Smart TVs: Compare Platforms and Apps

Smart TVs

Almost every television sold today is a smart TV, so the useful question is not whether a set is smart. It is which software you want to use every evening for the next several years. The platform decides how fast the home screen feels, which apps you get, how the remote is laid out and how long the set keeps receiving updates. BrandsMart USA carries every major platform.

This page is about the software. If you are still choosing a panel, start with 4K Ultra HD TVs, OLED TVs or LED and QLED TVs, then come back and check which system the model you like runs.

Shop Smart TVs by Platform

Samsung smart TVs run Tizen. A fast, tile-based home screen, Bixby and Alexa voice, and tight integration with Samsung phones and SmartThings devices.
LG smart TVs run webOS. The point-and-click Magic Remote, a row-based launcher, and both Google Assistant and Alexa built in.
TCL smart TVs ship with Roku TV or Google TV depending on the model. Roku is the simplest interface on the market; Google TV is the most recommendation-driven.
Hisense smart TVs ship with Google TV or Fire TV, with Google Assistant or Alexa handling voice depending on which one the model uses.

Sony sets also run Google TV, and Vizio uses its own SmartCast platform. If you are shopping across brands, the full brand lineup shows everything we carry, and the TVs by size hub is the faster route if screen size is your starting point.

Platform and screen size are independent choices, so you can find any of these systems on almost any size of set. The two sizes people shop most are 50 to 59-inch smart TVs for bedrooms and smaller living rooms, and 60 to 69-inch smart TVs for a main room. Bigger rooms can go to 70 to 79 inches without changing anything about the software.

Why Buy Your Smart TV From BrandsMart USA

Every platform running side by side. Our showrooms have Tizen, webOS, Roku TV, Google TV and Fire TV sets on the floor together, which is the only way to find out which interface you actually like. Find your nearest store and pick up the remotes.
Friendly, expert help in the showroom. Our TV team works with these sets every day and will happily talk through which platform you will actually enjoy using, and how the remotes differ, in plain language and without pushing you toward the biggest price tag. Tell them the room and the budget, and they will narrow it down.
Financing is one of the better reasons to buy here. There is more than one way to spread the cost, and they work differently. The BrandsMart USA credit card carries 0% promotional financing on qualifying purchases, with the length of the term depending on the category and the amount. Katapult lease-to-own needs no credit at all, and you can check your buying power without affecting your credit score. Klarna splits a purchase into interest-free installments with a decision in seconds. Because those are three separate programs rather than one, a route that is not a fit for you does not have to be the end of it.
A clear return policy. Our return and refund policy sets out how exchanges and refunds work, including the shorter return window that applies to flat-panel televisions. Worth reading before you buy.
Associates who can answer software questions. Ask about app availability, update support and voice assistants, not just screen size.
Delivery, installation and setup. Our delivery and installation service covers mounting and basic smart setup, so the TV is connected and signed in before we leave.
Competitive pricing, and offers worth checking. Our 110% low price guarantee applies if you find the same model advertised for less, and it is worth looking through today's deals before you order.

What is a smart TV?

A smart TV is a television with an internet connection and its own software, so streaming apps, voice control and casting are built in and you do not need a separate box or stick. Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Max and Hulu are on every major platform. Everything else about the set, including the panel and the picture quality, is unrelated to the smart features.

Are all TVs smart TVs now?

Effectively yes. Non-smart televisions are now rare outside commercial displays and the very smallest screen sizes. That is why this page focuses on the differences between platforms rather than on whether to buy a smart TV at all.

Which smart TV platform is best?

There is no single winner, only the one that fits you best. Roku TV is the simplest. Google TV is the best at surfacing something to watch across many services. Tizen and webOS are fast and polished, and pair well with Samsung and LG hardware. Fire TV suits a household already using Alexa. Try the remotes in a showroom and pick the one that feels obvious to you.

Do smart TVs work without internet?

Yes, for everything that is not an app. Cable boxes, antennas, game consoles, streaming sticks and disc players all work over HDMI with no network connection at all. Only the built-in apps, voice assistant and software updates need internet.

