The best mini-LEDs are great choices for sports, movies, and streaming – and it's thanks to their unique technology. Mini-LEDs use tiny LED chips to create color and detail, and because they're so small, a mini-LED can pack a ton of these chips behind the screen, producing a vivid, punchy image that's more vibrant than run-of-the-mill LED TVs.
There are a lot of mini-LEDs on the market, however, and different models command different prices. We've highlighted five of our favorite mini-LEDs, including cheap and mid-range picks for the US and UK, so you can find a mini-LED that'll suit any budget.
The TechRadar team has been testing TVs for over 16 years, and we've thoroughly vetted each of the mini-LEDs in the rankings below. Currently, we think that the Hisense U8N is the best mini-LED overall, balancing a great picture with solid audio, but the Hisense U7N and TCL C805 are awesome budget-friendly choices for US and UK shoppers, respectively.
August 3,
Added the TCL QM8L as the best mid-range Mini-LED TV for the US, and gave the article's intro an overhaul.
The best mini-LED TVs you can buy
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The best mini-LED TV overall
✅ You want high brightness: At nearly 3,000 nits peak brightness, the U8N is perfect for daytime viewing.
✅ You want a well-featured gaming TV: The U8N's 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming support make it great for gaming.
❌ You plan to watch from an angle: The U8N loses its stellar picture quality when viewed off-center – the Samsung QN90D offers a wider viewing angle.
❌You want the best TV for sports: The U8N only has average motion handling, so again, sports fans may be better suited by the Samsung QN90D.
The Hisense U8N is the best mini-LED TV for most people when you take into account its picture and sound quality, features, gaming support, and value.
A main draw with this TV is its high brightness – we called it “astonishingly bright” in our review – which exceeds that of even more expensive TVs and makes it an excellent option for sports viewing. But the Hisense U8N is no one-trick pony, because its brightness is complemented by refined local dimming for deep and detailed shadows. This combination, along with the U8N’s support for both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, makes the U8N a great TV for watching movies as well,
The U8N is packed with features for a mid-range TV. Its 2.1.2-channel built-in speakers deliver clear dialogue and weighty bass, and there’s support for both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtrack formats. Gaming features include two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for up to 4K 144Hz and Dolby Vision gaming. For a smart TV system, the U8N runs Google TV in the US, and Hisense’s own VIDAA platform in other countries.
Hisense’s U8N is an outstanding value in the US, with a 65-inch model regularly priced at lower than $1,000, though it’s a more expensive proposition in the UK currently (but prices will keep falling). But even though the price you’ll pay in the UK is around the same as entry-level Samsung mini-LED TVs such as the Samsung QN85D, we still maintain that the U8N is the best all-around mini-LED TV for most people.
Read our full Hisense U8N review
The best budget mini-LED TV in the US
✅ You're working with a budget: The U7N is an affordably priced mini-LED TV that doesn't compromise on quality.
✅ You want an affordable but good gaming TV: At this price, there aren't many TVs that carry the same level of gaming features as the U7N.
❌ You want your TV ready out of the box: The U7N requires adjustment of its picture settings to get it looking just right.
❌You want a perfect picture: While the U7N's picture is very good, some backlight blooming is evident in darker scenes.
The Hisense U7N delivers solid picture quality and an excellent range of gaming features in a variety of sizes while keeping the price down – its 55-inch model has already fallen as low as $599.
The U7N's rich detail and vibrant colors really shine when displaying 4K HDR sources, though we found in our review that it "looked good with whatever was thrown its way." Black levels and contrast are surprisingly strong for a TV in this range. Viewing angles are limited, and there is some backlight blooming, but at this price, the U7N more than outperforms.
For a budget TV, the Hisense U7N is stacked with gaming features, including 4K 144Hz support, VRR (with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM. That combined with a solid 13.1ms input lag time makes the U7N a great budget gaming TV. It does only come with two HDMI 2.1 ports, but that is one of the U7N's few gaming setbacks.
The U7N also uses Google TV as its smart interface and carries a solid design. Combine all these elements with its affordable price tag, and the U7N comes out as the perfect option for those who want a mini-LED TV on a budget.
Read our Hisense U7N review
The best budget mini-LED TV in the UK
✅ You want great picture quality without breaking the bank: The TCL C805 delivers a detailed, contrast-rich picture for a budget-friendly price.
✅ You want an excellent value mini-LED TV: For its price, the C805 is packed with features and delivers superb performance.
❌ You want the best built-in sound: The C805's built-in sound is serviceable, but its soundstage is lacking.
❌You often watch in large groups: The C805 suffers from limited viewing angles, so you won't get the same picture quality from every seat when watching with large groups.
