A Smart TV is a serious investment. They aren't cheap, but for many the drain on the wallet is worth it. So which should you go for? Below is everything you need to know about the key players in Smart TV for 2013.
Samsung
User interface
First of all, Samsung has worked hard to seriously refresh its smart TV user interface, and it shows. Gone is the clunky and dated design complete with swimming pool background, replaced with a much slicker panel-based user interface.
There is no distracting background, just a set of panels that you can scroll through to enjoy different parts of the Samsung's Smart TV experience. These panels consists of: On TV, Social, Apps, Movies & TV and All Share.
The On TV section is like a guide to everything currently available to watch live. You can view upcoming programmes and current content at a glance, as well as rapidly flick through channels to get to what you want to watch.
Social hooks up with the likes of Facebook and Twitter to bring your social networks to an at a glance experience. Skype can also be found here, so that you can quickly start video calling should your Smart TV come with an integrated camera.
Apps is one of the most exciting elements of Samsung's Smart TV offering and one which we will talk about at length later. It includes apps like Netflix and 4oD, as well as music content from the likes of Spotify and even Ministry of Sound.
Movies and TV is where you will find all of Samsung's own on-demand content, as well as the content available on other apps. It's all linked together, so if a movie is available on Netflix, it will appear here and then open the Netflix app when you select it. Clever.
All Share is all about bringing your own content to the television. You will need Samsung's All Share app installed on your device. Once installed, you can instantly send video and pictures from your smartphone or tablet to the TV
Netflix on a Samsung Smart TV
Interactivity
Samsung is keen to take the television experience beyond the conventional remote control, and for the most part it has done. Sure, there is a few pieces of gimmicky technology built into its 2013 TV offerings, but a lot of what is there is genuinely useful.
Voice recognition is handy, but even more fun is the S Recommendation technology. The remote features a built-in microphone and uttering phrases like "what's good on tonight" will have the TV show you a list of programmes it thinks you might enjoy later, based on viewing habits.
Kinect-style motion control is also included, should you want to play about with the set without a remote. Then there is the remote itself, which features a built-in touch pad.
All of this should add up to making smart TV control easier, although don't be surprised if the voice recognition gets a touch confused at times. ITV in particular can pose problems, as it sounds just like "Hi TV", which activates the smart functionality.
Apps
Just about every Smart TV out there features some kind of app functionality. The BBC has done a great job getting the iPlayer app, for example, onto every possible television platform from LG to Samsung.
At the moment, Samsung has an exclusive deal with 4oD, which brings even more catch-up services on offer. Then there is the likes of Netflix, LoveFilm and Hulu and Skype, all available straight from the box.
A lot of these apps are linked to the Smart TV's search functionality, so if a movie is available to watch on Netflix, then it will show in search results outside the Netflix app.
A Samsung Smart TV
With music, both the Ministry of Sound and Spotify have their own unique apps. Spotify is fairly self-explanatory, being a straightforward music player. Ministry of Sound is a touch more interesting.
It includes a curated video playlist of content from the MoS music label, as well as the ability to listen to the club's various radio stations and even will continue to play content consecutively, so you can leave the app playing in the background during a party.
Pretty much every major movie or music app you find on a smartphone can be found on Smart TVs right now. It makes for a much more exciting viewing experience beyond traditional terrestrial TV and does help justify a bit of the cost involved in investing in a more expensive LED TV set.
The hardware
For those who have already invested in a Smart TV, the majority of Samsung's 2013 sets can use something called the evolution kit, a plug-in box which will bring the television up to date with the latest Smart experience, so you don't need to invest in a new television altogether.
Samsung's Smart TV range this year starts with the LED ES8000 Series 8 set, which costs around £1,449. You can however stretch all the way up to the 75-inch LED ES9000 Series 9 set, which costs just shy of £8,000.
LG
User interface
LG's user interface isn't quite as slick as the new Samsung offering, but it isn't far behind it either. Everything is divided up into small boxes which you can then scroll left and right between using the television's remote.
These boxes consist of things like applications and various 'worlds' like 'Smart World' and '3D World' all designed to direct you to different types of content.
We like how LG shows a larger selection of content on the screen at one time. If you are using the magic remote, which puts a cursor on the TV screen, then you can quickly open up whichever app you want just by clicking its icon.
Also shown on the Smart TV splash page, which opens when you hit the Smart icon on your LG remote, is a small version of the current TV programme. For some strange reason these have adverts below, something which Panasonic also does. Why this should happen when most Smart TVs cost over £1,000, we don't know.
LG likes to group Smart content differently to the competition. We actually prefer how it does things. The first box you see is labelled 'premium', and is an aggregate of all the top apps on offer on your Smart TV. It means you can quickly skip to Netflix or LoveFilm rather than needing to scroll through pages.
LG also gives games their own section. The inventively named 'Game World' is home to all the current game offerings on the LG Smart platform.
There is the ability to customise and create your own card, or alter the list of quick links that floats at the bottom of the LG Smart UI interface. This further speeds up how quick you can get to your favourite apps.
