Buying a new TV represents both an exciting opportunity and potentially stressful challenge. The range of options, features, and prices can quickly become overwhelming. Brands promote their latest proprietary technologies like QLED, OLED and quantum dot panels – but what do these terms actually mean and which innovations matter most?
This guide will summarize the current top-tier manufacturers pushing TV picture quality forward while highlighting the core strengths of each. Compared side-by-side, from industry leader Samsung to best-in-class gaming experience of LG OLEDs, the best models allowing you to experience movies, sports and games as directors and developers intended will rise to the top.
Armed with this analysis, key considerations will be clear when determining which technology and brand stands ready to deliver an immersive home theater experience tailored to your needs and budget.
Quick Look: Top-Rated TVs By Brand
| Brand | Model | Screen Size | Resolution | Panel Type | Refresh Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | QN900B Neo QLED 8K | 65" | 8K | QLED | 144Hz | $2,370 |
| Sony | X95K 4K Google TV | 65" | 4K | Full Array LED | 120Hz | $1,698 |
| LG | C2 Series OLED | 65" | 4K | OLED | 120Hz | $1,897 |
| TCL | 6-Series QLED | 65" | 4K | QLED | 144Hz | $799 |
| Vizio | OLED 4K SmartCast | 65” | 4K | OLED | 120Hz | $1,299 |
| Sunbrite | SB-6574UHD-BL Veranda Series | 65” | 4K | LED | 60Hz | $3,995 |
Prices reflect MSRP at time of writing
Best Overall: Samsung QLED Delivers Leading Picture Quality & Performance
When it comes to innovations that enhance picture quality like deeper contrast through better backlight control and expanded color through quantum dots, no brand has impacted the market more than Samsung. Their QLED technology (quantum dot enhanced LED) allows their premium sets to deliver visual performance that wins awards and wows viewers.
Occupying a best-in-industry 20% global market share in TVs, their Neo QLED 8K models set the pace by providing AI-enhanced upscaling to deliver improved clarity and detail by filling in missing pixels compared to native 4K screens. Improved lighting systems featuring precision dimming zones (up to nearly 2,000 zones in 2023 models) bathe images in just the right areas with proper brightness while allowing for inky shadows.
Samsung‘s updates to their Tizen smart platform provide quicker access to integrated streaming services and ambient modes that turn the TV into enticing art when powered down. For the ultimate future-proof big screen centerpiece displaying shows, movies, games and more with breathtaking color, clarity and contrast, Samsung QLED models sit at the top.
Best Picture Accuracy: Sony Delivers Supreme Color & Realism
Sony has forged elite credentials for true-to-life picture quality across their LCD and premium full array LED TVs. Their consistency in earning best picture awards can be attributed to several key innovations. The powerful Cognitive XR processor leverages advanced AI and deep learning to analyze images for natural textural and spatial relationships the way humans perceive depth for authentic realism.
The XR Contrast Booster technology then builds upon this processing by individually controlling dimming zones that precisely manage black levels and peak brightness simultaneously. This unlocks images with dazzling dynamic range while revealing subtle details often lost in shadows. Sony further enhances images through their Triluminos display technology by expanding the color gamut for heightened vividness in hues.
While lacking elite contrast of OLEDs, Sony top full-array LED models excel in living room environments while also better avoiding risk of permanent burn in that plasma and OLED screens can suffer over time. If your preferences lean more heavily toward pristine color accuracy, natural realism and upscaled HD content, Sony delivers impeccable and reliable results.
Best for Gaming: LG OLED Bring Supreme Responsiveness & Immersion
For gaming specifically, LG has established themselves as the elite choice thanks to their market-leading OLED TVs. Unlike LCD panels requiring separate backlight systems, OLED (organic light emitting diode) pixels directly emit their own light. This allows for effectively instantaneous on/off response times while enabling per pixel precision in illumination. The resulting ability to toggle complete black levels beside exact color and brightness is game changing.
LG harnesses these capabilities to achieve 0.1 millisecond response, compared even to 1 millisecond for excellent gaming monitors. This lightning reflex and sharper motion clarity pairs with the infinite contrast of OLEDs to make games feel more tactile and engaging. Support for latest HDMI 2.1 inputs enables 4K gaming at up to 120 frames per second to maximize what current PlayStation and Xbox consoles output.
