So, do you want a new TV? Buy it the best TV to meet your needs is a balancing act of finding the best price, the right size for your room, and the best image quality. I have reviewed most of the current versions One-on-one TVs in a dedicated laboratory, and I want to help you choose the best value for money television that suits you. It’s worth noting that all of the TVs below are from 2025, while 2026 models are currently appearing on shelves. Expect reviews of the latest TVs soon, including the Samsung S95H, but I just finished one full review of the LG G6 OLED here.
The Samsung S90F has many advantages. It’s relatively affordable, ultra lightweight, easy to set up, and delivers some of the best images I’ve ever seen. It’s also great for gaming, with very low lag scores and well-saturated colors. It delivers the “infinite black” of the best OLEDs, winningly combining it with excellent shadow details.
Benefits
- The Samsung S90F offers excellent image quality
- Fast movement for players
Disadvantages
- It lacks the anti-glare coating of the step-up model
- No Dolby Vision
While all other OLED TVs have posted modest year-over-year increases so far, the LG G5 is a huge improvement over its predecessor. LG claims it has 40% improved brightness – a claim I verified in my own testing – and that it’s a TV that can rival LCD TVs for clarity and punch. The G5 delivers better colors than any other TV I’ve tested in the past 12 months, including its replacement the G6, and the G5 is the winner of the CNET Labs Award for Best Color Accuracy. It’s also much better for gaming. For the right person, the extra $800 for the G5 over the C5 is worth it.
Benefits
- The G5 has the highest brightness of any OLED TV to date
- It is capable of stunning image quality
Disadvantages
- Brightness increase is not visible in all content
- The remote control is not as good as previous versions
- Expensive compared to the LG C5
If you want the best TV you can buy in 2026, this is it. Samsung’s S95F takes everything we loved about last year’s S95D – great picture quality, blazing-fast gaming, superior anti-glare – and somehow manages to improve on it. What’s particularly impressive is how this TV banishes glare, making it well-suited for watching in a bright room. If you squint at the screen because you see a window or overhead lights in your photo, this TV is for you. While there is some loss of contrast with the lights on, it’s not as pronounced as with the S95D, and its overall lack of reflectivity is well worth the tradeoff.
Benefits
- Best overall image quality I’ve tested
- Better glare reduction in a bright room
- Superior contrast and off-angle viewing
- Ultra-thin panel with external input box
Disadvantages
- Dear
- Slightly reduced contrast in bright rooms
As the brightest TV I’ve ever tested, the TCL QM9K is the winner of the inaugural Lab Test Award for Brightest TV Screen. It has a peak brightness of 4,520 nits, which is around 500 nits more than its closest competitor, the Hisense U8QG. The high brightness of this TV is a plus whether you’re watching a movie in a well-lit room or playing the latest AAA game. The TV still costs less than flagship OLED models, like the LG G5 and Sony Bravia 8 II. This TV also offers better in-game response times than most high-end models.
Benefits
- The TCL QM9K is able to compete with OLED for image quality
- It has top-notch brightness levels
- The backlight on this TV is practically non-existent
Disadvantages
- Yet OLED is still better
- TV color is not accurate
- It sometimes overwhelms shadow details
The key to the Hisense QD7QF’s success is full local dimming – a display technology usually only found on more expensive TVs – and that’s something the previous QD7N was also lacking. As a result, this Hisense has a level of picture quality that I’ve never seen before in such an inexpensive TV. Improved contrast levels give images a solidity that makes the Hisense second to none.
Benefits
- The Hisense QD7QF has excellent picture quality thanks to local dimming
- It’s brilliant compared to rivals
- This TV is great for gaming
TV DEALS OF THE WEEK
Offers are selected by the CNET Group sales team and may be unrelated to this article.
Whether you need a TV for sporting events, gaming, or streaming shows and movies, there’s a model here for you. Know that because TVs are a stable technologyyear-over-year improvements are generally minor. In some cases, you can even buy a 2024 TV similar to a current model, but for a fraction of the price.
The TVs on this list are the best models you can buy right now, from the high end QLED and OLED TVs up to mid-range mini-LEDs and cheap 4K smart TVs. CNET has reward one of these televisions, the LG G5as the winner of its first Labs Award for Best Color Accuracy, while the TCL QM9K is the brightest screen I have tested.
What we updated: June 2026
This guide has been updated with more information on the 2026 models, including a link to the LG G6 review. All prices have been updated.
These are the best TVs for 2026
Benefits
- The Samsung S90F offers excellent image quality
- Fast movement for players
Disadvantages
- It lacks the anti-glare coating of the step-up model
- No Dolby Vision
The Samsung S90F has many advantages. It’s relatively affordable, super lightweight, easy to set up, and delivers some of the best images I’ve ever seen. It’s also great for gaming, with very low lag scores and well-saturated colors. It delivers the “infinite black” of the best OLEDs, winningly combining it with excellent shadow details.