Do I still need a Roku, Fire Stick or Apple TV?

Usually not with a new set. The main reasons to add one are a missing app, an interface you dislike, or an older TV whose platform has slowed down. In those cases a media streaming device costs far less than replacing the television.

How long do smart TVs keep getting updates?

It varies by manufacturer, and it is worth asking about. The major brands now publish multi-year commitments for platform updates on their current sets, which is a good sign for how long the interface will stay usable. A TV whose apps stop updating still works as a display; you just drive it with an external device instead.

Do smart TVs track what I watch?

By default, most do. Automatic content recognition identifies what is on screen and feeds recommendations and advertising. Every platform provides a way to turn it off, though the setting is named differently on each and is often buried a few menus deep. It is worth finding during initial setup, along with the microphone settings for the remote.

Can I use a smart TV with my smart home devices?

Usually. Samsung sets tie into SmartThings, LG works with both Google Assistant and Alexa, Google TV connects to the Google Home ecosystem, and Fire TV works with Alexa routines. Matching the TV to the assistant you already use is the difference between one app and two.

Are smart TVs and 4K TVs the same thing?

No, they describe different things. Smart refers to the built-in software and internet connection; 4K refers to the screen resolution. Nearly every 4K set is also smart, but you can find smaller smart TVs at 1080p, so check both specifications on the model you are looking at.

Where can I try out smart TV interfaces near me?

BrandsMart USA has large showrooms across Florida and Georgia with the major platforms running on the floor at the same time. Find your nearest showroom, pick up two or three remotes, and open the app you use most on each one. It is a five-minute test that decides a purchase you will live with for years.

What financing options are available on smart TVs?

Three, and they are worth knowing apart. The BrandsMart USA credit card offers 0% promotional financing on qualifying purchases, and TVs are one of the categories where the longer terms tend to show up. Katapult is lease-to-own with no credit needed, and checking your buying power does not affect your credit score. Klarna splits the cost into interest-free installments and gives a decision in seconds. Current terms are listed on our financing page, and the team in store can tell you what is running.

The Platforms, Briefly

Tizen (Samsung)

Quick to navigate, with a horizontal ribbon of apps and inputs across the bottom of the screen. All the major streaming services are there, plus Samsung TV Plus free channels. Voice runs through Bixby, with Alexa available. It is the most self-contained platform, and it works best if you already own Samsung devices.

webOS (LG)

Built around the Magic Remote, which you point at the screen like a wand instead of tapping through arrows. Most people find it the fastest way to move around a TV interface. The app catalog is complete, and LG has committed to multi-year platform updates on recent sets.

Roku TV (TCL, Hisense and others)

The plainest and most predictable interface of the group: a grid of apps, no algorithmic feed pushing content at you, and a small remote with very few buttons. It is the platform to pick for a household that does not want to learn anything, and the one people most often recommend for older relatives.

Google TV (Sony, TCL, Hisense)

Organized around content rather than apps, so the home screen suggests shows and films across the services you subscribe to. Google Assistant is built in, casting from Android and Chrome is native, and the app store is the largest here. It suits people who watch across many services and do not want to remember which one has what.

Fire TV (Hisense and others)

Amazon's platform, tied closely to Prime Video and Alexa. If you already run Echo speakers or Fire tablets, voice control and smart-home routines carry over. The interface leans heavily on Amazon content in its recommendations, which suits some households and irritates others.

SmartCast (Vizio)

A lighter platform with the main apps, free channel bundles, and built-in Chromecast and AirPlay support so phones do a lot of the work. It is a sensible fit if you mostly cast from a phone rather than driving the TV with a remote.

What to Check Before You Choose a Platform

1. Confirm the apps you actually use

The big services are on every platform, but smaller ones are not. Regional sports apps, niche streaming services, cable provider apps and some fitness and music services appear on two or three platforms and not the rest. Make a short list of what your household opens weekly and check those specific apps before you buy the TV, not after.

