Netflix Recommended TV List of 2019: Here's Netflix's List of TVs It Works Best On

Netflix is one of the world's biggest OTT streaming services, and naturally has a lot of subscribers - believed to be around 150 million globally today. While a lot of its success can be credited to its flexibility and availability on multiple platforms, the core idea of streaming TV shows and movies means that Netflix is best enjoyed at home, on your big-screen TV. In an effort to improve the Netflix experience on the TV, the platform certifies certain TVs as ‘Netflix Recommended TVs', and has just released its list of recommended TVs for 2019.

Streaming services giant Netflix has seven criteria for the certification, and TVs that meet five of these seven points are eligible to receive the Netflix Recommended TV badge. These criteria include the TV instantly powering on and remembering where you left off, fast app launch of the Netflix app, the Netflix button on the remote, a Netflix icon easily accessible in the UI, the latest version of the Netflix app, a high-resolution Netflix interface, and a new criteria called Always Fresh, which ensures that the Netflix app updates in the background of the TV's interface so new content (such as new Netflix TV series) and trailers are put up front and centre.

The list for 2019 so far includes a handful of TVs from three major brands - Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung.

The Netflix Recommended TVs for 2019 are:

Sony Bravia: A9G, X9500G, X9507G, X8550G, X8500G, X8507G, and X8577G

Panasonic: GX900, GX800, GX750, GX740, and GX700

Samsung: Q900R, Q90R, Q80R, Q75R, Q70R, Q60R, The Frame (2019), and RU8000

Some of these models, including the newly launched 2019 QLED TV series from Samsung, are available to buy in India, while others may be launched in the coming months. The list released is a global one, covering TVs from the three brands that are available all over the world. Netflix Recommended TVs receive the certification if they can get to the Netflix app quickly, get the latest version of Netflix for the specific smart TV platform, and have access to the newest features for a better experience.

TVs that have the certification will be able to state that they are Netflix Recommended TVs, which will help potential buyers make an informed choice. According to Netflix, when you see the “Netflix Recommended TV” logo, it means that the TV has passed rigorous testing to ensure great performance and easy access to Netflix and other services.

Interestingly, there are a lot of TVs that come with a dedicated Netflix button on the remote, but users shouldn't mistake these for Netflix Recommended TVs - the button is just one of the criteria that has to be met for the certification. A lot of users also find the button to be gimmicky and unnecessary on the remote, but there's no denying the convenience of quick access to Netflix on your smart TV with it.

While the criteria covers the Netflix app experience and getting to the content, it currently doesn't go into how the TVs perform once you press ‘play'. Netflix has a lot of content in varying resolutions and qualities going up to 4K and HDR, and a lot of the TVs in this year's list do support this content. However, for the time being, the criteria only explores the ease of using Netflix on the TV, rather than going into the finer aspects of picture quality.

Which is the best budget TV to buy in India right now? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.