TV specs defined: A simplified TV shopping for information

Desk of Contents

Shopping for a brand new tv can break your mind greater than it breaks your price range. If you happen to’re not a choosy cinephile or longtime gamer, TV specs are a type of Michael Scott “Clarify it to me like I am 5” issues. (So are laptop computer specs.)

Prolonged product titles on Amazon TVs positively aren’t serving to the confusion. A cluster of nebulous descriptors like “Omni Mini-LED, QLED 4K UHD, Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, 144hz, Ambient Expertise” is not precisely accessible to the common particular person — it is pure chaos.

So I am simplifying that mess on this easy TV patrons information, breaking down specs like QLED and OLED lighting, 4K decision, brightness, and refresh charge. Suggestions for the greatest TVs to purchase in 2025 are on the backside of this information, because of intel from CNET’s Ty Pendlebury. (CNET and Mashable are each owned by writer Ziff Davis.)

Lighting defined: LED vs. QLED vs. OLED

The principle factor to know: 4K and LED are usually not speaking about the identical factor. 4K refers to decision, and phrases containing -LED discuss with lighting.

Opposite to the TV-related queries that fill Google’s “Folks additionally requested” part, you do not have to decide on between, say, 4K or QLED. For instance, a TV can have 4K decision with LED, QLED, or OLED lighting. The order listed there additionally displays their escalating value factors: LED TVs are probably the most reasonably priced of the varieties of TV lighting, QLED TVs will be entry-level and reasonably priced or high-end and costly, and OLED TVs are the most costly sort of TV as a result of their lighting system is probably the most superior. You are more likely to search out low cost QLED TVs than you’re to search out low cost OLED TVs.

What’s QLED?

Technical translation: QLED stands for Quantum Dot Gentle-Emitting Diode.

Quantum dots are tiny nanocrystals that may convert the essential spectrum of sunshine into billions of vibrant colours. Measuring not more than 10 nanometers in dimension, a quantum dot beside even a single piece of human hair would look as small as Earth seems beside large stars in these ‘scale of the universe’ movies. Existential dread incoming.

As a result of they’re so small, thousands and thousands (generally billions) of quantum dots will be packed right into a quantum dot show. Every has the power to obtain and mirror the sunshine coming from the backlight panel layered behind them. The colour of the sunshine mirrored is dependent upon the dimensions of every particle.

The colour of the sunshine mirrored in a quantum dot is dependent upon the dimensions of every particle.
Credit score: Samsung

The extra quantum dots that may be packed right into a show, the extra vibrant the vary of colours and brightness the TV can produce. Coloration gamut is the official time period you will see denoting the vary of colours a TV can produce. A broad coloration gamut merely means extra saturated colours, no matter the place they fall on the rainbow.

Brightness, merely the quantity of sunshine that the TV display screen produces, is measured in nits. Conventional LED TVs sometimes hit round 500 nits, whereas even the most affordable QLEDs on the market these days will clear 1,000 nits. Nit depend continues to ante up because the TVs get extra premium — one of the best TVs of 2025 simply hit 2,000 nits at peak brightness.

What’s mini LED?

Technical translation: Mini LED is a kind of TV lighting that makes use of extra, tinier-than-usual LED bulbs in a TV’s LCD panel.

QLED isn’t synonymous with mini LED — QLED has to do with the nanocrystals that mirror mild from bulbs within the panel, whereas mini LED has to do with the bulbs themselves.

Smaller, extra jam-packed LED bulbs throughout the display screen permit for extra exact brightness management inside small zones (known as dimming zones) of the display screen. These clusters of bulbs will be dimmed or turned off collectively to attain extra detailed distinction with out muddying issues up for the components of the scene that have to be vivid and colourful.

The extra native dimming zones a display screen has, the extra alternatives to fine-tune coloration and distinction throughout every inch of every scene, in the end resulting in a sharper, extra real looking picture on the display screen. Price range-friendly mini LED TVs most likely will not have greater than 200 dimming zones, whereas strong mid-range picks may up the depend to 500. The perfect mini LED TVs have 1,000+ dimming zones and can get the closest to the OLED expertise by way of distinction (extra on that later).

When QLED does its greatest work: The principle benefit of QLED is brightness, which is inherently higher at dealing with glare and reflections in vivid rooms. QLED TVs are perfect for individuals whose TV utilization occurs principally within the daytime, particularly watching sports activities. Lower than 1,000 nits of brightness, just like the low numbers produced by a extra fundamental LED TV, simply is not vivid sufficient for comfy visibility when it is competing with direct daylight.

Ideally, QLED know-how might be paired with mini LED know-how to create probably the most well-rounded image — that is what Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs do.

When QLED is not nice: The principle drawback of QLED TVs is dulled distinction, particularly on the subject of black ranges. QLEDs merely have a tough time reaching as deep of a black tone as OLED pixels do. The mixture of those muted black ranges with the brightness of sunshine colours can generally backfire with what’s generally known as blooming or haloing: a ring-shaped glow round vivid objects on the display screen. The halo impact can mess with the legibility of particulars on the display screen, like captions written in white letters.

What’s OLED?

Technical translation: OLED stands for Natural Gentle Emitting Diode.

The one-letter shift between QLED and OLED does not precisely characterize how starkly completely different these two lighting applied sciences are. Whereas QLED pixels are merely casting mild coming from behind them (however making it juicier), OLED pixels emit their very own mild. These self-lighting pixels can individually flip themselves on and off, which is how mild/darkish scenes present up.

