Consumer Reports' Tips For Choosing The Best Type Of TV For Your Home

TVs have come a long way in the last few decades, evolving from big, bulky floor models to lighter, high-definition units that hang neatly on your wall. For consumers, this means a better viewing experience — but it's also made it harder to figure out which kind is best. To help, Consumer Reports created a buyer guide that breaks down the most important factors, including TV type, size, and resolution. In short, the advice is to choose between OLED and LCD based on your budget and picture-quality priorities, then match the screen size and resolution to your space and viewing habits.

According to Consumer Reports, there are two main types on the market: OLED TVs and LCD TVs (also known as LED TVs). OLED models have typically earned the highest spots on the organization's top ratings. (Here's an example: For 2026, Consumer Reports' best 65-inch TV under $1,000 is an OLED 4K TV from Samsung.) Today, though, there are more cutting-edge LCD units giving OLED TVs a run for their money.

So, how do you choose between OLED and LCD? If keeping costs down is your priority, an LCD TV is generally the better choice. They're typically less expensive than OLED models and are available in a wider range of screen sizes. If picture quality matters most, though, an OLED may be worth the extra money. Consumer Reports' guide mentions that these higher-end units are better at displaying dark black tones, which can look gray on LCD screens. Plus, they have higher-quality contrast ratios, so images look more detailed and realistic, rather than dull or flat.

As Consumer Reports points out, there isn't a specific rule about how big your TV should be. Instead, it depends on your preferences, eyesight, and how much of your field of view (FOV) you want the screen to occupy. According to recommendations from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and THX (which are cited by Consumer Reports), you should aim for an FOV of 30 to 40 degrees. On a similar note, here's more advice from Consumer Reports on how far to put your TV from your couch. For 4K TVs, try to leave 1 foot of viewing distance for every 10 inches of screen size. As an example, if you have a 65-inch screen, you should sit 6.5 feet away.

Next, let's talk resolution. If you aren't familiar, resolution describes how many pixels make up your TV's display — and the higher the number, the sharper the picture quality. According to Consumer Reports, today's large-screen TVs are typically 4K units — which have four times the number of pixels as 1080p (or full HD) sets. Higher resolution generally comes with a higher price, so consider whether the added picture detail is worth the extra cost for your viewing setup.

Keep in mind: Consumer Reports' buyer guide includes general information about shopping for a TV. If you're buying one for a patio or deck, however, you'll need to consider additional factors such as temperature, weather, and shade. In that case, we'd recommend checking out Consumer Reports' tips for choosing the right TV for your outdoor space.