We’re still evaluating the Bravia 9 II, but I’ll give you a little sneak-preview: Sony’s RGB LED flagship is one of the best TVs of the year.

The brand’s spin on the all-new display technology — dubbed True RGB — serves as a reminder that Sony is one of the top TV-makers in the world. But if you were hoping to get your hands on the Bravia 9 II, you’ll have to make peace with its ultra-high price tag.

Fortunately, there’s another way to get a taste of Sony’s True RGB engineering at a much friendlier price: the Bravia 7 II. Having tested the Bravia 7 II, we can confirm that it’s an impressive, mid-range alternative to its higher-end sibling. It's the set I recommend if you’re hesitant to splash out on the top TV in Sony’s lineup.

The Bravia 7 II is the mid-range RGB LED TV to beat this year

As Sony’s most affordable True RGB TV, the Bravia 7 II may not be as impressive as the flagship model, but there’s an argument to be made that it’s better than the 2024 Bravia 9 (one of the best Mini-LED TVs I’ve ever seen).

Let’s take a look at how the Bravia 7 II stacks up against the original Bravia 9 and the all-new Bravia 9 II.

As far as brightness goes, the Bravia 7 II peaks just below what we measured on the Bravia 9. This is plenty bright for most viewing environments, and while the Bravia 9 has some extra oomph, it’s not as significant as one might expect.

The real kicker is the Bravia 7 II’s ability to showcase color. Driven by Sony’s True RGB technology, it covers an impressive 87% of the BT.2020 color gamut. It’s a sizable step up from the Bravia 9 and right in line with the Bravia 9 II.

With a better array of RGB backlights with more-precise dimming, the Bravia 9 II is undoubtedly the better-performing TV. But make no mistake: The Bravia 7 II is packing a ton of horsepower under the hood.

Sony’s mid-range model also comes with a comparable set of features. Just like the Bravia 9 II, the 7 II supports 4K content at 120Hz across two of its four total HDMI inputs. You’re also getting Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Dolby Vision support and the Google TV streaming platform right out of the box.

Sony Bravia 7 II: outlook

None of this is to suggest that the Bravia 9 II isn’t worth buying. Far from it. But as is the case with many mid-range OLED TVs (like the LG C6), the Bravia 7 II feels closer in spirit to a high-end, luxury purchase than a middle-of-the road compromise.

Consider this: The 65-inch Bravia 7 II just went on sale for $1,999 at Best Buy. That’s $600 off its original price and only a couple hundred bucks more than the 65-inch C6 OLED.

The value proposition is even more compelling when you consider the top-shelf option. Right now, the 65-inch Bravia 9 II is $3,299 at Best Buy — a whopping $1,300 more than the Bravia 7 II.

The Bravia 9 II might prove to be one of the best-performing TVs of the year, but the Bravia 7 II will almost certainly be the set I recommend more often between now and the holiday-shopping season. This True RGB has a chance to be a true sleeper hit.

More from Tom's Guide

• Sony’s new Bravia 7 II has a secret weapon that makes it so good
• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it

The end is near for this year’s EOFY sales, with the price‑cut frenzy wrapping up as June 30 comes to a close. Even so, there’s still time to snag a last‑minute TV bargain before the new financial year kicks in.

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your TV, this is the moment to stop scrolling and start grabbing. Retailers are clearing out stock fast, and the mix of price drops, bonus offers and surprise markdowns means you can pick up a genuinely great screen for far less than you’d expect.

I’ve seen bargains you wouldn’t believe. Door‑buster TV deals stacked higher than warehouse shelves, flash sales that lit up retailer sites like neon signs in the night. I watched prices plunge in the final hours of EOFY, deeper than anyone thought possible. All of those deals will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to buy.

I cannot stress this enough — this is your last chance to score an epic TV deal at clearance prices before the EOFY sales are over. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to refresh your home setup with a new Samsung, Sony or Hisense television, you won't find a better time than now — here are my picks for the best last-minute EOFY TV deals.

So there you have it — my roundup of best TV deals from this year’s EOFY sales. If you’ve been thinking about an OLED upgrade, want to see how the latest RGB tech performs, or simply feel like it’s time for a larger TV, these options are well worth a look. But you'd better act fast — the discounts won’t stick around past July 1.

I’ve spent the past couple of weeks putting Sony’s new Bravia 7 II True RGB TV through its paces (with a deeper dive coming next week), and so far I've been seriously impressed by its contrast, colour accuracy and brightness.

Despite being one step below Sony's flagship Bravia 9 II, the Bravia 7 II holds its own with the best of them. I went in expecting exceptionally vivid colours due to its use of individually controlled red, green and blue backlights, but what really blew me away was how it was able to achieve OLED-like black levels without any noticeable light bleed — all while keeping the kind of brightness you’d normally only see from the best Mini LED TVs.

As pointed out in our Bravia 7 II review, the TV is a beast when it comes to HDR performance, and my favourite thing about it has to be that it comes factory-calibrated to industry-standard levels, meaning it provides a look based on Sony's own master monitors (used by Hollywood colourists) right out of the box.

Best of all? The brand-new Bravia 7 II has already been discounted by upwards of AU$1,500 (depending on the retailer) as part of this year's EOFY sales. The biggest discount can be found on 85-inch model, which will usually set you back AU$7,499 but is currently down to AU$5,999 on Sony's online store with free shipping included. Alternatively, you could pick it up from The Good Guys for just AU$5,985, though that doesn't include shipping costs.

While the best deal can be had on the 85-incher, the next biggest discount can be found on the 75-inch model, which has dropped by AU$1,000 to just AU$5,499 AU$4,499.

Meanwhile, the 65‑inch model is now AU$700 off, dropping from AU$3,999 to AU$3,299, while the 55‑inch falls from AU$2,999 to AU$2,499, and the 50‑inch from AU$2,699 to AU$2,299.

Regardless of your preferred size option, those are are excellent deals. That said, you'd better hurry if you want to take advantage of this EOFY offer, as it'll expire after 11:59pm AEST on June 30, 2026.

Having covered flat-panel TVs from nearly their inception, I'm stunned that I can buy a good-looking 65-inch screen for under $400. But that is the world we live in now, and the Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Smart TV is a prime example of big-screen value on a shoestring budget.

Aside from its sometimes-infuriating OS and an atrocious default image mode (the latter is easy to remedy), I was generally pleased with the Dolby Vision-enabled Vizio TV, and I suspect most people would be, too.

If you can spend a bit more for the Hisense QD7, that’s something I’d suggest — but if your budget is a firm $400, this Vizio delivers rock-solid performance that won’t disappoint budget buyers.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Pricing and availability

The Vizio VQM65C-1004 is the 65-inch model of Vizio's new 2026 Mini LED Quantum lineup, priced at $398 at Walmart and Sam's Club. The line ranges from 43-inch to 85-inch options.

The VQM sits a tier above Vizio's standard Quantum (QLED-only) sets like the VQD65M-08 (around $378 at Walmart) and well below its older Quantum Pro line, like the VQP65C-84 (around $500).

At under $400 for a 65-inch Mini-LED, the VQM65C-1004 competes with some of the best TVs under $500. To get better performance at this size, you'd have to spend another $100-$200 (or more) for models such as the Hisense QD7 I recently reviewed and the TCL QM6K, which we reviewed last year.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Design

The VQM65C is a bit chunky at 2.91 inches thick. That's the reasonable tradeoff for the benefits of a full-array LED backlight (which we'll talk about later), although Vizio might have utilized that extra space for a beefier sound system, as the Hisense QD7 does.

The bezel is of negligible thickness and is adorned with just a tiny "VIZIO" at the bottom-right corner. Screwholes under the panel allow easy mounting of Vizio's QuickFit soundbars (on 55-inch and larger models).

Typical of a budget TV, the VQM65C stands on two plastic feet, one near each end of the set. You'll need a table that's at least about four feet wide, unless you wall mount it (using its 300 x 300 mm VESA standard mounting screw holes). One bonus: You can thread cables through a channel in each foot so they don't visibly dangle down from the screen.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Ports

When it's viewed from behind, the TV features a power-cable connector on the left and all input and output ports on the right. Those include three HDMI 2.1 ports, supporting 120Hz refresh for video sources; however, the panel's full-resolution refresh rate is just 60Hz. It can, however, show video games at 120fps at one-quarter the panel's resolution—1080p HD. With a relatively low input lag of 9.9 milliseconds, this TV has some gaming potential.

TVs of this size typically have four HDMI ports, so consider what you'll want to plug into the set to determine if this is enough. One of those HDMI ports supports eARC to output lossless Dolby Atmos audio to a soundbar (such as a QuickFit model) or home theater system. An optical digital audio SPDIF output is also provided.

There's a USB 2.0 port to load images from a USB stick or power a streaming stick if you don't care for the Vizio OS interface. (I do that at home with an older Vizio model and a Roku stick.) There's no LAN port, which has become rather vestigial by now, but the set has up-to-date dual-band Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax and Bluetooth headphone capability. An RF-in port connects to a built-in ATSC 1.0 tuner, which doesn't support the latest resolution and dynamic range broadcast standards (so it's limited to 1080i resolution and standard dynamic range).

How we test TVs at Tom’s Guide

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom's Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set's performance. For our technical tests, we set the TV to its most accurate out-of-the-box mode — for the Vizio VQM, that's Calibrated Dark mode, since the set doesn't offer a Filmmaker mode — and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays's Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester for determining the TV's gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer but usually include anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our "How we test TVs" page.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Performance

My one liner-advice for this TV: Use Sports mode for most content, especially in a bright room, and Calibrated Dark mode for darker films viewed in a dark room.

Yes, Sports mode.

By chance, I started my testing with sports content: Amazon Prime's "NBA Nightcap 4/10: MIN v. HOU." I was mainly looking for how the screen handled rather-fast motion in HD. The TV's 60Hz refresh rate couldn't do much to help sharpen it. Turning on the set's Clear Action feature didn't have a noticeable effect, other than to darken images and add a slight, persistent flicker. (The Hisense QD7, also limited to 60Hz, has more effective motion smoothing.)

Switching to the Sports picture mode also had no effect on motion handling, but it made nearly all material look better — not just sports.

Take, for instance, Netflix's "Bridgerton." Season 1, Ep 3 (17:00-19:00 in) is a torture test, encompassing a full range of skintones and lighting condisions and a riot of colors. The VQM65C preserved detail and color in the light hair of a man standing in direct sunshine, as well as darker-toned women in shadow at an indoor reception. Dresses in pale summer shades of orange, blue, green, and pink appear vibrant without being oversaturated.

For darker films in a darker room, Calibrated Dark is often the right mode. It allowed the VQM65C to reproduce the dynamic range that's essential in “Dune” on Blu-ray. I could clearly see Duke Leto's face as he awakened in a dark bedroom. Afterwards, the screen retained detail in dark and bright areas as the night was pierced by brilliant orange and blue explosions of the Harkonnen invasion.

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" on Blu-ray looked equally good. Faces were clear in the firelight conversation between Peter Parker and Steven Strange, and the Doctor's fiery spell of forgetting glistened against the dark of a basement room.

Out of the box, the VQM65C defaults to Bright mode, which can appear remarkably over-saturated. I saw this in the normally gorgeous video for the Bruno Mars song "Risk It All" on YouTube. The creme-colored walls of the church interior turned orange, as did the face of his bride. This picture mode is rough on all skin tones, but anything darker than pale white really suffers. (I also saw motion stuttering regardless of mode: jerkiness in a scene in which the camera moves in towards Mars, and stuttering as it rotates 90 degrees to show him from the side.)

To get a better sense of color performance, I turned to material I know well — test photos I shot while reviewing cameras for Tom's Guide. Here the conclusion was clear: Sports mode generally provides the best color quality and detail for everyday viewing. In a sun-drenched photo of women by a fountain, Sports mode rendered pleasing skintones in both lighter and darker complexion.