The TCL C805 comes in a wide variety of screen sizes and delivers brilliant picture quality, a near-full suite of gaming features and great performance at unbeatable value in the UK. It's a perfect entry-level mini-LED TV option.
The most impressive part of the C805 is its picture quality. Black levels, contrast, color, and detail mirror that of a more premium mini-LED TV. It's not all perfect, as motion handling can be inconsistent and there is obvious backlight blooming when viewed off-center, but as we said in our review, "In this price range, it's tough to be disappointed in the C805's picture."
The C805 is also well-equipped for gaming, with 4K 144Hz support, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro) and ALLM. Combine these features with the C805's rich picture and smooth performance, and you get a solid gaming TV at an affordable price.
The C805 is an impressive TV, to say the least, and although its built-in sound is lacking and it's outperformed by more premium sets in other areas, at this level there really aren't any better options in the UK. TCL's C805 should be at the top of the list for those looking to save money but still get real quality.
Read our full TCL C805 review
The best premium mini-LED TV
✅ You want outstanding picture quality: The Bravia 9's use of Sony's new advanced mini-LED backlight tech results in breathtaking picture quality.
✅ You plan to watch in a bright room: With its high peak brightness and anti-reflective screen, the Bravia 9 performs effectively in bright viewing conditions.
❌ You've got a tight budget: The Bravia 9's premium quality comes at a price that many people will struggle to afford.
❌You want complete HDR support: Unlike Hisense and TCL TVs, the Sony doesn't support the HDR10+ high dynamic range format
The Sony Bravia 9 represents the company’s attempt to move from OLED to mini-LED technology for its flagship TV, and in our estimation, it’s a resounding success. As our premium mini-LED choice for this guide, it’s certainly priced at a premium level, but the Bravia 9 has the performance, design, and features to back it up.
Sony’s new XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance tech is exclusive to the Bravia 9, and it brings the benefits of high brightness – the Bravia 9 measured over 2,000 nits in our testing – along with deep blacks with near OLED-like shadow detail. These performance attributes make the Bravia 9 an excellent TV for both movies and sports viewing, and the TV’s effective anti-reflection screen and wide viewing angles further contribute to its premium picture quality.
Sony’s flagship TV has a powerful 2.2.2-channel 70W audio system with “Frame” tweeters on the left and right sides and “Beam” tweeters on the top that deliver impressive clarity and a sense of spaciousness with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. Its sound quality is good enough that you don’t necessarily need to pair it with one of the best soundbars, but if you do, there’s an Acoustic Center Sync feature that lets you use the TV as the center channel speaker for the system and also a 360 Spatial Sound Mapping feature that creates “phantom” speakers between the physical ones for an enhanced sense of audio immersion.
Aside from its picture, the Bravia 9 also has a premium design, with a rechargeable Eco Remote and four-way support feet with high, flush-mount, wide, and narrow position options. Google TV is used for the Bravia 9’s smart TV platform, and it features a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support. The Bravia 9 is also ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5,’ with Auto HDR Tone Mapping for the console to improve HDR quality, and an Auto Genre Picture Mode features that activate when a PS5 console is connected.
Read our full Sony Bravia 9 review
The best mid-range mini-LED TV in the US
✅ You want a stunningly bright TV: Although the QM8L isn't as bright as TCL's flagship models, it's still impressively vivid for the price point.
✅ You prefer a hands-free interface: Thanks to Google Gemini, you can issue voice commands to pull up streaming content without reaching for a remote.
❌ You want a plug-and-play TV: The QM8L boasts a bright picture, certainly, but we'd prefer it if the Standard Mode picture was more accurate out of the box.
❌ You're looking for the cheapest option: Sitting in the mid-range, there are more budget-friendly options available – like the Hisense U7N.
The TCL QM8L is a dazzlingly bright mini-LED with snappy contrast. It's technically a third-tier TCL model but, with the kind of picture clarity on offer, you're getting a flagship experience for a more modest price – though there's no denying that the QM8L is on the pricey end of mid-range.
During testing, we really enjoyed the QM8L's overall picture quality. It's bright and punchy, and whether we were tuned into movies, games, or sports, the image was always clean without any evidence of blooming. That means that details popped regardless of whether the scene was bright or dark. Speaking of brightness, we measured 3,719 nits of peak HDR brightness in a 10% window in Filmmaker Mode – and that's seriously impressive. It's the kind of brightness that's ideal for daytime viewing or watching in bright rooms, and we didn't have trouble with glare or reflections.
The QM8L's motion handling is nice and smooth, too, which is important for sports fans and gamers who want to ensure that the on-screen action remains buttery smooth. We're happy to report that our testing experience wasn't spoiled by any judder.
