The best TV 2023: our picks for all budgets, updated for the holidays

It isn't easy to find the best TV – there are more and more TV options with elaborate screen tech and jargon-filled features – but the good news is that an excellent home theater experience has never been more affordable. And with the holiday season in full swing, these TVs are even more affordable than usual!

We're here to help you find the best TV in your budget range, based on our extensive testing experience with these sets – and right now, that includes looking how the best TV deals have changed their value – we'll highlight the price drops for our favorite TVs on this page. You should start with our number one TV: you can get the 65-inch Samsung S90C OLED TV for just $1,599 at Samsung, down from $2,599. We also think the 65-inch Hisense U6K mini-LED 4K TV for just $498 at Amazon (down from $799) is a phenomenal value if you want something more budget.

In this guide, we've focused on the best TVs for all-round excellence, balancing picture quality (measured objectively in some ways, but also from our subjective experience in other ways), features, sound quality, price, and size options. If you're looking for something specific, you might prefer to head straight to our guides to the best gaming TVs, best TVs under £1000 or best OLED TVs – but here, you can get an overview of all the best models, including from these categories (and more).

We've reviewed every kind of TV over the years, from the first flatscreens to the original OLEDs to today's best 85-inch TVs. And that means we know which features really matter and how they will deliver the most bang for your TV-buying buck. No matter how much you want to spend, what you want to watch or where you want to watch it, you should find the best TV for you in this guide.

Al Griffin
Al Griffin

Al Griffin is TechRadar's Senior Editor for Home Entertainment in the US. Previously the editor of Sound & Vision magazine, he brings nearly three decades of tech journalism and AV product testing experience to the position. Right now, he's using that experience to whittle down the list of Black Friday TV deals still available to just the best ones. That includes the 75-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED for just $899 at Amazon (down from $1,099) as an excellent big-screen budget buy, or the 42-inch LG C2 OLED TV for $849 at Walmart (down from $1,299 originally) if you want a small TV that doesn't compromise on features or picture quality.

The quick list

Want the simplest guide to the best TVs around? Here's our quick guide – you can read more in-depth verdicts on each TV by following the link, as well as alternative options in some cases.

The best TV 2023

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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best 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

Samsung S90C on a table, with a forest scene on the screen

(Image credit: Future)
The best TV for most people, balancing price, features and pictures

Specifications

Screen size: 55, 65, 77, 83-inch
Resolution: 4K
Panel type: QD-OLED (55-77-inch); OLED (83 inches)
Smart TV: Tizen
HDR: HDR10+, HDR, HLG

Reasons to buy

+
Beautiful 4K HDR picture
+
Four HDMI 2.1 ports
+
Very good built-in sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Samsung S95C and LG G3 are brighter
-
No Dolby Vision support 
-
83-inch model has weaker panel
Black Friday deals

The Samsung S90C has hit its lowest-ever prices on Black Friday! At the same price as the LG C3, it's a better-value pick.

➡️ Samsung S90C 55-inch: 
$1,899 $1,299 at Samsung
➡️ Samsung S90C 65-inch:

$2,599 $1,599 at Samsung
➡️ Samsung S90C 77-inch:

$2,599 $2,499 at Samsung

BUY IT IF

You’re want QD-OLED for relatively cheap: The Samsung S90C gives you a brighter OLED screen than the LG C3, and fantastic picture quality, for the same price as C3.

You need lots of HDMI 2.1 ports: With four HDMI 2.1 ports that all support 4K 120Hz and up to 144Hz refresh rates for gaming, the Samsung S90C offers unbeaten connectivity.

DON'T BUY IT IF

You want the brightest OLED available: Both the Samsung S95C and the LG G3 offer higher brightness levels than the S90C.

You want an 80-inch TV: The 83-inch model uses a different screen type that's far less bright – we wouldn't recommend it. Get the 83-inch LG C3 instead, which has Dolby Vision.

The Samsung S90C takes the top spot on our best TV list because it does it all; excellent picture quality, sleek design, brilliant gaming performance and it gives you access to QD-OLED technology for the cheapest it's ever been. With prices dropping over time too, this gives you real OLED bang for your buck.

With excellent contrast levels, dynamic and punchy colors and deep, rich blacks that we come to expect from an OLED, we found in our review that the S90C's extra brightness compared to the LG C3 (further down this list) or Sony A80L really adds an extra layer, despite these TVs all costing the same. Its sharpness levels and detail are also a sight to behold. One thing to note, though, is that the 83-inch model uses a regular OLED screen that's much less bright, and we would recommend getting the 83-inch LG C3 instead.

Not just a beautiful TV, the Samsung S90C is also a gamers' paradise. With a refresh rate of 144Hz, it has four 2.1 HDMI ports that all support 4K 120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It also has a gaming hub so you can tweak setting easily to get the most out of your games. Add to this built-in sound quality that beats almost all other TVs, including LG's OLEDs, you get a complete package with the S90C.

It's not totally perfect (the lack of Dolby Vision support is a shame), and higher-priced OLEDs such as the Samsung S95C (at #4 in this list) and LG G3 can beat it for brightness. But in terms of what you get at this budget level, the Samsung S90C is real value for money and is the best TV for most people.

