Shopping for the best TV can be daunting. TVs often look the same, sound the same, cost the same amount and have names that sound like a string of random numbers and letters. Learning more about TVs can be tough too, with terms like OLED, QLED, and HDR shared leniently.
That’s why we spoke with tech and retailer experts, to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of each TV brand, without drowning in specifications. Narrowing in on the best brands, we also selected top models from each one to recommend.
SKIP AHEAD Sony TV | Samsung TV | LG TV | TCL TV
Selected.Our top picks
Related
select
selectHow organization experts keep phone chargers and other cords from tangling
Sony is known for amazing picture quality and color accuracy, says Carl Prouty, the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliances retailer based in Glenview, Illinois.
The brand has decades of experience creating imaging equipment for professional cinematographers and videographers, says Mark Steinberg, the senior technologist at , a national electronics retailer in New York City. Other TV brands do not have this history, and it shows in Sony’s superior image quality, says Steinberg.
Sony also has excellent built-in audio, especially in their top-end smart TVs, according to our experts. Plus most of its TVs have Google TV built-in, one of the easier interfaces to use, in my experience.
Sony TVs tend to be slightly more expensive than similar models from competing brands, however.
Best Sony TV: Sony A80L Series TV
What we like
- Superior image quality
- Excellent built-in audio
Something to note
- Pricey
The 2023 AL80 Series isn’t Sony’s latest TV, but it has most of the brand’s best qualities, including a vivid 4K OLED screen, fast 120Hz screen and easy to use Google software, into a fairly-priced package that’s great for most shoppers.
OLED TVs are known for rich color accuracy and contrast, which plays into Sony’s main strength: superior image quality. The A80L also has Sony’s advanced audio system (called Acoustic Surface Audio+) where speakers project sound from the screen itself, with much richer audio quality than traditional speakers that are restricted to the TV’s frame, according to our experts.
Screen sizes: 55, 65, 77, 83-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: OLED | OS: Google TV
Best Sony TV for Gaming: Sony X90L Series TV
What we like
- Excellent image quality
- Gaming-specific features
Something to note
- Pricey
Sony also makes one of the best gaming consoles: the PlayStation 5. The Sony X90L pairs well with the PlayStation — it has 4K resolution, a very bright LED screen, high-dynamic range and, most importantly, a fast 120Hz screen with low input lag. It doesn’t have as rich colors as the A80L, but it can get much brighter, making it a better fit for rooms with natural light.
Screen sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85, 98-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: LED | OS: Google TV
Best budget Sony TV: Sony X85K Series TV
What we like
- Great value
- Google TV is easy to use
Something to note
- Nothing at this time
I use the 43-inch version of this TV at home — I needed a small TV for my living room cabinets, and this is one of the only Sony TVs that would fit. Despite the $600 or so I paid, it has decent 4K picture quality that gets very bright, plus a fast 120Hz screen that’s great for gaming.
Screen sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 77, 85-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: LED | OS: Google TV
Best brand for design: Samsung TVSamsung is another well-regarded brand that makes excellent TVs, some with unique designs. Its quantum dot LED (QLED) TVs are extremely bright, and are a great fit for group watching in rooms that have a lot of ambient light or glare, according to our experts.
Another standout from the brand is its The Frame TV, a TV with a matte finish on the screen. When turned off, it displays art that looks real, and can blend into your space instead of looking like a blank void.
Most Samsung TVs have the Tizen interface built-in — its menus can be a little less intuitive than those on Google TV and Roku, says Steinberg (and in my experience).
Best Samsung TV for brightness: Samsung QN90C Series TV
This 2023 model is very bright and comes in a range of sizes that make it easy to fit in all kinds of spaces. It has advanced mini-LED lights in the panel that display a vivid, bright picture across a wide viewing angle, according to the brand. That means it’s a good fit for group daytime programming like sports.
Like most of the TVs on our list, it has a 4K resolution, multiple HDMI 2.1 ports, a fast refresh rate and HDR support.
Screen sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: QLED | OS: Tizen OS
Best Samsung TV design: Samsung The Frame Series TV (2024)
What we like
- Matte finish for digital art
- Sleek and slim
Something to note
- Not the best image quality
One of Samsung’s most popular TVs is The Frame Series. The screen has a matte finish that makes it less reflective than traditional screens. When turned off, it becomes a digital art frame of sorts, displaying different artwork curated by the brand. You can also upload your own images or access additional artworks from the Samsung’s Art Store (for a fee).
You can pick from different colors for the frame around the TV, and it comes with slim fitting wall mounts in the box.
Screen sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: QLED | OS: Tizen OS
Best brand for gaming: LG TVLG TVs are great for all forms of media, but they are particularly loved by gamers, according to our experts. The brand’s OLED TVs have an especially striking, vibrant image (though image quality may not be as dynamic as Sony models, says Steinberg).
The brand also has Filmmaker Mode built into its TVs: it automatically sets the picture settings to better match the TV show or movie you are watching, according to the brand. LG TVs also use the Web OS interface for its menus and control — it is relatively simple and intuitive to use (though not my absolute favorite).
