X

Netflix recommended TVs list starts 2018 with LG and Sony

It's a short list so far.

Geoffrey Morrison Contributor
Geoffrey Morrison is a writer/photographer about tech and travel for CNET, The New York Times, and other web and print publications. He's also the Editor-at-Large for The Wirecutter. He has written for Sound&Vision magazine, Home Theater magazine, and was the Editor-in-Chief of Home Entertainment magazine. He is NIST and ISF trained, and has a degree in Television/Radio from Ithaca College. His bestselling novel, Undersea, and its sequel, Undersea Atrophia, are available in paperback and digitally on Amazon. He spends most of the year as a digital nomad, living and working while traveling around the world. You can follow his travels at BaldNomad.com and on his YouTube channel.
Geoffrey Morrison
3 min read
netflix-certified-lg-remote

A Netflix button on the remote is one requirement for Netflix's TV certification.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The TVs of 2018 just started to hit store shelves, and Netflix has already blessed a few of them.

According to Netflix, the following 2018 televisions are officially "Netflix Recommended."

  • LG  4K UHD TVs with WebOS 4.0
  • Sony  W800F- and WF800-series Android TVs 

Yep, it's a short list. 

In fairness, the first line actually encompasses the vast majority of LG's 2018 TVs, including models like the excellent LG C8 OLED TV. And while the Sony models aren't available in the US, last year Netflix ended up recommending pretty much all the mid- and high-end models from LG,  Samsung  and Sony. 

So perhaps this is a bit early in the year to have announced the start of the list, but a Netflix representative did tell CNET, "We expect additional models and brands to get designated over the coming months."

The TVs of 2018 are here! Now wait for the price drops

See all photos

What does 'Netflix Recommended' mean on a TV?

Since 2015, Netflix has tested TVs to find which meet or exceed certain criteria that will give you the "best Netflix experience." 

Though it doesn't come out and say so explicitly, for obvious reasons, most of the criteria mean you'll have a good experience with other streaming services too, such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and YouTube.

Some criteria, of course, are pretty specific to Netflix, such as being able to show video previews in its app and having a dedicated Netflix button.

From off to watching "Lost is Space" in 7 seconds on this 2018 Sony.

Netflix

To get the "Recommended" moniker, a TV must have five of the following seven criteria:

  • TV instant on: The TV starts up instantly and apps are ready to use right away, like a phone.
  • Fast app launch: The Netflix app always launches quickly, whether it's right after turning on the TV or after using several other apps.
  • Netflix button: The Netflix button on the remote control powers on the TV as well as launches Netflix, so you can start your TV and get to Netflix with the press of a single button.
  • Easy Netflix icon access: The Netflix app is easy to access and convenient to launch from the TV menu.
  • TV resume: The TV remembers what you were doing and wakes to the same place as when it was turned off.
  • High-res Netflix interface: Browse Netflix in 1080p resolution, with crisper text and clearer images.
  • Latest Netflix version: The TV comes with an up-to-date version of Netflix with the newest features.

As you can see, several of these are just good things for the TV to have. If it launches the Netflix app quickly, it likely does everything else quickly, too. Instant on? Remember how long smart TVs used to take to boot up?

For more info, check out Netflix's blog post and their page about their Recommended TVs.

Of course, just because a TV makes it on this list doesn't mean it's good, and if it's not on this list, that doesn't make it bad. It is, however, a pretty useful shorthand for overall ease of use, which is what Netflix is intending to point out.

Watch this: LG C8 OLED TV has the best picture ever

The Smartest Stuff: Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter.

Best TVs right now: The past year's best sets, all in one place.