These large-screen models are perfectly suited for finished basements and rooms with vaulted or cathedral ceilings, and really do bring the movie theater experience into your living room - at a price. We’ve rounded up our other TV picks below and broke down their features to help you decide which is right for you. Audio lovers who are also neatniks? Nope, this TV supports wireless soundbars and subwoofers. Gamers? Nope, you can adjust the settings for a smoother session. Oh, and the remote is solar powered! The only group of people upset by this TV, then, are accountants. Size: 85-Inches Panel Type: QLED Resolution: 4K HDR: Quantum HDR 24X Refresh Rate: 120Hz The screen is treated with an anti-glare and anti-reflection coating for optimal viewing at almost any angle, and supports an updated Multi-View feature which allows you to watch up to four videos at the same time. And if you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can take advantage of the tap-view feature. Simply tap your phone against the TV to instantly share your screen. Size: 85-Inches Panel Type: QLED Resolution: 8K HDR: Quantum HDR 64X Refresh Rate: 120Hz Simply put: You will not be sad in any way if you buy this TV, other than you won’t have bragging rights for spending the most money. No one will be able to tell this particular TV didn’t cost over $3,000. It will only seem like it did. Don’t worry, it can be our secret. Size: 85-Inches Panel Type: QLED Resolution: 4K HDR: Quantum HDR Refresh Rate: 120Hz If you are loyal to LG and want a great TV, this is your pick. One fun, non-technical aspect of this TV is that the frame of the TV is versatile enough to be normally mounted, flush with your wall or even recessed into your wall. LG put as much care inside the TV (which you can’t control) as well as how you can put this in your home (which you clearly can control). Size: 77-Inches Panel Type: OLED Resolution: 4K HDR: Dolby Vision IQ Refresh Rate: 120Hz This model is designed from the ground-up to offer some of the best picture and sound available for customers. There’s a lot of neat (but way technical and kind of boring) tech in this TV, but if you love Sony and love having $8,000 fewer in your account, this sounds like a good deal. Oh, and it’s the only TV on the list that works with Apple’s Homekit technology. You can decide if that’s good or bad, but it also works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Size: 83-Inches Panel Type: OLED Resolution: 4K HDR: Dolby Vision IQ Refresh Rate: 120Hz It’s got support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate (smoother gameplay). It also has a Game Optimizer mode to set custom configurations to help you tailor the experience to the way you like to play (and to ideally avoid problems during play). It’s got four HDMI inputs, which means all the consoles can be directly attached to the TV and you can use the voice-enabled remote to switch inputs. You know, “Computer, I’d like to play Halo 4!” to which we might hear “Master Chief knew you were coming and retired because he was tired of getting fragged by the Covenant.” Ah, technology. Size: 83-Inches Panel Type: OLED Resolution: 4K HDR: Dolby Vision IQ Refresh Rate: 120Hz OLED panels still carry the risk for burn-in damage, but it’s far less likely than with older television technologies. OLED panels also carry the risk of color degradation over time. However, like burn-in, color degradation takes a lot longer with OLED units than with older televisions. Large-format televisions also have wider viewing angles and better color saturation and volume at extreme angles, giving everyone a great view no matter where they sit. No matter what your home theater needs are, there are several important factors to consider before purchasing a large-format television. We’ll break down each feature to help you decide what’s right for you.
Resolution Options
When choosing a resolution for your large-format TV, there are several to choose from. You can buy a full HD 1080p unit for decent picture quality, a 4K UHD model for enhanced picture quality and to keep up with current video trends, and even an 8K TV to future-proof your home theater. A full HD 1080p resolution television uses older technology to produce a middling resolution picture. This was popular several years ago when HD video first became available. However, 4K resolution has become the new gold standard in home entertainment as television and video streaming technology become more sophisticated. Televisions that have 4K resolution often support HDR, high dynamic range, technology to produce color and contrast levels that closely mimic what you would see in the real world. This technology comes in four variations: HDR10/10+, HLG (hybrid log gamma), Dolby Vision, and Technicolor HDR. There isn’t much difference between each variation of HDR besides which company has licensed the use of the technology. Each variation uses the same basic principles to produce enhanced color volumes and contrast for better detailing and more life-like pictures. Companies like LG and Sony have taken the next steps into the future of home entertainment by producing their own lines of televisions with 8K resolution. Televisions with 8K resolution have four times the pixels of their 4K counterparts and 16 times the resolution as 1080p HD. You may find arguments online and in print reviews that the human eye can’t really see the difference between 8K and 4K resolutions, and this is true to an extent. The difference in picture quality between 8K and 4K TVs isn’t nearly as dramatic as the difference between 4K and 1080p, but it is noticeable to a degree. However, the biggest drawbacks to owning an 8K television are: price, and the limited availability of 8K content. TVs that have 8K resolution are outrageously expensive at the moment because they’re on the cutting edge of home entertainment, and streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video are still catching up to 4K with their selection of movies and shows. It may be several years before we see 8K UHD video become more common, but if you’re willing to invest a lot of money to future-proof your home theater, it may be a worthy investment.
Refresh Rates
Along with resolution, a screen’s refresh rate plays an important factor when considering picture quality. Refresh rate refers to how many times a television changes the image on screen per second; so 60Hz means the image cycles 60 times per second. The two most common refresh rates are 60Hz and 120Hz, with some television models having variable refresh rates that switch between the two depending on the type of media it’s showing. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image motion, and the better the picture quality. However, a higher refresh rate may produce the “soap opera effect,” making your older DVDs or other video look strange or poor quality. This happens when your television simulates a 60Hz refresh rate on media that doesn’t support it. You can avoid or fix this problem by turning off the motion smoothing option in your television’s settings. High and variable refresh rates are great for console gamers, and often are paired with automatic low latency modes to reduce input lag and prevent screen stuttering and tearing during fast paced action scenes.
Other Factors
There are hundreds of other factors to consider when shopping for a large-format TV, including accessibility features for visually impaired or hard-of-hearing users, parental controls to prevent little ones from watching shows and movies that aren’t age-appropriate, and even personal style. A television should look as good when not in use as it does when you’re playing a game or watching a movie. Some televisions have ambient or gallery modes that turn them into living works of art or make them blend in with your walls to compliment your home decor. Others have art-inspired stands that give them a sleek, modern look. Wall-mounting is another feature that gives you more placement options when floor space is at a premium, and allows you to set up custom home theater configurations that best suit your space. Thankfully, there are a lot of brands, styles, and price points to choose from when shopping for a big-screen TV that make it easy to find something that best fits both your wants and needs.
About Our Trusted Experts
Taylor Clemons has been reviewing and writing about consumer electronics for over three years. She has also worked in e-commerce product management and has extensive experience with what makes a TV a great choice for home entertainment.
