What Is a Smart TV? What Samsung’s Guide Says

Last updated: October 2026

🕒 3 min read

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Wondering what actually makes a TV “smart”? This article answers the question of what a smart TV is using Samsung’s US buying guide, “What are Smart TVs?” It is one brand’s guide, so everything below is attributed to it and none of it comes from independent testing.

What Is a Smart TV? Samsung’s Definition

Samsung’s guide describes a smart TV as an internet-connected television loaded with streaming apps, both free and paid. It names Netflix, YouTube and Hulu as examples.

The guide admits that different sites give different opinions, then says the consensus is that a smart TV has three things:

Internet connectivity
An operating system
Its own app service

It boils that down to a formula: TV plus internet plus apps equals smart TV. It also likens a smart TV to a smartphone, since both stream entertainment over an internet connection.

How a Smart TV Gets Online

The guide says Samsung’s smart TVs come with built-in Wi-Fi. It adds that the TV walks you through setup the first time you turn it on. For the menu steps on a Samsung TV, see our guide on how to connect a Samsung TV to Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi or Ethernet: Stability vs. Placement

You can connect wirelessly or with an ethernet cable, and the guide treats them as a trade-off. An ethernet cable gives a stronger, more stable connection. Wi-Fi lets you position the TV where you like, because you aren’t limited to wherever a cable can reach.

Either way, the guide says you’ll want a quick, reliable internet connection, and that the stronger the connection, the better the viewing experience.

Features the Guide Says to Look For

The guide includes buying tips, and several of them describe what a smart TV is meant to do. In its words, paraphrased:

A wide range of content: the biggest value is watching beyond regular TV channels. Cable and satellite services can also be watched if you install the app your provider supplies.
Quick search: with so much content available, being able to find something fast matters.
Suggestions based on viewing: the guide says the TV can recommend shows from what you’ve been watching.
Easy connections: it says a good smart TV should detect HDMI devices automatically, so you aren’t juggling several remotes.

What Samsung’s Guide Doesn’t Settle

This is a manufacturer’s buying guide, and it uses Samsung’s own TVs and features as examples. Some of its statements carry footnotes that aren’t reproduced here, so we left those statements out. The page also shows no date.

Whether a smart TV works without internet, and how it differs from a regular TV, are separate questions this article doesn’t answer. It also doesn’t compare brands or rank any model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a smart TV?

According to Samsung’s guide, a smart TV is an internet-connected TV loaded with streaming apps. The guide says it has internet connectivity, an operating system and its own app service.

How does a smart TV connect to the internet?

Samsung’s guide says its smart TVs have built-in Wi-Fi, and you can also use an ethernet cable. The cable gives a more stable connection, while Wi-Fi gives more freedom in where the TV sits.

What kinds of apps does a smart TV run?

The guide names Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Spotify as examples of smart TV apps. It also says some apps only work with newer smart TVs.