The last few years have seen an increasing number of terminologies used in TVs, from acronyms like OLED, QLED, and HDR to phrases like refresh rate and 4K LED UHD TV. Some of these tech terms often describe important specs worth knowing.

As the amount of innovation, new features, and list of buzzwords grows, it becomes harder to pick out a TV. To make buying a new TV less stressful, here's a list of terms you need to know before visiting an electronics store.

1. Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of width to height of an image or TV screen. Aspect ratios vary depending on the TV resolution. For instance, HDTVs have an aspect ratio of 16:9, which the standard is used by most media content, including DVD and Blu-ray players.

2. Contrast Ratio

Contrast ratio is a ratio that shows the difference between a TV's brightest and darkest settings. The higher the ratio, the better a TV will show subtle color details. However, different TV manufacturers measure contrast ratios differently, so contrast specs should be taken with a grain of salt.

3. HDR

HDR or High Dynamic Range refers to technologies that TV makers employ to expand a TV's range of brightness and improve color accuracy, thus displaying lifelike images on your screen. The common types of HDR found in HDR smart TVs include HDR 10, HDR 10+, and Dolby Vision.

4. Refresh Rate

Refresh rate refers to the number of times a TV screen displays an image per second. A higher refresh rate usually means smoother and more natural-looking motion. Most modern TVs have a refresh rate of either 60Hz or 120Hz.

5. Internet-Ready TV

An internet-ready TV is a television designed to connect to your home network to access online content. With an internet-ready TV, you can watch movies and TV shows on streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu without needing any additional equipment.

6. Bezel

On TV, bezels are the borders around the screen. Following the changes in customer preferences, manufacturers are pushing a bezel-less design where the entire front of the TV is a screen.

7. Quantum Dot

Quantum dots are microscopic nanocrystals that, depending on their size, emit different colors when light is shone on it. If you want deeper, more accurate primary colors, consider buying a TV that uses this technology.

8. Pixel

A pixel, short for picture element, is one of the smallest portions of a digital image. The smaller the pixels, the more they can fit in the same screen area to create high-resolution images.

9. Screen Resolution

Screen resolution refers to the number of pixels your screen can display; a higher pixel count generally equals a higher resolution. Screen resolution comprises horizontal and vertical pixels and may look like 3840×2160. More pixels often equal better picture quality.

10. HD and Full HD TVs

High-definition TV, sometimes called 720p, refers to a screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, which is more than twice the number of pixels as standard-definition televisions. On the other hand, Full HD or 1080p TVs offer a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.

12. 4K and UHD TVs

4K refers to a resolution with 8 million pixels or four times the pixels of Full HD, while UHD (Ultra-High Definition) sets refer to TVs with resolutions higher than 1080p. UHD TVs come in 4K (3840×2160 pixels) and 8K.

13. 8K TV

An 8K TV has a screen resolution of 7680×4320 pixels, which is around four times the amount of pixels as 4K. Keep in mind that there aren't many sources of native 8K content at the moment.

14. LCDs

A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is a popular flat-panel display made of pixels filled with liquid crystals. LCD TVs use backlight to shine light through the liquid crystals in the TV's panel, allowing variable amounts of color through to form an image.

15. LED

An LED or light-emitting diode is a semiconductor diode that lights when an electric current passes through it. An LED TV is an LCD TV illuminated by LED lights to create the picture you see on TV.

16. OLED

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. OLED display technology uses thin carbon-based films placed between two conductors to produce light with the help of electricity.

The organic process is called electroluminescence, meaning the display is self-illuminating and does not need any backlight. OLED displays produce some of the best contrasts, don't consume much power, and are usually thinner than LCD TVs.

17. QLED

QLED stands for Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode, so QLED TVs are essentially LED TVs equipped with quantum dots. The TVs benefit from the features of quantum dots, such as the ability to deliver accurate colors with better saturation.

18. HDMI

HDMI, an acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, is a technology for transmitting high-definition video and audio signals through a cable. HDMI cables connect your TV to many types of equipment, including games consoles and Blu-ray players.

The ideal TV should have several HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 ports. Most recent TVs have HDMI ARC (audio return channel) or eARC (enhanced audio return channel) on at least one HDMI port which helps improve bandwidth and speed.

19. Backlighting

As mentioned, all LED TVs are LCD panels with back lighting. Backlights are tiny light sources or light strips situated inside some displays that provide the light that makes images brighter and more colorful. Displays can be edge-lit, direct-lit, and more, depending on the placement on the screen.

20. Viewing Angle

Viewing angle refers to the maximum angle from which you can watch your TV screen without losing brightness or suffering color shifts.

On screens with reduced viewing angles, you can only get the optimal viewing angle by sitting in front of the screen. The best OLED TVs offer great viewing angles, making them ideal for big families.

21. ALLM

Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) is a gaming feature that enables a TV to automatically switch to game mode as soon as it detects gameplay. The feature automatically switches on the optimal latency setting, allowing for smooth and lag-free viewing.

There's Never Been a Better Time to Buy a TV

These days, TVs come with many confusing terms like HDR, QLED, and Refresh Rate. These buzzwords usually describe the capabilities of the TV set, so it's important to know them.