Looking for a big screen on a budget? Based on our extensive testing, your best bet is Vizio's 55-inch E-Series, which costs less than $600 but offers a good picture with a full-array LED backlight. Want a stunning cinema experience and you're willing to pay top dollar for it? Splurge on the $5,000 LG 65EF9500, an OLED TV that offers the most gorgeous picture we've ever seen in a 65-inch 4K set.
In between is a wide range of sizes, prices and features. There's also a new picture standard called HDR (high dynamic range) to watch out for, which provides higher contrast and creates more realistic images. We have evaluated scores of TVs using a variety of programming — from DVDs to HD, 4K to HDR — to find the best model for whatever delights you: be it for game day, movie night or a frag-fest. We have pushed every button, clicked through thousands of menus, and run hundreds of smart TV apps.
Read on for our recommendations.
Best Budget HDTV
VIZIO E-SERIES E55-C1
The Vizio E-Series E55-C1 delivers a very good picture for a sweet price, thanks to its full-array LED backlighting. This divides the screen into 12 separate zones that can be dynamically dimmed or brightened. The result is better contrast than other sets in this price range. Other highlights include built-in Wi-Fi, a full range of smart TV apps (including Netflix, Hulu and Facebook) and three HDMI ports.
Best 40-inch TV
HISENSE 40H4C ROKU TV (40-INCH)
A smart TV that's easy to use and costs just $300? The 40H4C's Roku interface trumps other smart TVs by using a simple yet handsome design, instead of something flashy and complex. It recognizes the mixed bag of content people are watching today. We could easily flip among a cable box, a Blu-ray player, Netflix and Hulu Plus (among the thousands of channels Roku offers), and other sources. On top of that, the Hisense 40H4C delivers surprisingly good image quality, with nuanced and pleasing color, impressive shadow detail and smooth motion-rendering despite having just a 60-Hz refresh rate.
Best Budget 4K Ultra HD TV
SAMSUNG SERIES 6 ULTRA HD 4K TV
Ultra-HD sets are rapidly dropping in price, with many models now available for less than $1,000. This 50-inch Samsung Series 6 TV is a 4K bargain for around $850. It not only handles 4K content with aplomb but also ably upscales Blu-ray and standard HD content without hiccups. On action scenes, it manages to keep up with speeding motorcycles and flying stuntmen. The Series 6 UN50JU6500F also boasts excellent contrast and good color fidelity for the price. All of its HDMI ports support the latest 4K copy-protected content, eliminating confusion for consumers. Gamers may experience lag based on our tests, but overall the Series 6 is a great deal.
Best Overall Picture Quality
LG FLAT OLED 4K 65EF9500 (65-INCH)
Rarely does a technology come along and totally surpass anything that has come before, but OLED is one of those technologies. The razor-sharp picture, stunning brightness and brilliant colors of LG's latest 65-inch OLED demonstrates just how good a TV can look and as such represents the current state of the art. The LG 65EF9500 maintains color quality and contrast even when you view the screen far off-axis — another benefit of OLED — and it's compatible with the latest high dynamic range (HDR) content. The 65EF9500 also delights with LG's webOS, one of the most intuitive and prettiest smart TV interfaces out there. We like the flat version, but if you must there is also a curved model available, the 65EF9600, for the same price.
Best Big 4K TV
SONY XBR75X940C (75-INCH)
Sony's XBR75X940C is a monster-size 4K set with monster sound to match. This 75-inch TV's full-array LED backlighting delivers excellent contrast and shadow detail. The XBR75X940C also supports HDR—high dynamic range—offering extended color and brightness for the next wave of content. The side- mounted speaker system is top-notch and compatible with Hi-Res audio formats, adding up to a very immersive entertainment experience. And don’t worry about the lack of 4K content. Sony's set does an excellent job upscaling 1080p and 720p fare.
Best 1080p TV
SONY KDL-50W800B (50-INCH)
If you're an image-quality snob (and there's nothing wrong with that), this is the midsize TV for you. Sony lives up to its reputation for obsession with color fidelity with the KDL-50W800B, and Sony's image processor renders fine detail and smooth motion — even in absurd chase scenes. Though deep shades and black are a challenge for all LCDs, the 50W800B performs far above average. The 50W800B is also a handsome TV, with a virtually nonexistent bezel around the screen and a minimalist but sturdy stand. The smart TV interface is not the most intuitive, though.
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