The best earbuds can make a huge difference to how you listen to music, whether you’re streaming a podcast on a long flight, zoning out to a calming playlist, or powering through your commute with a motivating soundtrack. Perfect for slipping into your pocket or gym bag, the best earbuds also offer immersive sound, helping you escape from the noise around you.
With most people leaning toward the best wireless earbuds, we’ve focused this list on top-rated wireless models but included a few good value wired options too. Each recommendation has been rigorously tested by our expert audio tech team for sound quality, noise cancellation, microphone clarity, and battery life to ensure they meet or exceed our expectations.
We recommend the Technics EAH-AZ80 as our top pick for most people with stellar call quality, rich audio, and unique triple-device multipoint connection. For under $100/£100, the Nothing Ear (a) buds offers an excellent mix of quality and value, while the Sony WF-C510 buds stand out for impressive sound quality among affordable options. Looking for cheaper choices? Check out our best budget wireless earbuds guide or explore our list of the best wired earbuds.
The quick list
Want to cut straight to the best earbuds around? You'll find a roundup of our top choices here. You can jump to a more in-depth write-up for each product, and see the latest deals on them.
The best earbuds overall
Delivering supremely balanced, detailed sound with triple-point connectivity and outstanding comfort, Technics has created a fantastic pair of buds that stand out even in a saturated market.
The best mid-priced wireless earbuds
For a very affordable price, you get energetic and rich sound quality, the best active noise cancellation we've heard for under $100/£100, great features, and a cool design.
The best budget earbuds
Some of the best low-cost earbuds we’ve tested, with punchy audio, a comfortable fit and great battery life in the buds, proving Sony can do budget as well as it does high-end.
The best earbuds for noise cancellation
Bose has always done active noise cancellation very well, and these buds are as good as you can get right now. They also boast device-agnostic head-tracked immersive audio and lossless audio codec support.
Super-smart earbuds for iPhone owners
With fantastic noise cancellation, high-quality audio, an unlosable case and tons more Apple-specific features, these buds offer an unmatched experience if you're all-in on Apple.
The best earbuds for Samsung owners
A top choice for those with a new-ish Samsung Galay phone. These buds sound phenomenal, have great ANC, and deliver spatial audio. Don't expect the AI features to wow, though.
Load the next products…
The best for battery life
Up to 12 hours from just the buds or up to 48 hours (yes, two whole days!) in total is some serious stamina. And also there's a smart screen on the case – hey, we don't make the rules!
The best earbuds for premium sound
Expect a high-end experience, with delightful, detailed and dynamic sound, strong noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit for long listening sessions.
The best wired earbuds
Years after they were first released, these 1More buds still represent excellent value and boast a rich, enjoyable listen in a premium-looking build, for a fantastic price.
The best cheap USB-C wired buds
A pair of wired buds that deliver very comfortable listening and decent sound in a sleek design – if you want to spend the minimum on wired buds, these are our pick.
27 November 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in as our 'best for ANC' pick, removing the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 that are currently out of stock in most places, so not worth recommending.
The best earbuds of 2025
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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best earbuds in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best earbuds overall
✅ You prefer a neutral, lifelike sound: There’s nothing artificial about the way the Technics EAH-AZ80 sound; they offer convincingly realistic and coherent listening in all circumstances.
✅ You want to switch between devices: Triple-point connectivity is a world-first in a product like this, and it’s brilliantly convenient for those of us who surround themselves with wireless tech.
❌ You intend to wear your earbuds all day: Even at its best, the battery life available here is nothing special, though it's not bad.
❌ You have a lot of external noise to block out: There are many less-capable noise-cancelling earbuds, if silence is important look to the Bose buds at #4 on this list.
The Technics EAH-AZ80 buds sound fantastic and they’re packed with features. A standout is triple-point connectivity, which we found to be stable and useful, as well as Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC compatibility. And, thanks to ‘Just My Voice’ technology, these buds are far less prone to wind-noise interference than rivals. Their only minor shortcomings are battery life at only 7 hours from the buds and 25 from the case, and the ANC (which could be a tad more impressive).
The sound they make is also accomplished – it's both swift and accurate, as well as balanced and detailed. In our review, we wrote: “The whole frequency range is really nicely balanced and coherent from top to bottom and very even-handed from the (deep, nicely textured) bass to the (clean, politely attacking) treble.” We also found the midrange to be both informative and eloquent, with high detail levels and a smooth, seamless, agile journey from ceiling to floor and back.
In terms of design, there’s a resoundingly premium feel here and each bud feels more comfortable, stable and light (7g per earbud) than some rivals. What’s more, the accompanying charging case is an equally svelte 50g. Build quality hasn’t been compromised in order to keep the weight down either – the EAH-AZ80 feels like a product that will outlast its rivals. There are seven different earbud sizes to choose from too, which means you’re likely to get that perfect fit.
The price of the Technics EAH-AZ80 is that of a premium product, for sure – but thankfully, so is the specification. Overall this is a pair of buds that delivers excellent sound quality, a fantastic fit, and that industry-first triple device multipoint connectivity. Add it all together, and we think they're a better-value package than the top buds from Sony or Bose.
Read our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review
The best earbuds at a mid range price
✅ You want strong noise cancellation: At this price, this is the best noise-blocking power we've heard.
✅ You're serious about sound: These are a fun and responsive set of buds, with wireless hi-res support via LDAC as a bonus.
❌ You really want spatial audio: It's not here, but the similarly priced Sony WF-C700N will give it to you.
❌ You need a big battery life: The 5.5-hours life with ANC is not very impressive – the Sony earbuds mentioned above offer 7.5 hours.
The Nothing Ear (a) are a serious improvement from Nothing, rocketing its buds from being 'fine, but nothing special' to 'these are the best value you can get for the price'. And they're a fun yellow color while doing it!
For their sub-$100/£100 price, they're so good, and feel premium. In our review, we said compared to the similarly priced (and fantastic) Sony WF-C700N, "the Nothing earbuds look more premium and feel more foxy. Their noise cancellation is a touch more robust and the sound is every bit as energetic, detailed and zealous, and (dare we say it?) a tad more expansive to boot."
In general, we said that "for the money, Nothing has tweaked its recipe to near perfection here" – yes, you can get better sound from the Technics at #1 on the list or other more premium options, but you need to pay twice as much for a meaningful difference.
That goes for features, too – the noise cancellation is as good as we've tested for the price, you get smart features such as wear detection to auto-pause them when you take them out, there's multi-point pairing for instant switching between devices, there's a Find My mode, there's LDAC hi-res support… the only think missing is spatial audio, and that's not usually an essential on affordable buds. The 5.5-hour battery life is the only element that's below average, but we can totally live with that.
Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review
The best budget earbuds
✅ You want clear, quality audio: These buds deliver punchy, forward sound with great clarity and texture.
✅ You're looking for excellent value: Cheaper buds exist, but these are extremely good value and seem much pricier than they should.
❌ You'll miss ANC: Sacrifices have to be made for the low price point, although passive noise cancellation is decent.
❌ You want the best battery life offering: Confusingly, the battery in the buds is great but the case only offers one full charge.
If you’re looking for the best cheap earbuds, the Sony WF-C510s are our top budget pick right now. They prove that Sony still does affordable buds just as well as it can do higher-end options, and that you don’t need to spend a fortune for a solid pair of buds.
The Sony WF-C510 earbuds aren’t perfect, but they deliver everything most people would want from a pair of reliable buds, including good sound, comfort for long periods, and some essential features. You won’t find active noise cancellation here, but there is an option called ‘sound control’, which amplifies ambient noises around you to ensure you’re aware of what's around, and there is passive noise isolation thanks to the snug fit. Sony’s accompanying app brings you basic functions, as well as an EQ. Beyond that, you don't get wear detection or low-latency mode, but not everyone will notice they’re missing.
Battery life in the buds themselves is good at 11 hours. However, you’ll only get one more full charge of 11 hours from the accompanying case, while rivals usually do two or three charges. This means for a long listening session, they’re great. But for charging on the go, they fall behind some rivals.
We were impressed with the audio quality during our testing. Yes, you do have to manage your expectations considering these are budget buds, but our reviewer wrote: “I found the audio high-quality and also certainly distinct in that Sony, 'have this sound, and have it good and clear' way.” The bass isn’t particularly powerful, but everything else here is pleasing and well balanced with a slightly forward sound profile and clear treble, even at higher volumes.
The design of the Sony WF-C510 earbuds is simple, with a rounded and unobtrusive look. The buds are lightweight at only 4.6g each with a surprisingly secure fit. Our reviewer wrote: “they always felt rigid in my testing, never once falling out or even feeling loose.” It’s worth mentioning there’s an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they should handle sweaty workout sessions and light showers. The Sony WF-C510 earbuds are missing a few features, but otherwise they’re extremely accomplished for the price and beat all the competition at the budget end.
Read our full Sony WF-C510 review
The best earbuds for noise cancellation
✅ Noise cancellation really matters to you: If there’s one thing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds do really well, it’s noise cancellation.
✅ You want a more immersive experience: Bose's new Immersive Audio technology creates an expansive, moving soundstage around you.
❌ You’re on a tight budget: It’s easy to argue that the ANC and sound performance of these buds is worth it and they've come down in price, but they're still not cheap.
❌ You want a small design: They're not exactly big and they did fit well in testing, but there are much smaller buds on the market if you sometimes struggle with them.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds in this guide, and for good reason. They take everything great about the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 that came before them and add some major improvements, like excellent device-agnostic head-tracked immersive audio and even better ANC.
As you’d expect, the active noise cancellation (ANC) here is top-tier, creating a "near bubble of silence" that’s perfect for shutting out distractions during commutes or long flights. Combine their noise-nixing powers with 6 hours of battery life in the buds and 24 hours in total with the case, and they’re a solid choice for extended listening sessions.
Sound-wise, the all-new Immersive Audio technology provides spatial sound that adapts to your movement, offering a more cinematic experience across devices, thanks to Snapdragon Sound Suite and aptX Adaptive support. When it comes to audio, competitors like Sony may edge them slightly in detail, but we called them a “vigorous and engaging listen” in our review. Unless you want audiophile-grade sound, you don’t need to look for better.
There aren’t many design improvements here over the QuietComfort Earbuds 2, but you do get easier-to-fit silicone stability bands and a lightweight build of just 6.24g per earbud – though they’re not the smallest buds on the market. Now priced at around $220/£199 during regular sales events, they’re a premium choice for noise-cancelling fans at a more affordable rate. Especially because Bose addressed a few of our original issues with the buds in a July 2024 update, like adding multi-point connectivity.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
The best earbuds for Apple fans
✅ You want great sound: These sound superb and shut out the real world so well – and the spatial audio is best-in-class too.
✅ You've got all manner of Apple things: If you've got an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac and so on, then you'll really get the benefit from the seamless switching.
❌ You want big battery life: There's nothing wrong with the battery life here, but it's very much average in the buds – though the amount from the case is good.
❌ You don't have an iPhone: Android users won't get anywhere near the full experience, because a lot of setup and control options are done in iOS' Settings app.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are excellent earbuds that have a strong claim to be the best option for Apple lovers. One of the top features here is the active noise cancellation, which competes with the Bose option above for effectiveness at blocking out almost all external noises (though we rate the Bose slightly higher). The Adaptive Transparency Mode is also a nice trick, adjusting its blocking of outside sounds on the fly. In terms of battery, you get six hours with ANC on and 30 hours with the case too – and that case is IPX4 water resistant and has a speaker and wireless tracking chip, so if you lose it your phone can literally point you towards it, or it can be found by the 'Find My' network.
Audio performance is great, and is vastly improved over the original AirPods Pro. There’s rich sound across genres, and a wide and expansive soundstage, bookended by deep-yet-controlled bass and clear, elevated treble. There's lots of detail, and it's energetic too – if we were to criticize it, we might say it's a little too forward compared to the more natural and neutral sound of the Technics at the top of this list. Spatial audio is a very impressive trick of these buds too, especially with movies – it really feels like you're sitting in a home theater rather than having sound pumped directly into your years.
The crucial part for why you'd choose these over other options, though, is the extra features they include for those with lots of Apple gear. On top of the Find My support, they switch between your Apple devices seamlessly, they can share audio with other AirPods or Beats headphones, they offer personalized audio tweaks, and even optimized battery charging to help make sure they last longer. But to access all of this, you must use them with iPhone. With anything else, you're looking at basic 'they play music and you can switch between noise cancellation and Transparency' functionality.
They're excellent all-rounder, and during sales events are regularly available for a little less than the premium competition – who would think Apple would be the more budget option, eh?
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
The best earbuds for Samsung phone users
✅ You have a newer Samsung phone: To access all of the best features, you'll need a new-ish Galaxy device.
✅ You want great, immersive sound: Audio is excellent here, as is ANC and spatial audio. You can really cocoon yourself in sound.
❌ You want the best value: These buds aren't cheap, and many of their features are only good if you have a Samsung phone as well. The Nothing Ear (a) are most of the way there for cheaper and across platform.
❌ You tend to need to replace ear tips: If you like to tinker with the fit of your buds, they may not be the safest option – they're fiddly and delicate.
The Samsung Buds 3 Pro are our top pick if you have a Samsung phone, especially a more recent Galaxy device. The best thing about these Samsung buds is they sound stunning. Our reviewer wrote: “Frankly, these earbuds sound fantastic, with some of the best sound in any earbuds I’ve tested.” We explained in our review that you can expect both “meaty bass” and “defined treble”. Which means whatever genre of music you prefer, you should get a great audio experience here. You’ll notice the sound is incredibly immersive and that’s because the active noise cancellation is top notch, too, we called it “heavy duty and impressive” in our review. Most ambient noises, even the louder ones, are nixed thanks to the ANC tech onboard.
With ANC on, expect six hours of battery in the buds themselves and 30 hours from the case. This is decent compared to rivals – although not at all spectacular – and it’s a welcome improvement over the Samsung Buds 2 Pro. Samsung has also added a bunch of new features into these buds, including some of the brand’s AI features. But there’s a catch: you’ll need one of Samsung’s newer Galaxy devices to “unlock” many of these features. This includes the brand’s AI features, like the language interpreter, improved codec support, the voice restorer and smart dynamic ANC. We’d expect some of these features to only be available on the Galaxy, but it’s a shame ANC is limited. This means these buds only really make sense for Galaxy owners.
