Everything You Need To Know About Lifestyle TVs

Over the years, television technology has given us incredible picture quality, the thinnest of screens, Wi-Fi connectivity, and now it’s finally evolving to suit our lifestyles. Design aficionados have long been waiting for an aesthetically pleasing television, while avid entertainers and the outdoor types have been on the hunt for a top-quality unit that can withstand the elements. Finally, among sports TVs and home cinemas, a whole new television category is emerging. There’s always been a lot to consider when investing in a new television, such as size, resolution and smart features, and now there’s lifestyle.

What Is A Lifestyle TV And Why Should You Consider One?

A lifestyle TV is quite simply a television that complements and enhances your lifestyle. It’s a new and emerging category in the television space that encapsulates more creative and versatile TVs than the market has seen in the past

Style And Design TVs

The first rule in living room design has always been to avoid placing your television front-and-centre where it will become the focal point. Now, lifestyle TVs that transform into artwork when they are not in use allow you the freedom to do exactly that.

The NXTFRAME TV

Turn your favourite moments into a masterpiece with just a few clicks with the TCL NXTFrame TV. The slim, sleek design transforms your space into a personal art gallery and instantly elevates your decor. Plus, it comes in a range of sizes, from 55" to 85", so you can find the perfect fit for any room. Enjoy crisp, clear images on a Matte screen, elevated by vivid visuals and lifelike colours —perfect for both artwork and your favourite shows. Changing up your decor is easy with swappable magnetic frames in dark oak, beech wood, or mint green (the beech wood frame comes in the box, so you can start styling right away!)

The Canvas

Get ready to elevate your space with the Hisense CanvasTV, a true showstopper that’s all about style and functionality! Available in both 55" and 65" sizes, this TV transforms any wall into a stunning masterpiece with its Art Mode*, letting you display beautiful artwork that matches your vibe.

Plus, with the handy “Memories on Demand” feature, you can showcase your favourite moments whenever you want. Enjoy an anti-glare view thanks to the Hi-Matte Display, while 4K Quantum Dot Colour delivers jaw-dropping visuals that bring your movies and shows to life. The multi-dimensional sound will make you feel like you’re right in the action!

Want to add a personal touch? The StyleSwap Frame lets you customise your look, and the UltraSlim Wall Mount keeps everything sleek and stylish. And with the clever motion detector*, your art comes alive whenever you walk by.

^{*By signing up for a free VIDAA account and signing in to the VIDAA Art App, users can access an extensive library of over 1000 art pieces, providing a rich and diverse collection to suit all tastes. Even without signing in, viewers can still enjoy 300 free art pieces, ensuring that everyone has access to beautiful and inspiring content.}

^{*Motion Detector operates only in Art Mode. Performance may vary depending on the lighting condition. Motion detector will work within 2-4 metres.}

The Frame

Samsung has been leading the way in this space, first launching The Frame in 2017. The “Art Mode” feature allows the TV’s screen to display works of art ranging from paintings to images, from either a personal photo library, built-in options or from across the globe through the Art Store, a Samsung-owned art subscription service. The latest release of The Frame features QLED technology, 4k Ultra HD resolution and “One Clear Cable”, which connects your TV to the Samsung One Connect Box to manage all your devices including power, so you're not compromising on aesthetics.

To further enhance the cohesive design of your space, the physical frame of the television can be customised in your choice of colour and style options (sold separately). For renters, or when wall-mounting isn’t an option, there’s also an easel-inspired Studio Stand accessory that gives you greater flexibility with your room set-up and layout.

Resolution

Screen resolution determines how sharp the picture quality will be, so the higher it is, the better the picture clarity. As a relatively new television category, most lifestyle TVs are equipped with the very latest in technology and have at least 4K resolution. Here’s what it means:

8K

In consumer products, 8K resolution is the highest on the market, giving you extreme detail thanks to some 33 million pixels. There’s only a handful of models on the market so far, and it’s yet to make its way into the lifestyle category – watch this space.

4K

The most common resolution you’ll find in the lifestyle space. These TVs are also referred to as Ultra HD and have 3840 x 2160 pixels, so the detail is still fantastic. They usually have a refresh rate of 120Hz 9 (this is the number of times per second a TV refreshes its image), so they’re perfect for fans of fast-paced thrillers and live sports.

Full HD TV

These models have a 1080p Full HD resolution with more than two million screen pixels (1920 x 1080 pixels). It’s one of the most common resolutions in modern televisions, but given lifestyle products are high-end, they usually exceed Full HD.

Screen Technology

Finding a new TV can often feel like you’re speaking a whole new language – here’s a breakdown of the top technology.

OLED

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, which describes the panel within the TV that displays light and colour. To the average eye, the biggest difference in OLED-tech TVs is the perfect black – on LED TVs it can appear more like a charcoal grey because the technology uses a backlight. OLED TVs have no backlight, so blacks appear more saturated and colour is more vibrant.

LED LCD

There are two acronyms to break down here. The first is LED, which stands for light-emitting diodes. LEDs are used to backlight the liquid crystal display (LCD), which is where LCD comes in. LED LCD displays are the most common type of television on the market today.

QLED

QLED technology is much like LED LCD, with the addition of a quantum dot layer within the display, which allows a wider and more saturated range of colour, while reducing glare and reflection.

Smart Features

While things like art mode and water resistance are the features that really set lifestyle TVs apart from the rest of the pack, there are some other features you should look for to get the most out of your television:

• Wi-Fi connectivity or smart features that allow you to stream your favourite shows and movies, as well as connecting to other smart devices in your home.

• Voice control is an underrated feature on TVs, especially when it means not having to type into a search bar ever again.

• Built-in apps such as Netflix and YouTube make it easy to start streaming.

Price range

Expect to pay a little extra for the benefits that a lifestyle TV has to offer. The Frame starts from $1395 for a 43-inch, The Terrace comes in at $4995 for a 65-inch, and the LG Gallery is priced at $3495 for a 55-inch.*

So now that you know all about lifestyle TVs – it’s time to get a demo and see these incredible televisions for yourself. Head in-store to The Good Guys to see a great range of these incredible TVs, or shop online. You’ll be amazed at how they will enhance your viewing – and your home design.