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Best TV: The best affordable and premium sets
In This Article
If want to know the best TVs are on the market, this list will guide you to the models you should consider for your next purchase.
We’ve tested a wide variety of TVs, so we’ve tried to make sure that the models represented on this list offer a wide range of experiences. So whether you’re after a small TV or a large, 4K or 8K, OLED orMini LED, we’ve got a selection for you to peruse.
We assess TVs in dedicated testing facilities as well as in our own homes by carrying out tests to measure brightness, colour accuracy and input lag. We also evaluate picture and audio with our own eyes and ears, watching films, TV shows, and music, along with assessing the interface and gaming features.
While this list collates all our best options from various lists, if you’re looking for something more specific then ourbest cheap TVshave more affordable options, while ourbest 4Ksets is a good choice you’re looking for great HDR performance.
For the cutting edge of TV technology, consider ourbest 8K TVs. For those who want cinema-like picture quality then check out ourbest OLED TVs.
Best TV at a glance
How we test
Every TV we review is put through the same set of tests to gauge its picture performance, usability, and smart features.Tests are carried out over several days and are done by eye but supported with technical measurements. Testing by eye involves an expert watching a wide range of material to understand and determine a TV’s performance in fields such as brightness, contrast, motion processing, colour handling and screen uniformity.We’ll consider the design of the TV in terms of build quality, study the spec sheets and see if the TV’s connections are up to spec, as well as playing video and audio content to ensure that the set handles playback as it claims. We also take note whether a product’s compatible formats and features are in line with industry trends or not to gauge whether it’s relevant for you.Comparison to other related and similarly priced products is also important, to see if it’s missing any vital features and whether it impresses as a whole. After all this, we’ll come to a judgement on how the TV performs as a whole.If you want to learn more, please visit our detailed page abouthow we test televisions.
Samsung QE65S95D
Pros
Cons
We’re now onto the third-generation of Samsung’sQD-OLEDscreen and theS95Dappears to have hit its stride.
The first and second-gen QD-OLEDs from Samsung were enjoyable, though we found they had some flaws. Those issues appear to have been resolved by the S95D. It is the brighest OLED TV we’ve reviewed, producing 1798 nits on a 10% window, beating the likes of the Panasonic Z95A andLG G4 OLED.
It’s a TV that offers strong sharpness and detailing, and according to our reviewer, produces incredibly rich colours with contrast that brings out the detail in both dark and light areas of the image. We did notice some instability in maintaining brightness in its Standard mode, which is rectified by switching to its Movie mode. Our reviewer also felt that theanti-glare screen technologywas impressively implemented on this TV, though it does mean that dark areas do take on a slightly grey appearance.
TheTizen interfacehas been enhancec with the introduction of new sections and the ability to create multiple profiles to feed recommendations to. Gaming-wise we measured input response of the game mode at 9.8ms, and all four of theHDMI 2.1inputs support 4K 120Hz through the One Connect box and with 144Hz supported for PCs.
The sound system supportsDolby Atmos, and like with Samsung’s other OTS speaker systems, it’s very good at placing effects on and around the screen with accuracy. However, while it can produce a wide soundstage, it can’t push that sound forward into a room, and volume is a little limited in terms of how loud it can do.
TheSony A95LandPanasonic Z95Aoffer better out of the box sound, the S95D takes OLEDs to new levels of peak brightness.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Samsung S95D OLED
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Panasonic TV-55Z95AEB
Pros
Cons
Though theZ95A from Panasoniclooks the same as previous TVs from the Japanese brand, it represents a big change in its appeal to high-end TV customers.
Out is Panasonic’s own My Home Screen and in is Amazon’s Fire TV for the premium OLED models. This now offers customers a huge selection of apps that weren’t available on Panasonic’s own interface, while also including a variety of smarts such as hands-free Alexa and Ring support. There’s also Apple Home and AirPlay support for those who felt Panasonic’s previous smart offering was on the meagre side.
The Z95A features the latestMicro Lens Arraytechnology, with Panasonic adding its customisations to improve the performance. If you want the brightness facts, it is capable of increased brightness over theLG G4as it can hit 1585 nits on a 5% HDR window, though theSamsung S95Dcan hit even brighter highlights.
