Many TVs can't withstand the elements. SunBriteTV Veranda Series 3 is built for outdoor use. It also offers several key benefits over the previous Veranda models. These include a brighter, more vibrant picture that supports Dolby Vision and a complete suite of Android TV features like streaming media, voice control via Google Assistant, mirroring your phone, and full Android TV services. The 55-inch SBV3-55-4KHDR–BL model, which costs $2,898.95 is significantly more than high-end indoor TVs such as the LG C2 OLED ($1,799.99), however, it's a better price for outdoor TVs. The SunBriteTV Veranda Series 3 outdoor TV is our Editor's Choice Award for its rugged construction and visual performance.
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Weatherproof and Rugged
The Veranda 3's outdoor size makes it much more robust than similar indoor TVs. The 55-inch model is enclosed by a black powder-coated aluminum frame that measures nearly 4 inches in thickness. A 1.5-inch wide (bottom and sides) and 0.8-inch (top and top) bezels protect the screen. The bottom bezel of the Sunbrite logo features an indicator LED in blue and an infrared detector.
The Veranda 3 comes with a set of standard VESA screws mounts, however the Veranda 3 does not come with a stand. Outdoor TV manufacturers often forget to include this feature. They assume you'll mount your outdoor TVs on a permanent object or wall, and not on a table. SunBriteTV has several options for mounting on a wall, but not table stands. Third-party TV stands typically cost $50 to $200.
A thick, permanently attached power cable extends from the back of the TV. All of the other ports are in a large recess on the right side of the back that's secured by a gasketed door with three thumb screws. You get four HDMI ports, a USB port, a second USB port only for service, two 3.5mm outputs, a 3.5mm composite input, an optical audio output, an Ethernet port, and an antenna/cable connector. A cutout at the bottom of the recess with a thick foam sealing lets cables run out and prevents moisture from reaching the ports.
Although the rectangular, black remote looks sturdy and is more comfortable than similar-sized remotes for indoor TVs, it's made of plastic. To protect electronics from outside elements, four screws close the battery door. Twelve additional screws secure the body of the remote. Near the top, a circular navigation pad with input and power buttons is located.
The top of the remote also has a pinhole microphone. The navigation pad is below the volume and channel rocksers and playback controls. There are also dedicated buttons for Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ as well as Netflix, Peacock and Tubi. You don't have to point the remote at the TV to get commands registered. The remote connects via Bluetooth to your TV.
Veranda 3 has an IP55 rating which allows it to withstand water and dust jets. It can be hosed off if the surface gets stained. Make sure you seal the port covers properly. Moisture can cause damage to delicate connections.
As mentioned, the Veranda 3 uses Android TV for its interface and connected features, whereas previous Veranda models lacked any built-in smart TV platform.
Android TV, a powerful and capable platform that is almost identical to Google TV's slightly older version, has all the same features and apps. You can access all major streaming video services, such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. Google Cast allows you to mirror any Android tablet or phone (or any other Chrome tab) onto the panel.
Google Assistant is also available to you. You can also use the remote microphone to command the TV.
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Strong Color, Modest Contrast
SunBriteTV Veranda3 is a 4K television with a 60Hz refresh speed. This TV supports HDR10 (Dolby Vision) and high dynamic range content.
Tests of TVs were done using the Klein K-80 colorimeter (Opens a new tab), Murideo SIX-G sign generator (Opens a new tab), and Portrait Displays Calman software (Opens a New Tab). We used a methodology that was based on Imaging Science Foundation's (Opens a new tab) calibration methods.
We set the TV to Outdoor Day mode, and turned the color temperature up to its warmest setting. The Veranda 3 has an SDR signal and a peak brightness reading of 477.279cd/m2 for a full-screen whitefield, and 707.696cd/m2 for an 18% whitefield. For an SDR contrast ratio 757:1, black levels reach a high 0.935cd/m2.
