Small TVs are close to unattainable to seek out right this moment, and that is a disgrace

On the subject of TVs today, many individuals subscribe to the notion that greater equals higher. In lots of instances, that is true. In your front room, the place you spend most of your time watching, it is good to have one thing giant, particularly when you have a household. Even your bed room can profit from a bigger TV as a result of your mattress could be positioned on a wall far-off from the TV.

However, there are a lot of conditions the place having a giant TV is a detriment. In small rooms the place you do not have numerous wiggle room for seating, having a 65-inch TV might be brutal in your eyes from being too shut. It could be exhausting to think about, however there was once a world the place 13-inch CRT TVs have been commonplace, however TVs of that measurement have basically dried up.

I’ve a bar in my basement that would profit from a TV that measurement, however except for utilizing a pc monitor with a Roku Streaming Stick plugged into it, there aren’t numerous selections. I might wish to keep away from utilizing a monitor if I can, however I do not know if there’s going to be one thing that trumps it.

Small TVs are going extinct

Not a lot we will do about it

To be truthful, there aren’t many eventualities the place having a small TV is healthier than a giant one. As TV exhibits and films are sometimes output at the next decision, it is good to have a giant TV to match that. There is not any sense having a 32-inch TV in your front room anymore, however that does not imply you continue to cannot match one into your home in a distinct room.

I’ve a basement bar that would, in idea, match a 55-inch TV there, however it would not be snug. That is the place having one thing small that would maybe match on the bar itself is useful, and that is the place the lack of small TVs hits the toughest. I perceive I can nonetheless discover a 24-inch TV on the market, however I am speaking about one thing even smaller than that. We used to have the ability to discover tiny TVs, and beneath 10 inches was inside the realm of prospects. I keep in mind that my aunt used to have a tiny TV in her kitchen to look at one thing whereas cooking, however a Google Nest Hub has basically taken the place of that right this moment.

These sizes have been frequent when CRT TVs have been of their heyday, and I do not suppose you will be discovering an HDTV at that measurement. I just lately picked a 20-inch CRT TV out of the trash that is great for retro gaming, and the display screen measurement is ideal for what I am searching for. The draw back is CRTs are very cumbersome, even the 13-inch mannequin pictured above, to allow them to’t fairly match the place I need them to. Sadly, I haven’t got many fashionable choices to suit a display screen measurement like that, and it is exhausting for me to justify spending round $100 on such a small TV. This leaves considered one of my solely choices as an outdated laptop monitor I’ve in my closet. I can simply plug in a streaming stick and get it working as a TV, however then I’ve to dig up audio system for it.

It appears like each route I take has its share of execs and cons, and that is not one thing I need to take care of. I simply need to decide up a TV that matches comfortably at my bar with out taking over the entire space. In 2025, that could be an excessive amount of to ask for. It was lots easier when the market was flooded with TVs of all sizes, however your huge field retailer is just about 55″ or up.

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TVs have gotten greater and cheaper

It is largely a superb factor

Samsung / Pocket-lint

Once I was rising up, I thought-about myself fortunate to have a 20″ TV in my bed room. Quick-forward to right this moment — I’ve a 65″ TV, so I’ve come fairly a great distance. What’s wild about it’s that you will discover a 65″ TV for beneath $300, though it will not be one of the best ones. What I am saying is it is not even one thing that may break the financial institution like TVs prior to now of comparable high quality would. It is for that reason that I discover it so troublesome to spend over $100 on a TV at a fraction of the dimensions.

To seek out one thing smaller, I’ve to begin tablets. Tablets aren’t precisely recognized for his or her glorious image high quality and sound, so utilizing one as a TV is not on the prime of my suggestion record. On the intense aspect, you possibly can usually discover a funds one for round $100, just like the Lenovo Tab. Nonetheless, a funds pill like that has to chop corners, and the Lenovo Tab M9 solely has a 9-inch display screen, so placing it up at a bar will not suffice. It really works completely fantastic for watching one thing in my lap, however sitting a couple of ft away is not supreme, and that is not even entering into the sound.

If you happen to suppose again to older CRT TVs, you usually discovered them with a set of stereo audio system constructed proper in. I did not suppose a lot of them again then as that was the usual, however contemplating how unhealthy TV audio system have gotten now, it appears like magic they have been ever good. It looks like the hunt for bigger screens meant the sacrifice of strong sound. For some folks, that is completely fantastic, however it’s unusual we will not have each.

Contemplating TV sizes have solely gotten bigger and extra reasonably priced, I am unable to envision a world the place smaller TVs make a comeback even when I need them to. Individuals worth ease over every part, and that appears like an enormous motive why bodily media is quickly shrinking in favor of streaming. If you may get an enormous TV for $500, there’s actually not a lot of a motive to not do it. Exterior of area of interest causes, there is not any motive to get a small TV anymore.

Sadly, I would like one for a distinct segment motive, and that is why I am lamenting the lack of one thing that was so frequent only a few many years earlier. It is fascinating to see how briskly issues change, and that 20″ TV I had in my bed room all these years in the past is microscopic in comparison with the choices accessible right this moment. Surprisingly sufficient, I might like to have that TV again, however it has lengthy since disappeared.

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