This best 8K TVs guide reflects the current state of 8K TVs, including both Samsung’s new 2024 models, the QN800D and QN900D, the latter our top pick in this guide.
Aside from Samsung, the only other brand to announce a new 8K TV at CES 2024 was LG. The QNED99T is an 8K mini-LED model that will be sold in 77 and 86-inch screen sizes.
Al Griffin, Senior Editor – Home Entertainment
The best 8K TVs are capable of delivering incredible images and bringing you four times as many pixels as the best 4K TVs currently do. Until recently, packing those extra pixels into a screen has proven to be expensive. But the best 8K TVs are more affordable now the tech has matured, so there's no better time to buy one.
Even though you won't find all content made to suit the high-end resolution, this isn't an issue considering the best 8K TVs have powerful processors to upscale content, so 4K and even HD content looks better than it originally did. Along with advanced picture processing, OLED, QLED, QD-OLED, and regular LED 8K sets have similar features that are important for 4K TVs such as a smart interface for streaming and 120Hz display panels for gaming, and we’ll guide you through those features for each set in our guide.
Each of these TVs has been tested by our expert reviewers with careful attention paid to performance parameters such as peak brightness, color accuracy, screen uniformity, and motion processing. We’ve also taken them for a spin with next-gen gaming consoles, with measurements provided to gauge input lag. There’s solid reasoning behind the presence of each TV on this list, so you can be confident that the set you’re getting provides good value for the money.
The best 8K TVs for 2024
If you’re looking for a big-screen TV with 8K resolution, look no further because the Samsung QN900D is the best 8K TV you can buy today. Samsung’s new flagship 8K TV improves upon its predecessor, the Samsung QN900C in several ways, including a new NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor that provides eight times as many AI neural networks for picture upscaling, and a motion enhancement algorithm unique to the QN900D that makes fast action sports look remarkably solid.
Local dimming improves with the QN900D, with blacks that look incredibly deep and detailed with few signs of backlight “blooming.” Its picture is also extremely bright, ranking among the best TVs generally in that respect.
The QN900D is a great gaming TV, offering up to 4K 240Hz support – another unique QN900D feature – on all four of its HDMI 2.1 ports. In addition, it has Samsung’s Game Bar onscreen menu and Samsung Gaming Hub for playing cloud-based games from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Luna, Utomik, and other services.
With an Infinity Air Design that combines a mirrored pedestal with a nearly invisible bezel, the QN900D has a “floating” look that grabs attention. Samsung’s One Connect Box handles hookups for external sources and the TV’s built-in 6.2.4-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system has good sound quality and uses Samsung’s Q Symphony feature to work with a Samsung soundbar for an enhanced audio experience.
The Samsung QN900D is undoubtedly an expensive TV, and you’ll save money and likely be equally happy with a top-performing 4K model. But if having future-proof 8K support is important, you get that with the QN900D plus lots more.
Read our full Samsung Q900D review
The Samsung QN800D is a seriously impressive 8K TV. It's Samsung's entry-level display in its 8K Neo QLED range, which means it's a way to get your hands on slightly more "affordable" 8K than the flagship QN900D at the top of this list.
The Samsung QN800D brings you excellent picture quality. This is thanks to the TV’s NQ8 AI Gen2 Processor, which boasts impressive 8K AI upscaling and Real Depth Enhancer Pro features. In our review, we wrote that these "add incredible depth and refined detail to any textures, and the picture also has rich contrast and impressive black levels for a mini-LED TV."
This incredible picture makes the QN800D a great option for movie lovers, but it also excels as a gaming TV. This is thanks to four HDMI 2.1 ports and it supports 4K up to 165Hz, 8K up to 60Hz, and VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. It also comes with Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub. As for actual gaming performance, we called it "excellent" and "smooth and seamless even in the most intense of FPS games" in our review, commenting on how the TV’s 8K AI upscaling made games look "graphically beautiful" too.
All in all, the Samsung QN800D is a fantastic choice for bringing you top tier 8K upscaling of 4K and lower-resolution sources at a much more affordable price than the Samsung QN900D. Granted, brightness isn't as impressive as the QN900D. Not to mention it's still an expensive choice in comparison to premium 4K TVs, but the QN800D is a solid choice if you want to step up to 8K without spending a small fortune on the QN900D.
Read our full Samsung QN800D review
8K resolution on an OLED TV? So far, only LG is really doing it. And we wish more firms did, because it's incredible. The picture quality is stunning, the colours and brightness are just what you'd expect from a high quality OLED and the audio output is impressive for such a slim set.
If it's so good, why isn't it at the top of our list? Sadly a TV this big comes with a big price tag too; you're looking at way north of £10,000 / $12,000 / AU$19,000 for the 77 inch, which is much more expensive than the other TVs on this list.
If you can afford it (and if you have room for it), this is home entertainment heaven. Unlike its predecessor, this TV can be wall mounted, and the already impressive Alpha a9 processor has been upgraded with even better upscaling and tone mapping. There's also better surround sound support and a better depth of field to make the onscreen images more lifelike. Four ports with HDMI 2.1 support are the icing on the cake.
