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Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
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Written by Michael Desjardin, Senior Staff Writer who's reviewed and compared over 100 TVs. John Higgins, managing editor with twenty-plus years experience testing headphones and TVs.
Updated April 26, 2024
As time goes by, standards improve and features change, but the basics of a good TV remain the same. You want inky black levels, brilliant colors, excellent processing, and a fast, intuitive smart interface. Lucky for you, we've spent years testing hundreds of the most popular TVs on the market, so we know how to shop for one.
All things considered, the best TV for most people is the LG C3
(available at LG)
. This LG OLED features stunning contrast, 4K resolution, Dolby Vision support, and LG's webOS smart platform. Its cutting-edge gaming features make it a great pick for gamers, as well. If you don't want to shell out that kind of cash, don't worry: We've got great TV picks for every budget.
Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
The LG C3 combines the unbelievable performance of an OLED with an array of exciting features.
Best TV
LG C3
Screen sizes: 42”, 48”, 55”, 65”, 77”, 83”
HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Smart platform: LG webOS 23
With its incredible picture quality and extensive selection of A/V- and gaming-related features, the LG C3 OLED is our pick for the all-around best TV you can buy. Like its predecessor, the C3 pairs picture-perfect black levels with punchy highlights and rich, voluminous color. It’s brighter than the C2, but only by a hair, due to new picture processing enhancements that manage light output.
This TV is at its best when displaying HDR content, covering an impressive 99% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3) and doling out highlights as bright as 800 nits. Picture purists will appreciate the C3’s out-of-the-box accuracy and Dolby Vision support, and everyone in the room will appreciate its remarkably wide viewing angles (a hallmark of OLED displays).
Few TVs offer as many gaming-related features as the LG C3 including ultra-low input lag, four HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K/120Hz gaming, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). The C3 also supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility. LG’s Game Optimizer is back, too, which gives gamers an easy-to-access menu for adjusting the TV’s picture and toggling its gaming-related enhancements on the fly.
The Sony A95L is the follow-up to the A95K, a TV we had previously declared the best we'd ever seen. The A95L is even better than its predecessor. From a picture quality standpoint, it's the best TV money can buy.
The A95L represents the best QD-OLED technology has to offer. Its color volume is unparalleled, its specular highlights are among the brightest in its class, and Sony's picture processing is second to none. Simply put, everything looks good on the A95L—from cable broadcasts to 4K movies mastered in Dolby Vision.
And if it's features you're after, the A95L is practically overflowing with them. There are more audio- and video-related enhancements than any TV I can remember, including IMAX Enhanced mode, Surface Acoustic Audio, and Bravia Cam support. Gamers are covered, too, as the A95L supports Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and Sony's Game Mode.
Unfortunately, gamers who own two current-gen gaming consoles and an eARC-enabled soundbar will have to juggle their devices across just two HDMI 2.1 inputs. This is the only aspect of the A95L's capabilities that falls short of its top-tier OLED competitors like the Samsung S95C and the LG G3.
It doesn't come cheap, but the Sony A95L is the ultimate TV for those looking for the absolute best picture on the market.
The Hisense U8K offers great performance for a price most people can justify.
Best Value TV
Hisense U8K
Screen sizes: 55", 65", 75", 85"
HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Smart platform: Google TV
If you’re shopping for a high-performance TV without a high-end price, the Hisense U8K should be at the top of your list. Its set of features and picture quality rival some of the best LED TVs from competitive brands, but its price tag is much lower.
Like many top-shelf TVs in 2023, the U8K blends mini-LEDs and quantum dots for a bright, colorful picture. Its high amount of dimming zones and excellent local dimming software keep its black levels inky while minimizing light bloom. If you have a brighter-than-average living space, the U8K is a slam dunk; it’s one of the brightest TVs of the year, and its average picture brightness is plenty sufficient to cut through sunlight.
