Best 4K TVs in Singapore: Prism vs Xiaomi vs LG vs Samsung vs Sony 4K TV

High definition (HD) TVs used to be wildly popular in the early 2010s. When 2015 and 2016 came round, these HD TVs gradually fell off the electronics and home appliances stores' shelves, paving way for the new generation of TVs known as 4K or Ultra HD (UHD).

Now, if you (or your elderly parents) still have an older HD TV lying around, or if you've just moved into your first home and are buying your first TV, you might want to consider buying a 4K TV.

Why buy a 4K TV now? These days, latest TV trends are ultra-large screen TVs,  OLED, QLED, Neo QLED, and 8K TVs. That could only mean good news to regular shoppers like you and I. The newness and novelty of a 4K TV has pretty much worn off - which means that prices of 4K TVs are now pretty competitive, and budget TV brands in the likes of Xiaomi and Prism TV have all figured out how to manufacture cheap 4K TVs.

If you're pretty clueless about televisions, here's a beginner's guide to 4K TVs. Keep this 4K TV guide handy while you pop in stores to check out the televisions as well.

What are 4K TVs?

By definition, 4K TVs literally refer to televisions that are 4,000 pixels in width. A HD TV measures 1080 x 1920 pixels, while a 4K TV measures 3840 x 2160 pixels in width and height.

In layman terms, pixels refer to the thousands of small dots that are embedded in your TV that reflect light and colour. The smaller your dots, the clearer your movie or TV show will be - perhaps a concept that kids of the '70s to '90s will understand.

What a pity, our children will never understand the pain of watching a blurry MTV Cribs episode.

At times, brands may use the term Ultra HD (High Definition) to refer to 4K televisions as well.

4K TV Resolution

Now that you understand that the "4K" in 4K TVs refer to the television's width, what about the resolution?

What is the 4K TV's resolution? Generally, 4K TVs have over eight million pixels in resolution. For comparison's sake, high definition televisions only have two million pixels.

So what if my 4K TV has four times more pixels than a regular HD television? When you have so many more pixels, your 4K television's images will be way sharper and clearer - which also means that the physical screen size can be also much larger than a HD TV.

4K TV Viewing Distance

Since 4K TVs are much larger in physical size, does it mean that the viewing distance has to be longer. But my small HDB BTO 3-room may not be able to fit a large TV with bigger viewing distance... how?

Contrary to popular belief, it's been said that one should sit closer to a 4K TV than a regular TV for the full immersive experience. Let's see if this claim is true.

For 4K TVs, the viewing distance ranges from 0.9m to 1.2m:

• 43 inch 4K TV viewing distance: 0.9 meters
• 49 inch 4K TV viewing distance: 1 meter
• 55 inch 4K TV viewing distance: 1 meter
• 65 inch 4K TV viewing distance: 1.2 meters

For HD televisions, the viewing distance ranges from 1.2m to 1.9m:

• 32 inch HD TV viewing distance: 1.2 meters
• 40 inch HD TV viewing distance: 1.5 meters
• 43 inch HD TV viewing distance: 1.7 meters
• 46 inch HD TV viewing distance: 1.7 meters
• 49 inch HD TV viewing distance: 1.9 meters

So, it is true that 4K TVs have shorter viewing distances (from 0.9m to 1.2m) than HD TVs (1.2m to 1.9m), making 4K TVs most suitable for small HDB and condo flats.

In fact, if you remember your elderly parents nagging at you to sit further from the television two or three decades ago, they were actually right. Standard definition televisions had the longest viewing distance - at six times of the television's height.

Before you buy a 4K TV, visit the store and try to view the TV at the distance that you would at home.

Best 4K TV

Online forums such as Reddit have the most riveting and in-depth discussions about 4K TVs. Here are the best 4K TVs for 2022, as recommended by global Reddit TV enthusiasts:

1. TCL

For most Singaporeans, TCL might sound pretty new and foreign. TCL is a Chinese state-owned electronics brand well-known for their low prices and 4K TVs that are Google-compatible.

