There are plenty of TVs out there, but I'm certain that there's one that's right for you. I've reviewed dozens of televisions head-to-head in my time at CNET, and I've collected these tips to help you find the best TVs for streaming, gaming and watching movies. So whether you're looking to turn your space into a home theater or a gaming haven, a new TV will make a great addition.
The TV-replacement cycle is cyclical, and we're all currently waiting for the 2026 televisions to arrive in the spring. This also means that the TVs on the market feature some of the best discounts you'll ever see. Meanwhile, there are plenty of technologies to choose from, but the two main ones are OLED and LCD (which is also known as QLED or just LED). So which TV should you get?
Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Read more:Â Best TVs of 2026
What's the best TV for sports? What about gaming?
Trick question! I believe the best TVs for watching pretty much anything are the TVs with the best black level, color and other standard performance characteristics (not to mention the biggest screen). Motion resolution isn't a major concern since most blurring on TV sporting events is inherent in the source, and input lag, which I measure for every TV review, can often be improved by specialized gaming modes common on most TVs.
The exception, as mentioned above, is for gamers with next-generation consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X who want features like 4K/120Hz and variable refresh rate. Those are typically found on newer, more expensive TVs.
Read more: Best Gaming TVs
When is the best time to buy a TV?
The best time to buy a TV is typically during Black Friday. That's because TV prices go down as the year progresses until they typically hit bottom on the biggest shopping days of the year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are best known for absurd, doorbuster pricing on no-name televisions, but the fact is that just about every TV gets a holiday price cut.
Right now, we're at the end of the buying cycle. 2025 TVs have been subject to some discounts, and this will continue throughout the rest of winter, until manufacturers release their 2026 offerings, announced at CES earlier this month.Â
Generally, I tell people to wait until the fall to get a new TV, as that's when you'll save the most money. Yet, the prices on most TVs are still low compared to when they were released in early 2025.
Wondering exactly how to figure out the TV for you? Here's some more advice.
Read more:Â Best TVs of 2026
What TV specifications matter most?
As a rule of thumb, the main purpose of a TV's specification sheet is to bombard you with confusing terms and numbers in an attempt to get you to "step up" and buy the more expensive version. Rather than rely on the spec sheet to provide hints on which TV will perform better than another, my advice is to simply ignore it. The sheet can help when trying to differentiate a TV based on features, such as whether it has HDR, smart TV capability or a fancy remote, but it's close to useless when used as a tool for divining picture quality. One of the only numbers that can be of use is if it happens to be an LED TV -- the more dimming zones a TV has, the it has the potential for better contrast.
How big a TV should you buy?
I 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.
In fact, more so than any other "feature," stepping up in TV screen size is the best use of your money. One of the most common post-TV-purchase complaints wI've heard is from people who didn't go big enough. And I almost never hear people complain that their TV is too large.
If you want to fit an existing entertainment center, make sure you have at least an inch on the sides and top of the TV cavity to allow for ventilation. Or just junk that old furniture and wall mount a bigger TV.
Read more: Why You Can (Probably) Get a Bigger TV Than You Think
Do I need 4K and HDR?
TVs with 4K resolution, also known as Ultra High Definition TVs, have four times as many pixels as standard 1080p resolution TVs. That sounds like a big improvement, but in reality it's very difficult to tell the difference in sharpness between a 4K TV and a good old-fashioned HDTV.
On the other hand, 4K TVs are easy for manufacturers to produce, so they're now basically standard. Just about every TV 50 inches or larger has 4K resolution, and many smaller sets are 4K, too. Aside from the smallest sizes, 1080p and lower-resolution models are quickly becoming consigned to the bargain bin.
Read more:Â Best 75-Inch TVs
Many streaming services offer 4K HDR TV shows and movies.
Most of the 4K TVs have HDR compatibility as well. While the upgrade from 4K resolution from normal HDTV can be subtle, the benefits of HDR are immediately noticeable, with both better contrast and color. How big of an improvement (if any) depends on the TV, however, and just like with 4K, you'll need to be watching actual HDR content. And just because a TV is HDR-compatible doesn't mean it actually performs better, with or without an HDR source.
Streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and Max offer both 4K and HDR, but not on every title (although most original series and movies on both services are in 4K HDR). Actual 4K or HDR TV channels are largely nonexistent in the US, but certain special events (like the Olympics) are sometimes shown in 4K HDR. In the case of Netflix, you do need to be on the most expensive plan to get HDR content.
