Help deciding between VIZIO LED and LED 4K

[logicalxm]

Hi,

I am planning to purchase a TV during the Black Friday weekend. My budget is kind of restricted and is hovering around $500. I would like to get a 50" VIZIO TV .
My only dilemma is that I am not sure if I should get a regular LED TV (D50-D1) or the more expensive 4K model (D50U-D1).
I would like to obtain a TV that I can enjoy for the years to come. I always thought that 4K is somewhat "futureproof", but after reading about TVs online I came to realize that HDR is the big trend setter technology and not 4K.

In basic terms, I would like to know whether spending extra on a 4K TV makes any sense at the moment when a traditional 120 mHz LED TV is much cheaper. Will the difference be that much noticeable?
Should one even consider buying a regular 4K TV when HDR is the next best thing?

Thanks.

 

[giantpandaman2]

Depends on when you plan on upgrading your sources and how long you plan on holding onto the TV. If you plan on upgrading your sources within say 4 years (4k Bluray, 4k CableTV, 4k set top boxes) and you hold onto your tv for more than 4 years...I'd go for the 4k TV. If not, don't. Also depends on how close you sit to the TV. See below:

 

[mdram]

i dont think that vizio model does hdr.
so i would skip it for now

 

[wetech]

Depends on when you plan on upgrading your sources and how long you plan on holding onto the TV. If you plan on upgrading your sources within say 4 years (4k Bluray, 4k CableTV, 4k set top boxes) and you hold onto your tv for more than 4 years...I'd go for the 4k TV. If not, don't. Also depends on how close you sit to the TV. See below:

that table looks way off. Viewing distance scale can't be correct. 4k needed for 30" TV at 10' distance? No way.

 

[giantpandaman2]

that table looks way off. Viewing distance scale can't be correct. 4k needed for 30" TV at 10' distance? No way.

Whoops, looks like I grabbed the wrong graph. Oh well.

 

[Kaido]

that table looks way off. Viewing distance scale can't be correct. 4k needed for 30" TV at 10' distance? No way.

Personally, I don't believe in any of those charts. The difference is pretty visible with actual 4K source content, especially if you do it side-by-side with a lower-res set. It's like the visual difference of going from DVD to Blu-ray:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0pvFMJSh18

However, I have seen people setup big-screen televisions with a composite connector off their HD cable boxes & DVD players & think they're doing great, up until I swap them out with an HDMI cable lol. It really depends how discerning you are about image quality. Some people equate "big" with "good", regardless of the actual picture quality, and are placated with the picture because of that (boy that sounds snobby lol, but you know what I mean). 720p to 1080p isn't a big step. 1080p to 4K really isn't that big of a step either. But the whole size vs. distance thing is kinda meh in my book.

 

[Mike64]

Should one even consider buying a regular 4K TV when HDR is the next best thing?Thanks.

In the post CRT era, TV technology has been moving so quickly that I wouldn't really worry too much about "for years to come", except insofar as basic image quality and (if you can find relevant info these days) the medium- to long-term reliability of a given brand and/or line... 5 years ago, plasma TVs were where the best image quality was to be had, and now you couldn't find a new one to save your life. 5 years from now, OLED sets are likely to be much cheaper than they are right now, and who knows what resolutions and/or imagine enhancement will be current?

 

[TeeJay1952]

Early adopter HD aficionado.
Sony 36 in CRT 2500 bux
8 years later
48 LED 1500 bux
7 years later
60 inch Local dim LED 4k HDR 1500 bux. mid level model
What a country. I want to get before trade wars start.

 

[logicalxm]

Thank you for the replies guys.

I went to Bestbuy today to check some TVs and talk to the clerk. He told me that I should go for a 4K tv, even if I might end up getting a smaller 43 inch TV.
I'm considering downgrading my TV size to 43" from 50". I have decided that 50" might be too big for a bedroom. I'm also inclined to get a 43" TV because it is $150 cheaper than a 50" model. That implies that I won't be at a huge loss if I potentially decide to upgrade my TV to a HDR in a 2-3 years time.

All in all, I realize that one cannot get a "futureproof" TV, the technology is moving too fast and us consumers are playing the TV manufacturers game. Since I cannot afford an HDR set yet, I just want to make sure whether buying a 4K TV is really more beneficial than a standard 1080p, even if the size of the TV is 43".

 

[IGBT]

Personally, I don't believe in any of those charts. The difference is pretty visible with actual 4K source content, especially if you do it side-by-side with a lower-res set. It's like the visual difference of going from DVD to Blu-ray:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0pvFMJSh18

However, I have seen people setup big-screen televisions with a composite connector off their HD cable boxes & DVD players & think they're doing great, up until I swap them out with an HDMI cable lol. It really depends how discerning you are about image quality. Some people equate "big" with "good", regardless of the actual picture quality, and are placated with the picture because of that (boy that sounds snobby lol, but you know what I mean). 720p to 1080p isn't a big step. 1080p to 4K really isn't that big of a step either. But the whole size vs. distance thing is kinda meh in my book.

Won't be long before they are all 4K. Let them shake out the bugs and evolve the technology for a couple years.

 

[Kartajan]

I just want to make sure whether buying a 4K TV is really more beneficial than a standard 1080p, even if the size of the TV is 43".

If I was getting a bedroom TV, I would get a 1080p one unless they were at the same price point. I would invest more in my "primary" screen- which for me is the living room.

with that said, RTings has some valid input...
http://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-size/40-42-43-inch/best
http://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-size/48-49-50-inch/best