TCL is not a new company. TCL has been around since 1981, and is based in Guangdong, China. It's also traded as a red chip stock on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE: 00100).

TCL is available in Singapore, and retails from their own official website. If you prefer to see the TVs in person, there's also a TCL TV roadshow ongoing at AMK Hub B1 (near A&W) until 13 November 2022.

Some of the most popular TCL TV models include their 6 Series R646, 5 Series S546, and 4 Series S455.

TCL 6 Series R646 (US$949.99)

Based on TCL's website, this popular TCL 6 Series R646 is currently not available in Singapore. You will, however, find secondhand R646 available on reselling platforms such as Carousell.

In the US, the TCL 6 Series R646 comes in a 55 inch (US$949.99) and 65 inch (US$1,299.99) sizes.

At over US$900, its prices are considerably steep.

However, the TCL R646 meets all the requirements of a modern home television - it's 4K, QLED colour (more suitable for bright rooms), has Alexa Google voice activation, Dolby Vision, Chromecast, ethernet port, WiFi enabled, has HDMI inputs, and comes with a game mode for faster response.

TCL 5 Series S546 ($899)

The TCL 5 Series S546 was very recently launched a year ago in 2021. It's a 4K TV with colours powered by QLED, and comes with WiFi, Alexa Google voice assistant, Chromecast, ethernet, three HDMI, and VRR for gaming.

There are four sizes, namely 50 inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch.

A 65 inch TCL S546 is priced at $899 on Lazada.

TCL 4 Series S455 (US$359.99)

Cheapest of the top TCL TVs, the TCL S455 is a brand new late 2022 model. It's positioned as an entry-level, budget TV at US$359.99.

This smart TV runs on Roku, a TV interface that's currently used by TCL and Hisense. Roku is a California-based electronics and software company founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood. Roku is often favoured by fans for its wide range of apps available for download. Roku supports major streaming apps that most Singaporeans use - Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO, Apple TV, and Hulu.

The TCL S455 is not yet available in Singapore.

2. Samsung QN95B ($3,999)

The Samsung QN91A to QN95A 4K QLED TVs are pretty respectable and widely recommended as well. This entire range of TVs were launched in 2021 and all fall under the same series. sharing pretty similar specifications and features.

Major differences between models lie in the design. For example, when you compare the Samsung QN94A vs QN95A, only the QN95A has a slimmer screen and a One Connect Box which houses all connection hardware parts.

In Singapore, the 2021 Samsung QN95A is no longer available. It has been replaced by the 2022 Samsung QN95B which comes with a silver frame instead of the predecessor's black frame, and has Dolby Atmos added for better sound.

The Samsung QN95B is a 4K TV with colour powered by Neo QLED, has an ultra slim screen, and Dolby Atmos sound. Neo QLED televisions historically aren't the most energy efficient. The Samsung QN95B is no different, with just 3 ticks.

There are three sizes in Singapore, namely 55 inch ($3,197), 65 inch ($4,547), or 75 inch ($7,999). Prices do fluctuate from store to store. For example, a 55 inch Samsung QN95B at Courts costs $3,999 instead of the recommended $3,197. So, always do your price comparisons before committing to a Samsung TV.

3. Sony X95J

Sony's X95J 4K TV is a 2021 LED model. It was launched as a flagship TV model, meaning it will stick around in retail store shelves for longer than other models.

In Singapore, the Sony X95J comes in two sizes, 65 inch ($5,499) and 85 inch ($9,499). It is a 4K TV with WiFi, Chromecast, AirPlay, Dolby Vision, Alexa Google voice assistant, HDMI 2.1, and VRR for gaming.

Global reviews for this Sony 4K TV has been great since its launch in late 2021, with heavyweight tech reviewers deeming it as one of the best ultra-bright TV suitable for bright homes.