The only downside, like all Samsung TVs, is that it doesn’t support Dolby Vision, but HDR10 Plus is more than enough for most applications. Additionally, it lacks the S95F’s anti-light coating, so it doesn’t perform as well in a bright room as that TV.
Overall, the Samsung S90F is a fantastic TV with excellent contrast levels and highly saturated colors, which can bring cinema-like images into your home.
Benefits
- The G5 has the highest brightness of any OLED TV to date
- It is capable of stunning image quality
Disadvantages
- Brightness increase is not visible in all content
- The remote control is not as good as previous versions
- Expensive compared to the LG C5
While all other OLED TVs have posted modest year-over-year increases so far, the LG G5 is a huge improvement over its predecessor. LG claims it has 40% improved brightness – a claim I verified in my own testing – and that it’s a TV that can rival LCD TVs for clarity and punch. The G5 delivers better colors than any other TV I’ve tested in the past 12 months, including its replacement the G6, and the G5 is the winner of the CNET Labs Award for Best Color Accuracy. It’s also much better for gaming. For the right person, the extra $800 for the G5 over the C5 is worth it.
With its high brightness, the G5 is also ideal for use in a bright room, although it falls behind the excellent Samsung S95F and the G6, in my tests, in terms of reducing glare in a bright room.
With excellent clarity, punchy contrast and vibrant colors, the LG G5 is the model to choose if you want the best combination of picture quality and brightness.
Benefits
- Best overall image quality I’ve tested
- Better glare reduction in a bright room
- Superior contrast and off-angle viewing
- Ultra-thin panel with external input box
Disadvantages
- Dear
- Slightly reduced contrast in bright rooms
If you want the best TV you can buy in 2026, this is it. Samsung’s S95F takes everything we loved about last year’s S95D – great picture quality, blazing-fast gaming, superior anti-glare – and somehow manages to improve on it. What’s particularly impressive is how this TV banishes glare, making it well-suited for watching in a bright room. If you squint at the screen because you see a window or overhead lights in your photo, this TV is for you. While there is some loss of contrast with the lights on, it’s not as pronounced as with the S95D, and its overall lack of reflectivity is well worth the tradeoff.
Picture quality is as excellent as you’d expect from an OLED, with vibrant colors and fantastic contrast. The TV also received a brightness increase of around 30% in 2025 and can compete with the even brighter LG G5 (on paper, at least).
The only downside? It costs a lot of money. Still, as Samsung’s flagship OLED, the S95F makes your investment worthwhile and rewards movie fans and gamers with excellent performance in an attractive package.
Benefits
- The TCL QM9K is able to compete with OLED for image quality
- It has top-notch brightness levels
- The backlight on this TV is practically non-existent
Disadvantages
- Yet OLED is still better
- TV color is not accurate
- It sometimes overwhelms shadow details
As the brightest TV I’ve ever tested, the TCL QM9K is the winner of the inaugural Lab Test Award for Brightest TV Screen. It has a peak brightness of 4,520 nits, which is around 500 nits more than its closest competitor, the Hisense U8QG. The high brightness of this TV is a plus whether you’re watching a movie in a well-lit room or playing the latest AAA game. The TV still costs less than flagship OLED models, like the LG G5 and Sony Bravia 8 II. This TV also offers better in-game response times than most high-end models.
If you tend to game almost exclusively, the QM9K is a good choice with its high brightness and fast response. Alternatively, if you want the best picture for the same price, you can get the LG G5 or, for even cheaper, the Hisense U8Q or TCL QM8K.
Benefits
- The Hisense QD7QF has excellent picture quality thanks to local dimming
- It’s brilliant compared to rivals
- This TV is great for gaming
The key to the Hisense QD7QF’s success is full local dimming – a display technology usually only found on more expensive TVs – and that’s something the previous QD7N also lacks. ed. As a result, this Hisense has a level of picture quality that I’ve never seen before in such an inexpensive TV. Improved contrast levels give images a solidity that makes the Hisense second to none.
Adding to its superior picture was its higher brightness – more than twice that of other budget 2025 TVs I’ve tested head-to-head – and that also adds to the immersion in video games.
As I write this, the QD7QF’s price is subject to some volatility: it’s currently $309 (for the 50-inch), but it was $400 the last time I checked. If the Hisense goes out of stock or gets more expensive, the Fire TV 4 2024 series is almost as good, although it lacks local dimming.
Benefits
- The TCL QM6K has excellent image quality
- Black levels are surprisingly deep
- This TV offers exceptional value for money
Disadvantages
- TV brightness and color saturation could be better
For the best TVs for the money, these are TVs priced under $1,000 that generally include the features you want without paying too much. The TCL QM6K started at a price of $1000 and is now even cheaper (around $550) and its boxes are already checked: excellent picture quality, streaming and gaming. It’s an attractive TV with its ‘frameless’ design and simple to assemble and install.
