Every TV shopper wonders: what are the best TV brands? When you're on the hunt for a great TV, knowing which manufacturers offer the best TVs can save you some anxiety as you scroll through Amazon listings or browse the aisles of your local Best Buy. So we've boiled down our experience of reviewing dozens of TVs to help you know which brand is right for you. Show
The brand of TV you pick will determine more than just the name on the box, or the logo on the TV. Each brand has it's own identity, from unique software to differing strengths and weaknesses in TV performance. From exclusive features and technologies to overall performance and recurring problems, here's how brand-name fits in when you're weighing which TV you want to buy.
We review dozens of TVs every year, with hours of lab testing for every TV we review, and quality time spent with each set watching shows, playing games, and checking out every facet and feature of each TV. To answer the question, most TV brands are pretty great, but we definitely have our favorites, and our favorite TVs from each manufacturer. In this guide, we highlight every major name in the TV world, as well as their current top models, to help you find the right brand as you shop for your next 4K smart TV. The best TV brands: Why does the brand matter?With so many 4K TVs on the market boasting smart capabilities and listing features like HDR support and gaming modes, it's easy to think that all TVs are pretty much the same. After reviewing dozens of TVs, we can safely say that's far from true. Perhaps the single biggest aspect of current smart TVs that manufacturers determine is what software the TV runs on. Major manufacturers may use their own proprietary software, such as Samsung's Tizen operating system, or LG's webOS. Others may rely on third-party software, such as Google TV or Roku TV. These smart TV software options do more than provide a pretty interface as you choose between Netflix and HBO Max. Rather, they serve as the operating system for your smart TV, and can influence what apps you have available, what smart home features you can use, and even how you interact with the TV thanks to voice control from the likes of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Display technology is another big differentiator, as companies like Samsung and LG pour enormous amounts of money into new display panels, higher resolutions and new twists on delivering color, brightness and contract. Finally, the TV brand will also help you determine what sort of price range you'll be working with and what level of quality you can expect. Brands like Samsung, LG and Sony deliver top-notch quality across the board, but often at premium prices. Brands like TCL, Hisense and Vizio will sell for lower prices, while still providing great quality, if not as many fancy features. Which TV brands are best?There are more than a dozen brands of TV on the market, each offering different models and price points. For this guide, we've focused on the top brands, the names that are worth keeping an eye out for as you shop, and have narrowed things down to these seven: LG, TCL, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, Vizio and Amazon Fire TV. Each of these top TV brands also has at least one TV that we can point to as a favorite, with models showing up on our lists of the best TVs and getting better-than-average ratings in our reviews. LG Electronics: The OLED Leader (Image credit: Amazon) Not looking to spend over $2,000? This is the OLED TV you want to own SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, 83 inches Screen Type: OLED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 HDMI 2.1 (1 eARC) Size: 56.7 x 32.5 x 1.8 inches Weight: 32.6 pounds Reasons to buy+ Premium, lightweight design + 4 HDMI 2.1 ports + Versatile performance + Extensive gaming features Reasons to avoid- Not LG’s brightest OLED TV - No ATSC 3.0 tuner LG's brand is well known, well respected and has earned a place on our list of the best TVs year after year for one reason above all others: OLED. With OLED displays offering a clear best-in-class alternative to less expensive LCD panels, LG's position as the top OLED maker in the world overshadows everything else about their TVs. If you want the best picture quality, you want an OLED TV. And for the leader in OLED TVs, LG is the brand we recommend. But there are plenty of other reasons to get an LG set, even if it's not an OLED model. Overall, the LG has a well-earned reputation for high-quality designs and great picture quality, whether it's on mid-range systems like LG Nanocell or LG QNED TVs, or budget-friendly models, like LG UHD models, which use basic LCD panels. LG's webOS smart TV software is also easy to use, offers most of the apps and features anyone could ask for, and combines with the motion-controlled LG Magic Remote to provide one of the most intuitive navigation experiences you'll find on a premium smart TV. Looking for specific recommendations? Check out our guide to the best LG TVs TCL: The value champ(Image credit: Amazon) TCL's 6-Series is the best TV value SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches Screen Type: QLED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 HDMI, 1 USB Size: 32.8 x 56.9 x 2.7 inches Weight: 50.7 pounds Reasons to buy+ Terrific brightness levels + Strong gaming performance, features + Roku TV offers a huge app selection and easy interface + Improved Roku remote Reasons to avoid- Mediocre sound - Limited HDMI 2.1 ports If there's a brand that gives you the most for your money, it's TCL. A relative newcomer in the North American