We’re at the stage in the evolution of the TV where it’s pretty difficult to buy a bad one, but at the same time, it can be tricky to pick out the perfect model from the many options available. Every year, a swathe of new sets come out, which means the current bunch gets knocked down in price, giving you an even larger selection to consider.
Here, we’ll highlight some of our absolute favorites from the television sets you can buy in 2024—in no particular order—and explain some of the key technologies and specs you need to know about. As we go through the year, more sets and models will join these ones, and we’ll make changes to this list as needed.
Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides to the best phones best laptops, best TVs, and best headphones. If you want to learn about the next big thing, see our guide to everything we know about the iPhone 16.
LG G3
Available sizes: 55, 65, 77, 83 inches
Display tech: OLED / 4K
Starting price: $2,500
The LG G3 is a simply stunning TV set that’s undoubtedly one of the best televisions you can buy right now. It’s got LG’s superb OLED technology, meaning fantastic contrast and ultra-deep blacks, and it can make almost any video source look like a million dollars.
Speaking of a million dollars, these models aren’t cheap but worth the investment. The top-tier HDR handling and anti-reflective coating on the display add to the overall impressiveness, and everything from sports to movies is capably handled.
The four HDMI 2.1 ports will interest gamers too – they’re able to run a 4K resolution at 120Hz, with support for VRR and ALLM – and the sound doesn’t let this set down either. There aren’t many reasons not to seriously consider this for your next TV upgrade.
Samsung QN95C
Available sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches
Display tech: Mini-LED / 4K
Starting price: $3,000
There’s been a lot of time and effort put into the Samsung QN95C, and it shows, no matter what size you go for. With more than 1,300 local dimming zones and a gorgeous mix of color, brightness, and contrast levels, it’s almost like a Mini-LED that thinks it’s an OLED.
Samsung has packed a lot of tech into this TV, with many fancy-sounding names attached—like the Neural Quantum Processor, for example—but all you really need to know is that this TV produces picture and motion quality worthy of the set’s flagship status.
You have strong HDR performance here, an impressive 4.2.2-channel speaker layout, and four HDMI 2.1 ports that can cope with the 4K/120Hz output of the best game consoles. We also like Samsung’s slick and straightforward smart TV interface.
TCL QM8
Available sizes: 65, 75, 85, 98 inches
Display tech: Mini-LED / 4K
Starting price: $1,700
The TCL QM8‘s sizes range from a giant 98 inches to a small 98 inches, so of course, pick the one that suits your available space and your available budget. But whatever the size, it’s difficult to beat this Mini-LED TV for value, no matter what you’re using it to watch.
You’ll often see this television advertised with a football on screen, a nod to the strength of the screen’s handling of anything that moves fast. It’s good for gaming, too, with its high brightness levels, low input lag, and low response time, which are particularly noteworthy.
We’ve noticed that the TCL QM8 is getting cheaper as time has passed, meaning it’s becoming even better for money than initially. Add a decent sound setup and a more than decent build quality and design, and it earns its place here.
Hisense U7K
Available sizes: 55, 65, 75, 85 inches
Display tech: Mini-LED, 4K
Starting price: $630
Most people who’ve used the Hisense U7K have raved about it, and it’s not hard to see why: It produces a rich, clean, fluid picture for everything from movies to shows to sports, and it comes in at a price that undercuts most comparable sets.
As a mid-range model, it’s not going to touch the high-end specs of the flagship TVs, but the Hisense U7K still has a lot to offer: a refresh rate of up to 144Hz on two of the four HDMI ports on the back, for example, as well as support for VRR and all the key HDR standards.
Color quality and uniformity are excellent, and the Google TV interface has everything you need regarding streaming apps, including some. We’re fans of the aesthetics offered by the Hisense U7K, too—right down to the tall, narrow remote.