Better protecting against image retention, 2023 LG models also add a dedicated Game Optimizer menu for quickly toggling gaming-centric settings. For players wanting the best graphics, response times and console compatibility for popular franchises like Call of Duty, Elden Ring and more, LG OLEDs represent the pinnacle.
Best Budget Option: TCL 6-Series Packs Features & Performance
Proving premium technology need not demand premium prices, TCL‘s 6-Series models are priced low enough for modest budgets yet packed with performance and features daring buyers to expect more. By incorporating QLED quantum dots into their displays, the 6-Series achieve over a billion color combinations for expanded vibrancy and accuracy. Full array backlighting with Contrast Control Zones numbering up to 160 dynamically adjust to on-screen content for notable depth and dimension.
Built-in Roku smart functionality brings comprehensive access (over 150 channels) to leading streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ easily through the straightforward interface. Support for Dolby Vision HDR together with Auto Game Mode supplying fast response make the 6-Series a versatile big screen package, equally adept at movies, shows and gaming. Value seekers rejoice – with refined image clarity and a design aesthetic punching above its price bracket, TCL delivers.
Best Smart TV Features: Vizio Promises Complete Connectivity
As smart home ecosystem expand in homes across the globe, Vizio TVs work as the central hub uniting comprehensive control and connectivity. Through continually updated SmartCast software, popular devices sync to Vizio screens allowing unified access to lighting, security systems, cameras and more directly from the TV. Hands-free voice support for Apple Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa grant TV and environment control through versatile and intuitive means.
SmartCast also enables discovery and streaming of movies, TV episodes, news and additional content from over 300 free and subscription apps. Chromecast functionality further allows videos, music and images from compatible mobile devices to seamlessly cast to the larger screen. For the most cohesive smart TV experience bringing convenience across devices and services via natural language Vizio leads the charge.
Best for Outdoor Viewing: Sunbrite Delivers Bright & Durable Performance
While abundant big screen options exist for indoor spaces, few manufacturers consider more extreme open air placements subject to weather and sunlight. SunbriteTV fills this niche by exclusively producing all-weather televisions designed and engineered to excel in full shade or indirect sun installations. Fortified protective exteriors shield fragile internal components from rain, dust and insects without impeding ventilation to combat excessive heat up to 140°F degrees and withstand freezing cold environments.
Noticeably brighter screens (up to 1500 nits peak brightness across models) counter glare while calibrated anti-reflective coatings maintain crisp focus even in ample ambient lighting. Created to anchor outdoor lounging spaces like pool decks and patios for years while delivering vivid 4K UHD images, Sunbrite outdoor TVs enable the perfect open air viewing experience.
What Matters Most? Prioritizing TV Features Based on Needs
All modern TV brands market seemingly endless acronyms and technologies to entice buyers with the latest innovation. But what elements actually impact viewing experience and matter most for different use cases? Here are 3 key considerations:
Picture Quality – Contrast and color performance set the foundation for image realism and immersion. Choose panel types like QLED and OLED accordingly.
Responsiveness – Slow input lag frustrates players. Favor faster displays with HDMI 2.1 and VRR support for smooth gaming.
Smart Connectivity – Convenience spans easy streaming app access and device ecosystem integration. Weigh interface and expansive capabilities.
Identify whether breathtaking movies, fast-action games or interconnectivity matters most. This guides ideal panel type, refreshed rate and smart functionality for your perfect match television.
Final Thoughts – TV Innovations Elevate the Experience
The living room television maintains an enduring and elevated place delivering entertainment into homes worldwide. Whether streaming the latest binge-worthy drama, gathering for a tense championship game or escaping into immersive virtual worlds, today‘s TVs elevate these shared experiences through quality and innovation.
Samsung continues market dominance by enhancing their QLED-fueled displays with brilliant colors, inky blacks and striking contrast. Sony leans into cognitive processing for unrivaled color accuracy and realism. LG harnessesOLED speed for unmatched gaming responsiveness and infinite contrast across entertainment formats. Other brands too push boundaries once thought impossible for home viewers not long ago.
Fueled by quantum dots, full array backlight precision and self-illuminating pixel capabilities, brands carry the torch forward to usher in new eras of bigger, bolder and brighter home theaters. Paired with the unmatched convenience and breadth of built-in smart connectivity, modern television conjures enjoyably shared memories while signaling the most exciting days still ahead.
