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Best for Most
TCL Q6
Best Entry-Level TV
Roku Plus Series
For High-End Features
Hisense U8K
Another Great Mid-Tier TV
Vizio M-Series Quantum X (2022)
Saving up for a new screen? To help you navigate the dozens of seemingly identical TV models from Samsung, LG, Vizio, TCL, Sony, and other manufacturers, we’ve watched hundreds of hours of content on them and picked a few of our favorites. We’ve listed everything from the very best TV to the best budget set you can buy—and a few excellent choices in between.
All of these models have a 4K Ultra HD pixel resolution (and some have 8K), because there aren’t a lot of good reasons to buy a standard HDTV anymore. TVs now come with wonderful displays, but they’re terrible at audio and can have lackluster interfaces, so you should also invest in a good soundbar and a TV streaming stick if you can’t find the app you want. If you’re unfamiliar with much of the lingo TV manufacturers use, our How to Buy a TV guide can help.
Updated August 2023: We’ve added the LG C3, Philips OLED+937, and Hisense U8K.
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Photograph: TCL
Best for Most
TCL Q6
These days, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a fantastic TV. This mid-tier model from TCL (7/10, WIRED Recommends) features quantum dot technology and support for every major high dynamic range (HDR) format for gorgeous colors. I also like that game mode can use software trickery to upscale 1080p to 120 frames per second—as fast as a modern Xbox or Playstation can handle.
One small downside to this model, as compared to the older TCL 6-Series (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the fact that this comes with Google TV instead of Roku. I like that you can easily cast any content you want to this screen, but I don’t like that the interface (though it has every app you could want) can be a bit sluggish at times. Apart from the better black levels and overall color, I also like that you can now choose between leaving the legs of the TV on the far outside or further inside the TV. That makes it easier to fit on furniture if you’re not going to wall-mount it, which is very important to me.
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Photograph: Roku
Best Entry-Level TV
Roku Plus Series
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Roku’s smart TV interface—that’s a big reason the TCL-brand TVs topped our list for so long in the midst of worthy adversaries. Now Roku has stepped out and is making its own TVs in-house to sell via Best Buy.
I spent a month or so testing the Plus Series and came away pretty darn impressed with its picture. Sure, you don’t get a high refresh rate for gaming (this panel is limited to 60 frames per second, which is still fine for most consoles), but you do get excellent color via the Quantum Dot-enabled (QLED) panel. Full array local dimming means solid black levels, and this model is even supported by HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, making it a great cheap TV for everyone. This TV does have wide legs, so the larger you go, the more you might want to consider wall-mounting or buying an aftermarket pedestal mount.
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Photograph: Hisense
For High-End Features
Hisense U8K
Hisense makes some of the best bang-for-your-buck TVs, and the U8K (8/10, WIRED Recommends) may be the company’s best value yet. You get a mini-LED display that gets super bright and has near-perfect black levels, plus an easy-to-use Google interface. It has a 120-Hz refresh rate, which means it works excellently with the latest gaming consoles (and even PC games).
This model comes with decent built-in speakers, though we still always recommend a soundbar. For those with a TV stand, it’s worth noting that this one has really long feet, which means you may want to wall-mount it or buy an aftermarket pedestal mount.
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Photograph: Vizio
Another Great Mid-Tier TV
Vizio M-Series Quantum X (2022)
Don’t sleep on Vizio’s offerings. The M-Series Quantum X (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has better legs than the Hisense above (they’re closer together), and I’m genuinely a fan of the Vizio Smartcast interface. The downside? It’s not as bright as some of its competitors. Still, quantum dots and Vizio’s excellent local dimming make for one of the prettiest TVs in dark rooms. Also, it’s under $1,000! I also liked gaming on this model, which has a 120-Hz refresh rate in 4K, matching the maximum output for the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony.
