Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:33 am
If you’re in the market to upgrade your old Full HD TV, you may be wondering whether to buy a Smart TV or an Android TV.
Which of the two is better?
In this Smart TV vs Android TV article, we’ll look at what the main differences are and which is better of the two, all things considered.
Before we move on, let’s be clear that Android TV is also a form of Smart TV as will be explained below.
Android TV
An Android TV is a smart TV powered
by Google’s Android OS (Operating System). If you have an Android smartphone or tablet, you would be well aware of the capability of the operating system and the wide range of apps available.
So, if you’re already an Android mobile device or an Android TV Box owner, you would want to opt for an Android TV in the name of system familiarity.
Android OS
The operating system is an important aspect of the Smart TV vs Android TV debate. A standout advantage of the Android OS is it’s regularly updated to offer improvements to what you’re already enjoying.
As has already been mentioned Android’s open-source nature will offer you an extensive range of apps through the Google Play Store.
The open-source nature also makes Android TVs much cheaper than Smart TVs.
Another notable feature of Android TVs is its ability to support Chromecast which allows you to wirelessly stream video content from your smartphone or computer to your TV.
But then, compared to Smart TVs, you’ll not find a wide range of Android TV models to choose from as there are limited numbers of manufacturers producing it.
But you don’t really have to buy an Android TV, as explained below.
Smart TVs
A Smart TV is just like any other HDTV in its spec range, except that it has computer-like functionality.
To put it simply it’s a TV that operates like a computer.
This doesn’t mean you can install computer programs like Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and the like into it.
What makes a Smart TV computer-like is its ability to connect to the Internet through a wired or wireless connection.
You can also imagine a Smart TV as a larger version of a smartphone or a tablet. In other words, you can expand its capability beyond receiving TV broadcasts and playing Blu-ray movies.
You can enjoy web-based entertainment services through video streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix, to name a few.
Smart TV OS
Smart TVs use non-Android OS. Among them are webOS, Smart Central and Tizen.
Smart TV Apps
If you’re not really concerned with having a wide range of apps and are happy with apps like Netflix, Hulu or Youtube then a Smart TV would make a good choice.
Most of the popular apps would come preinstalled and more can be downloaded from their app stores.
Check out the OS’ app stores before making a purchase decision as some of the brands don’t allow you to download apps other than the preloaded ones.
On the firmware update side, Smart TVs lag behind Android TV. That’s another aspect you need to consider.
Read How to Convert Your Normal TV to Smart TV.
Android TVs
Android TVs are Smart TVs powered by Google’s Android OS (Operating System). If you have an Android smartphone or tablet, you would be well aware of the capability of the operating system and the wide range of apps available.
So, if you’re already an Android mobile device or an Android TV Box owner, you would want to opt for an Android TV in the name of system familiarity.
Android OS
The operating system is an important aspect of the Smart TV vs Android TV debate. A standout advantage of the Android OS is it’s regularly updated to offer improvements to what you’re already enjoying.
As has already been mentioned Android’s open-source nature will offer you an extensive range of apps through the Google Play Store.
The open-source nature also makes Android TVs much cheaper than Smart TVs.
Another notable feature of Android TVs is its ability to support Chromecast which allows you to wirelessly stream video content from your smartphone or computer to your TV.
But then, compared to Smart TVs, you’ll not find a wide range of Android TV models to choose from as there are limited numbers of manufacturers producing it.
But you don’t really have to buy an Android TV, as explained below.
Android TV Box Solution
So, if you’ve decided to make available Android’s wide range of apps without buying an Android TV, you can purchase an affordable Android TV box and connect it to your HDTV.
That’s the easiest and cheapest way to turn your HDTV into an Android Smart TV.
So, what have you decided after going through the Smart TV vs Android TV debate?