Moving on to sound, the QM8L packs a decent audio setup, courtesy of Bang & Olufsen. We think that the QM8L is one of the better mini-LEDs for sound – so long as you're not looking for a complete home theatre experience. We found that voices remained clear and easy to pick out, even with swelling soundtracks and movie effects competing for your attention, and while a soundbar would give the audio a significant boost, it's not a necessity.
As we mentioned earlier, the QM8L commands a weighty mid-range price tag – though the looming Black Friday sales could slice off a decent portion. On the other hand, however, if you compare the QM8L to the mid-range LG OLED, the LG C6, the QM8L is the cheaper pick. All in all, we think that there's a lot of value, and one of the best overall pictures, included in the QM8L's price.
Read our full TCL QM8L review
The best mid-range mini-LED TV in the UK
✅ You want a competitively priced mini-LED TV: The C855 is packed with features and delivers strong performance for a great price.
✅ You want brilliant picture quality: The C855 delivers spectacular contrast and a bright, vivid picture that's great for movies and gaming.
❌ You want wide viewing angles: Like many mini-LED TVs, the C855's picture quality suffers when viewed from an angle.
❌You want a full suite of gaming features: The C855 is well stocked with gaming features but only comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports.
The TCL C855 delivers pictures that far exceed its mid-range price, and it comes with plenty of gaming and smart TV features.
The C855's picture has vivid yet natural colors, well-defined textures, and detail, but its contrast is what wows the most. With some tweaking in the picture settings, the C855's black levels and shadow detail can be made to, as we said in our review, "even rival the best OLED TVs". There is some backlight blooming, and viewing angles are limited, but you won't find a mini-LED TV with a better picture at this price point.
Gaming is also well accounted for, with Dolby Vision gaming, 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro) and ALLM all featured. Performance is smooth, even during graphically intense sequences, and given the exceptional picture quality mentioned above, the C855 finds itself among the best gaming TVs around in this price range.
The C855 has solid built-in sound, a sturdy design, and plentiful picture settings for those who like to calibrate their TV. But it's the C855's value that stands out in a crowded mini-LED TV market, with the C855 offering more than its rivals.
Read our full TCL C855 review
The best mini-LED TV for sports
✅ You're an avid sports fan: The QN90D is perfect for sports viewing thanks to its high brightness, excellent motion handling and wide viewing angles.
✅ You need a gaming TV: The QN90D has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 144Hz, VRR and ALLM and also features a useful Gaming Hub.
❌ You want the brightest possible mini-LED TV: While the QN90D is bright, both the Hisense U8N and TCL QM851G are even brighter.
❌You're looking for a bargain: The QN90D is priced higher than its rivals from Hisense and TCL.
While a lot of the TVs on this list would serve as great TVs for sports viewing, none can top the Samsung QN90D, thanks to its winning combination of motion handling excellence and high brightness.
In testing its picture, it was clear that the Samsung QN90D was a top TV for fast-moving action. Its ultra-responsive motion processing meant "intense sequences and fast panning camera shots were expertly handled", and its high peak and full-screen brightness made sports look great even when viewing in a bright room. Plus, the QN90D demonstrated great contrast, bold and natural colors, and solid black levels for movies.
The QN90D is also no slouch for gaming, with four HDMI 2.1 ports that all support 4K 144Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro included) and ALLM. It also has a super-low 9.9ms input lag time and an extremely useful Gaming Hub where cloud gaming apps and Twitch streams can all be easily accessed.
Price is always an important factor for a TV, but it is much more so in the competitive mini-LED TV market. While the QN90D sits higher than its competitors from Hisense and TCL, if you're looking for a TV for sports, the QN90D is worth the extra cost, thanks to its especially good motion handling and superior image quality when viewing from off-center seats.
Read our full Samsung QN90D review
How to choose the best mini-LED TV
Let's start with size. Mini-LEDs, despite their name, come in all sorts of sizes, ranging from compact 43-inch options to massive 115-inch home theatres. This is a totally subjective decision, of course, and is usually influenced by the size and layout of the room where you'll put the TV and the budget you're working with.
The good news is that mini-LEDs are available at a variety of price points. Basic models can be picked up for a few hundred dollars, and if you're willing to splash out, high-end options come with an array of performance options, gaming features, and even built-in access to streaming services.
If you're trying to decide between a mini-LED TV and an OLED TV, there are a few key differences to keep in mind. Most mini-LED TVs are brighter than their OLED cousins, which is why we recommend them for daytime sports viewing and watching TV and movies in a well-lit room.
