| Screen Size |
|---|
| Panel Type |
| Refresh Rate |
| HDMI Ports |
- Relatively affordable
- Excellent overall image quality
- Best-in-class brightness and contrast
- Capable Google TV system
- Not as accurate as some competitors
- Available only in 65-inch size and larger
- Cheap
- Excellent black levels and shadow detail
- Plenty of streaming options
- Desaturated reds
- Interface is less user-friendly than a Roku TV
- Relatively affordable
- Excellent overall image quality
- Capable Google TV system
- Offers a 55-inch screen size
- Not quite as bright or dynamic as some competitors
- Shadow details "crush" in HDR mode
- Better picture quality than any non-OLED TV we've tested
- Superior contrast and off-angle image
- Best-in-class gaming features
- Sleek styling with ultralight, thin panel
- Expensive
- Not as bright as higher-end OLED TVs
- No major improvements over the C3
- Best overall image quality we've tested
- Best-in-class glare reduction in a bright rooms
- Superior contrast and off-angle viewing
- Ultrathin panel with external input box
- Expensive
- Slightly diminished contrast in bright rooms
- Affordable
- Good picture quality thanks to local dimming
- Great smart TV system
- Lacks 120Hz refresh rate and other gaming extras
- Not as bright as some similarly priced TVs
- Bright, high-contrast image for the price
- Preserves picture well from off-angle
- Slightly less accurate color
- Available in only two sizes
Factors to consider when choosing a TV
With all of the TVs available today, and all of the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be tough to figure out what's important. Here's a quick guide to help cut through the confusion.
Screen size: Bigger is better in our book. We recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room or main TV -- and 65 inches or larger is best. More so than any "feature," stepping up in TV screen size is the best use of your money. One of the most common post-TV-purchase complaints we've heard is from people who didn't go big enough. And we rarely hear people complain that their TV is too large.
Price: TVs range in price from $100 to more than $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive and spending more money can also get you better image quality. Most entry-level TVs have a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time, so it might be worth spending more to get a better picture. It's also best to shop for a TV in the fall when prices are lower.
Capability: Among entry-level TVs the most important feature is what kind of smart TV system the TV uses. Among midrange models, look for a feature including full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in our experience. Among high-end TVs, OLED technology is your best bet.
How CNET tests TVs
Our TV reviews follow a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process honed over nearly two decades of TV reviews. Our primary TV test lab has specialized equipment for measuring light and color, including a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer, a Murideo Sig-G 4K HDR signal generator and an AVPro Connect 8x8 4K HDR distribution matrix. We use Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate every TV we review. In every CNET TV review, three or more similar TVs are compared side by side in various lighting conditions playing different media, including movies, TV shows and games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR. Our reviews also account for design, features, smart TV performance, HDMI input and gaming compatibility, among other factors.
Other TVs we've tested
LG C3: When we reviewed the C3 in 2023 it was one of our favorite TVs, and this impression continued into the following year. It's still a great TV, but with the pricing on this and the C4 being identical right now it makes sense to go for the newer TV.
Samsung S90D: The S90D performed well, but it suffered some contrast loss compared to the C4. Any differences between the C4 and S90D were subtle.
One important aspect of image quality we test is overall brightness. Here's how brightness compares in nits across select TVs listed above.
Light output in nits
| TV | Brightest mode (HDR) | Accurate mode (HDR) | Brightest mode (SDR) | Accurate mode (SDR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL QM8 | 1,975 | 1,975 | 1,739 | 1,448 |
| Samsung QN65Q90B | 3,316 | 1,981 | 2,625 | 974 |
| Hisense U8N | 3,175 | 3,175 | 3,168 | 1,112 |
| LG OLED C4 | 1,213 | 968 | 414 | 390 |
| Samsung S95D | 1,734 | 1,666 | 544 | 268 |
| Vizio Quantum Pro | 1269 | 1063 | 1382 | 221 |
| Roku TV Plus | 514 | 455 | 579 | 404 |
Check out How We Test TVs for more details.
For more TV buying advice check out How to Buy a TV.
TV-buying FAQs
We'll post the answers to commonly asked TV questions below. If you have any others, feel free to reach out on Twitter (@dkatzmaier), or by clicking the little envelope icon on my CNET profile page. Doing so will let you send a message straight to my inbox.