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Photograph: LG
Best for Gamers
LG C3 OLED (65 Inch)
If you want to build an OLED TV (in which each pixel acts as its own backlight), you have to buy your raw OLED panel from the only company that makes them: LG. This, you’d imagine, puts the Korean behemoth at something of an advantage.
Whether you’re passively viewing or actively gaming, the LG C3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is an object lesson in realism, detail retrieval, motion handling, and all the other stuff that goes into truly satisfying image quality. The pictures it delivers are vivid but never overblown, high-contrast, absolutely loaded with detail (especially where tone and texture are concerned) and utterly stable, no matter how complicated the content might be. When gaming, its response times are lightning fast (9.2 milliseconds), and it supports every current-gen console feature across all four of its HDMI sockets. Quick Media Switching, to ensure there’s no black screen or delay when switching frame rate or resolution, sweetens an already sweet deal. Add in an excellent, fully loaded webOS smart TV interface, a slim and elegant design, and the ability to pair the onboard speakers with compatible LG soundbars to bolster its rather wheezy sound, and you’ve got close to the complete package. —Simon Lucas
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Photograph: Samsung
Best for Bright Rooms
Samsung QN90B (2022)
We loved the QN90A (8/10, WIRED Recommends) for its astonishingly good contrast and extreme brightness in well-lit rooms, and the latest QN90B model (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great follow-up. You get a center pedestal stand, a 120-Hz refresh rate for the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X, and Mini-LED backlighting that gets so bright you’ll want to change to Filmmaker Mode for nighttime viewing. I also like that this TV has a very wide viewing angle, making it one of the better models for bright, modern living rooms. The interface is easy to use, and the TV is very easy to set up thanks to the aforementioned stand. If you watch in groups and have a lot of glass around you, this is the best option.
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Photograph: Sony
Prettiest TV
Sony XR-55A95K
The world’s first mass-market quantum dot OLED panel doesn’t come from inventor Samsung, but rather from Sony. The new panel on the Bravia XR-55A95K (9/10, WIRED Recommends) combines with Sony’s acclaimed processing to make this model one of the prettiest TVs we’ve ever laid eyes on. The overall brightness is high as compared to an LG OLED, but it also reveals great detail while still retaining a natural feeling to the image. A Google TV interface and stellar gaming performance make this a great TV for the nerdiest about picture quality and viewing options, and it even has decent built-in speakers (though we still recommend a soundbar for most people).
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Photograph: Samsung
Best Big TV
Samsung S95C QD-OLED (65 Inch)
This quantum dot-enabled OLED from Samsung (8/10, WIRED Recommends) gets ridiculously bright, has perfect black levels, and even comes with a center pedestal mount for easy placement. It looks astonishing, with an immersive picture and thin bezels that make it feel like you’re going to fall through it like an open window.
If you’ve been considering a spendy projector or other large-format option for your dedicated viewing space, I’d consider buying a massive OLED model like this one instead; it will look much better than any projector can, and you don’t have to have the lights off to enjoy it.
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Photograph: Philips
All-in-One Theater (If You’re in the UK)
Philips OLED+937
This 4K screen uses LG’s ‘Royal’ OLED panel for impressive peak brightness and reduced power consumption. It’s compatible with every worthwhile HDR standard, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. With significant input from the twin-chip P5 Gen6 processing engine, the screen delivers images with sky-detail levels, rock-solid motion handling, an extensive and convincing colour palette, and super-wide contrast ratios. Images are also bolstered by Philips’ four-sided Ambilight. Rear-facing LEDs shine light onto the surface behind the screen, and the effect is considerable. The picture seems bigger than it is, somehow. It’s immersive and relaxing at the same time. It works a treat.