What Samsung’s OLED lacks if support for all HDR formats with HDR10, HLG,Dolby Vision IQ with Precision DetailandHDR10+ Adaptiveall included. With the HCX Pro AI Processor MK II powering the picture, the image quality is up to Panasonic’s usual high standards wiht textures and skin tones looking sublime according to our reviewer, and issues with banding all but disappeared. Specular highlights are bright and precise, with the Z95A delivering stunning picture quality with whatever content is on the screen.
Freeview Playhas been replaced by the Freely service, and Panasonic has upped its performance in the gaming area with its Game Mode Extreme dashboard that introduces RPG and FPS audio presets. Input lag is improved to 12ms, and there’s support forVRR,ALLM, 4K/120Hz, although much like previous models, they’re only available on two HDMI inputs.
We found sound quality to be very impressive, with the Z95A delivering a powerful, clean and immersive sound.
Reviewer:Steve MayFull Review:Panasonic Z95A
Samsung QE75QN900D
Pros
Cons
While there are still questions marks over whether 8K TVs will become a mainstream proposition, Samsung is still leading the push, and theQN900Dis arguably its best flagship 8K TV ever.
Peak brightness has been raised with the Movie mode now hitting 2445 nits compared to theQN900C‘s 2096 nits. That high level of brightness, which is beyond what an OLED can produce, feeds into impressively bright and colourful HDR images. The lack ofDolby Vision, however, remains a disappointing omission.
Of course, there is a lot of native 8K content about, so the Samsung QN900D’s main task is to take 4K content and make it look better, and in that respect, it achieves its task. Our reviewer noticed a big jump in detail with upscaled 4K images, Samsung’s latest AI processor is able to bring out and refine the detail within the image without producing a soft or noisy image. It’s 4K content but looks better than anything a 4K TV can manage.
The excellent motion processing can now track fast-moving objects without introducing motion blur that often afflicts LCD LED TVs.
Input lag is 11ms, and VRR technology inHDMI VRRandAMD FreeSync Premium Probrings the latency down even further. With all four of its HDMI inputs supporting 4K 120Hz gaming, you won’t need to worry about which HDMI port to place your console or PC in.
The sound system tracks sounds accurately across the screen but like theQN900C, it doesn’t have enough bass to give soundtracks heft. It’s still capable of producing a wide soundstage with good levels of detail, but you should consider a soundbar to go with this TV.
If you find the price for this 8K TV still a little too dear, then the step-downQN800Dis just as impressive.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Samsung QE75QN900D
Sony XR-55A95L
Pros
Cons
The A95Lis Sony’s flagshipQD-OLEDTV, offering stellar picture and sound that makes it Sony’s best TV at this moment in time.
While it’s not as bright as the Samsung S95D with HDR content, the Sony A95L offers a sumptuous image nonetheless. There’s fantastically fine shading with colours, which also look impressively pure to our eyes, as well as excellent levels of sharpness and detail. Regardless of what you’re watching, it’s a superbly realistic and balanced image.
Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio system delivers a big performance and places effects and dialogue accurately on screen. It’s also able to push sound into a room, which is rare for a flatscreen TV, and in terms of its bass response, it gives the low frequencies more oomph that rival TVs are capable of. While a sound system would improve on it, we wouldn’t be in a rush to add one.
There are twoHDMI 2.1inputs that supporteARC,VRR,ALLM, and 4K/120Hz high frame rates. Sony also has specific features for PS5 gamers with the Auto Tone Mapping feature that optimises theHDRperformance, although unlike LG and Samsung TVs, there’s no certified support forAMD FreeSyncorNvidia G-Sync.
We measured input lag at 16.7ms, which isn’t as quick as theLG OLED65G4or the Samsung S95D. The A95L does support Dolby Vision Game mode where that is supported.
The A95L’s smart are provided byGoogle TV, and along with the big, major streaming apps such as Disney+ and Netflix, the UK catch up services are available as separate apps. The BRAVIA Cam comes bundled in with the TV, which brings gesture controls and optimisation features, although our reviewer didn’t feel the need to make much use of it.
We haven’t yet reviewed theBRAVIA 9Mini LED TV, but we’ll be hoping to see how it fares against the A95L once we get a sample to test.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Sony XR-55A95L
LG OLED65C4
Pros
Cons
We felt theC3 OLEDwasn’t up to LG’s usual high standards, so we’re happy to say that latestC4 OLEDis more what we expect from the Korean electronics company.