In a softer-lit photo of a woman sitting on a bench, switching to Sports mode brought out detail in her face that had been washed out in Bright and Calibrated modes. Images in Bright mode looked overexposed and oversaturated (sometimes too orange, sometimes too blue). Calibrated mode continued to make things sallow.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Performance and test results

*As measured in Filmmaker mode ("Calibrated Dark" for the VQM65C)

Instrument tests back up much of what I saw, especially a measurement called Delta-E. It calculates how far off colors are from what they should be (based on the test signal we send to the TV). In Bright mode, the Vizio's Delta-E is 13.7, above (thus worse than) the average of 10.3 in the default mode for over 100 TVs we've tested going back to 2022. (They range from 5.52 — quite good — to 26.18.)

Delta-E is 4.6 in Calibrated Dark mode (the most accurate), well above the average of 2.48 for all TVs tested in their best mode — and at the point where even people who aren't color obsessed might notice. (The range for all models is 0.84 to 6.98; the Hisense QD7 comes in at 1.75.) We measured the simple Calibrated mode at 5. We do not usually test TVs in Sports mode, however, so we don’t have that data to report.

In terms of brightness, you’re looking at a mediocre peak HDR luminance of 781 nits in Calibrated Dark mode in our lab tests (based on the 10% window method). The average of comparable measures for other TVs we've tested is 1,472 nits, all-time, and 1,637 for models from 2025 and 2026. (It's not out of step for models in this price range, though. The rival Hisense QD7 is at 659 nits.) This performance is a sign that the full-array Mini-LED backlight with local dimming is doing its job, even with a modest 180 dimming zones for the 65-inch model.

The brightness deficit shows up in non-HDR content, such as the digital restoration of "8½," Fellini's 1963 black-and-white surrealist film. Details are hard to make out during an early scene (about four minutes in) set in a darkened bedroom. We measured just 219 nits standard dynamic range (SDR) brightness in Calibrated Dark mode, vs. an average 419 nits for all 2025 and 2026 65-inch LCD TVs reviewed.

However, a subsequent outdoor scene in "8½" displays well, including just a bit of expected warmth in the white tones of an old film. The TV also smoothes out a difficult long panning shot of a garden party well, using frame doubling to take the 24fps film rate up to 48Hz playback.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Audio

The Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K has the bare minimum audio power for a TV today: two 10-Watt speakers. It performs pretty well given those constraints. In "Risk It All," the bright trumpet notes and resonant plucking of the guitar came through clearly, as did Mars's soft singing. (I didn't discern a difference between the standard Surround sound and Virtual:X settings.)

As is usually the case, it's bass-heavy content that strains small sound systems. Audio sounded muffled and flat in the roar of sounds in the final season, final episode of Netflix's "Stranger Things." I got some improvement by pushing the volume from the standard 25 of 100 setting I usually test in up to 35, and by turning up bass from the neutral 0 level to +6, on a scale that ranges from -12 to +12. This didn't do much to improve clarity, though, especially in voices.

It's pretty standard advice to say that, if you care about audio (especially bass), you should consider adding one of the best soundbars or home theater speakers to your TV. That's certainly the case here.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Interface and remote

There's a reason I added a Roku stick to my own (older) Vizio TV. Vizio OS is rather busy, very anxious to sell you stuff, and includes some annoying "features." This model is carried by Walmart and Sam's Club, and you need to set up a Walmart account to get it working. The last thing I want is another online account collecting data on me. (Vizio is not unique in this respect, however. I had to disable a bunch of settings on the TCL QM8L TV with Google TV.)

My colleagues and I were driven batty by Scenic Mode. Leave the TV alone long enough and it slips a full-screen reel of nature footage and ambient music that, true to Vizio's ad-supported instincts, eventually pipes in commercials you can't disable — unless you turn off the whole feature, which is on by default.

On the positive side, settings were pretty easy to navigate via a mini-menu that pops up on the upper left of the screen. You can toggle directly through key settings like picture mode, or click into more-detailed menus. Vizio OS comes with over 300+ built-in apps and features WatchFree+, a free, ad-support platform with 300+ live channels (local news, sports, movies, gaming, music) plus over 30,000 on-demand titles.

The remote includes handy shortcut buttons to services including Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, and WatchFree+ … which I kept accidentally launching when I meant to tap the select button in the center of the four-way navigational pad. It also supports voice input. Vizio also provides an intuitive smartphone app that largely mimics the physical remote, which is helpful if you ever misplace it.

Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Review: Verdict

Vizio mostly got it right on this TV: big screen, low price, respectable image quality. Quirks aside (annoying OS, bizarre picture settings), it provides a good budget viewing experience.

For a step up, I recommend the Hisense QD7 over the Mini-LED Quantum 4K despite its slightly lower brightness in HDR. It delivers a better visual experience with more accurate colors. If you’re shopping for a room with lots of ambient light, you might have to splurge on one of TCL’s more mid-range Mini-LED models like the TCL QM7K that offers significantly higher brightness above 1,000 nits. (To get this quality at a comparable price though, you may have to drop down to a 55-inch screen.)

If you hunger for a big screen but don't have the stomach for a higher price, the 65-inch Vizio VQM65C is a solid choice. However, during sales events like Black Friday, the Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K is a prime candidate for big price drops and will become an even better value. Keep an eye on its sticker price as we head into the latter half of the year — your wallet will thank you for your patience.

When I reviewed the LG C6 OLED back in April, one of my main gripes with it was that, while a brilliant TV in its own right, it was a very marginal improvement over the previous year’s C5 model. So marginal that I recommended waiting for a price drop, or even buying an LG C5 over a C6 to save some dough and get a very similar TV out of the deal.

LG’s most recent addition to their B Series OLEDs, the B6, does not have that same problem.The company’s latest mid-range OLED is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, and it stacks up quite well against its more powerful (and expensive) sibling in the C6. In fact, it even performs better in one key category over the C6, which I’ll get to later.

The B6 isn’t the best TV of 2026 — it still bears some of the same issues I had with the C6, like an unimpressive speaker system and some AI features that don’t necessarily improve the experience. But at this price, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better-looking OLED with as many features as the LG B6 brings to the table.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Price and release date

The B6 is a mid-budget option from LG’s 2026 lineup of OLED TVs. It was released on March 18, 2026, and is currently available at participating retailers.

Below is a breakdown of the available sizes and pricing (we reviewed the 65-inch model):

• LG B6 OLED (65-inch): $1,999
• LG B6 OLED (77-inch): $2,799
• LG B6 OLED (83-inch): $4,499

If you want to upgrade from the B6, the next step up would be LG’s C6 OLED, which comes in at $2,699 for the 65-inch model and reaches up to $5,299 for the 83-inch C6H model. The B Series is definitely the most budget-friendly of the brand’s offerings, though. So if you’re looking for LG’s most accessible OLED option, you’ve found it.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Design

The LG B6 OLED shares a lot of the same DNA as the C6 in terms of design: It has the same thin,1.8-inch profile, as well as that faux-marble look that LG TVs have become synonymous with. The finish did feel a bit less sturdy than the C6’s — that TV had a back panel that was flat and felt more durable to the touch — but it looks really slick and will fit seamlessly into any living room, regardless of personal style.

One thing that the B6 unfortunately doesn’t share with the C6, though, is the brushed metal central pedestal stand that I loved on the C6. Instead, the B6 uses a dual-leg setup, which feels more flimsy and takes up a lot more room on a media console.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but I wish that this was something that carried over from the C Series. Of course, you can also mount the TV if the dual legs aren't for you.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Ports

The LG B6 comes stock with the same suite of ports as the C6: four HDMI 2.1 ports (one of them eARC-compatible), two USB-A ports, and an Ethernet connection in case you want to plug in for better internet speeds. There’s also an optical digital audio out port, 3.5mm headphone jack, serial port, and antenna/cable input, as well as support for Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.3.

Overall, it’s a nice variety of ports and should cover most, if not all of your needs. Next time around, though, I would love to see LG take notes from the Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED TV and include a USB-C DisplayPort. Hisense has officially spoiled me on that front, and I think it should become more standardized as more and more tech makes the switch to USB-C.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate out of the box) and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer but usually include anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Performance

During my time with the LG B6 OLED, I watched a variety of films, TV shows, and YouTube videos to get an idea of how it would perform during daily use. I also played a few PS5 titles to judge its gaming performance and features.

Of course, my experience with the B6 was never going to be as eye-popping as the one I had with the C6. The C6 is much brighter (which I’ll talk about in the “test results” section below), especially in HDR mode, but that’s to be expected when comparing a TV to its upgrade pick. So with tempered expectations, I booted the TV up, and I was still very impressed with how great the B6 looked.

What the B6 doesn’t have in brightness, it makes up for in color. Watching “Send Help” was a delight on this TV, from the bright and multicolored sands of the beach, to the lush greens of the island’s flora, to the deep reds of fake movie blood. Both “Blade Runner 2049” and “The Boys” looked similarly great, although the lack of brightness was definitely felt in darker scenes. Still, those colors certainly popped.

I also watched an LG 4K demo video on YouTube, which made a big impression. The depth of color in person was stunning, and the deep blacks within each scene looked just as good as I remember them looking on the C6.

The TV has a variety of picture presets, like Vivid and Filmmaker modes. All of them have their uses, but my preferred mode, Filmmaker, looked the best to me. However, this mode definitely highlights the B6’s brightness struggles compared to the C6, and is best viewed in a dark room. For daytime viewing, I would stick to Standard or Vivid mode for the best balance of brightness and color.

Like the C6, the B6 really excels in the gaming department. The TV’s Game Optimizer mode levels up whatever you’re playing by cutting down on input lag and boosting FPS on both console (4K at 120Hz) and PC, and it works to great effect.

During my review period, I used the Game Optimizer to play Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and was able to achieve a consistent 120 frames per second, even in the game’s performance ray tracing mode. With VRR turned on, the game felt even better and had zero noticeable screen tearing or input lag. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight also looked amazing, and ran at a smooth 60 frames throughout gameplay (there was no 120Hz mode available in this game). No matter what I was playing, the B6 was fast, responsive, and full of detail. LG, in my opinion, continues to be the standard-bearer for gaming TVs.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Test results

From our test results, you can see that the LG B6 performs better than the LG B5 and Samsung QN90F when it comes to SDR brightness at 253 nits. But, it’s outmatched when put against the C6 and its max brightness of 343 nits.

So yes, it’s not as bright as the C6, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. When you look at our Delta-E test results, which is how we measure a TV’s color accuracy (the lower the number, the better), the B6’s 10.58 actually beats the C6’s 11.74. So if you’re not a frequent watcher of 4K/HDR content, you’re going to have a slightly better experience with the B6 right out of the box than you would with the C6.

As expected, in the HDR brightness category, the B6’s max of 695 nits is easily beaten by both the C6 (1,251 nits) and Samsung QN90F (2,109 nits), but still outperforms its predecessor’s 606 nits. So be sure to consider what kinds of content you’ll watch the most on your TV — if you usually stick with SDR, you’re not giving up much by going with the B6 over the C6.

When it comes to gaming, the B6 performs just as good as the C6 in SDR, and has even less input latency (8.9ms) than the C6 (9.1ms) when boosted by the TV’s Game Optimizer mode.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Audio

The LG B6’s speaker setup is unfortunately one of the weakest aspects of the TV. Like most TVs, the B6’s speakers shoot straight back into the wall, which swallows up a lot of detail and volume. It wasn’t too different from the audio experience I had with the C6, but these speakers did sound a little bit more tinny than its counterpart.

Like I say in most of my TV reviews, I think that nine times out of ten, you’ll be better off hooking your TV up with one of the best soundbars to balance out your audio setup. Thank me later.

The B6 does have some AI-enhanced audio features, but I’m really torn on them. There’s a speech mode that does actually assist you in hearing line reads that are buried by poor sound mixing, but the tradeoff is that it makes the low and mid tones sound pretty bad, and washes out all the other noise in a given scene. Unless I seriously needed to hear a piece of dialogue that I was having trouble picking up on, I don’t think I would use this feature all that much.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Interface and apps

Like the LG C6, the B6 also uses webOS 26 as its smart platform, and it was an enjoyable experience throughout. If you’ve used webOS 25, you won’t find too many changes that aren’t AI-centric here, but I still think the layout of the TV’s menus and home screen are really nice. Overall performance of the OS is stellar, too, and I never ran into any bugs like I often do with Samsung’s Tizen OS. Paired with LG’s Magic Remote, the B6’s interface is smooth, fast, and intuitive.