market, TCL has exploded into one of the largest TV brands, and for good reason. TCL TVs offer premium technologies such as mini-LED and QLED at budget-friendly prices, include gamer-friendly features like THX Certified Game Mode, and deliver performance that is well above average for prices that are among the most affordable. There's even an 8K TV – the TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648) – if you want to be an early adopter without spending a ton. TCL also offers the best Roku TVs on the market. Thanks to a tight partnership between TCL and Roku, you will get the best version of Roku TV, from the intuitive interface to advanced voice interaction. You'll see a lot of Roku TVs from different brands in the budget section of the TV aisle, but by and large, they don't offer what you'll get with a TCL TV. Looking for specific recommendations? Check out our guide to the best TCL TVs Samsung: QLED TVs are best in brightness, hands down(Image credit: Amazon) Need extra brightness? This is the premium QLED TV of the year SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches Screen Type: QLED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 HDMI all HDMI 2.1 Size: 57 x 32.7 x 0.7 inches Weight: 49.2 pounds Reasons to buy+ Outstanding brightness abilities + Impressive color reproduction + Great cable management + Low input lag Reasons to avoid- No Dolby Vision support Samsung is the elephant in the room when it comes to TVs, with a huge selection of 4K and 8K Smart TVs, and is the long-established leader in quantum dot technology, even as it faces more competition on the QLED front. Samsung TVs use the proprietary Tizen Smart TV platform, which offers a great ecosystem of apps, along with some of the richest smart features you'll find: you get unique offerings for everything from smart home control to fitness-oriented features, plus support for video chat and productivity that other TVs simply can't match. Samsung is also dedicated to reimagining what the TV looks like and how it fits into our lives. From The Frame, an artwork-inspired TV that hangs on the wall, to The Sero, a TV that rotates to display mobile content vertically, Samsung's Lifestyle TV collection delivers some of the most unique TVs on the market. Samsung TVs also have their quirks, like opting for the Samsung-led HDR10+ format instead of the more popular Dolby Vision HDR format, but these are minor issues compared to the quality Samsung offers. Looking for specific recommendations? Check out our guide to the best Samsung TVs Sony: Best upscaling and motion processing(Image credit: Sony) Amazing brightness and black levels plus the best smart TV platform SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 55, 65 Screen Type: QD-OLED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 (2 HDMI 2.1, 2 HDMI 2.0) Size: 56.88 x 33 x 1.75 inches Weight: 59.5 pounds Reasons to buy+ Superb picture quality + Color and brightness are outstanding + Best sound you can find from a TV + Includes a dizzying variety of useful, experience-enhancing features Reasons to avoid- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports - Not the lowest input lag you can find In the TV world, Sony is the equivalent of old money – they've been making high-end TVs since the late ’60s, and that experience shows in the highly polished Bravia TVs they sell, and the excellent performance those TVs provide. Sony also delivers some of the best sound you'll get on any TV, thanks to technologies like Acoustic Surface Audio+, which uses the glass of an OLED TV panel to create dialogue and sound effects, making for incredible realism. Sony TVs use Android TV and Google TV software to meet all of your smart TV needs. The Google app ecosystem is enormous, and the Android platform offers deeper smart home integration and better voice interaction than any other Smart TV software. Pretty much the only problem we have with Sony's superb TVs is the price, which consistently runs more premium than the competition. Looking for specific recommendations? Check out our guide to the best OLED TVs Hisense: A budget-friendly competitor(Image credit: Best Buy) Hisense's best ULED is also its best ATSC 3.0 TV SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 55, 65, 75 inches Screen Type: Mini-LED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 HDMI (2 HDMI 2.1) Size: 57.2 × 35.9 × 14.8 inches Weight: 56.4 pounds Reasons to buy+ Powerful sound + Incredible peak luminance + Affordable sticker price Reasons to avoid- Color banding - Inconsistent upscaling - Motion handling could be better A company once best known for making appliances like air conditioners has become a pretty great TV maker, and one of the best affordable TV brands on the market. We've been routinely impressed by the quality Hisense TVs offer, and definitely recommend giving them a look. Depending on the model, Hisense offers both Roku and Android TV options, giving you the choice of two of the best smart TV platforms available. Hisense has also embraced technologies like QLED to pack more of a punch and provide better color and brightness than you would normally expect from TVs in this price range. The best TVs under $1000 | The best TVs under $500 Vizio: A value-friendly up-and-comer(Image credit: Vizio) An ultra-bright, ultra-big 4K TV SpecificationsAvailable Screen Sizes: 85 inches Screen Type: LED Refresh Rate: 120 Hz HDMI ports: 4 HDMI Size: 42.6 x 74.5 x 3.3 inches Weight: 100.8 pounds Reasons to buy+ Strong picture quality + Good gaming features + Improved remote control Reasons to avoid- Mediocre sound - So-so off-angle viewing