The built-in Google smart platform is easy enough to use and offers plenty of downloadable apps. It's not quite as powerful a gaming machine as other high-end TVs, but there’s enough here to satisfy casual and dedicated gamers alike. It’s equipped with two HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K/120Hz gaming (or up to 144Hz with VRR), as well as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
Its picture processing isn’t as sharp as some of the other TVs in its class, and like all mini-LED TVs, the picture quality gets noticeably worse during off-axis viewing. Nevertheless, with 55-inch models starting at $750 and 65-inch models frequently on sale for about $1,000, the U8K is positively overflowing with value.
The Samsung QN90C is one of the brightest LED TVs we’ve reviewed this year.
Best TV For Bright Rooms
Samsung QN90C
Screen sizes: 43", 50", 55", 65”, 75”, 85”
HDR support: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Smart platform: Tizen OS
As we've come to expect from Samsung's Neo QLED line, the QN90C is sensationally bright and colorful. It's one of the brightest TVs of the year, making it a great choice for folks with sun-soaked living spaces. The QN90C's sheer brightness and quantum dot-enhanced display make for an impressively punchy palette of colors, regardless of what you're watching.
Most impressive, however, is the QN90C's local dimming, which does a remarkably good job of keeping all of that brightness in check. Rarely did we notice any light bloom around brighter objects, including bright, white subtitles during darker shows and movies. Simply put, if you have your heart set on a mini-LED TV, the QN90C is one of the best TVs at implementing that display technology.
Gamers will feel right at home with the QN90C, as it offers a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming up to 144Hz, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and AMD FreeSync Premium. Like many high-end Samsung TVs this year, the QN90C also supports Samsung's cloud gaming software suite, Gaming Hub. This allows users to access a host of popular cloud gaming services—no console required.
Like all LED TVs, the QN90C doesn't look quite as good when viewed from an off-axis position. We also find the overall software experience to be fussier than Google TV. Nevertheless, the QN90C is one of the best TVs money can buy—especially if you have a bright home.
Thanks to mini-LED display technology, the Hisense U6K delivers excellent performance for a budget TV.
Best TV Under $500
Hisense U6K
Screen sizes: 55", 65", 75", 85”
HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Smart platform: Google TV
The Hisense U6K is the most affordable mini-LED TV on the market, making it a great choice for those shopping for a budget-friendly TV with a hefty amount of performance-related upside. Its picture quality is better than most TVs in its price range, and although it's not packed to the brim with features, its flexible smart platform and handful of gaming features should be enough to satisfy most bargain-hunters.
The U6K owes most of its success to its mini-LED display. This hardware is typically reserved for pricier TVs, but the U6K features a scaled down version of the technology with fewer dimming zones, keeping it firmly locked into a budget-friendly price bracket. With mini-LEDs in tow, the U6K offers tighter dimming zone control than entry-level and mid-range TVs that rely on traditional LEDs.
It’s bright enough for casual daytime viewing and looks good in the dark, too. With quantum dots in play, the U6K is also quite colorful for a mid-range TV; it covers an impressive 96% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3). It’s not as gaming-friendly as pricier TVs from Hisense and competitive brands, but Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) are included.
There are a few drawbacks to the U6K’s otherwise excellent approach: Its design isn’t as sturdy or sleek as we’d like, and there are some picture processing issues that spoil some of the fun. Like many Hisense TVs, the U6K often exhibits a subtle, red-tinted ghosting effect on objects in motion, particularly during dimly lit scenes in warm lighting. It also struggles to upscale sub-4K content as cleanly as other mid-range TVs.
Still, if you’re looking for an affordable TV that delivers better performance than most in its class, the U6K is a great pick.
The A95K, Sony's first quantum dot-enhanced OLED TV, is absolutely mind-blowing. In terms of pure picture quality, it's one of the best TVs we've ever seen (topped only by its successor, the Sony A95L).
The A95K delivers the perfect black levels and the wide viewing angles of any OLED, while correcting OLED tech’s biggest problem—brightness. It’s bright enough to watch day or night, unless it’s sitting directly in a sunbeam.
Sony's quantum dot technology helps A9K cover an impressive 100% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3). Its bold, bright colors pop noticeably, no matter what you’re watching or playing. Most impressively, it can render skin tones and subtle color gradations without color banding, even when it’s upscaling standard-definition content thanks to Sony’s excellent picture processing.
