Need advice on getting new TV

[darkalphar]

I'm planning to purchase a new tv to replace my very old Vizio 1080i (yes, that's right 1080i not 1080p) TV. Thing is, I don't have much space in my room so 40 inch is best I can get (43 inch might be pushing it, depending on width). I only have slim PS4 and no plans to get PS5 for at least couple of years. My PC is also capable of 1080p gaming that I plan to connect to tv.

 

So the question is, what tv should I go for when looking for a new one?

 

At first I thought about getting 4k TV but I once read that 1080p games don't look good on 4k even with downscaling so perhaps I should stick with 1080p TV?

[HuntingFever]

I've got a 47inch curved 4K Samsung TV, a bog standard PS4 and a Slim PS3 but most of my games look great on the big screen .  The only games that look like crap IMO, are the upscaled PS2 on PS4 games with trophies and some of the really early PS3 games that only went up to 720p or 1080i but all the others look great .

[Sir_Bee]

First and foremost, what is your budget?  Because that will dramatically change what tv you are looking at.

 

Here are some tips I have:

 

- I recommend a 4k TV if your budget allows you to get a decent one.  It is kind of a future proof.  TV's last many years (my 50 inch plasma is still going strong after almost 10 years), so if you can afford it, you should buy the better of the two.  As for 1080p games not looking good on a 4k screen, I cannot attest to that, as all games I have played on my 4k have looked great, same with all 1080p videos I have run.  So I don't think that will be such a problem.

 

- I also recommend you get a smart TV.  Not sure if they even sell non smart TVs still, but the added features, even if you don't think you will use them now, could be handy in the future.  If you wanted them later, you would need to buy another tv.

 

- Last I looked, OLED screens looked absolutely fantastic, and if you could afford them, would certainly be worth the cost.  Early in their life they had burn in issues, but from what I have seen, those have been resolved.  EDIT: I did a little more research, and OLED screens suffer if you are playing in bright spaces.  If you have curtains, or play in dimly lit spaces, they are simply fantastic, but have trouble competing with direct light.

 

- Your number one priority if this tv is for mostly gaming, should be low input lag.  After looking around <30ms should be your goal.

 

- HDR is a fantastic addition to a television, but keep in mind that it could affect your input lag, and you should make sure that you can still get the numbers you want.

 

That is a starting point at least.

Edited January 13, 2020 by Sir_Bee
new information

[starcrunch061]

20 minutes ago, Sir_Bee said:

First and foremost, what is your budget?  Because that will dramatically change what tv you are looking at.

 

Here are some tips I have:

 

- I recommend a 4k TV if your budget allows you to get a decent one.  It is kind of a future proof.  TV's last many years (my 50 inch plasma is still going strong after almost 10 years), so if you can afford it, you should buy the better of the two.  As for 1080p games not looking good on a 4k screen, I cannot attest to that, as all games I have played on my 4k have looked great, same with all 1080p videos I have run.  So I don't think that will be such a problem.

 

- I also recommend you get a smart TV.  Not sure if they even sell non smart TVs still, but the added features, even if you don't think you will use them now, could be handy in the future.  If you wanted them later, you would need to buy another tv.

 

- Last I looked, OLED screens looked absolutely fantastic, and if you could afford them, would certainly be worth the cost.  Early in their life they had burn in issues, but from what I have seen, those have been resolved.  EDIT: I did a little more research, and OLED screens suffer if you are playing in bright spaces.  If you have curtains, or play in dimly lit spaces, they are simply fantastic, but have trouble competing with direct light.

 

- Your number one priority if this tv is for mostly gaming, should be low input lag.  After looking around <30ms should be your goal.

 

- HDR is a fantastic addition to a television, but keep in mind that it could affect your input lag, and you should make sure that you can still get the numbers you want.

 

That is a starting point at least.

 

I agree with everything here, though I'll add one note. Like Bee here, I have an old plasma myself that still works just fine...except for the smart part of it. It's so out of date that I can't even get Netflix through it. But TVs are workhorses. I still have even an old early-gen HD TV that I run in my basement for games while I work out.

 

But I do agree with him. Get the best you can get for your budget and your needs, and just hold onto it for years.

[darkalphar]

I really appreciate your advice. When I started looking The past I kinda had a good rough idea of what to look for, but only got confused and more uncertain as I researched further. So this is very helpful as starter point.

 

I was fine with my current TV up until last summer when I started streaming and realized that having a smart TV would be more conivent. That and my current TV can't display screen properly; small part of the whole picture is always cut off. Especially with TV shows as text onscreen is always cut off. Something to do overscan?

 

Since due to limited space and this being my bedroom tv, my budget will probably be $250 or so.

[HuntingFever]

Overscan was a huge problem with CRT and early HD TVs but it's practically non-existent these days, thanks to advances in technology and the fact that modern consoles have a utility which allows you to manually adjust the boundaries of your screen : Settings => Sound and Screen => Display Area Settings.

[darkalphar]

I got around to measuring the total space I have available (a table placed in corner of the room - the only spot available for TV) at 40 inches, so 43-inch TVs would barely squeeze in. But that's at diagonal so there's probably not enough room for frame stands, so that means 40-inch TVs are the maximum I can safely fit onto the table. Good thing I made some measurements because I didn't realize how limited space I had, so that narrows down my choices.

 

As far as I can tell, Vizio's 405-G9 is the only 4k and HDR TV in that bracket, and it doesn't seem to have earned good reviews unfortunately. Everything else is 1080p. Well, considering that I've been with 1080i for a decade, even a true 1080p is still an improvement. Plus Smart TV capability. For the record, this is the TV I'm currently using.

 

I do plan to eventually get a larger 4k TV for living room in future, so I think I can settle for a better reviewed 1080p TV to fit into my room at this point. Or I could wait a while longer for more 40-inch 4K TVs to hit the market. Either way, I appreciate all the input from you guys. Thanks a bunch!

 

@HuntingFever I already used that option, but it doesn't work for all games. Atelier series are one notable example.

[GoldenShaka]

First, considering the size (40") ,unless you get a lemon, basically any tv will look great with basic HDR10.

On ps4 you have some games that support HDR so you have that.

The thing you say about 1080p games looking ugly depends on the the optimization and imo graphic engine also.

The first Injustice looks UGLY on ps4 but the second one shines.

All my RPGs look great, platformers too.

Ps3 games mostly look bad with 4k tv.

Unless your budget is in the 200s at this moment you can find decent 4k 40" cheap