The 10 Best 4K TVs That Guarantee a Great Viewing Experience

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It’s admittedly hard to detect any real differences between the dozens of bright and colorful big screen 4K TV models available now, whether they’re arrayed on a wall in a store, along shelves at your local retailer, or online. Some TVs are three times the price of other models, but they all seem to look equally big and great so you might as well just buy the largest one you can at the lowest price, right?

Wrong. Please don’t just buy a TV simply because it may be the biggest and cheapest. Sure, the picture on each of those big flat screens may look identically spectacular, but there is a world of difference between them. Not only does picture quality of different models vary more widely than the naked eye can discern under a store’s harsh fluorescent lighting or from sizing up specs online, but their technologies and features differ widely as well.

Picture quality also will differ in your room depending on how much light there is, for instance, how far you’re sitting from the screen, and what kinds of programming you like to view. Some TVs excel at displaying certain types of content, such as video games, movies, or sports. Different models offer varying “smart TV” options, which means they may or may not include the streaming channels you want. The choice between models might simply boil down to this: whether it fits in your designated TV space.

Here are the 10 best 4K models to match your TV watching needs. All models featured, unless indicated, are 65-inches, which I consider the best compromise between size, price, and 4K enjoyment, but most sets are available in both smaller, and less expensive editions, as well as in larger sizes for those with more room and a more copious budget. While some listed prices may seem high, around the holiday season and in the weeks before the Super Bowl most models will be heavily discounted.

The Best 4K TVs

• Best Overall: LG C3

• Best Premium LED: Samsung QN95C

• Best Value: Hisense U8K Series

• Best Budget LCD-LED: TCL S4

• Best Premium OLED: Sony’s A95L

What to Consider in a 4K TV

Despite their seeming black slab sameness, 4K TVs can vary dramatically in image quality, feature set, and price. Here are the most important things to keep in mind while shopping:

Size

There is all manner of exotic formulae for determining the exact distance you should sit from a large screen TV—X-times the screen height, X-times the screen’s diagonal size—but there isn’t really a right or wrong answer. The best rule of thumb is, if the screen fills your frame of vision from where you’re sitting, and you don’t have to turn your head to see one side of the screen or the other, you’re fine. (Note: Sitting too close to a 4K TV won’t ruin your eyes despite what your mother may have told you.)

What size TV you do choose, however, may be pre-determined by your room geography and/or furnishings such as the interior of an existing TV cabinet, or dictated by a spouse’s objections to a larger size set. If you plan to buy a new TV larger than your current set, measure the width, height, and depth of your home’s TV space, and then check the actual width and height of the TV with stand—not the diagonal screen size. A flat panel 65-inch screen 4K TV usually measures less than 60 inches wide, less than 36 inches tall, and about 15 inches deep with the stand.

More to Consider: Best OLED TVs • Best Wireless Surround Sound Systems • Best TV Wall Mounts

TV Stand/Mount

Some TVs are equipped with center stands, but many larger size models have feet at either end of the set that may be too widely spaced apart for your TV stand. Check the width of your TV tabletop and the space between the feet of your prospective TV purchase to make sure its feet will fit.

Planning to hang your TV on a wall? All TVs adhere to a version of the VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) wall mounting standard, which includes variations such as VESA MIS-D, MIS-E, and MIS-F, which mainly address a TV’s rear mounting hole spacing, the supportable weight, and the size of a TV.

Virtually any VESA wall mounting kit can be used with virtually any wall-mountable TV, but double check a TV’s specifications just to be sure of any potential VESA variation.