Like I mentioned above, webOS 26 leans much harder into AI features than webOS 25 did, employing Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot to give you more personalized content recommendations. I didn’t really get to spend enough time with the TV to build an algorithm for myself and benefit from those personalized recommendations, but if it’s anything like the C6, they’ll work just fine. AI features aren’t something I personally engage with often, but if you make use of it in your daily life, you’ll probably get some good mileage out of this stuff over time.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Remote

LG’s updated Magic Remote impressed me during my time with the LG C6, and the experience was no different with the B6. In addition to regular buttons, the remote implements a motion-sensing point-and-click function that makes navigation way easier when there are a lot of on-screen options. It felt like I was using a Nintendo Wii controller, but in the best way. The scroll wheel in the center of the remote is also nice to have, and helps you parse through streaming app libraries much faster.

You’ll also find dedicated app buttons for a few popular streaming services, as well as buttons for tweaking settings and inputs. The Magic Remote also features a button that pulls up the TV’s AI functions like speech and picture enhancements. As with the C6, I really like the customizable heart button at the top of the remote that you can program to do whatever you want, from specific apps to actual TV functions. You can even assign the mute function to it, which you may have to because the remote doesn’t have a dedicated mute button. I personally don’t love that, but at least there’s a workaround.

LG B6 OLED TV review: Verdict

At this price, the LG B6 is one of the best OLED TVs you can find. It’s in great company with the C6, boasting even better color accuracy and gaming performance, even though it’s not as bright. Unlike the C6, though, the B6 is a much bigger improvement over its previous model, and not for nothing, it's $800 cheaper.

At the end of the day, whether you upgrade or not, you’re going to get a TV that looks beautiful both in terms of on-screen performance and physical design. And if you’re willing to be patient, you’ll most likely be able to score an even better deal on a B6 OLED later this year.

I’m no stranger to the concept of a good ol’ fashioned street price. In the TV business, new models often launch at a set price only to see some small- to medium-sized discounts shortly thereafter. In many cases, the original MSRP remains on the page, and for folks clicking around on Best Buy, Amazon or a brand’s online store, the red-colored savings indicator can be enticing.

Hisense isn’t a stranger to this, either — I’d wager that the majority of Hisense TV launches I’ve covered over the last decade have dabbled in the art (perhaps science?) of the street price. But I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening with the Hisense UR9, the brand’s highly-touted, first-ever RGB LED TV.

After just a week and a half on shelves with an MSRP of $3,499, the 65-inch Hisense UR9 is already on sale for just $1,999 at Best Buy. The $1,500 discount is bigger than any street price-related reset I’ve ever seen. Here’s what this situation tells us about the state of the RGB LED TV market.

The UR9 faces fierce competition

While keeping in mind that I'm not working off inside information, here's my read on the Hisense UR9's sudden, steep drop in price: No one's going to undercut Hisense.

Since their surge in the North American TV market about a decade ago, Hisense has been a TV brand associated with value. Hisense representatives will be the first to tell you this, too; I've heard them proudly reference their reputation for over-delivering on reported performance specs, very often at lower price points than their competitors.

But with the biggest names in the TV industry launching their own cutting-edge RGB LED TVs in 2026, this narrative was about to shift.

As you can see in the chart below, the 65-inch UR9 was sitting on shelves next to a 65-inch Micro RGB TV from Samsung with a heftier price tag — $300 worth of additional heft, to be precise. As the only two TV-makers currently offering 65-inch RGB LED TVs, Samsung was poised to be the value-conscious pick at this popular size point.

Additionally, at the 75-inch size point, the UR9 was a whole $500 more than the Samsung R95H. That doesn't seem much like the Hisense that I know, the brand that over-delivers at a lower price point than its rivals.

With these new sale prices in effect, the 65-inch UR9 is now $1,200 less than the 65-inch R95H. The 75-inch version is $1,500 to $2,000 less than the 75-inch R95H and the 75-inch LG MRGB95. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be? If you're Hisense, maybe.

Bear in mind that we're almost sure to see some sale pricing for LG and Samsung Micro RGB TVs in the coming months. TCL — whose sole RGB Mini-LED TV is only confirmed to exist in three sizes at 85 inches and above — will likely drop in price throughout the year, too.

And then there are the step-down RGB LED-based models from Hisense and Samsung: the UR8 and R85H. We've yet to test these sets, but I'm interested to see how they stack up against their flagship-level counterparts. It seems logical that the steep sale pricing on the UR9 could potentially have ripple effects on the UR8, too.

Should you buy the Hisense UR9?

If you're looking for bright, sizzling performance, a ton of features and the satisfaction that comes with getting in on the ground floor of a brand-new display technology, the Hisense UR9 is officially the most affordable way to do so. If you were on the fence about splashing out on this TV a week ago, this newly minted street price is bound to be tantalizing.

However, if you need some excuse — anything at all — to persuade you away from buying a flashy new TV right now, I can certainly help with that.

Are RGB LED TVs worth it? Well, having spent some time with a few of them, I can say that their performance ranges from "pretty good (if not a little disappointing)" to "excellent." And, for what it's worth, that level of "excellent" is closer to being on par with some of the best quantum dot-equipped Mini-LED TVs I've ever seen, so your mileage may vary on whether you think that justifies these prices.

In our full Hisense UR9 review, my colleague Dylan Haas remarked that, while the UR9 fared well in our tests, its color performance during real-world use didn't seem to meet the impressive nature of the numbers. In other words, a classic case of looks good on paper.

Its 3.5-star review isn't indicative of a bad TV, though, and the UR9's bright performance sounds best suited for bright-room viewing. Maybe, with its new sale price attached, the UR9 can find a groove as the most-affordable flagship RGB LED TV rather than a potentially tough sell.

More from Tom's Guide

• OLED is safe: I tested the Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED TV, and it's very good but falls short
• Samsung just made its 2026 Mini-LED TV lineup official, but one popular TV won’t be returning this year
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead

You’ve made up your mind: You’re buying a new TV, and it will not be expensive. Why? Because even a $350 TV is still $350.

Fortunately, cheap TVs have never been better, and good-enough TVs have never been cheaper. You just have to know what you’re looking for — otherwise you might end up with a TV that frustrates you more than it entertains you.

If you’re shopping for a new set and hoping to keep costs down, I’m here to help. These are the five features to look for when bargain-hunting in the TV aisle.

1. 4K resolution

We live in the era of 4K. Even though the majority of what we watch — basic cable, local news and most YouTube videos — gets piped into our homes at below 4K resolution, it’s time to embrace ultra-high definition.

The reason for this is simple: Even if you don't care about fancy enhancements, any TV worth buying is a 4K TV. By insisting that you don't need 4K resolution, you're starting your TV-shopping journey with a severely limited pool of options. Plus, many of the cheapest TVs you can buy are 4K TVs — the days of it being a pricey upgrade are over.

Besides, streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ are regularly pumping out shows and movies in 4K resolution. If you do even a marginal amount of streaming, you're eventually going to want it.

There is a caveat to this. If you’re buying a 32-inch TV (say, for a kitchen or guest room), you probably don’t need 4K resolution. At that size, you’re far less likely to spot the difference, anyway.

2. A reliable brand name

I'll cut to the chase: Steer clear of the absolute cheapest TVs on the market. These are the brands that mostly (or completely) specialize in ultra-affordable fare, like Insignia, Element, Onn and Pioneer.

While some of these companies have been around for a while, they almost always prioritize affordability above all else. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that business model, you can usually spend just a little bit more on a set that, in my experience, will likely look better and last longer.

A common complaint among the negative reviews attached to these models is that the display failed, the audio went out, or that the motherboard fried itself early on in the TV's lifespan. And, while even premium TVs fail occasionally, better components and tighter engineering are key to longevity.

3. LED backlighting (ideally with local dimming)

Many ultra-affordable, entry-level LED TVs are built around edge-lit displays. These displays are illuminated from their edges rather than behind the picture, like backlit TVs.

It all comes down to the distance between the LEDs and the screen. If a TV relies on edge-based LEDs, it’ll likely struggle with contrast, especially during darker content. The picture will likely take on a hazy, flat look, with very little depth and shadow detail.

From a performance standpoint, backlit LED TVs aren’t guaranteed to be better than edge-lit LED TVs just on the basis of their hardware. However, in the entry-level price range, edge-lit TVs are almost always the dimmer, less-impressive option.

Look for TVs whose product summaries, spec sheets or box blurbs mention terms like “full array LED,” “backlighting” or “local dimming.” At super-affordable price points, these are valuable marketing terms that will likely be readily available.

If you're shopping in the $300 to $500 price range, you might even have the option of getting a Mini-LED TV, which is a more-advanced version of LED backlighting getting cheaper by the day.

By the same token, don’t expect to see the terms “edge LED” or “edge-lit” on the side of a TV box. It might be buried in a product listing somewhere, but it probably won't be highlighted as a bonus feature. If you don’t see an indication that the TV is backlit, just assume that it’s not.

4. The right amount of HDMI ports

For most people, a minimum of three HDMI ports is essential. While the vast majority of affordable TVs meet this criterion, I still occasionally come across TVs with just a pair of HDMI inputs.

Don't assume that, because two ports is OK for now, you'll still be satisfied with that amount in the future. For one thing, cheap TVs aren’t exactly known for their sound quality. Heck, many mid-range and high-end TVs suffer from less-than-great audio.

For this reason, we typically recommend that folks pair their affordable TVs with one of the best soundbars that works within their budget. But here's the rub: Once you've paired your TV with a soundbar, you're down to just one available port for a cable box, streaming device or console. The last thing you want to happen is to find yourself in need of a new TV in a year or two simply because you're limited to just a pair of ports.

This leads me to my final point: If you want to forgo the streaming stick and lean on your next TV's built-in streaming software, you'll need to brush up on which smart platform best suits your needs.

5. A reliable smart platform (if you need it)

If you're shopping for a budget-friendly smart TV, you'll likely have your choice between one that leverages Google TV, Roku, LG's webOS, Samsung's Smart Hub or Amazon Fire TV. Of these software suites, Google TV, Roku and Fire TV can be found across various brands.

Google TV and Roku offer the best combination of usability and additional, downloadable apps. In my experience, Samsung's software and LG's software are the most dependent upon the processing power of the associated TV. As a result, I've found that the most affordable Samsung and LG TVs are the most likely to exhibit software-related slowdown depending on which apps are in play.

In any event, something is better than nothing. If you're determined to skip the use of a dedicated streaming device, your TV's built-in smart platform will have to suffice.

Buying a cheap TV: outlook

Now that we've tackled the ins and outs of cheap TV-shopping, let's put together everything we know so far:

I'm shopping for a new, cheap TV. I want it to belong to a reliable brand, I need it to feature 4K resolution and LED backlighting, and I want it to have at least three HDMI inputs and a reliable smart platform.

The TCL QM5K is just one example of a TV that fits the bill. Not only does it feature LED backlighting, it's the most affordable TCL-branded TV to include Mini-LEDs.

The QM5K doesn't come with four HDMI inputs, but it does have three. And, if you're determined to lean on your next TV's built-in smart features, the QM5K has you covered there, too. It's built around Google TV, so most people won't feel compelled to take up one of its three HDMI inputs with a streaming device.

Buying a budget-friendly TV can be intimidating. No one wants to shell out a few hundred bucks on something that will only lead to frustration in the near future. If you keep this checklist in mind, however, you're equipped with everything you need to find a suitable model without breaking the bank.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve set up hundreds of TVs in my career — here are 6 mistakes people make when setting up a new TV
• OLED vs Mini-LED: What’s the difference and is one actually better?
• Micro-LED vs Micro RGB TVs: What's the difference?

It’s new-TV season, which means the biggest brands in the business are busy rolling out their latest TV lineups. LG, fresh off the launch of the LG C6 OLED, just announced pricing for its first Micro RGB evo TV. The LG MRGB95 will start at $4,999 for a 75-inch model.

