Everything You Need to Know About Costco Canada's 65-Inch TVs

Understanding the Value of a 65” TV at Costco Canada

When searching for a new 65-inch television, many Canadian shoppers turn to Costco, and for good reason. The warehouse club has built a reputation for offering high-quality electronics at competitive prices. A 65-inch screen is often considered the sweet spot for modern living rooms, providing an immersive viewing experience without overwhelming the space. It’s large enough for cinematic movie nights but still practical for everyday TV watching.

The primary appeal of buying from Costco goes beyond just the sticker price. The value proposition is a combination of several key factors. These include access to major, reputable brands, an industry-leading return policy that provides significant peace of mind, and an automatic extended warranty on most televisions. This package of benefits makes Costco a compelling one-stop shop for a major electronics purchase.

What Brands of 65” TVs Can You Typically Find?

Costco Canada’s television aisle features a curated selection of leading brands, catering to various budgets and feature preferences. While the exact inventory can change based on season and availability, you can consistently expect to find models from the industry's biggest names.

• Samsung: A dominant force in the TV market, Samsung is known for its bright and vibrant QLED televisions. Their sets often feature the user-friendly Tizen smart platform and are excellent choices for well-lit rooms.
• LG: LG is famous for pioneering OLED technology, which delivers perfect black levels and stunning contrast, making their TVs a top choice for movie enthusiasts and those seeking the best possible picture quality in a darker room. They also offer a range of more budget-friendly LED models.
• Sony: Renowned for its superior image processing and natural color accuracy, Sony TVs are a favourite among videophiles. They often run on the Google TV platform, providing a seamless and content-rich smart experience.
• Hisense & TCL: These brands have become major players by offering televisions packed with premium features like QLED and Mini-LED technology at highly competitive price points. They represent incredible value and are often some of the best-selling models at Costco.

Key Features to Look for in a Costco 65” TV

Navigating the technical specifications can be daunting. Here’s a breakdown of the most important features to consider when you’re comparing 65-inch models at Costco.

Display Technology: QLED vs. OLED

The two most prominent premium display technologies you'll encounter are QLED and OLED. QLED (Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode) TVs are a type of LCD TV that uses a layer of quantum dots to enhance colour and brightness. Their main advantage is their ability to get extremely bright, which makes them ideal for watching content in rooms with a lot of ambient light. They produce a vibrant, punchy picture and are not susceptible to burn-in, making them a durable choice.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology works differently. Each pixel on an OLED screen produces its own light and can be turned off completely. This allows for perfect black levels and an "infinite" contrast ratio, creating a picture with incredible depth and realism. This makes OLED TVs the undisputed champion for cinematic viewing in a dim or dark room. The trade-off is that they generally don't get as bright as their QLED counterparts.

Resolution: The 4K Standard

For a 65-inch screen, 4K resolution is the absolute standard. Also known as Ultra HD (UHD), 4K resolution consists of 3840 x 2160 pixels. This is four times the number of pixels found in a 1080p Full HD TV. This high pixel density results in a much sharper, clearer, and more detailed image, where you can sit closer to the screen without noticing individual pixels. Virtually all 65-inch TVs sold at Costco will be 4K.

Refresh Rate: 60Hz vs. 120Hz

Refresh rate, measured in Hertz (Hz), refers to how many times per second the image on the screen is updated. The standard refresh rate is 60Hz. While this is perfectly fine for most movies and TV shows, a higher refresh rate of 120Hz provides a significant advantage for fast-moving content. It results in smoother motion with less blur, which is particularly noticeable in sports and action movies.

For video gamers, especially those with a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, a native 120Hz refresh rate is a highly sought-after feature. It allows for gameplay at up to 120 frames per second, creating a more responsive and fluid gaming experience.

Smart TV Platforms

Every new TV is a smart TV, but the operating system it runs can greatly affect your user experience. Samsung uses its Tizen platform, known for its speed and simple navigation bar. LG’s webOS is famous for its point-and-click Magic Remote. Sony, Hisense, and TCL often use Google TV (the successor to Android TV), which excels at content aggregation and recommendations. Other models might feature Roku TV, celebrated for its incredibly straightforward and easy-to-use interface.

Connectivity: HDMI 2.1 and More

Connectivity is crucial for getting the most out of your devices. Look for a TV with at least three to four HDMI ports. More importantly, if you are a gamer, look for at least one HDMI 2.1 port. This latest standard is necessary to support 4K gaming at 120Hz from modern consoles. It also enables features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for a smoother gaming experience.