Design-wise, the Samsung Buds 3 Pro look very AirPods-like. That’s pretty common across all true wireless earbuds these days, but with the tip, small body and stems that point downwards, we wouldn’t blame you for mistaking them for Apple’s buds at first glance. Happily, they’re comfortable to wear for long periods and light too, so they’re unlikely to feel heavy, even after listening for hours. One design drawback is that the tips are really difficult to remove. You’re likely to get there eventually, but we’ve heard reports of people tearing the tips in an effort to switch them out.
The downside of the Samsung Buds 3 Pro is that they're premium priced in combination with having many features limited to Samsung phones. Now, considering how good the audio is, they can still be good value – but those on other platforms would be better off with Bose's buds, or saving and going for the Nothing Ear (a).
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review
The best for battery
✅ You take long road trips
The class-leading maximum battery life of 48 hours is akin to two whole days of playback. During testing, these claims proved genuine too (and the case doesn't drain it!)
✅ You like to wear your heart on your sleeve
You can upload a photo of your beloved right there on the case – and when you open the box, it flips the other way up so everyone will still see it properly too.
❌ You want top-tier spatial audio
There are three immersive profiles here (movies, music and gaming), but, sadly, each one is a shade off a fully immersive, Dolby Atmos-type presentation
❌ You desire comprehensive on-ear functionality
Here, you have to select two out of three options for on-ear controls – volume, playback and ANC. You can't have all three.
Here's a feature that no other option within this list offers: a color touchscreen screen on the case. It's a lot of fun – you can select a lock-screen wallpaper from any of the photos on your smartphone, and the image even flips so it stays the right way up when you snap open the case – but that isn't why the JBL Live Beam 3 are in this roundup.
No, the real star here, aside from the vastly improved audio quality over the older and slightly disappointing JBL Tour Pro 2, is the stamina. The battery life is nothing short of excellent at up to 12 hours from the earbuds alone, minus noise cancellation, or 10 hours with it engaged (and nearer nine with adaptive ANC on). On that note, we've recently reviewed the newer JBL Tour Pro 3, but we think the upgrades don't warrant the price hike, which is why the Live Beam 3 is still our pick for battery.
The case also delivers three further charges – we've tested it and the screen doesn't drain it – taking your total audio playback time up to a class-leading 48 hours. To put that into perspective, Apple's priciest Pro-suffixed AirPods offer 5.5 hours with its top-tier Spatial Audio deployed, or a maximum of 30 hours including the case. Big difference in those figures, no?
The JBL Live Beam 3 also boast great value when it comes to the feature set, including a few novel bits and pieces you don't find elsewhere – including "Personi-Fi", which is basically hearing test of each ear to better tailor the sound to your liking.
OK, the spatial audio profiles aren't going to knock your socks off. JBL has offered a total of three immersive soundscapes for music, movies and games, but if you're imagining sonic articles darting past you in a three-dimensional space you'll be disappointed. Also the ANC is good rather than excellent and the on-ear controls work well but involve a compromise. Look past these minor snafus and you'll find the fit is great, the battery is seemingly never-ending and, honestly, the sound is refreshingly good for bass and detail. View the screen as a lovely extra for the money and you won't go far wrong.
Read our full JBL Live Beam 3 review
The best earbuds for supreme sound
✅ Audio quality is important to you: Wonderful sound with great noise cancellation; if you want one of the best listening experiences from a pair of buds, you'll find it here.
✅ You want good travel buds: You can connect the case to any wired source, including in-flight movie systems, and it beams the sound to the buds. Convenient!
❌ You'd like to try spatial audio: The sound here is fantastic, but there's no spatial audio. If you've been keen to try it, look elsewhere.
❌ You want lots of on-ear controls: You'll have to decide if you want on-ear volume control or access to ANC options, not both.
Looking for the closest you'll get to sonic excellence in a pair of true wireless earbuds with the key mod cons? Meet the exceptionally accomplished Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds. Let's begin with the sound, which is outstanding. In every conceivable way, including musicality, balance and dynamic nuance, you're getting best-in-class audio. As you'd expect, higher quality streams from the likes of Qobuz and Apple Music sounded exceptional, but we rate these B&W buds for making the most of every music source they can get. In our review, we wrote: "everything was served up with a flourish" whether that was high-res audio files or Spotify tracks.
Noise cancellation is at the same impeccably high standard. In our review, we wrote: "That cocooned feeling of leaving the outside world behind kicked straight in but without any sense of wind-tunnel nausea or my eardrums being unceremoniously sucked into a vacuum." This is thanks to B&W's accomplished audio tech, as well as an incredibly snug and comfortable fit, creating the perfect seal for the ANC to work its magic.
Another nice added feature is that the charging case can double as a wireless audio re-transmitter in aptX Adaptive transmission (up to 24-bit/96kHz quality). What this means is you can plug it into a non-Bluetooth source (most usefully an in-flight entertainment system) and the audio will be transmitted to the buds. This makes them an excellent choice for long flights.
The buds are available in several color options, all with a premium matte plastic finish that we said in our review "seems to murmur 'I'm expensive' when you pluck them from their small, pebble-shaped case." As well as looking nice, they're among the most comfortable buds we've ever tested. This is likely down to B&W putting in considerable efforts to redesign the Pi7 buds that came before them and the result is buds that have very well distributed weight and require zero twisting or adjusting – this is extremely rare, even with the best buds we've trialled.
These buds are incredibly close to perfect. Battery life is a little average at 6.5 hours from the buds and a further 13.5 hours from the case, but it's a worthy sacrifice for everything else you get here. Which is excellent, high-quality audio in a comfortable and premium build. If audio quality is your top priority, these are the buds for you.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review
The best wired earbuds
✅ You want a solid pair of buds: With great sound and a quality built for a low price, these are reliable and worth every penny.
✅ Looks matter: We love the rose gold accents on these earbuds and their cool, angular design.
❌ You want to connect to a USB-C phone: These are 3.5mm jack headphones – consider the SoundMagic E80D instead.
❌ You like a premium experience: They look, feel and sound more premium than they should, but the remote and cable need improving.
We first tested the 1More Triple Driver earphones way back in 2017. However, the world of wired earbuds tends to move slowly than true wireless these days, which means they're still our top recommendation for most people looking for a reliable, great-looking wired option with an enjoyable sound at a great value, low price. That's why they're also still our #1 pick in our best wired earbuds guide.
The audio quality here can be beaten – you'll find better from many rivals, especially the Technics EAH-AZ80 at #1 in this list – but you have to pay a lot more for it. These 1More buds bring you bold and enjoyable sound, especially considering their low price and small size. In our 1MORE Triple Driver earphones review, we wrote: "Music is exquisitely detailed with a good sense of space." Even more than seven years on, after testing many more earbuds, that rings true. It's also worth noting that, although there's no active noise cancellation, the earbuds do manage to create a decent seal, which leads to a pleasing amount of noise isolation.
The earbuds are made from aluminum and have some rose gold accents with an interesting, slightly angled design, which we think combine to give the buds a much more premium aesthetic than you'd guess from their price tag. They come with a selection of foam and silicone ear tips, which should help most people get a snug fit that's comfortable enough for long periods of listening. The only thing we noted during testing is they did stick out a little from our ears. Their cable is wrapped in fabric for extra durability but the small three-button remote that's attached to it felt a little more cheap and plastic than we'd have liked.
With a bold, balanced and detailed sound, superb build quality for the price and reliable, wired design, we think the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones represent great value – despite the fact they're much older than rivals in this list. It's worth mentioning here that we think if you have the money and want to stick with wired, the excellent FiiO FH19 are our latest recommendation – but you'll need deep pockets
Read our full 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones review
The best cheap USB-C earbuds
✅ You crave comfort: These earbuds were easy to wear all day during our testing and stayed in our ears securely.
✅ You want understated style: Expect a sleek and minimal design with a range of different color options to choose from.
❌ You like to have control: The controller on the buds is limited and doesn't have volume up/down buttons, not ideal for walking.
❌ You want excellent sound: There's decent sound for the price here, but no bassy depths or sonic details – you'd need to pay more (we like the SoundMagic E11D).
If you're looking for a pair of wired USB-C earbuds, this set from Skullcandy may not offer the best high-end sonic experience compared to other options in this list, but they're a stylish and reliable choice – especially considering they're incredibly affordable at $31.99/£29.99 (about AU $50). We tested even cheaper USB-C buds, and this are basically as cheap as we'd recommend going – especially if you can find them on sale.
In our review we made it clear that these buds "don't whip up top-drawer sound", especially where detail and dynamism are concerned. That being said, sound quality is decent, especially considering their price. Similarly-priced budget buds that we're reviewed sound and feel much more cheap and tinny in comparison.
As you'd expect, there's no active noise cancellation for this price. But thanks to good included ear tips, they have a "noise-isolating fit". This won't reduce all ambient noise, but it does do a decent job at keeping you focused on your music regardless of your surroundings. These ear tips come in three different sizes, which meant in our review we wrote that the buds are "very pleasant to wear", even for long periods of time.
As well as feeling good, we liked how the buds look too. In our review we said: "They sport a sleek, curved look, and come in four snazzy colorways." They also have an IPX4 water-resistant rating, which means they're rain- and sweatproof. The only notable frustrating design feature is there are no volume up/down buttons on their controller, which feels limiting.
These aren't the best buds in our guide, far from it – but they're comfortable, they sound solid and they look good. If that's all you ask, enjoy.
Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review
Other earbuds to consider
Edifier Stax Spirit S10: These buds sound fantastic and fit well. So why didn't they make the guide for our guide? Well, as you'll see in our Edifier Stax Spirit S10 review, we experienced some odd pairing problems during our testing and the battery life is disappointing, too.
JLab Go Pop ANC: For a very cheap pair of buds that also (surprisingly!) deliver ANC, these from JLab are a great option. Take a look at our JLab Go Pop ANC review to find out why we rate them so highly
Sony WF-1000XM5: You might be surprised that the Sony WF-1000XM5 aren't on this list. They're very nice earbuds, but they don't sound as good and aren't as well-featured as the Technics we rate as number one, but cost the same. They also don't block noise as well as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, so they don't stand out on that front. For Apple owners in particular, the AirPods Pro 2 are cheaper, have better features, have better noise cancellation, and sound excellent. As we said in our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review, they're not bad earbuds by any stretch of the imagination, but they're not quite good enough to push out anything on this hotly contested list.
AirPods 4: We've reviewed Apple's cheaper AirPods 4 option, and found them to be… fine. Pretty good. They have fun and full audio quality, improved comfort, and great spatial audio – but they're lacking in detail and are just a bit too expensive for their quality level. We explore it in-depth in our full AirPods 4 review – and we're working on our final AirPods 4 with ANC review now, but it's a similar story there.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: As you'll find in our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review, these tiny buds deliver a solid choice of noise-cancelling and transparency modes, decent sound and an impressive battery life. But unfortunately the fit wasn't up to standard and for a similar price you can find rival buds that perform better in almost every way.
OnePlus Buds Pro 3: Read our OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review to learn all of the ways OnePlus' latest buds improve on the Pro 2s that came before them. They're packed with features, sound superb (especially for the price) and have a great battery life. However, they can't compete with some of the similarly-priced buds in this guide. Some core features, like ANC and voice commands, fell short and we're not convinced the new design will have mass appeal.
Meet the team
Our audio tech team put hundreds of pairs to the test in a range of environments in order to determine if they're worth recommending or not. How do we know what to look for? Because we've collectively got years (make that decades) of experience reviewing all sorts of headphones, from expensive, noise-cancelling buds that block out the world to budget earbuds that are cheap and cheerful.
How to choose the best earbuds
Two important things to consider when you’re choosing new earbuds is what you want to listen to and where you want to listen to it.
For example, if you like fairly quiet music and want to listen on the bus or train, you'll need effective noise cancellation.
If you're looking for a pair of the best running headphones, you should look for IPX4 water-resistance so they can withstand sweat and rain. Some of the top waterproof earbuds can even be used for swimming. The best bone-conducting headphones are popular for fitness fans too, because they don't block outside sounds.
If you're going to be wearing your earbuds for long periods, then comfort and weight are a top priority.
We’ve included both wired and wireless earbuds on this list, but you don't have to compromise on audio quality by going wire-free – the B&W Pi8 above are proof of that. If you do opt for wireless or true wireless earbuds, make sure the battery life is up to scratch, otherwise you may find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute.
The best earbuds for you should sound good to your ears. Which means if you're a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs, like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity.
We also recommend you consider your budget. If you want cheap earbuds you may have to sacrifice features, like ANC or a long battery life. It’s all about weighing up what’s more important to you.
Finally, the brand you choose will depend on what you're looking for – but we're careful with our lists. That means all of the earbuds and in-ear headphones above come from brands we trust. Still, if you're not sure where to start looking, respected brands like Sony, Apple, Cambridge Audio, Jabra, and Nura are good places to start.
How we test the best earbuds
☑️ More than 2,400 audio reviews
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech
We've tested each of the top earbuds in this guide to make sure they tick some key boxes, which are reflected in our full review.
Features: One of these is the features – whether they compare well to other earbuds in the same price for elements such as connection options, smart app controls, active noise cancellation and battery life. We test all these features in different ways. We try the active noise cancellation in different real-world environments, and we check battery life by running them down and tracking the timing.
Audio: Most importantly, we also want to be sure the sound is excellent, with clarity and a decent level of bass. We listen to music from a range of sources, from social apps and YouTube, to lower-quality streams from the likes of Spotify, to high-quality files from streamers such as Apple Music and Tidal. We'll listen to a range of genres, and we'll use a mix of new music and tracks we've known for years and in which we can hear all the subtle differences.
Comfort: Next is comfort and wearability. You need to know you'll be able to pop the best in-ear buds in your ears for hours at a time, so they have to feel secure and comfortable. Some seem naturally designed for a snug fit, others come with different silicone tip options to help you get the fit just right. In terms of design, we also look for compact buds, those that don't stick out of your ear too much and (in the case of true wireless designs) earbuds that come with a small charging case for slipping into a backpack, handbag or even a pocket.
Value: And when we've tested all this, we judge them on their value, which essentially means how all of the above balances against their price, and the price of other earbuds.
Comparison: At the time of writing, we're beginning a new testing procedure for earbuds to enable us to add more direct comparison between buds, to make it easier for you to choose which one will suit you best. We'll re-test our current favorite earbuds using the new system, and we'll use it for reviews in the future. You can read the full information about how we test earbuds at TechRadar at that link, but the crucial part is that we're adding certain specific and repeatable tests that all of our reviews can use, so we know we're getting a fair and even comparison between earbuds.
