Let’s be honest: TVs have gotten so good that even the small and cheap ones look pretty cool. But the decision to buy a TV is more complex than ever. There are OLED, QLED, and LED screens, smart and not so smart, 8K and 4K TVs, and a laundry list of obscure features like HDR and VRR. where do I start?
We’ll keep things simple. In this article, we’ve put together a list of our recommendations for the best TVs you can buy right now.
What are the upcoming TVs in 2023?
Did you know that the last letter in Sony TV model names determines the production year in alphabetical order? In late February, Sony introduced its new 2023 L lineup, and we visited the company to untangle all the new information about its latest TVs. You can Read that story here To see what comes from Sony, and also what are the industry-wide culinary trends, especially in the field of image processing.
Which TV should I buy now?
You want a crisp, clear picture, you want superior sound, you want smooth motion…and all of these TVs will provide that and so much more. We’ve also tried to cover a number of different price points, to give you an option or two whatever your budget.
The following options are not in order—consider all recommendations. As for the prices mentioned in each price, they reflect what we see online at the time of this writing, and you may see different deals and offers when you shop yourself.
- Available sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, 83 in
- Display technology: OLED
- Starting price: $1,400
LG C2 OLED Evo 4K It got rave reviews from everyone who tried it, and it’s easy to see why: You get great brightness and contrast (as you’d expect from an OLED panel), you get a high-end processor for object optimization and dynamic processing, and you get an ultra-thin and minimalist design.
Available sizes range from a large enough 42-inch to a simply gigantic 83-inch, with 4K resolution and 3840 x 2160 pixels consistent throughout. You also get pretty decent HDR support, compatibility with the eARC standard for speakers, and integrated 2.2-channel audio that delivers a total of 40W of output with Dolby Atmos support.
You have four HDMI 2.1 ports to connect all your different devices to, and the webOS software that comes on board on the TV isn’t bad either (you might not even need to connect anything). For a great picture with punch, and action that grabs your attention, the LG C2 OLED Evo 4K is clearly one of the best options out there right now.
- Available sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 in
- Display technology: QLED
- Starting price: $1,300
Samsung is a name you can count on when it comes to TVs and TVs Q70A QLED 4KWe have a collection that checks a lot of boxes. It offers a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, wide HDR support, eARC compatibility, three HDMI 2.0 ports and one HDMI 2.1 port, and 40 watts of onboard 2.2-channel audio that intelligently optimizes itself in real time.
QLED technology is Samsung’s way of upgrading to LED, with an extra quantum attached on the front: it aims to create superior brightness and contrast by adding a quantum dot filter into standard technology. Here, an additional dual LED backlight system also aims to provide deeper contrast and more accurate colours.
One of the key features here — and especially true of sports — is the way the picture can be tweaked as you move through the onboard wizard to match what you’re watching and the conditions (such as brightness) in the room you’ve entered. Add in a fast 120Hz refresh rate and it’s perfect for anything where the images are moving quickly.
- Available sizes: 55, 65, 75 in
- Display technology: QLED Mini LED
- Starting price: $950
Stylish and packed with features, the TCL 6-Series Mini-LED QLED 4K Monitor scores highly in nearly every department and will be an ideal pick for Super Bowl day. It’s also cheaper than many similar sets of a similar size and resolution, which of course is to its advantage—as is the superior brightness and color you’ll get from this model.
TCL uses the same QLED technology as Samsung (see the previous TV in our slideshow), while the Mini-LED approach means dimming that’s more subtle and clear across the screen. It all adds up to a vivid, rich picture at 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels), with support for impressive HDR standards and four HDMI ports (two with HDMI 2.0 and two with HDMI 2.1).
This set can be found with Google TV or the Roku TV software on board, so take your pick. In terms of audio, you have two built-in 15W speakers, as well as options (including eARC) for connecting separate audio devices. It handles motion very well – very handy for sports, of course – and it hits a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.
- Available sizes: 50, 65, 75 in
- Display technology: QLED
- Starting price: $600
Come for a very affordable price, keep the quality of the video you’ll get – be it while watching movies, gaming or sports. The Vizio MQX QLED 4K series can make just about anything look good on screen, and it’s especially adept at improving the visual appearance of content from lower-quality sources.
As for the main specs, the 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) beats out at 120Hz (and more if you want to lower that resolution), there’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and AMD FreeSync Premium, and you get four HDMI 2.1 ports to take advantage of. Of which. eARC support is also included, and there are 10-watt speakers built into the TV, too.
