Choosing a TV for Your First Home!

Sorting Out Your Needs

When you want the best performance at the best price, it’s your budget that will first determine what type of TV you can consider buying.
That’s why it’s important to sort through the various features and options available. Some are essential for a good viewing experience, while others can be set aside for a first purchase — without compromising on quality.

Key Buying Criteria

The main factors to consider when choosing a TV are, in order:
screen size, resolution, display technology (LCD, LED, Q-LED, Mini-LED, OLED, etc.), connectivity, and sound quality.
Once you’ve ensured strong visual and sound performance, design can also be a final consideration — after all, your TV should look good even when it’s turned off!

Thomson’s Easy TV and Smart TV ranges even offer certain sizes with white finishes, for a change from the traditional black.
The screen size will largely determine the price range, though the viewing distance in your room will help you find the ideal size.

For resolution (HD, Full HD, UHD 4K), the higher it is, the sharper the image.
However, this should be balanced with the screen size — manufacturers generally only offer combinations that make sense.
Different display technologies each have their own pros and cons, with differences in contrast, color accuracy, and energy consumption.

When it comes to connectivity, your TV should easily connect to your set-top box, USB drive, or soundbar, just to name a few.
You might also want Bluetooth or Chromecast to display content from your smartphone or tablet on the big screen.
Finally, Wi-Fi allows your smart TV to access online content directly, without any cables.

#1 Screen Size

Screen size is often a matter of personal preference — some people like to be fully immersed in the image, while others prefer a more balanced viewing experience.
That said, it mainly depends on the room where the TV will be placed. Measure the spot where you plan to install it, and choose a screen size appropriate for the recommended viewing distance.

TV sizes — like those of smartphones or monitors — are expressed in inches (”).
In Thomson’s Easy TV and Smart TV ranges, the available sizes are:
24” (60 cm), 32” (81 cm), 40” (101 cm), and 43” (109 cm).
In the Smart TV range, you’ll also find larger models: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, and 85”.
These measurements refer to the diagonal of the screen — for example, from the bottom-left corner to the top-right corner.

How to Find the Right Size

To choose a screen size based on your viewing distance and preferences, use the following ratio:

1.5 to 2 times the screen’s diagonal for an immersive experience
3 to 4 times the screen’s diagonal for a more balanced viewing distance

Example:
If the distance between your sofa and TV is 2 meters (200 cm), divide it by 3 for a balanced ratio.
You get a recommended screen diagonal of about 67 cm, which corresponds to a 24” TV (60 cm).
For a more immersive experience (ratio of 2), you’d get 100 cm, making a 40” TV (101 cm) ideal.

#2 Resolution

The Easy TV range offers 1366 × 768 (HD) resolution for 24” and 32” models, and 1920 × 1080 (Full HD) for 40” and 43” models. The Smart TV range is similar, except the 43” model is also available in 3840 × 2160 (4K UHD). All larger sizes — 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, and 85” — are exclusively 4K UHD. So, the choice mainly depends on the screen size.

#3 Display Technologies

Both the Easy TV and Smart TV lines use Direct LED (D-LED) technology.
Compared to standard LCD, D-LED is more energy efficient and offers better contrast and richer colors. It’s a great middle ground between the cheaper but lower-quality LCD and the more expensive QLED.

#4 Connectivity

Easy TV models include three HDMI ports, allowing multiple devices to connect — such as a set-top box, console, or soundbar — all in high quality. The triple tuner also receives satellite channels. Two USB ports provide audio/video playback for USB drives or external hard disks.
There’s also a headphone jack and an S/PDIF port for multi-channel digital sound, ideal for home cinema setups.

The Smart TV range includes the same connections, plus Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an Ethernet port.

#5 Smart Features

The Smart TV range by Thomson also includes Android TV, Google Play Store access, a Media Player, voice control (Hey Google), Google Assistant, and Chromecast.
Once connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, Android TV provides access to all major streaming and on-demand services — Netflix, MyCanal, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+.

#6 Sound

Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Audio deliver 2 × 8 W of sound power.
Special attention has been given to audio settings to ensure clear, intelligible voices.

#7 Remote Control

Practical and elegant, the remote control is backlit — a small detail that makes a big difference when watching movies or shows in the dark.

Final Recommendation

It’s always safer to trust a well-established brand — like Thomson, which has been around since 1893 — than to buy a device from an unknown manufacturer.
The Easy TV and Smart TV ranges are assembled in Europe and come with a 3-year warranty