A new Z3 model is available that's even brighter, but we haven't had any extended time with it yet.
Find the best deals on LG products with our LG coupon codes.
We haven't had the opportunity to do a long-term review of this new Master Series 8K TV yet, but we have seen it in person and you can consider our socks well and truly knocked off.
The mini-LED panel is exceptionally bright and very detailed with absolutely superb colour reproduction. As you'd expect from a high-end Sony there's all the key technologies here: Cognitive Processor XR for a more lifelike experience, XR Backlight Master Drive for exceptional dynamic range with virtually no halo or flare around bright spots, Acoustic Multi-Audio for directional sound and Bravia Cam, which analyses where you're sitting and optimises the picture and sound accordingly.
It's a wonderful TV but it is quite pricey, with prices roughly under £8,000 / $10,000 / AU$15,000, which compared to the Samsung 8K TVs is definitely a step up.
Best 8K TVs: FAQ
How to pick the best 8K TV
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The first question to ask if you want to buy a new 8K TV is: are you sure? Yes, 8K TVs are the future and, luckily, more and more content is being made in 8K. But as things stand, you might be better suited to a 4K TV while your favorite movies and TV shows catch up.
If you're sure you want the incredible 8K resolution, then our first suggestion is to pick a TV that upscales remarkably well. Not everything you want to watch will be in 8K, which means you'll need to pick a powerful TV that can make 4K and even HD content truly shine.
The next thing to consider is size. Bigger isn't always better when it comes to TVs. But if you're paying a small fortune for 8K resolution, you really want the largest TV you can afford to make the most of it. You'll need to consider how you'll place it on a TV cabinet or mount it to a wall using one of the best TV wall mounts and if it'll literally fit in the space you have planned for it.
Many of the best 8K TVs have impressive audio built-in, but to get the true cinematic experience worthy of this resolution, you'll want one of the best soundbars or best surround sound systems—that way your audio will sound as good as your new 8K TV looks. Consider the size of a soundbar too, a smaller one won't work with a huge TV, so look at larger sizes, like the Sonos Arc instead.
Which TV brand is best for 8K?
Even though there are relatively few 8K TVs available on the market right now, the idea of which is best is still largely based on personal preference.
We think the best 8K TV available now is the Samsung QN900B Neo QLED, which you can read about at the top of our guide. Samsung's bespoke QLED panel technology really comes into its own at an 8K resolution, and with phenomenal brightness levels makes for simply one of the best TVs out there.
However, the best certainly doesn't come cheap. And the QN900B's eye-watering price tag, at any size, simply isn't feasible for the average consumer.
That being said, we'd have to argue that Samsung is on top of the 8K world right now, in terms of brands and sheer value for money compared to other brands.
What is the most affordable 8K TV?
When you're talking about 8K TVs, the term "affordable" is relative: these are all considerably more expensive than the average 4K TV will be, with some models costing well into five figures. But prices are coming down, making even the best 8K TVs more affordable than before.
In terms of stock availability and value in both US and UK markets, Samsung is still on top with the QN800B priced on average under £2,000 for the 65-inch version.
You might also find some older Samsung 8K TVs for even less, although of course the trade-off is that you're not getting the very latest technology: even a year in TVs is a long time these days.
Our advice to most TV buyers would be to hang on a little longer before going for an 8K TV, as it's still very expensive. That's always the case for relatively new technology, and over time the price goes down as things become more competitive. For now 8K is still really for early adopters: we're going to wait a while before welcoming an 8K TV into our own homes.
Is 8K better than 4K?
8K displays have 33 million pixels, which is four times the number of pixels found on 4K displays. However, there's little 'native' 8K content available, and truly low-resolution video needs very capable processing to look, well, normal on an 8K screen.
Does Netflix support 8K?
Regular streaming bandwidths aren't large enough to stream 8K content, and you won't find it on most streaming services like Netflix. That isn't to say that won't change in the future, though.
Do I need an 8K OLED TV?
Trying to figure out if you need an 8K OLED TV, or just a TV with one of those technologies?
While there aren't many 8K OLED TVs about just yet, they're still hovering around the market here and there, if just for the LG Z Series listed above and 88-inch BeoVision Harmony we reported on last year.
If you're after an astonishing level of detail on a massive screen, 8K resolution is a must. Though you must remember that you don't really get the benefit of 8K at smaller sizes, meaning you need a large 77-inch / 88-inch screen or be sat somewhat close to one of the best 65-inch TVs to see the difference compared to a 4K model. (A 55-inch 8K TV just isn't really worth it.)
OLED TVs, on the other hand, excel at deep blacks and bright highlights – something that's hard to recreate with LCD technology, but is increasingly possible with Mini LED backlights. You'll generally find realistic and vivid colors, and brightness control that banishes blooming or halo effects around light sources.
If you only want one of those technology's benefits, then, it doesn't make much sense to opt for both, given the increased cost.