LG C3
Available sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches
Display tech: OLED / 4K
Starting price: $1,400
We all have different needs and tastes when it comes to TVs, but there’s a good case to be made that the LG C3 is currently the best television for most people, thanks to its top-tier OLED display tech and very reasonable price point.
All four of the port connections support HDMI 2.1, so gamers needing 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM will be pleased. The virtual surround sound goes up to a 9.1.2 channel system. There’s also support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, so HDR is certainly well covered.
It’s the actual experience of viewing movies and shows that matters most, though, and in this regard, the LG C3 is excellent—especially for the price you’re paying. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the LG G3 and its cutting-edge images, but it’s also significantly cheaper.
Samsung S95C
Available sizes: 55, 65, 77 inches
Display tech: OLED / 4K
Starting price: $2,500
Samsung has put just about everything it’s got into the Samsung S95C, and it’s a winning combination of specs, design, and price. It doesn’t come cheap strictly, but you’re getting Samsung’s best TV know-how, including its Quantum Dot-enhanced OLED display tech.
The TV stands out in the most critical areas: peak brightness, color range, and contrast levels. In addition, all the key HDR standards are supported (aside from Dolby Vision), as well as four HDMI 2.1 ports and 4.2.2 channel audio.
Whether you’re watching live sports, the latest movies, or video scaled up from a lower-resolution source, the picture quality is superb in all aspects—from the clarity of the details to the balance of the colors to the crispness of quickly moving scenes.
Sony A95L
Available sizes: 55, 65, 77 inches
Display tech: OLED / 4K
Starting price: $2,800
Read through any review of the Sony A95L you can find online, and you’ll soon realize this is a TV that wows everyone who comes across it. It offers a combination of sound and vision quality that’s a delight, no matter what you want to spend your time watching.
Of particular note are the high peak brightness levels, the uniformity of the colors displayed by the panel, and the crisp and rich audio. Everything about the set stands out, though only two of the four HDMI slots support the latest 2.1 standard.
The Sony A95L has a high asking price, but sometimes it’s worth paying for the best—and this is one of those times. As with other Sony sets, Google TV is on board, which could be just about the best option out there in terms of integrated smart software.
TCL S4
Available sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 70, 75, 85 inches
Display tech: LED, 4K
Starting price: $280
When we talk about the best products in a particular category, the most expensive models are usually the ones that get mentioned—offering the highest quality components and the best possible specs. Not everyone has the budget to afford the best in class, however.
For many people, the best TV will be the best one they can get for the lowest price, and that’s where sets like the TCL S4 come in. Nothing is to set it apart except that it consistently produces a great picture for little money in relative terms.
This television offers a host of different screen sizes and a sharp 4K resolution. It handles contrast and reflections really well. The key selling point is the price, though, and we don’t think anyone who buys it will have any complaints.
Samsung QN900C
Available sizes: 65, 75, 85 inches
Display tech: Mini-LED / 8K
Starting price: $5,000
8K televisions are by no means hitting the mainstream yet, but 4K has been the standard for a long time now, and eventually, the time will come for 8K. The Samsung QN900C is ahead of the game in this respect, though you need a big chunk of change to be able to afford it.
With deep blacks and minimal blooming, this set rivals the best OLED technology in terms of its picture, and you also get a peak brightness of 4,000 nits and expert HDR handling. Pictures consistently look fantastic, and upscaling to 8K is handled fantastically well.
A separate connection box handles four HDMI 2.1 ports—that means just a couple of cables leading to the actual TV, and with its super-thin frames, it’s a TV that’s easy on the eye as well—a flagship set in every sense of the word, with 8K support.
Sony A90K
Available sizes: 42, 48 inches
Display tech: OLED / 4K
Starting price: $1,300
The Sony A90K is a set that sits somewhere in the middle of Sony’s range, but the trade-offs it makes are sensible ones. It’s a model that we think is likely to appeal to people who want to get maximum bang for their buck with their next upgrade.
