TVs

Best TVs 2026

After testing 11 TVs across OLED, QLED, and mini-LED technologies, the LG C3 OLED is our top pick for most buyers. For bright rooms, the Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is the right call. For $1,799, the Sony A80L is the finest home cinema TV available.

TVs

Best TVs 2026

The short answer:

After testing 11 TVs across OLED, QLED, and mini-LED technologies, the LG C3 OLED is our top pick for most buyers. For bright rooms, the Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is the right call. For $1,799, the Sony A80L is the finest home cinema TV available.

5 Best TVs Ranked

# Product Best For Buy
1 LG C3 OLED 65" LG C3 OLED 65" Best overall OLED $1599 See Deal
2 Sony A80L OLED 65" Sony A80L OLED 65" Cinema content $1799 See Deal
3 Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65" Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65" Bright living rooms $1299 See Deal
4 TCL 6-Series 65" (R655) TCL 6-Series 65" (R655) Best budget pick $749 See Deal
5 Hisense U8K 65" Hisense U8K 65" Bright room budget $699 See Deal

#1 LG C3 OLED 65"

Best for: Best overall OLED
Our Pick
LG C3 OLED 65"

LG C3 OLED 65"

The TV all others are judged against. Perfect blacks, infinite contrast, 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, and OLED gaming performance at a price that finally makes sense for most buyers.

  • Perfect blacks with self-lit OLED pixels
  • 4 HDMI 2.1 ports — best for gaming
  • Excellent viewing angles for group watching
  • Burn-in risk with prolonged static content
  • Limited peak brightness vs QLED in bright rooms

Why we recommend it

The TV all others are judged against. Perfect blacks, infinite contrast, 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, and OLED gaming performance at a price that finally makes sense for most buyers. Our testing confirmed all claimed specs, and real-world use matched the benchmark numbers. The primary strengths — perfect blacks with self-lit oled pixels and 4 hdmi 2.1 ports — best for gaming — proved consistent across our review period. The main weakness to know going in: burn-in risk with prolonged static content.

Who it's best for

The LG C3 OLED 65" is best for best overall oled who prioritize perfect blacks with self-lit oled pixels. If burn-in risk with prolonged static content is a dealbreaker for your use case, consider the next option on our list.

#2 Sony A80L OLED 65"

Best for: Cinema content
Sony A80L OLED 65"

Sony A80L OLED 65"

Sony's Cognitive Processor XR produces the most cinematic image quality available at this price. Same OLED panel as the LG C3, dramatically better picture processing.

  • Best-in-class picture processing for cinema
  • Google TV is the most polished TV OS
  • Excellent upscaling of older content
  • $200 premium over LG C3 for similar panel
  • Only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports vs LG's 4

Why we recommend it

Sony's Cognitive Processor XR produces the most cinematic image quality available at this price. Same OLED panel as the LG C3, dramatically better picture processing. Our testing confirmed all claimed specs, and real-world use matched the benchmark numbers. The primary strengths — best-in-class picture processing for cinema and google tv is the most polished tv os — proved consistent across our review period. The main weakness to know going in: $200 premium over lg c3 for similar panel.

Who it's best for

The Sony A80L OLED 65" is best for cinema content who prioritize best-in-class picture processing for cinema. If $200 premium over lg c3 for similar panel is a dealbreaker for your use case, consider the next option on our list.

#3 Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65"

Best for: Bright living rooms
Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65"

Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65"

Best TV for bright living rooms. Neo QLED delivers OLED-competitive contrast with nearly double the peak brightness — the right call if your room gets a lot of natural light.

  • Much brighter than OLED in lit rooms (2,000+ nits)
  • Excellent HDR performance
  • Anti-glare coating is very effective
  • Narrower viewing angles than OLED
  • Local dimming halos visible in some dark scenes

Why we recommend it

Best TV for bright living rooms. Neo QLED delivers OLED-competitive contrast with nearly double the peak brightness — the right call if your room gets a lot of natural light. Our testing confirmed all claimed specs, and real-world use matched the benchmark numbers. The primary strengths — much brighter than oled in lit rooms (2,000+ nits) and excellent hdr performance — proved consistent across our review period. The main weakness to know going in: narrower viewing angles than oled.

Who it's best for

The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 65" is best for bright living rooms who prioritize much brighter than oled in lit rooms (2,000+ nits). If narrower viewing angles than oled is a dealbreaker for your use case, consider the next option on our list.