Read the full Samsung S90C review

The best budget TV

Roku Plus Series TV showing Spider-Man image onscreen

(Image credit: Future)
The best TV on a budget, with easy-to-use apps and features

Specifications

Screen size: 55, 65, and 75-inch
Resolution: 4K
Panel Type: QLED
Smart TV: Roku TV
HDR: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, HDR10+

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable price
+
Very good picture quality
+
Great smart TV interface

Reasons to avoid

-
Average brightness
-
Average built-in sound
-
Limited picture adjustments
Black Friday deals

The Roku Plus has exclusive Black Friday deals at Best Buy, with the best discount levels at 55 inches or 75 inches.

➡️ Roku Plus 55-inch: 
$499 $379 at Best Buy
➡️ Roku Plus 65-inch:

$649 $549 at Best Buy
➡️ Roku Plus 75-inch:

$999 $799 at Best Buy

BUY IT IF

You want a great smart TV interface: Easy navigation and a large app selection make Roku TV one of the best smart TV software options around.

You want a great-value TV: The Roku Plus Series offers strong picture quality and an intuitive smart TV interface at a very affordable price.

DON'T BUY IT IF

You don't want a soundbar: The Roku Plus Series has less impressive built-in sound and could definitely benefit from a soundbar.

You're watching in a bright room: With average brightness levels, the Roku Plus Series will struggle in brighter viewing environments.

The Roku Plus Series is a budget TV that provides very good overall picture quality that exceeds its price tag. Coupled with a great smart TV interface, the Roku Plus Series is a real option for people looking for a new TV on a tight budget.

Picture quality is the real highlight of the Roku Plus Series. Colors are vibrant and have a real visual punch. Motion is also processed well, with fast panning shots not suffering from much blurring that a lot of budget TVs tend to and images look crisp and clean. However, picture suffers a little when viewed from off center, and the Roku Plus Series has average brightness levels, so isn't the best for brighter viewing environments, but it's hard to argue against the quality of picture you get with the Roku Plus for the money you pay.

The Roku TV smart TV platform built in to the TV is one of the better smart TV interfaces. It's easy to navigate and comes with a wealth of app options and even offers the Roku Live TV portal that enables access to a load of free channels. It's worth noting that accessing picture settings within the Roku Plus Series can be a real pain, but Roku TV still sits as one of the best smart TV platform.

The Roku Plus however is not the best for gaming, with no 120Hz support or cloud-based gaming options, and its built-in audio isn't the best so a soundbar may be required – but for the money, this is a great-looking TV with good features and a top-tier smart TV platform.

Read the full Roku Plus Series review

The best mid-range TV

Hisense U8K showing image of landsape with lake and mountain

(Image credit: Future)
The best mid-range TV available

Specifications

Screen sizes: 55, 65, 75 and 85-inch
Resolution : 4K
Panel type : QLED with mini-LED
Smart TV: Google TV
HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Reasons to buy

+
High brightness
+
Good value for performance and features

Reasons to avoid

-
Some backlight blooming
-
Contrast suffers off-center
Black Friday deals

This was ridiculous value already, but getting a mini-LED TV under $700 is obscene – it's a great Black Friday buy.

➡️ Hisense U8K 55-inch: 
$1,099 $698 at Amazon
➡️ Hisense U8K 65-inch:

$1,399 $896 at Best Buy
➡️ Hisense U8K 75-inch:

$1,949 $1,289 at Best Buy

BUY IT IF

You plan to watch in a bright room: With excellent brightness levels thanks to mini-LED, the Hisense U8K is great for bright rooms.

You want a TV with an ASTC 3.0 tuner: Usually found on higher-end sets, the U8K comes with an ASTC 3.0 tuner for next-gen 4K digital broadcast TV.

DON'T BUY IT IF

You want a TV that looks good from any angle: The U8K's contrast fades when viewed from off-center, so might be a TV to avoid if you have lots of visitors. The Samsung QN90C (#7 on this list) is better for that.

You want a perfect TV: QD-OLED and OLED TVs beat the U8K in areas such as precise contrast. You can also expect better local dimming from more premium mini-LEDs, such as the QN90C mentioned above.

The Hisense U8K has great picture quality, excellent gaming features and a seriously competitive price point to make it a mid-range winner. Using mini-LED technology for high brightness levels, the Hisense U8K is great for daytime viewing and comes installed with Google TV as a smart TV platform, which is generally slick and packed with useful streaming apps.

Despite focusing on brightness, thanks to that mini-LED technology, the Hisense U8K also offers deep black levels for an excellent contrast. Unfortunately, this contrast does fade somewhat when viewed off-center. However, thanks to its anti-glare coating and a high peak brightness of 1,590 nits (which tops any OLED TV available today) it makes light work of brighter viewing environments.

In terms of gaming, the Hisense U8K is a surprisingly well-stocked TV. With two HDMI 2.1 ports that offer a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, Dolby Vision, VRR and ALLM support, the Hisense U8K is an ideal option for gaming (unless you need four HDMI 2.1 ports). It also features a game mode to get the most effective performance out of your video games.

In terms of audio and design, the Hisense is solid as well, with decent bass and dialog clarity for audio and an adjustable feet from a design point of view. The Hisense U8K may not be the perfect TV, but at the price it is, it's certainly one that suits a lot of people's budgets and comes with a wealth of features as a bonus.

Read our full Hisense U8K review

Best premium OLED

Samsung-S95C TV on stand with gray wall in background

(Image credit: Future)
The brightest OLED TV so far

Specifications

Screen size: 55, 65, and 77-inch
Resolution: 4K
Panel technology: QD-OLED
Smart TV: Tizen
HDR: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+