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Can a different picture setting make your TV cheaper to run?
Snuggled on the sofa binge-watching a box set is an autumn evening pastime many of us enjoy. But with so many people keeping a close eye on energy usage, we wanted to find out if the picture setting you pick when you settle down to watch saves you any money.
Modern TVs come with different pictures settings, with names such as cinema, vivid and dynamic. They're there to give you a different and, hopefully, more enjoyable watching experience.
But does watching in a more exciting way cost you more? Our research discovered there are potentially some small savings to be made by going for the most economical, particularly if you have several TVs in your home.
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Running your TV differently: what's the price difference?
We measured the power that four televisions (different sizes and brands) used on each TV's preset picture settings.
We used this to calculate the yearly cost to have the TV set to that picture setting, assuming the TV is on for four hours every day of the year.
There was a difference in the power each preset used, with the least energy-hungry usually being ones with reduced brightness and/or contrast.
Here's what we found:
| Picture setting | Average power (W) | Average yearly cost | Yearly savings by switching from highest power picture setting to lowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest power (names such as vivid, dynamic) | 71.4 | £34.61 | n/a |
| Lowest power (names such as eco, cinema, movie) | 57.2 | £27.71 | £6.89 |
| Table notes: Average TV age 5.7 years. Average screen size 41-inch. Average yearly cost Assumed a TV was on four hours every day, doesn't include standby costs, electricity unit price 33.2p/kWh | |||
It turns out that there are some savings to be made by switching from the highest power to lowest power picture settings – an average of £6.89 a year on the TVs we tested.
But the age of your TV has more of an effect on the potential savings:
- The smallest yearly saving was £2.38 for a LG 49NANO816NA 49-inch TV (released 2020) switching from its highest to lowest power picture setting.
- The biggest yearly saving was £15.51 for an Samsung UE40C6000RK 40-inch TV (released 2010) switching from its highest to lowest power picture setting.
Read also: Can changing the way you charge your phone save you money? and Can you charge a laptop for less?
The biggest ways you can save money on energy
Given that changing your TV picture setting won't universally save everyone lots of money as energy bills rise, we asked Emily Seymour, Which? sustainability editor, what changes would make a difference around your home.
Emily said: 'For most households the biggest energy guzzlers through the winter are central heating and appliances such as tumble dryers.'
Her advice on the best place to focus your energy saving? 'Make sure your home is as insulated and draught-proofed as possible, so that the heat you generate stays inside.
'Many households could also make savings while staying warm by lowering their boiler's flow temperature,' Emily says.
And if you find you're unable to pay your energy bills this winter? 'Contact your energy provider,' Emily says. 'It's obliged to help you with a payment plan you can afford, and may be able to grant you access to hardship funds or other financial support.'
10 ways to reduce your energy bills
How can you make watching TV cost less?
While there are savings to be made by using the lowest power picture setting on some TVs, it may not be the ideal viewing experience for you, says Martin Pratt, Which? TV expert: 'Watching a TV on lower power or Eco Mode will usually affect the brightness.
'There can be hundreds of bulbs in the backlight, or millions in the display in the case of OLED TVs, so turning them down will lower your bills, but that can make the picture harder to see.'
You can counter this by adjusting the contrast — making the darker parts of the picture lighter — to make out more detail. Martin also added that 'making your room as dark as possible will help'.
If having the best quality picture is your priority, use our picture settings tool to find your TV's ideal settings.
If changing the settings isn't for you, then the size, screen type and brand of your TV can all influence its yearly running costs. Learn more in How much does your TV really cost to run?.
In the market for a new TV? Check our guide to the best TV deals and best cheap TVs
How we measured energy use and how you can too
Your TV might give slightly different energy-use figures, depending on factors such as age, the brand and screen size.
We plugged TVs into an energy (power) meter, which measures the total kilowatt hours used in our calculations.
We used the RS Pro energy meter, £28, from RS Components. If you're interested in measuring the energy use of your TV or other appliances around your home, you can buy similar meters starting from around £18 from popular retailers such as Amazon and Screwfix.
If you have one, you can also use your smart meter to track your devices' energy use in real time.
The truth behind smart meter myths — find the facts and common misconceptions about smart meters