I’ve been testing and reviewing the best TVs for nearly 30 years and have witnessed massive shifts in technology from analog to digital, and from CRTs to flat-panel displays. TVs today are better than ever and can offer incredible value, and my vantage point as a longtime reviewer puts me in a perfect position to identify which models provide the best performance for the price. That perspective informs this guide, which ranks the best new TVs across a range of categories to help you find the best fit for your needs and budget.
My TV team and I have conducted hands-on reviews of the TVs in this guide using a process that includes objective measurements made with specialized test equipment. That measurement data is presented in the benchmark graphs that accompany each one of our TV reviews and is presented in the ‘In-depth analysis’ section for the entries in this guide.
A TV’s performance can’t be judged by measurements alone, however, so we also do an extensive subjective evaluation using reference movie scenes and TV, primarily on 4K Blu-ray and regular Blu-ray disc formats to ensure consistency during testing. You can read about the testing process I developed with my team in our full article on how we test TVs at TechRadar.
Whether you’re looking for a budget-priced QLED TV that offers great picture quality for the price, or a more premium OLED model that pushes the performance envelope and also has cutting-edge features for gaming, this guide has you covered. The latest TVs can sometimes get clouded in a swirl of jargon, so check out our glossary in the ‘How to choose’ section for descriptions of the tech terms used in this guide.
I lead TechRadar’s TV testing and also cover projectors, soundbars, and home theater audio. Previously, I was editor of Sound & Vision magazine, and I'm an ISF-trained TV calibrator. Having worked in AV product testing and tech journalism for almost three decades, I’ve had my eyes on basically every flagship TV available. I shaped this list with the help of our reviewers in addition to my own experience, to cover as many bases as possible for different budget or viewing needs.
Recent updates
November 27, 2024
I added more information to the intro about our testing and selection process for this guide, as well as expanding our section of other TVs worth consideration.
The best TV 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best 4K TVs in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best TV for most people
1-minute summary: The Samsung S90C still lives at the top of this list while stocks last, because even though it's a TV from 2023, I think it represents the best value for money you can get in a TV right now. It's had dramatic price cuts over time, and I've seen some beautiful new TVs arrive in our testing rooms, but anything that's as good for picture quality as the S90C costs more than it, and barely anything is as good anyway! The S90C is fully equipped for gaming, has great support for streaming services, and sounds better than almost all the competition too. Most importantly, it looks absolutely stunning: it's among the brightest OLED TVs, is super-colorful yet still natural, and its contrast is fantastic. Its successor, the Samsung S90D, is now out, so the S90C won't be around forever, and this means we'll probably see some epic deals on it towards the end of the year, making it an even better buy.
Read our full Samsung S90C review
Reasons to buy
✅ You want elite pictures for a good price: The S90C offers beautiful QD-OLED images that only a few TVs in the world do better, and those cost more.
✅ You want total gaming flexibility: The S90C has 4K 144Hz support with variable refresh rate on all four HDMI ports, so you're future-proofed.
✅ You want strong built-in sound: Unlike some mid-range TVs, you can live without a soundbar here (though a soundbar will be better, of course).
Reasons to avoid
❌ You want a super-bright TV: The S90C is bright for an OLED, but not as bright as mini-LED TVs, and lacks the Samsung S95D's anti-reflective coating.
❌ You want the slickest smart TV platform: Samsung's Tizen software is absolutely fine, but LG's webOS is nicer to use overall.
❌ You're a stickler for the specs: No Dolby Vision HDR or IMAX certification will put off some tech purists. Most of us won't care at all.
Show full expert analysis ▼
In-depth analysis
The bright QD-OLED screen (a technology where OLED pixels mix with quantum dot color tech for great brightness and color range) is the centerpiece here, delivering fantastic contrast and rich colors that we can't get enough of. We measured the brightness at 1,100 nits in a 10% HDR window, which is slightly brighter than the LG C4… and that's a TV from 2024, while this is from 2023 and significantly cheaper. It's a beautiful TV, with colors and highlights a "joy to behold" according to our review. Naturally, being an OLED TV, it handles dark scenes with nuance and makes black tones look truly inky black. It's also stunningly sharp with 4K video and makes HD or lower-res footage look as strong as can be too, with little artificiality added. We took issue with how it handled the motion of 24fps movies in its out-of-the-box settings, but changing one setting fixed this.
Samsung uses multiple speakers placed around the edges of the screen here to make sounds seem like they're matching the position and movement of things on-screen, and it's very effective. On top of that, it's clear with dialogue, punchy enough to add excitement, and fairly natural-sounding. Obviously, bass is lacking compared to a dedicated system, and it can't produce the kind of width, height and scale that one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars can – but unlike many mid-range TVs, you could live with it out of the box and not feel short-changed. It's among the best TVs for sound you can get for the price.
The smart TV platform used by Samsung is called Tizen, and while we don't find it to be quite as easy to use or slick as Roku's software, or the webOS software used on LG TVs, it's generally fine and won't baffle you. The voice control also works well and can help get to where you need to go in the menus if you struggle at all. Most importantly, it's very well-equipped for streaming service support, so there's pretty much nothing you could want to watch that you'll miss out on.
