So last week, I was at Costco with my cousin — you know the one who always says he’s “just browsing” and then leaves with like $600 worth of stuff he absolutely didn’t need? Yeah, him. We’re wandering past the TV section, and suddenly he goes, “Yo, can you help me pick a TV? You write all that tech stuff, right?”
I swear I aged five years on the spot.
Because shopping for a TV in 2025 is wild. The number of smart TV features shoved in your face? It’s like ordering a sandwich and the guy behind the counter keeps adding toppings you didn’t ask for. “You want AI picture optimization?” “How about multiview?” “You sure you don’t want quantum-something-something?”
And I’m standing there like… bro, I just wanna see the Knicks lose in 4K.
But anyway — that whole ordeal made me realize that a lot of people (including maybe you) genuinely don’t know which smart TV features actually matter in 2025 and which ones are just marketing nonsense designed to make us feel technologically inferior.
So I put together this very honest, very me guide. No corporate jargon. No perfect transitions. Just a guy from Queens talking to you like you’re a friend slumped on my couch asking, “Hey, is this TV any good?”
Why Smart TV Features Actually Matter in 2025 (and why my cousin absolutely ignored me)
Remember when buying a TV used to be simple?
Like you walked in, asked “Which one is big and cheap?” and went home.
Now? TVs are basically giant phones. They update and get slow or spy on you a little (okay, maybe a lot). They try to recommend shows you’d never watch in a million years. One time my TV recommended “Extreme Fishing with Jimmy Houston.”
I don’t even like regular fishing.
The point is: the smart TV features you choose now will haunt — I mean, help — you for the next few years. So choose well.
The Smart TV Features That Actually Matter in 2025 (From Someone Who’s Made Mistakes)
1. A Decent Operating System (aka: Please Don’t Buy a TV That Makes You Rage)
Listen. I don’t care how pretty the display is — if the TV takes 12 seconds to open YouTube, you will lose your mind.
Here are the big OS options in 2025:
- Google TV
Honestly? This is like the chill friend who has his life together but somehow isn’t annoying. Easy layout. Good apps. Doesn’t fight you. - webOS (LG)
My personal favorite for years. Clean. Fast. Doesn’t look like Times Square at night. - Tizen (Samsung)
It’s… fine. But Samsung REALLY wants you to use Samsung stuff. Like chill bro, I don’t want Samsung TV+, stop making it autoplay. - Roku TV
Simple. Almost too simple. Like a bowl of plain cereal.
If your TV OS lags out of the box — return it. I know the walk of shame is annoying, but so is opening Netflix and seeing the little loading circle spin for eternity.
2. The Remote (Yes, This Matters More Than You Think)
TV remotes today are either:
a) super minimal and stylish but confusing
b) full of random buttons like a spaceship cockpit
I swear one remote I used had a button labeled “Vivid+” like it was some kind of vitamin.
Look for:
- A mic button that actually responds when you say “Play The Office” and not “Playing The Orphanage.”
- Quick-access buttons you actually use (Netflix, Prime, YouTube — not Rakuten TV, whatever that is).
- A remote you won’t lose in two seconds. Bright colors help.
If the remote feels like punishment, trust me, you’ll use your phone instead — and that’s a whole different nightmare.
3. 4K (Duh) but With Good HDR
Honestly? Every TV is 4K now. Even the cheap ones from brands you’ve never heard of like “HiSenseHaierMaxPro.”
What you really want is HDR that doesn’t suck.
Specifically:
- Dolby Vision if you can get it
- HDR10+ if you’re Team Samsung
- A brightness of at least 700–1000 nits
Bad HDR is worse than no HDR. It makes dark scenes look like they were filmed in a basement with a flashlight.
And yes — this is me subtweeting every horror movie ever made.
4. 120Hz Refresh Rate (Your Eyes Will Thank You)
Even if you’re not a gamer, smoother motion matters.
Sports look better. Scrolling menus feel nicer. Your cousin won’t complain during movie night.
If a TV says “120Hz” but costs like $250… that’s fake. Don’t trust it. Like those “designer jackets” sold at the back of the subway station.
5. AI Picture Modes That Aren’t Completely Ridiculous
In 2025, every TV claims it has “AI-enhanced upscaling.”
Some of it is great.
Some of it is straight-up sorcery that makes people’s faces look like melted cake frosting.
A good rule:
If the AI mode makes everything look like a TikTok beauty filter? Turn it off. Immediately.
AI sharpness should be subtle. Not like “here’s every pore this actor has ever had in their life.”
6. Multiview / Split-Screen (Surprisingly Addictive)
Okay, I used to think this was dumb.
Then one day I was watching the Mets game while checking YouTube tutorials for how to replace a bathroom faucet.
Life-changing.
Good multiview means:
- You can resize windows
- You can pair with your phone easily
- Audio switching doesn’t require a PhD
Bad multiview is like juggling with your feet.
7. Good Built-In Speakers (If You Live in an Apartment)
This one’s for my fellow Queens folks especially — the thin walls are no joke.
A smart TV in 2025 should at least sound decent. Not like a tin can taped to a megaphone.
Look for:
- Dolby Atmos (even virtual Atmos is better than nothing)
- Down-firing or front-firing speakers
- At least 20–30W output total
If you’re planning to use a soundbar anyway, ignore this. But if you’re a minimalist or you don’t wanna deal with cable chaos, built-in speakers matter.
8. Actual Storage Space (THE ULTIMATE SLEEPER FEATURE)
Nobody talks about this enough.
But TVs need storage for apps. If you install too many:
Boom. Lag city.
Boom. Updates fail.
Boom. Your TV wheezes like it ran a marathon.
8GB is the bare minimum.
16GB is solid.
32GB is chef’s kiss.
9. FAST Channels You Might Actually Like
Every TV has free channels now — Pluto, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels.
Some are trash, but some are weirdly amazing.
I once watched a whole channel that played nothing but old Gordon Ramsay episodes where he yells at people. Beautiful.
Do you need this?
No.
Will you enjoy it at 2AM when you can’t sleep?
Absolutely.
The Smart TV Features That Don’t Matter As Much (Don’t Let Brands Trick You)
1. “8K Ready” Anything
No one is watching 8K or making 8K content.
No one has the bandwidth for 8K unless they live inside a Google data center.
If a TV brags about 8K features… walk away.
2. Fancy Names for Basic Stuff
Every brand renames the same features:
- “Quantum Color Magic”
- “HyperTone+”
- “Ultra Visionary Engine”
These tell you NOTHING.
Always read the fine print instead: brightness level, HDR standards, panel type.
I promise you: “MegaScreen SuperPro” is not a real technology.
3. Curved TVs
I’ll keep this short:
No.
(Unless you enjoy reflections of your own face while watching TV.)
A Quick Story That Has Nothing To Do With Anything (But Also Kind of Does)
Back in like 8th grade, I once wore two different shoes to school. One black. One navy. I didn’t notice until lunch when someone yelled, “BRO WHY ARE YOUR FEET ARGUING?”
The point?
Sometimes you think something doesn’t matter… until you’re walking around like a fashion disaster for eight hours.
Same with TVs.
The little stuff becomes big stuff once you’re living with it every day.
My Actual Recommendation If You’re Overwhelmed
If your brain is melting trying to keep track, here’s the easy version:
📌 Minimum Smart TV Features You Should Get in 2025
- 4K with real HDR (Dolby Vision or HDR10+)
- At least 700 nits brightness
- A smooth OS (Google TV or LG webOS ideally)
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Decent speakers or plan for a soundbar
- 16GB storage or more
- A remote that won’t make you cry
- Good multiview
- Voice control that recognizes your accent (NYC accents confuse half these TVs, I swear)
That’s it. That’ll keep you happy for a while.
Outbound Links (Fun & Useful)
Here are a couple things you might enjoy or find helpful:
- A tech writer who explains TV stuff with jokes: https://www.rtings.com/blog
- One of my favorite relatable tech stories: https://theoatmeal.com/comics/printers (trust me, it’s relevant to the frustration of devices)