Most TVs come up short on sound quality, but not this one. The OLED+937 benefits from Philips’ collaboration with UK loudspeaker savant Bowers & Wilkins, so this TV is fitted with a speaker enclosure with 100 watts of power and a 5.1.2-channel configuration. As far as the width and height of Dolby Atmos soundtracks are concerned, this TV is in a league of its own. The fact that the speaker enclosure doubles as a stand makes us almost feel spoiled.—Simon Lucas
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Photograph: Best Buy
Samsung QN900B
There still isn’t much content to watch in this ultra-high resolution, but if you want an incredible 8K experience, you want this flagship Samsung model (8/10, WIRED Recommends). The gorgeous Mini-LED backlit TV comes with Samsung’s solar-powered remote (!) and some of the most beautiful colors and processing I’ve ever witnessed from a screen. Watch The Martian on this thing and you feel like you’re going to fall into space.
It’s still heinously expensive to get an 8K screen, but that’s why we’re keeping this TV in the roundup over Samsung’s newer model, the QN900C (8/10, WIRED Recommends). The difference between the two is minimal. Both offer fantastic picture quality, features, and design elements, including the coveted One Connect box for discreet connection of all your inputs. That makes the much cheaper QN900B a real bargain while it’s still available. If you have the budget, love watching movies, and want next-gen resolution, it’s worth a look. Just be careful. Once you see one of these, you may not be able to go back.
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Photograph: Samsung
WIRED and TIRED TVs
Some TV Buying Tips
If a TV isn’t made by LG, Samsung, TCL, Vizio, Sony, or Hisense, make sure you’ve done your research. These are our favorite manufacturers at the moment. A cheap set might look enticing for the price, but try to avoid dirt-cheap models from brands like Sceptre, which can seem like great deals but may not offer good picture quality or a durable build. If your budget doesn’t extend to a new model from the above brands, we recommend looking into last year’s TVs (often sold at steep discounts) or factory-refurbished options. Read our How to Buy a TV guide to learn more about the terms you’ll come across when shopping for a screen, and other helpful advice.
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Illustration: Vlad Rachuk/Getty Images
Helpful Definitions
What Do 4K, HDR, and Other Buzzwords Mean?
Buying a TV requires navigating a sea of lingo, so let’s quickly define a few key terms. You can also read more about these terms in our How to Buy a TV guide.
- 4K or Ultra HD refers to television tech with four times as many pixels (dots of light) as a traditional HDTV.
- 8K displays have four times the pixels of 4K, but you can ignore 8K for at least a few years. 8K sets are still very expensive, and 8K content is scarce.
- HDR stands for high dynamic range, and all good 4K TVs have it now. A TV with HDR technology has better contrast (brighter brights, darker darks) and more voluminous color than older TVs. The three main versions of HDR to be aware of are HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. Modern TVs typically come with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, with higher-end models supporting HDR10+. Samsung TVs do not support Dolby Vision currently.
- 120 Hz means a TV’s display refreshes at a rate of 120 frames per second, producing significantly smoother onscreen action than you’ll get with traditional 60-Hz panels. This is great for gaming or for watching sports, but otherwise, you won’t notice much of a difference, as most films and TV are designed to be shown at lower frame rates.
- Full-array backlighting means there is a grid of lights behind the TV screen, instead of it being lit by lights on the edges.
- Local dimming is enabled by full-array backlighting. It means the TV tries to intelligently lower the backlights in areas of your screen where a movie scene is darker and brighten them in light spots.
- OLED TVs allow every pixel on the display to independently light up or turn off. That gives OLEDs vibrant color and deeper blacks than traditional LCD or LED TVs; LED and LCD TVs are mostly the same thing these days.
- QLED TVs mean that the TV has some form of quantum dot technology, which often means brighter and better colors. It might look like OLED on paper, but QLED is not the same indicator of quality as OLED is in terms of picture. Sure, they typically look better than non-quantum-dot-enabled TVs, but don’t let the marketing fool you: They are not always on par with OLEDs.
- QD OLED TVs, on the other hand, are newer panels made by Samsung that use quantum dots to improve brightness and aid the color performance of a normal OLED screen.