The A95K isn’t quite as robust for gaming as some of its competitors, but it does alright. Two of its HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K gaming at 120Hz, though one of them is also the eARC-enabled soundbar port. It also features Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and G-Sync compatibility.
Finally, the A95K has a fast, easy-to-use Google-based smart platform that works well for streaming.
The price tag is astronomical and the gaming support could be stronger, but if you're looking for one of the best pictures money can buy, the A95K is a great candidate. It’s also a savvy way to save a little bit of money if its successor, the A95L, is a bit too pricey for you.
The second generation of Samsung’s quantum dot-enhanced OLED display technology is even more stunning than the first. With class-leading brightness, incredibly vibrant color, and a bevy of gaming features, the Samsung S95C picks up right where its predecessor (the S95B) left off. An S95B on sale is still the better financial option, unless you’re after a 77-inch model or want the flexibility of Samsung’s One Connect box which puts all connections in a conveniently detached box, both only offered with the S95C.
The S95C is the brightest OLED we’ve tested to date, with HDR specular highlights reaching as high as 1,400 nits. Colors on the S95C look spectacular no matter what you happen to be watching, but HDR movies, shows, and video games look especially vibrant. The S95C covers 99% of the HDR color gamut, and the sheer luminosity of its quantum dot-enhanced palette truly makes a difference.
The S95C is a gaming powerhouse and its low input lag and 144Hz native refresh rate are just the tip of the iceberg. All four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K/120Hz gaming, along with Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and AMD FreeSync Premium. Like last year’s model, the S95C also offers Samsung Gaming Hub (a cloud gaming platform) and Game Bar, a settings menu that puts the TV’s various gaming enhancements right at your fingertips.
As is the case with all Samsung TVs, you won’t be getting Dolby Vision support with the S95C. Instead, the TV offers HDR10+ support in its place, an HDR format that harnesses frame-by-frame metadata similarly. In addition, while the S95C’s software has seen subtle improvements year over year, we find the user interface to be somewhat confusing and certain processes to be slow, which might disappoint those looking for a simple, easy smart platform experience.
The G3 OLED is one of the best TVs LG has ever made, thanks in part to its unique Micro Lens Array (MLA) panel technology. This special hardware allows the G3 to produce peak white highlights at brightness levels on par with QD-OLED TVs. When you put those highlights alongside perfect black levels, magic things happen to the picture. (Note: The 83-inch G3 does not feature MLA technology.)
Like its predecessors, the G3 is designed to hang on the wall like a portrait. This means if you want to set up the G3 on a media console, you'll have to fork over an extra $150 to $200 for a compatible, first-party stand. If you wall-mount the G3, however, you'll be treated to a work of art. There is no gap between the panel and the wall, and its metallic border calls to mind a fancy frame.
Gaming enthusiasts will be thrilled to see a full suite of HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming at 120Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium, G-Sync, and Auto Low Latency Mode. Like all LG OLEDs, the G3 also offers Game Optimizer mode—a convenient set of enhancements to improve the experience from one game to the next.
The G3 is not perfect, though. Those chasing the brightest, boldest colors an OLED has to offer might want to explore alternatives. While its colors are spectacular to behold (and accurate right out of the box), the G3 lags behind QD-OLED when it comes to color volume. In addition, the G3's stand is wobbly, and the configuration causes the panel to lean back slightly, which might bother some.
That said, it's among the best OLEDs money can buy, which puts it near the top of the list of the best TVs, period. It's an especially good pick for those looking to wall-mount their next TV.
Screen sizes: 55”, 65”, and 77” (QD-OLED), 83” (WOLED)
HDR support: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Smart platform: Samsung Tizen OS
The Samsung S90C is Samsung’s most affordable OLED TV. While it’s not quite as impressive as the step-up S95C, it shares many of the same benefits and features. As such, it’s a great way to save some money on a high-end Samsung TV.
