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Imagine having your TV for only a few years, yet experiencing quality issues and audio woes less than five years into ownership. Or even worse, it won’t turn on at all.
Ty Pendlebury, CNET’s TV editor, says most people keep TVs for 10 years before buying a new one. So being in the market for a new TV sooner than you expect can be a financial headache.
CNET’s People’s Picks asked our readers questions about their primary TV to understand their perspectives on different brands and TV features. One question asked how long readers have had their TVs, and the results were surprising. Many Roku TV owners have owned theirs for less than a year (48%). But some brands are standing the test of time, and our readers have owned them for over five years.
Which brands are those, and what do readers think of them? Here are the top two.
Vizio TV owners keep their TVs the longest
Close to half (41%) of readers who own Vizio TVs have owned them for more than five years. However, a durable TV doesn’t necessarily mean buying an expensive one. Most Vizio TV owners aren’t breaking the bank on their TVs, regardless of when they bought them. Over three-fourths (82%) have spent less than $1,000 on their Vizio TV. And the majority of Vizio TV owners have standard LED TVs, which have lower-quality display panels than higher-end options like LCD and OLED.
Yet CNET’s findings make one point clear: Even CNET editors say that decent picture quality doesn’t have to be expensive. And CNET readers show that it can be long-lasting, too. Over half of Vizio TV owners (66%) say their TV has flawless color reproduction, and 56% also say it handles fast-moving content well. All Vizio TV owners say it delivers either good or flawless gaming performance, with a 50-50 split. That’s a lot to be said about the quality and durability of a TV that’s been around for over five years.
However, Vizio doesn’t get the highest percentages for excellent picture quality compared with other brands. And only 34% of people give their Vizio TV a 5-out-of-5 rating and would recommend it to a friend. It may still be worth considering a Vizio TV, like the latest Mini LED Quantum Series, if you’re looking for a new TV with solid picture quality and under $500.
Sony gets top marks from readers, too
Sony is second to readers who keep Vizio TVs the longest — 31% of CNET readers with Sony TVs have owned them for more than five years. And Sony gets even higher reader marks than Vizio. Over half (61%) of users give their Sony TV a 5 out of 5 and would recommend it to a friend.
Most Sony TV owners have OLED display panels (35%), which could reflect Sony TV owners’ price points — 44.5% spent between $1,000 and $1,999. Meanwhile, 32% spent over $2,000 and 3% spent under $500.
As for picture quality, nearly half (49%) say their TV has excellent picture quality, and 61% of Sony TV users say their TVs reproduce color flawlessly. Fifty-three percent of Sony TV users say their TV’s gaming performance is flawless, while 47% say it’s good, leaving no owners disappointed.
Take good care of your TV regardless of the brand
How easy and cost-effective is it to repair your TV instead of replacing it? I dug into Vizio and Sony’s repair options and found that Vizio offers a self-help portal to troubleshoot your TV at home, or you can request professional help. If Vizio can’t assist, Vizio will set up a Warranty Service Order for further assistance if you have a warranty and meet Vizio’s criteria. Sony also has a repair portal that can pair you with a local Sony-authorized service center for assistance.
If you have an OLED TV, Pendlebury recommends setting the power settings to turn off after 5 minutes. “Static images can be retained on an OLED screen, and you don’t want it to get bad enough that it stays there permanently,” says Pendlebury. “Watching TV normally will get rid of most image retention issues, though.”
This is also a good reminder to research where you buy your TV. You may qualify for a limited warranty that can help cover the cost of repairing your TV instead of replacing it at a higher cost. Always buy from a reputable retailer that you trust and that offers a warranty. Most importantly, don’t forget to register your TV with the brand for updates and assistance. Pendlebury doesn’t recommend buying secondhand because they don’t come with a warranty and are really hard to transport without damaging them.
If you’re moving your TV, treat it like the fragile glass item that it is. Pendlebury recommends keeping the original box to move it. Remember not to apply any pressure to the TV screen when lifting, and try to put the weight on your back if possible.
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