What TV Terms Do I Need To Know
When it comes to knowing what you’re paying for, almost no category is rifer with subterfuge and tomfoolery than TVs. While knowing the specs of the TV you’re shopping for is only half the battle, it’s the bigger half. Here are the key bits of jargon you’ll want to know while browsing:
LED/LCD: This refers to Light Emitting Diode and Liquid Crystal Display. LEDs are the backlights used in LCD TVs, also sometimes called a LED TV for this reason. The LED backlight shines through a layer of a semi-solid substance called “liquid crystal,” so named for its ability to morph in reaction to tiny electrical volts and allow light to pass through.
OLED: This means Organic Light Emitting Diode. This is an altogether different panel technology than LED/LCD. Rather than an LED backlight element shining through an LCD panel element, OLED TVs essentially combine the backlight and crystal array, using sub-pixel strata that produce light and color individually.
4K/UHD: Usually 4K refers to resolutionspecifically, 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. This is the current standard/mainstream resolution for most TVs. UHD means Ultra High Definition, and actually refers to a suite of picture improvements like 4K resolution and Wide Color Gamut, which can display many more shades than HD TVs.
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Organic light-emitting diode panels form both the individual pixels and produce the light for them in the same space, allowing each pixel to brighten or dim as needed, and removing the need for a backlight system. This means OLED TVs can be incredibly thin , and can produce perfect black levels LCD TVs can’t touch.
The first OLED TV was an 11-inch Sony model that looked like a desk lamp and cost $2,500 11 years ago. Now Sony’s excellent Master Series A90J is available in 55 inches for just $500 more than that, and you can pick up Vizio’s excellent OLED TV for less than half the price.
If you want to go past 65 inches, however, get ready for the price to jump up considerably. You can buy 70-inch-plus versions of LG’s OLED TVs for a bit over $3,000 to $4,000 now, and the 83-inch version of the C1 is a “bargain” at $6,000 .
Finally, if you aren’t sure that 65 inches is the right size for you, head over to our story on how to choose the right TV screen size. If you want to save money, check out our list of the best cheap TVs. And for advice on getting the best deal on a new TV, see our tips on what TV model numbers and SKUs actually mean.
Is 65 Inches The Right Size For You
The first thing you should ask yourself is whether a 65-inch TV is even right for you. It’s easy to get trapped up in the idea that bigger is inherently better, but the truth is that even with the much higher resolution of 4K TVs, there’s a point at which they can be too big for your viewing environment.
To be fair, this is less of an issue with 4K TVs than it was with older 1080p HD sets, since the higher resolution means that you can sit much closer to them without sacrificing viewing quality. In the case of a 65-inch TV, the ideal distance from your eyeballs to the screen should be somewhere in between 5 feet and 8 feet the rule of thumb for 4K TVs is that distance should be 1×1.5x the screen size. If you’re sitting less than 5 feet away, you’ll see too much detail for the 4K resolution, and if you’re more than 8 feet away, you might as well just have a 1080p HD set instead of 4K, as you won’t be able to tell the difference.
So basically larger rooms demand bigger screens, but when you sit down and think about it, for most people the 58 foot viewing distance is fairly typical, and that only applies to watching 4K content. If you’ll also be viewing a lot of 1080p HD material, such as what you’ll typically find on over-the-air broadcasts and cable TV channels, then you can comfortably view the TV from about twice that distance, making a 65-inch screen more than enough for most households.
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Best For 8k Early Adopters
Pros
Pros
- Strong contrast and HDR color performance
- Good gaming features
- SmartCast platform has both Apple AirPlay and Google Cast
Cons
- SDR color performance is a bit inaccurate
- SmartCast lacks Twitch
Pros
- Lots of Fire TV features
- Hands-free Alexa voice control
- Mediocre contrast and color range
- No Apple AirPlay or Google Cast
- Few gaming features
The concept of a “big-screen TV” has changed a lot over the years. It used to be that anything bigger than 40 inches was huge, and 65 inches was the absolute peak of what flat panel size. Those days are gone, and we’re heading into an era of downright massive TVs. If you want to hit or even exceed 65 inches on your next TV, we’re here to show you what to buy and how.
How Much Does A 65
A 65-inch TV weighs between 37 and 75 pounds with its stand, but this varies significantly depending on the type of TV. The TCL 4-Series 65-inch TV weighs 38.1 pounds with stand, for example, while the LG C1 weighs nearly twice as much at 72 pounds with stand. Removing the stand — which often consists of a pair of little legs under the panel — allows you to wall-mount the TV and reduces its weight slightly . Shipping weight of 65-inch TVs ranges from 55 to 91 pounds. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for exact weights of a particular 65-inch TV.