Sound quality testing: The major part of this is a particular playlist that will be used for sound-quality testing, from a specific source device and music service. Our reviewers will also test other songs and sound sources, but this playlist provide a baseline comparison, and you can copy the playlist to make your own comparisons, if you like.
Microphone quality testing: We'll also test the microphone quality for picking up speech by recording us talking, and we'll make those recordings available to hear on the site, so you can compare them yourselves, if you want. And we'll detail exactly how long the battery lasts in real-world use, and provide that information for easy comparison too, in tables. At the moment, we're still working on gathering this information, so please bear with us – an even better buying guide is coming!
Latest updates to the best earbuds
21 November 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in as our 'best for ANC' pick, removing the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 that are currently out of stock in most places so not worth recommending.
7 November 2024
Refreshed the introduction. Added new images to each entry to give readers a better look at the devices. Itemized our 'how we test' section to add more clarity about our reviewing process. Added a 'meet the team' section to give you an insight into our combined tech knowledge and expertise. Added news and suggestions to several of our entries, like the JBL Tour Pro 3 in our JBL Live Beam 3 entry. Added some extra recommendations into our 'also consider' section, like the Edifier Stax Spirit S10.
11 October 2024
Swapped the JLab JBuds Mini for the Sony WF-C510 as our 'best budget' pick. Switched the Samsung Buds 2 Pro for the Samsung Buds 3 Pro based on our review as our 'best for Samsung' choice. Swapped the Final Audio ZE8000 Mk2 out for the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in our 'best for sound' category. Added several recent reviews to our 'Also consider' section, including AirPods 4 and OnePlus Buds Pro 3.
3 September 2024
Added the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones as our 'Best wired' pick based on our review, and recent testing of the competition.
See more updates…
30 July 2024
Added the JLab JBuds Mini as the best super-cheap option, and updated the 'Also Consider' section with information on the latest products that didn't make it into this list.
1 July 2024
Added the JBL Lve Beam 3 as our top choice for battery life, thanks to their 48-hour total. Removed the older 1More Triple Driver wired set, since the Skullcandy Set USB-C occupy that wired space extremely well, if you're looking for something inexpensive and wired.
7 June 2024
We added the Skullcandy Set USB-C wired earbuds as the best super-cheap wired buds that we'd actually recommend buying, based on testing of several big-name budget options.
9 May 2024
Swapped the Sony WF-C700N for the Nothing Ear (a) as the best mid-range option. They're extremely close in quality, but the Nothing's slightly better noise cancellation and hi-res support just win out.
8 April 2024
Considered adding the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 to this guide, but after discussing with the team, we've decided that while these 2024-issue earbuds are very good indeed, other products narrowly edge them in each key aspect (ie. sound, ANC, battery life, feature set) – so there's no clear reason for their inclusion. Updated the intro here to reflect the WF-1000XM4 being no longer readily available, hence their departure from this list, and explained why the Technics EAH-AZ80 are now our top pick. Added new links to the buying guides to better direct readers.
19 March 2024
Removed the Sony WH-1000XM4 due to stock running out at last. Technics EAH-AZ80 moved to number 1, Sony WH-C700N moved to number 2, JLab Go Air Pop moved to number 3.
8 February 2024
Added the Beats Fit Pro as our best workout buds, reflecting what's in our dedicated guide.
22 January 2024
Added Final ZE8000 MK2, and removed the now-discontinued Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus. Updated all copy throughout.
10 November 2023
Added more information about how we test, and added a link to our Black Friday earbuds deals coverage.
8 October 2023
Checked all entries against current reviews to ensure list is relevant.
6 September 2023
Refreshed entries to reflect current prices/value ahead of sales events later in the year.
30 August 2023
Changed the main image.
24 August 2023
Rewrote each product entry to summarize the features, sound quality, design and value of each review, including adding in 'buy it if' and 'don't buy it if' boxouts.
Welcome to the TechRadar best VPN buying guide. Our aim is to give you the information to buy the best VPN for your needs as quickly as possible.
With that in mind, NordVPN is the best VPN for most people and we'll explain why just below. Surfshark and ExpressVPN are also excellent. You're unlikely to go wrong with any of them. We know this because we regularly perform in-depth and rigorous VPN testing which you can also read about further down.
We've been writing about and reviewing VPNs at TechRadar for over 11 years and we know more about them than any other website. When it comes to guiding our readers to the right choice, we think that's worth something.
5 best VPNs: a quick overview
The best VPN services 2025
NordVPN is more than enough for most people: it's fast, cheap, and relatively easy to use – but with plenty of tools for even the biggest technophiles. There are some niche cases where you may be better off with another service (ExpressVPN is a better choice for countries with extreme censorship, for example).
But if you just want a VPN for streaming your favorite shows, gaming, and keeping safe on public WiFi, NordVPN is the best VPN for the job – and it's a great time to buy right now with NordVPN's Spring sale taking the price down to the lowest it's been in 2025.
READ MORE ABOUT NORDVPN ▼
Ease of Use ★★★★
Getting started with NordVPN is easy thanks to the onboarding wizard that springs to life when you fire up the Mac or Windows version for the very first time. It'll walk you through Nord's features and make sure you understand what's going on.
So, why just four stars for ease of use? NordVPN has users well covered for apps but the browser extension isn't great. There's also no GUI for the Linux version which is a bit disappointing. Lastly, Surfshark and ExpressVPN are just a little bit more obvious when it comes to basic use. Unless you're a Linux user, or you're all about browser extensions, though, you shouldn't let that put you off.
Read more details on NordVPN apps.
Streaming ★★★★★
We rate NordVPN as the best streaming VPN that money can buy. It boasts over 7400 ultra-fast servers covering 118 countries, all of which are optimised for streaming.
It unblocks all major streaming services – including international Netflix libraries, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus – as well as a host of other other regional streamers such as BBC iPlayer, 9Now, SBS On Demand, ITVX, Sling, FuboTV, Max and many, many more. In fact, it's not often we find a streaming service that NordVPN can't get round the back of.
Speeds are easily enough to handle 4K HDR video. The only streaming-related caveat is that NordVPN isn't the best torrenting VPN. That accolade goes to ExpressVPN. That's because there are only a handful of NordVPN servers optimised for P2P use.
Read more details on NordVPN unblocking.
Privacy & Security ★★★★★
NordVPN comes with cutting-edge security and privacy features, including its recently launched NordWhisper protocol for specific for VPN obfuscation and censorship avoidance. It also runs both OpenVPN and its own proprietary WireGuard-based Nordlynx protocol with super-secure, recently audited, zero-trust AES-256 encryption, meaning you can be confident that nobody has access to your data but you.
If someone ever did manage to pilfer it, it would take them millions of years to crack the encryption, particularly as NordVPN's quantum-safe encryption is theoretically future-proofed.
The company has a strict no-logs policy – which has just been successfully audited for the fifth time – meaning that not even NordVPN itself has a record of your browsing data. There's a kill switch for further assurances and DNS leak protection to prevent your ISP from getting even a whiff of what you're up to.
Read more details on NordVPN privacy and security.
Speed & Performance ★★★★½
The NordLynx proprietary protocol performed brilliantly in our speed tests. It clocked consistent speeds upwards of 950 Mbps in servers to the UK as well as when heading across the Atlantic to the US. The latter of these is where many other VPNs struggle to perform. That's worth considering given that plenty of people will be looking to access streaming services and other content across The Pond.
OpenVPN speeds are much slower, as with all VPNs. It's only Surfshark that stands out in this area but, again, it shouldn't put you off unless you insist on using OpenVPN over NordLynx.
Read more details on NordVPN speed and performance.
NordVPN price plan comparison
There are four NordVPN price plans to choose from if you're based in the US – three if you live anywhere else in the world. NordVPN Basic is just the VPN software. It's available everywhere. If you want to add some anti-virus functionality (Nord Threat Protection Pro), then go for NordVPN Plus. For a password manager (NordPass), cloud storage (NordLocker), and up to $5000 of cyber insurance on top, go for NordVPN Ultimate.
NordVPN has a slightly different pricing structure in the US with its NordProtect program which includes up to $1M in identity theft insurance and $100K in cyber extortion insurance. There's confidence for you!
So, instead of the Plus and Ultimate tiers, the USA gets Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime.
For our money, the Basic plan is the best value but if you really need the extras on offer in Plus, Complete, Ultimate, or Prime, then go for it. Each plan type comes with a different possible contract length: 1-month, 1-year, or 2-year.
The best value, by a long shot, is the 2-year plan and, right now, the biggest discounts are on the Prime plan, so do take a look.
Do remember that you need to pay the full amount upfront and that, whichever you choose, you get 30 days to change your mind and ask for a full refund.
Here's a comparison table of the NordVPN plans and what each one offers. Just be careful not to fall for a fake NordVPN ad scam when you come to buy:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-month plan price | $12.99/month | $13.99/month | $14.99/month | £12.09/month | $17.99/month |
1-year plan price | $4.99/month | $5.99/month | $6.99/month | £6.69/month | $8.99/month |
2-year plan price | $3.09/month | $3.99/month | $4.99/month | £5.09/month | $6.99/month |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Threat protection | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Password manager | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
1TB cloud storage | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Cyber Insurance | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (NordProtect) |
Surfshark – the best low cost VPN
For a straight-up VPN with all the basics of privacy, security, and streaming included, Surfshark really is excellent value. It costs less than NordVPN, it's half the price of ExpressVPN and there are no limits to the number of devices you can install it on with just a single, simple account.
Surfshark has some brilliant web browsing anonymity features that every casual user will love. You should be rightly tempted to choose it over NordVPN even though it loses out to the top dog on usability, connection consistency, and security but only by a shade.
READ MORE ABOUT SURFSHARK ▼
Ease of Use ★★★★
Surfshark has an app for pretty much every platform and is one of the few to have a proper GUI for Linux. It's got you covered for routers, browsers, Fire Stick, and Apple TV, as well as all the regulars.
It's pretty straightforward to use – we love the QR code log-in for your secondary devices – but, with the location guide and quick access feature buttons all competing for screen real estate, there's a fair bit going on at a glance. That makes the interface a little tougher on the eye than NordVPN or ExpressVPN but not so much that it should put off any beginners.
If you do need help, the built-in AI chatbot will spit out some solid how-to type articles and there aren't many layers between you and a real, live customer support operative if that doesn't do the trick.
Read more details on Surshark's ease of use.
Streaming ★★★★½
Surfshark is great for streaming. It had no problems unblocking all the major streaming services in all kinds of geos, and, with 140 server locations across 100 countries, you won't be short of options of places to pretend to be.
All of Surfshark's servers are optimized for streaming and torrenting but we did have a couple of issues of jitter which meant that video streams dropped out once or twice in our tests. Obviously, just reconnect the VPN and press play again should that occur.
A problem, you say? Well, maybe but balance that against Surfshark's unlimited connections policy. That's right, you can use Surfshark on as many devices as you like simultaneously, all from just one account!
Read more details on Surfshark's unblocking and content.
Privacy & Security ★★★★½
Surfshark's AES-256 encryption tech puts it at the top table for security. Its CleanWeb browser add-on blocks ads from appearing on websites and denies cookie requests without you having to bother which we really, really like.
It also has a rather wonderful Alternative ID tool that effectively creates a fake persona – complete with name, email address, and phone number – to autofill into online forms when you'd rather not give your real details. Emails, calls, and messages get forwarded to your real versions until you pull the plug.
Surfshark's Camouflage Mode obfuscation technology helps you bypass VPN blocks by hiding the fact you're using a VPN. Its No Borders feature, meanwhile, detects if your current network is facing any restrictions and automatically recommends servers that perform best under those restrictions. There's no post-quantum protection future-proofing, like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, to prevent possible "store now, decrypt later" attacks but you can't expect everything for a bargain price.
Read more details on Surshark privacy and security.
Speed & Performance ★★★★★
You want speed? You got speed. Surfshark is the No.1 fastest VPN, maxing out beyond 950 Mbps for local and trans-Atlantic servers. As we said above, though, it can be prone to jitter which might make you suffer during gaming and streaming. If you're looking at pure up/download speeds, though, then Surfshark is hard to beat.
Read more details on Surfshark's speed and performance.
Surfshark price plan comparison
The Surfshark Starter plan is where to go to keep costs at rock bottom. That's your VPN use, including ad and cookie pop-up blockers, plus the Alternate ID personal detail mask and masked email generator.
But it's very hard to turn down the upgrade to the Surfshark One plan given that it's only about $13 more over 2 years and only about a $3 difference on the 12-month plan. That adds a built-in anti-virus, webcam protection, and real-time credit card, ID, and email breach alerts.
Surfshark's premium plan, One+ is a tougher sell. It's about double the price of Starter. That adds the Incogni data removal tool into the mix. It's a decent service but it's probably only worth opting for Surfshark One+ if you were considering Icogni anyway.
There has been an A/B test running on Surfshark's pricing in recent weeks where the company was offering an all-time-low price of $1.99 on the Starter plan, but it seems to have disappeared for now. You might want to try one of our links using incognito mode on your browser a few times just in case it pops up for you. If not, the standard $2.19 price is still great value.
Here's a comparison table of the Surfshark plans and what each one offers and a direct comparison of NordVPN vs Surfshark:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1-month plan price | $15.45/month | $17.95/month | $20.65/month |
1-year plan price | $3.19/month | $3.39/month | $6.09/month |
2-year plan price | $2.19/month | $2.69/month | $4.29/month |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Ad blocker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Cookie pop-up blocker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Alternative ID | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
ID breach alerts | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Antivirus | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Incogni data removal | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
ExpressVPN – the best VPN for usability
Price is the main reason ExpressVPN sits behind NordVPN and Surfshark in our best VPN list. It costs a lot of money and there are no cheaper price plans to fit lower budgets. Regarding what you get, it's more in line with the upper tiers of the two above, NordVPN Ultimate and Surfshark One+, but the lack of flexibility is frustrating.
What's more, ExpressVPN had a few gaps in streaming during our most recent testing, and, while it's the best VPN for beginners, neither of the others above are so complicated that they should put you off spending half as much on your VPN.
It's also worth noting that ExpressVPN recently reduced its workforce in big enough numbers that it felt it needed to release a statement. Hopefully, this is not a bad sign for the future of the product but we'll keep you posted.
