The NRDC goes so far as to accuse TV makers of "exploiting weaknesses" in US energy tests, designing TVs that feign compliance in test conditions but flout the rules when they're in your living room.

None of the TV makers dispute the basic data, although the Consumer Technology Association unsurprisingly takes issue with the claims of sinister intentions. It insists that the NRDC is pushing "sensational-but-meaningless headlines" and showing an "inexplicable hostility" toward an industry that, in the long run, has saved a tremendous amount of power through TVs that honor EnergyGuide and Energy Star.

The CTA has a vested interest in defending TVs. They're still the Association's bread and butter, as any CES attendee can tell you. However, it's true that TVs have become more efficient over the years, and there's no concrete evidence that TV brands are cheating. Rather, the major concern is simply that TV energy ratings are behind the times. The Department of Energy's testing method is 8 years old, the NRDC notes -- it came about well before the advent of HDR and 4K screens. Officials may need to not only update their guidelines, but take a new approach that constantly adapts to evolving technology.