Saving up for a new screen? To help you navigate the dozens of seemingly identical TV models from Samsung, LG, Vizio, TCL, Sony, and other manufacturers, we’ve watched hundreds of hours of content on them and picked a few of our favorites. We’ve listed everything from the best TV to the best budget set you can buy—and a few excellent choices in between.
Unless labeled otherwise, every TV we link to is 55 inches. There are often larger and smaller sizes available on the retailer’s site, but this is a very good size for most living rooms. All of these models have a 4K Ultra HD pixel resolution (and some have 8K), because there aren’t a lot of good reasons to buy a standard HDTV anymore. TVs now come with wonderful displays, but they’re terrible at audio and have lackluster interfaces, so you should also invest in a good soundbar and TV streaming stick. If you’re unfamiliar with much of the lingo TV manufacturers use, our How to Buy a TV guide can help.
Updated July 2022: We’ve added Samsung’s QN90B and updated our honorable mentions.
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Photograph: TCL
Best Overall
TCL 6-Series (2020)
Most of us don’t have gargantuan budgets for a new TV, but we do want to buy one that will last. For that, our favorite TV at the moment is the 2020 TCL 6-Series (9/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s a beautiful 4K TV that marries advanced technology like quantum dots (great for bright colors) and local dimming (for deeper blacks) with a built-in Roku interface. TCL is known for competitive pricing, and this 6-Series is no exception, providing the image quality we’d expect from LG and Samsung models that cost nearly double the price. It even has Dolby Vision support, our favorite high-dynamic-range format, which provides exceptionally vivid colors.
The included Micro-LED backlighting is the star of the show, providing exceptional contrast and nearly none of that annoying “halo” effect when you look at bright objects on dark backgrounds. We expect new TCL models—which will have even better gaming performance—to begin hitting shelves later this year, but we don’t yet have formal release dates, which means this is still a good buy for now.
★ Another alternative: TCL makes a significantly more expensive 8K version in larger sizes. Given the lack of 8K content and the fact that it’s much pricier right now, we still recommend this 2020 model.
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Photograph: Best Buy
Runner-Up (Best Value for Gamers)
Hisense U8G
It doesn’t have quite the same gorgeous local dimming as the TCL 6-Series, but a built-in Android interface and 120-Hz refresh rate make this model from Hisense (8/10, WIRED Recommends) a great buy, especially if you own a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. They are capable of taking advantage and displaying some games at 120 frames per second, meaning everything on the screen will look buttery smooth. The center stand is one of the most attractive I’ve seen on a TV under $1,000—a consideration for those who don’t want to hang it on the wall. Now’s still a solid time to buy. The 2022 Hisense models don’t yet have formal release dates, with the company targeting a “late-summer” launch.
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Photograph: TCL
Best Entry-Level TV
TCL 5 Series (50-inch, 2021)
TCL’s partnership with Roku has made its TVs quite popular—and they deserve the attention. The 6-Series offers the most perks, but the 2020 5-Series 4K TV with HDR is the entry-level TV we recommend. Unlike its predecessor, which was edge-lit, the latest 5-Series gets full-array local dimming, which means it has deeper contrast than many budget TVs. It’s usable for gaming and looks better than the HD set you might have right now. It comes with built-in Roku, so the remote is easy to use, and it streams right out of the box. We recommend the 50-inch model because it’s the best bang for your buck, but TCL makes other sizes.