READ MORE ABOUT EXPRESSVPN ▼
Ease of Use ★★★★★
The ExpressVPN user interface is just great. There's nothing glitzy about the look of its apps but there's a simplicity that belies a lot of very clever design. It's red when it's off, it's green when it's on and the first two sections that draw your eyes are the massive Connect button and the server location option which opens up a list of countries either recommended or by continent. The casual user needs to go no further and get everything they need right there.
There are apps for every platform. ExpressVPN even has its own Aircove router if you want the VPN working at the heart of your home network. Only those on Linux should feel irked with just command line access to work with.
The other place your money goes is the 24/7 live chat in the help section of the app. Waiting times to get connected to human support can be as little as 30 seconds. We were never left hanging for more than 5 minutes in our tests. There is just no better VPN for usability.
Read more details on ExpressVPN's ease of use.
Streaming ★★★★
With over 148 locations in 105 countries, ExpressVPN will have you covered for most of your streaming needs – certainly when accessing streaming services across the States, UK, and Europe. It has the most Oceania server locations in our top three although we did run into some trouble with Netflix and 10Play in Australia. Use the 24/7 live chat for advice on the best server choice if you find similar issues and that should sort it.
ExpressVPN is a bit short across the Middle East with just two countries to choose from. Not great for BeIn sports content in that part of the world, or watching Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League or any other local content from Saudi, UAE, and the like.
In terms of stream stability, ExpressVPN does pretty well, although it does feel like NordVPN has the edge here with fewer instances of dropping out when viewing trans-Atlantic content – another reason why you might want to make a different choice if streaming is your no.1 VPN use case.
Read more details on ExpressVPN unblocking and content.
Privacy & Security ★★★★★
You might pay more – pretty much double the cost of all the other VPNs here – but you do get a lot of security features with ExpressVPN. You just need to decide whether you need them or not. These include the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, parental controls to stop access to adult sites, a tracker and malware threat manager, and one of the best built-in ad blockers on this list. The only disappointment is the fake website warning system which let far too many slip the net to really trust.
Fortunately, ExpressVPN gets the basics of security bang on. It uses top-end, rotating key, AES-256 encryption as well as a 1000-dimension secure ML-KEM key designed to future-proof your data for the quantum computing age too. We're also big fans of the randomly allocating Shuffle IP system which ensures there's no correlation between your identity and your online activity.
Combine that with the provider's TrustedServer technology, and commitment to post-quantum encryption, and it's full marks here. The company is so confident that it offers a $1 million bug bounty should you ever get inside an ExpressVPN server. Good luck!
Read more details on ExpressVPN privacy and security.
Speed & Performance ★★★★
Lightway is the name of ExpressVPN's bespoke VPN protocol. It's not quite as fast as NordLynx or WireGuard, as used by Surfshark, but it's easily enough for the needs of the casual user. It's optimized for mobile use – certainly no bad thing in the modern age – and outperforms OpenVPN by a long shot.
It's slightly disappointing that Lightway's 898 Mbps speeds dropped to more like 396 Mbps once we connected to the US from the UK but it's worth remembering that you only need a fraction of that to stream 4K video.
Lightway's performance may be about to change, though, with the roll out of Lightway Turbo and DCO on Windows apps and with the recently launched Lightway 2.0. and its more streamlined coding in Rust. Lightway in Rust is already on Aircove devices and is expected to land elsewhere over 2025.
Read more details on ExpressVPN speed and performance.
ExpressVPN price plan
There's only one price plan for ExpressVPN which makes things a lot more straightforward. Granted, it's a very expensive price plan but that's because you get the kind of optional extras found in NordVPN and Surfshark's top-tier packages included as standard.
Here's a table showing ExpressVPN's main features and a direct comparison of ExpressVPN vs NordVPN:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Price | $12.95/month | $6.67/month | $4.99/month |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Ad blocker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Tracker blocker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Password manager | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
ID Alerts | US-only | US-only | US-only |
$1M ID theft insurance | US-only | US-only | US-only |
Data Removal | US-only | US-only | US-only |
Proton VPN – the best VPN for privacy
Proton VPN is one of many privacy-centric products built by Proton. It's a CERN-scientist-founded, Swiss company committed to the "societal problem of surveillance capitalism" rather than a Silicon Valley venture capitalism get-rich-quick machine. So long as Proton sticks to that mission, that makes it quite an ethical VPN choice and one that works pretty much as well as all the others on this best VPN list.
The big reason to choose Proton VPN is if privacy is of paramount importance to you – or if you need a good range of server locations across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia – but don't let that fool you.
With over 11,775 servers across 117 countries, Proton VPN is every bit the right tool for those looking for some serious streaming and torrenting fun too.
READ MORE ABOUT PROTON VPN ▼
Ease of Use ★★★★
Proton VPN is easy to use, thanks to a recent UI refresh on a number of its apps. There are apps available for pretty much all your devices – including Linux with a graphic interface – but the Chrome browser extension version isn't quite as reliable as the VPNs higher up, and, given the popularity of both Chrome and browsing when it comes to VPN use, it's quite the frustration.
That said, Proton has recently partnered with privacy-focused browser Vivaldi. So, if you really do want a VPN browser extension for Proton, you might consider Vivaldi instead. Sadly, there's still no news for Mac OS Proton VP users who currently don't have access to the split tunneling feature.
Proton VPN also loses marks in this category for customer service. Like the others in this list, the live chat isn't 24/7. It's only available during Swiss work hours – not great if you're based on Pacific Time in the States or live in Australia or New Zealand. That said, we're assured that this is an area where Proton VPN is soon to improve.
Read more details on Proton VPN's apps and ease of use.
Streaming ★★★★★
Proton VPN is a good choice for both streaming and torrenting. It's one of the few VPNs where port forwarding is still available and there are dedicated, P2P-optimized servers, which, again, is great for torrenting.
Proton VPN also has more country locations than any other VPN. If you're looking to connect to a regional service in Africa (22 countries) or the Middle East (14 countries) then it should be high on your list. It also has more Asia locations covered than any other provider on this page.
The trade-off is that there aren't so many server locations in the US or across Europe, but most countries are covered in those places, even if there's not much at the city/region level. More to the point, Proton VPN had no trouble with any local or international streaming services we tried. We managed to access the desired Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus libraries with every server we tried.
Read more details on Proton VPN's unblocking and content.
Privacy & Security ★★★★½
Proton VPN has been built from the ground up as a privacy-first product and plenty of features show that off. Proton's Secure Core sends your VPN traffic through an extra secure server in a privacy-friendly location (Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden) and then onto the endpoint VPN server. Similar to NordVPN's Double VPN system, that means your traffic is secured twice, reducing the risk of your IP getting exposed if the endpoint server is hacked.
As well as OpenVPN and WireGuard, Proton uses its own Stealth protocol which hides the fact you're even using a VPN which could be very important if you're in a region where VPN use is banned.
Equally, you can opt to use the Alternate Routing feature instead which sends your IP-relocated internet traffic through a third-party server, like Amazon's, for example. That helps to get around sites that don't play nice with VPNs.
You can also connect directly to the Tor network through some Proton VPN servers which might be handy if you're in a line of work that requires extra anonymity.
Proton VPN Plus also brings the use of the NetShield Ad-blocker feature. It did a decent job with ads and trackers, although the malware-blocking end wasn't particularly comprehensive. Get a decent AV for that instead.
Read more details on Proton VPN privacy and security.
Speed & Performance ★★★½
Proton VPN plays second fiddle when compared to the speeds on offer with other VPNs on this list. The VPN Accelerator feature does a good job of automatically finding the routes with better speeds when connecting to long-distance servers but if a fast VPN is your no.1 feature, then Proton won't be the best choice.
Do bear in mind, though, that for streaming purposes, Proton VPN still has plenty under the hood. Indeed, its latency and jitter scores were nice and low, which arguably, is more important for some use cases.
Read more details on Proton VPN speed and performance.
Proton VPN price plan comparison
The free version of Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs available, and worth your consideration, depending on your needs. The paid version of Proton VPN is the one to go for if you want to use the streaming functionality, though. Upgrade to Proton Unlimited if you want all of that plus access to the full suite of Proton web products including Proton Mail, Proton Drive, Proton Pass and more.
Proton VPN's two-year plan is the best value. You only need to subscribe to the full Proton Unlimited package for a year if you want the best monthly price for all the Proton products, though. Here's a comparison table of the Proton VPN plans so you can see for yourself:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1-month price | Free | $9.99/month | $12.99/month |
12-month price | Free | $3.99/month | $9.99/month |
24-month price | Free | $3.59/month | $9.99/month |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Streaming | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Server choice | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Malware protection | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Tracker blocking | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Ad-blocker | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Tor over VPN | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive, and Pass | Free features only | Free features only | ✅ |
PrivadoVPN Free – Best Free VPN
It's not all about money. The best things in life are free. Well, the fifth-best thing, at least. A paid VPN is a better choice for anyone serious about using a VPN regularly but, if you’re looking to dip your toes in the VPN waters and see whether you like the feel, PrivadoVPN Free is a good choice.
Why? Because you get to play with most of the important features that a paid VPN offers and that’s not the case for many of the other best free VPN services. You can do things like unblocking access to trans-Atlantic Netflix libraries (in a limited way) and you also get the peace of mind that PrivadoVPN won’t sell your data to make up for the fact you’re using its service for free.
READ MORE ABOUT PRIVADOVPN FREE ▼
Ease of Use ★★★★
PrivadoVPN Free doesn't come with as much customization and functionality as a paid VPN, the upside of which is that it’s certainly easy to use. There are apps for Windows, MacOS, Android, Android TV, iOS, Apple TV, and FireTV and there’s a Chrome extension too. If you're struggling to install them, then the online knowledge base is good but live chat access is limited.
By default, the layout is a lot simpler than many, and the user interface is uncluttered. There’s the location manager, where you choose which server you wish to connect to; the recently revamped and stabilized kill switch; the connect button; and a handy reminder of how much data you have left; and that’s pretty much it. Hit ‘Click to Connect’ and away you go!
Read more details on PrivadoVPN Free apps and ease of use.
Streaming ★★★
Streaming is where PrivadoVPN Free stands head and shoulders above other free VPNs. There’s not really much streaming on offer elsewhere, without paying, because of very low data allowances and limited, or often no, server choice.
PrivdoVPN Free allows you to access its 13 servers across 10 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, UK, and the USA. You also get 10 GB of data to use each month. That’s about 10, hour-long, TV shows at standard definition. If you need more than that, then maybe it’s time to pay for your VPN.
The split tunneling feature is handy for minimizing your data use but, if you do bust the limit of your allowance, then PrivadoVPN Free will let you to connect still but only on the 1 Mbps server. With no servers in Australia, New Zealand or Italy, there are a lot of great free streaming services that you miss out on here but it did still manage to unblock Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, and ITV in our recent tests.
Read more details on PrivadoVPN's Free streaming performance.
Privacy & Security ★★★
PrivadoVPN Free brings access to its VPN but not much else in the way of privacy and security features, aside from the kill switch. It uses AES-256 encryption and offers OpenVPN, WireGuard protocols as well as the usually slower IKEv2, if you need.
We love that PrivadoVPN doesn’t sell its free users’ data to fund the gratis access. We love its strict no-logs policy. We love that it’s based in Switzerland too, where data protection laws are super tight. But the fact that PrivadoVPN has never had a third-party audit to check all this? Not so much. But then audits cost money and the users aren’t paying, so, you know.
Read more details on PrivadoVPN's Free privacy and security.
Speed & Performance ★★★
You might expect a free VPN to be significantly slower than the paid options on this page but that’s not the case with PrivadoVPN Free. It maxed out our 950 Mbps VPN speed testing rig using WireGuard, like many of the others on this page. As we say, you get a lot more than the other best free VPNs with PrivadoVPN Free. What you don’t get is the unlimited ability to use it.
Read more details on PrivadoVPN's speed and performance.
PrivadoVPN price plan comparison
PrivadoVPN would much rather you sign up for its paid VPN service. The free version is not easy to find on its website. It's usually a greyed-out button buried pretty deep on the sign-up page.
In many ways, it has a point, though. PrivadoVPN Free is a good service but if you need a VPN on the regular, you're better off reaching into your pocket. We even have a special $10 discount through our link which is how you get the prices below.
Here's a feature comparison table of the PrivadoVPN Free and paid plans and you can see if you agree:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | ||
|---|---|---|
1-month plan price | Free | $10.99/month |
12-month plan price | Free | $1.33/month |
24-month plan price | Free | $1.11/month |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ |
Server countries | 10 | 48 |
Data Limit | 10GB/30 days | Unlimited |
Simultaneous connections | 1 | 10 |
Ad blocker | ❌ | ✅ |
Parental controls | ❌ | ✅ |
Other VPNs we've tested
We rate the five VPNs above as the best available right now but there are plenty of other VPNs that we've reviewed. If you see a killer VPN deal out there for one of them, it might be worth your consideration, certainly if it's high up this list. We've put the highest-scoring VPNs at the top. The ones near the bottom are VPNs you should avoid.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a tool that creates a secure and encrypted connection between your device and another location on the internet. VPNs ensure privacy and security online by masking your IP address – and therefore your location – and encrypting data that's transmitted to and from your device, making it impossible for third parties to intercept or track your activities.
Without a VPN, your ISP can monitor and track which websites you access and the data you're transferring. Governments and legal bodies can then request to access that information or hackers may expose it. Install a VPN and no one can see your data or what you're doing online.
What does a VPN do?
A VPN provides security, privacy, and anonymity to you and your devices when using the internet. VPNs can also unblock your favorite streaming services from abroad, help you get cheaper prices when shopping online, assist with torrenting and online gaming connections, and they're a terrific tool for protecting yourself on public Wi-Fi.
Most good VPNs have ad-blockers and will deal with those annoying cookie-consent pop-ups too. You can read more about the benefits of using a VPN.
How to buy a VPN
There are two important things to note when buying a VPN: you have to pay the full amount up-front BUT most come with 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can change your mind for a full refund.
So, for example, if NordVPN's Basic plan is advertised at $3.39 per month for 24 months, that means you'll need to pay the whole $81.36 when you sign up. (You may also have tax to pay on that, region depending.) You'll then receive 24 months of service before you get the choice to pay again for another term.
As for the money-back guarantee, we've tried it, and it works. Most of our top picks also have 24-hour live customer support which makes it all the easier.
Finally, once you've bought and installed your chosen VPN, we'd advise deactivating any auto-renew settings. Some auto-renew prices can be eye-watering compared to the initial fee. Take a look at more things to consider when buying a VPN.