Interactivity
Just like the rest of the Smart competition, LG has included things like voice control with its Smart offering. The LG remote includes a microphone button which you can hit and then speak into.
Voice control is in-depth enough for you to navigate the majority of the LG's Smart TV setup. Ask the TV for show recommendations, and they will pop up on the bottom of the screen as quick as your internet connection will allow.
Any results that LG does deliver also show at a glance which platform and how much it will cost you, which is very handy if you want to just stream something, rather than spending cash on it.
Just like with Samsung, any recommendations delivered are based on your own viewing habits. They can be strangely accurate, and can make a good alternative to browsing through pages of an EPG for something to watch.
Irritatingly Netflix and LoveFilm aren't integrated within the connected search side of the LG's Smart TVs. This means you miss out on recommendations that contain a wide range of free to watch content (provided you have a Netflix or LoveFilm Subscription).
Finally there is the magic remote and LG's equivalent to Samsung's motion control. It behaves like a Wii-mote, and is more accurate than using your hands on a Samsung TV.
Apps
All the classic Smart TV apps are there, from BBC iPlayer to Netflix and LoveFilm. Samsung's content deal with 4oD does mean that it is missing from LG, but that doesn't mean it won't be arriving in future.
We have already spoken about how much easier it is to scroll and search for apps on LG sets, and they appear from our experience to open faster as well.
Twitter and Facebook also get their own apps on LG Smart TVs. They aren't as easy to browse as their web or mobile based counterparts, but work well enough.
Now TV is exclusive to LG Smart TVs for the time being, which is definitely worth considering should you want to get a quick Sky Sports fix or rent a movie.
Skype is also included, but predictably only on TVs that have a built-in webcam. Really other than that, LG's app offering is the same as the competition, in that it's more impressive than you might think.
The hardware
LG isn't messing about when it comes to Smart TV, including its platform in the TV sets starting right at the bottom of its range.
The cheapest we could find was the LG 42LN570V, which costs around £450. You can, of course, go all the way up to LG's Ultra HD set. A snip at £16,999.
Sony
User interface
Sony was actually one of the first manufacturers to enter the Smart TV game. Powered by what Sony calls its 'intelligence centre', its offering is actually fairly different to the Korean manufacturers.
While it might be simpler, in that it is simply a list of scrollable apps, it actually ends up being a much more difficult list to scroll through and find what you want. Think of it slightly like Windows 8's tile-based UI, except if each tile were an app.
Luckily Sony has made it possible to favourite applications so that they stay on the top row of your Smart home screen. This means you can quickly access favourite apps.
In reality, we actually preferred this system. Beyond apps like Netflix and iPlayer, which we use daily, it isn't an issue scrolling to less frequented apps.
What makes Sony's offering so special is its 'fast zapping' system. Hit the 'programme select' button and then a menu will appear to the right of the screen showing currently playing shows. Keep scrolling right and you further engage with Sony's Smart offering.
Live TV is followed by radio, then video unlimited and finally whatever videos are dubbed as 'hot' on YouTube. It's a clever idea, and one that in practice is simple and quick to use.
Finally you have the history section, which lists any connections or content you might have recently used. It's a great way to quickly swap to your HDMI port for the Xbox, or boot up Netflix.
Interactivity
Brownie points have to be given to Sony for its use of NFC with its 2013 Smart TVs. Remotes can be paired with the TV just by tapping them on it, as can Sony's own NFC capable smartphones.
Sony is behind LG and Samsung when it comes to voice and motion control. The only way you can use voice is via its TV Sideview Smart control app, which requires you to have a smartphone handy. Motion control is also missing and there is no LG style magic remote to use.
The remote, although nicely put together, isn't of much use beyond changing channels, so Sony loses points here.
A recommendation engine does exist on Sony's Smart TVs, but it doesn't come close to its rivals. The lack of easy to use voice control for a start makes it slower to access than the competition.
Apps
Sony's own proprietary video unlimited and music unlimited apps are pushed heavily within its Smart TV offering. They get their own section within the fast-zapping functionality, which feels unnecessary unless you are subscribed to them.
Other than that however, Sony does tick all the boxes that it needs to when it comes to apps, so Netflix and LoveFilm are there as is iPlayer and Demand 5.
Facebook and Twitter are included and for those who have a set with a webcam included, Skype is also present.
Hardware
You can't fault Sony for its design. The 2013 Smart TV range looks absolutely fantastic and if you want something premium sat in your living room, then Sony might be the one to go for.
Prices start at around £500 for a small 32-inch set, but can stretch well into the multiple thousands. Our model of choice has to be the 4K X9 series TV, which is not only 4K, but amazingly costs £3,999 - a snip compared to the competition.
The verdict
At the moment, Samsung comes out on top when it comes to Smart TVs. The UI is slick, the apps are there and the displays themselves look great. Voice control works, and we like that we don't need a remote at all if we want to interact with the TV.
LG really isn't far behind though, and the value for money it provides is definitely persuasive. Sony has gone for the simple approach, which some may like. That 4K set is incredible for the money, and Sony's design definitely beats the competition.
If money is no object, then Samsung is the brand to go for. If you fancy saving some cash, LG will not disappoint.
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