The TVs That Keep Landing on Our Install Calendar

Here's the formula we use: measure your viewing distance (where you sit to the TV) in inches, then divide by 1.5 for the minimum screen size, or divide by 1.2 for the maximum. So if you're sitting 8 feet away (96 inches), you want 64-80 inch screens. Most people actually buy too small - modern 4K TVs look great even at closer distances because pixel density is so high. Living rooms typically work best with 65-75 inch displays. Primary bedrooms do well with 55-65 inches. Smaller bedrooms or kitchens are fine with 43-50 inches. Room brightness matters too - if you've got lots of windows, bigger screens with higher brightness specs compensate for ambient light. Also consider your mount - full motion mounts let you adjust viewing angles, but they stick out from the wall more. Fixed mounts work for larger TVs in dedicated viewing spaces. Don't forget ceiling height either - a 75 inch TV needs proper mounting height or you'll be craning your neck. When in doubt, go one size bigger than you think - everyone who does says they wish they'd gone even bigger.

Depends what you're prioritizing. OLED has perfect blacks because each pixel turns completely off - unbeatable contrast for movie watching in dark rooms. Colors pop, response time is instant (great for gaming), and viewing angles stay consistent from the side. Downside? They're not as bright as QLED, so in rooms with lots of windows they can wash out a bit. There's also the burn-in concern if you watch tons of cable news with static logos (though it's less of an issue on newer models). QLED uses LED backlighting with quantum dots for incredible brightness and lively colors - perfect for bright living rooms. They last forever without burn-in concerns and cost less than OLED at the same size. But blacks aren't truly black, they're dark gray, and viewing angles can shift colors. After thousands of installations, here's our take: OLED for dedicated home theaters and primary bedrooms with controlled lighting. QLED for bright living rooms, kitchens, and spaces with windows everywhere. Both technologies are excellent in 2026 - you really can't go wrong either way.

You need brightness and anti-glare technology. Look for TVs rated 1000 nits or higher - Samsung's QN90D and QN85D Neo QLED models hit 1500+ nits and handle bright rooms beautifully. LG's QNED models with Mini-LED backlighting also work great. Sony's X90L series has excellent brightness plus their anti-reflective coating that really does reduce glare. The key specs: peak brightness over 1000 nits, full-array local dimming (not edge-lit), and matte or anti-reflective screen coatings. OLED's beautiful but caps around 800 nits - fine for moderate light but struggles when sun's blasting through windows. Screen finish matters more than people realize. Glossy screens look amazing in dark rooms but reflect everything in bright spaces. Matte or semi-gloss finishes reduce reflections significantly. Room positioning helps too - avoid mounting directly across from windows where you'll see reflected light all day. If possible, position the TV perpendicular to windows. We've installed TVs in some brutally bright spaces - proper brightness specs and anti-glare technology make the difference between usable and unwatchable.

Check three things: weight, VESA pattern, and center of gravity. Most modern TVs mount fine, but there are exceptions. Weight should be clearly listed in specs - lighter is easier to mount but usually means cheaper construction. VESA pattern is the mounting hole spacing on the TV's back, typically 200x200mm up to 600x400mm for standard sizes. Make sure your mount supports the TV's exact VESA pattern. Some boutique TVs use weird proprietary mounting that limits your bracket choices. Center of gravity matters for articulating mounts - TVs that are front-heavy don't balance well on full motion arms. Look at the TV's depth profile - ultra-thin designs (under 2 inches) usually mount cleanly. TVs with recessed connection areas or weird protrusions can interfere with mounts. Read actual user reviews mentioning mounting - you'll catch issues that spec sheets miss. After 9,747+ installations we've learned which models are nightmares (looking at you, certain curved TVs) and which ones mount perfectly. Generally, LG OLEDs, Samsung QLEDs, and Sony models all mount reliably. Budget brands occasionally have strange mount hole positions that complicate installation.

