Best TVs 2021 UK: From budget-friendly to smart 4K televisions
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If it wasn’t before, our TV has certainly become the hub of our homes over the past year.
We gather around it to watch Dancing on Ice on Saturday night, we lounge around with a romcom on a Sunday and day-in, day-out we put it through its paces with channel hopping and streaming services – not to mention endless news updates.
So, if there is one thing worth upgrading in our home, we’d say it was the TV set.
Brilliant sound quality, a high pixel picture and an easy-to-use interface are all key for ramping up the enjoyment of our downtime.
Whether you’re looking to supersize your screen so the entire family can immerse themselves in a gripping film or are after better sound quality so Ru Paul’s Drag Race feels all the more powerful, we’ve picked out the TVs worth upgrading to.
Best budget-friendly TVs
JVC Android TV 50" Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV with Google Assistant | £299 from Curry’s
Searching for a new affordable set? The JVC Android TV 50" Smart 4K TV is probably your best bet.
Not only does it come with 4K resolution, but it also has Google Assistant so you can use your voice to control your TV and smart home devices. Pretty neat, huh?
This smart TV also has streaming platforms ready to go, such as Netflix and Prime Video.
What the reviews say: “Easy to use and setup, brilliant picture quality and sound, and the smart and casing is great. Overall a really great TV for the money.”
JVC 32" Smart HD Ready LED TV | £199 from Currys PC World
Another great budget-friendly option is this 32 inch smart TV from JVC.
It’s easy to set up, has LED screen displays that will give you sharp and colourful visuals and you can get onto streaming services and YouTube easily. The TV is also compatible with Alexa, so you can use your Amazon Echo enabled speaker to control your TV.
What the reviews say: “Plug in and go. Couldn't be easier, my mum can use it and she's 96.”
Samsung HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV | £379 from John Lewis
This slim Samsung TU7100 TV is proving to be a very popular choice at the moment.
The 43 inch TV, which came out in 2020, features crystal clear 4K HDR, access to a whole variety of streaming services and is compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa devices.
You can also access online entertainment via Samsung's Smart platform.
What the reviews say: “I am delighted with this TV. It is easy to set up, the picture is superb and it is loaded with the latest features. I find the sound is also good for a TV of this type. I have connected my BT box for recording and the HD pictures are excellent.”
LG Electronics 32-Inch HD Ready Smart LED TV with Freeview Play | £218.86 from Amazon
This 32 inch LG TV created in 2019, is currently Amazon’s best-selling TV.
Why, you ask? Well, it has brilliant HD visuals and Virtual Surround Plus sound for starters.
It also has access to streaming services from Now TV to Netflix and all this is available for a very reasonable £218.
What the reviews say: “Great TV! Sound and picture quality are great and it has all the Smart capabilities you may need.”
Best premium smart 4K TVs
Samsung The Frame QLED Art Mode TV | £899 from John Lewis
If you’re someone who wants to upgrade their home and their TV, then this design is for you.
Samsung’s innovative The Frame TV transforms from a piece of art into a TV. In Art Mode it displays artwork and photos (from Samsung’s expandable library, or your own collection), transforming your TV into art that enhances your living space, just like a picture frame.
What the reviews say: “If you love your photos, then this drags your cherished photos out from the hard drive and pushes them back into your daily life, which makes me happy... not something I thought I'd be saying about a TV.”
LG OLED HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV | £1,399 from John Lewis
If you’re looking for high spec this 2020 LG 55 inch TV is definitely for you.
It features LG’s innovative OLED technology, which gives you superior contrast, colour and clarity. Meanwhile, Dolby Atmos sound unites with Dolby Vision HDR for a cinematic experience.
The TV also uses LG’s award-winning webOS smart platform to stream shows from apps such as Netflix, and you can navigate with the intuitive Magic Remote.
What the reviews say: “Recently bought the TV. I have found nothing I can complain about at all. Picture is brilliant, sound is also no problem and does not need a soundbox.”
Samsung QE50Q65T (2020) QLED HDR 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, 50 inch with TVPlus | £699 from John Lewis
If it’s vibrant colour you’re after, this Samsung TV is for you.
With its HDR brightness and Dual LED technology that optimises both the visuals and sound, you’re sure a cinema-esque experience.
Plus, The 50” screen has four times the number of pixels than 1080p Full HD TVs.
What the reviews say: “Picture is something else entirely, would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a huge 4k television”.
Philips 70" Smart Ambilight 4K Ultra HD Android TV | £999 from AO
Looking for a TV with the wow-factor? This could be the one.
The huge 70-inch Philips 4K Ultra HD TV comes with immersive Ambilight, which means a colourful light adds a glow behind the screen for an unforgettable viewing experience.
It also comes with all the bells and whistles, including a huge variety of streaming services and is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
What the reviews say: “Best TV hands down! The Ambilight feature is a good touch to movie nights. The added feature of it being an android TV allows you to download apps, which is great for content and streaming options. Will highly recommend.”
Hisense 55A7100FTUK 55 Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV | £364.99 from Costco
Costco is known for bulk buying essentials but at a discount, which is why we recommend snapping up a bargain, especially across electricals, while you can.
This HiSense 4K TV features Dolby Audio, and impressive sound thanks to DTS Studio Sound. It also has a quad core processor and VIDAA U Smart TV, plus it comes with five year warranty.
What the reviews say: "Fab TV . Easy to set up and use. Amazing picture. Ordered on line delivered within a few days."
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