The S90C is just about as well-equipped as you could want in gaming. All four of its HDMI 2.1 ports are equipped for 4K 120Hz gaming from consoles or PCs, and support the console version of variable refresh rate gaming, as well as AMD FreeSync. It's missing Dolby Vision gaming support, and there's no Nvidia G-Sync support (which LG offers), but these are minor concerns for most people. We measured the input lag in its gaming mode at just 9.2ms, which is as good as it gets. Samsung's Game Bar menu makes it easy to customize how it performs as well and makes sure all the bells and whistles are turned on.
The Samsung S90C can now be found for around half the price it was at launch, meaning that a 55-inch model is often available for $1,299, and the 65-inch for not much more. For this price, nothing delivers the same kind nuanced, cinematic picture quality. But because this is a TV from last year, stock is running low – you might see even lower prices than this, but it really won't last long.
Samsung S90C test results
The best budget TV
1-minute summary: The Roku Plus and Select series were the company’s first Roku-branded TVs, and while good, the Pro series was the budget TV home run I was waiting on. Starting at $899 for a 55-inch model, with 65- and 75-inch screen sizes also available, Roku Pro Series TVs step up with mini-LED backlight tech for a significantly brighter picture than you’ll get in the mid-range Roku select series. Otherwise, the Roku Pro’s picture is mostly free of the backlight blooming you see on some other budget mini-LED and regular LED TVs and it has comprehensive HDR support (including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats) plus a Smart Picture Max automatic mode that lets the TV do all the picture setup work for you and adapts dynamically for different content. It’s well-equipped for gaming with two HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz input along with VRR (with FreeSync) and ALLM and its side-mounted speakers deliver much better-than-average sound for a budget TV. Of course, being a Roku TV it has the famous Roku interface, which I think leapfrogs over other smart TV screens when it comes to ease of navigation.
Read our full Roku Pro series review
Reasons to buy
✅ You want a premium TV without the price tag: The Roku Pro Series is a great value considering it is the most premium offering in the company’s TV lineup.
✅ You want to wall-mount your TV: Although it can be installed on a stand, Pro series TVs are designed to be wall-mounted and have a neat shadowbox case that makes it look like a framed painting.
✅ You want an affordable TV with great built-in sound: The Pro Series was designed to be used without a soundbar, and its front-firing speakers provide reasonably full sound and can play loud.
Reasons to avoid
❌ You want the brightest possible picture: Although picture quality on Pro series TVs is generally very good, the Hisense U8N offers superior brightness and better overall performance.
❌ You want a sophisticated smart platform: The Roku smart TV interface is basic compared to other smart TV platforms. For some, that’s a benefit because it's so easy to use, but others may want a more sophisticated smart interface.
❌ You want the best gaming TV: While the Roku Pro Series offers a strong suite of gaming features, it's limited to two 4K 120Hz ports. Samsung and LG options on this list offer more flexibility and features.
Show full expert analysis ▼
In-depth analysis
The 55-inch Roku Pro series TV we tested offers above-average brightness for a more budget-focused set – we measured around 900 nits peak brightness on a 10% window pattern and over 400 nits on a fullscreen pattern. While those are far from the most impressive numbers we’ve seen on a mini-LED TV, they compare well to competition at the same kind of official price. The Pro series also has excellent color performance and, as we noted in our review, we “didn’t experience any backlight blooming thanks to the TV’s well-implemented local dimming.” Its picture also shone with sports, partly because of its above-average brightness for a budget TV, but also because of the very good motion handling provided by its native 120Hz QLED display panel.
A benefit of the Pro series’ sturdy “shadowbox” frame, which is slighty thicker than normal and was designed to accommodate a wall-mount installation, is that there’s space for side-mounted speakers – a configuration that allows for better audio clarity than the bottom-mounted speakers on most budget TVs. In our review, we found that there was “plenty of volume on tap” and that you could even get away with not using a soundbar. Which brings up another Pro series benefit: the TV can be wirelessly paired with the company’s wireless soundbars, subwoofers, and surround speakers.
Roku made its name with streaming devices featuring an intuitive, simple-to-navigate onscreen interface, and that same smart interface is provided on Pro series TVs. Along with providing easy access to your favorite streaming apps, picture and sound settings can be quickly accessed by pressing the star button on the Pro’s remote control, which also has a built-in mic for voice commands. Roku had also promised a new feature called Roku Backdrops that’s similar to the “ambient” artwork display modes on other smart TVs, though that feature has yet to materialize.
Gaming support on the Pro series is surprisingly robust for a budget TV. It has two HDMI inputs with 4K 120Hz, VRR (with FreeSync), and ALLM support. Input lag in the TV’s game mode is a low 9.4ms, which is the type of performance we see in the best gaming TVs. The Pro series automatically switches to its game picture mode when a gaming console is connected and turned on, and the contrast-rich picture quality also extends to gaming, making it easy to see details in the darker parts of the screen.
