The alphabet soup that is purchasing a television these days doesn’t have to be confusing and overwhelming. Wondering what QLED, UHD, OLED, and 4K have to do with buying a television and having a great viewing experience? Read on to find a comprehensive, easy-to-understand list of all the best 4K smart TVs available.
LG CX 4K Smart OLED TV
The best 4K TV overall
Why you should buy this: It boasts great picture quality at a price lower than many other OLEDs. This TV offers everything you could want in an OLED TV with impressive contrast, great black levels, and just the right features.
Who it’s for: Everyone who can afford it.
Why we picked the LG CX 4K Smart OLED TV:
It doesn’t matter which model in LG’s current line of OLED TVs you pick if all you’re looking at is picture quality, the panel used is the same across all of them. What you need to focus on with regard to different models is the size of said panel, as well as the different feature sets. The CX series happens to sit at the ideal intersection of size and features. Not only do you get a 4K Ultra HD display with every major type of HDR, but the TV is also powered by LG’s webOS smart TV interface. There are bigger, fancier TVs, but even those with a taste for the highest of the high-end will find themselves impressed by this series.
Why we love it:
- webOS Smart TV technology for voice and movement controls
- Excellent picture quality with great colors and contrast
TCL 5-Series Roku TV
The best value 4k TV
Why you should buy this: It has one of the best price-to-performance ratios we’ve ever seen.
Who it’s for: Those who want to save a buck but don’t want to skimp on quality.
Why we picked the TCL 5-Series Roku TV:
Even before the TCL 5-Series Roku TVs were on sale, we could tell they’d be one of the biggest TVs — in terms of popularity, that is — after seeing them in person at CES. In addition to every current HDR technology, the local dimming zones in the 65-inch model and in the 55-inch model combine with TCL’s
Why we love it:
- Great viewing experience every time with automatic brightness
- Roku smart TV with all your favorite shows and channels
Sony X950H 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
The best ultra-premium 4KTV
Why you should buy this: It’s the best-looking LED we’ve ever seen.
Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a sleek TV without the pitfalls associated with most LED TVs.
Why we picked the Sony X950H TV:
If you think that OLED is the way of the future, you very well could be right, but if you think it’s the only way to get a fantastic-looking TV, you might want to take a look at Sony’s X950H first. A direct challenger to Samsung’s QLED series, the X950H aims to replicate everything OLEDs are known for. This TV uses the same X1 Ultimate processor as its A9G OLED counterpart, with exceptional results.
Why we love it:
- Same great OLED picture experience in an LED TV
- Sleek, modern design
Samsung QLED Q80 Series
The best 4K TV design
Why you should buy this: It combines a great-looking picture with handy features.
Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a fantastic display that will seamlessly blend into their home.
Why we picked the Samsung QLED Q80 Series:
If Sony’s X900G isn’t proof enough for you that LED/LCD TVs still have plenty to offer, take a look at Samsung’s QLED Q80 Series. The QLED Q80 Series’ picture is plenty amazing, and this TV backs it up with a boatload of features. The smart TV boasts features such as OneRemote, Bixby voice command, on-screen universal guide, and many more.The Ambient mode lets the TV blend into your living room like a chameleon when you’re not watching. If you don’t want your TV to dominate your living room all the time but want all the goodness of a big screen when you are watching TV, the Q80 Series is a perfect choice.
Why we love it:
- An unobtrusive big screen TV
- Amazing picture quality
- Smart TV interface is easy to use
Searching for a new TV? Whatever features you are looking for, this list breaks down whether an LED or OLED experience might be better, and which ones are so comparable, that you won’t notice a difference. At a variety of price points, these TVs give you excellent picture quality, and when you’re not watching TV, they’ll add to the look of your living room, rather than taking over the entire room. Check out or comprehensive list, and then get back to your regularly scheduled programming.