This year, along with the usual suspects of QLEDs, OLEDs and lifestyle TVs, many of the most-popular brands are unveiling an all-new type of TV: RGB LED. These fancy sets promise blistering brightness and better color volume than what we’ve seen from the best Mini-LED and OLED TVs.

LG’s Micro RGB evo TV will go toe to toe with RGB LED TVs from Hisense, Samsung, Sony and TCL. Here’s how the LG MRGB95 stacks up against its rivals.

LG Micro RGB evo pricing: how it compares

At the time of publishing, four flagship TVs have been announced that leverage RGB LED technology: the Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED TV, the Samsung R95H Micro RGB TV, the TCL RM9L RGB Mini-LED TV and the LG MRGB95 Micro RGB evo TV. They're available in sizes spanning 65 to 115 inches, but each brand is serving up slightly different size options within the series.

None of these TVs will come cheap. At the 75-inch size point (the smallest size LG is offering), the LG MRGB95 is priced the same as the Hisense UR9. The 75-inch Samsung R95H is $500 cheaper than both.

At the LG MRGB95's largest size (100 inches), LG's model is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Hisense UR9. While a 130-inch version of the Samsung R95H is said to be on the way, the series currently tops out at 85 inches. At this size point, the $6,499 R95H falls in between the $5,999 UR9 and the $6,999 MRGB95.

The Hisense and Samsung advantage

The sizing and pricing of these brand-new, RGB LED flagships tell a similar story. For the maiden voyage of this new display technology, brands are emphasizing big screens at luxury prices.

As the only two brands to currently offer a 65-inch version of a flagship-level RGB LED TV, Hisense and Samsung enjoy a key advantage over their competitors — at least for now.

For several years now, 65 inches has been one of the most popular screen sizes in the world. For folks yearning for an RGB LED experience at the 65-inch size point, only Hisense and Samsung are playing ball.

It's worth keeping in mind, however, that we haven't seen specifics about how Sony intends to sell its inaugural True RGB TV series, presumably later this year. Given that most of the brand's top-shelf TVs in recent years have arrived in 65-inch variants, it's not hard to see Sony delivering a flagship True RGB TV at this size point.

There will also be step-down versions of RGB LED TVs to choose from, too, and those will be available in smaller, more-affordable variants. Samsung has confirmed that the R85H Micro RGB TV will come in 55- and 65-inch versions (starting at $1,599), while Hisense seems to be gearing up to launch a 55-inch version of its UR8 RGB Mini-LED TV.

It remains to be seen how the Samsung S85H and the Hisense UR8 manage to leverage RGB LED technology at a lower price point and what sort of performance concessions might come with them.

Anyone in the market for a smaller, cheaper RGB LED TV in 2026 won't find it in the LG MRGB95. If you are in the market for a 75-inch Micro RGB evo TV, however, you can preorder the LG MRGB95 at LG's website.

More from Tom's Guide

• In the market for an OLED? Here’s my expert guide on shopping for an LG TV in 2026
• We just tested the Hisense UR9 RGB Mini-LED — and it's more colorful than the top OLED TVs
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead

It’s April, which means the newest and most intriguing TVs are making their way into our testing lab as we speak. We’re busy sizing up a slate of new displays, including the most compelling of them all: an all-new type of TV called RGB LED. Hisense, LG, Samsung, Sony and TCL are all dropping their own version of RGB LED TVs in 2026, and many of them already have the making of some of the best TVs of the year.

Perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch is the Hisense UR9. This flagship model was one of the first RGB LED TVs confirmed to exist just a few short months ago at CES, and Hisense has seemed mighty confident about the prowess of RGB Mini-LED technology.

We recently put the Hisense UR9 through its paces in our test lab, and while we’re still evaluating the set for our soon-to-be-published review, I can spill the beans about one key performance metric: The UR9 is one of the most colorful TVs we’ve ever measured, which could spell trouble for the competition.

Hisense UR9 color: how it stacks up

The UR9 sits at the top of the 2026 Hisense TV lineup, and separates itself from standard, quantum dot-enhanced Mini-LED TVs with its array of red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs.

RGB LED TVs like the UR9 promise better color than what we've seen on consumer TVs in the past, and so far, the test results are bearing this out. If you're shopping for the brightest, purest color money can buy in 2026, there are three types of TV that ought to be on your radar: RGB LED, quantum dot-enhanced OLED (also known as QD-OLED) and SQD Mini-LED (a display variation currently only being offered by TCL).

To get a sense of how Hisense's top RGB LED compares to the most colorful QD-OLEDs and SQD Mini-LED TVs we've measured to date, take a look at the chart below.

Heading into the year, the pair of 2025 QD-OLEDs on the chart above represented the best color we'd ever measured. The Samsung S95F and the Sony Bravia 8 II blend quantum dot-color with the bevy of benefits that come with OLED technology, and until just recently, their ability to cover between roughly 90.2% and 90.3% of the BT.2020 color gamut was worthy of distinction.

Since then, two heavy-hitting TVs from TCL have surpassed these numbers in our test lab — and they did it without the help of RGB LED-based backlighting. The TCL X11L and the TCL QM8L leverage the brand's Super Quantum Dot (SQD) display, which shakes up the traditional QLED formula for brighter, bolder color.

But the Hisense UR9 tops them all, covering an impressive 93% of the BT.2020 color space. It's quite a feat, but ultimately, the best RGB LED TV of the year will come down to more than just color.

Hisense UR9: outlook

The difference between 93% and 91% of the BT.2020 color space won't always be apparent to the average viewer. It's important to note, too, that the vast majority of content you'll be watching on any of these new sets won't be taking advantage of the entire BT.2020 color gamut.

Ultimately, the best RGB LED TVs of the year — and the best sets in general — will come down to which models offer the best blend of contrast, color, and what I like to call the little things. These are the details that are often overlooked when comparing numbers on a chart, like motion handling, upscaling and how well the processing renders gradients.

We'll be publishing our full review of the UR9 in the coming days. On paper, it certainly has the specs and test results to earn the title of best Hisense TV ever made. Like always, though, it'll come down to the little things.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's True RGB up close — and the downfall of OLED TVs might come sooner than expected
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead
• Micro-LED vs Micro RGB TVs: What's the difference?

Samsung finally put a bow on its 2026 TV lineup. Two all-new Mini-LED TVs — the MH80 and MH70 — sit below a pair of previously announced Neo QLED TVs, the QN80H and the QN70H. The brand will also release a 100-inch MH90 Mini-LED TV later in the year.

The Neo QLED models (which leverage quantum dots for enhanced color) were announced back at CES, but until today, the rest of Samsung’s primary TV lineup hadn’t come into focus. With the addition of the MH80 and MH70, it’s clear that the TV-maker’s catalogue is getting a shakeup this year.

The Samsung QN90F — the brand’s top Neo QLED for several years and one of the best TVs of 2025 — will not be returning in 2026. Instead, Samsung’s brand-new Micro RGB flagship will assume the role of the top non-OLED TV in Samsung’s portfolio. Here's a full breakdown.

Samsung's 2026 Mini-LED TVs

The M80H and M70H comprise Samsung's regular Mini-LED TV selection this year. Unlike the brand's higher-end Neo QLED lineup, the M80H and M70H are equipped with a more modest array of Mini-LED backlighting and do not come with quantum dot-enhanced color.

Nevertheless, the entry-level M70H and step-up M80H are competitively priced TVs that are seemingly replacing the brand's mid-range QLED series, which previously didn't feature Mini-LED backlighting. While it's a bummer to lose out on quantum dots, I'd rather have the contrast-related upside of Mini-LED backlighting than quantum-dot color at this price range.

Both of these TVs come with just three HDMI inputs instead of the industry-standard set of four. The higher-end M80H supports 4K content at up to 144Hz across all of its ports, while the entry-level M70H is limited to 4K/60Hz support.

In addition to its higher refresh rate, the M80H also supports AMD FreeSync Premium, so it's better suited for gaming than the step-down M70H. Both sets support heaps of AI-based features, including Samsung Gaming Hub (for cloud gaming services), and arrive with Samsung's built-in Tizen-based smart platform. Here's a look at pricing:

As mentioned, a 100-inch M90H is slated for release later this year. As of now, we don't have pricing information for the M90H, nor do we have information about its specifications.

If you're shopping for a Samsung TV with a little more oomph, a Neo QLED set might be better suited to your needs.

Samsung's 2026 Neo QLED TVs

Announced at CES, Samsung's newest Neo QLED TVs — the QN80H and QN70H — blend the brand's most advanced versions of Mini-LED backlighting with quantum-dot color for added brightness and color volume. If you're shopping for a Samsung TV this year and don't want an OLED TV or a Micro RGB TV, the QN80H and QN70H are your highest-end options.

Somewhat disappointingly, the QN70H mirrors the M70H in that it's limited to just three HDMI ports and a native refresh rate of just 60Hz. Like the M70H, the QN70H is also missing AMD FreeSync support for smoother, tear-free gaming. The QN70H is still a significant step up from the M70H, but it's not as rich with features as its predecessor, the Samsung QN70F.

The QN80H comes with four HDMI inputs, all of which support 4K gaming up to 144Hz. This added bandwidth — along with its AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support — makes it a more gaming-friendly TV than the QN70H.

The QN70H is available in two smaller-sized options (43 and 50 inches), while the QN80H is available in a room-dominating, 100-inch version.

Missing from this lineup is the fan-favorite QN90 Series, which seems to have been pushed out of Samsung's portfolio in favor of the brand's newest Micro RGB TVs. As of now, the Samsung R95H Micro RGB flagship is the next step up after the QN80H.

Samsung 2026 TVs: outlook

Samsung's TV lineup has been given a shake-up this year. Its Mini-LED TVs are no longer exclusively Neo QLED-branded sets, which is a move that has mixed implications for shoppers.

On one hand, entry-level and mid-range Samsung TVs that feature Mini-LED backlighting are cheaper now that they've been separated from the Neo QLED designation. This means that the M80H and M70H will compete more fiercely with entry-level and mid-range Mini-LED TVs from Hisense and TCL.

On the other hand, this year's most-affordable Neo QLED TV — the QN70H — is a considerable downgrade from last year's most-affordable Neo QLED TV. Plus, while it's nice that the M80H and M70H offer Mini-LED backlighting at a competitive price point, they're shedding quantum-dot color, a feature that was relatively easy to come by on affordable, Samsung-branded LED TVs in recent years.

All of these sets are rolling out to retailers as we speak, and many of them can be purchased right now via Samsung's website. We're eager to get our hands on them for testing in the coming weeks.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV lineup will go toe-to-toe with LG at CES 2026
• Micro RGB vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference?
• Mini-RGB TVs have an inherent flaw that limits their color saturation — here’s what’s wrong

There's a lot that goes into a golf simulator. I've broken down the parts of my golf simulator before, but I don't think I talked sufficiently about how important a good projector is to the overall enjoyment of playing golf at home.

So I turned to the BenQ AK700ST, a golf-sim projector with a bunch of useful features that make using it easy and fun — both for actually playing golf and for watching movies, playing games, and other entertainment. Here's why I use this projector with my golf simulator and why you might want to use it in your home setup.

Why I like the BenQ AK700ST

There's no single projector that's perfect for every setup, as we all have different needs. But for most golf enthusiasts, the BenQ AK700ST has key features that let you practice more efficiently at home and actually improve your game.

My favorite feature is probably Auto Screen Fit. As someone without a lot of projector experience, the idea of manually setting the focus and fit of the screen sounded daunting, but this lets me push one button and get everything about as close to perfect as possible (after I got more comfortable, I started making small manual tweaks, but these aren't necessary).

This feature isn't just beneficial to golf, though, because having your screen fit correctly and focused properly applies to watching shows and movies and playing video games. You don't want to play Call of Duty with a slightly out-of-focus projector, and the Auto Screen Fit feature ensures this won't be a problem.

Purely for golf fans, the BenQ AK700ST has a Golf picture mode. With it, you get colors tailored for different golf course environments. This creates a more immersive golf experience by heightening the greens and other common golf-related colors. It's not going to actually help you improve your game, but it will make your practice time more enjoyable.

