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As much as technology has evolved in recent years, it still somehow sticks out like a sore thumb in a more minimalist and homely living room setup. Sure, slim and sleek TVs have made their way into the market, but they still look like technology and aren’t exactly a subtle addition to your cosy living room.
While TVs have traditionally had a more modern and utilitarian look, lifestyle TVs provide an elegant alternative to the mundane beige and black boxes of yesteryear. With a focus on design and aesthetics, a lifestyle television is meant to blend in with its surroundings and create an inviting atmosphere.
What Is a Lifestyle TV?
But what exactly do you get when you buy a slim and ingenious TV with lifestyle features? How much of an upgrade would you be getting compared to your traditional TV?
These models are essentially a hybrid between art and technology, with their seemingly simple design masking more complex features and capabilities. They look like art pieces due to their slim frames and modern edges that contrast the traditional boxy design, making them look like an extension of the wall or room decor.
Key Features of a Lifestyle TV Set
In order to understand the full extent of what a set with lifestyle features offers, you need to look at the main components of such a set. Some options focus more on design while others may also have advanced capabilities, but they all share some common aspects:
Sleek Design
This is by far the most noticeable feature, as it’s what primarily sets these TVs apart from the traditional models. Lifestyle TVs come with a much slimmer frame that can either be attached to the wall or has an easel-like stand for greater customisation.
At the core of their design lies a serif, which is a small groove at the back of the panel that allows for extra cable management. This keeps all your cables and wires neatly stored together, further contributing to the elegant design. On top of that, the frame and serif can be customised to match your home decor for a more subtle look.
Crisp Picture Quality
We all put a lot of emphasis on the way our TVs look, but the most important thing is still how they perform. Not only do we want them to complement our rooms, but we also want them to deliver crystal-clear images and sound.
Advanced lifestyle TVs have maximised picture quality with HDR and 4K resolution, while also providing a wide range of viewing angles to enjoy your movies or TV shows from any location. The way HDR works is by improving the contrast and colour accuracy of blacks and whites, which results in a more vibrant image that looks closer to real life. The more the black and white levels are increased, the better the overall picture quality.
Ambilight
One of the newer features that is slowly becoming a staple of modern technological devices is ambilight. This technology adds a bit of flare to your viewing experience by projecting the colours and hues of whatever you’re watching onto the walls of your living room.
The colours can be configured to fit their surroundings, and they even react to sound by changing in intensity and saturation. This can be used to great effect during an immersive movie night, with the lights subtly changing in accordance with what’s happening on the screen. Some models even come with additional settings such as a reading light and music mode.
Pivotable Stand
To fully appreciate the design of any modern lifestyle TV, you’ll need to be able to move it around. Many of us have different spots in our living rooms that we use for viewing, and having something we can turn and adjust to fit our needs is one of the most convenient things we can do for ourselves.
Most of these sets come with a specialised stand that can be manipulated according to the viewer’s preferences. This allows you to find a suitable angle for watching your favourite shows or movies, and you can even pivot your TV as needed to fit the design of your living room.
Acoustic Soundbar
Don’t be fooled by the simple design of the lifestyle TV, as these sets also offer immersive sound thanks to their built-in acoustic soundbar. The speakers are integrated into the frame and feature advanced technologies such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, allowing you to enjoy crystal-clear audio without the need for any additional equipment.
The reason these two technologies are so significant is that they provide a more immersive experience. Dolby Atmos works by adding extra channels for height, while DTS:X also works with height, but in a more dynamic way. The result is an audio output that truly puts you at the centre of whatever you’re watching.
Minimalist Remote Controls
Gone are the days when bulky remotes cluttered our living rooms. These televisions come with their own set of convenient, minimalist remote controls that allow you to access all the features without needing to press too many buttons.
These remotes have an intuitive design and are compatible with voice recognition, allowing you to control your TV without ever having to leave the couch. Additionally, they come with shortcuts for quick access to your favourite apps and channels, with some even giving you access the TV’s settings and other features with just a single button press.
