The big ticket: televisions
A SHINY NEW TV IS A REAL INVESTMENT, SO FINDING ONE THAT COMBINES THE BEST FUNCTIONS WITH THE RIGHT PRICE IS CRUCIAL
We’re all guilty of looking around our homes and wishing we could upgrade everything all at once, but the reality is that these decisions are difficult ones, and replacing your TV, for instance, is not something to rush into. There are some key questions to ask before taking the leap and purchasing a shiny new screen, and it’s worth looking carefully into the most recent technology and also the alternatives to a full upgrade that are becoming more popular – as well as thinking about whether you actually need a new television at all.
The first question you need to ask yourself is how long you’ve had your TV. For anyone who doesn’t keep a detailed list of their shopping habits, this might not be front of mind, and it can be easy to get duped by the advertisements for stateof-the-art tech and forget that you only purchased your set 18 months ago. Common wisdom says that the average television can last around four to seven years, depending on usage, potential damage and other factors. If you’ve had your television for more than five years and feel that your home is due an upgrade, then it’s perfectly reasonable to start researching the best brands and features.
One big reason that people feel they need to get a new TV is its size. Maybe you’ve moved home recently and have suddenly found yourself squinting across a larger living space – or perhaps you’ve downsized and want a more compact model that fits better in your new room. A 32- or 40-inch TV could be ideal for smaller apartments, bedrooms and kitchens – and can be much more easily hidden away – while 75- or even 85-inch TVS are more suited to large living rooms or even a home cinema.
Do you need newer technology? You’ll have heard all of the buzzwords – OLED, QNED, 4K, 8K, Mini LED, and beyond. These acronyms actually do mean something, but it can be difficult to cut through the noise to find out which will actually improve your viewing experience. In short, a better resolution – HD, Full HD, 4K and 8K – will give you more detail and clarity in the image, making it look more lifelike as you go up the scale. 8K is so new that there isn’t much content being made in the format yet, but it’s a good way of futureproofing your set-up. Panel types are a little more widespread, but most people tend to go for OLED (organic light-emitting diode), as they have dropped in price over the years. Put simply, this technology gives improved brightness and contrast (so deeper blacks and whiter whites) with more lights closer together.
Price may be the deciding factor for you, and if you absolutely need to upgrade your TV but don’t have a huge budget, then there are a few options. A great alternative if you want to save cash and be less wasteful and more eco friendly is a refurbished or renewed television – they’re often as good as new, but come without the hefty price tag. You can also spend far less on a streaming device, which can revolutionise how you navigate and view content from various streaming services, making it much harder to be overwhelmed by the deluge of content on offer. If you don’t get along with your current TV interface, it might just be the solution for you.
THE AVERAGE TELEVISION CAN LAST AROUND FOUR TO SEVEN YEARS, DEPENDING ON
USAGE AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE