Most customers want a Smart TV that would last them years, which ultimately saves them money if they don’t have to buy a new TV every year.
It is important, then, when buying your Smart TV that you know how durable it is and what kind of future you will have with it.
That considered, do Smart TVs break easily?
Smart TVs don’t break more easily than a non-smart TV, but any device is going to require proper care to keep its lifespan long. If your Smart TV is kept in a safe environment, not overused, and is left alone from hackers, you can get over eight years out of one TV without replacement.
How Durable are Smart TVs?
Smart TVs are generally durable, but their lifespan depends on how you use them.
Backlight Lifespan:
LEDs at its brightest usually have a lifespan of 40,000 – 60,000 hours, which is equal to 4.5 to 6.8 years.
Of course, this is assuming you are running the TV for 24 hours a day.
Assuming you use the TV for an average of 8 hours a day, if your smart TV’s backlight has a lifespan of 40,000 hours, you can get around 13 years from this TV.
Assuming you put extra care into your smart TV, the first component that breaks is almost always the backlight. That is not bad at all, considering the average lifespan range listed above.
You can even get more mileage if you lower your backlight’s brightness.
Remember that your backlight at its highest brightness will burn it out faster. Adjust your TV’s backlight to 75 percent or lower.
Operating Temperatures:
While smart TVs have air vents and heatsinks to manage the TV temperature, there are some cases that your TV may breakdown faster due to the heat.
Keeping your smart TV in tight and enclosed spaces contributes to the added heat it may receive. Positioning your smart TV beside appliances that emit heat also damages your TV.
Of course, using your smart TV outdoors, and subjecting it to extreme temperatures will also damage your TV.
This is why it is crucial to know where you are going to put your TV and make sure that it is in a safe space.
For more information, check out our article “Do Smart TVs Overheat? Here Are The Facts”!
Which Smart TVs are the Most Robust on the Market?
Since the first thing that breaks in a smart TV is the backlight, you need to make sure that you are looking into TVs with long-lifespan backlights.
For this, consider getting an LG smart TV with OLED. According to the developers of OLED, this technology will last for 54 years, before showing signs of failing.
While this has yet to be proven, since the technology is new, it is worth considering in comparison with non-OLED counterparts.
While LG is known for OLED screens, other manufacturers like Sony also have OLED smart TVs.
Vizio is also set to launch its first OLED screen in the Fall of 2020.
QLED Options:
If OLED does not convince you, consider getting a smart TV with QLED.
QLED is Samsung’s technology, that aims to color and contrast on your screen.
It is exclusive with Samsung smart TVs and has an estimated lifespan of seven to ten years at full backlight brightness.
How Long do Smart TVs Generally Last?
Smart TVs should last you almost seven (7) years at full power or while on the highest settings.
You will most likely get more out of your device if you operate your TV at lower brightness.
How Durable is the Flat Screen of a TV?
The durability of a flat-screen TV depends on the kind of screen used.
If you believe in marketing pitches, OLED screens will last you 54 years at the highest settings, the longest so far, although yet to be verified.
Will Playing Video Games on my Smart TV Break it?
Modern smart TVs won’t have this problem, which was often an issue in the past with CRT TVs.
The integration of a game mode option gives a smart TV better adaptability with the graphics of console games.
Will Using my Smart TV as a Computer Monitor Break it?
You should not have any issues with using your smart TV as a computer monitor.
Most consumers can use it with confidence without worrying about breaking it.
However, if you are using it to play video games, you may find that the display has a delayed response time.
Can Hackers Break my TV?
If hackers manage your smart TV, they can do different things to it, from playing around with your audio and display settings to crippling its firmware, making the whole TV unusable.
That is why you need to be cautious with your smart TV over the apps you install, and the information you share through your smart TV.
For more information on smart TVs and hacking, please read the article Smart TVs And Hacking: 10 Answers To Help You Stay Safe.
Are Non-Smart TVs more Durable than Smart TVs?
While smart TVs include a lot of the latest technologies, they still suffer from the same weakness as their normal LED TV counterparts.
Particularly those smart TVs that do not have OLED, which is known to last longer.
Just because it is not a Smart TV does not mean that it can be subjected to harsh environments, constant use, and hacking without lessening its lifespan.
Three Tips to Prevent a Smart TV from Breaking
1. Decrease the Backlight Level of your Smart TV:
Setting the backlight to the highest level only makes your LEDs burn out faster.
You can still get excellent picture quality even if you lower the backlight of your smart TV.
Keep it at 75 percent, and the images will be clear, and it will not be blinding, especially when you watch at night.
Place your smart TV in an area where it won’t receive much glare, so you don’t have to work your backlights too hard all the time.
2. Make Sure your Smart TV is Well Ventilated:
Smart TVs were not meant for use under extreme temperatures.
That includes freezing, too.
Make sure you place your smart TV in a well-ventilated area.
Keep it away from heat sources, and other heat-emitting appliances, as well as anything that might be too cold or damaging.
If you use an enclosed console for your TV, you may want to reconsider your choice.
Enclosed spaces may affect the flow of air to ventilate your smart TV and can damage the hardware of your device.
3. Keep your Smart TV’s Secure:
Don’t compromise your smart TV’s security.
Limit the amount of data that you share on your smart TV so that hackers will have a hard time breaking into your TV’s encryption.
You do not want hackers to be able to break or tamper with your smart TV’s settings.
Sources:
What is QLED? Samsung’s quantum dot panels explained.
Are Smart TVs Good Or Bad For Gaming? (Solved!)