Confused :: TV Buying in India below 60,000 INR

[rajesh.sml]

I am looking to buy a Smart TV for a month or so for now. But Looking at options in the market - I am confused. There are so many options UHD, QLED and today we will have SLED from Realme as well to increase the confusion.

My viewing is very limited on weekdays. On weekends we generally watch couple of movies and Football matches. The TV i need is for bedroom and size of the room is okay for 50-55 inch TV.

I started with looking for MI 55 inch, then moved to Nokia from there to OneplusQ1 and TCL C715. As I have a JBL soundbar already with me.

The more I read about what to look for in new TV, more confused I get. I do not want to be in market for TV again in couple of years, the HDR10+, Brightness Nits and QLED good or bad is really killing the enthusiasm for going for a buy. OLED is too costly and beyond my budget.

Need help in making the decision. Esteemed members requesting your help.

 

[vishsp]

I am looking to buy a Smart TV for a month or so for now. But Looking at options in the market - I am confused. There are so many options UHD, QLED and today we will have SLED from Realme as well to increase the confusion.

My viewing is very limited on weekdays. On weekends we generally watch couple of movies and Football matches. The TV i need is for bedroom and size of the room is okay for 50-55 inch TV.

I started with looking for MI 55 inch, then moved to Nokia from there to OneplusQ1 and TCL C715. As I have a JBL soundbar already with me.

The more I read about what to look for in new TV, more confused I get. I do not want to be in market for TV again in couple of years, the HDR10+, Brightness Nits and QLED good or bad is really killing the enthusiasm for going for a buy. OLED is too costly and beyond my budget.

Need help in making the decision. Esteemed members requesting your help.

Hi,

I was in the same boat a year ago. Finally took a call on the OnePlusQ1 because it has HDR10 & Dolby Vision and at that time there was nothing else in the price range with both. I did read that the brightness levels wernt that high but i have no complaints so far and its been 10 months since i have it and its been "Buy it Mount it Enjoy it" experience.

Note that i dont use the TV speakers hence i cannot comment on the sound.

Hope this helps

 

[skumar]

I would suggest if 49/50in is ok, go for a Sony X80G or X80H.

 

[rajesh.sml]

Hi,

I was in the same boat a year ago. Finally took a call on the OnePlusQ1 because it has HDR10 & Dolby Vision and at that time there was nothing else in the price range with both. I did read that the brightness levels wernt that high but i have no complaints so far and its been 10 months since i have it and its been "Buy it Mount it Enjoy it" experience.

Note that i dont use the TV speakers hence i cannot comment on the sound.

Hope this helps

I Almost bought the Oneplus Q1, but then this upcoming launch Realme SLED confused me. Moreover Youtube has garbage reviews which are pushing for TCL C715.

Please let me know if you had compared Samsung/LG/Sony UHD with Oneplus Q1

 

[rajesh.sml]

I would suggest if 49/50in is ok, go for a Sony X80G or X80H.

Thank you.

Can you please elaborate the reason behind this suggestion

 

[lightgamer]

The only TVs below 1 lakh worth buying are:

• Toshiba U50: ₹ 35k, best PQ in this price range, horrible OS and will need a firestick 4k.
• OnePlus U1: ₹ 50k, great UI, fast software updates and customer care. Not the best PQ, but overall a well-rounded package.
• Toshiba U79: ₹ 47k, best PQ in this price range. 700-nits, FALD and a pretty great panel. Horrible OS and will need firestick 4k.
• Samsung Frame 55": ₹73-76k with discounts which are frequent. 120Hz, HDMI 2.1, great panel and good OS, also Samsung brand. Most well rounded TV under 1 lakh
• Sony X9500G 55": ₹1 lakh on discount and bargaining. Best PQ under 1 lakh, nothing bad about it.

If you want the best picture quality, go for Toshiba U79. I personally got it a couple weeks ago and can vouch for the display quality. It can hang with much more expensive TVs on image quality alone. You'll be wowed. However, the VIDAA OS it ships with is lacking a lot. It has Netflix, YouTube, Prime but that's about it. There are no other apps, not even disney+hotstar (which is coming next year). You'll need to invest in a firestick 4k (extra ₹3300 cost if you buy on diwali sale) if you want apps and a good experience.

If you want an overall well-rounded TV, OnePlus U1 is a good buy. There is nothing wrong with it overall. OnePlus customer care is generally excellent and software is really good. The picture quality however won't hold a candle to the Toshiba. It's closer to what you'll find in other 35k TVs.

If you can stretch your budget to 75k, Samsung frame 2020 55" combines the picture quality of the U79 with 120Hz panel and excellent UI. Also,, it's a branded TV. Worth the extra cost if you care about 120Hz and will pair with a PC or PS5/Xbox series X in future.

