New TV not looking as good as you hoped? Here are 3 settings I always change to get better picture quality

Date:
Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
While it's easier to leave your TV in its out-of-the-box settings, you'll be rewarded with a better picture if you take a trip to the menus. Here's my top 3 to get you started

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Youve got yourself a new TV in the sales: congrats! But maybe youve either
set it up and thought something doesnt look right here or you just think you can get even more out of it. Well, Im here to help.

As TechRadars TV reviewer, I always make a trip to a TVs settings before I
get testing. Even the best TVs on the market have settings that need
changing. Out of the box, a TV can look wrong for several reasons: too dim, too sharp, too bright, inaccurate colors, unnatural motion the list goes on.

While the thought of taking a deep dive into a TVs settings can be daunting, it can be very rewarding and you don't necessarily need to delve deep to
make a big difference. There are tons of settings that I could discuss here, but Ive picked three essential settings that you should check out on any TV. Picture mode Changing your TV's picture mode can make all the difference (Image credit: Future)

The first setting I check out when testing TVs is picture mode. Several years ago, TVs used to ship in their Vivid mode. This is a picture mode we dont recommend as its colors are often oversaturated and textures are too sharp. While most TVs now ship in Eco mode (more on that in a sec), there may still be some out there in Vivid mode.

Eco mode on the other hand, is exactly what it says: an energy-saving picture mode that limits brightness and other settings to save on energy. While this is a useful tool if youre watching your budget meticulously, it does affect the overall quality of your TVs picture. Mini-LED TVs, known for their brightness, can look lackluster when set to Eco mode so its worth switching
to another mode.

As for which mode, thats to everyones personal preference. I personally set TVs for testing to Filmmaker Mode as this shows movies in their most pure and accurate form. But its not always the best choice for everything.

Game mode is obviously good for games, Standard can be good for daytime TV
and sports, and Cinema mode can be a brighter option for movies if you find Filmmaker Mode too dim, as I did when testing one of 2025s best OLED TVs ,
the LG B5 . Whatever your preference, its worth checking out different
picture modes.

You can usually change the picture mode on a TVs quick menu, if it has one;
or after pressing the 'settings' button on your TV remote; or under a picture settings menu option within its settings. TV manufacturers will usually make this one of the easiest settings to find. Motion settings While some TVs can handle images with no motion processing (such as the LG G5 picture above), some need the extra help (Image credit: Future)

Probably one of the most common complaints about modern TVs is their use of motion smoothing. On most TVs, these settings tend to be called Blur
Reduction and Judder Reduction. People often complain that with these
settings turned on, the images can get what is called the soap opera effect (because it looks like a cheaply-shot TV soap opera, rather than a cinematic movie).

These settings try to artificially alter the content on screen but as movies are filmed at 24 frames per second (fps) and sports is filmed at 30fps,
adding these artificial frames can cause havoc with whats on screen, such as the soap opera effects of unnatural motion or the 'ghosting' of a ball being kicked during a soccer game (where multiple versions appear in a trail behind it).

There is an argument however, and some purists will disagree, that cheaper
TVs need some motion smoothing turned on. Difficult shots, particularly panning ones, can look incredibly juddery on cheaper TVs, as weve discovered here at TechRadar using a panning shot of a rocky cliff from No Time To Die
as part of how we test TVs . There are various reasons, but the end result is that a small amount of motion smoothing is usually the best option.

At the very least, its worth checking out the motion settings and adjusting them or turning them off or to low to suit your taste. These settings can usually be found under picture settings and will sometimes fall under Clarity Settings. Energy saving While useful, energy saving can really dim your TV's brightness, again affecting the picture. (Image credit: Future)

This one is a little controversial as although were all about energy efficiency here at TechRadar, energy saving settings can be a real hindrance on your TVs performance.

Where these energy saving settings make the most difference is with a TVs brightness. A common complaint I used to get working in AV retail was that a TV 'didnt look like it did in the store' when a customer had their new TV out of the box, because it was 'too dark'.

That will either be the Eco picture mode I mentioned before, or the energy saving settings limiting the TVs brightness.

Where I found this made the biggest difference last year was on LG and Samsungs OLED TVs. Some OLED TVs already struggle with brightness, so having energy saving on made it worse. A quick trip to the picture settings (or in LGs case, General Settings > Energy Saving) to turn off energy saving instantly led to a much brighter image.

Many TVs also have ambient brightness settings which adapt the TVs brightness to balance with the viewing environment. In a dark room, itll dim and in a bright room, it will brighten. Using this option can be a useful way to save some energy without having as negative an effect, since it's adaptive.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/new-tv-not-looking-as-good-as-you-hoped- here-are-3-settings-i-always-change-to-get-better-picture-quality


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