Another so-called budget TV brand that's making waves is Vizio. Vizio's first forays into the smart TV market were hampered by missing features sacrificed in the name of affordability, and a limited smart TV experience. But the most recent Vizio TVs have raised the bar considerably, offering great features and expanded smart TV capabilities. But what Vizio delivers consistently is quality, and that's best seen in the Vizio OLED TV, currently one of the best-value buys in the TV world. The only caveat around Vizio TVs is that Vizio's SmartCast platform does have some limitations you won't encounter on most smart TVs. App selection is limited, with the expectation that you will use the TV's built in Chromecast and AirPlay compatibility to cast other apps to the TV from your phone or tablet. The best TVs under $1000 | The best OLED TVs Amazon Fire TV: The sure-fire sales TV(Image credit: Amazon) Fire TV has never looked better, or been easier to use SpecificationsScreen size: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 inches Screen type: LCD Refresh rate: 60Hz HDMI ports: 3 HDMI 2.0 (1 HDMI 2.1 eARC) Size: 57.1 x 33.4 x 3.2 inches Weight: 45.4 pounds Reasons to buy+ Premium design looks great + Fire TV has never been better + Hands-free Alexa control is best voice interaction yet Reasons to avoid- Not the brightest - One HDMI 2.1 port that doubles as eARC If you've paid any attention during sales events in the last year, you’ll undoubtedly have seen Amazon Fire TV edition smart TVs selling for a song. Thanks to low prices, Amazon's smart TVs are big bestsellers, even if the Fire TV platform is less prominent than other smart TV operating systems. If you're an Amazon die hard, you'll love the interface, which prominently highlights content from Amazon Prime and Amazon-affiliated services, such as IMDb TV. You will definitely appreciate Amazon Alexa being baked into the system, complete with easy integration with all of the Amazon Echo smart speakers in your home. Our only real problem with Amazon's smart TVs is the tendency to advertise a bit aggressively; you'll never forget that it's an Amazon TV, and that Amazon has something it thinks you want to buy. The best TVs under $500 | Toshiba Fire TV vs Insignia Fire TV Finding the right TV for youWhile selecting a TV brand goes a long way toward helping you choose a great TV, there's more to it than picking a manufacturer. We recommend finding the TV size that is best for your home, determining what features you must have and which you can live without, and then getting the best model that meets your criteria. We think smart TVs are the way to go in today's world of streaming shows and movies, and we strongly recommend getting a TV with 4K resolution – anything less will be a disappointment, and 8K TVs are a waste of money (for now). Features like HDR support and additional HDMI ports are worth paying a little more for, but don't forget to think about other details, like how you want to mount the TV, or what apps are most important for you. Finally, all of our TV reviews include in-depth testing, hands-on experience and close examination of everything from the design of a TV to the smart TV software and remote control. Here's the best of our TV buying advice:
If you've narrowed down your TV shopping by brand, price range or screen size, check out our picks for the best TVs in each. Best TVs | Best 4K TVs | Best smart TVs for streaming | Best TVs for gaming The best TVs under $1000 | The best TVs under $500 Best Samsung TVs | Best TCL TVs | Best LG TVs | Best Roku TVs | Best OLED TVs | Best QLED TVs | Best 8K TVs The smallest smart TVs | Best 43-inch TVs | Best 50-inch TVs | Best 55-inch TVs | Best 65-inch TVs | Best 70-inch TVs | Best 75-inch TVs | Best 85-inch TVs And don't forget to watch out for the latest TV reviews. Instant access to the hottest deals available plus daily breaking news, reviews, helpful tips and more from the Tom's Guide team. Nick Pino heads up the TV and AV verticals at Tom's Guide and covers everything from OLED TVs to the latest wireless headphones. He was formerly the Senior Editor, TV and AV at TechRadar (Tom's Guide's sister site) and has previously written for GamesRadar, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade. Not sure which TV you should buy? Drop him an email or tweet him on Twitter and he can help you out. What TV brand is the best in 2023?The 7 Best TVs - Winter 2023 Reviews. Best TV. Samsung S90C OLED 209. ... . Best Home Theater TV. Sony A95L OLED 133. ... . Best Bright Room TV. Sony X93L/X93CL 61. ... . Best Upper Mid-Range TV. LG C3 OLED 145. ... . Best Mid-Range TV. LG B3 OLED 118. ... . Best Lower Mid-Range TV. Hisense U7K [U7, U75K] 128. ... . Best Budget TV. Hisense U6/U6K 103. ... . Best Cheap TV.. What is the1 TV brand?Samsung TVs: Best all-around brand with the best built-in audio. Samsung is the best all-around TV brand, partially because of its huge TV range, St Leger said. “You can find Samsung TVs for $300 or $3,000, and all [are] generally good for the price,” he noted. What is the most sold TV brand in the world?Samsung—which has been the world's best-selling TV brand for quite some time now—wins top honors with its balance of function and form. Who makes the most reliable TV?Our top picks:. Best Overall TV Brand. LG. Shop at Amazon. Shop at Amazon. ... . Best Value TV Brand. Hisense. $898 at Amazon. $898 at Amazon. ... . Best Picture TV Brand. VIZIO. $529 at Amazon. ... . Best TV Brand for Movies. Samsung. $1,998 at Amazon. ... . Best Smart TV Brand. TCL. $1,080 at Amazon. ... . Best TV Brand for Gaming. Sony. $2,500 at Best Buy.. |