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Best Samsung Smart TVs
testingRead more testingRead more testingRead more
We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
What To Look For In A 65
TV manufacturers love to coin new marketing terms to advertise their products, so its easy to get confused while finding which TV is best for you. Fortunately, remembering a few basic things can go a long way in picking the right television.
One of the most important things to check in a TV is its display technology. Youll primarily find OLED and LED-backlit LCD TVs on the market. OLED TVs provide perfect blacks and a near-infinite contrast ratio thanks to their self-emissive pixels, resulting in stunning picture quality. However, OLED TVs are expensive, have relatively lower brightness than LED TVs, and can suffer from burn-in.
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In comparison, LED TVs are typically cheaper and have higher brightness, making them great for brightly lit and sunny rooms. That said, they cant match the contrast ratio or black levels of the OLED TVs. However, technologies like full-array local dimming and quantum dot can significantly improve the picture quality of a LED TV.
Another critical thing to consider is the use case. For example, are you into gaming, watching movies, or doing a little bit of everything? Features like HDMI 2.1 support, a higher refresh rate panel, and a variable refresh rate are essential for gaming. In contrast, movie lovers may want better HDR support, upscaling capability, and enhanced picture processing.
Now, lets jump into our recommendations.
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Best Budget: Tcl 65s435 65
Amazon
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No Bluetooth
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Need smart speaker or app for voice controls
Buying your first smart TV or upgrading your current home theater setup doesn’t mean you have to drain your savings. The TCL 65S435 is a perfect, budget-friendly option for anyone looking to buy a reliable smart TV. It uses the Roku platform to give you access to thousands of apps like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+. The simplified hub menu makes it easy to access apps, playback devices, game consoles, and even over-air antennas and cable boxes. The Roku app turns your mobile device into a voice-enabled remote, or you can connect your net TV to an external smart speaker like the Amazon Echo or Google Home you can also use your iOS device for hands-free controls with Siri. With AirPlay compatibility, you can share video, music, and photos from your iOS devices, and an HDMI ARC connection lets you set up a sound bar for enhanced audio.
Best Large Screen: Samsung Qn75q60tafxza 75
Amazon
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No VRR support
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Limited HDMI inputs
If you’re looking for a large screen TV to transform your space into the ultimate home theater, look no further than the 75-inch Q60T from Samsung. This television features a dual LED panel that produces warm and cool color simultaneously, creating over 1 billion colors for more true-to-life images and 100 percent color volume even at wide viewing angles. It also has an ultra-narrow bezel to give you an edge-to-edge picture so you don’t miss a single detail of your favorite shows and movies. Built-in eco sensors monitor ambient lighting and sound and automatically adjust screen and volume settings for the best viewing and listening experience in almost any environment.
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Are Qled Televisions Worth The Investment
QLED televisions are well worth the investment if you routinely stream movies, games, or programs. If youre searching for a TV with a brighter display, the layer of quantum dots contributes to the increased vibrancy of the picture as compared to a regular LCD screen. Select models Q70T and above for the greatest value.Which television series is the best? Is it a Samsung M or a Samsung A?There is a significant difference between the two lineups in terms of the quality and amount of content available. Samsungs A series places a premium on quality. Whereas the Samsung M series is focused on delivering the most compelling features in a cheap category.
Lg Qned Miniled 99 Series
LG knows how to make a worthy TV, and it has outdone itself with the QNED MiniLED 99 Series, which offers one of the best 65-inch TVs. The company claims its new equation makes for the ultimate LED TV experience. Its composed of Quantum Dot, NanoCell, and Mini LED technologies, making for amazing detail, stunning colors, and improved lighting.
More:Check out the best LG smart TV apps
This TV is not cheap, but you get fantastic technology for a price that doesnt get too wild. It has 8K definition and premium audio, featuring Cinema HDR, Dolby Vision IQ, and Dolby Atmos. Of course, LGs smart TV experience offers access to the best streaming services, apps, and more.
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If You Cant Spend As Much: Best Budget 4k TV
Buy a budget 4K TV if:
- Youre willing to sacrifice image quality: Spending a little more money will get you noticeably better image quality.
Buy another type of TV if:
- You watch a lot of TV during the day: Our budget 4K TV picks might not be bright enough to compete with sunlight through windows, which might bother you during a lazy Sunday morning.
- You want something that looks as good turned off as it does while on: A more expensive TV may have better aesthetics than our budget pick.