While there’s noMLA brightnessboosting technology onboard here, the C4’s picture performance has had a boost to its brightness, producing more intensity with HDR highlights. Colours look rich and lush but never overstated, and its motion processing has improved for a slicker looking experience.
The audio system remains rather average one, with the AI sound mode raising the noise floor when selected. You’ll want to add a soundbar to this system to get the best performance, and thankfully LG has plenty to choose from.
Our reviewer hailed its premium quality and finish, and it comes withfour HDMI inputs,all of which support 4K/120Hz high frame rates,ALLM, andVRR, so you can plug in as many gaming sources as you like. There’s also support for Nvidia and AMD refresh rates too. We measured input lag at 13ms, but with Boost mode enabled that can go down to 9ms.
The 2024 webOS interface is slick , introducing user profiles to customise content for each person in a household, and you’re guaranteed updates for the next five years. It’s responsive, and easy enough to navigate too. In terms of streaming apps it has as many as you would ever want, with global apps alongside iPlayer and ITVX for the UK.
Reviewer:Steve MayFull Review:LG OLED65C4
Samsung QE65QN95D
Pros
Cons
2024 sees Samsung placing its OLED and LCD TVs on more equal footing, and though the S95D has come on in strides in terms of its brightness output, theQN95Dstill offers the brightest HDR performance.
The number of local dimming zones remains at 1344 from the QN95C, but what has the biggest impact of the QN95D’s picture performance is the presence of the upgraded Neo Quantum 4 Gen 2 processor. It’s four times faster than the previous model to deliver superior local dimming controls and improved upscaling with sub-4K sources.
The result is a dazzling sense of brightness with HDR content, reproducing reds, greens, and blues with a notable richness, as well as delivering colours with subtlety and naturalness. This TV can hit over 770 nits on a full-screen window, twice as much as theS95DOLED is capable of, making it a better choice for those who watch HDR programmes during the day.
It’s a sharp and detailed picture too, with the new processor doing a fantastic job of upscaling lower quality content to look crisp and clean.
Our reviewer found the latest Tizen smart system to be a decent improvement over what came before, especially in terms of prioritising content you’d want to watch. Support for multiple profiles have been added, and Tizen duly features pretty much every streaming app you’d ever need.
We measured input lag at 9.8ms, there’s VRR support inFreeSync Premium Proas well as (unofficial) Nvidia G-Sync support for PC titles. Withvariable refresh rateandauto low latencysupported across all the TV’s HDMI inputs, you can plug a console or PC into any of theHDMI ports.
The QN95D’s audio performance offers an excellent sense of detail and clarity, with the Object Tracking Sound (OTS) system ably casting sounds around the screen. It also performs a decent job at casting sounds away from the sides of the screen, though it remains limited in terms of pushing audio forwards from the TV, as well as being diminished in terms of volume and bass output. You’d likely want a soundbar to go with this TV.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Samsung QE65QN95D
Philips 65OLED809
Pros
Cons
We were a little disappointed by theOLED808, so we’re happy to report thatPhilips OLED809is a return to form for the brand, ironing out the issues we had with the previous model.
Little has changed on the design front aside from the stand which should sit a little easier on smaller pieces of hi-fi furniture. Otherwise it’s the same design Philips has trotted out for the past few years, although we’re a little disappointed that the Ambilight on the back is only in its three-sided form considering 2024 marks its 20th anniversary. We were hoping Philips would splash out a bit more.
Google TVis the smart interface of choice, bringing with it plenty of streaming apps as well as Chromecast streaming and Google Assistant. Google TV is still lackingFreeview Play, so it misses out on a few of the UK catch-up apps with iPlayer and Channel 4 missing. At least with those apps you can cast them to the TV from a mobile.
Gamers are provided with plenty of features from VRR and ALLM support, along with refresh rates up to 144Hz for PC gamers. Input lag is 12.6ms, which is speedy and around the same performance as theLG C4.
The picture quality is very impressive. This is an OLED that offers a bright image with HDR content, we measured peak brightness at over 1000 nits, and as its an OLED it produces excellent contrast and black levels. Its not the richest colour performance compared to an LG C4, but it does offer a refined and natural image. Upscaling is good with HD content, though less serviceable with 720p content and less. While motion processing has been improved with less stuttering and judder that affected the OLED808.