Every model in the S90C series other than the 83-inch uses a QD-OLED display. The 83-inch version uses a WOLED display and will likely perform differently. Our recommendation, therefore, covers the 55-, 65-, and 77-inch models.
The inclusion of quantum dots helps to explain why the S90C is brighter and slightly more colorful than many OLED TVs in its price range (like the LG C3 and the Sony A80K). When paired with the perfect black levels OLED TVs are known for, the S90C’s added brightness makes for a fantastically cinematic experience, particularly in HDR. Small, concentrated areas of brightness really pop.
Picture purists will appreciate the S90C’s razor-sharp Filmmaker mode, which produces an incredibly accurate picture right out of the box. Gamers, on the other hand, will love the S90C’s full-hearted support for current-generation consoles, as the S90C supports 4K gaming at up to 144Hz across all four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs. It also supports ALLM, VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium, and Samsung’s Gaming Hub streaming software suite.
There are a couple of downsides to report, unfortunately. Being a Samsung TV, the S90C does not support Dolby Vision, opting instead for the open-source alternative, HDR10+. A/V enthusiasts might miss having the option to watch Dolby Vision-enhanced content in its native format. In addition, the S90C’s software (especially its built-in smart platform) often feels like it gets in its own way.
It’s also worth noting just how much pricier the 65-inch model is when compared to the 55-inch version. The 55-inch S90C is the most competitively priced model, and there’s a significant price jump when moving up to the 65-inch version—more so than with most TVs in its class.
Nevertheless, if you’re interested in landing a Samsung-branded OLED TV, the S90C is the most affordable route. It’s an especially good choice for folks shopping in the 55-inch size category.
The LG C2 was originally released in 2022, but you can still find great deals on this award-winning OLED TV.
In HDR, the TV can produce specular highlights in the 700- to 800-nit range, and it covers about 97% of the HDR color space (DCI-P3). SDR content (like most cable broadcasts) also looks spectacular, though not as bright. HDR support includes Dolby Vision, a big draw for cinephiles.
The C2 is also our favorite TV for gamers. All four inputs are full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1, supporting 4K gaming at 120 hertz (Hz). It comes with features for optimizing frame rate and reducing input lag, including Auto Low Latency (ALLM) Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. LG’s Game Optimizer menu lets you toggle VRR and picture options, and keeps frame rate information handy while you play.
It’s not perfect. It doesn’t support DTS audio, diminishing the experience of some Blu-Rays. We’re also not a fan of LG’s webOS smart platform, which is slow and full of sponsored content. Still, that’s nothing an affordable streaming device can’t fix.
The LG C2 is a successful addition to a long line of winning LG OLED TVs. It’s pricier than most TVs, but its world-class performance and wide array of features justify the price tag.
The Samsung S95B combines the perfect black levels of an OLED display with the color- and brightness-boosting qualities of quantum dots. Despite being one of the first TVs to boast this combo, it does a great job showcasing this technology.
OLED TVs offer some amazing advantages, but they’ve long suffered on brightness, especially compared to LED TVs with quantum dots. While the S95B still doesn’t get as bright as a TV like the Samsung QN90B, it’s the brightest OLED we’ve tested to date.
Coupled with OLED’s perfect black levels, the S95B’s added brightness has a powerful impact on HDR content, from movies to video games and beyond. Specular highlights pop off the screen, adding an astonishing level of depth. But perhaps the most significant improvement the quantum dots offer is their effect on the S95B’s color reproduction. Reds and greens look particularly stunning here.
It's built for next-gen gaming, too. All four of the S95B’s HDMI ports support 4K gaming at 120Hz, ALLM, and VRR. Combined with Samsung’s Game Bar settings menu, avid gamers are well cared for.
Being a Samsung TV, the S95B supports HDR10 and HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision. Samsung’s Tizen-based smart platform is a bit laggy and difficult, too, incentivizing owners to use an external streaming device. Picture purists who don’t intend to hire a professional calibrator might want to check out the LG C2 instead, as its out-of-the-box picture is closer to reference standards.
Still, the Samsung S95B is an excellent (albeit pricey) OLED that’s better for viewing in bright rooms than nearly every other OLED on the market. Despite its lack of Dolby Vision and its cumbersome smart platform, it’s a total game-changer.