The TV is compatible with all HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and includes the company’s Halo Control System processing, designed to eliminate backlight halo in its 500 dimming zones.
In my side-by-side testing of the TV, I found that it had plenty of contrast compared to its competitors, although I had hoped for a lot more punch in the brightness department – its reading of 655 nits is super low for a modern TV. Still, if you’re viewing in the dark or without direct highlights, its lack of dazzling whites won’t be an issue.
Benefits
- Excellent image quality
- Very few halo artifacts
- New Filmmaker mode helps create more precise images
Disadvantages
- Still bright, but darker than the TV it replaced
- Worst input lag with games
TCL has topped CNET’s list of best TVs for the past few years, and the QM8K improves in several key ways. In my side-by-side comparison testing with the LG C5 and Hisense U8K, the TCL stood out with excellent colors and OLED-like black levels. The key to the TC’s image quality performance is mini-LED technology and its new Halo control system, designed to reduce light loss in dark scenes. This works but it means the screen is a little less bright than the previous QM851.
The TV also features a sleek design with a central stand and a sleek remote control. The operating system is Google TV, which I don’t like as much as Roku TV, but it’s still a solid smart TV system.
Besides a slightly slower gaming response time – measured at around 1ms slower than most and 4ms slower than the best – the TCL QM8K’s main downside is that it’s only available in large sizes (65-inch and above). If you’re looking for a TV for a smaller space, I recommend the Hisense U8QG instead, with similar performance.
LG G6 OLED: Not as good as the G5 in some respects, and certainly more expensive, but it’s preferable to the older model if you want to watch TV in a bright room – its anti-glare coating is excellent. Read my LG G6 2026 review.
Hisense U8Q: An excellent TV, the Hisense U8Q rivals the TCL QM8K and it’s also much brighter. Read my review of
The Roku Pro Series TV offers some of the best built-in sound I’ve ever heard
Ty Pendlebury/CNETRoku Pro Series: If you want a TV that’s also a Roku, this is the best one yet, although third-party models may give you better picture quality. Read my full Roku Pro Series TV review.
LG C5: Like the Samsung S90F, this is a great OLED TV for watching TV or playing games. It’s a good TV, but the S90F is better. Read my LG C5 TV review.
The Panasonic Z95A is a 2024 OLED TV with a dedicated audio system.
Richard Peterson/CNETSamsung S90D: The S90D performed well in our measurement tests but suffered some loss of contrast compared to the C4. The differences between the C4 and S90D were subtle. It was replaced by the S90F. Read CNET’s full review of the Samsung S90D.
Samsung S95D: With a versatile matte display and impressive picture, the Samsung S95D offers stunning picture quality and is a bit cheaper than the new S95F. Read CNET’s full review of the Samsung S95D.
CNET’s David Katzmaier and Ty Pendlebury have been testing TVs since the turn of the century.
Sarah Tew/CNETIn every CNET TV review, I compare at least three similar TVs side-by-side in a dedicated, light-controlled test lab. For each review, I use a rigorous and unbiased evaluation process, perfected over more than two decades of television reviews. I test TVs with a combination of scientific measurements and real-world ratings of TV content, movies and games.
To evaluate the picture quality, I use an AVPro Connect 8×8 4K HDR splitter so that each TV receives the same signal. I test TVs in a variety of lighting conditions, playing different media, including 4K HDR movies and console games, in a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming and HDR.
To measure each TV, I use specialized equipment to rate based on light output and color. My equipment includes a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer and a Murideo Six-G 4K HDR signal generator. I use Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to rate each TV I review based on its brightness, black levels, and color.
The Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer tests an LG OLED in the CNET laboratory.
David Katzmaier/CNETTo determine a TV’s color accuracy, I compare three results in each TV’s Geek Box chart: Average Color Error (primary and secondary colors), Average Grayscale Error (10 measurements of gray from almost black to white), and Colormatch HDR Error (over twenty HDR colors). With these three tests, I can compare nearly 50 data points on how each TV’s color output varies from its input. By finding the average of these values, I can then choose the one with the lowest overall value. This year, the Labs Award for Best Color Accuracy goes to the LG G5 OLED.