What to look for in a VPN
NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN are probably going to fit most people's needs but if you've some specific use cases or have some key criteria, then you should probably consider the following. You can read more about each in our article on choosing a VPN.
Price
Anything under $2.50/£2.50 per month is a cheap VPN; up to $4.50/£4.50 per month is about average; and anything over $5/£5 per month is on the expensive side. There are also free VPNs but they usually come with limited usage and features. They're not great for streaming, torrenting or gaming. The longer the term of your agreement, the cheaper the price. Anything less than a year tends not to be great value.
Apps
Most VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android but do check. Linux users and anyone looking to install a VPN on an Amazon Fire Stick, a router, or a smart TV should definitely read the small print on this one.
Security & Privacy
Is it meeting industry standards for encryption? Is there a kill switch? Does it have a no-logs policy, and has it been audited? Look out for nifty security features that ensure no patterns to link you and your given IPs, and for anything that will help prevent encrypted data from getting cracked either now or in the future. And check the company's track record to make sure they have kept customers safe in the past.
Server locations
Does the VPN you're interested in have physical servers in the countries you need or just virtual VPN servers? That might be one where you live or one in a country with a geo-blocked streaming service that you're trying to access.
Performance
Can you trust VPN speed tests? Well, you can certainly trust performance. Consistency and quality are critical. You'll suffer poor performance if the VPN you've chosen has issues with latency or jitter. The end result will be packet loss during data transfer which you'll experience as buffering or a stream dropping when using video-based applications eg: video calls, online gaming, and watching Netflix.
Extras
Many providers include more than just the VPN. There are ad-blockers, password managers, anti-virus systems, and even cyber insurance bundled in sometimes. Are these things you'd like too, or are you better off keeping costs down? Picking the right price plan is usually the key here.
Customer support
Most of our top VPN providers have excellent, 24/7 live customer support. They're there to help you with any issues from solving your streaming problems to arranging the refund from your money-back guarantee. If the service you're looking at doesn't offer something similar, then you might want to think again.
Are VPN's legal?
Yes. VPNs are legal to use in most places around the world. The exceptions are North Korea, Belarus, Oman, Iraq, and Turkmenistan, where VPNs are illegal, and China, Russia, Turkey, UAE, India, Iran, Egypt, and Uganda where you can only use a state-approved VPN, the actual privacy of which would be questionable at best.
But, as far as everyone in the US, UK, Europe, and most other places go, yes, VPNs are perfectly legal to use. Go get one!
Do you need a VPN?
Good question. No. Not everyone needs a VPN. But they can be useful depending on who you are, what you do, and how you like to use the internet and online services.
If you want to access streaming services from all around the world – BBC iPlayer, ITV, SBS On Demand, 9Now, RAIPlay, Max, ESPN+, Sling, Hulu, etc – then a VPN is the best way to do that. Equally, a VPN is perfect for making sure you can access the right libraries for Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus.
Primarily, though, VPNs are about online security. For the everyday user, that might mean staying safe while using public Wi-Fi, or minimizing the cookies and trackers that harvest your details as you browse the web and other connected services. That should lead to less email spam and less chances of cybercrime attack too because you're far less likely to have your details stolen in any online database hacks.
Some VPNs can offer a more ad-free online experience too while others have built-in tools to help steer you away from fraudulent websites and malware.
The only group for whom we'd say VPNs are a must are journalists, political activists, and people around the world who need to protect themselves from oppressive governments, access foreign media, and learn and report on global truths. If you want to make sure you're able to evade censorship and propaganda while maintaining anonymity and privacy online, a VPN is non-negotiable.
For any of those reasons above, or if you just want peace of mind that you're more in control of your personal data in a rapidly progressing digital age, then a VPN is probably a good idea. Give one a go and try it for yourself. Most have a 30-day money-back guarantee if you decide a VPN is not for you.
Are free VPNs as good as paid VPNs?
A free VPN might be enough if you don't intend to use it much or don't need to use it for streaming, gaming or torrenting. There are some bad free ones out there but if you choose one of the best free VPNs then you won't come unstuck.
A free VPN is usually limited in the amount of data it offers each month or by the number of server locations it offers. That's why streaming on a free VPN isn't usually going to work. You can certainly expect far fewer features on a free VPN too.
Take a look at our free vs paid VPNs page for a better idea, and do check out these free VPN trials of paid services. All those listed will offer a refund within 30 days if you're not happy with the service.
How we test VPN services
We've been testing VPNs for longer than almost any other online publication and feel very confident about our methodology.
Each VPN is tested twice per year on TechRadar. That way, we can be sure that this guide is as up-to-date as possible whenever you happen to be reading it. Every recommended VPN on this page has been fully reviewed.
We test all the VPNs on the following categories:
Feature analysis: Technical details, network size, server locations, and supported protocols.
Privacy and security: Privacy policies, encryption methods, independent security audits, data leak protections.
Performance testing: Connection speeds, connection times, video streaming performance, web browsing performance, gaming performance, torrenting performance.
Unblocking abilities: VPNs are tested against over 20 of the most common streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and many more.
Support and reliability: Customer support facilities, such as live chat and email support and help sections on provider websites.
You can read more about our full VPN testing methodology here.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Helping folks find the best TVs for their living spaces is one of the best parts of my day as Tom's Guide's Managing Editor for TVs and AV. I take great pride in the rigor of our extensive testing regiment, and I personally see close to four dozen TVs a year at industry events, behind-closed-door demos, and at-home tests where I see how industry innovations affect every-day viewing.
As I test each model, there are a few features that I check to see if it could really be the best TV for you. These are the same things you want, like great picture quality, immersive sound, quick installation and set up, and access to my favorite streaming apps and other smart services.
I go through great lengths to view picture quality through every lens — contrast, brightness, black levels, color saturation, color accuracy, motion processing and upscaling. And all these factors combine when I decide whether it really is one of the best TVs around right now.
If you're wondering what the best TV looks like, check out the Hisense U8N. It faces some stiff competition from Samsung and the LG C4 OLED, but the U8N offers the best price-to-performance ratio. It's a TV I used for myself over the course of three months (a very long time in the TV testing world), and every time I turned it on, I was consistently impressed.
The quick list
Picture ★★★★★
Features ★★★★★
Value ★★★★★
The Hisense U8N's strong specs sheet translates to a beautiful picture. It produces some of the brightest HDR scenes I've ever seen, and its color reproduction is second-to-none.
Picture ★★★★☆
Features ★★★★☆
Value ★★★★★
The TCL 6-Series (one of my favorite TVs of the past decade) is no longer around, but the new QM8 model hits all the same notes — and, thanks to some recent discounts, can be found for under $1,000.
Picture ★★★★★
Features ★★★★★
Value ★★★☆☆
The LG G4 OLED doesn't use a standard OLED panel — it uses proprietary technology developed by LG Display to boost brightness while maintaining perfect black levels. The G4 changes the game for OLED TVs.
Picture ★★★★☆
Features ★★★★☆
Value ★★★★★
A/V enthusiasts looking for a great, accurate picture will not be disappointed by the LG B4 OLED, and neither will gamers looking for an extensive list of features.
Read more below
Picture ★★★★☆
Features ★★★☆☆
Value ★★★★★
The TCL QM7 is the top TV in the under-$500 category. There's room for improvement, but in our opinion, this is the best ultra-budget TV.
Picture ★★★★★
Features ★★★★★
Value ★★★★☆
The S95D is Samsung's best QD-OLED to date. It combines sensational highlight brightness and incredible color volume with a special anti-glare matte finish.
Click to view more products...
Picture ★★★★★
Features ★★★☆☆
Value ★★★☆☆
QLED TVs are all about high brightness and great contrast, both of which the Samsung QN90D delivers in spades. If you're looking to replace a TV in a room with too much ambient light, the QN90D is a great pick.
Picture ★★★★☆
Features ★★★★☆
Value ★★★★☆
Until the LG C5 OLED comes out later this year with a slew of new gaming-focused features, the LG C4 OLED is the best gaming TV you can buy. Not only does it come with four HDMI 2.1 ports and a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, it offers OLED's perfect black levels and 1,000 nits of brightness.
Picture ★★★★★
Features ★★★★☆
Value ★★☆☆☆
The Samsung QN900D is the top 8K TV of 2024. It offers stunning AI-enhanced picture quality and an improved Tizen smart platform. It's pricey, but it's the only 8K TV I'd consider.
About the author
My name's Nick and I look after our guides to the best TVs, best OLED TVs and best 4K TVs. I have been covering TVs and AV for major tech publications for over a decade. Before I became Tom's Guide's Managing Editor of TV & AV, I was formerly the Senior Editor, TV and AV at TechRadar. My accreditations include THX Installation and Calibration training and serving as a Innovation Awards judge for TVs at the largest tech show in the world, CES. Before my days in journalism, I helped folks just like you at a local Best Buy working in the TV department.
The best TVs you can buy today
Mini-LED TV
✅ You want a Mini-LED TV for its performance: Its peak brightness exceeds any TV around that price, and its color reproduction is as good as some of this year’s best TVs.
✅ You use Google devices and services: Google TV is smart and well-rounded, especially for those in Google’s ecosystem, and who already use services like Google Assistant.
✅ You want a TV with good sound: Audio performance is a lot like the HDR performance — it’s great. The U8N's 2.1.2 speaker system is plenty powerful for most medium-sized living rooms.
❌ You care about color accuracy: Unfortunately, you'll need to do some calibrating to get the most accurate color as its out-of-the-box settings are slightly oversaturated.
❌ You want the best AI upscaling tech: Hisense really nails the hardware side of things, but its upscaling and motion processing algorithms aren't as good as Sony's, LG's or Samsung's.
❌ You're a console gamer and want a future-proof TV: Currently, the U8N offers enough HDMI 2.1 ports for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. But down the road, as more consoles, PCs and media players need HDMI 2.1 ports, you're going to have to make some decisions which systems connect to which HDMI ports.
📺 The Hisense U8N ULED is the TV that I'd recommend to friends and family. It's not only one of the most colorful TVs we’ve tested, but with a peak brightness clearing over 3,000 nits, it's one of the brightest, too. There are better TVs out there, but they cost two to three times as much. ★★★★
What you need to know
It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Hisense U8 series is at the top of the list — its predecessor, the Hisense U8K, held this spot for most of last year. But what makes the Hisense U8N even better than its predecessor is the uptick in brightness. This TV can output over 3,000 nits in HDR, which means you're more than covered if you feel like TVs often look too dim and are hard to see. Its color vibrancy is also off the charts, second only to a Sony TV that costs three times as much money.
In short, the U8N offers performance we'd expect from a $2,000 TV for under $1,000.
So why didn't it get a perfect 5 out of 5 score from me? Well, two reasons. For one, Hisense just can't compete with Sony, Samsung and LG in post-image processing. Motion processing and upscaling aren't awful, and most of the time look really good everything considered, but other companies' processing techniques are on a whole different level. You're also stuck with just two HDMI 2.1 ports here.
Despite these flaws, most folks are going to be blown away by this TV.
Design: For my tests, I used a 65-inch model. At 56.2 pounds, it's not the lightest TV nor the thinnest, but that's to be expected from any non-OLED TV. To mount, make sure you grab a standard 600 x 400, M6 VESA mount. If you want to simply place it on top of an entertainment center, you can do that using the two included legs that come in the box.
Performance: You can't watch the Hisense U8N and not be impressed. Not only does it nail the perfect brightness in every setting thanks to the incorporation of a light sensor, but its color vibrancy is next level. In our lab tests, conducted by Tom's Guide's Head of Testing Matthew Murray, the Hisense U8N was able to go toe-to-toe with the much more expensive LG C4 OLED and even surpasses it in some key metrics like SDR brightness and color saturation. It cannot be understated how impressive this is.
The only reason I couldn't give it full marks are because of its upscaling and motion processing prowess. It's not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but actors' faces on the Hisense U8N might look a bit softer with hidden pores and clouds have soft edges rather than any real definition. Its lackluster motion processing can also create motion blur around the moving objects that's extremely noticeable, even to the untrained eye. Finally, serious gamers might also notice the smallest bit of latency. Anything under 20 milliseconds is nearly imperceptible to the human eye, but there are other TVs that have a hair less input lag for a slightly more responsive feel.
Smart TV: We genuinely like Google TV as a smart platform and we think you will, too. It does a phenomenal job at surfacing new and recommended content for you to watch and it has access to all the main streaming services. Even better, it doesn't really push you to use one service over another the same way an Amazon Fire TV might. The only potential issue is that you might notice a bit of a slowdown when you switch from one streaming app to the next.
Read the full review: Hisense U8N Mini-LED TV
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Strong performance for the price. | ★★★★★ |
Design | A great-looking TV but not OLED-levels of thin. | ★★★★☆ |
Picture | Shows and movies give off a serious ‘wow’ factor. | ★★★★★ |
Smart TV | The best smart TV operating system on the market. | ★★★★★ |
Best value TV under $1,000
✅ You want a cheap TV that still looks good: For the best smart TV experience in a TV under $1,000, it's hard to deny that the TCL QM8 is the best option around.
✅ You demand good image quality: This TV offers better color, brightness, and shorter lag times than the previous Roku model. Color reproduction was an impressive 99.97% of the Rec 709 color space.
✅ You want a TV that comes with Google TV: It's also snappy, offering noticeably quicker and smoother operations than other platforms, including the sometimes slow Roku TV software that many TCL smart TVs use.
❌ You sit off-axis to the TV: You want to be sitting head-on with this TV. Sit too far off to one side, and you're going to lose a significant amount of color saturation.
❌ You want great-sounding audio: The TV is only outfitted with a pair of 8-watt speakers that merely offer passable stereo sound and decent volume. You might want a good soundbar.
❌ You need more than two HDMI 2.1 ports: Although it has a refresh rate of 120Hz, only two of its HDMI ports offer full-spec 2.1 compliance for 4K/120fps gameplay.
📺 The TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV is a solid upgrade on the beloved 6-Series, and it deserves its spot on our list for offering incredible performance for a very reasonable price. ★★★★
What you need to know
It was a really close call between the Hisense U8N and the TCL QM8. Both TVs are extraordinary values for the money, and while the Hisense U8N is the overall better pick, the TCL QM8 deserved a spot on the list as well. Like the Hisense U8, the QM8 uses Mini-LEDs for better backlight control and quantum dots to enhance contrast and color. With up to 2,300 local dimming zones and TCL's High Brightness Ultra Direct LED backlight, you're going to get unbelievable contrast for an LED-LCD TV. I also really like the AIPQ Engine Gen 3 that helps upscale HD/SDR content for the QM8's 4K screen as well as the TV's numerous gaming features.
