Do you really need a new TV?

When to buy a new TV

We analysed our test data for 311 TVs stretching back to 2015. Here’s what we found:

For the best picture, get a 4K TV
4K (aka UHD) TVs have a better picture than you’ll get from the best HD TV. If you’ve got an HD TV and you want a better picture, replace it with a 4K model.

If you’re happy with your HD picture, you don’t need a new TV
There’s been no real improvement in HD picture quality since 2015. If your HD TV works fine and you’re not itching for 4K, there’s no reason to ditch your current TV for a new one.

If you’ve already got a 4K TV, you don’t need a new TV
The picture quality from the latest 4K models is no better than the picture in the earlier ones. If you have a 4K TV, replacing it is unlikely to get you a noticeably better picture.

Tune the picture before you ditch your current TV
Tweak the settings in your TV’s menu. In particular, turn off any noise reduction, sharpness control or motion smoothing settings. They don’t improve the picture on any TV.

Add a soundbar to fix bad TV sound
You can use our test results to find a TV that creates a decent sonic experience, or you can add a soundbar to your current TV. You don’t need to spend a fortune; a $300-$400 soundbar sounds much better than a bad TV.

Use a Google Chromecast or Apple TV to make streaming apps work
The complexity of operating systems in older TVs means not all apps work with all TVs all the time. You can bypass the not-so-smart bit of your TV by plugging a Google Chromecast or Apple TV into an HDMI port and apps will work consistently well.

How to buy a new TV

Manufacturers usually release a new range of TVs each year between May and August, replacing most of the models they released the previous year.

The fiercest price competition is for 50- to 65-inch TVs priced from about $1500 to $3000. That’s where recent tech drips down to more attainable models. Here’s how to get the best deal on a new mid-range TV:

• Don’t buy a newly released model. It’ll get cheaper if you wait a while.
• Avoid buying between Easter and Labour Day. Prices are likely to be higher over winter.
• Always look for last season’s model. It will most certainly be cheaper than a newly released model and most likely just as good.
• Shop during the Black Friday period (the last week of November) or in a Boxing Day sale. Many TVs get heavily discounted when days get longer and warmer.
• Avoid buying in November or December outside of sales. Prices often get bumped up, so sale discounts look deeper.
• Watch the price trend on comparison sites priceme.co.nz and pricespy.co.nz. If you see the price spiking, wait a week or two. It’ll come down.