Don't Buy A New Smart TV If It Doesn't Have These Ports

When buying a smart TV, it's easy to think that it comes with everything already included. After all, they offer immediate access to all kinds of apps and services online, without needing to rely on other audio-visual devices or gadgets like a satellite box or streaming stick. Despite the 'all-in-one' branding used for smart TVs, there's almost definitely going to be times when you want to hook another device up with your setup. But, without having the right ports available, you could find yourself stuck with a restricted setup.

Although TVs can come with all kinds of different inputs and outputs, the two main types to make sure you look out for are HDMI ports and USB ports. If your TV doesn't have them, you're going to be restricted in what you connect to it — especially without doing some magic with adapters or converters. For example, if you play video games at all, you'll need an HDMI port to be able to connect your console of choice to your smart TV. Similarly, if you're a part of the physical media resurgence, then you're probably going to want the option to connect one of the best streaming devices to your TV to watch your collection.

The purpose of a USB port might be less immediately obvious, but it can be vital for making the most of your TV nonetheless. A TV with a USB port that can support data transfer gives you the option of connecting your own personal storage directly, via a USB stick or portable hard drive. This is indispensable if you own digital copies of your TV or film collection, or if you want to display your own photos or videos on your TV.

HDMI ports are a crucial feature of any TV. They provide a connection for almost any other device you might want to use with your setup, like sound bars, media players, and video game consoles. If you're mostly planning on using your smart TV to stream via applications like Kanopy or Roku TV, then it can be easy to forget about connecting your TV to other devices. However, making sure you have the option to is crucial for future-proofing your smart TV, as it means you can be sure that any future purchases you might make can connect seamlessly to your device.

You shouldn't just make sure that your TV has an HDMI port, but also that the port is a newer generation one. Choosing the right generation of HDMI port for your TV matters because it can quickly impact — or limit — the quality of any data that's being transmitted through it. As a rule of thumb, the newer the generation of HDMI ports a smart TV has, the higher image resolution and audio quality it can deliver to your TV. 

Older generations of HDMI, like the 1.4, cap out at around a 1080p resolution with a refresh rate of 60Hz. Meanwhile, with the right cables and devices, an HDMI 2.1 can offer 4k viewing experiences with a much higher refresh rate of 120Hz. So, if you can, you're much more likely to unlock the full potential of your smart TV and other gadgets if you get one with an HDMI 2.1 port than an older generation option.

You might associate USB ports more with PCs than TVs, but you might be surprised by just how useful they can be. They open up the door to connecting your own personal storage devices directly to your TV, making it easy to watch back home videos or photo slideshows from special life events like weddings or graduations. You can also use them to watch digital editions of any movies or TV shows you've bought, or play your personal audio files, through your TV.

This is something you need to look carefully at, though, as not all USB ports are actually created equally. Some USB ports are only built for power supply, and not for data transfer, meaning they won't be able to read any files you're trying to access through your USB drive or other personal storage device. So, be sure to look out for USB ports that support data transfer, and ideally, one that runs on USB-A. That's the type of connection you'll find on most personal storage devices.

On a related note, much like with HDMI ports, for the fastest and smoothest data transfer possible, you should try to look for newer generation USB ports. You can tell which generation a USB is by looking at the number attached to it, with USB 1.0 being older and slower. Anything from USB 2.0 and up will be a noticeable improvement speedwise, and should read your files faster than older port generations.