Probably the most important factor in helping you improve at golf, though, is the projector's versatility in placement. The short-throw lens is designed specifically for golf sim environments, allowing you to place it closer to the screen so it won't be in your backswing, even if your ceilings aren't the perfect height. And it can go as large as 200 inches, so you can get that immersive feel you want.

Not without drawbacks

Of course, nothing is without drawbacks, and the BenQ AK700ST isn't an exception. One minor issue is that it only has two HDMI ports (fairly standard for projectors, but still annoying), which greatly limits the number of devices you can hook up (your computer will require one port for your golf simulator, leaving you with only one port for a game console, smart TV, or anything else).

It doesn't sound like a big deal since you can do most things with a PC, but then you might want to hook up a soundbar via HDMI ARC — now you've used both HDMI ports, leaving no room for a game console or anything else.

To combat this, I ordered this 4-port 8K HDMI 2.1 switch on Amazon for $39. This gives me enough ports for my Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PC, and one flex spot for other devices, while allowing me to use the HDMI ARC port for my Bose Smart Soundbar (another must-have if you plan to use your golf sim for other forms of entertainment).

I also wish it had an optical port for hooking up the soundbar, as this would alleviate the need for HDMI ARC, but this is a fairly minor gripe since there's a perfectly reasonable solution outlined above.

BenQ AK700ST final thoughts

Perhaps the ultimate drawback for anyone looking to build a golf simulator on a budget is the price. At $2,899, this device will break the bank. But it has a 3-year limited warranty, and the light source is rated for 20,000 hours, which means you won't need a new one for several years.

Are there cheaper models that will do the job? Absolutely, but with 4,000 lumens of brightness, this projector will work in lighter spaces, which is harder to find on less expensive models.

I think it's worth the money, but if you are in the market for a budget-friendly projector designed explicitly for golf, consider the BenQ TH671ST Golf Projector, which comes in at $949. It's 1080p and 3,000 lumens, but with around $2,000 in savings, it might be worth considering.

Regardless, if you want to improve your golf game at home with as little setup and work as possible, a golf-specific projector is one of the must-have devices for your sim.

More from Tom's Guide

• I built the ultimate golf simulator in my home for under $10K — here's the products I used
• You haven't used a golf launch monitor until you've tried Foresight GC3 — here's my thoughts after 6 months of testing
• I ditched my boring golf bag for a customizable one — here’s why I’ll never go back

The TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV is the brand’s most ambitious yet. It’s aimed squarely at premium competitors, bringing major color improvements to LED TVs without jumping to the RGB backlight approach that’s starting to take over the TV market.

SQD (Super Quantum Dot) Mini-LED is essentially TCL’s way of improving QD Mini-LED performance both in hardware and software. With SQD, you’re getting more local dimming zones, higher brightness potential and an improved color filter designed to maintain richer color even at high luminance levels — all controlled by a new “color purity algorithm.”

The SQD looks to solve one of Mini-LED’s long-standing challenges: keeping colors looking natural when brightness ramps up. Many of the best TVs can hit impressive peak brightness numbers, but colors often wash out in real scenes. Based on a combination of our lab benchmarking and my anecdotal testing for this TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV review, this one manages to stay vibrant even in full-screen bright content. No seriously, we’ve officially crowned it the new king of color.

And perhaps the best part is that TCL isn’t keeping SQD exclusive to this ultra-premium set. The company is bringing the technology to more affordable Google TV models, so buyers who aren’t in a rush might want to wait and compare options. This is a TV that starts at $6,999, after all. Still, my time with the X11L offered a look at what the future of flagship LED TVs is starting to look like.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV: Price and sizes

The TCL X11L is among the priciest sets to ever hit the Tom’s Guide testing bench. It starts at $6,999 for the smallest 75-inch size. I tested the 85-inch size priced at $8,000, with the third option being 98 inches for $9,999.

• 98-inch TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV (98X11L): $9,999
• 85-inch TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV (85X11L): $7,999
• 75-inch TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV (75X11L): $6,999

TCL is no stranger to the large TV market, in fact it was the first brand to make the best 85-inch TVs and bigger, somewhat affordable. That said, if these options are not suitable for your budget or space (according to our guide on what size TV to buy) you may want to consider the upcoming TCL QM8L and QM7L from TCL’s 2026 offerings instead. Neither are available yet at the time of this writing, but these SQD Mini-LED configurations are set to offer TCL’s newest tech at lower prices and more sizes.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Ports and connectivity

The TCL X11L’s connectivity is as solid and future-proof as I’d hope for a TV of this caliber. Not only does it feature an ATSC 3.0 tuner for 4K over-the-air broadcasts, but you also get four HDMI 2.1 ports (4K @ 144Hz,) with one supporting eARC for connecting a soundbar or receiver. That gives you enough bandwidth for multiple next-gen consoles, gaming PCs and streaming devices without constant cable swapping.

For me, the only physical annoyance comes from the TV’s wide-set feet. They require a very large stand, so many buyers will likely opt for 600 x 400 VESA wall mounting instead. See our guide to the best TV wall mounts for recommendations.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Performance

In day-to-day viewing, the X11L made an immediate impression with brightness. Whether watching sports during the day or HDR movies at night, the TV punches through ambient light easily while still maintaining strong contrast.

What stood out most is how well the TV holds color in bright scenes. Reds and greens remain saturated rather than bleaching out, and HDR content looks punchy without feeling artificial. Watching animated films like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the punch of comic book-inspired colors were a visual treat.

Blooming, or the halo effect sometimes seen around bright objects, was another concern going in, but in real viewing it’s barely noticeable. Blacks also stay impressively clean for an LCD-based display. When the Excelsior launches to confront Galactus in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” I enjoy the complex, bright colors of the rocket’s flames without losing the darker details of the cityscape and ship itself.

The only area of performance that felt slightly weaker was motion. Fast action scenes occasionally showed some smearing. Simply put, I found motion handling doesn’t quite match how strong the rest of the picture looks. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s the one area where the X11L perhaps feels less dominant.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti Spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining whether it’s one of the best gaming TVs.

Read more about our TV testing process here.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV: Test Results

TCL made some bold claims about the X11L’s color and brightness capabilities, and while our testing doesn’t quite meet those claims, it still paints a very positive picture about this TV’s performance.

For the most part, the X11L outperforms or at least keeps up with premium Mini-LED TVs from brands like Samsung and Sony. In fact, the X11L is on par with the Sony Bravia 9 in terms of HDR brightness in a 10% window, and beats Sony’s flagship on Rec. 2020 coverage with 91.77% vs. 78.02%.

TCL did claim 100% coverage of the HDR color guide, but that’s something essentially no consumer TV achieves. Most TVs struggle to exceed the high-70% to low-80% range, so this result shows the effectiveness of TCL’s new color approach even without newer RGB backlight systems. The only other TVs that join the X11L in the over-90% tier are the best OLED TVs, further demonstrating the gap closing between OLED vs. Mini-LED picture abilities.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Audio

With such a large chassis, TCL has room for powerful built-in speakers, and the result is better than typical TV audio. The Bang & Olufsen-tuned system delivers strong volume and decent clarity, and I rarely say this, but many buyers could easily live without adding one of the best soundbars to their setup.

Still, if you’re investing this much in a TV, adding external audio usually makes sense. TCL’s Dolby Atmos FlexConnect ecosystem offers a relatively easy path to building surround sound without complicated wiring, making it worth considering for larger room setups.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Interface

The X11L runs Google TV, which is one of the easiest smart TV platforms to live with for most people.

As long as you have a Google account — yes, the same as your Gmail — setup is quick and you can download the best streaming services through the app selection. Of course, YouTube is deeply integrated, making this a good choice if you subscribe to YouTube TV’s live TV streaming service.

Navigation feels responsive, and content recommendations are generally useful rather than intrusive. There’s even screensaver settings if you prefer to display photos and art on the TV when you’re not watching anything.

And because you have full HDMI 2.1 support, you can always connect devices like an Apple TV 4K or game consoles if you prefer a different interface.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Remote

TCL’s remote continues to be one of the better ones included with any TV. It feels premium, includes useful shortcut buttons, is rechargeable via USB-C and features a backlight for easier use in dark rooms.

The standout addition is a dedicated brightness rocker, allowing you to quickly dim or brighten the screen without diving into menus. It’s a small feature, but one that proved surprisingly useful to me for late-night viewing.

For comparison, Sony’s Bravia remote still sets a high bar with its compact layout and motion-activated backlighting, but TCL’s approach feels equally thoughtful.

TCL X11L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV review: Verdict

If you want one of the brightest, cleanest-looking Mini-LED TVs available right now, the TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED TV has a lot of appeal. So long you have the space and budget for it, that is.

Picture quality is outstanding, blooming is minimal, color is class-leading and features are thoroughly premium. This is the first time in my many years testing TCL TVs that it feels like the brand is pioneering in high-end territory rather than competing on value.

That said, I’ll be watching TCL’s plans to bring this same SQD technology to cheaper models later this year closely. If you’re after maximum value or don’t need a TV immediately, waiting could make sense. If you can’t wait, and you need a big-screen TV ASAP, TCL’s 98-inch QM8K from 2025 delivers high levels of brightness for half the price ($3,999).

As a TV expert, I entered 2026 skeptical about 8K’s continued existence in the commercial TV space. Last year marked the end of Sony 8K TVs, and according to a recent report by FlatpanelsHD, LG has ceased making 8K OLED panels, too.

Samsung — makers of some of the best OLEDs and Mini-LED TVs on the market — remains the final 8K holdout among the big-name TV brands.

With the end seemingly in sight, it’s worth revisiting why 8K ultimately flopped. More importantly, it’s time to set our sights on the slew of new 4K sets launching in just a few short months. For folks who had their sights set on an 8K TV, what will be the next-best thing in 2026?

A quick recap on the meteoric rise and fall of 8K

In a nutshell, 8K failed for two reasons: cost and content. 8K displays are costly to make in TV-appropriate sizes. This makes the bar for entry quite high — more than most shoppers are willing to spend on a new TV.

For early adopters, a new 8K TV might’ve lit up their living room, but it probably wasn’t because they were watching native 8K content. There just isn’t much out there to enjoy that hasn’t been upscaled from a resolution of 4K or below.

Newly released 4K movies and shows have only recently become somewhat of a standard for streaming platforms. Live TV — like basic cable and over-the-air broadcasts — remains, for the most part, below 4K. (Though you can watch the Super Bowl in 4K this year).

This presents a problem. As an 8K TV-owner, not only is it difficult to find stuff to watch that makes the most out of your super-pricey new TV, but the upscaling process on sub-8K content (read: almost everything) can limit clarity and even introduce visual artifacts. This last part depends entirely on the capabilities of the TV’s picture processing software.

As mentioned, Samsung is still chugging along, building and selling 8K models to fill that niche. In addition to being the only new 8K TV to launch in 2025, the Samsung QN990F is also one of the better Mini-LED TVs we saw last year. That said, you’ll have to shell out a considerable amount of cash for it.

This year, the QN990F is being replaced by the 8K Samsung QN990H, so the endangered species lives on. However, it’s not clear yet how many size options will ultimately be available with the QN990H. Currently, only a 98-inch version has been reported.

These TVs are pricey and target a very narrow slice of the market. They’re a luxury item. But soon, the folks who wish to indulge in a posh, cutting-edge A/V experience will have to find another corner of the market to explore. That raises the question: What’s the 2026 version of a cutting-edge, luxury experience?

Enter RGB LED

RGB LED is a brand-new TV technology that comes in many names. Hisense calls its take on the tech RGB Mini-LED. Samsung is touting Micro RGB TVs (not to be confused with true Micro-LED). Similarly, LG is going with Micro RGB evo TVs.

Like the best Mini-LED TVs, these TVs leverage an array of super-small LEDs that can be broken up into dimmable zones. This goes a long way towards enhancing contrast and generating higher brightness.