Picture Quality

A 4K TV’s display is comprised of 3840 x 2160 pixels, but that’s only the resolution of your screen. There is a dizzying array of screen technologies that create different levels of a stunning 4K images. These technologies include:

LCD-LED (light emitting diodes): This most common, and least expensive TV screen technology is comprised of a liquid crystal display panel backlit by an array of tiny but bright LEDs, often grouped into area-specific "local dimming zones." The more backlighting LEDs, the brighter the picture, and the higher number of local dimming zones, the deeper the contrast and truer the colors.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes): Each pixel of an OLED TV creates and illuminates its own colors and light—no extra backlighting necessary. Since each pixel is self-illuminating, OLED TVs produce the most precise and deepest colors, the highest contrast for the clearest details in dark scenes, and the widest viewing angle of any TV technology—all of which is why OLEDs are the highest-priced 4K TVs available. OLED sets, however, are not as bright as LCD-LED or mini-LED sets, and OLED TVs look their best in more dimly lit rooms.

Mini-LED: Just as their name implies, mini-LED backlights are 40 times smaller than standard backlighting LCD-LEDs. As a result, manufacturers can pack more mini-LED backlights behind the LCD panel, which translates to more precise lighting for brighter, more precise colors, and higher contrast for better detail in dark scenes. Mini-LED sets approach—but don’t quite reach—OLED picture quality level, but mini-LED screens are far brighter.

QLED (Quantum dot Light Emitting Diodes): Quantum dot technology is a special screen coating made up of phosphorescent nanocrystals that boost both the color and the brightness of an LCD-LED, mini-LED, or even an OLED screen image.

Display Speed

The speed at which a TV screen produces an image is measured by its refresh rate, expressed in hertz, or Hz. This equates to frames flashed per second; by comparison, movie film is projected at 24 frames per second. Normal TVs refresh at 60Hz, or 60 frames a second.

If you’re a heavy gamer, you want a display that more accurately reflects the eye-blinking speed of the animated action, which means you’ll want a TV with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz or even 144Hz, and a set equipped with VRR (variable refresh rate), which automatically adjusts the refresh rate depending on the content being displayed.

Another screen technology gamers want is low latency or input lag, which is how quickly the display responds when you push a button on your control pad or joystick. Many higher-end TVs include an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) that automatically switches your TV to a faster, more responsive mode, measured in milliseconds (ms).

How We Selected 4K TVs

Many of these recommendations come from hundreds of hours of in-house use, third-party test lab results, competitive TV "shootouts," in-store "mystery shopping" and extensive demos at trade shows and product introduction events. I supplemented these hands-on experiences with intensive informed research including interviews with other TV experts, reviewing content from expert sources such as CNET, Tom’s Guide, DigitalTrends, and others, as well as thousands of consumer reviews from online storefronts such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. In addition, I factored in some of the research of Harry Rabinowitz, the previous writer of this article.

C3 evo OLED

Like its immediate predecessors, the LG C3 Evo is a critics’ consensus pick for the best combination of ultimate picture quality for the price.

The C3 offers an amazing OLED screen that comes in a wide range of sizes, including 48- and 42-inches. It produces stunning colors and especially deep blacks and grays that make colors pop, thanks to its superior self-emitting OLED technology.

There is improved HDR compared to the 2022 C2 model thanks to a new processing chip. The C3 also is a great choice for gaming, with a 120Hz refresh rate, extremely low latency, and NVIDIA G-Sync built in. LG’s WebOS smart TV interface doubles as a smart home control hub.

Connectivity is better than most of the competition, with four of the latest HDMI 2.1 ports, including an eARC jack that turns a sound bar into your TV speaker controllable with your TV remote, in addition to USB and Ethernet jacks. All of this comes in at a high but still competitive price, which makes the C3 an easy top 4K TV recommendation.

QN95C Neo QLED mini-LED

Equipped with more mini-LED backlights than any other Samsung mini-LED TV, creating a whopping 1,344 dimming zones, the QLED QN95C ranks as the ultimate LED TV. It's equally at home in dimly lit rooms for movie watching or in rooms drenched in streaming sunshine for sports viewing.

The QN95C also is also equipped with plenty of gaming-specific features such as a 120Hz display and automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and also produces above average sound.