The A80K is the most affordable Sony OLED TV of the year and is currently seeing some deep discounts, making it a terrific option for OLED bargain hunters who appreciate the look and feel of a Sony-branded TV.
Like all OLED displays, the A80K sports perfect black levels and incredible contrast, especially when viewed in a dark room. It also boasts the ultra-wide viewing angles of an OLED, maintaining excellent contrast and color saturation wherever you’re sitting in the room. Its color gamut coverage is remarkable, covering 99% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3) with impressive accuracy when using the “Custom” picture mode.
Unfortunately, A80K loses some luster when you compare it to other OLED TVs in its price bracket. It isn’t as bright as the competition, topping out at around 700 nits of brightness when displaying small, concentrated highlights. Meanwhile, the LG C2 bumps right up against 800 nits and the Samsung S95B eclipses 1,000 nits. OLED TVs already struggle in bright rooms, and the A80K struggles more than most in its price range.
The A80K is also not quite as gaming-friendly as competitively-priced OLED TVs. It features HDMI 2.1 and all of its benefits (ALLM, VRR, and 4K gaming at 120Hz), but only on two of its four inputs—one of which is also the dedicated eARC port. Meanwhile, the C2 and the S95B have those features on all four inputs.
Nevertheless, the A80K sports a sensational picture, a fast, user-friendly smart platform powered by Google TV, and an elegant design. Sony’s superb picture processing ties the whole recipe together. As long as you’re not planting the A80K in a bright room (and you don’t mind missing out on some of the benefits of its competitors), it’ll serve you well.
The latest Neo QLED from Samsung is the QN90D. Like its predecessors, the QN90D blends the brightness- and color-boosting properties of quantum-dot technology with some of the most impressive mini-LED backlighting the industry has to offer. It’s a fantastic all-around pick for folks searching for an impressive, high-end TV, but it’s an especially good choice for people with brighter-than-average homes.
The QN90D pairs sensationally bright highlights with deep, rich black levels. Thanks to an array of mini-LED zones and excellent local dimming control, the darker areas of the picture stay mostly free of light bloom. HDR movies, games, and shows look fantastic on the QN90D, as the display is capable of breaking 2,000 nits when showcasing small, scintillating highlights, and its colors are stunning, too.
Rounding out this QN90D’s impressive resumé is one of the most robust selection of gaming features you’ll find in a TV this year. There’s a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs to support 4K console gaming at 120Hz (or 144Hz for PC gamers), as well as ALLM, VRR, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. The QN90D is also a gateway to console-free cloud gaming, as it comes with Samsung’s Gaming Hub platform built right into the software. With a compatible Bluetooth controller, users can enjoy cloud-based gaming from services like Xbox and GeForce Now.
Our only complaints have to do with the TV’s lack of Dolby Vision support, Samsung’s confusing, difficult-to-navigate smart platform, Smart Hub, as well as the QN90D’s SDR performance when the Local Dimming setting is maxed out. For most people, these shortcomings shouldn’t be deal-breakers. The QN90D is a fantastic TV for just about everything and everyone.
The TCL QM8 is one of the best TVs TCL has ever made. It combines mini-LEDs and quantum dots for a bright, colorful picture, a better-than-average selection of gaming features, and a reliable smart platform, all for a price that comes in lower than most TVs with similar spec sheets.
The QM8 is one of the brightest TVs of the year, and it doesn’t matter what you’re watching. SDR content (cable TV, over-the-air broadcasts, and most streaming content) is bright enough to hold up in even the most sun-drenched rooms, and HDR content (UHD Blu-rays and Dolby Vision streaming titles, for example) looks superb. Specular highlights climb as high as 2,000 nits, and the QM8’s impressive local dimming algorithm ensures that the TV’s high-octane mini-LEDs aren’t bleeding into surrounding darkness. In fact, the QM8’s ability to limit light bloom (while still providing fiercely bright highlights) is its best quality.
