Top 5 Tips When Buying A TV
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(CBSDFW.COM) - Many consumer experts say forget Black Friday, the days leading up to the Super Bowl may be the best time to score a deal on a new TV. But before you upgrade from your old set, Dan Ackerman, editor at CNET.com, says you need a game plan. So with the help of the Ackerman, here's our top five TV buying tips.
1. Ignore the specs
Don't get stressed out trying to figure out what all the numbers associated with a TV mean. Listed specifications, like Clear Motion rate, TruMotion rate, refresh rate, and even contrast ratio; are at best confusing and at times simply made up.
"The fact is a lot of stuff is really arbitrary," Ackerman said. "Every company measures contrast a different way so you can't really compare brand A to brand B."
2. Bigger is better
Dallas Cowboy's owner Jerry Jones may have the right idea when he installed one of the world's largest video monitors in AT&T Stadium.
More than any other feature the experts at CNET.com say screen size is the best use of your money.
Ackerman said, "Most people buy 65 or 70 inch screens now. Once you get much larger than that you start to lose the economy of scale, and things begin to get very expensive."
3. 4K TVs are the future (just not now)
The highly popular 4K TVs have four times as many pixels as most high-definition televisions. However, most of what you watch on these TVs, at least for now, will not look any better because there are very few movies and shows you can buy or download that are of 4K format.
4. Every TV can be smart
Don't pay hundreds of dollars more simply to have a "smart TV", because all you need to do is connect a $40 Amazon Fire Stick or a $60 Apple TV box to any television to have the nearly same the features as most "smart TVs".
5. Curved TVs are not for crowds
Perhaps if you're sitting right in the middle, you may notice a slightly different viewing experience with a curved TV. But for everyone else in the room, their view may be better with a flat screen. Curved TVs are primarily a cosmetic preference.
"If you want everyone to come over, maybe you stick with the flat screens," Ackerman said.
For expert reviews of latest TVs, go to CNET.com.
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