Unlike the best Mini-LED TVs, however, RGB LED TVs have an added bonus: Their LEDs are red-, green- and blue-tinted. While the white light of garden-variety Mini-LEDs rely on a color filter, RGB LEDs do not.

We’re still weeks away from taking some of these sets through our testing lab and seeing what they’re truly capable of, but I’ll say this: There’s a lot of hype going around.

Every TV-maker entering the RGB LED market has reported brighter, purer color across all of these TVs. Managing Editor Nick Pino called the Hisense 116UXS RGB Mini-LED TV “the best-looking LCD TV” at CES 2026.

Pricing and sizing will vary by brand, but RGB LED TVs are quickly emerging as the next ultra-premium choice for high-end shoppers. And, if you were making moves to make 2026 the year that you finally splashed out on an 8K set, I wouldn’t blame you for switching gears.

The primary purported benefit of RGB LED TVs is bright, brilliant color — in some reported cases, up to 100% of BT.2020. Combined with the overall contrast and highlight brightness we’ve come to expect from the industry’s best Mini-LED TVs, I would argue that some of these RGB LED TVs have a chance of looking better than any 8K TV I’ve ever personally seen.

This is because our eyes are far more likely to notice enhanced contrast and color before an increase in native resolution.

In the OLED vs RGB LED debate, I would probably still choose OLED in 2026. But a big reason for this has to do with my expectation that many of these RGB LED TVs are bound to be prohibitively expensive for most people.

If you were already convinced about spending that sort of cash on a fancy, ultra-high-end TV, RGB LED might be the next-best thing to 8K this year.

More from Tom's Guide

• OLED TVs are getting brighter and cheaper in 2026 — here’s what you need to know before shopping
• I test TVs for a living but I won't be buying an RGB LED TV in 2026 — here's why
• It’s going to be a massive year for some of the most elegant-looking TVs on the market — here’s what you need to know about 2026 lifestyle TVs

When it comes to the biggest names in TVs, the brands you probably think of first are Samsung, Sony and LG, but there’s another name you don’t think of as often — Walmart’s Onn. — that could disrupt the regular hierarchy.

According to the latest TV sales report from Counterpoint Research, Walmart’s two brands, Onn. and Vizio, were responsible for roughly 5% of the global TV sales in November 2025 — up 2% from 2024 — and Walmart is “emerging as Samsung's strongest competitor in North America.”

Here’s what that could mean for you when shopping for your next big-screen TV.

Why are Onn. TVs so popular?

The reason Onn. doesn’t carry the same clout as Samsung and LG — or even TCL and Hisense — is because the brand focuses almost exclusively on impulse TV buyers.

TVs from Onn. only range in price from $74 for its 24-inch models to $600 on its 75-inch and 85-inch screens. Compared to Samsung or LG, both of which have high-end TVs that cost five-digit sums, Walmart’s TV brands feel downright cheap by comparison.

These are the TVs that folks line up for during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They're the door-busters that have ridiculously low prices that seem to have no bottom.

And that’s the whole point: Onn. and Vizio both built their brands on affordability, and that's what separates them from the competition.

Cheap TVs are good for everyone (yes, really)

While I may not typically recommend the Onn. TV brand to readers — there’s just a bit too much variability between sets to make them a reliable recommendation, in my opinion — they provide an important counterweight to the industry’s more expensive models.

If there were only high-end models from Sony, Samsung and LG, then we would be at their mercy when it comes to pricing. But cheap competitors from Onn., Hisense and TCL, have forced the bigger brands to come down in price. It’s also driven some TV makers out of business entirely — but that’s a story for a different article.

I’m a staunch believer that there’s a TV out there for everyone: For cinephiles, I’m always going to recommend one of the best OLED TVs or even one of the new Mini RGB TVs coming our way in 2026. However, folks who just want a big-screen TV and don’t necessarily need all the extras — or uniformity — that the more recognized brands bring will be better served buying a TV from Onn. or Insignia, Best Buy's house brand.

Not sure where to start when it comes to picking out a new TV? Check out our guide to the best TVs in 2026 for a full rundown of the top models.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 hidden Roku features everyone needs to know
• 7 tips and tricks to make your LG TV even better
• Roku Streaming Stick Plus review

It should come as no surprise that TVs are going to be more expensive this year, but not in the way you might think. Although it might be perfectly normal for TV prices (and, in general, electronics prices) to rise year over year, 2026 may give way to even broader price hikes. And it's all thanks to AI.

In the heat of CES last week, after announcing its 2026 TV lineup, Samsung warned of this coming dilemma. According to the brand, prices are set to surge in line with the rise in demand for DRAM and RAM, which are directly linked to data centers that power AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Gemini. Currently, RAM prices are at an all-time high, hence the still ongoing RAMageddon crisis.

TVs won't be the only ones affected. Everything from phones to laptops could see significant price hikes in 2026, but one question remains: How bad will it be? Here's everything we know so far about how the RAM crisis may affect TVs this year.

Samsung's warning

Speaking candidly with Bloomberg at CES 2026, Samsung President and Head of Global Marketing, Wonjin Lee, explained how the spike in memory will trickle down to everything. Samsung is in a prime position to speak about these issues, as it's a leading provider of DRAM and SSDs, the very same components at the heart of the RAMageddon crisis.

"There’s going to be issues around semiconductor supplies, and it’s going to affect everyone. Prices are going up even as we speak," Lee says. "Obviously, we don’t want to convey that burden to the consumers, but we’re going to be at a point where we have to actually consider repricing our products."

This also puts Samsung ahead of market rivals, as it can source these components more easily than others, including LG, Hisense, and TCL. While that doesn't necessarily mean Samsung TVs will be cheaper than their competitors, it does give Samsung an advantage.

Market rivals, such as LG, Hisense, and TCL, could have an uphill battle this year if the cost of components has risen significantly. According to market research firm Omdia, TV-specific DRAM prices have increased by 50%. TVs require Flash NAND eMMC memory, which has doubled over the past year, and Omdia claims the spike will most certainly impact the market in 2026.

What are other brands thinking?

I reached out to a variety of TV makers to find out if there is any pressure this year to raise prices due to RAMageddon. However, very few responded in time for this article, which makes sense, given that TV prices are still in limbo at most distributors.

According to Hisense's Kenneth Hong, the hammer has still yet to drop, but the issue might be mitigated by tighter collaboration between suppliers and manufacturers.

"The memory supply is putting some pressure on our supply chain, ergo, we have and are strengthening collaboration with our suppliers," Hong said in response to an email from Tom's Guide. "To date, the RAM issue has not had any material impact on our delivery plans."

In an email correspondence between LG and Tom's Guide, a company spokesperson said, "LG has not yet announced pricing on 2026 TVs, so we'd be unable to comment at this time." Initial production on the LG C6, C6E, and G6 has likely begun already, which could mean the rise of Flash NAND eMMC prices could lead to more expensive LG OLEDs.

It all comes down to market shifts, and much of it is a guessing game at this point.

TV price hikes outlook

While there's good reason to feel nervous about TV price hikes in 2026, nothing is set in stone at this point. Most TV manufacturers have yet to fully announce their entire TV lineups, and ditto for official pricing.

Even if TVs have a slightly higher launch price, it's worth noting that TV prices tend to dip very fast. Almost every TV maker offers steep discounts after a solid five to six months following release, which is how all those enticing savings can be had during the holidays.

So what's a TV shopper to do? Well, even if TV prices are extreme in 2026, you'll have plenty of alternative options to choose from. Several 2025 and 2024 TVs are still available and will be heavily discounted heading into the new year. In fact, depending on 2026 TV prices, 2025 TVs might even be the safer bet to buy this year.

For now, all we can do is wait and see. New TV prices typically aren't announced until March or April, so we'll have a better understanding of what to expect later in the year.

More from Tom's Guide

• Hisense’s new RGB Mini-LED is probably the best-looking LCD TV at CES 2026
• Should you buy a Micro RGB TV this year? Here are all of the RGB TVs coming in 2026 from brands like Samsung, Hisense and LG
• Micro RGB TVs vs OLED TVs — here's the TV I'd buy in 2026

CES 2026 is shaping up to be another exciting dive into the future of technology, and that's especially true of artificial intelligence. Heavy on the minds of practically everyone, AI is fast becoming one of the most important and talked-about categories in the industry, and it's set to make several appearances in our future TVs.

While AI is being slapped on practically every TV design, despite many of those features having long existed on TVs, one newer mode might actually hold some weight in the market. The best part? Almost no one is talking about it, and it could very well be a major game-changer in the realm of sustainability.

Loosely called "AI energy-saving modes," these dynamic energy optimization algorithms may go largely under the radar, but the concept proves wholly worthwhile. Here's how they could quietly steal the show floor at CES 2026, and why they could impact more than just your power bill.

What are AI energy-saving modes, and why does it matter?

All TVs have sustainability settings and eco modes. In fact, nearly every TV comes set to its eco or energy-saving mode right out of the box. It's one of the very first settings I often recommend changing to get the best picture quality.

As the name implies, energy-saving modes aim to simultaneously reduce power consumption along with your monthly energy bill. Such modes do this by adjusting various settings, particularly brightness and contrast. That can diminish picture performance, with less vibrant pictures and minimal immersion in darker scenes.

On the one hand, TV eco modes serve to make you feel better by saving you cash and, in a way, helping to protect the environment. However, you're more likely to sacrifice enhanced performance on average than actually put money back in your pocket, especially if you aren't regularly watching TV.

That's where AI energy-saving modes come in. Despite AI being in the name, these modes aren't necessarily using artificial intelligence, but rather sophisticated algorithms that more accurately adapt settings for a more sustainable viewing experience without sacrificing picture quality.

Think smarter local dimming power allocation or auto-scaling brightness based on room lighting. More advanced considerations will also take into account region-specific energy consumption ordinances, with US and EU models offering varying degrees of sustainable consumption.

It's already a big part of Samsung's SmartThings platform, first cropping up in the electronics giant's 2025 TVs at CES. You can bet it will be another focal point for the show, and I have a feeling Samsung won't be the only one with its own AI energy-saving software.

Why CES 2026 is the best place to show it all off

CES remains an annual melting pot of innovation. It's one of the few places on earth where you truly get to see the next stage in human technological advancement, and one of the most important considerations to remember is energy efficiency. It's a big part of the CES formula, and few other brands have remained as committed to the cause of sustainability as Samsung.

Last year, Samsung's Home for Efficiency zone highlighted the growing importance of energy management across appliances. Despite being one of the least-discussed moments of CES 2025, it's one of the most important considerations we should all be making over the next several years as technology and, more importantly, AI continue to permeate our daily lives.

One of the main aspects behind Samsung's showcase was AI energy optimization, particularly on the part of the TV. Given that the display acts almost like a central hub within the home, it's one of the most apt places for broader energy efficiency, which not only extends to the screen directly but across the living space.

TVs of the future — ones with broader AI energy-saving precautions — might be able to talk with other tech throughout your living space. Many of the best TVs already can, whether through Samsung's own SmartThings or Google TV's Google Home. However, they could be designed to parse out broader green energy adjustments across your smart home devices for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Outlook

As more of our appliances are getting smarter by the day, thanks in large part to the ever-growing dominance of AI systems, sustainability is critical. Trust me, I'm the last person to recommend enabling energy-saving mode on your TV, but if you didn't have to sacrifice picture quality with it turned on, I'd be singing its praises.

CES 2026 could be the year for improved sustainability that isn't a hindrance. Greener considerations are definitely a must, not just in terms of limiting our carbon footprint but also bringing costs down. The next stage of sustainable TVs doesn't just involve gimmicky brightness adjustments but could be the beacons of a greener home. And that's something we should all be championing as AI permeates ever more into our daily lives.

More from Tom's Guide

• I test TVs for a living — and Hisense needs to improve its TVs in one way before I recommend them
• Samsung just dropped the first ever Micro RGB TV — and it's a total game changer
• I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs

LG and Samsung announced at the beginning of the year at CES they would be integrating Microsoft's Copilot AI into their smart TVs. Samsung has already done so and this week LG also made good on its word. The only problem is there doesn't appear to be anything users can do about it.