The only major drawbacks here are the TV's 8W speakers that can feel a bit underwhelming and the lack of an ATSC 3.0 tuner that can be found in the Hisense U8N. The latter isn't a deal-breaker, especially if you don't plan on using a digital antenna, but it's absence is still felt here.
Design: The QM8 may not have the beautiful slim design of the LG G4 OLED, but it's certainly not a bad design, either. Its minimal bezel that measures in a less than an eighth-inch on all sides maximizes screen real estate. Beneath the bottom of the screen are physical controls as well as a switch for turning on or off the far-field microphone. The TCL QM8 offers four HDMI ports, however only two of them are HDMI 2.1-compliant, meaning you'll have to choose which devices can pass 4K/120Hz signal and which ones can't.
Performance: The QM8, like the U8N, is a good pick if you need higher-than-average brightness to combat ambient light. In our testing, the TCL QM8 was able to hit 1,348 nits in Movie mode with SDR content, a significant increase over other 4K HDR TVs that we've measured. With HDR content, the QM8 was able to hit above 2,000 nits in a 5%, 10% and even 25% window sizes. This brightness paired with the Mini-LED backlight offers great contrast that approaches OLED levels. Colors are vivid as well, with our tests showing that the QM8 can cover 80% of the BT2020 color spectrum. Just like the U8K, however, its out-the-box color accuracy leaves a lot to be desired with a Delta E score of 4.4614. With some tweaking, this number can drop significantly, but it's worth noting that some colors might appear a bit oversaturated when you first start it up.
Smart TV: Like a lot of other manufacturers, TCL has shifted to using Google TV in its 2023 models, including the QM8. Google TV is clean and runs smooth on this model, and thanks to the remote's built-in microphone and the TV's integrated microphone, you can search for shows and movies using only your voice. If you want some privacy, you can turn off the voice assistant via a physical switch on the TV itself.
Read the full review: TCL QM8 Mini-LED TV
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Great value for your dollar. | ★★★★★ |
Design | Its basic plastic construction does the job. | ★★★★☆ |
Picture | Improved performance and a strong 4K HDR TV. | ★★★★★ |
Smart TV | The best smart TV system on the market. | ★★★★★ |
Best 2-in-1
✅ Outstanding brightness: The G4’s peak brightness of 1,488 nits puts it solidly in LED territory, topping several Mini-LED and OLED TVs from years past.
✅ Great for gamers and sports fans: 120Hz native refresh rate with four HDMI 2.1 ports makes this great for both gamers and sports fans alike. This set pairs well with the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
✅ α11 AI Processor 4K: LG's top processor adds AI upscaling and it has no problem taking older HD content and scaling it to fill a 4K screen.
❌ You care about ATSC 3.0: ATSC 3.0 tuners are the brains behind NextGen TV, the next big innovation in over-the-air broadcasts that promise 4K cable stations. With broadcasters slowly making the change, it's a shame that LG's top flagship doesn't come with one.
❌Sound quality is lackluster: TVs this thin often have thin-sounding audio to match, and that's true here with the G4. It's disappointing that the sound isn't as jaw-dropping as the picture, so be sure to pick up a soundbar.
📺 The LG G4 OLED changes the game for OLED TVs. Its cutting-edge OLED panel hits a peak brightness of 1488 nits (more than almost any other OLED TV) and its color accuracy right out of the box is wildly impressive. ★★★★★
What you need to know
LG is the king of OLED TVs for a reason. When Samsung ducked out of the race to work on QLED screens, LG stayed hard at work improving OLED quality. The result is the LG G4 OLED — an absolutely stunning TV that leverages the power of LG Display's latest innovations in panel design. Sporting a new META 2.0 panel, the G4 delivers better brightness than nearly all of its peers (QD-OLED TVs, excluded) and has some of the most accurate out-of-the-box color we've seen this year.
Not only is the TV immaculately designed but LG is one of the only TV makers to offer a five-year warranty on its OLED TVs to cover them in case of any pixel degradation (i.e. burn-out or burn-in), and that gives me a lot of confidence recommending their brand. There are more OLED TVs out there than ever before, but for me the choice for the best OLED is clear in the 2024 LG G4.
Design: The LG G4 OLED splits the difference for families who want a TV that mirrors what they see in theaters without a big projector taking up space in their living room. The G4 has an art gallery-worthy design that's incredibly thin and almost melts into the wall. Mounted, I think it's one of the most beautiful TVs that debuted in 2024.
Performance: The LG G4 OLED doesn't require a calibrator to make it look great — out of the box it looks incredible. In our comprehensive lab tests, the LG G4 reached a peak brightness of 1,488 nits while maintaining perfect black levels. Its color accuracy in its Filmmaker mode is the lowest of any TV and it's tied for the lowest input latency. Movies that we watched on it looked sharp and vibrant. The Mushroom Kingdom in The Super Mario Bros. Movie had candy-color sheen to it, and action sequences in Avatar: The Way of Water have never looked so unreal (in a good way).
Smart TV: WebOS isn't the flashiest smart TV platform out there but it's a workhorse. It doesn't slowdown after years of use. It doesn't suffer from major disputes with streaming partners. It just works each and every time. Unfortunately, LG's Magic Remote can be a bit fickle. Some folks love the Wii-esque wand design, but others loath it entirely. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to control the TV, including Apple Airplay 2, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Assistant, so don't worry too much if the idea of motion-based controls are a turn-off.
Read the full review: LG G4 OLED
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | LG's top 4K OLED is also its priciest, sadly. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | The G-Series has always offered elevated, 'gallery-quality' design and the G4 continues that trend. | ★★★★★ |
Picture | Simply stunning. The closest we can currently get to perfection. | ★★★★★ |
Smart TV | WebOS is perfectly suited for its job, but the remote is polarizing. | ★★★★☆ |
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✅ You want an OLED TV but don’t want to spend a top-shelf price: The LG B4 may not be as dazzling as higher-end OLED TVs, but you're still getting the benefits of OLED technology: namely, perfect black levels and ultra-accommodating viewing angles.
✅ You’re looking for a ton of gaming support on a budget: The B4 comes equipped with just about all of the best gaming features you'll find on mid-range and top-shelf OLED TVs, including support for 4K gaming at 120Hz across all four of it's HDMI 2.1 inputs.
❌ You’re planning on putting your next TV in a sunny room: The LG B4 does not offer the ample average picture brightness of a QD-OLED or MLA-equipped OLED (like the LG G4). It also has a very reflective screen.
❌ You want an OLED TV with high HDR brightness: Specular highlights (like sparkles of sunlight off the surface of the sea) benefit from the B4's perfect black levels, but if you're looking for truly scintillating HDR highlights, you'll have to spend more on a higher-end OLED.
📺The LG B4 is one of the most affordable ways to secure an OLED TV, which comes at a slight performance cost, namely in the form of overall brightness. Still, its perfect black levels help give HDR highlights a lift, and enthusiasts looking for a great, accurate picture will not be disappointed. It’s also a high-value gaming TV, as it offers nearly all of the same gaming features as a higher-end LG OLED (like the C4) but at a much lower price.
★★★★☆
What you need to know
Design: The LG B4 features a similar design to the rest of the entries in the brand’s 2024 OLED TV lineup. Most of its panel is remarkably slim — a hallmark of OLED displays. The chassis bulges out somewhat at the panel’s midpoint to accommodate the set’s internal hardware, but even at its thickest, this is a very svelte TV. Unlike the other entries in LG’s OLED lineup this year, the B4 sits atop a pair of wide-set, boomerang-shaped feet, lifting the panel high enough for a soundbar to rest beneath the screen without obstructing the view. Due to the distance between each of the B4’s feet, it’s important to make sure that your desk or media console is wide enough, especially if you’re shopping among the 65-, 77-, and 83-inch size options.
Performance: The B4’s best features are those associated with OLED technology: perfectly inky black levels and super-wide viewing angles. Crucially, though, the B4 is also engineered for a clean, accurate picture. We loved the B4’s motion handling and overall picture processing, particularly how well it handled fast-paced action and sports. It’s also ready to showcase SDR and HDR content accurately right out of the box. In its most accurate picture mode (Filmmaker), we measured a Delta-E of under 1 during our color error test. Given that a lower Delta-E is preferable, this is a sensational test result. If the B4 has one weakness, it’s the relatively low peak brightness measurements we recorded in HDR: 659 nits. This puts it behind mid-range OLEDs like the LG C4 and very much at a disadvantage compared to QD-OLEDs (like the Samsung S95D) and MLA-equipped OLEDs (like the LG G4). Nevertheless, its perfect black levels give its highlights more of a punch. This makes the B4 an especially good choice if you're going to be using it often in a dim or dark room.
Smart TV: The B4 arrives with the newest version of LG’s webOS baked right into the software. While we weren’t too keen on the occasional slowdown we experienced while hopping around the webOS menus, we appreciated the amount of downloadable apps available. If you have no intention of using up one of the B4's inputs on a dedicated streaming device, you could get buy with webOS on the B4 as your daily streaming hub.
Read the full review: LG B4 OLED
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | The LG B4 is the brand's entry-level OLED TV for 2024 and one of the most affordable OLED TVs you can buy | ★★★★★ |
Design | It's an incredibly thin panel with narrow, wide-set feet. It'll look good in most rooms, but be sure you have a surface that can accommodate the gap between its feet | ★★★★☆ |
Picture | The B4 is dimmer compared to higher-end OLEDs, but it's still an OLED TV, so you're getting incredible contrast and accurate, rich colors | ★★★★☆ |
Smart TV | The latest version of LG's webOS runs somewhat slow on the B4, but its app support is robust enough for daily use | ★★★★☆ |
Best ?!}]'";:
✅ You want to upgrade your 4K TV for less: The TCL QM7 punches well above its sticker price and rivals TVs that cost $1,000 more.
✅ You want a TV with easy-to-use smart features: With Google TV available right out of the box, all of your favorite streaming options are within arm's reach.
✅ You want a big-screen without breaking the bank: The 55-inch model is the only one available for under $500, but you can get the 65-inch iteration for just $700. Even the massive 85-inch screen size will only set you back $1,500.
❌ You're looking for a gaming TV: Despite having a surprisingly high refresh rate, the input latency of 13.2ms is a bit of a deal-breaker for competitive gamers.
❌ You care about over-the-air broadcasts: The QM7 is a tough sell for over-the-air TV lovers. It doesn't have an ATSC 3.0 tuner, and its processing of sub-HD content leaves something to be desired.
❌ You want a perfect view wherever you sit: The QM7 is great when you're sitting right in front of it, or slightly off to the side. Sit too far on one side and you'll notice some color desaturation and lower contrast.
📺 The TCL QM7 competes with mid-range models from Samsung, LG and Sony and delivers strong performance for under $500. It's not going to oust an OLED TV from my home theater, but it's a great low-cost alternative.
★★★★☆
What you need to know
The TCL QM7, our pick for the best TV under $500, is an absolute steal at this price. I think it can go toe-to-toe with any mid-range model from Sony, Samsung or LG, and come out on top. And our testing data backs that up.
When we put this TV through its paces, the QM7 hit a peak brightness of 1732 nits in HDR while covering a respectable 97.59% of the UHDA-P3 color space. In non-technical terms, it's one of the brightest and most colorful TVs in its class.
There's a few minor issues, like the lack of four full HDMI 2.1 ports and some rough off-angle viewing that keep it from getting a full five-star review from us, but the compromises shouldn't keep you from buying what is one of the best TVs under $500.
Design: The QM7 looks like a mid-range TV, with a beautiful unibody design. It's not thinner than an OLED, but it's not outlandishly large either. It can be mounted 300x300mm VESA holes, or you can stand it up with the included pedestal stand that has a hidden cavity to hide cord clutter. There's two HDMI 2.1 ports, with one at 120Hz and one at 144Hz, with another two at 60Hz (one of which offers eARC support). It'd be better if they were all HDMI 2.1, but I'm not going to split hairs here. The remote that comes with the TV is basic and likely won't replace the one that came with your cable box, but its minimalist design is certainly nice to look at and hold.
Performance: The QM7 punches well above its weight in performance, beating out Hisense U7N, Roku Pro Series and even the Sony Bravia 7 in most metrics. Brightness and color volume are both phenomenal here...as long as you sit in front of it. Stray too far to the side and you'll see a drop in contrast and color vibrancy. I also don't love TCL's upscaling engine that kicks on when watching sub-1080p content, but deliver it a decent 1080p or 4K source, and you'll be impressed with how punchy it looks. Gamers won't love the 13.2ms input latency, but support for Dolby Vision makes up for that some, as does the 144Hz refresh rate when connected to a gaming PC.
Smart TV: The QM7 comes with Google TV built into its software. Google TV is one of our preferred smart platforms on account of its simple user interface and its wealth of downloadable apps. You might eventually need an external streaming device as the QM7 grows older, but for now it's a great experience out of the box.
Read the full review: TCL QM7 QLED
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Compared to its more expensive rivals, the TCL QM7 QLED is a fantastic bargain | ★★★★★ |
Design | The QM7 looks like a thousand bucks (and costs half that) | ★★★★☆ |
Picture | As long as you're sitting dead center to it, the QM7 impresses with vibrant colors and contrast | ★★★★☆ |
Smart TV | Google TV is a great software suite. No complaints here. | ★★★★★ |
Best QD-OLED TV
✅ Incredible brightness: The S95D’s peak brightness of 1,777 nits makes for an incredible show in HDR.
✅ Great for gamers: The S95D supports 4K gaming at both 120Hz and 144Hz, and all four of its inputs are HDMI 2.1.
✅ Anti-glare coating: This is the first Samsung OLED to arrive with a special matte finish that nearly eliminates glare from nearby light sources.
❌ You care about Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is the most prolific HDR format, but Samsung TVs don't support it. You'll still be able to watch 4K/HDR content if it's typically available in the Dolby Vision format, but the S95D won't be taking advantage of the format in quite the same way.
❌You want an easy-to-use, flexible smart platform: The Tizen-based smart platform that the S95D is built around is fine, but it comes with somewhat of a learning curve and you'll need to register for a free Samsung account in order to download additional apps.
📺 The Samsung S95D OLED improves on its predecessors and offers top-tier performance for casual streaming, competitive gaming, and showcasing 4K/HDR movies. Its QD-OLED display creates some of the brightest, most colorful pictures you'll find in the OLED class. ★★★★☆
What you need to know
The third iteration of Samsung's QD-OLED flagship is a noteworthy improvement over the second. While built on the same display technology and bolstered by a similar set of performance and features, the Samsung S95D nevertheless has some tricks up its sleeve.
