This may be the year to go for a home theater upgrade. TV makers have been pushing 3-D and curved-screen gimmicks for years, but TV tech just went through a meaningful growth spurt.
The Benchmark
For $650 you can now get a better 55-inch picture than could be had for $5,000 five years ago. And despite some lingering rivalries among competing video standards, most popular current movies are now conveniently available in the latest formats that show off bigger, brighter colors and more-detailed shadows in the latest 4K resolution (also known as “Ultra HD,” compared with 720p and 1080p “HD”). Movie night at home can now discernibly, without much fuss, rival the multiplex for image quality.
Shown: TCL Class 6-Series 4K Smart TV
Model: TCL55R617
Price: $650
Ideal for Streaming
Shown: Apple TV 4K
Model: A1842
Price: From $179
Best Picture Quality
Whether you stream with the built-in Roku or an external device, there is a hit-or-miss aspect to what will stream in the highest-quality format, with services that will start to throttle quality if the Internet connection isn’t working fast enough. (We recommend minimum speeds of 25 Mbps, but even 100 Mbps can experience slowdowns.)
If you’re a stickler for the best picture, then don’t leave streaming speeds to chance on a Saturday night. The surefire method is a Blu-ray player and disc, which connects directly to the TV without the need for a fast Internet connection. Yes, we are actually recommending buying movies on what is basically the plastic-disc technology of the 1980s. “4K Ultra HD” Blu-ray discs tend to sell at a slight premium—we’ve seen The Martian for $20, versus $15 for regular Blu-ray or $10 for a regular DVD, and the player itself should be about $250. Sony’s 4K Blu-ray player sells for about $250 (see sidebar, p. 19), versus less than half that for a regular Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S1500, BDP-S3500, or BDP-S3700).
Shown: Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player with Dolby Vision
Model: UBP-X700
Price: $250
A Note on Formats
As you shop, we recommend glossing over the format wars now being fought between the HDR10+ standard and a competing standard called Dolby Vision. The key requirements to enjoy the great new TV tech are HDR—High Dynamic Range—which adds more lifelike detail that would otherwise be lost in light or shadow, and WCG—Wide Color Gamut—for a deeper range of possible colors, like those in red bricks and yellow flowers, that are clearly better looking in side-by-side comparisons. You’ll notice the difference in improved brightness and color, even when the source isn’t necessarily a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc.
Shown: Sonos Playbar
Model: PBAR1US1BLK
Price: $699
An all-in-one soundbar will make the TV-watching audio noticeably cleaner and louder without the hassle of setting up stereo speakers or a full surround-sound system in your TV room. Soundbars also work great for playing wireless music from a phone, computer, or tablet. This Sonos model can be part of a larger system if you decide later to add rear speakers or a subwoofer for extra bass, but the soundbar’s self-contained array of nine amplifiers, three tweeters, and six mid-woofers does a great job of filling the room all on its own.
Is My TV Spying on Me?
Yes, your new TV is probably spying on you, akin to how Google and Facebook track you online. Internet-connected TVs are a great convenience, but they usually want to track viewing habits, which are then sold to advertisers. You can opt out of some of the tracking, but if you are really uncomfortable with the practice, consider leaving your TV off the Internet entirely. Roku, like Samsung and other companies, has posted opt-out instructions online for its own hardware and for TVs that have built-in Roku software, such as the TCL model we recommend. The wording can be a little passive-aggressive, suggesting that you are doing yourself a disservice by turning off ad and other tracking, but the steps are nevertheless explained clearly: “If you do not wish for us to enhance your TV viewing experience using ACR technology to collect viewing information…you can uncheck this option during device setup or de-select ‘Use Info from TV Inputs’ under Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience on your Roku TV’s Settings menu.”
