TVs are getting so sophisticated these days it can be tricky to know how to buy a TV just from comparing them side by side in a store.
Patrick Chen, Product Training Specialist at TCL Australia says demo units are often tuned to look as punchy as possible rather than accurate as possible. Here are three of his top things to look at in the store.
Skin Tone
The first check is simple: does skin still look like skin? Demo reels presented in store often lean on bright and saturated images to grab attention away from neighbouring brands, and extra vibrancy can cause them to look artificial.
“Often bright hues such as reds, greens, and blues can make a person on-screen look unrealistically bright or artificial, so ensuring skin tones still look natural is key,” Chen says. ” You should ideally be able to look at the bright blue sky or strong orange stripes of a tiger during a movie scene and still see someone’s skin tone remain as you would expect in real life, just as the director intended it to look.”
If an actor’s face looks waxy or off-colour next to a vivid backdrop, that’s a sign that the panel prioritises vividness over accuracy.
Black Levels
The second check is about darker scenes. Lower quality edge-lit panels and direct array panels with poor control can look washed out towards the edges, displaying a grey rather than true black.
Consistent, deep blacks across the whole screen are a solid indicator of a more capable panel and a more immersive picture. If the panel looks washed out towards the edges, that may annoy you when you’re trying to get immersed in a movie in a dim room.
Viewing Angles
Not everyone can have the best seat on the couch, meaning it’s important to check off-axis viewing angles rather than just directly in front.
“When in the store, don’t just stand directly in front of the screen. Step five or so paces in either direction and look at the TV from an angle to check for any potential contrast discrepancies,” Chen says. “It’s much better to discover any issues in-store than after the TV’s been set up at home.”
Depending on the panel technology, colour and contrast can shift noticeably once you’re viewing from the side. If you’ve got an armchair set off to one side or a wide modular sofa, that’s when it’s important to look at the TV off-axis.
Comparing TVs: Our Take
These checks only take a few extra minutes in-store before you commit to a purchase. Whenever you’re comparing one TV to another, try comparing how they perform in these tests and you should be able to tell the difference.
If possible, ask a staff member to go into the picture mode menu to see how Standard, Movie, and Filmmaker modes look rather than just the punchy demo mode. That will give you a better idea of how it might look once you get it home.
If you’re looking for how to choose the best settings for sports, check out our guide here. And for what AI features are worth buying and what are bunk for, check out this article.
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