On the energy efficiency end, the 65 inch Sony X95J has three ticks while the 85 inch version comes with four ticks.

4. LG C1

One of the most widely recommended 4K TVs was the LG C1. The LG C1 has been consistently praised for its picture quality, particularly the deep, rich blacks and high contrast colours.

The LG C1 is a 4K TV with OLED (more suitable for darker rooms), Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, mobile connectivity, 360° VR Play and VRR for gaming, WiFi, and ethernet. It's also pretty energy efficient with four ticks. 

LG C1 comes in four sizes - 48 inch ($1,998 from Amazon), 55 inch ($3,905 from Amazon), 65 inch, and 77 inch. 

5. Sony A80J ($2,599)

Finally, another Sony 4K TV made the list. The Sony A80J was launched in 2021, and is a 4K TV with OLED colours (more suitable for darker rooms). It comes with WiFi, ethernet, Chromecast, AirPlay, HDMI 2.1, VRR for gaming, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and runs on Android and Google Play store.

In Singapore, the Sony A80J comes in three sizes, namely 55 inch ($3,999), 65 inch ($5,999), and 77 inch ($14,999). However, you will find the Sony A80J on sale currently at heartland home appliance stores such as Courts ($2,599 for 55 inch).

Naturally, the Sony A80J is often compared against its X95J counterpart (earlier in the list). The key difference you will find between the Sony A80J and X95J is the OLED colour display that the A80J uses - giving it much better picture quality in darker rooms.

Best 4K TV in Singapore

Over in Singapore, recommendations from online users on forum Hardwarezone recommended these 4K TVs. Unfortunately, the wildly popular homegrown TV and monitor brand, Prism TV, did not make the list even with its attractive price tags. 

1. LG C1: Great picture quality
2. Sony Bravia XR A90K: 2022 model, uses Sony's Cognitive Processor XR for hyper realism
3. Sony A90J: 2021 model, Sony's Cognitive Processor XR, best for PS5
4. TCL: Chinese company, good price point
5. Xiaomi Mi TV: Good price, no complaints

When shopping for a television in Singapore, be wary that the electronics and home appliance stores crank up the saturation of the TV screens on display, a user cautions.

Best 4K TV for PS5 Gaming

If you'd like to hook up your favourite game on your 4K TV, you're not alone. Most gamers, however, prefer to get 4K monitors dedicated for their gaming pursuits. If you're a serious gamer, you're better off with an actual monitor.

If you're looking for a more versatile and multi-purpose 4K TV that's compatible with your PS5 and Xbox, here are the top three 4K TVs for gaming as recommended by gaming website, Rtings.

1. Sony A95K OLED: 2022 model, Cognitive Processor XR fast response
2. Samsung QN90B QLED:  120Hz refresh rate, fast response, low input lag
3. TCL 5 Series: VRR, HDMI 2.0, 50Hz, cheap price point

4K TV as Monitor

It is safe to use a TV as a computer monitor. Most TVs come with HDMI inputs that are compatible with laptops and computers.

Should I use a 4K TV as a gaming monitor? It is not recommended to use a TV as a gaming monitor. Disadvantages of using a 4K TV as a monitor include the input lag and refresh rate.

According to Cnet, 4K TVs have an input lag of 9.93 to 137.40 milliseconds, which is way slower than gaming monitors' input lag of 1.6 to 22.5 milliseconds. 4K TVs also have lower 60 to 120Hz refresh rate, way lower than a gaming monitors' 75 to 360 Hz refresh rate.

However, if you're just planning to use your 4K TV to cast photographs or regular video from your laptop, that won't be a problem.

4K TV HDMI 2.1

Older 4K TVs have HDMI inputs that are version 1.4. Current 4K TVs carry HDMI 2.0 that is specially made for 4K feeds with its increased data bandwidth. However, if you are gaming, you will need to get HDMI 2.1 compatible monitors or TVs so you can access higher refresh rate and higher resolution.

Which 4K TV will you be buying? Let us know!