# Inexpensive vs expensive televisions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603 "2020-11-27T17:12:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/21 "2020-11-29T01:18:06Z")
Around Labor Day, I upgraded from an approximately twelve-year-old 46" 1080p LCD TV to a 65" 4K OLED TV. So a big jump in picture size and resolution. And I went from having a dumb TV to having a smart TV. BTW, I ordered it from Best Buy right before Labor Day for $2500 but it went down $200 a couple of weeks after the holiday (I went back to the store and got the difference refunded) and now it’s at $1900. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/22 "2020-11-29T02:08:06Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > > > The technology might be different. $500 might buy you an LCD or LED set while $2000 might get you an OLED set. Either way I think you’re getting 4K resolution, as that seems standard nowadays. > > > > Right. I bought a $1500 OLED 3 years back and it blows away any other LCD TV I’ve ever seen. The true blacks really make it shine - especially when viewing HDR and Dolby Vision content. > > I thought OLED TVs were like ridiculously expensive 3 years ago. Like closer to $15,000? Or was that further back? > > I’m just finding out about this stuff yesterday. I was going to order a TV for Black Friday but decided to wait until I knew more about the differences between the technologies…and until they were back in stock. > > My HDTV is over 10 years old so anything should be an upgrade anyway. You are definitely thinking like 10 years ago (unless you are thinking of the 8k 88inch ones - but I think it’s more like $8k). LG OLEDs have been pricey, but I believe the B6 in 2016 started at $2500/$3000. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/23 "2020-11-29T02:22:05Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > most people wouldn’t be interested in watching much anything in Standard Definition 4:3 these days because it looks like crap I watch about 1/2 my TV on a 19" CRT because I’m there for content, not graphics. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy don’t need the greatest picture to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/24 "2020-11-29T15:59:06Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > For example, most people wouldn’t be interested in watching much anything in Standard Definition 4:3 these days because it looks like crap next to High Definition 16:9. Yep, that’s why there aren’t dedicated channels like MeTV. Oh wait! 😛 Don’t _assume_ (you know that makes you and me) the majority is in your age group or shares your personal tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/25 "2020-11-29T17:23:20Z")
Indeed, IIRC around the time the national upgrade to HD became universal, there were numerous posts on this very forum from people complaining about the new technology and wondering what the big deal was because they claimed they couldn’t see a difference at all. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/26 "2020-11-29T17:54:47Z")
> [@Didi44](#): > > > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > > > For example, most people wouldn’t be interested in watching much anything in Standard Definition 4:3 these days because it looks like crap next to High Definition 16:9. > > Yep, that’s why there aren’t dedicated channels like MeTV. Oh wait! 😛 > > Don’t _assume_ (you know that makes you and me) the majority is in your age group or shares your personal tastes. Do you really believe that the majority of TV viewers are watching MeTV? Seriously? I would wager that the majority of TV viewing these days are high definition programming (CRTs for instance were sunsetted in 2015 with most high end manufacturers abandoning them in 2010) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/27 "2020-11-29T18:18:46Z")
IMO, if your budget is $2000+, then I would go ahead and get a projector. I’ve had a [JVC HD-250](http://www.integrityhometheater.com/jvc-hd-250.html) projector in my HT for 10 years now, and absolutely love it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/28 "2020-11-29T19:25:25Z")
As far as I can tell, projector resolution is 1080p at best, while flatscreens are 4K. And for $2-3000, you can get a 65", 75", 85" or even a 100" set. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/29 "2020-12-08T17:41:17Z")
I ended up getting a Vizio 65" 4k OLED smart tv for $1500. I’m pretty pleased with it. Definitely see what people mean about the blackness of the blacks. I was watching some of the Marvel movies and one thing I noticed is that the 4k kind of makes the CGI effects stand out a but more. I don’t notice it on 1080, but with 4k, I can see the subtle differences in texture between the live action and a CGI effect ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/30 "2020-12-08T18:32:35Z")
Do you think that you would notice a difference on live action events, like football? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/31 "2020-12-08T18:57:49Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I was watching some of the Marvel movies and one thing I noticed is that the 4k kind of makes the CGI effects stand out a but more. I don’t notice it on 1080, but with 4k, I can see the subtle differences in texture between the live action and a CGI effect HDR makes a greater difference, IMO. Combining the sharpness with the 4k and the increased color dynamic range really makes those movies a treat to see. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/32 "2020-12-08T19:05:56Z")
One difference is the performance and quality of the internal “smart” platform. Cheap TV’s will have slower components, less memory, and use a niche smart OS with fewer apps. More expensive TVs will have faster components, more memory, and use one of the widely supported operating systems like Roku, FireTV, and Android. If you use your TV for streaming, a more expensive TV will typically mean a better streaming experience. But it’s not necessarily worth spending a lot more for improved streaming on your TV. You can get a standalone streaming device for under $50 that plugs into an HDMI port and will provide a robust streaming experience. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/33 "2020-12-08T20:59:32Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Do you think that you would notice a difference on live action events, like football? I don’t watch a lot of sports, but I would definitely notice. Particularly if I had the motion smoothing (soap opera effect) turned up high. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/34 "2020-12-09T15:57:27Z")
I _just_ bought a new 65 inch 4k OLED TV (took delivery five days ago). Our old TV was a much smaller flatscreen, I don’t remember what technology. This one had different settings for cinema, sports, and so on (both sound and picture). So far we are very happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603/35 "2020-12-09T19:12:11Z")
Image is part of the experience, however there are other things that can count heavily. I bought a traded in tv from B & O - traded in from a hotel and it had been almost unused. With the various options it has, it would have been over $10k but came to me for $2500. It does have extremely good picture quality - even though technology and definition have moved on - it compares very well pretty much against most lower to medium range stuff in the price range which I paid. The thing is the sound quality - it can run 4 side speakers, plus one centre and one sub bass - it is pretty close to a home cinema but can be used as a media centre. It makes those sound bars seem really rubbish - mind you the speakers I’ve got add pretty signficantly to the overall cost. It is especially effective on modern films, not true home cinema but only because things have moved on and a larger screen would be needed - but its close. I’ve seen much larger screens, with higher resolutions and at less cost - it shows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-vs-expensive-televisions/926603.md?page=1)