LG TVs are typically a little less expensive than Sony and Samsung TVs, says Steinberg.
Best LG TV: LG C3 Series TV
What we like
- Vivid image quality
- Wide viewing angles
Something to note
- Not the best for bright room
LG launched the LG G4 and LG C4 TVs this year, but this 2023 LG C3 TV is more affordable, often on sale and has most of the same key specifications as the 2024 models.
The OLED screen on the C3 Series looks good from nearly any viewing angle, and, like most OLED panels, can display nearly perfect color contrast, according to the brand. Great colors, wide viewing angles, a fast screen and ample connectivity make it a good fit for movies, sports and gaming.
Like most OLED TVs, the C3 is not a great fit for bright rooms — consider Samsung’s QLED TVs if your TV is in a bright space.
Screen sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, 83-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: OLED | OS: WebOS
Best budget LG TV: LG B3 Series TV
What we like
- Great value
- OLED color contrast
Something to note
- Not the best for bright room
If the C3 Series is out of your budget, consider the lower-priced B3 series. It still has a 4K OLED panel with wide viewing angles, vivid colors and deep contrast, but has a slightly older processor and dimmer brightness compared to the C series. You still get the same webOS smart platform, Filmmaker Mode, good gaming connectivity and compatibility with smart home devices.
Screen sizes: 55, 65, 77-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: OLED | OS: webOS
Best budget brand: TCL TVsThere are a lot of budget-friendly TV brands (Vizio, Hisense, Insignia and Spectre to name a few), but TCL is one of the best, says Steinberg. Its TVs usually cost less than those from Sony, Samsung and LG, but still have essential features like a 4K HDR image, fast 120Hz refresh rates, modern connectivity and more.
Many TCL TVs have Google or Roku OS built-in, two of our favorite interfaces to use. Roku in particular is one of our, and our experts’, favorite streaming platforms.
Most TCL TVs have narrow viewing angles, meaning they do not look as good when viewed off-center. If you are looking for a TV to host a sports party, consider one of our other recommended brands.
Best TCL TV: TCL Q7 Series TV
What we like
- Great value
- Good color contrast
Something to note
- Narrow viewing angles
TCL sells more premium models, but the Q7 Series is an excellent value for the features. It has a QLED screen with more than 200 local dimming zones that create deep, isolated contrast that doesn’t bleed across the screen, according to the brand. For gamers, it has fast HDMI connectivity and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
It has Google TV with Google Assistant built-in, meaning you can control the TV with your voice.
Screen sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: QLED | OS: Google TV
Best budget TCL TV: TCL S4 Series TV with Roku TV
What we like
- Excellent value
- Roku interface
Something to note
- So-so image quality
If budget is your top priority and terms like quantum dot LED, quad-OLED and local dimming zones make you want to fall asleep, the TCL S4 Series is accessible and affordable. It has a 4K image and an easy to use Roku interface built-in. It cannot compete with the image quality of our other picks, but it’s the most affordable on our list.
The S4 Series comes with either Roku TV, Google TV or Amazon Fire TV built-in — we’ve linked the Roku TV version above.
Screen sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75-inch | Resolution: 4K | Panel type: LED | OS: Amazon Fire TV
Frequently asked questions
An LED is a light-emitting diode (LED), one piece of how your TV displays pictures. An LED TV is currently the most common type of TV, says Prouty. LED TVs have decent brightness and are very affordable.
QLED TVs still have LEDs inside, but add a quantum dot layer that has better colors and light filtration than a normal LED screen, says Prouty. Some brands (like LG) call this and similar technology QNED (quantum nano-emitting diode).
Mini-LED TVs use smaller LEDs to illuminate the picture. Mini-LEDs can show highlights in dark and bright scenes better than regular LEDs, says Prouty.
OLED TVs are a little different: they use organic light emitting diodes (OLED) in the screen, and each individual pixel can turn on and off. OLEDs have the best contrast and widest viewing angles of any TV type, says Prouty, making them a great fit for group watching.
High-dynamic range (HDR) TVs can display a wider range of color contrast as compared to SDR (standard dynamic range) TVs. There are many different kinds of HDR, and not all shows, movies and games can display in HDR.
Refresh rate is the maximum number of frames your TV can display in a single second, represented by a number and Hertz (Hz), 60Hz, for example. This is most important for gamers, as video games can display hundreds of frames per second. Gamers should look for a TV with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz.
There is no hard and fast rule for this, according to our experts. If your TV works, and you're happy with the image quality, there is no need to replace it, says Prouty. Once your TV becomes uncomfortably slow, doesn’t connect to devices or displays an abnormal picture, it may be time to look for a replacement.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Carl Prouty, the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliances retailer based in Glenview, Illinois.
- Mark Steinberg, the senior technologist at , a national electronics retailer in New York City.
Harry Rabinowitzis a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories onsmartwatches,running shoes,over-ear headphonesand more. For this piece, he spoke with television industry experts to learn more about TV brands and what makes them notable.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