There are good reasons why the Roku Pro Series is selected as the best budget TV pick in our guide. For less than $900 for the 55-inch model, you’re getting a TV with a bright mini-LED backlight, impressive picture quality and gaming performance, very good built-in sound, great gaming performance and features, and one of the best smart TV interfaces in the biz. And with major sales events now a regular occurrence, you can expect to pay much less than that if you keep your eyes open.
Roku Pro series test results
The best mid-range TV
1-minute summary: Hisense’s U8 series TVs get better with each passing year, and the latest U8N models are its best yet. When I reviewed the 65-inch version of the U8N, which is available in screen sizes from 55 to 98 inches, I found it had significantly higher brightness than last year’s U8K series model. The U8N offers comprehensive HDR support, with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG all accounted for, and movies and TV shows in those formats look spectacularly good, in my experience. Its bright picture also makes the U8N great for sports viewing, which is helped by an anti-reflection screen to combat glare from overhead lights. The U8N’s 2.1.2-channel speakers deliver powerful sound with good dialogue clarity and bass, and there’s support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtrack formats. Hisense uses the serviceable Google TV smart interface for streaming, and there are plenty of menu adjustments for tweaking picture and sound. Last but not least, the U8N is a very capable gaming TV, with two HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 120Hz, VRR up to 144Hz (including FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM, and Dolby Vision 4K gaming.
Read our full Hisense U8N review
Reasons to buy
✅ You want a great TV for watching movies: The U8N’s high brightness and refined local dimming bring out the best in movies, especially 4K ones with HDR.
✅ You want comprehensive HDR support: Support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ is provided on the U8N, and it also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner for broadcast HDR.
✅ You want an affordable, high-end mini-LED TV: It lacks some amenities found on more premium mini-LED TVs, but overall the U8N provides excellent performance and features for the price.
Reasons to avoid
❌ You like to watch with a crowd: An area where the U8N pales – literally – against the Samsung QN90D is off-center viewing, with contrast and color saturation fading when its picture is viewed from far off-center seats.
❌ You don’t like adjusting the picture: In my testing, I found that the U8N required some careful adjustment to perform its best, though its picture was mostly fine out of the box.
❌ You don’t want to sign in to Google: A Google account sign-in is required to download apps to the U8N’s Google TV, so if you’re wary of having your data tracked by Google, it won’t be the best choice for you.
Show full expert analysis ▼
In-depth analysis
The U8N one of brightest TVs we’ve yet tested – when I measured the U8N, an HDR white window pattern covering 10% of the screen measured 2,851 nits, and a full-screen pattern yielded 805 nits, which are astoundingly high figures compared to previous TVs. But brightness is only one part of the picture quality equation, and Hisense’s TV also has refined local dimming for deep and detailed blacks. Not everything is perfect with the picture, with the main shortcoming being the noticeable color and contrast fade when viewing from far off-center seats, but when viewed straight on, the Hisense’s performance rivals TVs that cost substantially more when it comes to color reproduction, dynamic range, and natural sharpness.
The U8N’s built-in 2.1.2-channel audio system features upfiring speakers to deliver height effects in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. When watching movies, the U8N has clear dialogue and a good sense of spaciousness, and the sound can go impressively loud without any strain. Bass is also quite good for a TV’s built-in sound. We normally suggest adding a soundbar to any TV, but as I said in my U8N review, plenty of people will be happy with the U8N’s built-in speakers.
The U8N uses Google TV as its smart TV system, and it’s a reliable and generally easy-to-navigate option. One drawback is that a Google account is required to download apps beyond the handful provided by default on the home screen, but if you do sign in, Google will make personalized content recommendations based on your viewing and web browsing history rather than generating random ones. There are multiple ways to access picture and sound settings in the U8N’s menus, including a pop-up scrolling horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen that can be customized for quick access to frequently used adjustments. An onscreen Live TV guide displays free streaming channels in a cable TV-like grid format, and it can also be populated with broadcast channels pulled in by the U8N’s ATSC 3.0 “next-gen TV” tuner.
The U8N is a capable gaming TV, offering two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K 120Hz, VRR up to 144Hz (including FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM, and Dolby Vision 4K gaming. A pop-up game bar menu can be accessed when in game mode, which gives you quick access to gaming-related settings. I measured input lag on the U8N at a perfectly respectable 13.1ms – comfortably within the limit of 15ms that serious gamers expect to see.
At $1,499 for the 65-inch model I tested, the U8N is a great value. It’s regularly on sale for less than that amount, which almost seems like a steal given this TV’s impressive performance and features. The main TV that it competes with is the equally good TCL QM851G, which offers a similar level of performance and features and is usually priced around the same. The TCL is only available in 65-inch to 98-inch screen sizes, however, while the Hisense U8N also has a 55-inch option – really, you could buy whichever of these TVs is cheaper at any given moment, and their price competition with each other is only going to mean incredibly good prices for you.