The S95D is outfitted with a unique matte finish designed to minimize glare, and it succeeds in doing so without affecting the TV's color accuracy. If you've been hesitant to explore OLED-based options on account of a sunny living room, the S95D might be just what you need to overcome a tricky setup.
Speaking of brightness, the S95D is among the brightest OLEDs we've ever tested. When you combine sizzling highlights with the perfect black levels OLED TVs are known for, you get an incredibly lifelike looking picture, especially when watching 4K/HDR content.
And, while we still wish Samsung would begin implementing Dolby Vision support across its higher-end TVs, the rest of its features list is exhaustive. Other than Dolby Vision support for gaming, you're getting all of the most sought-after gaming features, including four HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming at up to 144Hz, VRR, and Samsung Game Bar.
The Samsung S95D is not just one of the best OLED TVs on the market, it's one of the best TVs, period. It's great for casual streaming, 4K movie night, or competitive gaming.
Design: The S95D's internals are housed in Samsung's One Connect Box, a slim, sleek-looking box that can attach and detach from the back of the TV's flat, wedge-shaped stand. Folks with a particular set of home theater requirements will appreciate the flexibility that the One Connect Box offers, as they'll be able to move it around the TV as they see fit. The rest of the S95D is quite posh: a shockingly narrow OLED panel, the screen's aesthetically pleasing matte finish, and Samsung's rechargeable Solar Cell remote control.
Performance: In our formal testing, we clocked the S95D's highlights at over 1,700 nits in HDR. Its average picture brightness is sensational, too (though OLEDs still trail high-end Mini-LED TVs when it comes to overall brightness). Thanks to its quantum dots, the S95D offers some of the best color volume we've ever seen: close to 90% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut, and right around 100% of the standard UHDA-P3 HDR color gamut. Its particularly adept at saturating primary colors and illuminating darker shades, like deep blues. Picture purists will appreciate that all of these color points are dialed in right out of the box. In Samsung's Filmmaker mode, we measured a respectable Delta-E of around 3.5. Since a Delta-E of 3 is considered by many to represent the threshold in which color error becomes perceptible to most people, this is a solid figure.
Smart TV: Samsung's Tizen OS has seen some noticeable improvements to speed in the last couple of years, but it's still a bit tricky to navigate given the layout of the interface and the lack of buttons on the S95D's remote. Not having a dedicated input button on the remote makes swapping inputs somewhat cumbersome, for instance. Still, the platform supports all of the major streaming apps and allows the S95D to function as a SmartThings hub (provided you've already got compatible devices).
Read the full review: Samsung S95D OLED
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | It's certainly worth the price, but the price is still steep. | ★★★★☆ |
Design | A sleek, posh design with a useful anti-glare finish. | ★★★★★ |
Picture | Among the brightest and most colorful OLEDs and looks good out of the box. | ★★★★★ |
Smart TV | Tizen OS offers plenty of app support, but navigation can make you feel clumsy. | ★★★☆☆ |
Best QLED TV
✅ You want better brightness than OLED: OLED is the king of contrast, but any ambient light can wash out the picture. Samsung's QLED TVs can handle more ambient light than almost any other TV because of its high peak brightness.
✅ Eye-popping colors and clarity: Yes brightness is important to counter glare, but it's also important in color reproduction and clarity. Better brightness, brighter colors.
✅ Great for gamers: Most TVs on this list are great for gamers, but the Samsung QN90D might be one of the best for PS5 and Xbox Series X due to its low input lag.
❌ You care about Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is, by far, the best HDR format. It's tuned to match the brightness and black levels of each individual scene, so not having it on a TV this nice is a bummer.
❌ Over-the-air content is important to you: The big downside of the 2024 Samsung models is that none of them include an ATSC 3.0 tuner due to their increased cost.
📺 The Samsung QN90D Neo QLED TV has all the hallmarks of a premium TV: best-in-class HDR brightness and eye-popping contrast. It's a little pricier than our top pick, but it's a fantastic option all the same. ★★★★
What you need to know
The Samsung QN90D is the swiss army knife of TVs. It's good at basically everything, from upscaling content to boosting brightness, and it's available in pretty much every screen size fathomable. Whether you want a 43-inch telly for your office or guest bedroom, or you need a 98-inch behemoth for your living room, you can find a QN90D model to match. Like the Hisense, the Samsung QN90D uses Mini-LED for better contrast and a higher peak brightness. Unlike our other top picks it has a slightly faster input latency and four full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports that can pass 4K/120Hz signal that make it a better pick for gamers.
The downside here is that you're paying a lot more for this slight improvement on performance and its lackluster Tizen smart platform. It's still worth considering for all those extras, but it doesn't exactly provide the best value compared to our top picks.
Design: The Samsung QN90D is pretty much the industry standard when it comes to design. It's relatively thin and uses minimal bezels. The pillar stand can be very convenient if you don't have a wide entertainment center to place it on, but it comes at the cost of stability. The QN90D won't tip over unless a lot of force is applied to it, but it's a lot wobblier than the TVs that sit on two legs. The good news is that the QN90D has four HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which can be used as the eARC port for soundbars. For gamers, HDMI 2.1 ports enable 4K/120Hz pass-through as well as Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate. Have we mentioned that this is a great gaming TV?
Performance: While other models from Hisense and TCL have finally caught up to Samsung in terms of peak brightness, the QN90D is a strong performer when it comes to light output. In our HDR tests, the QN90D was able to output 2,024 nits of brightness, which is a nice small uptick compared to the 1,987.34 nits we saw in the 2023 QN90C. The Hisense U8N is going to offer higher brightness than the Samsung QN90D, but the Samsung was able to best the U8N in terms of color accuracy right out of the box. The QN90D is slightly more expensive, but it doesn't require nearly as much fiddling in the settings to get the color dialed in correctly and its picture processing technology is better.
Smart TV: Tizen hasn't always been our favorite smart platform, but it has gotten much better in recent years. It's fully functional with all the mainstream streaming services as well as a nifty smart home hub for any SmartThings devices you might own. The interface doesn't slow down much as it ages, but you will need to create a Samsung account to download new apps. Having some free content in the way of the Samsung TV Plus streaming service makes up for that slightly, but Google TV is still the better option to go for if you're deciding between the two platforms.
Read the full review: Samsung QN90D Neo QLED TV
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Pricier than rival sets, but still a reasonable value | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | Flush bezels and 1-inch wide body. | ★★★★☆ |
Picture | Best-in-class brightness and impressive performance | ★★★★★ |
Smart TV | Not the best, not the worst. | ★★★★☆ |
Best TV for gaming
✅ You want a cutting-edge OLED: It's not cheap, but this new OLED has all of the latest LG tech inside it, including the newest processor and webOS smart platform.
✅ You plan on next-gen gaming: For gamers, the LG C4 OLED is a fantastic option, offering support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), HDMI 2.1, blue light reduction, Dark Room mode, and compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium.
✅ You care about how your TV looks: A Mini-LED offers great performance on a budget, but the LG C4 OLED is the real deal when it comes to visual fidelity. It offers beautiful black levels and well-saturated colors.
❌ You don't mind settling for an older C3 OLED: If owning the latest and greatest TV isn't the most important thing in the world to you, you can score the LG C3 OLED for a pittance. The C4 is brighter than the C3, sure, but given that there's a $1,000 difference, the C3 is a stellar value, comparatively.
❌ You want a TV with an ATSC 3.0 tuner: Without an ATSC 3.0 tuner, you won't be able to watch NextGen TV broadcasts from your local stations.
📺 The LG C4 OLED doesn't surpass the LG G4 or Sony A95L OLED, but it offers all the cutting-edge 2024 technology in a visually appealing package. ★★★★
What you need to know
The LG C4 OLED is the latest and greatest model in LG's vaunted C-Series, following last year's LG C3 OLED and 2022's LG C2 OLED. It features a few key improvements to LG's webOS platform and support for a 144Hz refresh rate when connected to compatible gaming PC hardware. So why is it down here? In short, it's expensive. It will drop down in price later this year, but it's currently $2,400 for a 65-inch screen.
At that price I expect peak performance, and thankfully the mostly C4 delivers. It offers the beautiful black levels you expect from an OLED of this caliber, as well as wide color gamut and fantastic off-axis viewing. Its brightness is great compared to older OLED models, finally crossing the 1,000-nit threshold, but it's not going to put up the same numbers that the LG G4 or Sony A95L can.
In a year where Hisense, TCL, Samsung and even LG itself didn't deliver such homerun TVs, the LG C4 would've been the best TV money could buy — unfortunately the competition is tough and at its current price, the C4 has a hard time justifying its exorbitant cost.
Design: The LG C4 OLED keeps the pedestal stand design we've seen on OLED TVs previously. It's pretty chic, stable and helps hide all the cords. Check, check, check. If you want to go for a wall-mount, the C4 uses 300x200mm VESA holes but just be careful — the OLED screen is less than a quarter-inch thick at its narrowest point and pretty fragile. Get some help before you try to lift it. In terms of ports, you've got four full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports with ALLM and, as you'd expect, it comes with LG's polarizing Magic Remote.
Performance: While I'm still waiting for META Gen 2 panels to make their way into the C-Series OLEDs, the LG C4 OLED does receive a small uptick in brightness that helps it clear over 1,000 nits in HDR mode. Speaking of HDR, the C4 supports HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, but not HDR10+. That's not a huge deal in practice considering the plethora of Dolby Vision content and dearth of HDR10+ movies, but it's something to keep in mind. Powering the show is LG's new α9 AI Processor 4K Gen7 processor that uses AI to do object-based upscaling. It's fancy tech that helps movies and shows look their absolute best. Gamers will also appreciate the 144Hz support when connected to a gaming PC, while console gamers can rest easy knowing that their PS5 and Xbox Series X will play at 4K/120 with no extra steps.
Smart TV: The LG C4 OLED is one of the few TVs with access to webOS 24 that brings a number of new features to the table including a number of accessibility features. The UI has been streamlined for this year, and there's even an option to turn off all advertising in the settings. It doesn't have the same amount of polish as Google TV, but webOS is chockfull of apps and comes with both Apple AirPlay and Chromcast Built-in as standard. It's pure usability, baby.
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Read the full review: LG C4 OLED
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | It's not as cheap as the $600 B4 OLED, but the C4 is a decent value. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | In a word: Beautiful. | ★★★★★ |
Picture | A wonderful picture with so-so sound quality. | ★★★★☆ |
Smart TV | The only TV on the market with webOS 24. | ★★★★☆ |
Best 8K TV
✅ You want exceptional realism and punchy HDR: Want high peak brightness? Samsung's delivered a TV that could inspire you to wear sunglasses indoors.
✅ You want a great gaming experience: Sporting four HDMI 2.1 ports, the QN900D is more than equipped to handle the next-gen demands of consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X.
✅ You're ready for 8K (or at least very nicely upscaled 4K): There will always be a difference between native 8K and upscaled 4K content, but the QN900D makes that difference as miniscule as possible thanks to its high-end AI-powered processor.
❌ You're waiting for 8K content: Native 8K content is still incredibly rare, but thankfully 4K content looks great upscaled for larger screen sizes.
❌ You need Dolby Vision: Unfortunately, there's one checkbox the QN900D doesn't tick, and that's support for Dolby Vision. If you aren't someone who pays for the highest tier of Netflix or play games on Xbox Series X, that might not matter, but for a lot of folks this is a deal-breaker.
❌ You want an affordable TV: At launch, the 65-inch version of the Samsung QN900D cost $5,000. For that price, you can get other (albeit-non-8K) TVs in an 85- or even 98-inch screen size. The QN900D isn't an awful value given its performance, it's just pricey.
📺 The Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K TV is a showstopper. It's at the top of its class, and one of the very few 8K TVs we can whole-heartedly recommend given its phenomenal upscaling and great gaming performance. If it's in your budget, it's worth it. ★★★★★
What you need to know
8K TVs are the future. At some point, 8K content is going to arrive and folks who bought into the technology early will have front row seats to the show. Unfortunately, it's like buying a ticket to next year's movie premiere — you might have front row seats but you simply have no idea when it's going to start.
But, while you wait, the Samsung QN900D is a fantastic all-around performer that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence for better upscaling and color accuracy. In our tests, the QN900D's Delta-E measurement (a metric that tracks how close to 'perfect' a TV's colors are and where lower is better) was a 1.8413. That's OLED levels of color accuracy, and there's no tradeoff in brightness. We measured a maximum brightness of 2,338 nits in Movie mode, with even higher levels of brightness in Dynamic...not that we recommend watching content in Dynamic mode.
Because of its price and advanced feature set, however, it's not something I recommend to friends and family, and I really only recommend it to the most discerning cinephiles who have both the space and critical eye to appreciate the picture. (One way of potentially bringing the price down is by checking out our Samsung discount codes to see if you can save yourself some money.)
Design: The Samsung QN900D is another example of Samsung's Infinity Display at work. You'll barely notice the bezels once content starts playing, and the pedestal design helps to make the QN900D look every bit as futuristic as the picture. I especially appreciate its 6.2.4-channel system that delivers an immersive audio experience without the help of any external speakers. In terms of ports, all the essentials are here (all HDMI 2.1, of course) and they all connect in a neat orderly fashion to the OneConnect Box. Five stars on design.
Performance: Design aside, you're buying an 8K TV for the performance, and it's here the Samsung QN900D really shines. I've already talked about its high peak brightness, critical for daytime viewing and to emphasize bright details in HDR content, but I have to hand it to Samsung for its work on color accuracy and input lag. What's going to be more controversial here is Samsung's liberal application of AI upscaling that can, at times, deviate from the director's intent. Film grain can be completely removed from scenes that were supposed to have it, and colorists who spent days and weeks color-grading movie scenes aren't going to love the fact that the QN900D can skew those colors to be more saturated than they intended. For some, the AI-enhanced look is going to feel like the future of TV viewing. For cinema purists looking for the most accurate depictions of their favorite films, it's likely going to be a bridge too far.
Smart TV: Last year's version of Tizen wasn't my favorite, but the 2024 iteration seems to have restored a lot of the usability of Samsung's smart TV platform. For instance, changing picture modes can be done without exiting what you're playing, and there's now a bigger emphasis on recommendations that apes some of the work Google has been doing with its Google TV platform. Adding apps to the homescreen still requires a Samsung account, which is annoying, but overall this is a solid release and one that most folks will be happy with.
