On today’s episode of You Asked: Which TVs won’t cause eye strain and migraines? What’s the biggest, best TV you can get for $1,000? And… streaming device vs. TV apps.
What’s the best big screen TV under $1,000 for streaming and gaming?
Kyle says: I have an Apple TV and love it, but my current TV can’t handle the best quality it can put out. The HDR bugs out constantly and needs a hard reset. It’s an older TCL 70R6+. I’m after the biggest screen I can get for the money. Everything I do is streaming or gaming, but I would never take advantage of a 240 hertz refresh rate, nor do I have a crazy surround sound system. So the new Dolby standards aren’t needed either. What are your thoughts on the best options out there? The Apple TV removes operating system bias, but it creates a bottleneck needing the best HDMI standards on a budget. What would you recommend below $1,000?
Kyle, straight up, your best options come from TCL and Hisense here. Either the QM6K or QM7K from TCL, or the U8QG from Hisense is the way to go — and I hope the prices I’m seeing right now are still around or even better when you’re ready to buy. Keep an eye out for sales.
To directly answer the question of getting the biggest screen for the money: the 75-inch QM6K is selling for $850, and the 85-inch version goes for $1,100. I know that’s $100 over your budget, but it would be so worth it to dig around for some tech to sell on Facebook Marketplace and find the extra dollars. Eighty-five inches would be super fun for streaming and gaming — the QM6K in that size would be a steal.
The only reason I bring up the QM7K is because it’s a noticeably better TV, and the 65-inch model sells for $1,000. It’s giving up a good bit of screen real estate compared to an 85-inch QM6K, but I just wanted to float it out there just in case.
The same goes for the Hisense U8QG, which is actually even better than the QM7K. It continues to sell at a very competitive price at about $1,100, and it’d be hard to pass up if you changed your mind to prioritize brightness and contrast over size.
Regardless, Kyle and anyone else reading this in early November — check the prices now and continue checking them over the next month as holiday sales come in. And honestly, even if you’re reading this into the new year, I’d expect to continue seeing discounted prices. Happy hunting.
Streaming device vs. smart TV apps
Mr SalSal asks: Are TV apps, such as those running on LG, Samsung, and Sony TVs, optimized to perform better than similar apps running on devices like Fire Stick, Apple TV, or Google Chromecast? In other words, does it look better when I use my TV to watch Netflix, YouTube, etc., compared to streaming said apps from a device that’s connected to the same TV?
I think in terms of what matters, you won’t see much difference — if any at all — in the actual content. HDR10 or Dolby Vision coming from an Apple TV or Fire Stick or whatever you use is gonna look just like that format coming from your TV.
The differences with streaming devices would potentially be with Wi-Fi speed, which could affect buffering and resolution, and some lifestyle improvements like ease of use.
For example, if you have a TV with Wi-Fi 4, it’ll be slower than one with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, assuming your home router supports those Wi-Fi signals and speeds. If you’re streaming something more data-heavy like 4K HDR content, a slower Wi-Fi connection, in theory, could affect how fast the image buffers and whether or not you’re able to watch at its best resolution.
That’s not something I think you’d run into with a lot of the TVs we discuss on this channel, but if it’s a really budget-friendly or older TV, the issue could pop up.
The same can be said for how quickly it is to navigate menus or load apps and content. Older TVs may not be as snappy as they once were, and certainly not as quick as the latest generation of streaming devices. That’s why you hear people say that external streamers are a great way to give an old TV new life. Allow the streaming device to be the brains of the operation while the TV displays the content.
So if the internet bottleneck is an issue, yeah, content could look better with a streaming device. Otherwise, the TV is usually gonna do the bulk of the picture processing, and adding an external device could potentially just make things more confusing and cumbersome.
Which TVs won’t cause eye strain or migraines?
@Billy2-pg3zj asks: Which TV doesn’t cause migraine or eye strain?
That, my friend, is up to the viewer and how responsible they choose to be. Eye strain from watching TV can be caused by a number of factors — most of which have nothing to do with brightness, contrary to popular belief.
Concentrated viewing for long periods coupled with reduced blinking is one cause, and I imagine that’s one that gamers suffer most from. Viewing distance can cause issues as well; sitting too close to the screen can cause the eye lens to stretch and become uncomfortable.
And then, of course, brightness can also be an issue. Whether it’s too dim, which may cause you to squint, or too bright, you need to be aware of what’s most comfortable for your eyes.
The first two things — concentrated viewing and viewing distance — can be fixed by simply limiting how long you’re staring at the TV or any screen, and giving yourself appropriate breaks in viewing. Sorry, binge watchers.
The last issue can be helped with an ambient light sensor. These help the TV assess both the amount of light in the room and color temperature, and make the necessary adjustments that are most comfortable or appropriate for your eyes.
Something you might try is letting that ambient light sensor do its work to get an idea of how bright you should run your TV, and if you want to make adjustments from there, go for it.
The only downside to that strategy is that typically, you’re not gonna get the best performance out of your TV that way. If you want the brightest specular highlights in HDR, you’ll have to turn the brightness up a bit.
And sometimes, if it’s not customizable, those ambient light sensors can be a bit aggressive. If your TV is constantly changing the brightness and temperature while you’re watching, it’s probably not the most fun viewing experience.
Point being, lots of TVs could and should be appropriate for viewing, even if you’re more at risk for migraines and eye strain. Just make sure you pay attention to the settings.