Color accuracy of TVs 2025
| Avg. Grayscale error (lower is better) | Average color error (the lower the better) | HDR color matching | Average | |
| LG G5 | 1.66 | 1.8 | 1.63 | 1.7 |
| Samsung S90F | 2.02 | 1.26 | 2.2 | 1.83 |
| Hisense U8Q | 2.03 | 1.93 | 2.65 | 2.2 |
| Samsung S95F | 1.14 | 3.65 | 1.9 | 2.23 |
| TCL QM6K | 3.07 | 2.23 | 6.33 | 3.88 |
| Sony Bravia 8II | 7:15 a.m. | 2.22 | 3.28 | 4.22 |
| TCL QM9K | 4.5 | 3.67 | 5.26 | 4.48 |
| Roku 65R8BX Pro (2024) | 5.7 | 7.92 | 1.87 | 5.16 |
| TCL QM8K | 5.42 | 7.23 | 3.36 | 5.34 |
| LG C5 | 1.06 | 1.08 | 17.01 | 6.38 |
| Roku Pro (2025) | 4.78 | 2.35 | 3:15 p.m. | 7.43 |
| TCL QM7K | 4.6 | 5.43 | 19.26 | 9.76 |
My reviews also consider things like features, design, smart TV performance, connectivity including HDMI inputs, and game compatibility.
Check out How CNET Tests TVs for more details.
The Sony Bravia 8 II is a new OLED flagship.
David Katzmaier/CNETWith all the televisions available today and all the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be difficult to understand what’s important. Here’s a quick guide to help clear up the confusion.
Image quality: Generally speaking, the type of display technology helps dictate the picture quality of a TV, but OLED is generally the best display technology, followed by LCD (including QLED and Mini LED). OLED tends to offer the best picture quality because it doesn’t need a backlight and each pixel can be turned on or off, leading to excellent black levels. In comparison, each LED in a backlight takes care of several pixels at a time, so it’s not as precise – it’s not yet 1:1. Among mid-range models, look for a feature including full local dimming, mini-LED, and a 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) help improve the picture in my experience. Additionally, if a TV uses quantum dots, it often leads to better color performance, whether it’s an OLED or an LCD.
Screen size: In my opinion, bigger is better. I recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room. on or a main TV – and 65 inches or larger is preferable. More than any “feature,” increasing the TV screen size is the best use of your money. One of the most common complaints after purchasing a TV that I’ve heard comes from people who didn’t try hard enough. And I rarely hear people complain that their TV is too big. It’s worth adding that while TVs can get very large, 4K resolution is sufficient for even the largest models, and CNET doesn’t recommend any 8K TVs because they represent low comparative value.
Price: TVs range in price from $100 to over $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive, and spending more money can also get you better picture quality. Most entry-level TVs offer a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time, so it may be worth spending more to get a better picture. It’s also better to buy a TV in the fall, when prices are lower.
Sound quality: Every TV has some sort of built-in speaker, but in my twenty years of reviewing AV equipment, the sound on modern TVs has been consistently terrible. Although I test the audio on each model, if you’re serious about sound quality, purchasing a separate soundbar (starting at $100) or home theater system will instantly improve essential aspects like speech and bass reproduction.
Smart TV: Among entry-level TVs, the most important feature is the type of smart TV system the TV uses, and while some own each brand (Samsung and LG), some models offer Roku and Google TV.
For more tips on buying a TV, see How to Buy a TV.
An important aspect of image quality that I test is overall brightness using the CS-2000 spectroradiometer. Here’s how brightness compares in nits on some TVs listed above. Read TVs Are Getting Uncomfortably Bright, and That’s Why for more information on the performance of the newest models.
How much should I spend on a TV?
Prices vary widely depending on size and features, from less than $100 for basic 24-inch TVs to more than $2,000 for large OLED models. TVs last a long time, so we think it’s worth spending a little more beyond the bare minimum to get a bigger screen, better picture quality, or better features. With that in mind, here are some approximate prices that will get you a really good TV in 2026.
- 55 inches: $700
- 65 inches: $1,000
- 75 inches: $1,300
You could pay (much) more or less. The fact is that almost any TV will produce a good enough picture to satisfy most viewers. Most of the complaints you read in user reviews aren’t about image quality. It’s more about ease of use, Smart TV menu s or sound (or a broken TV).
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What size TV should I buy?
Which is better, OLED or LED?
In our tests, OLED TVs, which use organic light-emitting diode technology, consistently had better picture quality than LED TVs, which are essentially LCD TVs using LED backlighting. The main reason is that OLED TVs can produce a perfectly dark shade of black, without flare or blooming, leading to better contrast and vibrancy. LED TVs can get brighter and generally cost less than OLED TVs.
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What is the best smart TV system for streaming?
At CNET, our favorite is Roku for its simplicity, but different systems like Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung and LG have different strengths, especially for voice commands. In any case, we don’t consider the built-in smart TV system to be that important, because you can always connect a streaming device to any TV.
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How to get the best TV sound?
Most TVs sound terrible because their thin cases don’t have room for decent-sized speakers or bass. If you want to get good sound, you should buy an external audio system. Even a cheap soundbar will deliver much better audio quality than a TV’s built-in speakers.
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