Television Specs Guide
Television specifications can be overwhelming. With so many
technologies and numbers, how do you know what’s right for you? To
make your purchase easier, we’ve defined some basic TV terms and
explained the differences between common technologies.
TV CLASS (DISPLAY/SCREEN SIZE)
The actual measurement of the screen diagonally. Example: the
measurement from bottom left corner of the screen to the top right
corner of the screen. Display size is categorized by a rounded number,
not the actual measurement. Example: a 32” TV might measure 32.6”
diagonally. A 50” TV might measure 49.5” diagonally.
The size is generally determined by how far away you sit. TVs larger
than 48” are best if you sit more than 6 feet away.
DISPLAY TYPE
LED Panel TVs labeled as LED are LCD panels with LED backlighting.
Pros: LED backlighting allows for a thinner display, consumes less
power, adds brightness, offers better contrast levels and dissipates
heat well.
Cons: lower quality black rendering (compared to OLED displays),
ghosting issues with fast-moving images, prone to dead pixels.
OLED Display (Organic LEDs)
Pros: thinner than LED, lightweight, no backlighting required, very
deep blacks, superior contrast ratio. Best picture available.
Cons: significantly higher cost, few choices at this time.
Curved Panel
Pros: slightly better viewer immersion, enhanced depth, wider field of
view, elegant/modern look.
Cons: not recommended for wall-mounting, exaggerated reflections,
benefits aren’t noticeable on smaller screen sizes.
DISPLAY RESOLUTION
High definition (HD) refers to the level of detail in a screen. It is in
relation to the number of pixels in a display, not the physical size
of the screen. Pixels are the dots that make up the overall picture.
The higher the number, the more crisp and sharp the picture can be
(depending on the source).
