Sound and Vision: When it comes to TVs, bigger is better

OPINION: Looking to upgrade your TV? May I suggest you consider going for a bigger screen size than might expect?

In the last few years there have been lots of trends surrounding TVs, but perhaps the most overt one (at least in terms of visual impact) is that TVs are getting bigger and bigger.

Loewe announced its biggest OLED screen so far at 77-inches, and Samsung recently launched a new 83-inch OLED screen along with the 98-inch (!) Q80C. I don’t often see a press release for a TV congratulating itself for launching a 40-inch size. Those are old hat.

Now, there are all sorts of reasons for this. You (and I) could be cynical and say that it’s about charging a higher price and there’s truth to that. Certainly, for LCD TVs, profit margins have been squeezed at more regular sizes, with 70-inch+ screens becoming more common.

I could also argue that people want an even bigger screen experience at home to watch films, TV, and sports on. A holdover from pandemic times? Possibly, but TV sizes have been inching upwards in size before the pandemic. 55-inches has been considered the most common size in the UK and US, but there’s been a big emphasis on gigantic screens. especially across the pond.

I bought my first TV in 2013 and that was 46 inches, which I thought was massive for the time. It’s quaint how nowadays that’s viewed as a relatively small size.

Then I moved up to 55-inches, which again I thought was pretty big at the time. But next to the 65-inch TV I have now, that looks small fry. There are times where I wonder whether a 75-inch TV might suit the living room better.

And the difference in stepping up is pronounced. At first, I thought a 65-inch TV was too big but after a while you adjust to the size and the scale becomes normal. It was the same when my brother was asking for some advice on a new TV and he was thinking around 50-inches, and I said if he could go for a 55-inch model, he should. After a little adjustment period getting used to the size (he was jumping up from a 42-inch Plasma screen), he hasn’t regretted it.

There will be some who only need a screen that’s smaller than 50-inches, whether it’s space constraints, or for the bedroom or a second room, but bigger sizes aren’t a fad like 3D eventually came to be – they’re the new reality. There is a very definable increase in the visual scope, a grandeur to images that’s almost like having your own personal IMAX screen in your home, especially if you’re wading in premium TV waters. Having reviewed a 77-inch LG 8K TV in 2022, the scale of the images was the most enjoyable aspect about it.

So if you are looking to get a new TV, and have the space for it, I’d suggest shushing that voice in your head that says a 50- or 55-inch TV will ‘just’ do. A TV is going to last for several years, so consider a bigger sized TV and I don’t think you’ll regret the choice – go big and go home with a large new TV.