Smart TV vs Dumb TV + smart device

ergonomics · 30 Apr 2016 at 14:36

Hi chaps. So i've been living life with my Apple TV 3 and 'dumb' TV for a while now.. but i'm looking to get a better/slightly bigger TV and as such, have questioned whether I should get a decent screen that I can dunk my ATV3 into.. or whether I spend a bit more ££ and get a TV with all those features and more.

Realistically, I only use my ATV for Netflix (built-in app), using Airplay from my phone to stream iplayer/4od etc.. and playing over the network (only mp4 via iTunes

). The price different is only around £100-200 extra for a Smarter TV.. with what seems to be an android based OS.. that all seem to have built-in iplayer/4od/netflix apps (saving me airplaying from my phone) and apparently are half decent at streaming over the network.. which would save me making mp4s all the time for iTunes to stream. But.. I can't help but wonder why the ATV, Amazon fire, Kodi boxes etc are all popular if TVs themselves can do this built-in? There's less fuss.. less cables.. less to go wrong, particularly if your flashy TV comes with a big warranty.. all that is covered.

So what's the score? Do I shell out for a TV with an OS and features or am i better off with a dumb TV?

NexusK · 30 Apr 2016 at 15:45

Pretty much all decent TVs are smart TVs nowadays anyway, the ones that aren't tend to be the cheap supermarket ones that aren't worth buying for a main room.

The TVs can't do everything that boxes such as the Amazon FireTV can hence them being so popular.

MikeB · 30 Apr 2016 at 16:27

What I find is the smart stuff is rarely updated and is slow, some for example when a new codec comes out your screwed, when it works its great (Although slow), but Sony in my case just dont keep up with the updates you need to see everything

peahead · 30 Apr 2016 at 16:33

Some of those smart tv are slow as hell they are seriously underpowered my phone with and a google chromecast is a much faster option than my smart tv

2016 models seem like they improved a lot though so it might be worth checking out newer model tvs recently released they seem to have updated software and more competent hardware this year

Captain · 30 Apr 2016 at 17:03

My Samsung smart TV is great, no issues with slow menus, plays music and films over the network fine, Netflix works better on my TV than it did on my firetv.

kona786 · 1 May 2016 at 17:37

Yep Samsung seem to make the better smart tvs. Mine is a 2013 F8000 with a quad core processor and still work perfect for youtube, iplayer, Netflix, amazon etc.

TJM · 1 May 2016 at 18:43

My TV is grand for Netflix and iPlayer, but I use a Roku 3 for all streaming because it has every major service (except Apple TV) in one place and I can ditch it for a newer/better box when the time comes.

Having a universal remote helps - I probably would use the TV's features for some things if I had to change inputs manually and use a different remote for the box.

russ9898 · 1 May 2016 at 20:18

I have a Samsung smart TV and a Amazon Fire TV Box (4k version)...I use the Amazon box 99% of the time over the smart TV, no idea why, I just prefer it.