If it's time for a new TV in your home theater, you're probably already knee-deep in deciding on things like OLED versus QLED or asking yourself what the heck QD-OLED is. While that is important, don't overlook another big decision: which TV operating system you prefer.
The biggest TV brands such as like Samsung and LG have their own systems built-in (Tizen and webOS, respectively), which is fine. But if your sights are focused on TVs from other players like TCL, Hisense, and even Sony, you're likely looking at those that come with Google TV or Roku built-in (we also have a roundup of the best Roku TVs).
Here, we're going to focus on the best Google TVs you can buy right now, and currently, for our money, we're betting on the 65-inch Sony Bravia A80J. It's a big, beautiful OLED TV that's backed by Google TV, so it will adeptly connect you to all your favorite TV shows and movies through streaming services from Netflix and Hulu to Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. Google TV also pays attention to your viewing habits, and will curate a home screen packed with content that aligns with the kinds of genres you love most. Let's get started.
Note: Google TV used to be called Android TV until a broad upgrade changed the name and interface while adding new AI technology for recommendations, etc. We've included an Android TV on this list as well because, for the time being, it's still a relevant platform, but most new TVs will be running Google TV instead of Android TV.
65-inch Sony Bravia A80J
The best overall Google TV
- Impeccable picture quality
- Excellent sound quality
- Google TV platform
- Excellent out-of-box settings
- Flexible stand options
- Lacks certain gaming features
If you're looking for a Google TV with the most vivid colors and slimmest profile you can get, we suggest this 65-inch Sony OLED model. While other panel technologies have come a long way and are showing serious promise, nothing can quite beat OLED yet when it comes to vivid color and incredible contrast … and prices for OLEDs are better than ever, although they are still slightly pricey.
This Sony model comes with all the Google TV benefits, plus 4K resolution and a 120Hz native refresh rate. It also supports important optimization tech like HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG. If that sounds good for gaming to you, then we have even more good news: Sony’s TV has special optimization technology that works with PS5 for the best results and an auto low-latency mode to help prevent any problems.
The Sony A80J also sports the company's Acoustic Audio Surface, which has sound that comes from directly behind the screen for a sense that sounds like dialogue and action sound effects such as explosions are coming from their origins on screen. The A80J does need a little tweaking to get the best picture results, but that's a small price to pay for such a great TV.
65-inch Hisense U8H
The best Google TV for brightness
- Intensely bright
- Class-leading black levels
- Impressive HDR imaging
- Vibrant, accurate Color
- Surprisingly Good Sound
- Quirky user interface
- Some bugs
Hisense is one of the most powerful names in the TV marketplace right now, offering impressive and vibrant picture quality, beautiful HDR performance, optimized gaming features, and of course, the rock-solid Google TV platform.
The U8H is the company's flagship set, and combines the best of two incredible picture technologies, quantum dots and mini-LED backlighting, to deliver one of the brightest images we've ever seen, bar none. In our testing of the Hisense U8H, we clocked peak brightness levels of around 2,000 nits (a measure of a TV's brightness) in HDR, making the U8H one of the strongest TVs for rooms filled with ambient lighting.
The thrills don't stop with the amazing peak and color brightness though. The U8H is also equipped with HDMI 2.1 inputs (4K/120Hz), and support for HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG formats, as well as Dolby Atmos. We also love the set's Game Mode Pro that optimizes picture and motion capabilities when a gaming console is detected.
The Hisense U8H is available in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes, and the prices of each screen are highly competitive. Simply put, this is one of the least expensive midrange TVs that looks and feels much more like a premium model from Samsung or Sony.
65-inch Hisense U7H
Best affordable Google TV
- Great color accuracy
- Solid HDR Punch
- Impressive black levels
- Runs Google TV well
- Outstanding value
- Motion not as smooth as pricier TVs
- Glut of ads on YouTube
If you haven't taken a good look at Hisense in recent years, do yourself a favor — it's really come into its own as a brand that's making some quality TVs at really reasonable prices. A great case in point is its 65-inch U7H, a 4K Quantum Dot ULED TV running Google TV that offers color and brightness you'd find in much pricier panels from much bigger brand names, making it really hard for our TV guru, Caleb Denison, to ignore.
For under $1,000, you get a panel that Denison says delivers deep black levels and contrast, and "shockingly good color accuracy with no adjustment" out of the box. On the all-important brightness scale, the U7H has it where it counts, too, with 1,000 nits peak brightness across 120 local dimming zones, making the U7H one of the brightest in this price range, and a great choice if you happen to be putting it in a room with a lot of windows.
The Hisense U7H has compatibility with the latest video and audio formats you'll need, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, HRD10+ and HLG for impressive contrast, plus Dolby Atmos technologies compatibility for surround sound.