However, mini-LEDs don't compare to OLEDs when it comes to off-centre viewing. Unlike OLED TVs, which use a display panel with self-illuminating pixels, the backlight in a mini-LED TV beams light directly through the display panel, resulting in images losing contrast and color saturation when viewed from extreme angles. Some mini-LED TVs compensate for this better than others, and that’s something we’ll report on in our reviews. This shortcoming of mini-LED is a reason for buying a TV with a larger screen size, which will provide a wider field of view.
Another difference between mini-LED and OLED TVs is gaming support. While current OLED models from LG and Samsung all provide four HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz support for next-gen gaming consoles, only mini-LED TVs from those same companies offer the same features. TVs from other brands are limited to two HDMI 2.1 inputs, which is a factor that serious gamers will want to consider.
HDR support is all over the map with mini-LED TVs – and OLED ones as well. Samsung TVs only support the HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG formats, while LG ones support Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG but not HDR10+. New TVs from Hisense and TCL handle both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, so if you’re looking for comprehensive HDR support, models from those brands are well worth consideration.
Other mini-LED TVs to consider
Amazon Fire TV Omni mini-LED: Amazon's first foray into mini-LED is a successful one overall, as we found in our Amazon Omni mini-LED review that it offers great picture quality and plentiful gaming features for a competitive price. The reason it misses out on our list is that the Hisense and TCL entries offer similar performance and features for less.
Hisense U6N: Another affordable mini-LED from Hisense, the U6N delivers great picture quality for a budget-friendly price. In our Hisense U6N review, we were impressed by its gaming performance for the budget price. It doesn't quite offer as much as the more premium Hisense U7N or TCL C805, but if you're on a stricter budget, the U6N is still a good option.
Samsung QN900D: For those looking for something more from their mini-LED TV, the 8K Samsung QN900D is a great option. In our Samsung QN900D review, we were floored by the QN900D's upscaling, resulting in detailed and bright pictures. As expected for an 8K TV, it comes at an inflated price, so while not many people will be able to stretch their budgets, it's an excellent TV for those who can.
How we tested the best mini-LED TVs
We test the best mini-LED TVs using a methodology that’s applied consistently across all of our TV reviews. This involves a combination of subjective and objective tests, the latter carried out with specialized equipment and software that measures the TV’s performance on a range of parameters. You can read all about it in-depth in our how we test TVs at TechRadar explainer, but here's a summary.
Our tests typically start with a break-in period where we familiarize ourselves with the TV’s out-of-box picture and sound presets to determine which are the most accurate. After that, we will view a range of standard- and high-definition sources to evaluate the TV’s upconversion performance before viewing test patterns and reference clips from 4K Blu-ray and streaming sources.
For mini-LED TVs, a key performance parameter we look at is the TV’s picture uniformity when viewed off-axis. Unlike OLED TVs, which display perfectly uniform images over a 180-degree arc, mini-LED TVs have a more limited viewing angle, and our reviews will report on the set’s image quality when viewed from off-center seats.
We’ll also evaluate the local dimming performance of a mini-LED TV’s backlight, looking for “blooming” artifacts that show up as light bleed in shadowy portions of images. Motion handling is another important performance parameter we look at, and we’ll use movie, sports, and gaming sources to test a TV’s ability to display fast-motion images solidly.
For our objective tests, we use a colorimeter to measure a TV’s grayscale and color point accuracy, peak brightness on 10% window and fullscreen white test patterns, and UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage. These measurements are carried out with the TV in its Standard and Filmmaker (or equivalent) picture mode, with the results recorded in Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software.
Input lag tests for gaming are carried out with the TV in its Game picture mode using a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Input Lag Tester.
What are mini-LEDs?
Like LED TVs, Mini-LED TVs use a backlight panel that shines through a grid of pixels to create color and detail. Mini-LEDs just use much smaller LED chips. This means that a mini-LED TV can pack way more of them behind the screen, producing a bright, crisp image with deep black tones.
These nifty little chips have other benefits, too, like allowing for finer control over local dimming, a process where individual LED clusters (zones) are dynamically dimmed, or switched off completely, based on areas of light and dark in images. When a high number of local dimming zones are used, mini-LED TVs can display deep, detailed shadows, resulting in pictures that put them among the best TVs available today.
Mini-LED TVs tend to be bulkier than the best OLED TVs, which don't need a backlight, but we've seen razor-thin models from Samsung that buck the trend.
Prices for the best mini-LED TVs range from expensive to downright cheap, with several new manufacturers competing aggressively with established brands.
Latest updates to this guide
August 3
Added the TCL QM8L as the best mid-range Mini-LED TV for the US, and gave the article's intro an overhaul.
March 7, 2025
Added in the Samsung QN90D as 'best for sports'. Added in buy it if boxes with reasons to buy and avoid for each entry in the list. Added in an Also Consider section with other TVs we've tested that miss out on the list but are still worth considering if you're looking to buy.