Bottom line? All of the best TVs are 4K TVs with HDR. If you're shopping for a medium-sized or larger TV, you'll probably end up with a 4K one anyway, and chances are it'll do HDR, too.
Read more: Why All HDR on TVs Isn't the Same
Every CNET TV review is conducted as a side-by-side comparison with other TVs.
Which TVs have the best picture quality?
I consider the best picture quality, or PQ, for the money a sort of holy grail in the quest for a new TV. It's still consistently the No. 1 thing TV shoppers cite as important to their buying decision.
If you don't place as high a priority on PQ, you'll get the best value by simply sorting a list of TVs by price along with the screen size you want, choosing the cheapest from a brand you trust and calling it a day. Or at least skip to the next section of this guide.
After 20 years of reviewing TVs, I feel comfortable conveying some generalizations I've observed about picture quality:
- OLED TVs have the best picture quality available, but they're still quite expensive.
- QD-OLED brings quantum dot technology to the OLED display. This results in deep blacks and higher brightness, with better color in bright areas.
- Nearly every TV, including Samsung's QLED, uses LED LCD technology, which (despite the "LED" similarity) is very different from OLED.
- LED LCD TVs with local dimming often outperform those without. LCD also has other tech, like quantum dots and mini-LED, that help improve its image quality.
- The ability to produce a deep shade of black -- which translates into high contrast -- is the most important ingredient in a good picture.
- For HDR, image brightness and local dimming are essential for the best performance.
- Color saturation, which is directly influenced by contrast/black level, is second most important, followed by color accuracy.
- In a bright room, matte screens are the best overall at reducing reflections. The best glossy screens preserve black levels well.
- Less important factors include color gamut, video processing and display resolution.
- Many people don't realize they're watching the soap opera effect and might like their TV's picture quality better if they turned it off.
- Poor picture settings on a good TV will usually look worse than calibrated picture settings on a crappy TV.
In sum, picture quality is more complex than just counting pixels or reading a spec sheet, and your best bet is to read reviews, such as those at CNET. Hopefully you can also get the chance to see a good TV in person along with someone who can explain why it's good.
Read more: How We Test TVs at CNET
Considerations beyond size, price and picture quality
Those are the "big three" of TV buying, but a few other things are worth knowing about.Â
8K is here, but don't worry about it
A TV with 8K resolution has twice the horizontal and vertical resolution of 4K, for a whopping 7,680x4,320 and 33,177,600 total pixels. Not only is that four times the total pixel count of 4K, that's an incredible 16 times more pixels than 1080p.
A few TVs with 8K resolution are available today, but I don't recommend them. They're expensive and there's nothing in 8K to watch today. Moreover, from what the team has seen they don't provide much, if any, picture quality improvement compared to 4K TVs.
In the future, 8K TVs may get cheaper and more mainstream, but it will be years before they're worth considering for all but the richest TV buyers.
Read more: What You Need to Know About 8K TV
Voice control, including Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
Another big trend in gadgets, including TVs, is the ability to be controlled by voice commands. Many TV remotes have built-in mics and "push to talk" functionality, for example to search for TV shows and movies, and many work with one or both of the two major voice assistants, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. A handful of newer TVs even have built-in mics that allow them to respond to a "Hey, Google" or "Alexa" wake word, much like a Google Nest or Echo speaker. And numerous models work with existing Alexa or Google speakers too.
Voice control makes some tasks easier than hitting buttons on a remote. You can not only search for TV shows and movies, but order pizza, play trivia games and music, and control lights and other smart home devices. Other activities, however, are still easier using the remote.
Many TVs can be controlled hands-free with Google Home and Alexa speakers.
HDMI connections
TV connectivity has gotten less complex as important inputs have dwindled to one kind: HDMI. Just count the number of devices you'll want to connect, and make sure your TV has at least that many HDMI ports (or one or two extra if you'll be expanding).Â
USB inputs have two main uses: as the power supply for a streaming stick, or for displaying photos on a USB stick. You only need to worry about the analog ports if you have an older device to connect; the Nintendo Wii is the classic HDMI-free offender. And of course you'll need an antenna input (standard on nearly every TV) if you're cutting the cord and want free over-the-air TV.
