LED TV Review

Your current TV works just fine, so why replace it? Let's start with contrast ratio. Standard LCD TVs aren’t known for excellent contrast ratios since they use cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) which can’t be turned off while in use. This means they can’t produce rich dark images because there is always light on the screen.

Anything slimmer than a standard cathode-ray tube (CRT) television used to be considered a slim TV. Today it seems anything over 4 inches thick is unacceptable. LED backlit TVs allow the manufacturers to produce TVs that are slimmer than ever before. With an LED TV, it is finally possible to hang your TV on the wall and actually have it look like a picture.

LED TVs such as the Sony Bravia XBR-55HX950, Samsung UN55ES8000F, or Vizio M3D550KD offer brighter pictures and a better contrast ratio because of local dimming. The result is a slimmer TV that produces vibrant colors. Everything that you watch on an LED TV will look better than your old TV because of the new LED lights that are used to produce the image. From video games to chick flicks, you will see detail that has been there all along but was simply blurred or could not be produced on a standard LCD TV.

LED TV: What to Look For

Buying an LED TV is no small purchase. It's important to know what to look for when shopping for a new TV. Your TV says a lot about who you are, so having an out-of-date television can give the wrong impression. It is the most visible piece of your home theater system and the only part that you actually see during a movie. While it is turned off it is very much a piece of your room’s décor, so slim design and a nice finish are essential. It is wise to consider these and other factors when selecting a new LED TV.

Features
Look for an LED TV with local dimming because, as with all electronics, not all TVs are created equally. The best LED TVs will actually be able to dim the backlight in dark portions of a movie, resulting in greater detail and contrast. LED backlights allow the TV to be built to a slimmer standard. This is especially important when mounting the TV to a wall, which is probably the most popular way to mount a TV.

Display
Look for a TV with a fast refresh rate. Standard TVs refresh at 60Hz, and the best LED TVs refresh at 240Hz or faster. You will also want to look for a TV with a response time of 3ms or faster. This will make those quick movements less blurry and improve gaming, sports and action movies. Because of the LED backlighting you will find TVs with a contrast ratio of up to 10,000,000:1, which is far beyond that of any LCD TV on the market.

Connections
Most high-end LED TVs will have at least four HDMI inputs as well as an Ethernet port, PC input and other standard component video inputs. Some may even include Wi-Fi or have a memory card slot for quick picture viewing.

Help & Support
Whenever you purchase anything online you will want to make sure the company offers plenty of help and support. Most companies will have a phone number, email, live chat, FAQs and even online manuals in case you lose the one that comes with your TV. Response times should be quick, and the person helping you should know the answers to your questions.

For more information, be sure to read our learning center articles on LED TVs.

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