What should I look for in a smart TV?

Whether you’re purchasing a smart TV for the very first time, upgrading to the latest model, or considering a second set for the bedroom, our handy buying guide will help you make a more informed decision about which shiny new 4K TV best suits your needs and budget.

Size does matter

The first thing to consider is how big and where you’re going to put it. A 100” screen might be great, but not for a small apartment. 43” and up is good for a bedroom or study; 55”– 65” will suit a modestly sized lounge room or living area; and if you’ve got the space, go bigger with a set that’s 75”–85” and above. Get out the tape measure beforehand to ensure the TV will fit comfortably on an existing entertainment cabinet, or there’s sufficient wall space for mounting.

Location, location, location

Most TVs include a stand to sit it atop an entertainment unit, but if you want it on the wall, panels are becoming much thinner and more conducive to almost flush wall mounting with a slim fit bracket. And there are a variety of wall mounting options – from fixed, tilting and rotatable, to motorised ones with voice control. Also consider the amount of natural light in the room, which can cause screen glare and may affect picture quality on a sunny day. However, most smart TVs will auto adjust the brightness to suit the environment.

Picture perfect

This is probably the most important bit. You’ve seen how stunning new TVs look in a JB store, and you want that at home. 4K Ultra HD has become the standard resolution on today’s smart TVs and there is plenty of streaming content that supports it. HDR (High Dynamic Range) is another essential feature. Moreover, with many smartphones now sporting 4K cameras and HDR, you can enjoy the photos and video you’ve shot in stunning UHD on a big screen.

Smart TVs are designed to deliver the best possible picture quality and come with a range of AI-controlled image adjustment tools inbuilt – from upscaling SD and HD content to 4K, to auto adjustment of brightness, contrast and colour – with very little manual calibration required.

Smooth operator

How well the TV reproduces fast moving scenes can make or break an action movie, sports match, or gaming session, so you’ll want one that has a high refresh rate. This is the number of times that the TV refreshes individual video frames, and the higher the number (measured in Hertz – Hz), the faster it is. Most of today’s TVs have a refresh rate of 120Hz, with some new models boasting a higher 144Hz, which is good news for gamers.

Smart stuff

A smart TV connects to the internet, opening up a world of entertainment via streaming apps, and most feature voice control options to play/pause, raise/lower volume, search for content, and more. The TV can also be integrated into a compatible smart home ecosystem to control linked devices like security cameras and video doorbells. You can see the pizza delivery arrive at the door during a movie; gradually dim the lights cinema-style, and more.

Sounds good

Slimline smart TVs aren’t exactly renowned for their inbuilt speakers, but fortunately that’s changing. New models are starting to include multiple speakers in the rear of the panel for more powerful and directional audio, including Dolby Atmos support. And some brands feature proprietary audio enhancement tech built-in that calibrates and adjusts the audio to suit the room, along with precise matching of sound to scene, and virtual surround upmixing.

Adding a soundbar is a must for the most immersive audio experience, especially one that’s designed to match the TV model. Moreover, some 2023 TVs have introduced the option to sync the audio output from the TV’s speakers and the soundbar, so both are firing at you on all cylinders.

Game on

Smooth and jitter-free is the way to play, and a TV with a high refresh rate is important. Many TVs have a Game Mode to optimise play, and gamers should look out for specs like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and the aforementioned HDMI 2.1 connectivity.