With QLED technology and an onboard processor, you’re getting very decent contrast and brightness for the price you’re paying, and there’s good smoothing across the screen as well as smart HDR processing. This fast refresh rate means sports will appear smooth and fluid, and the TV also handles reflections well.
- Available sizes: 55, 65, 75 in
- Display technology: Mini LED
- Starting price: $650
With fluid motion handling and excellent brightness levels, the Hisense U8H Series 4K is a good choice when it comes to watching sports — and it handles everything else well, too. Mini-LED technology delivers contrast levels that approximate OLED quality without sacrificing quality in other areas, and Dolby Vision and HDR10 are also supported.
This TV can output resolutions up to 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which is more than efficient at upscaling sources that come in lower resolutions as well. There are four HDMI ports (two HDMI 2.0 and two HDMI 2.1), eARC compatibility, and a pair of stereo speakers with a total output of 20W for onboard audio.
The TV’s design is pretty understated, which is just fine for us, and you’ll get Google TV software on board — one of the best all-in-one software options on the market right now. It’s versatile, it’s flexible, it’s bright, and then there’s the price: This set proves that you don’t necessarily have to pay top dollar to get one of the best TVs.
- Available sizes: 55, 65, 83
- Display technology: OLED
- Starting price: $1,800
Sony has been producing quality Bravia TVs for many years now, and the A90J is a really good option for all your content consumption, assuming you have the budget to afford it. That’s a cut above most similarly sized sets in terms of price, but it also has enough in it to justify the extra expense.
Every aspect of this TV is superbly executed, from the real-time image processing and optimization, to the impressive contrast, deep blacks and vivid colors offered by the OLED panel, to the implementation of HDR (HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision are supported). The image itself is in 4K, 3840 x 2160 pixels, with all sorts of customizations available.
These customizations cover motion smoothing as well as all the usual adjustments for brightness, contrast, etc. The refresh rate is up to 120Hz, there’s eARC support as well as the unusual option to use the screen itself as a built-in speaker, four HDMI ports (two with HDMI 2.0 and two with HDMI 2.1), plus Google TV.
- Available sizes: 43, 50, 55 in
- Display technology: Drove
- Starting price: $260
Our next pick is aimed at those who want to spend as little as possible on upgrading their TV, unlike the Sony Bravia option we just mentioned. It doesn’t offer the superior screen technology like OLED, QLED, or Mini-LED, but it still produces a very good picture, and it has Amazon Alexa smarts built into it, too.
You get a 4K, 3840 x 2160 pixels display with HDR 10 and HLG support, and up to 60Hz refresh rate. You’re well covered for ports, too, as the set offers three HDMI 2.0 ports and one HDMI 2.1 port with eARC support. As far as onboard audio goes, there are a pair of 8W stereo speakers, and the set is Dolby Digital Plus compatible.
Amazon makes a bunch of smart TVs, of course, so the Fire TV OS software is better than most, especially when it comes to app support. There’s also an Ethernet port here if you want to ensure a solid Internet connection for your streaming needs. It’s not the best TV you can buy right now, but it’s one of those that offer the best value.
XGIMI Horizon Pro
- Available sizes: up to 200 in
- Display technology: tourch
- Starting price: $1,700
We’d be remiss if we didn’t include at least one monitor on this list. The device we ultimately choose here is pricey, but it’s competitive with some of the more advanced TVs on the list. What you get for this cost is a full 4K picture that can stretch up to 200 inches while still being bright enough to view during the day.
You might be tempted to look for a cheaper ultra-short throw projector instead, but during the day they are often too dim to see. The XGIMI Horizon Pro can instead reach 2,200 lumens, which should be more than enough to ensure vivid vision even in a well-lit room.
Meanwhile, the large screen size and projected image will give your viewing a more cinematic feel, and the built-in Google TV compatibility and durable Harman Kardon speaker system will help you stream with ease while making sure you won’t be distracted for granted. A slight dim for the monitor is already on.
It’s not for everyone, but projecting a giant screen from a projector might be just the trick you need.
This list is updated regularly with new recommendations and product forecasts. Want more consumer electronics from Gizmodo? Check out our guides to The best phonesAnd The best laptopsAnd The best camerasAnd The best tablets and e-readers. And if you want to know the next big thing, check out our guide HEverything we know about iPhone 15.