For gaming, the U7H is similarly outfitted as Hisense's step-up U8H panel, with two 4K 120Hz HDMI 2.1 inputs at 4K/120Hz, variable refresh rate, low input lag, and auto-game mode.
And lastly, the Google TV interface gives you access to all the streaming services you'll ever need, plus a built-in browser and apps from the Google Play Store. If voice assistants are important to you, the Hisense U7H works with Alexa and Google Assistant. We'll let Denison have the last word here, from his review: "Dollar per dollar, the U7H is one of the most impressive TVs you can buy this year."
65-inch TCL 6-Series
Best mini-LED Google TV
- Bright, vivid picture with deep blacks
- Very good color accuracy
- Zippy mini-LED backlight control
- 4K 120Hz capable for gaming
- High value
- Glitchy operation
- No input button on remote
Another affordable option, this brilliant 65-inch, 4K TCL 6-Series comes with Google TV and the new Mini-LED panel technology: That means it uses extra-small LEDs for backlighting so that local dimming and the resulting contrast are better than ever — an option if you like the idea of an OLED screen’s contrast but would like to save a little money. It also supports Dolby Vision and other important HDR technologies, and if you stream a lot you’ll appreciate the support for Wi-Fi 6, too.
This is another TV that’s especially good for gamers, with its 120Hz refresh rate, THX game mode, and variable refresh rate support. All in all, it’s a prime upgrade if you’d like to get some of the latest panel technologies without setting your wallet on fire.
75-inch Sony Bravia XR Z9J
The best 8K Google TV
- Incredible brightness
- Excellent backlight control/black levels
- Spot-on color
- Superb motion
- Great sound
- Lacks high-end gaming features
- Very expensive
Do you want to skip straight to the best feature set available on a Google TV-powered screen? This Sony Bravia model is where you should start. It’s one of the best TVs we’ve reviewed in recent years and comes packed with high-end, future-proof features including support for 8K content and massive 75-inch size to take advantage of it, a 120Hz refresh rate, and high brightness levels that enable the latest optimization technology like HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The local dimming and color are also some of the best we’ve ever seen on a standard LED TV.
This Bravia is also seriously smart: In addition to the Google TV platform, it supports voice commands via either Google Assistant or Alexa. Even the speakers are surprisingly good for built-in TV audio, so you don’t need to feel bad about not getting a soundbar quite yet.
The only major downside of this Bravia is that you’re paying a lot of money for features that haven’t all come into their own yet. There’s not much true 8K content available right now, although it is slowly coming. The TV also misses out on some of the advances being made with Mini-LED and other technologies, although it’s certain to be a winner for years to come.
65-inch Sony Bravia XR A95K QD-OLED
The best OLED Google TV
- Next-level color purity
- High color brightness
- Wide color gamut
- Perfect black levels
- Great sound
- Expensive
This is the first consumer TV to offer QD-OLED technology, combining the better parts of Quantum Dot and OLED panels into a screen that can benefit from both with improved off-angle color and less risk of OLED issues like burn-in. The result is a TV we think will be one of the hottest models of 2022 and set a new standard for image quality going forward.
This 65-inch Bravia XR TV also works very well with Google TV, running the platform effortlessly. HDRO10 and Dolby Vision are both included to complement the 4K resolution, and gamers will be pleased to see the 120Hz refresh rate. There’s even an included Bravia cam that can be uncovered to make video chats and – potentially – optimize the TV for gesture controls and the most popular spots in your living room.
So yes, there’s a lot to be excited about for this QD-OLED upgrade, which also includes four HDMI ports and gaming features such as VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). But it’s not quite available yet, and when models start selling you’ll have to pay a lot to get one. New panel technologies often come at a high price, and this is a pertinent example.
Frequently Asked Questions
Google is only partnering with some companies for its TV services and has only rolled out Google TV upgrades to some of those brands. Most Google TVs are Sony and TCL models at this time, with Hisense bringing the Google TV platform to its 2022 ULED TVs last year.
Note that this doesn't mean all Sony and TCL TVs will have Google TV, many are outfitted with Roku TV, so it's important to check when buying.
No. This is a smart TV platform that's free to use. However, if you download any services on it like HBO or Netflix, you will have to pay those subscription fees to stream from them.
Google actually brought Google TV to Chromecast first, and even called its latest model "Chromecast with Google TV" to clear up any confusion. However, Chromecast remains a separate dongle that you hook up to your TV, while Google TV can also be built into a TV itself.
Note that the Chromecast version of Google TV may be a bit different from other built-in versions in regards to layout and features offered.
Google TV is the updated version of Android TV with a new layout, more AI tech for recommendations, and a few other changes. For a more detailed explanation, check out our explainer on the differences between Google TV and Android TV.
Currently, Google is maintaining both Android TV and Google TV. But the goal is to phase out Android TV entirely. Some existing Android TVs will be updated to Google TV, but this isn't always possible, especially with older models.
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