This became clear when Reddit user defjam16 posted a screenshot of the Microsoft Copilot app appearing on LG smart TVs as part of the next update to webOS. The fact that this was posted to the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit should serve as a clue defjam16 wasn't thrilled with the early Christmas present.

The post attracted (at time of writing) over 3,000 comments, with many bemoaning the nature of forced adoption when it comes to AI features.

Because while Copilot now shows up on the LG smart TV home screen like Netflix or YouTube, unlike those apps, there's no way to remove, delete or uninstall it.

And as much as people like getting extra features, it should always be at their discretion whether or not they want to keep them.

My LG TV’s new software update installed Microsoft Copilot, which cannot be deleted. from r/mildlyinfuriating

What makes it even more difficult to swallow is that the Copilot app appears to do little more than act as a gateway to a web-based Copilot interface rather than working in tandem with LG's AI Search experience.

Defjam16 summed up the sentiment in a later post responding to another commenter: "I always hated bloatware, but installing an AI assistant (without explicit permission) that cannot be deleted, with unknown access to microphone and other services might just take the cake."

Although it's possible to disable some aspects of the AI experience — such as voice recognition — users are unable to remove it entirely. LG hasn't officially announced the arrival of Copiliot on webOS, nor has the company made any public statement about it.

Aside from the forced install of potentially unwanted AI features, LG makes some of the best smart TVs you can buy. At Tom's Guide, we routinely praise the performance of its sets, so it's a shame to see the company make a misstep like this.

LG responds

Today, a representative from LG reached out and offered clarification on the integration of Microsoft Copilot on select LG TVs:

"Based on recent coverage regarding the arrival of Microsoft Copilot on LG TVs, we want to clarify that Microsoft Copilot is provided as a shortcut icon to enhance customer accessibility and convenience. It is not an application-based service embedded in the TV.

When users select the Copilot shortcut, Microsoft’s website opens through the TV’s web browser, and features such as microphone input are activated only with the customer’s explicit consent.

LG Electronics respects consumer choice and will take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish."

More from Tom's Guide

• I test TVs for a living — and Hisense needs to improve its TVs in one way before I recommend them
• Samsung just dropped the first ever Micro RGB TV — and it's a total game changer
• I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs

I’ve been testing, reviewing and tinkering with TVs for over a decade, and I’ll let you in on a little secret: At any given time, there are only a few TVs I’m actively recommending to any of my friends and family who turn to me for help.

It makes sense, if you think about it — there are only a handful of worthwhile display technologies to choose from (LED, Mini-LED and OLED) and only a few price ranges to shop. With this in mind, I’ve made it easy to navigate one of the most crowded categories: 65-inch TVs.

65 inches is one of the most popular TV sizes. I've owned a 65-inch LG OLED for close to three years now, and the screen size is perfect for my modestly sized apartment. Recently I've been considering upgrading to the LG C5 OLED, my current pick for the best 65-inch TV overall.

But if you're not sure where to start, we've narrowed the choice down to just three options, so you can pick up a new, high-performance TV for your home without fuss, and settle down to watch your favorite TV shows, movies and sports events.

Do you really need a 65-inch TV?

For most living rooms and seating arrangements, a 65-inch TV is right in the “Goldilocks Zone” — it’s just right.

At 65-inches, I recommend viewers sit between 8 to 9 feet from the screen. At this distance, most people will still be able to appreciate the details of a 65-inch picture without being close enough to see the pixels.

That said, there are situations where a 65-inch screen might be a good fit.

Consider a smaller TV if you sit closer than 7 feet away from your TV at home. While bigger screens might seem inherently better, you don’t necessarily need a bigger TV in a modestly sized room. Why not put the extra cost towards a better-performing TV in a smaller size, like one of the best 55-inch TVs?

Consider a larger TV if you sit further than 9 feet away from your TV, particularly if your seating arrangement is further than 12 feet away. You’ll want the extra screen real estate in order to maintain an immersive experience. (If you often entertain guests, they’ll appreciate it, too.) If this sounds like you, take some time to explore the best 75-inch TVs and the best 85-inch TVs that work within your budget.

How long should a 65-inch TV last?

Most TVs — regardless of screen size — should last you anywhere between 5 and 10 years.

In my travels, I've seen unlucky people need to replace a set after just 4 measly years. On the other hand, I also know folks who are still clinging to their 11-year-old plasma TV.

Most TVs come with some sort of manufacturer's warranty, but in my experience, these don't tend to be long-term guarantees. Some retailers will sell you an additional warranty that could potentially cover repairs and replacements, but depending on the price of the TV, you might find them to be too pricey for what they offer.

Heavy use can have an affect on a TV's lifespan, particularly if you're the type of viewer who keeps their TV's backlight cranked all the way up. This is especially true for the pixel brightness of an OLED TV.

The best 65-inch TVs you can buy right now

Best 65-inch TV overall

Right now, the best 65-inch TV overall is the LG C5 OLED. It’s not exactly budget-friendly, but it’s more affordable than higher-end options and it offers incredible picture quality for the price.

It's also an fantastically versatile TV, too. Think of it as a Jack of all trades — it’s good for daytime sports, movie nights and casual to competitive gaming.

The C5 is an OLED TV, so unlike backlit LED TVs, every single pixel on the C5 is self-illuminating. This might not seem like a big deal, but it has a tremendous positive impact on picture quality. Like all OLED TVs, the C5 features incredible contrast, depth and clarity.

It comes from a long line of OLED TVs known for quality and value. If you’ve ever heard a friend or coworker brag about a new TV, there’s a good chance it was LG’s C Series OLED.

How bright is it?

The LG C5 doesn't get as bright as higher-end OLED TVs (like the LG G5 and the Samsung S95F), but its plenty bright for most viewing environments. Just make sure you're not choosing it for a sun-soaked room or positioning it opposite a window.

One of the primary benefits of OLED TVs is that their ability to get perfectly dark makes highlight brightness extra potent. In other words, small, concentrated bits of brightness (like dapples of sunlight on the ocean) look quite lifelike.

How is its performance?

In a word: dazzling.

The C5 isn't as stunning as a top-shelf OLED TV, but it's unquestionably one of the best-looking TVs on the market today. It's the type of TV I could stare at for hours, especially for 4K sports broadcasts and movies mastered for HDR, and in fact, I have stared at it for hours.

As embarrassing as it is, I often find myself strolling down the street, gazing up at stars and streetlights while thinking, "Wow, real life really looks like an OLED TV sometimes."

This is because OLED TVs can make tiny clusters of pixels searingly bright while keeping the rest of the surrounding area pitch-black. In 4K resolution, this looks particularly realistic to our eyes. It's a signature look that even the best Mini-LED TVs struggle to replicate.

The C5 also arrives with a super-accurate Filmmaker mode right out of the box, so if you're the type of person who values a finely tuned picture, the C5 won't let you down.

How are its features?

The C5 comes with just about every feature you could ask for. Its built-in webOS smart platform is a bit too cluttered with ads to be our preferred streaming platform, but you're getting plenty of app support and the interface is pretty easy to navigate.

The C5 also comes with Dolby Vision, the most popular enhanced HDR format across streaming platforms.

As a gaming TV, you'd be hard pressed to find a more acommodating set in the C5's price range. If you're a console gamer, the C5 can handle everything the current-generation consoles can output (except for 8K content from the PS5 Pro).

Buy the LG C5 if...

✅You’re looking for incredible OLED performance at a mid-range price

✅You don’t want to cut corners when it comes extra features

Don't buy the LG C5 if...

❌You’d prefer to spend less than $1,000 on a 65-inch TV

❌You’re looking for an ultra-bright 65-inch TV

• Read our full LG C5 review

Best 65-inch TV under $1,000

The best 65-inch TV under $1,000 is the TCL QM7K, a mid-range Mini-LED TV that offers way better performance and more thorough features than entry-level 65-inch TVs.

It's a TV I keep finding myself recommending to friends and family on account of its sheer value. It’s already on the cheaper side for a 65-inch model, but if you’re looking to save more, the QM7K is often on sale for anywhere between $799 and $999.

How bright is it?

The primary reason to spring for the QM7K as opposed to a step-down model (like the TCL QM6K) is for the QM7K's well-above-average brightness.

Thanks in part to its Mini-LED backlighting, the QM7K is bright enough for daytime viewing. Its terrific highlight brightness gives the picture a true sense of depth, too.

How is its performance?

Since the QM7K made its debut earlier this year, I've been recommending it to people who want their next TV to feel like a true upgrade, but who otherwise don't want to shell out for something like the aforementioned LG C5.

As a movie buff, I prefer the QM7K over TVs in its price range on account of its well-engineered backlight, which makes cinematic content pop. I find its local dimming is more adept at controlling contrast than other mid-range Mini-LED Tvs. It's a bold, colorful picture, too, thanks to the inclusion of quantum dots, which are tiny nanocrystals that enhance color brightness.

As a picture purist, I also appreciate that the QM7K delivers an accurate presentation right out of the box.

How are its features?

Another reason I keep finding myself recommending this TV to people is because it's got a nice blend of features for every type of viewer.

I've recommended the QM7K to a couple of friends who needed a TV that could handle current-generation consoles, as it comes with a pair of high-bandwidth HDMI ports and plenty of gaming enhancements.

I've also had good luck recommending it to folks who want an easy streaming experience. The QM7K comes with Google TV and all of its straightforward streaming potential baked right in.

Buy the TCL QM7K if...

✅You want one of the brightest pictures you can get in this price range

✅You need robust gaming features on a budget

Don't buy the TCL QM7K if...

❌You don't necessarily need fancy features

❌You need more than just two high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs

• Read our full TCL QM7K review

Best 65-inch TV under $500

As of early 2026, the TCL QM6K is frequently the best 65-inch TV under $500. I say “frequently” because the 65-inch QM6K usually hovers at or around $500 — sometimes below, sometimes a bit above.

On the whole, its average price is around $600, but here’s the thing: With new TVs on the horizon, I don’t expect the 65-inch QM6K to spend much time above $550 in the coming months.

If you’re comfortable spending that much, I highly recommend the QM6K over another 65-inch TV in the $300-to-$400 range. This is because the QM6K comes with a modest array of Mini-LED backlights — much better than ultra-cheap, standard LED displays that make up the majority of the entry-level price range.

How bright is it?

Like the QM7K, the QM6K’s Mini-LEDs are the key feature here. These backlights allow for better brightness and overall contrast than most lower-end LCD/LED TVs that rely on a direct-LED display or an edge-lit display.

And, while the QM6K isn’t as bright as the QM7K, it’s still bright enough for most living spaces. Unless your home gets a ton of sunlight, you’re good to go.

How is its performance?

This TV won’t blow your socks off, but if you’re upgrading from an older set — or if you’re making the jump to 4K for the first time — you might legitimately be impressed by the QM6K’s picture quality.

As a performer, the QM6K is better than its low price might lead you to believe. Folks who care about picture accuracy will be pleased to learn that the QM6K comes with terrific out-of-the-box color accuracy in its best picture mode.

As mentioned, the TV’s relatively limited array of Mini-LEDs is its best feature. You’ll really appreciate the added contrast and highlight brightness these tiny LEDs bring to the table — especially if you were to see the QM6K side by side with an edge-lit 65-inch TV.

How are its features?

The QM6K offers a much fuller set of features than just about any 65-inch, $300-to-$400 TV you’ll find on shelves. Like the QM7K, the QM6K comes with Google TV built right in. This software is reliable enough to be your daily streamer.

Gamers get even more goodies. The QM6K supports 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 144Hz) across two of its HDMI inputs, so it’s ready to make the most of current-gen consoles.

Buy the TCL QM6K if...

✅You're looking for one of the most affordable path to Mini-LEDs

✅You want a reliable smart platform built into your TV

Don't buy the TCL QM6K if...

❌You'd rather spend way less on a TV with cheaper display hardware

❌Your living space is drenched in sunlight

• Read our full TCL QM6K review

Other 65-inch TVs I recommend

The three sets above are just a small selection of the best 65-inch TVs you can buy right now. I've seen most of the newest 65-inch TVs, and there are number of other TVs worth mentioning for folks who might not have found the right pick among the top choices.