Almost as good as the QM8’s contrast is its color production. Its quantum dot-enhanced display covers about 96% of the HDR color gamut, and while it’s not quite as accurate out of the box as other TVs in its price range, its most accurate picture mode still looks great.
At first blush, gaming enthusiasts might balk at the fact that only two of the QM8’s HDMI inputs support 4K gaming at up to 144Hz, but there’s good news: The TV’s dedicated eARC port is separate from its pair of gaming-enhanced inputs, so owners of multiple current-generation consoles don’t have to play favorites with their ports.
Like most mini-LED TVs, off-axis viewing is a good way to spoil the fun; the QM8’s contrast is at its worst when viewed from off to the side. Its design isn’t as fetching as other TVs in its class, either. That said, if you’re looking for a jaw-droppingly bright LED TV with a friendlier price than most, the QM8 might be the ticket.
The U7K is right in the middle of Hisense’s mini-LED lineup, sandwiched between the entry-level U6K and the top-shelf U8K. It’s a great fit for those who are looking for a better-than-average TV but don’t want to cross into a higher price range. It’s an especially great pick for gamers on a budget.
Although it doesn’t showcase small, specular highlights as impressively as its higher-end counterpart, the U7K is nevertheless bright enough for most living spaces on account of its relatively high average picture brightness. Its HDR performance in particular won’t exactly wow dedicated A/V enthusiasts, but most people will be perfectly pleased with the U7K’s picture–especially those upgrading from an older TV.
The U7K’s set of gaming features is terrific. It supports 4K gaming at 120Hz (or 144Hz for PC gaming), ALLM, VRR, and FreeSync Premium Pro. Unfortunately, only two of its HDMI inputs are optimized for gaming, and one of them also functions as the TV’s eARC port. If you own two consoles and a soundbar, they’ll be fighting over one of the HDMI 2.1 inputs.
The U7K is a respectable, affordable TV that ought to entice casual viewers and gamers alike.
If you’re looking for a taste of high-end performance without the high-end price tag, consider the X90K, Sony’s best mid-range TV. It delivers a bright, colorful picture, a user-friendly smart platform, and a handful of useful gaming features.
With an average picture brightness of around 600 to 700 nits in both SDR and HDR, the X90K is a great choice for folks who watch cable TV or stream their favorite shows during the day. Small highlights (like the shimmer of light on a samurai sword) get even brighter, and with both HDR10 and Dolby Vision support in tow, the X90K is one of the best ways to showcase HDR content without spending an arm and a leg. Thanks to Sony's Triluminos quantum dot technology it covers about 92% of the HDR color gamut (DCI-P3). With Sony’s much-lauded picture processing conducting the proceedings behind the scenes, everything from upscaled content to native 4K content looks clean and accurately expressed.
Unfortunately, you’re liable to notice some light bloom whenever bright picture elements are overlaid on a dark background. This is because the X90K isn’t equipped with very many dimming zones—something you don’t have to worry about as much if you invest in a higher-end mini-LED TV. Its gaming support is also more limited as only two of the X90K’s four HDMI inputs support 4K gaming at 120Hz, with ALLM and VRR. Non-gamers won't be affected by this limitation, though.
The X90K is a great compromise for folks who want a handful of cutting-edge features and a great picture, but who don’t feel comfortable jumping up to the high-end, heavy-hitting options that often cost twice as much.
The 5-Series’ average and peak brightness won’t match what you’ll get from more expensive midrange TVs like the Hisense U8K or TCL’s own QM8. But it’s one of the brightest you’ll find for the price, and there’s still plenty of brightness to combat ambient light and deliver an eye-popping picture. Color performance is impressive, too, with better color gamut coverage than its predecessor in both SDR and HDR, and added HDR10+ support.
For gamers, there are HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), Auto Low Latency Mode, and Variable Refresh Rate (including AMD FreeSync support). Game mode is an independent toggle, so you can enjoy the excellent color and contrast performance from the TCL’s Movie and Dark HDR picture modes.
