My 8-year-old LG TV recently gave out on me. One evening, while watching something, I noticed these faint white lines creeping up from the bottom of the screen. I figured maybe a bug had somehow gotten inside and messed with the panel. So I did what any semi-handy person might do—grabbed a screwdriver and opened it up, half expecting to find some poor insect zapped inside the screen. But there was nothing. No signs of damage, no bug, no burn marks. Just a screen that kept glitching out. That’s when I knew it was time to start shopping for a new TV.

I had bought that LG back in 2017 for about $700. It was a 55-inch, and at the time it felt like a solid, premium choice. I had hoped it would last 10 years, but 8 isn’t bad. What surprised me this time around, though, was how much the market had changed. I found that I could bump up to a 65-inch screen for not much more money. A few years ago, that kind of jump meant spending hundreds more. Now, the price difference is minimal.

At first, I was ready to settle for a cheap $300 replacement. Just something to get by. But the more I thought about it, the more it felt like one of those purchases where spending a bit more upfront would pay off in the long run. I use my TV every day—to unwind, to catch up on news, to watch movies. Why not invest in something I’d actually enjoy?

I ended up choosing a 65-inch Sony Bravia OLED. It set me back around $1,700, which sounds like a lot until you think about how long it’ll (hopefully) last. If I get 10 years out of it, that works out to $170 a year—or less than $15 a month. For something I’ll use every day, that’s a solid deal. In personal finance, value isn’t always about finding the lowest price. It’s about finding the best return for your money. And in this case, that means buying something that enhances your daily life, lasts a long time, and doesn’t feel like a compromise.

Naturally, I went down a rabbit hole trying to understand what’s changed in the world of TVs since 2017. The tech landscape has exploded with terms like OLED, QLED, Mini-LED, and even MicroLED. If you’re in the market for a new TV and wondering what’s worth your money, here’s what I learned—and what I wish I knew before buying.

LED TVs are still the most common and affordable. They’re technically LCD TVs that use LED backlights to brighten the screen. These have been around for over a decade and are great for general use—streaming, cable, video games. You won’t get the deepest blacks, especially in darker rooms, because the backlight can’t fully turn off like more advanced tech can. But they work fine, and if budget is tight, they’re still a smart choice.

Then there’s QLED—Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode. These are essentially LED TVs with an added quantum dot layer that boosts color and brightness. Samsung popularized them, but other brands like TCL and Hisense have their own versions too. QLEDs look especially good in bright rooms and don’t suffer from burn-in, making them ideal for news or sports watchers who leave the same channel on for hours. But again, they still rely on backlights, so black levels won’t be as deep as in OLEDs.

OLED—Organic Light Emitting Diode—is a different beast. Each pixel lights up individually, which means when a pixel turns off, it’s completely black. That gives you stunning contrast, deep blacks, and an almost cinematic experience. Dark scenes in movies look incredible. The viewing angles are also much better, so even if you’re sitting off to the side, the picture still looks great. OLEDs are more expensive and a bit more delicate—there’s the risk of burn-in if the same image stays on screen for hours every day. But for movie lovers or people who care about picture quality, they’re hard to beat. That’s what drew me to the Sony Bravia I ended up buying.

Mini-LED is kind of a hybrid between traditional LED and OLED. It still uses a backlight, but the LEDs are much smaller and more tightly packed, which allows for better lighting control and deeper blacks than regular LEDs or QLEDs. It doesn’t quite reach OLED-level contrast, but it gets close—and can be brighter. Plus, there’s no risk of burn-in. LG, Samsung, and TCL are doing great things in this space. If you want high-end performance without OLED prices, Mini-LED might be your sweet spot.

MicroLED is the latest innovation. It works like OLED in that each pixel emits its own light, but it uses inorganic materials, making it more durable. You get perfect blacks, great contrast, and high brightness—with no burn-in risk. Sounds perfect, right? The catch is the price. These are ultra-premium TVs meant for luxury setups. Think five figures. Definitely not something I considered—but worth keeping an eye on as the tech becomes more mainstream (and hopefully more affordable).

There’s also ULED, which is mostly a marketing term used by Hisense. It’s not a new display type, but rather a bundle of enhancements—better dimming, wider color, faster motion response—designed to make their LED TVs perform better. If you see one on sale, it could be a great value option without jumping into high-end territory.

And then you’ve got names like Neo QLED (Samsung) and QNED (LG). These are essentially Mini-LED TVs with extra branding. Neo QLED combines quantum dots with Mini-LEDs for better contrast and brightness. LG’s QNED uses similar tech, adding their NanoCell layer to boost color accuracy. If you’re upgrading from an older TV and want something modern without going full OLED, these are solid middle-ground choices.

After going through all this, one thing really stood out to me: there’s no “best” TV, just the best one for your needs and your budget. If you’re just after something basic that works, LED is fine. If you watch a lot during the day, QLED or Mini-LED is a smart step up. If movies and deep blacks matter, OLED is worth the money. And if you want to future-proof your setup and have the cash to spare, MicroLED could be the way down the line.

But the real takeaway, at least from a financial mindset, is understanding the concept of value. Value isn’t just about low price—it’s about long-term utility, satisfaction, and performance. Spending $1,700 on a TV might sound excessive at first, but spread out over 8 to 10 years of daily use, that’s not bad at all. That’s less than some people spend on coffee every year. And if it brings you enjoyment every single day? That’s a good investment in my book.

Smart spending isn’t always about choosing the cheapest option. It’s about knowing what you need, what you’ll use, and making sure your money is working for you—not just today, but in the long run. Whether it’s a TV, a car, or anything else, that balance between cost, quality, and value is what good financial decisions are made of.