feeling : late , I ’ve been test two TVs that could n’t be more dissimilar from each other . On the one side , a 43 - inch Metz Roku sassy idiot box , and on the other a 77 - inch LG organic light-emitting diode .

As you could see just from the size of it of the screen , there ’s a disconnect ; but there ’s also a predictable disconnection in term of the performance , in particular the luminance they can produce , and it lay down a handsome difference .

Ever since4 K HDR TVscame to fruition , luminousness has been a key broker . It ’s said that to get an mental picture of HDR , you ought to have a TV that can achieve 500 to 600 nits of brightness .

Of naturally , for cheap idiot box , this can be a job ; and even more so for smaller screens . Without giving away an upcoming critical review , the Metz Roku television receiver is not specially promising . Though the specs reveal 250 nit of average brightness , this depends on the video mode . run with the preferences and it can go brighter but not by much – the television conks out at about 270 nits or so .

This is considerably less than the 500 nits that is prefer for an HDR tv set , but it ’s not just the Metz Roku that ’s afflict by this paucity of brightness : it ’s most of the affordable HDR TVs on the market . The Xiaomi F2 Fire goggle box hit 300 nits : a 2022 Samsung BU8000 Crystal UHD is 340 nit , the Sharp FN2KA 400 nit , and theToshiba UK4Dis 330 nits – you get the movement .

This all has an impact on the HDR performance , leave in shot set during the daylight that have a sulky , undercast facial expression but it ’s with saturnine , challenging HDR scenes that these television fight to describe , with detail heavily to make out in ecumenical . The image , whether in dark or bright configurations looks flat , and depend on the tuning of colouring material , color can appear as savorless , lacking that biff and vibrancy that high brightness can bring .

Compared to a 77 - in LG G3 OLED with its brand newMETA paneland 1500 nits of luminosity . Some may interrogate why a telly ever postulate to be as bright as that , but get this much headway allows for more assured tone mapping with 1000 nit mastered HDR10 and HLG content . It allows a boob tube to procreate what ’s in the HDR signal without compromise .

Highlights stand out , and of course as this is an OLED , the black gross are perfect , allowing for an infinite level of dividing line help by OLED ’s pixel level dimming control .

The consequence is a spectacular image , disregardless of whether it ’s SDR or HDR ; and this high stratum of smartness also helps when take in at wide angle , and Montgomery Ward off reflections , making this OLED more suited to be used during the daytime rather than with the curtains pluck across . Like a rising tide lifting all gravy boat , higher brightness helps in other areas too .

The difference between the Metz Roku andLG G3 OLEDis immense but also speaks to a problem with the television receiver industry in that cheaper video do n’t tend to have the capabilities to do HDR properly . If you purchase a Netflix , Disney+ , or Apple TV+ subscription and follow 4 K HDR content , you ’re not getting the experience you could and ought to be get – you ’d be better off watching in either HD or 4 K sans HDR , if that ’s on choice .

Many will show to not being able to give a £ 3000 television set in the LG G3 , but as a sassy person once told me , nothing is everperfectand there ’s always a compromise to be had . A cheaper television match into your budget , but in most cases it ’ll miss echt HDR chop . The award - winning TCL Roku put in a near 4 K HDR performance , but also had the armed service of Dolby Vision and HDR10 + to count on . If more tv set carried these HDR technologies , the brightness would still be a problem but less of a pregnant issue . However , a number of TVs still carry just HDR10 and HLG .

So if you ’re reckon to get a 4 kB HDR boob tube in the sales this year , do n’t automatically acquire a super - cheap idiot box is the again you believe it might be , estimate on price . Instead , take aim a little higher in terms of price or consider a television set that supports Dolby Vision . Your wallet may not thank you but you ’ll be draw a well viewing experience .