The audio is one of the more impressive performances we’ve come across for the money. Bass is handled well, providing weight and heft where needed, and dialogue is reproduced warmly, though it can sound a little thin at higher volumes. It’s not stressed by action-heavy scenes either, offering good clarity and detail. A soundbar would improve on its performance, but we wouldn’t be in a rush to get one.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Philips 65OLED809
TCL 55RC630K Roku TV
Pros
Cons
Roku’s smart TVs have enjoyed much success in the US, and for the past few years they’ve been teaming up with manufacturers such asHisenseand TCL to bring some of that magic to the UK. In theTCL 55RC630K Roku TV, they’ve served up their best model to date, winning our best affordable TV award.
This set is only available in the UK, and in our view, it’s good as you can get for abudget TVat its price. The design is sensible and easy to assemble, as well as being tall enough to slip a soundbar beneath its frame should you want to, something that wasn’t as easy to do with theToshiba UK4D.
The Roku smart interface places an emphasis on simplicity rather than flash, but it works because of its accessibility and the range of features it supports. A wide range of voice assistants are supported, though through an external device and not natively, and there’sAirPlay 2andApple HomeKit, which aren’t features often supported by cheaper TVs.
There’s a massive amount of apps with all the big names such asDisney+andNetflix, along with the UK catch-up apps throughFreeview Play. The interface itself is fast to scroll through and easy to navigate, better than the interfaces we used on thePanasonic LX800andSamsung BU8000. The Roku mobile app is even better, and also features a few more advanced picture settings too.
The TCL 55RC630K isn’t built for high-end gaming with onlyALLMsupported for putting the TV into its game mode mode. We measured latency at 11.5ms, which is quick for any telly.
Boasting a QLED screen, the TCL 55RC630K puts in a decent HDR performance for its price. We measured peak brightness at 386 nits on a 10% window, which isn’t enough to really give a great sense of what HDR can do, but theQLED screendoes present good-looking colours and accomplished looking skin-tones with HDR content.
Contrast isn’t as strong as what you can get if you spend more, but there is support forHDR10+andDolby Visionto assist. However, we did find that both HDR formats could benefit from being a little more precision and impact with HDR content. Upscaling is an improvement over the past TCL Roku model with more colour and vibrancy to images, as well as a better sense of sharpness and clarity. The TCL Roku won’t make content look better than it is, but for its price point it’s a competent performance.
The audio system is more than competent. Bass is surprisingly punchy, there’s fine levels of detail and clarity to what we watch, and dialogue is always clear in tone. There’s also a Dialogue Enhancer to help boost what people are saying, and we found it worked effectively.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:TCL 55RC630K Roku TV
LG OLED77G3
Pros
Cons
If you’re on the lookout for a big 4K TV, theLG OLED77G3is still available and boasts a stunning picture performance.
The LG G3 supports HDR10, HLG, andDolby Vision IQ, as well asFilmmaker mode. We found that the TV gave a slight red push to images but contrast is fantastically conveyed, with deep blacks combine with the bright display to create a lush, almost three-dimensional image.
Sound quality isn’t the G3’s strong suit with the low-end lacking punch and intensity. However, dialogue intelligibility is good with the speakers striking a natural tone and the placement of voices echoing where the actors stand on screen.
LG’s webOS interface is slick and swift, and when it comes to content there’s support for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, NOW and more, along with Freeview Play that comes with the UK catch-up apps.
The OLED77G3 includes fourHDMI 2.1ports and a range of wireless connectivity options that includes Wi-Fi,AirPlay 2, Chromecast, WiSA,Bluetooth 5.0, and Bluetooth Surround Ready. Gamers benefitALLM, VRR and 4K/120Hz support across all HDMI inputs. There’s alsoAMD FreeSyncPremium and Nvidia G-Sync for PC gamers, along with a variety of cloud gaming and broadcasting services, including GeForce Now, Utomik, Blacknut, and Twitch.
The stand for this model is an optional extra. The newerLG G4does come with a stand, but not for the 77-inch version.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:LG OLED77G3
Samsung QE98Q80C
Pros
Cons
While projectors can offer a big screen experience in the home, they can’t do HDR as well as big-screen TVs, or handle bright living room conditions. And currently, you can get the98-inch TV Q80Cfor less than £3000 / $3000, which we’d consider to be a good price for a screen of this size.