Why we like it: The TCL 5-Series delivers a great-looking 4K picture, and it comes in 50-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes to fit most rooms. Its the companys lowest-priced TV line to incorporate advanced LCD technologies such as a full-array local-dimming LED backlight to improve image contrast and quantum dots for richer color. Plus, its available with either the Roku or streaming platform built in, so you can choose the system that you prefer.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The 5-Seriess panel has only a 60 Hz refresh rate, so motion isnt as fluid as it can be on a 120 Hz panel, which offers faster pixel refresh and reduced motion blur.
Available sizes: 50, 55, 65, and 75 inchesHDMI ports: four
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The TCL 5-Series delivers a great-looking 4K image, the latest gaming features, and your choice of Google TV or Roku TVfor an affordable price.
TV Buying Guide And TV Terminology
TV terminology can be confusing, and that makes shopping tougher. From 4K to OLED, Consumer Reports TV expert James K. Willcox explains the jargon to Consumer 101 TV show host Jack Rico.
James K. Willcox
I’ve been a tech journalist for more years than I’m willing to admit. My specialties at CR are TVs, streaming media, audio, and TV and broadband services. In my spare time I build and play guitars and bass, ride motorcycles, and like to sailhobbies I’ve not yet figured out how to safely combine.
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What Is The Best Inexpensive 65
Amazon Fire TV Omni
If you want to get a big screen for a relatively small price, liquid crystal display is the way to go. The technology uses a liquid crystal panel to form individual pixels, which are then lit up by a backlight system. The backlight system is currently exclusively light-emitting diode , which is why these are sometimes called LED TVs.
LCD is the most common TV technology, and the most affordable. How affordable? Amazon’s new Fire TV Omni is available in 65 inches for less than $900, though it doesn’t have the brightest or most colorful picture. If you want to step up your picture quality, the 65-inch member of the Editors’ Choice U8G series, which tops out at a still-reasonable $1,300.
If you want to go bigger than that, you’ll have to be ready to spend significantly more, but TVs in the 75-inch range are getting much more budget-friendly than they were a few years ago. For an idea of what’s available in the greater-than-65-inch range, check out our list of the top extra-large-screen TVs.
Best Samsung TV: Our Top Qled Picks For 2021
QLED, Mini LED, and more here are the best Samsung TVs for 2021
The Terrace
Samsung needs no introduction theyre one of the biggest names in TVs, known as one of the big three in the industry. Naturally, it means they have a lot of TVs on the market, begging the question which is the best Samsung TV of 2021?
It goes without saying that they make exceptional TVs, with several of their products already listed in our Best TV of 2021 guide. But when it comes to choosing between Samsung TVs, you’re going to want a more specific guide, and that’s where we come in. We know everything about this brand, with Samsung TVs having dominated this year. The Samsung Neo QN900 8K QLED was the flagship of their Mini LED tech, promising unrivaled 8K crispness.
But it isnt just traditional home theater setups that have seen exciting developments, Samsungs designer series of TVs have caused a stir too. Offering sleek style with its Serif and The Frame models, Samsung is turning home cinematic viewing into an aesthetically pleasing experience from design through to picture quality.
Samsung has also renewed their efforts for Micro LED displays, introduced an outdoor TV called The Terrace ready to face the elements, and has launched their latest content partner, NextUp, across devices. Samsungs quest to deliver exclusivity, both in content and tech is impressive.
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How Wide Is A 65
Most 65-inch TVs measure between 56 and 58 inches wide. Because the frames around newer TV screens are typically quite narrow, 65-inch TV widths don’t vary much. Models with very slim frames are on the lower end — the 65-inch LG C2 measures 56.7 inches wide for example, while the slightly thicker-framed 65-inch TCL 4-Series is 57.4 inches wide. If you’re not planning to wall-mount the TV, you generally want the piece of furniture supporting the TV to measure at least as wide as the TV itself, and preferably a few inches wider. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for exact dimensions of a particular 65-inch TV.
Best Memorial Day TV Sales At Amazon
Amazon
It’s rare to find a contemporary TV for anything close to half price, but Amazon has the 55-inch Toshiba M550 priced at just $400 this Memorial Daythats $400 less than its typical $800 price tag. It offers 4K resolution, full array local dimming for improved HDR coverage and Alexa support. It’s a great TV at a now much-reduced price. The 65-inch and 75-inch versions are also now on sale for half price, bringing what you pay down to $500 and $700, respectively.
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The Tradeoffs You Need To Make
As you pick your ideal 65-inch TV, youll have to decide what considerations matter most to you. Is price your number one concern, or do you want to balance cost and performance? Maybe youre willing to spend a little extra for excellent picture quality. Perhaps the features of the Smart TV interface go into your decision-making process.
The best 65 inch TV under 1000 is the one that serves you best. Hope our list makes your search easier. .
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