The 9 Best TVs to Buy Right Now

TV technology has come a long way in the last decade. Resolution has increased dramatically, better lighting technology makes colors richer (blacks especially show with more depth and texture), and the TVs themselves are slimmer and smarter, with bigger screens that have minimalist frames. If you’re in the market for a new TV, you’ll find sets that offer a sharper and more realistic picture than ever before at various prices. Here are some of the best.

Specs to Consider

Screen Size

With so many TVs to choose from, the first step to narrowing your search is to determine what size screen you want. The 55-inch screen is by far the most popular size TV for most households—not so large that it looms over your cozy living room but also not so small that the family will be on top of each other trying to watch a program. It’s the average, ideal size for an immersive viewing experience.

That said, if you have the space for a TV larger than 55 inches, and the budget to match, go with the biggest TV you can afford and accommodate. TVs with screens 65 inches or more can transport you to a movie theater experience without you having to leave your home. Keep in mind, though, that the larger the screen, (typically) the bigger the price tag.

Likewise, if your space is limited or you’re shopping for a smaller room like a bedroom, consider a TV with a 32- or 40-inch screen.

Resolution

A TV’s resolution is the number of pixels that make up the picture on the display. The more pixels a TV has, the sharper the image, so it’s best to invest in a higher-resolution screen when you can. Most modern TVs have over 2 million pixels, a resolution known as 1080p. Newer TVs have 8 million pixels, often called 4K (you may also see this referred to as UHD, or Ultra High Definition). The newest TV tech is 8K resolution, which quadruples the number of pixels from 4K. The bottom line is that more pixels produce sharper images and finer details, so go for a higher-resolution screen when you can.

All the TVs on this list have a resolution of at least 4K, which offers sufficient picture quality for any content currently on the market. If you’re interested in 8K, keep in mind that most streaming content can’t take advantage of this technology yet, although more is expected to become available soon and buying an 8K TV is a way to prepare for the foreseeable future.

One consideration with 8K screens is that they are more expensive (sometimes by a lot) than similarly sized 4K models. So, if you want to save some money, it's fine to stay with 4K.

Check Out the Top Models from These TV Brands: Best Samsung TVs, Best LG TVs, Best Sony TVs

Display Technology

Manufacturers like to throw around complicated-sounding terms when talking about displays. Some common ones you’ll see are LED (or LED/LCD), OLED, and QLED.

Less-expensive TVs often are made with LCD/LED panels that use light-emitting diodes that backlight an LCD display. While LCD TVs are bright and durable, they often have limited viewing angles and don’t control light in the picture as well as other technologies.

Jumping up a notch in price and performance are TVs with QLED, which uses a thin film of quantum dots in the display to emit a wider range of colors than standard LED. While technically still an LED screen, QLED provides richer and deeper color ranges than you can get with most basic LCD panels.

One of the most popular new TV display technologies is OLED, which uses organic phosphors. Instead of a backlit display, each pixel emits its own light, making for better contrast and light precision than LCD TVs. OLED TVs can be seen from wider viewing angles than LCD TVs without losing color or reducing contrast. However, OLED TVs tend to be expensive and don’t get as bright as LCD TVs, so they may not be the best choice for bright, sunlit rooms. The relatively new and costly Mini LED technology shrinks the LED modules that provide backlighting to LCD screens, resulting in deeper blacks.

How We Evaluated

I’m a technology journalist who regularly reviews all types of gadgets, including laptops, tablets, computer mice, keyboards, TVs, and other devices. My work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, and many other publications.

To evaluate the best TVs, I reviewed specifications such as screen quality, resolution, size, and cost. I also visited brick-and-mortar stores to see the TVs on this list in person and compare them to other models in their price range. These are the best TVs you can buy right now.