At a whopping 98-inches, this is TV will take plenty of space in any home, and because of its size, it’s a screen that feels more like a cinema than a TV. It’s surpisingly slim for a big screen featuring just 120 dimming zones to control brightness and black levels. It’s not the number ofdimming zonesbut what you do with it that’s most important.
And this big-screen Q80C can produce bright and colourful images, our reviewer spotting only a little backlight clouding or blooming. With the size of this screen, it needs an advanced processor to process HD and SD images, and we felt the upscaling was very good, doing an effective job of upscaling HD images. SD images can look a little stretched, but we’d say you shouldn’t be watching low-res content on a screen of this size.
Tizenis not the easiest to navigate in terms of its settings, but features all the streaming apps you could want. There are fourHDMI 2.1inputs on this model, and all can handle 4K/120Hz sources. We measured input lag at 10.7ms which should ensure a snappy performance even beforeVRR supportcomes into play.
Sound quality is fine with good detail and effects accurately placed around the screen. The main issue is that this screen doesn’t get particularly loud or generate the kind of power and scale a screen of this size should command. Bass levels are decent but we’d recommend getting asoundbar for this screen.
There is competition from TCL with its 98-inchP745KandC805K TVs, and they’re available for less money than this Samsung TV.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Samsung QE98Q80C
TCL 85C805K
Pros
Cons
We can sense there’s competition brewing between Samsung and TCL when it comes to big screen TVs, and with theC805K, TCL has delivered an impressively performing TV for a price that’s scarcely believable for its size.
It’s a well-made TV though relatively chunky, and given its size it’ll take up plenty of real estate in your living room. There are hundreds of dimming zones to control its light output, as well as manage the black levels; and the picture performance offers excellent contrast and brightness. Black levels are convincing, and colours in bright scenes are vibrant but also balanced. Despite a few issues with skin tones, the richness of the C805K’s colours holds appeal.
Its sound quality is adequate for a screen as big as this, projecting the sound from the screen well enough, and providing plenty of scale to go with the size of the images it produces. The lack of a dedicated bass driver does mean that low frequencies don’t reach as deep as we’d like them to.
The smart interface is provided byGoogle TV, which offers all the big streaming apps, though it is missing a fair amount of the UK catch-up apps. TCL say they’ll send out a streaming stick for anyone who wants access to those apps.
Gamers are well supported with refresh rates of up to 144Hz along withHDMI VRRand AMD FreeSync (for PC gamers). We measured input lag at 13.4ms, which is very respectable for an 85-inch screen.
This TCL offers a proper HDR experience for a sum that’s less than its Samsung TV rivals, as well as projectors. For those that want a relatively inexpensive big-screen experience, you should take a closer look at the TCL C805.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:TCL 85C805
Amazon Fire TV 4-Series 4K43N400U
Pros
Cons
TheFire TV 4 Seriesis a TV our reviewer found to be a stronger proposition than expected. Though its RRP is close to £500, it often comes down in price to around £279, especially during sales events.
Picture quality is solid with consistent brightness, and good colour accuracy. Contrast isn’t great, but the average brightness of the screen is enough to make for a decent looking image, especially for a 43-inch screen. HDR support is only HDR10 andHLG.
The 16W audio system can fill a small room with sound, though we’re not fond of all the audio presets the TV comes with, but the presence of an eARC port means you can add a soundbar if you want.
We don’t find the current iteration of the Fire TV interface to be the most intuitive. The home page is dedicated to lots of ads and overwhemingly suggestsPrime Videoand Freevee titles at the expense of others. But the Alexa Voice Remote does bring an element of smarts in terms of searching and finding content.
We measured input lag at a very speedy 9.8ms, though there’s none of the more premium gaming features such as VRR and high frame rate available. There’s also Amazon’s Luna game platform, offering a built in method of playing games via cloud streaming.
Reviewer:Henry St LegerFull Review:Amazon Fire TV 4-Series
We also considered…
An 8K TV with a stunning picture performance
Another terrific flagship OLED from Sony
A big, expensive 8K OLED capable of stunning images
Epic movies deserve an epic-sized screen
Sony’s sophomore Mini LED effort is an impressive improvement over its predecessor.
An excellent OLED TV for the home cinema purist
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FAQs
The TCL Roku RC630K is one of the best budget sets on the market with its comprehensive set of smart features and very good picture quality.
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Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