There are some minor drawbacks, such as a limited number of dimming zones which leads to blooming, and a native refresh rate of 60Hz. We love Roku, but if you don’t, that’s currently your only smart platform option. But even with those slight hiccups, the TCL 5-Series is a serious budget win and an enormous value at under $500 for the 55-inch model.
If you're in the market for a decent-looking TV that offers a full spectrum of streaming options and won't break the bank, the TCL Q6 is a great candidate. It's available in several size options, all of which are among the most affordable options you'll find from a major, reputable TV brand.
The Q6 isn't equipped with high-end display hardware, but it makes the most of what it's got: a direct LED backlight with quantum dots. The Q6 may not be bright enough for sunny rooms, but it's fine for average lighting conditions, and its color production is quite impressive for the price.
Unfortunately, due to the Q6's relative lack of brightness, its HDR performance isn't as impactful as some of its competitors (like the Hisense U6K). Still, folks looking for a decent, affordable TV with full access to streaming options should take a closer look at the Q6. With Google's smart platform baked right into the TV's software, you're getting a fast, flexible set of streaming options right out of the box.
Finding the best TV for you can be an intimidating process. Reading current TV reviews can help you learn about specific models. Still, it’s easy to get lost in all the technical terms and features, so here’s a quick look at some important considerations as you decide on your next TV.
What is Resolution?
Resolution refers to how many pixels comprise the screen. All the models on our Best TV list are 4K TVs. They have 3,840 pixels across and 2,160 pixels down, for a total of almost 8.3 million pixels. UHD stands for Ultra High Definition, and specifies resolution plus a whole host of other parameters including Wide Color Gamut and frame rate.
While there are 8K TVs on the market, we don’t recommend them…yet. There’s virtually no content and the minimal performance increase doesn’t justify the exorbitant cost.
Different Display Types
There are two main display technologies with current TVs—LED/LCD and OLED. LED/LCD refers to Light Emitting Diodes and Liquid Crystal Display. The LEDs are the light source, or backlight, for the TV. They send light through a color filter and then the LCD layer before it hits our eyes.
The LED backlights use a process called local dimming, where zones of LEDs dim or boost brightness depending on what’s on the screen. This vastly improves contrast if it’s done well.
The LCD layer reacts to electrical current passing through it, causing the liquid crystals to twist and control the amount of light that passes through. LCD TVs use either VA or IPS panels, which each have their own benefits and drawbacks.
OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV technology might sound similar to LED, but the name is where the similarities end. OLED is an emissive technology, meaning the pixels create their own light so a separate backlight isn’t necessary.
Instead of dimming zones individual pixels can dim or turn off. This allows OLED TVs to achieve deep blacks and an infinite contrast ratio—an enormous advantage over LEDs. Past OLEDs have been plagued by the threat of burn-in (or image retention), where the impression of an image stays on the screen, but that’s not a concern with current TVs for consumers.
Both display technologies can be paired with quantum dots. These are microscopic nanocrystals that produce colored light when illuminated. They can greatly increase the light output and color range of a television.
LED TVs have featured quantum dots for a few years (called QLED, QNED, or Triluminos by Samsung, LG, and Sony respectively). But now we’re seeing them in OLED panels (QD-OLED TVs), as well.
What is HDR?
High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to both a type of TV and a type of content. HDR expands the potential range of both luminance (brightness) and color that a TV can produce.
There are four different HDR formats—Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. All of our best TVs are HDR-compatible and support at least HDR10, with some supporting all four.
Which HDMI Connection Do You Need?
The predominant connection on TVs is HDMI, but you might have seen there’s both HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 out there. The biggest difference between the two is an increase in data bandwidth (18Gbps on HDMI 2.0 vs up to 48Gbps on HDMI 2.1).
For most people, HDMI 2.0 is sufficient, but if you want to get 4K resolution at refresh rates higher than 60Hz on the Xbox Series X or PS5, you’ll need at TV with at least one HDMI 2.1 port. Just make sure your HDMI cable is capable of that increased bandwidth as well.
The higher bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 also allows for eARC, which stands for “enhanced audio return channel”. This tech sends high-bitrate audio (such as Dolby Atmos) from the TV to an AV Receiver or soundbar, pumping up the audio experience far beyond the built-in TV speakers.