Peak brightness is almost the same when the HDR signal is used and the TV is set to HDR Theater mode. This means that peak brightness remains at 484.481cd/m2 if there's a white full-screen field, and 722.534cd/m2 if there's an 18% one. Black level is 0.199cd/m2 to achieve a better contrast ratio of 3,631-1. This contrast ratio would not be suitable for indoor TVs, however, outdoor TVs have a higher value than standard contrast numbers. Outdoor TVs are designed for areas where strong and variable ambient lighting is more prevalent, making it less likely that a home theatre can set up an environment properly darkened or lit consistently.
Veranda 3 TVs are "full-shade", meaning they should shine brightly enough on bright days when the sun is not directly shining. SunBriteTV's Pro 2 full-sun TVs (55-inch models, $7,038.95) have been designed to be brighter. These TVs as well as partial-sun Signature 2 TVs (5-inch models, $4,868.95) also feature better anti-glare screens. The 55-inch Furrion full shade Aurora TVs and Samsung's partial shading Terrace TVs cost $1,999.99 each.
The screen of the Veranda 3 was illuminated by a large, bright window on a sunny day.
Speaking of color, the Veranda 3 impressed us with its range and relative accuracy. The above charts show the TV's color performance with an SDR signal in Outdoor Day mode with the warmed color temperature setting compared against Rec.709 broadcast standards, and with an HDR signal in HDR Theater mode compared against DCI-P3 digital cinema standards. The SDR picture looks fairly accurate, but oversaturated; it also suffers a bit from some greenish drift in cyans and reddish drift in magentas.
HDR's color performance is superior, with HDR covering a significant but not complete DCI-P3 spectrum and maintaining a balanced mix of colors. Cyan was still slightly greener than before, but not by a large amount.
The BBC's Planet Earth II is a great choice for the Veranda. It's easy to see the subtle details like fur and bark, as well as how vividly the greens and feathers pop. Sometimes, subjects in shade, especially animals with dark fur can look washed-out or muddy, depending on the brightness of the frame and how dimmed the lighting is.
Under the darkened lighting, the reds in Deadpool's costumes look vibrant and balanced. The bright flames of the lab fighting scene stand out in contrast to the darkened parts. Although there is a lot of detail in shadows, sometimes they look washed-out.
The Great Gatsby's party scenes highlight the Veranda 3’s low contrast and high levels of black. Although the cuts and textures in black suits are clearly visible in many frames, they appear bright. These same suits may look blurred and the lapels can disappear in darker frames. All skin tones look natural and balanced, no matter what the conditions.
Outdoor gaming is possible with the Veranda 3, which supports variable refresh rate (VRR), and AMD FreeSync.
We measured the input lag using an HDFury Diva HDMI matrix (Opens in a new Window). This is lower than the threshold of 10ms that we use when determining if a TV's gaming performance. The input lag increases to 86ms when the Veranda's in Game mode.
Verandas for your Veranda
SunBriteTV's Veranda Series 3 introduces some notable improvements to its line. These include a better picture and a greater range of colors. They also support Dolby Vision. And Android TV smart features. The 55 inch model, which cost $2,900 to test, is quite costly compared to similar-sized indoor TVs. However, this price is standard for ruggedized TVs. The extra expense is justified when you consider that even a slight drizzle could cause damage to a TV. The Veranda Series 3 is an Editors Choice Award winner because of its durability and vibrant picture.
The LG C2 OLED TV is the top-rated outdoor TV. It costs $1799 for the 55-inch model. We also love the Hisense U8G (which retails at $949 for the 55-inch model), and the TCL 6-Series 4K Android TV ($949.99) for the 55-inch model. Each of those TVs offer far superior contrast and color performance compared with the Veranda Series 3—just don't take them out in the rain.
- Outdoor use: Ruggedized
- Dolby Vision supports accurate, wide-ranging colors
- Android TV offers phone mirroring, streaming media and voice control.
- Input lag low
- High-end
- It doesn't contain a stand
- Black levels high
SunBriteTV Veranda Series 3 features a vibrant picture, Android TV smart features and a rugged weatherproof design that is ideal for outdoor usage.