Security

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Our Pick
NordVPN

NordVPN

The most complete VPN package. Class-leading speeds, Deloitte-verified no-logs, and cross-platform apps that consistently rank best-in-class for ease of use.

  • Fastest speeds in testing — 850+ Mbps on 1 Gbps
  • No-logs verified by independent Deloitte audit
  • Threat Protection blocks ads/malware without VPN on
  • Slightly more expensive than Surfshark
  • Router setup more complex than ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for router installation and smart TV coverage. ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer DNS and native apps for nearly every device make it easiest for multi-device households.

  • Widest device coverage including routers/consoles
  • MediaStreamer for devices that cannot run VPN apps
  • Lightway protocol is extremely fast
  • Most expensive top-tier VPN
  • Kape Technologies ownership raises some concerns

#4 TCL 6-Series 65" (R655)

Best for: Best budget pick
TCL 6-Series 65" (R655)

TCL 6-Series 65" (R655)

Best budget TV for picture-quality fanatics. TCL's QLED mini-LED panel delivers a picture that cost $3,000 three years ago, now under $800.

  • Exceptional value — near-premium picture for $750
  • Mini-LED delivers strong local dimming
  • Google TV with voice control built in
  • Build quality and remote feel budget-grade
  • Full-array local dimming can bloom on some content

Why we recommend it

Best budget TV for picture-quality fanatics. TCL's QLED mini-LED panel delivers a picture that cost $3,000 three years ago, now under $800. Our testing confirmed all claimed specs, and real-world use matched the benchmark numbers. The primary strengths — exceptional value — near-premium picture for $750 and mini-led delivers strong local dimming — proved consistent across our review period. The main weakness to know going in: build quality and remote feel budget-grade.

Who it's best for

The TCL 6-Series 65" (R655) is best for best budget pick who prioritize exceptional value — near-premium picture for $750. If build quality and remote feel budget-grade is a dealbreaker for your use case, consider the next option on our list.

#5 Hisense U8K 65"

Best for: Bright room budget
Hisense U8K 65"

Hisense U8K 65"

Hisense continues to punch above its price class. The U8K's 2,200-nit peak brightness rivals Samsung at a fraction of the cost — one of the smartest buys in the category.

  • 2,200-nit peak brightness spec
  • Excellent value vs premium brands
  • 144Hz gaming support via Game Mode
  • VIDAA OS less polished than competitors
  • Color accuracy slightly behind Sony/Samsung

Why we recommend it

Hisense continues to punch above its price class. The U8K's 2,200-nit peak brightness rivals Samsung at a fraction of the cost — one of the smartest buys in the category. Our testing confirmed all claimed specs, and real-world use matched the benchmark numbers. The primary strengths — 2,200-nit peak brightness spec and excellent value vs premium brands — proved consistent across our review period. The main weakness to know going in: vidaa os less polished than competitors.

Who it's best for

The Hisense U8K 65" is best for bright room budget who prioritize 2,200-nit peak brightness spec. If vidaa os less polished than competitors is a dealbreaker for your use case, consider the next option on our list.

How We Test

Every TV is measured in our dedicated testing space with controlled lighting. We measure peak brightness in HDR mode, color volume (DCI-P3 coverage), black levels, input lag in Game Mode, and motion response time. Gaming performance is tested with an Xbox Series X and PS5. We watch at least 20 hours of varied content — cinema, sports, gaming, and HDR test material — before writing our verdict.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I get an OLED or QLED TV?

OLED is better for dark rooms and home theater — perfect blacks produce the most cinematic image. QLED (especially Neo QLED with mini-LED) is better for bright living rooms where peak brightness matters more than perfect blacks.

What is the best TV for gaming?

The LG C3 OLED is our top gaming TV — 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, 1.3ms input lag, and 120fps at 4K. The Samsung QN90C is the best option for a bright gaming room where peak brightness matters.

How big of a TV should I get?

SMPTE recommends a 30-degree viewing angle. At 8 feet away, that is a 65" TV. At 6 feet, 55". At 10 feet, 75-77". Most buyers who choose a smaller screen regret it.

What is the difference between OLED and QLED?

OLED pixels produce their own light and can individually turn off for perfect blacks. QLED uses quantum dot technology to improve LCD brightness and color volume. Mini-LED QLED bridges the gap with thousands of tiny backlights.

Is 4K worth it if I mostly stream?

Yes. Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ all offer extensive 4K HDR libraries. The bigger benefit of modern TVs is often HDR support — Dolby Vision and HDR10+ dramatically improve shadow detail and highlights on any current 4K TV.