Toshiba has been on the market for a while now, and they are a popular choice for consumer electronic products. But while they have been around for a while now, they’re not exactly on top, which brings us to the question of their reliability.
Are there any issues worth considering? Are Toshiba TVs reliable?
Regarding Reliability of Toshiba TVs
Toshiba is a reputable TV brand you can trust when it comes to home electronics, including TVs. They are comparable to other TVs in the same price range when it comes to durability. Expect a Toshiba TV to last 6-9 years when not turned on for more than 10 hours per day.
Do Toshiba TVs Last As Long As Other Brands?
For the most part, Toshiba TVs will last as long as its competitors with proper care.
That means calibrating the settings and not exposing the TV to harsh conditions. In other words, if you take care of your Toshiba TV, it will last you!
Are Toshiba TVs Worth Buying?
Toshiba TVs are worth buying, considering their price and performance when compared to other brands.
- Toshiba smart TVs use either Android, the Fire TV system of Amazon, or their proprietary system, which has the most common streaming apps like Netflix preloaded. Consumer electronics enthusiasts believe that their Fire TVs are good entry-level units worth having.
- But with the low price you pay, you should also manage your expectations.
- While you can expect decent image quality, don’t expect all their TVs to be as vivid or sharp as those made by expensive, big-name brands like Sony. However, Toshiba’s more expensive TVs, such as their OLED TVs, get closest to being premium quality TVs.
Do People Generally Have Problems With Toshiba TVs?
For the most part, people don’t have any uncommon problems with Toshiba TVs.
And if there are any problems, they are problems that are common among all smart TV brands.
What Are the Most Common Issues With Toshiba TVs?
Toshiba TVs have a few issues that are more common for their TVs. These issues are common with any TV brand.
These issues include low brightness levels, narrow viewing angles, and mediocre color calibration.
The lack of brightness and narrow viewing angles are unsolvable issues. Meanwhile, the color accuracy can be fixed with calibration.
How Reliable Are The Cable Ports?
The cable ports of Toshiba TVs are generally durable.
As long as you don’t put force out cable when unplugging peripherals, these will last.
To get better mileage from them, you can refrain from unplugging often by adding a switch or hub for these peripherals, which will reduce stress on the ports.
How Many Years Should I Expect It To Last?
Under heavy use, Toshiba TVs can last up to seven years before it starts showing signs of degradation, which is true of most TVs.
With moderate use and proper settings, Toshiba TVs can last even longer.
How Long Is the Warranty On These?
Toshiba TVs have warranty coverages of 12 months.
What’s the First Thing that Breaks in a TV?
The first thing that breaks in modern TVs is the backlights.
Many people make the mistake of setting the backlight to full blast. Which is okay if you are in a very bright environment.
But the truth is, you don’t need to set the backlight too high, especially when watching at night or in a dim room. Brightness does not improve image quality, so only crank up the brightness when you are in a bright setting and it is necessary to see the picture.
Backlights at the highest level will break easily, hence the need to control their levels, especially because many Toshiba TVs not having high peak brightness.
What Are the Best Toshiba TVs?
If you find yourself convinced with the quality that Toshiba offers, here are the top three TVs you can buy from the brand.
Toshiba UL3B
The Toshiba UL3B comes packed with many features.
- It features a quad-core processor that gives it enough power to handle on-the-fly renderings, especially during video game use.
- The UL3B also features HDR and support for Dolby Vision HDR. It also features a good upscaling to UHD resolution.
- For gaming features, the UL3B has low latency and performs decently with HDR games.
- For those who are particular about the audio experience, the UL3B features Sound by Onkyo and support for Dolby Audio.
Toshiba X98
The Toshiba X98 is the brand’s OLED offering.
As all OLED panels are made by the premium brand LG, you know that the X98 will be good. And indeed it is.
- Under the hood, the X98 features a dual-core processor to handle spontaneous rendering, which comes in handy during video game usage.
- Speaking of video games, the X98 has a low input lag, thanks to the OLED panel, and a great Game Mode.
- The X98 features a wide color gamut that enhances the HDR experience. It also comes with support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR.
- The X98 also handles upscaling of lower resolution content without any problems.
- Sound-wise, the X98 uses the Onkyo system and has support for Dolby Audio. This TV also has an internal subwoofer to add depth to your soundscape.
- This TV already comes with the most common streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu, so it’s ready for binge-watching.
- This TV also supports integration with Alexa.
Toshiba UA6B
The Toshiba UA6B is an Android TV that does not disappoint.
- It comes Chromecast ready, so you get more options for streaming content.
- Under the hood, there’s a quad-core processor that helps render quality 4k HDR content.
- For the sound quality, this TV also uses the Onkyo system and has support for Dolby Audio. There’s also support for HDMI 2 for use with ARC systems.
- The UA6B has decent HDR performance, although it could be better, given the TV’s emphasis on aesthetics.
- This TV also supports Dolby Vision HDR and upscale lower-resolution content to UHD decently.
- Gaming performance is also good, considering the low input lag and the Game Mode that enhances the performance.
Four ways to care for your TV
The reliability of your TV depends on two things: the way it was manufactured and how it is handled.
Users should learn how to properly care for their TV in order to get a longer life and better performance from their TV.
Here are four ways to care for your TV.
1. Turn off the TV when not in use
Keeping the TV on when not in use decreases its lifespan.
Remember that the backlights of the TV burn out over time and are the first thing that breaks in a TV. Thus, you only expose your TV to further degradation when you keep it on for prolonged periods when not in use.
Turning off the TV when you’re not using it delays degradation, and also helps you save on electricity.
2. Dust off the TV
Dust might seem harmless, but it can damage your screen. And accumulated dust can also affect the ventilation of the TV.
Make it a habit to dust off the TV regularly with a microfiber cloth.
Do not use any other cleaning agent with it, as it can damage the TV, especially the screen.
3. Lower the Brightness
Many people think that cranking up the brightness will make the picture quality better, however, that is not true.
Unnecessarily high brightness levels result in the backlights degrading more quickly. That’s because the backlight will emit more heat, which we all know is not good for any electronic device.
So you should adjust the brightness of your TV to match the lighting condition of the room.
4. Keep the TV well-ventilated
Remember that TVs emit heat during use, and the last thing you want is to overheat your TV.
That is why you need to provide enough space for ventilation for your TV. That means having at least two inches of space between the TV and the wall and at least four inches of space on the side of the TV.
If you plan to put your TV in a cabinet-type console, make sure it has enough space to breathe. You may also put cooling fans to help keep it cool.
Final Thoughts
Toshiba TVs are generally reliable, given the components and features you get with each unit.
While they may have some mediocre units, the brand is stepping up its quality each year.
Sources:
LED Television’s Life Expectancy