The best TV 2023: our picks for all budgets, updated for the holidays
Ready to upgrade to one of the best TVs this holiday season? We've chosen the best you can buy
1. The list in brief
2. Best TV for most people
3. Best budget TV
4. Best mid-range
5. Best premium OLED
6. Best 8K TV
7. Best cheap OLED TV
8. Best TV for sport
9. Best for versatility
10. Best TV for sound
11. How to choose
12. How we test
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 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 for most people
✅ With brighter pictures and better sound at a mid-range price, this is a fantastic value.
❌ It comes in limited sizes.
💰 Starting from just $1,297 in Black Friday deals, it's the best-value mid-range OLED.
The best budget TV
✅ A high-quality, affordable 4K TV with easy-to-use smart TV software.
❌ If you want gaming features or elite picture quality, you need to spend more.
💰 You can find this for just $379 at 55 inches on Black Friday, which is excellent for a QLED TV.
The best mid-range TV
✅ A bright TV to use in light room that's also packed with gaming features, and good picture quality.
❌ It's not as cinematic as OLED or higher-end mini-LED TVs.
💰 Black Friday deals bring this down to just $698 for the 55-inch with is incredible for mini-LED tech!
The best premium OLED TV
✅ This is the most spectacular OLED TV on the planet, thanks to its high brightness, razer-slim design and smart connections box.
❌ All of this comes at a premium price.
💰 It starts from $1,899 in the Black Friday deals.
The best for 8K detail
✅ You want the ultimate in dazzling big-screen TV brilliance – this takes color and contrast to new levels, as well as offering 8K.
❌ It's a heck of an investment.
💰 It's over $1,000 off for Black Friday, but still starts at $3,299.
The best cheap OLED TV
✅ Delivers cinematic OLED pictures and next-gen gaming features for less.
❌ It's not great for bright rooms, and the sound is mediocre.
💰 Starting at a $999 Black Friday price, it's a steal.
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The best bright TV for daytime sport
✅ Thanks to class-leading brightness, this is the best at beating reflections, and it comes in lots of sizes.
❌ Even with mini-LED, OLED has more precise dimming control.
💰Starting at $897 for Black Friday, it's a strong value.
The best for versatility
✅ A beautiful and feature-packed OLED TV available in a wide range of sizes.
❌ In the middle sizes, the Samsung S90C is brighter and sounds better for the same price.
💰 Starts from $899 in Black Friday deals, which is a record low.
The best TV for sound
✅ Beautiful OLED pictures, with sound so good, you won't need a soundbar.
❌ Not very bright, and more expensive than equivalent OLEDs, like the S90C or C3.
💰 Starts from $1,399 for 55 inches over Black Friday.
The best TV 2023
Why you can trust TechRadar
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
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
✅ 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.
❌ 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
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
✅ 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.
❌ 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
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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
✅ 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.
❌ 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