Under
Rs.1 lakh
Pick from the now rare plasma panels, a TV with a DTH set-top box integrated, or an affordable 4K TV.
Samsung J5300 Series 5
Rs.55,900; Rs.65,900 (with Airtel Digital TV DTH)
40-inch screen, 1,920x1,080 pixels, LED panel, two HDMI
This TV offers sharp visuals, with great colours. The built-in Wi-Fi is useful for running smart TV apps and mobile phone mirroring. A second version of this TV integrates the Airtel Digital TV HD set-top box too—a good feature for someone who wants a DTH connection without the hassle of dealing with two remotes.
LG Plasma TV 50PB6600
Rs.64,900
50-inch screen, 1,920x1,080 pixels, plasma panel, three HDMI
Plasmas are a dying breed, because LED panels are much more efficient to use and easier to make. Yet, this TV offers unmatched colours and contrast, and is best for viewing movies. You’ll need to be careful though about high power consumption and heat emissions.
Sony BRAVIA W700C (KDL-48W700C)
Rs.
87,900
48-inch screen, 1,920x1,080 pixels, LED panel, four HDMI
Sony’s X-Reality PRO image processor does an excellent job of cleaning out any distortions in a video, and can reproduce some really precise detailing. Wi-Fi is useful to connect to the Opera app store, for downloading and using smart TV apps. The ClearAudio+ feature, when switched on, enhances dialogue, but the bass is still missing.
LG Smart TV in 4K (42UB820T)
Rs.82,900
42-inch screen, 3,840x2,160 pixels, IPS, LED panel, three HDMI
Consider this TV if you’re an early adopter of new technology. You can play 4K videos off a USB, and the magic remote adds gesture control, scroll wheel and voice commands. Though it’s a compromise in terms of screen size (42 inches versus 48 inches), this TV is a good bet if you are planning on getting a 4K DTH connection or have subscribed to Netflix 4K.
Rs.1-2 lakh
Choose between a conventional full high-definition (HD) TV, a fancy curved one or the future-ready 4K TV.
Panasonic VIERA 50AS670D
Rs.1,03,900
50-inch screen, 1,920x1,080 pixels, IPS LED panel, three HDMI
Part of the Life + Screen range, it has a greatly improved interface. Home screen for apps and widgets is customizable. Each LED module in the panel can be illuminated at different power levels, improving the difference between low-light and bright-light areas in the same picture. Voice Interaction lets the user speak out commands, such as channel change. A cool file-sharing feature includes the ability to copy media files from one connected USB drive to another.
Samsung Curved TV (UA48H8000ARLXL)
Rs.1,46,900
48-inch curved screen, 1,920x1,080 pixels, LED panel, four HDMI
The curved screen brings more visuals into the line of sight, just as a cinema screen would, and better viewing even if you are not sitting directly in front of the screen. It runs a quad-core processor, and the Smart Evolution kit can be upgraded every year to add newer processor and software features. Touch-pad remote, voice control, gesture commands and mobile mirroring are some other features.
Toshiba L9450 with Android (50L9450)
Rs.1.99 lakh
50-inch curved screen, 3,840x2,160 pixels, LED panel, three HDMI
Toshiba’s 4K TV range runs Android 4.4, and is powered by the dual-core Cevo 4K picture engine. A couple of India-specific features include cricket and Bollywood modes—sound and picture is tweaked for the best viewing experience. Screen mirroring is useful for streaming content from your phone or tablet. It’s the only 4K TV that runs Android.
Philips 8500 Series 4K LED TV (50PUT8509/98)
Rs.1.55 lakh
50-inch curved screen, 3,840x2,160 pixels, LED panel, four HDMI
The Multiroom feature lets users share broadcasts with another similar TV at home, and save money on multiple subscriptions. Cloud Explorer connects to Dropbox, to view content on the big screen. The fancy Ambilight 3 feature illuminates the wall behind the TV in the same colour as the content on the screen.
Rs.2 lakh and above
We recommend nothing less than a 4K TV at this price.
LG Web OS TV (55UB950T)
Rs.2,19,900
55-inch curved screen, 3,840x2,160 pixels, IPS (in-plane switching) LED panel, four HDMI
The Web OS smart TV interface is visually beautiful and all the apps and settings are stacked in cards near the bottom of the screen. Flick through these and open an app. All content, be it off an external drive or a cable/direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast, gets upscaled to 4K. Rich and accurate colours, along with deep blacks, make this brilliant for movies and sports.
Panasonic VIERA 65AX800D
Rs.4,20,000
65-inch curved screen, 3,840x2,160 pixels, LED panel, four HDMI
This mammoth TV has a local LED dimming pro feature for enhanced detailing and studio master colour enhancement for richer colours. The coolest feature is that you can send a message from your phone from anywhere in the world to your TV, which your family can see when it flashes on the screen.