If you can go up to 1 lakh, nothing beats the X9500G in terms of image quality. However, it's hard to find as stocks are low and you'll need to bargain quite a bit to get under 1 lakh.

 

[rajesh.sml]

The only TVs below 1 lakh worth buying are:

• Toshiba U50: ₹ 35k, best PQ in this price range, horrible OS and will need a firestick 4k.
• OnePlus U1: ₹ 50k, great UI, fast software updates and customer care. Not the best PQ, but overall a well-rounded package.
• Toshiba U79: ₹ 47k, best PQ in this price range. 700-nits, FALD and a pretty great panel. Horrible OS and will need firestick 4k.
• Samsung Frame 55": ₹73-76k with discounts which are frequent. 120Hz, HDMI 2.1, great panel and good OS, also Samsung brand. Most well rounded TV under 1 lakh
• Sony X9500G 55": ₹1 lakh on discount and bargaining. Best PQ under 1 lakh, nothing bad about it.

If you want the best picture quality, go for Toshiba U79. I personally got it a couple weeks ago and can vouch for the display quality. It can hang with much more expensive TVs on image quality alone. You'll be wowed. However, the VIDAA OS it ships with is lacking a lot. It has Netflix, YouTube, Prime but that's about it. There are no other apps, not even disney+hotstar (which is coming next year). You'll need to invest in a firestick 4k (extra ₹3300 cost if you buy on diwali sale) if you want apps and a good experience.

If you want an overall well-rounded TV, OnePlus U1 is a good buy. There is nothing wrong with it overall. OnePlus customer care is generally excellent and software is really good. The picture quality however won't hold a candle to the Toshiba. It's closer to what you'll find in other 35k TVs.

If you can stretch your budget to 75k, Samsung frame 2020 55" combines the picture quality of the U79 with 120Hz panel and excellent UI. Also,, it's a branded TV. Worth the extra cost if you care about 120Hz and will pair with a PC or PS5/Xbox series X in future.

If you can go up to 1 lakh, nothing beats the X9500G in terms of image quality. However, it's hard to find as stocks are low and you'll need to bargain quite a bit to get under 1 lakh.

Any views on Realme SLED. This is launched at 43K today .. This is with brightness of 300 Nits, Android TV OS, HDR10+ display, and 24W quad stereo

 

[lightgamer]

Any views on Realme SLED. This is launched at 43K today ..

Any company that talks about nonsense like chroma boost, NTSC gamut (nobody is using it in the last 20 years), premium bezel-less design likely have a terrible panel and trying to hide it with stuff surrounding it.

A TV is defined by the picture quality. If you do a lot of marketing and talk nothing about the panel specs(contrast ratio, brightness, local dimming) it definitely has nothing to show for it.

 

[sound and music]

I am currently using a Samsung 720p 42 inch plasma TV (working fine) with a 4k firestick.

I have shortlisted C9 and CX (55 inches) but my max budget is 1.2L. I am waiting till Diwali offers.

I will explore other TVs if I am unable to buy C9/CX within my budget.

Do you think Toshiba U50/U79 would be an "upgrade" from Plasma TV as far as PQ is concerned? I have a separate sound set-up.

I also own a Toshiba LCD TV (40 inches) bought some 4 years for 30k and it is working fine with good PQ.

 

[harryneopotter]

Any views on Realme SLED. This is launched at 43K today .. This is with brightness of 300 Nits, Android TV OS, HDR10+ display, and 24W quad stereo

Crap. Forget it.

 

[BLASTO]

I am currently using a Samsung 720p 42 inch plasma TV (working fine) with a 4k firestick.

I have shortlisted C9 and CX (55 inches) but my max budget is 1.2L. I am waiting till Diwali offers.

I will explore other TVs if I am unable to buy C9/CX within my budget.

Do you think Toshiba U50/U79 would be an "upgrade" from Plasma TV as far as PQ is concerned? I have a separate sound set-up.

I also own a Toshiba LCD TV (40 inches) bought some 4 years for 30k and it is working fine with good PQ.

How do you find the Toshiba 40" compared to the samsung plasma since you have then together?

 

[sound and music]

How do you find the Toshiba 40" compared to the samsung plasma since you have then together?

Plasma is heavier and better in PQ (good contrast, better viewing angles, perfect for fast motion sports) as far as 720p content is concerned.

In fact, I had demoed CX9 at home earlier this year and I found that SD and 720p content is better displayed on my Plasma than on C9.

Toshiba (720p), to my surprise, is no slouch either given the limitations of LCD technology. It was assembled by a subsidiary of Weston Electronics in Noida.

