Android or Tizen: which system to choose for your next smart TV

Smart TVs with Android: the operating system war that decides your purchase

Is it worth paying more for a smart TV with Android, or is it better to buy a cheap set and add a TV box? The question thousands of buyers ask has a more nuanced answer than it seems. While Samsung pushes its Tizen system with built-in advertising, Sony and Philips stay loyal to Android, and Chinese manufacturers like TCL or Hisense dominate the mid-range with aggressive prices.

Tizen, the system that angers its users

Complaints about Samsung's operating system keep coming up: ads on the home screen, no way to switch the TV off completely (standby only), a minimalist remote that forces you to click a dozen times for anything, and a video player that won't accept many formats. Add to that the remote's microphone and Bluetooth, which raise suspicions among the more sceptical. In short, the user experience leaves a lot to be desired for a product that isn't cheap.

Android as the de facto standard

The alternative gaining trinc is Android TV. It lets you download thousands of apps, install Kodi and customise the experience. Brands like Sony and Philips integrate it into their televisions, and users praise the picture quality of the high-end models. That said, some point out that Android works only as long as Google wants it to, and that a cheap TV box can be the solution when the system becomes obsolete.

The TV box alternative: 30 euros that change everything

One school of thought advocates buying a "bare" television and adding a TV box for just over 30 euros. The advantage: it isn't restricted when it comes to apps, you install and uninstall whatever you want, and Kodi on a TV box is far more powerful than on built-in Android. It even lets you emulate games up to PlayStation 1. The downside: yet another device in the living room and an extra remote.

Picture quality vs price: the other battle

It's not all about software. Picture quality remains the decisive factor for many. A high-end Sony with Android offers an incredible picture, but it costs. A 55-inch TCL QLED for 400 euros may be enough for average use, though purists insist the blacks aren't black. The value for money of Chinese brands is eating into the market share of the Korean ones, which outsource panel manufacturing to third parties.

In the end, the decision isn't just about the operating system: it's about how much you're willing to pay for a picture that won't disappoint you and software that doesn't treat you like a fool. And if the TV becomes a monitor connected to a PC, maybe the question was a different one.