Smart Platforms
How you interact with your TV, and how easy or frustrating it is, comes down to the smart platform. This is where you’ll find streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as the TV’s input selection and setup menus.
Some TV brands, like LG and Samsung, use homegrown platforms, while others rely on Roku or Google to supply the OS. We’ve been fans of Roku for years and it’s still the best OS available, although others have made strides to close the gap.
If you’re not a fan of your TV’s built-in OS, you can always buy an external streaming device or use a gaming console instead.
Variable Refresh Rate comes in different varieties, so you might see this called FreeSync or G-Sync, as well. This technology syncs the refresh rates of the TV and game console to prevent unwanted artifacts like screen tearing that can be distracting while gaming. Some TVs also have special gaming hub interfaces that display all the gaming features the TV offers at once.
Some models, such as Samsung TVs with Gaming Hub—don’t even need a console to play. Instead they include cloud gaming services that allow you to stream games as you play them, as long as your internet speeds are fast enough.
What Size TV is Best?
Our recommendation will always be “the bigger the better,” as larger TVs offer a more immersive experience. For optimal movie viewing, your sitting distance should be no further than 1.2 times the diagonal size of the TV (so 5.5 feet back from a 55-inch TV). Sitting too close can cause eye fatigue. It can also make you notice individual pixels at lower resolutions, but with 4K it isn’t a huge issue.
What Is A TV Series?
You may notice the TVs listed in this roundup don't follow the traditional naming convention you might see when shopping. That's because we don’t nominate a single TV. Instead, we nominate the entire range of sizes within a "series."
Typically a TV series is the same model, in different sizes. While the price and dimensions differ, the performance is usually identical, with occasional small differences in things like dimming zones on LED TVs. We focus on the series because it's also the most accurate, useful way to discuss televisions, and lets you consider your needs regardless of your room size.
How We Test TVs
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Reviewed
Our lab is outfitted with much of the same equipment you would find at a factory that manufactures and calibrates televisions.
The Tests
We're serious about TV testing, so much so that our Cambridge, Massachusetts laboratory has much of the same equipment factories use to manufacture and calibrate televisions.
Our hardware includes a SpectraCal C6 colorimeter and a LS-100 luminance meter. We have a Leo Bodnar input lag tester, and a Murideo Seven 8K signal generator for testing 8K TV features. We also have more Blu-rays than we can keep track of.
Our testing process has been honed over many years. We gather enough esoteric data to satisfy curious video engineers, while also focusing on the average person's viewing experience.
We measure factors like peak brightness and black level. We test hue and saturation for primary and secondary digital colors. We check the accuracy of the TV's electro-optical transfer function—you get the idea.
We weigh our performance tests based on how the human eye prioritizes vision. Since human visual systems process brightness better than color, we weigh brightness first, then move on to colorimetry, and so on.
Beyond the technical tests, we also spend a lot of time just using each TV. We stream video, connect a Blu-ray player to watch movies, and use the smart features. We also check out the ports, remote, and on-set buttons. We evaluate anything and everything that might be relevant to the daily experience of using the TV.
Our current Home Theater expert, Michael Desjardin, is a Senior Staff Writer who’s been testing TVs for over a decade. A film enthusiast and TV expert, he takes picture quality seriously, but also understands that not every TV is a good fit for everyone.
John Higgins is Reviewed’s A/V and Electronics Senior Editor. In his A/V career that has spanned two decades he has written about TVs, speakers, headphones, AVRs, gaming, and all manner of technology. He is also an ISF Level III-certified calibrator.
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Michael Desjardin graduated from Emerson College after having studied media production and screenwriting. He specializes in tech for Reviewed, but also loves film criticism, weird ambient music, cooking, and food in general.
John is Reviewed's Managing Editor of Tech. He is an ISF Level III-certified calibrator with bylines at ProjectorCentral, Wirecutter, IGN, Home Theater Review, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine. When away from the Reviewed office, he is a sound editor for film, a musician, and loves to play games with his son.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.