Non enthusiast recommendations 77”+ early 22 (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Family is looking for tv recommendations in this arena. The 77”C1 at $3k is too expensive. I suggested the Sony 85” X91J. They are mulling that over. They saw the Samsung QLED display at Costco and were jazzed on that until I had them compare the black level to the OLEDs. Whoops. Other options you’d recommend?

At $2400 the FALD X91J seems like the best compromise to me….

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08XLDLRBH/ref=psdcmw_6459737011_t1_B08XLN69WS?th=1&psc=1

50% cable TV (mostly sports), 35% streaming 4K, 15% or less disks mostly bluray some UHD

 

[Josh Steinberg]

With the caveat that I don’t know how they scale up to larger sizes, I’m enormously satisfied with my 2018 model TCL Series 6 at 55”. With TCL’s under the hood updates since then, what I have is now equivalent to their current Series 5. Although I didn’t get a Vizio, I have friends who are satisfied with their models which were the higher end on that brand.

If the majority of the viewing is cable and the next largest viewing group is streaming apps, I think any of the medium to high end models from the budget guys like TCL and Vizio are going to be excellent performers. They’re all substantial upgrades over 1080p models of any technology from a decade ago. Cable isn’t likely to offer enough of a high quality signal to ever really stress test any of those models, and sports broadcasts aren’t exactly renowned for resolution, color accuracy or deep blacks. Sure, they could throw up a test pattern or something and see that an OLED is incrementally better in certain ways, but when it comes to real world viewing of content that hasn’t really been mastered to max out every possible spec, I don’t think it matters.

I find this is rarely a popular opinion on the forum but that’s my two cents. Costco has great return service and at that size I think (but they should confirm) that Best Buy will also offer free delivery and returns. Find a retailer that offers a reasonable return policy, set a budget and stick to it, and return it if it doesn’t satisfy.

 

[JohnRice]

Yeah, the current TCL 5 or 6, or the Vizio P or PQ, and probably the M series are all excellent options. The main thing you lose in those is wide viewing angles. They are not as good as the (more expensive) Samsungs, in most cases. Certainly not anything like OLED.

 

[DaveF]

What's the budget? "Non-enthusiast" to me means sub-$1000 price range. So would recommend like John and Josh a TCL or Vizio for whatever their budget affords.

Something like this based on Wirecutter reviews
$1000 TCL series 5 75" LCD

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tcl-75-class-5-series-qled-4k-uhd-smart-google-tv/6470263.p?skuId=6470263#anchor=productVariations

 

[DaveF]

Can split the difference with 75" Sony 950H for $2200. Has good off-axis behavior so good for group viewing. I've got the 65" 950H and it's a good TV. Google SmartTV interface is decent (though I found it's easier to just use AppleTV still, plus eARC between Sony and Denon was not rock solid).

See on Amazon

 

[DaveF]

Honestly, I think you gotta set the budget and then buy whatever TV costs that much. You can optimize for off-axis viewing or better blacks or smartTV features. But they're all great for their price it seems.

But I also think if you're spending $2400, just spend $3000 and get the OLED. Maybe because I'm an enthusiast.

 

[Gregg Loewen]

But I also think if you're spending $2400, just spend $3000 and get the OLED. Maybe because I'm an enthusiast.

my same thoughts.

 

[Sam Posten]

Yeah you guys aren’t helping.

They were looking at $2k for a 75ish QLED and I had them consider the $2300 85” FALD which was over their budget but upped the size class which was a big deal for them. It’s going in their “great room” which has room for much larger TVs so size matters. I think they are holding off completely now

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I think for most people, particularly non-enthusiasts, there’s more bang for the buck in size over anything else. A smaller TV with better specs isn’t going to be as impactful for most viewers as a larger screen with slightly reduced specs would be.

There’s a reason I prefer watching my favorite content on my 120” projection screen at 1080p rather than in 4K on my 55” TV. Technically speaking, the TV has better specs across the board, but the projector provides the bigger wow factor.

For most viewers, things like FALD and viewing angle and black levels aren’t going to matter outside of a head to head comparison and non-enthusiasts aren’t doing head to head comparisons every day.

 

[DaveF]

Ah, yes, in that case, what Josh said. Stop trying to shop enthusiast TVs for enthusiast prices for your normal parents. Get them an 85” TV for $1500 and never let them look at an OLED again.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hisense-85-class-h65-series-led-4k-uhd-smart-android-tv/6404008.p?skuId=6404008

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tcl-85-class-4-series-4k-uhd-smart-roku-tv/6447521.p?skuId=6447521

 

[DaveF]

But if $2000 is really a comfortable budget, me personally, I’d buy whatever the best 75” Sony 4K is at that price. I’m a year out of date, but Sony was the best all around compromise for great 4K.

 

[JohnRice]

Yeah you guys aren’t helping.

I know that's a joke, but any source of hesitation is not here.

If I've been more than happy with a Vizio P Series for the last two years, which I use in my HT, then I'd surmise that 98% of regular people will be more than happy with a P or PQ series, or a TCL 5 or 6 series. The only thing I don't like about the TCL is, if you use OTA broadcast (Not most people) then they have no direct channel access. Unless something has changed in the last couple of years, you can only change OTA channels through the Roku channel menu. I haven't had cable in almost 20 years, so that one detail moved me to Vizio.

 

[Sam Posten]

Thanks @JohnRice I have a first gen Vizio P too and it’s great. Will look into that

 

[Sam Posten]

Well the 85” X91j is now sub $2k. That seems like a no brainer to me.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-85-class-x91j-led-4k-uhd-smart-google-tv/6459302.p?skuId=6459302

 

[JohnRice]

Well the 85” X91j is now sub $2k. That seems like a no brainer to me.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-85-class-x91j-led-4k-uhd-smart-google-tv/6459302.p?skuId=6459302

Yep. If you really want an 85" and it's $800 off.

 

[Sam Posten]

And now they aren’t buying anything. I give up trying to help lol. Thanks for your input everyone

 

[JohnRice]

What usually happens with me is they go out on impulse get whatever they are "sold", then they expect me to make it all work together, which it usually doesn't.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

What usually happens with me is they go out onimpulse get whatever they are "sold", then they expect me to make it all work together, which it usually doesn't.

It may sound harsh but after years of similar experiences, when relatives ask my help for this stuff, I’ll tell them that I can offer my recommendations, and that I will be happy to set up anything I pick out, but if they prefer to go in a different direction, I don’t really have the expertise to set up things that I didn’t research and recommend. It’s close enough to the truth.