The OLED TV on the correct has one much less layer — no backlight.
Credit score: Samsung Show

When OLED does its greatest work: The principle benefits of OLED TVs are distinction and deep black ranges. OLED TVs are perfect for individuals who do most of their TV watching or gaming at the hours of darkness, or watch loads of dimly-lit content material that will get muddied on extra fundamental TVs.

The principle drawback of OLED is the eventual chance of “burn-in,” or completely dimmed OLED pixels that present up as little black dots on the display screen. OLED burn-in occurs over a span of a number of years — not rapidly sufficient that it stops many TV specialists from typically preferring OLED TVs over QLED, anyway. Most newer OLED screens have built-in protecting options that may extend burn-in, like pixel refresh to shake up a static display screen. You can even mitigate burn-in by merely not leaving your TV on all day, every single day.

Decision defined: FHD vs. 4K vs. 8K

Technical translation: Decision refers back to the variety of pixels(p) that make up the image on the display screen.

The most typical TV resolutions in 2025 are FHD, 4K, and 8K. Decision technically measures the pixel depend horizontally and vertically, however is typically shortened to only the vertical quantity. (For instance, FHD is 1920x1080p, however is usually represented as simply “1080p”.) A better pixel depend permits for extra particulars, resulting in clearer image high quality.

You’ve got most likely stumbled throughout 4K probably the most, which is a way more self-explanatory time period than you might assume: 4K is actually simply 4 occasions the decision of FHD. (4K measures 3840 x 2160, which is double the horizontal and double the vertical decision of FHD’s 1920 x 1080.) For many shopper shopping for functions, 4K and UHD are primarily interchangeable.

For many intents and functions, 4K and UHD are interchangeable.
Credit score: LG

The maths will get extra intense with the change to 8K: At 7680 x 4320, 8K is 4 occasions the decision of 4K and 16 occasions the decision of FHD. However truthfully, you most likely do not have to fret about 8K proper now. Whereas it is the sharpest TV decision one can get on paper, there’s not sufficient content material that may even be watched in 8K proper now to make shopping for an 8K TV worthwhile.

HDR defined

Technical translation: HDR stands for high-dynamic vary.

In probably the most lucid sense, HDR permits sure content material to get brighter and extra contrasted — as near seeing the picture IRL as potential. HDR is a know-how that has the capability to “perceive” coloration and distinction information about what was initially shot by way of the digital camera lens that extra fundamental know-how, like SDR (customary dynamic vary), simply cannot translate.

HDR “understands” coloration and distinction information higher than SDR.
Credit score: LG

Not all TVs can get vivid sufficient to completely make the most of HDR’s brightening capabilities, even when they declare to technically help the know-how. Do not forget that dialog about brightness and nits we had earlier? Any TV toeing 1,000 nits most likely will not be capable to provide the optimum HDR expertise.

On the flip facet, a extremely good TV cannot magically flip every little thing into HDR content material — the film, present, or online game must be HDR suitable within the first place. For instance, Hulu helps HDR for some titles and units, however not others. Relying in your TV, calibrating HDR could possibly be comparatively easy or a ache within the ass, and is usually trickier to nail with video video games and screens than with streamed content material on a TV.

There are a number of important varieties of HDR codecs: HDR10 (the commonest “generic” one), Dolby Imaginative and prescient (the subsequent most typical one), and HDR10+ (Samsung’s personal model of HDR10). Most streaming companies help no less than the primary two. The principle distinction between the HDR codecs includes some heavy jargon that the common TV purchaser most likely does not must dissect — however for those who’re actually within the comparability between HDR10’s use of static metadata versus Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+’s use of dynamic metadata, CNET breaks down the HDR codecs effectively.

Refresh charge defined

Technical translation: Measured in hertz (Hz), refresh charge refers back to the variety of occasions a show refreshes its picture per second.

The upper the refresh charge, the smoother and extra lifelike the movement on the display screen might be. But when your TV watching does not actually exceed informal streaming service perusing, do not focus an excessive amount of on refresh charge in your procuring. You will most likely be completely superb with 60Hz, which is what’s discovered on most price range 4K TVs, like Amazon’s 4-Collection Fireplace TV.

Severe movie watchers may discover 60Hz too laggy, although, and may take into account upping the ante to 120Hz. If you wish to play the Change 2 in all of its glory, a TV that helps no less than 120Hz is essential.

Refresh charge performs probably the most influential position in video video games, particularly video games that rely closely on on-screen responsiveness. For avid gamers, something beneath 144Hz will most likely simply be irritating. That is the quantity that separates the nice TVs from the greatest gaming TVs. As an illustration, LG’s B4 OLED is a superb midrange OLED possibility except you are a hardcore gamer who desires to play at 144 fps — in that case, you’d must improve to the LG C4 OLED, which helps 144Hz.

Closing ideas: How to decide on a TV

Visualizing the variations between TV specs primarily based solely on descriptions is difficult. I assumed my 2019 4K LED seemed superb till I examined a high-end Samsung QLED in my house on the identical TV stand in the identical vivid front room daylight. Then I understood the hype.

My level? If you happen to can, go to a retailer that has a TV aisle and see for your self in particular person. Ideally, the TVs lined up in your native Greatest Purchase or Goal might be taking part in the identical factor for straightforward side-by-side comparability of huge options like image high quality, brightness, and coloration accuracy that may’t fairly be defined.

If you happen to want a place to begin for the TVs to search out IRL, try some suggestions for one of the best televisions of 2025 beneath. There is a budget-friendly possibility, a mid-range mini LED possibility, and a top-of-their-class choose for each QLED and OLED. There is a excessive likelihood that one or two of them might be on sale everytime you’re studying this — most of them have been on the time this story was written.