Is Element A Good TV Brand? 5 Problems & 4 Reasons (2023)

So you’re shopping for a new TV.

You ask your friends for suggestions and they reply with the mainstream brands.

Samsung, Sony, LG, TCL…

But, as you walk the store aisles, something catches your eyes.

Element TV.

Now you’re wondering if you should get that instead.

Should you?

Keep reading to discover:

What features does Element TV have.
Why having Roku as its OS makes Element a better TV.
What consumers say about Element’s customer service.
4 reasons why you should and 4 other reasons why you shouldn’t buy an Element.
And so much more…

Is Element a good TV brand?

Element is a good TV brand only if you’re looking at the price tag. It’s rich in features, has a great sound system, and uses Roku as its OS. But, its screen looks cheap. You also have limited model choices when buying an Element TV. And their customer service is reportedly unhelpful.

4 reasons why Element is a good TV brand

#1: Roku TV

So, you’re buying a new TV…

Well, you should put much thought into its operating system.

Why?

That’s because operating systems are the software your TV runs on.

Meaning that it affects how fast a TV is, what you see when you turn your TV on, or which apps you can get on it.

And, if you were to ask me what’s my favorite thing about Element TVs…

I’d say it’s the OS, which is Roku TV.

You see, Roku has consistently been one of the best TV OS in the market.

And these are the reasons why:

Great UI

Roku has a clean and functional interface.

It’s not flashy, nor does it have a lot of animations like its competitors.

It’s a straightforward OS. That’s why it’s easy to understand.

But, if you get tired of what you see, you can always get a new theme.

Just open Roku’s Channel Store and go to Themes.

From there, you can change how you view your Element TV’s interface.

Furthermore, it also has minimal ads.

And not having ads to interrupt you makes for an immersive viewing experience.

Large app ecosystem

When I say “streaming service,” what’s the first thing that pops into your mind?

Is it…

Hulu.
Netflix.
Spotify.
YouTube.
Apple TV.
HBO Max.
Disney Plus.

Well, regardless, you can get all of those on Roku TV…

And more.

Where can you get it?

In Roku’s version of the App Store.

Which they call the Channel Store.

Longevity

Most smart TVs have their own firmware updates for each TV.

But not TVs with Roku software.

It doesn’t matter if it’s TVs or Roku streaming devices…

All of Roku’s devices run on the same software.

This not only means that you’ll receive updates more frequently…

But also that it’ll be maintained for years to come.

#2: Rich in features

Element TVs are also packed with features, especially for their price.

On their website, under features, they list the following:

Frameless.
Dolby Audio.
Built-in Wi-Fi.
High Definition.
4K and HDR10.
Free Mobile App.
Automatic Updates.
Smart Home Ready.
Screen Casting & Mirroring.
120Hz Effective Refresh Rate.

Furthermore, do you also have a smart-home hub?

Element TVs are capable of connecting to a hub without any difficulty.

Which then allows you to control your TV using only your voice.

As long as it’s any of these:

#3: Good value

If there’s anything from Element that instantly grabs your attention…

It’s the price tag.

Not convinced?

Here, we compared the 49-inch TVs from the mainstream brands…

Against Element TV.

Brand	Element	LG	Sony	Samsung
Model	E4AA50R	49KS7500	KLV-49W672E	49LH600TÂ
Size	50 inches	49 inches	49 inches	49 inches
Resolution	3840×2160	1920×1080	1920×1080	3840×2160
Display	LED	LED	LED	LED
Price	$259.99	$725.80	$593.30	$1676.15

But, that doesn’t count the extra features for the other brands that make it more expensive.

However, if you’re only looking for something you can watch with…

It’s hard to beat Element TV.

#4: Great sound system

Lastly, Element TVs are partnered with JBL.

In case you’re not familiar with them, here’s a short introduction:

JBL is a pioneering company when it comes to sound systems.

Hence, if you’re on the market for an inexpensive TV with great sounds…

Element is definitely worth checking out.

5 common Element TV problems

#1: Limited choices

When buying an Element TV, you have 4 series model choices:

100 Series.
300 Series.
Q650 Series.
400/450 Series.

And, among those, the 100 Series isn’t even a smart TV.

Compare that to other manufacturers where they have a lot of choices depending on what you need.

Additionally, there’s also not much difference between the 300 and 400/450 Series.

Their only differences are that the 400/450 Series has:

HDR.
Ethernet cable.
4K UHD resolution.

That’s it.

So, if you’re looking for diversity in choices, Element TV might not be for you.

#2: Top-heavy

In addition to #1, your choices are also top-heavy.

“What do you mean by that?”

Let me explain…

Here’s a table comparing Element smart TV models:

Series	300 Series	400/450 Series	Q650 Series
Backlight	DLED	DLED	QLED
Resolution	Max: 1080P FHD	4K UHD	4K UHD
HDR	None	HDR10	Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Local Dimming	No	No	Yes
Sound	Dolby Audio	Dolby Audio	Dolby Atmos
Refresh Rate	60Hz	60Hz	120Hz

Notice anything strange?

Most of the good features are only available with the Q650 Series.

So, along with limited choices, it seems that only one Element TV series is worth getting.

#3: Looks cheap

If you’re like me who can’t stand a bad display…

Then this TV might not be for you.

Users have reported that Element TV has bad screens.

Furthermore, they also mentioned a problem with motion blurring.

What’s that?

Motion blur allows your display to be smoother.

How?

By blurring the transition between frames.

Manufacturers use this to translate movies that are shot at 60Hz to be shown at 120Hz.

However, bad motion blur can become distracting.

And that’s a problem that’s present on Element TVs.

#4: Not durable

They say, “You get what you pay for.”

And they’re right.

If you’re looking for the reason why Element TVs are cheap…

It’s because they’re using cheap materials as substitutes for better ones.

According to experts, TVs should last an average of 4 to 10 years.

However, users report that their TVs last no longer than 18 months.

That’s why some people have dubbed Element TVs as “disposable.”

#5: Lack of community

I don’t know about you, but when I encounter problems with my device…

I look for answers in forums with people who also own the same device as me.

This is the reason why manufacturers have a forum section on their official sites.

It’s a place for users to gather and try to solve issues.

But, the problem with non-mainstream TVs is that…

You don’t have this community.

There aren’t a lot of people who have an Element TV.

And, even if they do, they tend to just replace it instead of fixing it when it gets broken.

Frequently asked questions:

Who is Element TV made by?

Element TV is made by Element Electronics, a South Carolina-based company.

It was founded in 2007 by Mike O’Shaughnessy, and the company remains family-owned.

What started as a television-only business then expanded to appliances.

On the other hand, Element TV’s smart TV software is made by Roku.

Roku TV started as a project within Netflix.

Until Netflix cut them off because Roku wanted other streaming services on their app.

That was Netflix’s loss though, as Roku won the 2015 Emmy for Television Enhancement Devices.

Today, Roku TV remains to be one of the best streaming software in the world.

Which is better: Vizio or Element?

Vizio is better than Element.

When I buy a TV, I tend to value them in terms of their:

Price.
Display.
Software.
Durability.

And, based on user reviews, Element only does better in the software category. This is because Roku is superior to Vizio OS, which people often say is laggy.

Now, Element TV is actually cheaper, but the difference in their price tags isn’t that wide.

As for display and durability, Vizio wins.