Singapore consumers gravitating towards bigger, better TV sets

SINGAPORE – Businessman Eric Hook received a supersized present from his wife for his birthday recently – an 85-inch Sony television.

“My wife knows I love to watch Marvel and Star Wars productions on the big screen,” says Mr Hook, who is in his 50s. “It fits perfectly on our wall and lets us have a cinematic experience together.” 

Like Mr Hook, more people in Singapore are gravitating towards these larger televisions, even as 65-inch models remain the most popular, said Ms Candy Cao, marketing director for electronics retailer Gain City. 

“Advancements in technology have made larger television sizes more affordable and more popular around the world. Many people are choosing screens that are larger than 65 inches to enhance their viewing experience, especially for movies, sports and gaming,” she added.

In 2022, a report by market research firm TrendForce estimated that larger televisions, defined as those that are more than 60 inches in size, would take up some 20 per cent of the global television market share.  

At present, Gain City’s largest television offerings are 97- and 98-inch models from South Korean brands LG and Samsung respectively.

LG’s 97-inch television ($34,999) is part of its Oled evo Gallery range and was launched earlier in 2023, said Mr Chang Ha Lee, home entertainment product director at LG Electronics Singapore.

Over the past few years, manufacturers have been producing bigger and more immersive screens to cater to demands for a more cinematic viewing experience, he added.

Oled TVs use millions of light-emitting pixels in a bid to provide impeccable picture quality.  

Samsung, in addition to its 98-inch model ($19,949) – which is part of its Neo Qled range of smart televisions that use thousands of tiny LED particles in their backlight panels – recently added a 77-inch option.

The brand also offers a 110-inch Micro LED TV, which is available at retailer Harvey Norman for $252,336.  

While these sizes and prices might seem a little too oversized, a survey conducted by Samsung earlier in 2023 suggests that people underestimate just how big they can go when it comes to purchasing a television set for their home. 

The survey took place at the Samsung TV Tech Fair at flagship electronics stores and mall atrium sales in March and involved 185 respondents. 

Some 57 per cent of respondents living in Housing Board flats said a 75-inch television would be too big for their living rooms, while 51 per cent of those living in condominiums felt the same.

However, following a demonstration of optimal viewing distance, many of those respondents changed their minds. Out of those living in HDB flats, some 84 per cent said a 75-inch television would fit their living rooms after all. About 90 per cent of the respondents living in condominiums said the same. 

Prices for 75-inch models start in the low $2,000 range – not drastically different from those of 65-inch sets which start from a mid-$1,000 range.

Given that consumers have largely shifted to over-the-top media services such as Netflix and Disney+, a large television could even be practical, said Mr Steven Koh, senior director for consumer electronics at Samsung Electronics Singapore.

“Consumers now have greater access to foreign content where they might rely on subtitles, and a larger screen size is better able to display larger subtitles. A bigger screen also lets consumers view content more comfortably, with less eye strain,” he noted.

Still, the size of television screen is a matter of personal preference. 

But if you are trying to figure out just how much larger you can go, there is a simple formula you can use, said Ms Cao.

“Divide the viewing distance in inches by two. So if you usually sit about 3m – or around 120 inches – from your television, that’s 60 when halved. Your recommended television size would thus be 60 inches (measured diagonally).”