1 port and variable refresh rate in the specifications.
3. Price
Despite significant price reductions, OLED TVs remain quite expensive, especially when compared to traditional LED panels. First of all, the price depends on the brand and model: high-quality television panels Sony are 20-40 thousand rubles more expensive than their counterparts from LG.
You can save some money if you buy a model that was released not in the current year, but in the past (particularly advantageous offers come across during the sales season). Be sure to study the specifications so that the selected TV has the necessary technologies and connection interfaces.
4. Sound quality
Television is not only a beautiful picture, but also sound. Unless you're willing to splurge on a premium soundbar or speaker system, you'll have to look for an OLED TV with good built-in speakers.
It often happens that a TV with an excellent picture has a mediocre sound performance. But it also happens the other way around: a model with perfect sound is below average in terms of picture quality. You'll have to decide what's more important to you (and maybe grab a soundbar from the store, too).
One simple way to find out what kind of sound the TV has is to go to the store and listen to it with your own ears. If the sound is loud and clear in the exhibition hall, then it will be no worse in the home living room.
5. Input delay
Frame rate is a priority for gamers, especially those who prefer multiplayer games. However, input lag is a little different.
Input lag is the amount of time that elapses between pressing a button on the controller and the response of the TV. If the delay is large, in dynamic games, it will not allow the player to react in time to changes in the environment. Today, many OLED TVs have a dedicated game mode that minimizes input lag, but some models work better than others.
For a TV, an input lag of less than 20 milliseconds is acceptable, but most gamers aim for 10ms or less.
6. Image Processor
The biggest influence on the picture quality of OLED TVs is the graphics processors. The dependence is as follows: the newer the image processor, the faster and better it works with video, so the picture looks more attractive on newer TVs. However, minor improvements are noticeable only with a detailed comparison of the image.
7. Additional functions
The software is of the same importance as the hardware part of the OLED TV, because the amount of available services depends on it. Depending on the manufacturer, the TV can operate running the operating system Android TV or WebOS. Regardless of which brand you will choose today, you will get access to popular Netflix, Disney + streaming services and some other.
Additional software functions can also play a role. For example, AirPlay is useful to owners iPhone, iPad or Mac: This is the image broadcast function from the mobile device screen or computer to the TV. Some OLED TVs LG are compatible with NVIDIA G-SYNC, which means that you can enjoy game scenes without jerks and twigs.
Conclusion
Which OLED TV to buy is a very individual question. Nobody wants to overpay for the functions that will remain unclaimed, therefore, the model choose needs to be responsible. For example, if your family video game is not welcome, what's the point of looking for the maximum update rate? Select the model easier, and on the saved money you can purchase a good soundbar to enjoy the perfect sound in films and music clips.
There are, of course, other nuances when choosing an OLED TV, but they are less important, and we will talk about them somehow another time. From all the variety of TVs on these seven criteria you will surely find a model that will suit both in quality and at a price.
