ARTICLE
Trade Secrets: Top 5 TV Trends
Published Jul 18, 2025 • Updated Sep 3, 2026 - 3 min read
These TV trends point to brighter Mini LED screens, smarter streaming, sharper UHD picture quality and immersive Dolby Atmos sound, with lifestyle TVs also offering a more stylish way to watch. The Good Guys’ experts say the best upgrade is the one that matches your room, your content habits and your budget.
Key takeaways from this article
Mini LED is shaping up as the standout TV tech for brighter, better HDR viewing.
Smarter TVs now blend streaming apps, free-to-air and devices into one easy interface.
UHD TVs deliver crisp detail and vivid clarity for a bigger home cinema feel.
Lifestyle TVs double as decor, with art and photography modes when switched off.
Christos Boukogiannis (The Good Guys Buyer, Sound) says Dolby Atmos soundbars add a more realistic, all-around soundstage.
In the market for a whiz-bang new TV to rev up your home viewing? Unless you are a total tech nerd – or have already done a deep dive into the latest home entertainment trends – you may well be feeling a little overwhelmed by your options, not to mention all that tech talk! OLED vs. QLED? Built-in soundbar or surround sound speakers?
You need someone to cut through the noise – and who better than our home entertainment experts who live and breathe the latest innovations in TV Land!
“Today’s thrilling TV tech has utterly transformed home viewing,” says Jason Tavoletti, The Good Guys Buyer – Televisions. “TVs last year had bigger screens, slimmer bezels and higher definition so everyone could have that perfect movie-viewing experience at home. This year the future is even brighter – literally – because brightness is the next big frontier in TV technology. Brighter TVs mean better quality HDR pictures, and thus better textures.
“That said, it’s important to do your homework before you upgrade your TV. After all, this big-ticket buy will be one of the busiest appliances in your household.”
To help with that quest, Jason Tavoletti reveals the cutting-edge TV tech he personally rates highest, along with his pick for the top TV; while our audio buyer Christos Boukogiannis spotlights the hot sound tech you need for epic at-home entertainment.
Trend #1: Ultra-realistic viewing
Why you want it: “When first introduced, 4K and, later, 8K HDR (High Dynamic Range) pictures were absolute game changers as this technology meant you could have a bigger, more realistic picture at home,” says Jason Tavoletti. “Now, display technology is getting even better and more affordable, so more people can feel like they’re in the game, or that those characters are right there in the room with them.”
Best buys:
Trend #2: Smarter TVs that elevate streaming content
Why you want one: “One of the biggest trends in smart TVs is the blurring of the line between free-to-air channels, streaming apps and HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) inputs from devices like gaming consoles and soundbars,” says Jason Tavoletti. “Smart TVs now treat all three content types with equal weight, making it easier for you to find the content you want, when you want it.”
Best buys:
Trend #3: Powerful UHD for stunning picture
Why you want one: There’s something impressive about elevating your home entertainment with an Ultra High-Definition (UHD) screen. The latest UHD TVs deliver rich detail and vibrant clarity to really immerse you in the action. They also include sleek designs and clever technology so every movie night will be magical.
Best buys:
Trend #4: Lifestyle TVs
Why you want one: Everyone loves an immersive big-screen viewing experience with top-of-the-range technology, but not everyone likes a huge black mirror parked in their living room for the rest of the time. “ Lifestyle TVs have solved the dilemma,” says Jason Tavoletti. “They’re designed to provide you with the best TV technology when you’re watching TV, and enhance your decor when the TV’s switched off by displaying beautiful artworks or photography.”
Best buys:
Trend #5: “Right there” audio
Why you want it: Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars are revolutionising TV viewing, creating an incredibly realistic sound stage for all those favourite movie moments but allowing the sound to travel more naturally.
“We used to be limited to just having the audio in front of and behind us but with Dolby Atmos and object-based sound tracking, you can now hear a plane fly overhead and even track its movements,” says Christos Boukogiannis, The Good Guys Buyer – Sound. “I can say from personal experience that when you’re watching intense action scenes from the likes of Maverick or Marvel, the level of immersion that the latest home audio tech delivers will blow your mind!”
Best buys:
FAQs
What's the difference between OLED and QLED TVs?
OLED TVs have pixels that produce their own light and can switch off individually, giving true blacks, infinite contrast and wide viewing angles. QLED TVs use an LED backlight with a quantum dot layer to boost colour and brightness, so they tend to get brighter overall and are less prone to permanent screen burn-in, but blacks aren't as deep since the backlight can't fully switch off in small areas the way OLED pixels can.
Why is brightness becoming such a big focus in new TVs?
Brightness is the next big frontier in TV technology. Brighter TVs produce better quality HDR (High Dynamic Range) pictures, which in turn deliver improved textures and a more realistic viewing experience.
What should I consider before buying a new TV?
Key things to weigh up include: the screen size that suits your room and viewing distance; resolution (4K is now standard, 8K is a premium step up); panel type such as OLED, QLED or Mini LED, which affects contrast and brightness; refresh rate if you play fast-paced games or watch a lot of sport; smart TV features and which streaming apps and voice assistants you actually use; connectivity such as the number of HDMI ports for consoles or soundbars; and your overall budget, since features like Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support can add to the price.
How do Dolby Atmos soundbars change the way sound is experienced at home?
Dolby Atmos uses object-based sound tracking, meaning audio isn't limited to simply playing from the front and back of a room. Instead, sounds can be tracked as they move, creating a more immersive, realistic soundstage during movies and TV shows.
Ready to scale up your viewing experience with a new TV or soundbar? Visit The Good Guys in-store and online for more expert advice, the biggest brands in home entertainment and Pay Less Every day prices.