Samsung has improved its still comparatively clunky Tizen smart TV interface, which includes not only connection to a variety of streaming services, but also Samsung’s dedicated Game Hub with access to the QN95C’s gaming settings and services.

U8K Mini-LED

One of the brightest, most color accurate, and best sounding LED TVs for 4K viewing in my recommendations is the Hisense U8K mini-LED. It is more highly discounted than competitive sets, which makes it an even better 4K TV value.

Featuring a 144Hz refresh rate with variable refresh rate (VRR) and low latency for high-level gaming, the U8K supports all versions of HDR including HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) to vastly improve the look of broadcast and cable TV programming.

Feature-wise, the U8K provides excellent sound, the latest Wi-Fi wireless connections, four HDMI inputs, and is available in sizes up to 100 inches for an equally high-value price.

S4 LCD-LED

TCL is well known for producing high quality 4K TVs for low prices, and the TCL S4 is perhaps the best price-to-picture quality set the company has produced.

With only a 60Hz refresh rate and no added quantum dot layer, the TCL S4’s picture won’t match top OLED or mini-LED models, but you’ll get arguably the most color-intensive LCD-LED picture and most features possible in a sub-$500 65-inch TV.

In addition to a brighter and more colorful picture than other models in its price range, the TCL S4’s picture also provides excellent off-center viewing and does an excellent job of improving standard definition broadcast and cable fare.

One caveat: since TCL uses the same series numbers from year to year, make sure the S4 set you choose is the most current model.

Bravia A95L QD-OLED

In a recent 4K TV reviewer’s competition shootout, Sony’s Bravia A95L OLED model easily emerged as the “undeniable champion” 4K TV available, regardless of price, and was dubbed the “King of 4K TVs.”

Pushing the A95L over the top is Sony’s powerful image processing chip pushing the quantum dot-enhanced 120Hz OLED screen to deliver the broadest color spectrum and unmatched contrast for any type of content—gaming, movies, and sports.

In addition, the A95L’s screen doubles as a speaker, enabling the set to produce loud and immersive audio without a sound bar, and so it's arguably also the best sounding 4K TV extant.

S95C QD-OLED

The Samsung S95C QD-OLED produces more colors than most TVs and delivers one of the brightest OLED pictures available thanks to its quantum dot layer. It also includes plenty of gaming-specific specifications and features, including game-specific 144Hz screen refresh, super low latency, automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and a dedicated Game Bar to access gaming settings.

To improve your TV room’s aesthetics, the super thin S95C requires only a single thin wire connection to Samsung’s One Connect Box, which handles and hides all the other messy cable connections. For convenience, the S95C’s minimalist remote won’t need to have its batteries replaced—it recharges via solar power.

6 Series R655 QLED mini-LED

This inexpensive TCL Series 6 mini-LED model stands out as the best overall TV equipped with Roku, recognized as the best and simplest overall smart TV system as a result of its wide variety of streaming channel options and easy-to-navigate interface.

Featuring a bright and colorful QLED mini-LED display boosted by quantum dots, this Series 6 model also offers numerous gaming-specific enhancements.

To improve placement and connectivity, the Series 6 is equipped with a three-piece wedge center stand with a snap-on cover to manage and hide cables. The stand can be adjusted to two different height positions in case you want to slip a sound bar underneath the set.

Bravia X93L mini-LED

If you enjoy inviting friends over to watch the big game, you’ll find few TVs will offer a brighter picture in a brightly lit room than the Sony X93L.

This Sony set delivers a vibrant color spectrum to accurately reproduce colorful jerseys and shining green fields. It's particularly good at overcoming room glare and reducing reflections, and offers a high level of standard dynamic range (SDR) contrast to sharpen the images of broadcast sports that don’t get 4K HDR contrast improvements.

To fit your particular TV positioning needs, the two stand feet can be placed at three different width positions and at three different heights up to 3.7 inches to accommodate an added sound bar.