Resolution - 4K is 3840x2160 pixels, 8K is 7680x4320 pixels. So 8K has four times as many pixels as 4K. Sounds amazing, right? Here's reality: there's basically no 8K content available. Streaming services max out at 4K, most cable is 1080p or 720p, and even 4K content is limited. 8K TVs upscale 4K content, and the good ones (like Samsung's QN900 series) do it impressively using AI processors. But you're paying premium prices ($3000-6000+) for future-proofing that may not pay off for years. The other issue: you need to sit really close to see 8K's benefits. Like 4-5 feet from a 75 inch screen. Most people sit 8-12 feet away where 4K and 8K look identical. Where 8K makes sense: massive screens (85+ inches), commercial installations, or if you're future-proofing for the long term. For most people? 4K is perfect and will be for years. Spend your budget on better 4K TVs (OLED or high-end QLED) with features that matter now - brightness, contrast, gaming specs, smart features. That's where we steer customers.

Technically no, but practically yes. Every decent TV sold in 2026 is smart anyway - built-in WiFi, streaming apps, voice controls. You could buy a "dumb" TV and add a Roku or Apple TV, but you'll pay more overall and have two remotes to juggle. Here's what we tell people: buy a smart TV but treat the built-in apps as a backup. Dedicated streaming devices (Apple TV 4K, Roku Ultra, NVIDIA Shield) perform way better - faster interfaces, more apps, regular updates that don't stop after two years. TV manufacturers abandon software support pretty quickly. So connect a dedicated streamer and you've got both options. Smart TV features we actually use: HDMI CEC for one-remote control, voice assistants for basic commands, screen mirroring from phones, built-in Chromecast or AirPlay. Features we ignore: TV's app store (phone apps are better), built-in web browsers (terrible experience), TV's smart home integration (dedicated hubs work better). The exception: LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen are genuinely good smart TV platforms if you want simplicity. But after 9,747+ installations, we recommend getting a good TV with basic smart features, then adding dedicated streaming hardware that you can upgrade independently when technology improves.

For above-fireplace installs we steer customers toward a bright LED panel such as the Samsung Frame, the Samsung QN90D Neo QLED or the Sony X90L, and away from OLED over a working fireplace. The reason is heat: every TV manual lists an operating temperature range, and a working gas fireplace can push the wall above the firebox well past it on a winter evening, which is why we check that wall with an infrared thermometer at full burn before we mount. The fixes are a non-OLED panel (the Frame's matte finish also cuts glare at that higher angle), a mantel heat deflector, or a pull-down or full-motion mount that brings the TV forward and down. A cheap stick-on thermometer behind the TV lets you keep an eye on it.

Depends on the room and the use case. Here is how we steer customers. OLED (LG C4, Sony A95L, Samsung S95D) is the right answer for dedicated home theater rooms in finished basements (Sandy Springs, Roswell, Marietta) where you can control ambient light - the perfect blacks and infinite contrast are unbeatable for movie nights. QLED with Mini-LED backlighting (Samsung QN90D, Sony X90L, Hisense U8N) is the right answer for typical Atlanta great rooms with multiple windows and lots of natural light - they hit 1,500-2,000 nits peak brightness so the screen does not wash out at 2 PM in July. Samsung Frame (the QLED model with the matte anti-glare finish and interchangeable bezels) is the right answer for design-conscious customers in Buckhead, Inman Park, and Old Fourth Ward who want the TV to disappear into the wall. The honest answer: you can not go wrong with any of the three in 2026, but match the panel technology to the room conditions and the wall design. We do site assessments at no charge before recommending.

Yes, on request. Old TV removal and haul-away is quoted when you book, and old sets go to an e-waste recycler rather than the curb. A common request is moving the old TV to a bedroom or basement on the same visit: that is simply a second install at its size rate (for example $159 + $159 = $318 for two 65-inch TVs), with no trip charge. Mention it when you book so we bring the right vehicle and packing materials.

Prioritize sustained brightness and anti-glare coating over panel tech: a high-output QLED or Mini-LED in the 1,000+ nit class beats a dimmer OLED in daytime light. Matte-screen models like frame-style TVs also tame window reflections. Save OLED for rooms where you control the light.