2. Decide how you want to talk to it

Samsung uses Bixby with Alexa available, LG offers Google Assistant and Alexa, Google TV runs Google Assistant, and Fire TV runs Alexa. If you already have smart speakers, lights or a video doorbell, matching the TV's assistant to the rest of the house means one app and one set of routines instead of two.

3. Pick up the remote

The remote is the part you touch every day, and the platforms differ more here than anywhere else. Roku gives you a handful of buttons. LG's Magic Remote is a pointer. Samsung's is minimal and rechargeable. Some remotes have a number pad, some do not, and most have paid shortcut buttons for particular streaming services. Ten seconds with each one in a showroom tells you more than any review.

4. Updates and how long the set stays current

A smart TV is a computer, and platforms age at different rates. Look for a manufacturer that commits publicly to several years of platform updates. Where a set is otherwise ideal but the software feels slow, adding a streaming device later is an inexpensive way to give an older TV a current interface.

5. Privacy settings are worth ten minutes at setup

Smart platforms collect viewing data by default, usually through automatic content recognition, and they use it for recommendations and advertising. Every platform lets you turn this off, though it is named differently on each: look for automatic content recognition, viewing information services, interest-based advertising or similar wording in the settings menu. Turn off what you do not want during setup, and check the microphone controls on the remote while you are there.

Sound and Connections

The smart features arrive over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, but the audio still comes out of small speakers in a thin cabinet. Adding a soundbar over HDMI eARC lets the TV's remote control the volume and keeps everything on one input. If the set is going on the wall, plan the cable route first and check our TV wall mounts for a bracket that matches the panel's VESA pattern.

Roku TV, Google TV or Fire TV: which platform should you pick?

Pick Roku TV if you want the software to get out of the way. It is a plain grid of apps with no algorithmic feed, and the remote has so few buttons that nobody has to be taught it, which is why it is the platform people set up for a parent or a guest room. Pick Google TV if your household pays for four or five services and the real problem is finding something to watch, because the home screen pulls titles from all of them, Google Assistant is built in and casting from a phone or Chrome is native.

Pick Fire TV only if you are already an Amazon household with Echo speakers and Prime Video as your main service, since the interface promotes Amazon content heavily and that annoys people who are not invested in it. The honest trade-off across all three: Google TV and Fire TV both put sponsored rows on the home screen in exchange for helping you decide, and Roku gives you neither the ads nor the help. All three appear on TCL and Hisense sets, so the panel and the platform are separate choices; check which system a specific model ships with, and see the full brand lineup for who builds what.

A new smart TV, or a streaming stick on the TV you already own?

Add a streaming device if the only thing wrong with your set is the software. Apps that have stopped updating, a home screen that takes ten seconds to wake up, or one missing service are all fixable for a small fraction of what a television costs, and you keep using a panel you already paid for. This is the right answer far more often than people expect.

Buy a new TV when the picture itself is the problem, because a stick cannot fix a dim panel, gray blacks, a 1080p screen or an HDMI port that will not pass 4K HDR. No streaming device makes a ten-year-old set bright enough for a sunny Florida living room with the blinds open. If that is your situation, start from the screen size the room needs in the TVs by size bands and treat the platform as the second decision, since you can always add a stick later to a TV whose picture you love.

Screens are hard to judge from a spec sheet, so it is worth seeing one lit up. Our showrooms let you compare brightness, contrast and motion side by side, and there are eleven of them across South Florida and metro Atlanta.

Florida. Miami, Dadeland and South Dade in the Miami area, Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Outlet Center in Lauderhill, Deerfield Beach, Dania Pointe in Dania Beach, and West Palm Beach.
Georgia. North Atlanta, South Atlanta in Stockbridge, and Kennesaw.

Each store page has the address, phone number and current showroom hours. You can also find the store nearest you or order online and collect in store.

Buy whichever way suits you. Compare outdoor TVs side by side at any of our showrooms across Florida and Georgia, order online and collect in store, or have your new set delivered to your door. Financing is available on qualifying purchases, including a lease-to-own route that needs no credit. Tell us how much direct sun the spot gets, since that decides which model will actually work.