Read the full review: Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K TV
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Expect to pay a lot for this great 8K TV. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Design | The QN900D is without peer in terms of industrial design | ★★★★★ |
Picture | AI upscaling won't be everyone's cup of tea, but we think it's absolutely jaw-dropping. | ★★★★☆ |
Smart TV | Samsung listened to complaints and this year's Tizen is a great one. | ★★★★★ |
TV benchmarks: comparison
TV | Peak Brightness (tested) | Delta-E (tested) | BT2020 Color Volume (tested) | Input Lag (tested) |
Hisense U8N | 3,397 nits | 3.2 | 81.92% | 13.1ms |
LG G4 OLED | 1,489 nits | 1.4 | 72.91% | 9.2ms |
TCL QM8 | 2,344 nits | 3.2 | 76.5% | 16ms |
Samsung QN90D | 2,023 nits | 2.6 | 77.4% | 9.6ms |
TCL Q6 QLED | 498 nits | 2.1 | 68.92% | 8.9ms |
Sony A95L OLED | 1,260 nits | 2.8 | 89.56% | 16.1ms |
Samsung S90C | 1,072 nits | 1.3 | 78.23% | 9.2ms |
LG C4 OLED | 1,049 nits | 1.8 | 72.16% | 9.2ms |
Samsung QN900D | 2338.15 nits | 1.8413 | 70.83% | 10.4ms |
When testing TVs we use an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, a SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator and Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.
But what do these numbers mean, exactly?
Peak Brightness: This metric measures the peak luminance of the screen. Basically, it answers the question, "how bright can this TV get?" We measure this with a 10% window at the TV's max brightness. Why 10%? This is about the size of a really bright object, like the sun, that you'd typically see in HDR content. Up to a certain point (around 2,000 nits), the higher the number, the better your picture-viewing experience will be.
Delta E: Remember from math class that a delta value measures the difference between two numbers. What we're measuring here is the difference between the "perfect" color (for instance, red) and the color that the TV produces. The lower the Delta E, the more accurate the colors on the TV are.
BT2020 Value: BT2020 is a color gamut - i.e. a range of colors. The higher percentage, the more coverage a TV has. There are a number of other color gamuts we could measure against (Rec709 and UHDA-P3 are also pretty common gamuts in the TV world) but BT2002, also known as Rec2020, is the current gold standard.
Input lag: This last one is easy to understand - it's the metric that measures how long it takes for a signal from an HDMI device to show up on the screen. It's an important metric for gamers who want the most responsive TV. Most gaming monitors have less than a 1ms response time, while a really good gaming TV will be right around 9ms. Anything less than 20ms is almost imperceptible, but some gamers say that they can feel a difference in the gameplay.
Also tested
What you see above are the best TVs we tested, but not the only TVs we tested. While other sites might have best-of lists like ours, they typically only test a half-dozen TVs per year. At Tom's Guide, we test dozens of TVs — some of them come from the manufacturers on loan, but a healthy amount of them we buy ourselves. That said, not every TV is going to make this list.
Here's a few TVs that we've tested recently that, while good, didn't make the cut. Consider it a list of honorable mentions.
What to consider when buying a TV
When shopping for a TV, it's best to start off by asking yourself a few simple questions: "What size TV am I shopping for?" "How much light does the place where I'm putting the TV get?" and "What kind of picture am I looking for?"
Start with size: We're all limited by wall size. Unless you live in a mansion with cathedral ceilings, you're going to have to pick a wall in your home (typically in your living room, bedroom or basement) that you want to put a TV. If you don't want to wall-mount, then you'll need to pick out — or pick up — a home entertainment center or other piece of sturdy furniture to put the TV on top of. This will determine how large of TV you can buy. Keep in mind that TVs are really only made in a few sizes: 40, 48, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches are the most common. There are a few outliers here and there (a few 42-, 50-, 77-, 83- and 98-inch TVs are also available), but you might have to compromise features or performance by going for an uncommon size.
After size, think about performance and price: For most folks, the answer here is something that's good while still being pretty cheap. A good 65-inch TV will at least cost $500 to $600, while a great 65-inch TV will probably run you between $1,000 and $1,500. A truly epic 65-inch screen can cost $2,500 or more depending on how new it is. TVs, for the most part, are priced pretty fairly. There are deals to be had (more on this in a second) but, by and large, you get what you pay for. If all you want is a basic 65-inch 4K TV that can stream Netflix, don't spend more than $800 on it. But if you want, say, a 75-inch TV that's going to wow your friends and family, you'll probably need to spend around $1,500.
Finally, consider feature set and smart TV platform: Any TV you buy in is going to come with a smart TV platform pre-installed. There's no getting around it. But not all smart TVs are made the same. Some are a little easier to use (Roku TVs are great for their simplicity) while others might require more knowhow (Samsung TVs require you to make a username and password before downloading new apps). Gamers will want to pay special attention to specs like input latency and number of HDMI 2.1 ports, while cinephiles will want IMAX Enhanced support on their screens. These little discrepancies aren't going to make or break a new TV, but they're the last things worth considering before you checkout.
TV terminology
While the above list can give you an idea of which TVs we feel are the best overall, you'll still need to factor in things like the screen size, the screen brightness, the sound output, the resolution and/or the supported HDR formats you want. A 65-inch OLED might work for most people, but you might want a 50-inch TV that's ultra-bright to compensate for the amount of ambient light in the room, which means an OLED TV might not work for you.
Need a quick tutorial on TV technology? Here's a short primer.
Screen sizes: This is probably the best place to start when buying a TV. If you plan on wall-mounting the TV, measure the dimensions of the wall space you want to fill. Having the length, width and diagonal measurement will quickly and easily eliminate 80% of the TVs on the market. If you plan on putting it in a cabinet or on a stand, measure the width of where the TV will sit, and use that to start shopping. Check out our What size TV should you buy? guide for a chart that will help you calculate which size you'll need for your space.
Brightness: The common wisdom for buying a TV is that, the brighter the room is, the brighter of a TV you'll want to buy. Why? Well, ambient light can wash out color saturation or, worse, lead to glare on the screen. Ultimately the amount of glare will depend on what type of TV you buy (OLED TVs with a glass screen are more reflective than, say, QLED TVs with an anti-glare screen), but a good rule of thumb is that OLED TVs are usually better in light-controlled rooms while bright LED-LCD TVs work better in brighter rooms with more ambient light. We have a complete breakdown of brightness and why it matters in our OLED vs Mini-LED TV guide.
Panel type: Panel technology changes all the time, but it broadly falls into two categories — self-emissive displays like OLED and QD-OLED and backlit screens like Mini-LED, QLED and LED-LCD TVs. OLED screens offer better color saturation and contrast, but pixel degradation can be an issue. LED-LCD TVs are often very bright, but they can suffer from something called Dirty Screen Effect (DSE) where each pixel's colors are slightly different, leading to non-uniform images. QD-OLED TVs are the next big thing in TVs, and they offer a few advantages over traditional OLED.
Resolution: Unless you're buying a small TV (less than 40 inches) you really want a 4K resolution. Resolution defines the number of pixels on the screen. The more pixels (and the better the processor), the clearer the overall picture looks. All TVs will either offer HD, Full HD, 4K or 8K resolution.
Refresh Rate: If you've ever looked at a TV box, you'll probably see some weird marketing terms like Motion Rate 240 or 480, or something ridiculous. These don't mean anything. Well, they do, sort of - but it's purposely obfuscated. All TVs available right now have one of two native panel refresh rates: 60Hz or 120Hz. These numbers tell you how quickly a TV scans and replaces each pixel in a second. 60Hz is 60 times in one second. 120Hz is 120 times in one second. You want a higher number if you want smoother motion (i.e. you plan on watching sports or playing games).
Ports: We generally recommend opting for more ports, so that you never have to manually unplug and re-plug HDMI cables to switch from your streaming device or Blu-ray player to your game console or other device. Three ports is common, but nicer TVs usually have 4 HDMI ports. You'll also want make sure at least one is HDMI 2.1; our guide to the best HDMI 2.1 TVs can help here. (Still confused? Check out TV ports explained: What all those HDMI, USB and other connections are for?)
Smart software: Almost all TVs are smart TVs these days. That means they come stocked with some sort of smart platform, whether it's Roku TV, Google TV, WebOS, Tizen or something else. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to familiarize yourself with them before you buy.
Price: Lastly, you'll need to factor price into the equation. For the most part, unfortunately, better TVs do cost more. Just like PCs, TVs that are more expensive come with better specs and more features, so typically paying less for a TV means making some sort of sacrifice. The good news? You can find smaller 4K TVs (42-, 43- and 50-inch TVs) that sell for less than $500, which will spare you some cash for some of the best soundbars or best streaming devices to go with your set.
When's the best time to buy a TV
The best time to buy a TV is as soon as your old one dies. I'm kidding (sort of). Realistically all electronics do break and when you see signs that your TV is on its last legs, then it's probably time to start looking to see what's out there. Hopefully, that will align with one of the major shopping days, like Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, when you can pick up TVs cheaper than usual.
As for when, specifically, is a good time to buy a TV, let's look at a quick example of a TV's price history using the website CamelCamelCamel that tracks price data over time.
The chart above shows the price of the Samsung QN90C over time. At launch, the TV cost $2,799, but by June of that year, dropped down to a more reasonable $2,400. As the weeks and months went on, the TV continued to fall in price before it landed at $1,699 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This, generally is the best time to buy a TV. What happens after this is that the TV drops in price by another $100 or $200, but that's because the new version (Samsung QN90D) was announced in January.
If you wait too long, you'll end up buying a TV that's already a year (or more) out of date. That's not the end of the world, but considering that most TVs only last between five to nine years, you're losing a whole year of use just to save an extra $100. This is why February Super Bowl TV deals are so popular — it's a way for retailers to clear out last year's stock before the new TVs arrive in March and April.
How we test the best TVs
Matthew Murray is the head of testing for Future, coordinating and conducting product testing at Tom’s Guide and other Future publications. He has previously covered technology and performance arts for multiple publications, edited numerous books, and worked as a theatre critic for more than 16 years.
How we test TVs: Introduction
Our TV-testing process consists of two key components: in-depth, scientific testing and real-world use. We believe that gathering data about a TV's performance is just as important as spending time with it in our own living rooms.
Comparing lab-based data with extensive, hands-on use reveals a complete picture of a TV's strengths and weaknesses. With this hybrid approach, we're able to put ourselves in your shoes and to help you make a confident, informed choice about which TV to purchase next.
How we test TVs: In the lab
In our labs, we use an array of gadgets and special software to measure several key areas of performance. Currently, that equipment includes a SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator, an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for checking how slow or fast a TV's input latency is.
Essentially, we throw test patterns onto a TV screen, measure their attributes with something called a spectrophotometer, and then use a computer program to assess accuracy (among other things).
Here's a quick rundown of just a handful of the things we look for with our testing equipment. For an in-depth look, head over to our full breakdown of how Tom's Guide tests and reviews TVs.
Contrast and brightness
Contrast is the cornerstone of picture quality. It's the first thing your eyes notice when sizing up a picture, whether you realize it or not. In simple terms, contrast is the range between the darkest and the brightest that display can get, with higher contrast being more desirable. The ability to get dark is important but so is the ability to get bright. Ideally, a TV excels at both, rendering finer details in the dark while overcoming ambient light during the day. Brighter specular highlights (distant headlights in a nighttime scene, for instance) can create haloing if a TV doesn't have the right technology behind the scenes controlling the brightness. We measure both the peak brightness in a 10% window as well as the sustained brightness across the whole screen.
Color accuracy
If you've ever touched up a photo on Instagram and gotten wild with the sliders, you've probably seen what skewed colors can do to a picture's presentation. While modern TVs have gotten quite good at displaying colors accurately, even small errors can have unfortunate effects on important details like skin tone. We take measurements of several color points and compare them against three reference standards used by the world over to get a clear sense of how close a TV's palette is to perfection. This measurement is called Delta E.
Input lag (gaming)
For both casual and competitive gamers, the thought of losing a step when capturing a flag or leaping from platform to platform is anxiety-inducing. If you can believe it, not all TVs offer the same level of responsiveness when you're using an Xbox or PlayStation controller. We measure something called input lag to see how TVs stack up when it comes to gaming responsiveness. These measurements come down to the millisecond. In general, we're looking for an input latency of 10ms or less.
How we test TVs: In our living room
The real fun begins once we get a TV into the living room. (Spending several work days watching movies and TV shows is a tough job, but someone's gotta do it.)
Just as you might do at home, we source content from Netflix, Blu-rays, YouTube, and more. We play video games, tinker with the TV's settings, and get to know its built-in smart platform. We have a number that represents the TV’s peak brightness, but how well the picture holds up during the day is a different story. The color measurements we gathered in the lab may be accurate, but problematic picture processing might not rear its ugly head until you boot up an episode of “Andor.”
When getting to know these TVs, we ask ourselves the sort of questions you might ponder yourself: What do all of these menus do? Which settings look the best? Is this TV hiding an always-on microphone, listening to everything I say?
At the end of this process, we're well-equipped to help you make a pretty hefty purchasing decision. We don't just figure out which TVs are the best, we figure out which TVs are the best for you. After all, the answer is different from one person to the next — whether you're a dedicated gamer or a casual streamer, whether you want to spend a little or a lot.
How we test TVs: Wrap up
The TL;DR version here is that we spend a week (and sometimes significantly longer) with every TV we test. We put it through a suite of tests to make sure we have objective data to make apples-to-apples comparisons, and then we spend lots of time actually in front of that TV to make sure that test data translates to positive real-world experiences. It's a lot more than simply sitting down in front of a TV for a few minutes — but we also do that, too, so you can rest easy knowing that every TV we've reviewed on the site has been thoroughly vetted.
Read more
Best 4K TVs | Best smart TVs for streaming | Best TVs for gaming
The best TVs under $1000 | The best TVs under $500
Best TV brands | Best Samsung TVs | Best TCL TVs | Best LG TVs | Best Roku TVs | Best Google TVs | Best OLED TVs | Best QLED TVs | Best 8K TVs | Best HDMI 2.1 TV | Best TVs with ATSC 3.0 | Best TVs with Chromecast
The smallest smart TVs | Best 43-inch TVs | Best 50-inch TVs | Best 55-inch TVs | Best 65-inch TVs | Best 70-inch TVs | Best 75-inch TVs | Best 85-inch TVs
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