Nearly every new 4K TV has enough robust HDMI connections (version 2, 2.0a or 2.0b, with HDCP copy protection) to work with a range of the latest 4K and HDR gear. The latest HDMI 2.1 standard is available on many newer TVs, but for now it's mainly useful for gamers who have a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X and want to maximize their graphics capabilities. And yes, you should just buy the cheap HDMI cables.
Read more: Best HDMI Cables for Your New 4K and HDR TV
Newer TVs with HDMI 2.1 often have "4K/120Hz" or gaming labels near the applicable inputs.
Smart TV
Since you can connect an inexpensive Roku or Amazon Fire TV stick or box to make any TV "smart" -- in the sense that you get access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and the rest -- the "apps" on TVs are often redundant. Even so, your next TV will likely have smart apps whether you use them or not.
One advantage of built-in apps is that they're likely 4K and HDR if your TV supports those formats, whereas the cheapest external streamers are not. On the other hand, you can get a great 4K HDR streamer for less than $50, and often the experience will be much better than on the TV.
Read more: Best Streaming Device
Roku TVs are cord-cutter-friendly, with scads of streaming apps and great antenna support.
TV antenna tuner
If you're planning on cutting the cable TV cord, or you have already, you might want to make sure the TV you get has a built-in over-the-air tuner. It will allow you to watch free local TV broadcasts, usually in higher quality than cable, satellite or streaming.
Some new TVs like Roku TVs and Amazon Fire TV Edition sets are particularly tuner-friendly, with full grid-style program guides for antenna TV shows.
Read more: Best TV Antenna
Remote controls
Most people prefer simple TV remotes without a lot of buttons.
If you aren't planning to use a universal model or the remote that came with your cable box, pay attention to the TV's included clicker. It's nice when it can command other gear directly so you can ditch those extra remotes. I prefer smaller, simple remotes with just a few buttons that consign most of the action to the screen.
Read more: Best Universal Remote
High-end styling, hidden wiring
Since TVs are basically furniture, manufacturers have concentrated on making their sets look nicer. Many TVs today look like almost all picture from the front, and when seen from the side or hung on a wall, the thin cabinets almost disappear. Other innovations include channels to hide wiring and, in the case of high-end Samsung TVs, a separate input box to further reduce clutter.
Some TVs have channels behind the TV for hiding wires.
TV buying FAQs
What's the best TV brand?
I don't have a favorite brand; instead to judge the TVs I test on their individual merits, largely ignoring brand cachet or reputation. I don't test TVs over the long term, but from what I know all of the major brands are more or less equally reliable. Some brands do perform more consistently better than others in my tests, or deliver remotes, smart TV systems or designs I prefer over competitors, but these can change on a fairly regular basis.
Another way to answer that question is to check out our current list of best TVs.
Input lag is measured for every TV I review.
What about all those picture settings? Should I pay for a calibration?
Properly adjusting the picture is very important to getting the most out of your TV. That said, simply selecting the "Movie," "Cinema" or "Filmmaker" preset will get you the most accurate picture on most TVs. If you want to go deeper, or perhaps bring in a professional to help, check out our picture settings tips and professional calibration explainer.
What accessories should I buy?
Let me reiterate: All HDMI cables are the same. If you want better audio, I recommend starting with a soundbar or investing in a home theater system. And if the built-in smart TV system on your set isn't up to par, check out a streaming device.
How long will my new TV last?
The short answer is "it should last a very long time." Here's the longer version.
Can I use my TV as a computer monitor?
Yes you can, and it should work very well, whether you use HDMI or go wireless.Â
How come you never mention rear-projection or plasma TV?
Because rear-projection TVs are no longer on sale as of 2012, and the last plasma TVs were manufactured in 2014. They're sadly missed.
OK, what about projectors?
Unlike dinosaur rear projectors, I think front projectors are really cool. Here's CNET's favorite home theater projectors and portable projectors.
What happened to 3D TV?
Once a futuristic add-on filled with promise -- remember the original Avatar? -- 3D TV is now basically dead. The last two major brands to support 3D, Sony and LG, dropped support entirely in 2017, joining Samsung, Vizio and most other brands. All of the TV makers I asked cited lack of interest from consumers.
Which HDR format is better, HDR10 or Dolby Vision? What about HLG and HDR10 Plus?
Neither one has proven better in our tests yet, and it mostly depends on the TV. For more info, check out our guide to HDR formats and an in-depth look at HDR10 Plus.