Televisions

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John Archer  |  May 11, 2022  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Samsung's first new TV of 2022 emphasises the strengths of mini LED technology, reckons John Archer

While OLED had new brighter panels to shout about in 2021, the story of the year for rival LCD technology was definitely the arrival of mini LED backlighting. Samsung, in particular, showed how moving to much smaller LEDs, coupled with an increase in a TV's number of local dimming zones, could rewrite the LCD picture quality rule book in terms of contrast precision. Now it returns with a second-gen model to hopefully wow us again.

Steve May  |  May 05, 2022  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedPhilips hopes to cover all bases with this LED-lit Dolby Vision UHD TV for every occasion – Steve May examines its wide appeal

Jet Li wanted to be The One, Keanu Reeves became The One, and Chesney Hawkes sang about The One. Now you can take The One home, in the shape of this Philips LED TV mid-ranger, so named because it ticks more boxes than a pedantic bureaucrat at a box-ticking convention.

Steve May  |  Mar 17, 2022  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Advanced AI, the latest panel tech and a sound system to die for – this TV is a winner, say Steve May

Philips is aiming for the front of the grid with the 65OLED+936. An evolution of the brand's OLED+935 model, this update couples a racy fifth-generation P5 image engine with an all-new OLED panel and HDMI 2.1 high frame rate support. The screen has clearly got Panasonic's JZ2000 home cinema hero in its sights, so what can it tempt us with? Quite a lot, as it happens...

Steve May  |  Mar 11, 2022  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendPanasonic delivers a bright-room LED TV that sports fans and gamers are going to eat up, says Steve May

Panasonic typically lures movie fans to its 4K screens with cinematic image processing offering judiciously judged contrast and peerless colour accuracy. But for its JX850 line, the brand has taken a different tack, accommodating sports and gaming fans with Bright Panel Plus technology for punchy daylight viewing, and unapologetic image smoothing.

John Archer  |  Jan 17, 2022  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendSony's latest mid-range TV isn't a member of the Mini LED glitterati. Will that put off John Archer?

Many TV brands have adopted Mini LED technology this year, but Sony is having none of it. Its 4K LCD models for 2021, including the upper mid-range 65X90J under examination here, persist with the 'standard' LED lighting that LCD displays have been using for years. Happily, though, this certainly does not prevent the 65X90J from being seriously desirable.

Steve May  |  Dec 03, 2021  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Be you an avid gamer or film fan, this 48in OLED TV has what it takes to impress, says Steve May

Back when HCC was fresh of face, Star Wars was a trilogy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe had peaked at Howard the Duck, the very thought of a 48in TV would have blown my mind. A 36in set was typically as large as you could get back then, and even that would have required a van full of mates just to get it out of the box. An ultra-thin 48-incher would have been the screen of dreams, home cinema nirvana.

John Archer  |  Dec 02, 2021  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedLG's new 8K LCD TV turns to Mini LED lighting and the result is typically – but not quite always – breathtaking, says John Archer

Mini LED is perhaps the TV technology story of the year. The implementation of LEDs far smaller than those of conventional backlights has helped put TCL on the TV map and taken Samsung's 2021 Neo QLED TVs to new heights. And now it's back to (hopefully) revolutionise LG's LCD fortunes with the 75QNED99, a 75in 8K model with a price tag far more tempting than the company's 8K OLEDs.

John Archer  |  Nov 19, 2021  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendThe high-brightness panel at the heart of LG's G1 OLED proves a feast for HDR-hungry eyes. You interior designer will love the Gallery style, too
Steve May  |  Nov 18, 2021  |  0 comments
Seven-channel Atmos audio is just one of the treats of Panasonic’s flagship JZ2000 OLED TV...
Steve May  |  Nov 05, 2021  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedWhen it comes to ease of use, or streaming app choice, smart TVs don't get much better than this, says Steve May

Not content with a user base of 53million devices, Roku accelerates its migration from media player OS to smart TV technology, taking up residence in this affordable line of 4K flatscreens from TCL. TCL has actually launched two Roku models in the UK, the entry-level RP520K series, and the RP620K reviewed here, replete with Dolby Vision HDR and a higher-spec video processor.

John Archer  |  Oct 18, 2021  |  0 comments
The annual grumbles from certain quarters about OLED TVs only making relatively small technological steps forward every year do not apply to Sony’s new KD-65A90J.

This 65-incher delivers two substantial new chapters in Sony’s OLED story: a new panel sporting a laminated aluminium heat sink, so that it can be run more brightly, and a new Bravia XR ‘Cognitive’ video processor. The result is a premium picture performance...

John Archer  |  Sep 10, 2021  |  0 comments
TCL's first mini LED TV to hit the UK leaves John Archer mostly impressed, but ruing some missed opportunities

The big new buzzword in the TV world is mini LED. This premium backlighting technology uses much smaller LEDs than those found on conventional LED-lit LCD screens, allowing more to be deployed behind the glass. The result is a boost to both potential brightness and contrast, particularly if the mini LEDs – which typically number in their thousands – are driven by a healthy amount of separate dimming zones.

John Archer  |  Aug 27, 2021  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Philips' 800 Series OLED TV adds top-drawer gaming to excellent picture quality, discovers John Archer

Philips' ability to harness its potent video processing to the innate precision of OLED display technology has, over the last half-a-decade or so, given the brand a new lease of life, and one that's seen it claim an ever-growing slice of the premium TV market in the face of competition from both established brands and aggressive newcomers. And I can't see it losing its grip if it continues to make TVs like those in its OLED806 range.

Steve May  |  Aug 16, 2021  |  0 comments
This budget-buy 4K set will appeal by virtue of its well-stocked smarts, tidy design and Dolby Vision support, says Steve May. But does its picture performance stack up?
John Archer  |  Jun 25, 2021  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendSony's smallest ever OLED TV won't excite the gaming console cognoscenti, but its images still make a big impression on John Archer

The general TV trend these days is towards ever bigger screens. An interesting exception to this rule has emerged in recent months, though, in the comely shape of 48in OLED TVs.

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