 

[pauljoseph]

Any views on Realme SLED. This is launched at 43K today .. This is with brightness of 300 Nits, Android TV OS, HDR10+ display, and 24W quad stereo

Don't fall for the SLED marketing. QLED, SLED, XYZ-LED they're all just glorified LED panels trying to advertise in such a way so that they mimic the OLED branding. Samsung did it first with QLED and then it became a huge success because they were literally able to market a normal LED panel with minor improvements and somehow convince the public that it is as revolutionary as OLED. The truth is, it isn't.

And then all of a sudden every other company wanted to bite into this strategy and hence we've reached a confusing soupy mess.

Considering today's technology, the only revolutionary jump you will make is if you get an OLED. That's the only thing that can provide you a considerable difference in experience, nothing else.

Now, given this, every other tv out there are just basic LED panels(Mi Tv, Samsung LED, Samsung QLED, Realme SLED, OnePlus QLED, TCL, Nokia, etc.) and the differences in prices will get you probably better image processing, more dimming zones if it's a FALD, better colour science, branding, customer care, etc.

Now, if you're just a casual viewer who doesn't nitpick colour accuracy, processing etc., then get just about the largest of any set out there that you can afford and you wouldn't be missing out on anything much.

But ask yourself this one question:
Do you switch your lights off when you watch a movie? If yes, then OLED is the best option, hands down.
If you hate switching your lights off while viewing tv, then forget OLEDs because you wouldn't be enjoying it to your full extent either way.

That being said, do look at the suggestions in this forum if you're going for a good LED tv, there are quite a few good ones like the Samsung Frame, etc.

As for FALD sets, for me personally, they don't make much of a difference because the perceived black levels will play up in a dark room but at that point there are so many issues like blooming, etc which can make it less enjoyable. And if you're watching content in a bright room either way, then spending so much extra for a FALD set doesn't make a lot of sense in my opinion.

 

[BLASTO]

Considering today's technology, the only revolutionary jump you will make is if you get an OLED. That's the only thing that can provide you a considerable difference in experience, nothing else.

One more forgotten technology is philips ambi-light. A bias lighting tech that actually works and makes the blacks appear blacker than they are in addition to providing different and arguably better viewing experience.

As for FALD sets, for me personally, they don't make much of a difference because the perceived black levels will play up in a dark room but at that point there are so many issues like blooming, etc which can make it less enjoyable. And if you're watching content in a bright room either way, then spending so much extra for a FALD set doesn't make a lot of sense in my opinion..

If not FALD, direct LEDs are better than edge lit ones. I have stated reasons in another post. It is not costly either.

 

[BLASTO]

Also, any info on the oppo tv?

Is this from oppo who used to produce reference level blu-ray players or the one who produces mediocre mobiles switching because of hype train?
If it is former, I would be highly delighted. They had one of the best upscaling technology out there. Arguably better than sony.

 

[shield99]

Also, any info on the oppo tv?

Is this from oppo who used to produce reference level blu-ray players or the one who produces mediocre mobiles switching because of hype train?
If it is former, I would be highly delighted. They had one of the best upscaling technology out there. Arguably better than sony.

The phone maker, sadly.

 

[rajesh.sml]

Comparing Toshiba 7980, Oneplus Q1 and Samsung Frame based on above suggestions ...

Although inclined towards Toshiba 7980, but on hindsight I need a good software as well.

 

[pauljoseph]

Comparing Toshiba 7980, Oneplus Q1 and Samsung Frame based on above suggestions ...

Although inclined towards Toshiba 7980, but on hindsight I need a good software as well.

Buy the TV with a good panel and consider it as a panel purchase.
A full fledged Mi Android box costs 3.5K which you can add on later.

All these smart tvs with Android inbuilt are usually very slow. Even the ones by Sony!
It'll get frustrating soon enough.

 

[rajesh.sml]

Buy the TV with a good panel and consider it as a panel purchase.
A full fledged Mi Android box costs 3.5K which you can add on later.

All these smart tvs with Android inbuilt are usually very slow. Even the ones by Sony!
It'll get frustrating soon enough.

Thank you Paul for your insights.. Please let me know which TV's you suggest for Panel

 

[lightgamer]

Thank you Paul for your insights.. Please let me know which TV's you suggest for Panel

Just FYI, go for firestick 4k over the mi box. It supports Dolby Vision and Atmos which the mi box lacks. Also Amazon's fireTV OS is rendered at 4k vs 1080p on android TV. It's based on android TV so you can sideload android apps too.

Firestick 4k will be sold for ₹3599 in the Diwali sale. Absolute steal and I'm gonna get one of them myself.