It also comes in a smaller size than a lot of TVs you’ll see nowadays, so it’s suitable for rooms that don’t have space for giant sets. You still get the benefits of OLED technology here, so you can expect top-tier color and contrast if not best-in-class brightness levels.
There are four HDMI sockets here, two of which offer HDMI 2.1 (with support for 4K/120Hz input, VRR, and ALLM). As usual, the Sony processor fitted here is very adept at image processing, ensuring a crisp and vibrant image no matter what sources are connected.
Roku Plus
Available sizes: 55, 65, 75 inches
Display tech: QLED / 4K
Starting price: $500
Why buy a Roku dongle or box when you can buy a Roku TV? Well known for being one of the best smart TV interfaces around, with support for just about every streaming app out there and then some, the Roku Plus series packs all of that inside a television.
It’s not just about the software here, though, because you also get a QLED panel capable of producing a perfect picture. Images have a lot of life and vibrancy to them, with well-balanced colors and impressive HDR handling across the board.
The Roku Plus will particularly appeal to those shopping on a budget because, relatively speaking, you can pick this TV up for not much money at all. You miss out on some features—the four HDMI slots use 2.0, not 2.1—but it’s still excellent value for money.
Amazon Fire TV Omni
Available sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75
Display tech: QLED
Starting price: $400
Speaking of televisions with familiar interfaces, the Amazon Fire TV Omni uses the same software that you’ll find on Amazon’s streaming sticks and boxes. If you find that interface appealing and watch a lot of Prime Video, this could be for you.
We like the wide choice of screen sizes here, we like the simple yet stylish design, and we want the way this TV renders movies, shows, and sports. Okay, it’s not quite at the level of the flagships, but then again, you’re paying a lot less to get it in your home.
HDR is well managed, images are typically bright and fluid, and, of course, Amazon Alexa is baked right in (so you can easily ask questions about what you’re watching). This set has four HDMI inputs, though only one of those supports HDMI 2.1.
XGIMI Horizon Ultra
Available sizes: Up to 200 inches
Display tech: Projector / 4K
Starting price: $1,700
If you don’t need a television or a projector, the classy XGIMI Horizon Ultra will serve you very well. It’s been earning a lot of praise for the high quality of its 4K picture, though it certainly doesn’t come cheap.
Everything about this projector looks premium and stylish, right down to the remote control and the sliding door mechanism that reveals the actual projector. Sound is superbly handled here as well, with some engineering help from Harman Kardon.
Assuming you have the wall or projector screen space to handle it, the XGIMI Horizon Ultra will produce bright, sharp, and evenly balanced images. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports and supports attaching USB devices and connecting to the web directly.
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB
Available sizes: Up to 300 inches
Display tech: Projector / 4K
Starting price: $3,000
You get a certain amount of peace of mind with an Epson projector—the company has been making these devices for a long, long time—and the Epson Home Cinema 5050UB has proved a popular 4K projector choice with both users and professionals.
Brightness rises to a fantastic 2,600 lumens, while the dynamic contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 also stands out. The projector can generate pictures up to 300 inches, corner to corner, so your home movie nights can be ultra-immersive.
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB, which has two HDMI 2.0 ports, superbly handles everything from HDR to color management, from motion handling to peak brightness. However, it does not have integrated sound, so you’ll need external speakers.
BenQ X500i
Available sizes: Up to 215 inches
Display tech: Projector / 4K
Starting price: $1,700
Just about anything you choose to pipe through the BenQ X500i will look great on a wall or projector screen. If a projector suits you better than a television set, it’s definitely one of the top options out there—especially if you’re using it for gaming.
With 2,200 lumens on offer, support for refresh rates up to 120Hz, and two HDMI 2.0 ports, the projector is strong in every area. That extends to the software, too: Android TV is built right in, so you don’t need to connect anything else to get to your streaming apps.
Most importantly, this projector produces really high-quality pictures, with sharpness, color, and motion all expertly handled. We also like the preset video modes available here, which adjust the projector’s settings based on what you’re viewing.
