Netflix recommended TVs list starts 2018 with LG and Sony
It's a short list so far.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.