Fire Omni QLED TV

Not everyone has room for a 65- or even a 55-inch TV. If you’re space limited, this Amazon-branded QLED TV delivers a surprisingly bright, precise, and colorful small screen 4K TV picture considering its low price.

While lacking a 120Hz refresh rate, the Fire Omni TV surprisingly includes automatic low latency mode (ALLM) and variable refresh rate (VRR) to improve gaming.

When the Amazon Fire Omni is turned off, its Ambient Experience mode lets you display artwork or your own pictures as a screensaver, or widgets such as weather, music, or smart home device status.

Theater UST Projector

Most movies want—actually need—to be seen on a giant screen, but 85- and especially 100-inch flat screen 4K TVs are prohibitively pricey and bulky.

If you desire a truly big screen movie experience at home at a flat screen TV price, consider an ultra-short throw (UST) projector. About the size of a DVD player, a UST projector sits only around a foot or two in front of a big screen but uses three lasers to create a bright, colorful image of up to 150 inches, even in a well-lit room.

While it may be an unknown brand to most TV buyers, the aptly-named Formovie Theater has quickly established itself among experts and reviewers as the top UST available.

Not only does the Formovie Theater project a brighter, more colorful, and higher contrast image than most of its often-pricier competitors, it includes a four-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system for near movie theater-like Dolby Atmos sound. All you’ll need is a big pull-down screen, which typically costs less than $300.

Our Expert Stewart Wolpin Makes Sense of This Alphabet Soup: HDRs, 8K, and ARC.

Are there different types of HDR?

Yes, but you only need to concern yourself with the types your 4K TV includes. Nearly all bigger screen 4K TVs are equipped with a type of HDR (high-dynamic range) that creates visibly punchier, higher contrast images when viewing 4K content from Blu-ray or streaming channels.

Different HDR versions include the standard and most common HDR, as well as more specialized HDR-10, HDR-10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), designed to deliver HDR benefits to lower non-4K broadcast, cable, and satellite TV fare.

While there are subtle visual benefits associated with each type of HDR, and while some TV makers, 4K Blu-ray producers, and streaming channels opt to deploy some HDR versions but not others, compatibility really isn’t an issue since all include a plain and widely compatible HDR version.

Bottom line: Any set featuring any type of HDR will produce a visibly better 4K picture than a set without HDR.

How soon will I need to consider an 8K TV?

8K TV makers may not want to hear this, but probably never. 8K TVs offer a display with a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, or 33 million pixels, more than four times the 8 million pixels that comprise a 4K TV display.

Prices are coming down to near 4K TV price levels for 8K models. But, for a variety of reasons, there is no existing 8K content—no 8K broadcast or cable, no 8K streaming, no 8K Blu-ray—and there isn’t likely to be for the foreseeable future.

The only benefits of an 8K TV is via upscaling or up-conversion of lower resolution programming to 8K. But realistically you’ll need at least a 75-inch TV to appreciate the difference between 4K and 8K.

How important is sound? What should I be looking for so that I have the best experience possible?

Imagine watching the movie "Jaws" without feeling that "bum-bum, bum-bum" bass in your gut, or not being able to understand character dialog over a swelling orchestral passage, or subtle sounds that lend a dramatic scene its key ambience.

A 4K TV may produce excellent picture quality, but most do not produce equally excellent sound which can dull or ruin your viewing experience. There is a fix for this. Instead of relying on a TV’s poor audio, you may want to pair your 4K TV with a sound bar via an ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) HDMI connection.

An ARC-compatible sound bar connected to a TV via an ARC HDMI jack lets you control your TV’s picture and sound with a single remote, as if the sound bar were your TV’s speaker.

Just make sure to measure the space between your TV tabletop and the bottom of the TV display area so your prospective sound bar won’t block either the screen or the TV’s IR remote control sensor.

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