Here is the ultimate guide to choosing the perfect TV by considering screen type, size, features, brightness, resolution, and refresh rate to suit your needs and budget. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP
Image: Robyn Beck / AFP
There are few things quite as overwhelming as picking the right TV for your needs when there are hundreds to choose from in a saturated market, and here I aim to help you pick something that best suits your requirements.
Assuming you have a good sound system (that’s an entire story on its own), picking the right-sized TV with the features you will actually use can be difficult to find.
A TV for a normal-sized bedroom, for example, would be very different to one you would choose for your lounge area.
As most units for sale are Smart TVs these days, it’s not really worth trying to decide on a model based on which has the best software/app system. The best experience is actually achieved by buying a separate media player.
With all that in mind, the first big factor in choosing the right TV is knowing which screen type is right for you. OLEDs are the best and most expensive available at the moment. They are perfect for movies, sport, and gaming. They sport the richest blacks and best contrast ratios.
You generally can’t go wrong with a good OLED TV, regardless of brand.
If you’re more budget-conscious, it’s best to stick with LED/QLED or Mini LED. These screens are generally more affordable and deliver good quality for the price.
Brightness of the TV is another big consideration. The brightness rating is measured in nits, and generally, 400 and below is entry-level, 600 - 1000 is midrange, and 1000+ is top of the range.
Most TV resolutions now are 4K, so it’s best to avoid HD or HD-ready TVs that look like an incredible budget buy. They’re simply not worth it in 2025 and beyond.
If you watch a lot of sci-fi, adventure, or action movies, or are into gaming, the refresh rate is also very important. The gold standard here is 120Hz, as it will display the smoothest pictures.
Finally, you have the size, but this is actually the most subjective and is based on the size of the room you will be watching in. For a small lounge, you can get away with 55”, but 65” is generally the most pleasing size for bigger viewing areas.
If money is no object, then you can go for 75” and larger - but this will come at a heavy premium.