When it comes to TVs, people can have an intense level of brand loyalty. I get it! It’s good to stick with a name that you know and trust, but being a little too snobby about the TV brands you’re willing to buy can come back to bite you in the end.
I might not have made this argument ten years ago, but with advancements in flat panel technology, you’d be doing yourself a favor by considering lesser-known brands when you next buy a TV. The results might just surprise you.
Brand Loyalty Is Understandable
There’s a reason that companies care about their brand image, and that’s because what people believe about a brand has a halo effect on their products. It’s why Ferrari can sell hats and shirts with ridiculous markups, and it’s also why some people won’t even consider a TV that’s not a Sony, Samsung, or LG monitor.
I get how a trusted brand name can make it easier to narrow down which TVs you’re willing to buy, but all my years of reviewing things, writing buying guides, and generally trying to get to the bottom of what makes a good product, has taught me that brand loyalty is a great way to burn your fingers if you aren’t careful
Some Companies Make the Best TVs in the World
There’s no doubt that when it comes to the best TVs that money can buy, only a small handful of companies come to mind. I’ve already mentioned Samsung, LG, and Sony, but that’s pretty much the list of names that anyone would come up with on the spot for the very best TVs.
These are companies that push the fundamental technologies that underpin modern flat-panel displays, and they inarguably make the best halo products in the TV industry, which is great if you can afford them.
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But Not Every TV a Brand Makes Is Good
The thing with halo products is that they rub off on the entire line of products by that brand, but only in a psychological sense. Just because a company makes the best TVs in the world doesn’t mean that every TV they make is going to be good. This is why it’s so important to evaluate a TV based on its actual performance and features, and not the fact that it’s a distant cousin to a truly great TV set.
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There’s Enormous Competition in the Mainstream and Budget Segments
Let’s face it, most people are going to spend somewhere between $300 and $1000 on a TV, and then probably as close to the bottom of that range as possible. This is where the largest volume of TV sets sell, and it’s where the competition is hottest between companies. It’s also where less-known brands can compete on value, since they simply can’t match those high-end TVs made by large and established brands.
So if you aren’t buying TVs from that rarified market segment, you’d be silly not to look at everyone offering a TV at your budget level. Remember, a company like TCL or Hisense selling a TV in the budget or mainstream market segment are trying their best to offer you a TV that’s as good as a budget Samsung or LG TV, but for less money. Conversely, you can probably get a better TV from these brands at the low end than the models with big brand names on them.
Hisense U6N
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$150
Don’t Let Lesser-Known Brands Keep You From a Great Deal
I’m not saying this is always true. My point is that you’d never know that you’ve missed out on the deal of a lifetime because you never even considered a brand you don’t know as well.
If a TV from one of the less premium brands looks good on paper, and a professional review on sites like RTINGS shows that its real-world performance lives up to expectations, then you shouldn’t be afraid to pounce on that deal.
My only major potential caveat here is that a brand can be about more than just the individual product. You should avoid lesser-known brands that don’t have good after-sales service and support. Sometimes it’s worth paying more for a TV to have some peace of mind that if something goes wrong with it during the warranty period, you’ll be well taken care of.
However, most established brands that aren’t considered “premium” by the public do have the infrastructure to support their products after they’ve been sold, and if all else fails, you can rely on the retailer you bought the set from, as long as it’s a reputable one.
So the next time you’re looking for a great TV, be a little more open-minded about what brands you’re willing to consider!