How I test 65-inch TVs

A lot of fancy display-testing hardware is involved with our TV-testing procedures, but after I'm done measuring brightness, color accuracy and more, I do what anyone would do with a new TV: I watch it.

My office is full of movies on Blu-ray discs, but I also have a handful of discs with content designed specifically for TV-testing.

I often pick content that might be extra challenging for a TV to handle. To this end, one of my favorite 4K Blu-rays to use when testing a TV is the film "The Northman." Visually, this is a dark movie with a ton of shadow detail that even the best OLED TVs can struggle to display.

I don’t shy away from watching basic cable or run-of-the-mill YouTube videos, either, as it helps to get a sense of how these sets perform under everyday circumstances.

Once we’re ready to publish a TV review, I either ship the TV in question back to the brand who lent it to me, or I donate the TV in the event that we purchased it ourselves.

FAQs

The Samsung QN90F is the most expensive 4K LCD model Samsung plans on releasing in 2025, but it comes with a robust blend of advanced features, like surprising new ones in its bespoke Daily Board, as well as exciting advantages over competing sets.

One such advantage is its matte anti-glare coating. The QN90F mirrors Samsung’s flagship OLED TV in this way, offering some of the best bright-room performance and direct light mitigation you’ll get in a Mini-LED TV. It also boasts incredible black levels, leading to seriously stunning contrast.

The Samsung QN90F offers a refreshing mix of features and design considerations that make it a compelling Mini-LED TV. However, are these advantageous enough to make it one of the best TVs of the year? Here are my thoughts after a full week of testing.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Price and release date

The Samsung QN90F is the flagship model in Samsung’s 2025 4K QLED TV lineup, which launched in April. It sits above other QLED sets, like the QN85F and QN70F, offering the most premium range of features and performance for Samsung’s 4K LCD line. However, it is outclassed by Samsung’s two 8K Mini-LED models, the QN99F and QN900F.

The Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV is available for purchase in the following sizes:

• Samsung QN43QN90FAFXZA (43-inch): $1,299 | Sale: $899
• Samsung QN50QN90FAFXZA (50-inch): $1,499 | Sale: $1,199
• Samsung QN55QN90FAFXZA (55-inch): $1,799 | Sale: $1,399
• Samsung QN65QN90FAFXZA (65-inch): $2,499 | Sale: $1,599
• Samsung QN75QN90FAFXZA (75-inch): $2,999 | Sale: $1,999
• Samsung QN85QN90FAFXZA (85-inch): $4,499 | Sale: $2,299
• Samsung QN65QN90FAFXZA (98-inch): $14,999 | Sale: $12,999
• Samsung QN65QN90FAFXZA (115-inch): $26,999

We reviewed the Samsung QN90F in its 55-inch configuration, but our lab tests were performed on the 65-inch model. You can expect several differences across sizes, with the 43-inch and 50-inch sizes equipped with a smaller speaker system and fewer dimming zones versus the larger sizes. The 115-inch version also only offers 144Hz VRR, not 165Hz like its smaller sizes.

The Samsung QN90F is similarly priced with competing flagship Mini-LED TVs. At the time of writing, the 65-inch model is marked down to $1,497 on Amazon, putting it in direct contention with the TCL QM8K. Normally, it would be similarly priced to the Hisense U8QG; however, Hisense has the U8QG currently discounted to $1,097.

Mini-LED TVs aren’t the only sets the QN90F is competing with, as it also faces the LG C5 OLED. Arguably one of the best OLED TVs, the 65-inch LG C5 is $100 cheaper than the QN90F at the time of writing, and it could drop even further during Black Friday sales.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Design

Taking a page from the best Samsung TVs, the QN90F is built particularly slim for an LCD set. It measures just 1.1 inches deep without the stand and features some of the thinnest bezels, giving it a framed look that’s perfect for wall mounting.

If you’re not keen on using the 200 x 200mm VESA mounting configuration, the included stand is more than adequate. It is made of both plastic and metal, offering a nice balance between sturdy construction and simple installation. All you need is a screwdriver to attach the stand; otherwise, no tools are needed.

One of the most exciting features of the QN90F is its anti-glare coating, mirroring the Samsung S95F OLED TV. The matte finish not only makes it look like a painting, but it also combats reflections very well. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the QN90F, because glare was such a big problem on the Hisense U8QG.

One of the newest features the Samsung QN90F offers is an automatic standby mode with widgets, called Daily Board. It essentially turns the TV on in a low-power state whenever you walk near it. The feature can be enabled in the setup stage, so if you don’t want it, it’s easy to ignore, but I found it rather irritating and distracting, as the TV would often turn on even if I was sitting further away from the screen.

Over time, I’m sure the feature will be improved, and additional functionality could be added to it, but in its current state, it feels sort of half-baked. I think it could be a gateway to a future where TVs don’t rely on remotes, but right now it’s still too early.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Ports

At the rear of the TV, located on the left side, you’ll find an array of ports. Mirroring other flagship Mini-LED and OLED TVs, the QN90F comes loaded with four HDMI 2.1 ports, making it one of the best gaming TVs of the year. These ports not only offer 4K/120Hz for console gamers, but also support up to 165Hz speeds for PC players.

The QN90F also includes two USB-A ports, an optical digital output, a LAN port, and an RF connection. Additional wireless connectivity is also supported, including Bluetooth version 5.3 and Wi-Fi 5. While this spec is fine for most people, the Hisense U8QG is equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, offering a slight improvement in speed over the Samsung model.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Performance

If there’s one thing the Samsung QN90F excels at, it’s bright room performance. The matte anti-glare coating built into the screen works wonders and is aided by its rather high brightness. Admittedly, the QN90F might not match the same luminance as the QM8K or U8QG, but it performs better than either in sunnier environments.

Brightness isn’t its only strength — it also offers incredible contrast for a Mini-LED TV. Black levels and shadows are lifelike, expressed best in evening shots of “Sinners” and “Weapons.”

Another standout surprise was the minimal amount of blooming I noticed, particularly when subtitles were presented in darker scenes or in bright highlights. This is owed to Samsung’s incredible precision dimming.

While it’s not something I’ve seen Samsung TVs praised for often in the past, I was also pleasantly surprised by the upscaling potential on the QN90F. Sports broadcasts in 1080p, like NHL games, were uplifted with minimal artefacting or downgrades. It also helps that you don’t lose picture quality while watching off-axis.

So, where does it fall in picture performance? The QN90F has excellent color accuracy, but its color coverage doesn’t match many of its rivals, specifically in HDR. It doesn’t help that the QN90F is also without Dolby Vision support, so a large catalog of movies won’t get the benefit of improved colors and contrasts using the format.

Overall, while colors still look vibrant in animated content, especially the likes of season three of “Star Wars Visions,” other content featured muted colors that were less saturated, like “Superman” and “Dune 2.” You can regain some of that color vibrancy by switching to the Vivid picture mode, but that comes at the cost of color accuracy.

Ultimately, the QN90F stands out from other Mini-LED TVs with excellent glare mitigation and off-axis viewing, which is a major plus. The muted colors in certain movies are concerning, but I think most people won’t notice this drawback.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Test results

The Samsung QN90F outperforms its competitors in some metrics, but is outclassed in others. Here's how it fares against similarly-priced flagship Mini-LED TVs, including LG’s QNED92, TCL’s QM8K, and the Hisense U8QG.

The Samsung QN90F won’t blow you away with its lab test results. In fact, it offers the lowest HDR color coverage and brightness of the bunch, which is surprising given its real-world performance.

On paper, the Hisense U8QG boasts the highest brightness metrics in our tests, hitting an astronomical high of 3,685 nits in HDR in a 10% window. The QN90F doesn’t come close, barely hitting over 2,000 nits. The TCL QM8K similarly outclasses the Samsung model, but neither TV offers the most robust anti-reflective measures for bright room viewing.

Interestingly, the LG model has the best color accuracy, sporting a Delta-E score of 1.5. The Samsung QN90F comes second, and that really panned out in my real-world testing — colors looked natural, if slightly muted. One thing the Samsung model does offer is some of the best gaming performance with its 9.5ms of input latency, which is perfect for PC gamers.

Sure, it might not boast better performance metrics than its rivals, but in everyday viewing scenarios, you probably won’t even notice these discrepancies.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Audio

The Samsung QN90F’s audio performance is fine, but it’s nothing to write home about. It gets the job done in most scenarios, but if you want a broader and fuller sound stage, you’ll want one of the best soundbars and a subwoofer to give you expert immersion.

Dolby Atmos support helps in some scenarios, but the 60W 4.2.2-channel system simply doesn’t have enough power. Action scenes feel less immersive, and dialogue is particularly hard to hear in certain scenes. I noticed this most in “Superman,” with Clark Kent’s pivotal monologue closer to the end of the film, feeling less punchy under the louder music.

Samsung does have some ways of amplifying TV audio, especially if you’re using one of its Q-Symphony soundbars, allowing you to make use of the speakers in tandem with the sound system. It also has several AI audio features, like Adaptive Sound Pro and Object Tracking Sound Pro+, which can be useful to some users, but aren’t recommended.

In short, what’s here is average at best, and feels very middling for the sticker price.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Interface and apps

Samsung’s smart platform, Tizen OS, has seen major improvements over the last year, but there are still some mishaps Samsung needs to address. The best part about the interface is its slew of free channels through Samsung TV Plus.

Samsung’s interface also has access to several cloud gaming services, like Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. It’s a nice addition for those who need it beyond simply diving into the best streaming services, but if you do end up using them, I recommend hard-wiring the TV via Ethernet.

One major issue with the updated interface is the Now Playing carousel, which gets bombarded with Samsung TV Plus content. I mentioned this in my Samsung S90F review, and there are ways of disabling the function, but it would be much better if Samsung simply disabled audio playback so Samsung TV Plus doesn’t loudly start playing right when you turn the TV on. It’s not a dealbreaker, but definitely something to consider.

Overall, Tizen OS is generally fine and does offer a set number of upgrades over Roku and Google TV, despite those platforms having simpler navigation and improved stability. However, I do like the zoomed-in look and highlighted apps, which have changed on the 2025 version.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Remote

Samsung TVs offer some of the best remotes in the market, right next to Roku. The QN90F’s remote is small, lightweight, and is equipped with all the quick access buttons you might need to your favorite apps, including YouTube, Prime Video, Netflix, and Samsung TV Plus. It’s also solar powered, so you never have to worry about charging it or changing the batteries.

Samsung added a new button to its 2025 models that brings up all things Vision AI. Think of it like a full AI assistant, offering a wide range of features. You can ask the AI companion practically anything, and it’s built on Microsoft Copilot, so it has some neat functionality.

Practical? Not exactly, but it’s a nice addition for those who might want it.

I think if Samsung wanted to add anything to its remote to make it stand out even more, it would be backlit buttons. These aren’t a must, but other major competitors, including Hisense and Roku, offer backlit buttons on their remotes, so Samsung should follow suit.

Samsung QN90F Mini-LED TV review: Verdict

The Samsung QN90F offers some of the best contrast and black levels for a Mini-LED set, and is probably the best option in this category for a bright room, thanks to its stellar anti-reflective coating.

The QN90F also offers serious gaming performance. It matches the Hisense U8QG with a refresh rate up to 165Hz and also excels with a 9.5ms input latency, making it one of the best gaming TVs. You also get the added benefit of cloud gaming access via Tizen OS.

Despite this, it is up against some truly stunning Mini-LED TVs from TCL and Hisense, as well as the award-winning LG C5 OLED that can be found for $100 less. Each of these competing models not only offers Dolby Vision but also better color performance. The improvements these TVs offer in brightness and color volume might be imperceptible to most, but they’re hard to ignore, especially considering the QN90F’s sticker price.

However, if you’re willing to sacrifice Dolby Vision and pay a little more for improved bright room performance, the QN90F serves as a good investment. It might not hit the same performance metrics offered by cheaper models, but it’s still a great TV for folks with bright living rooms thanks to its incredible black levels, gaming features, and upscaling for sports.

Maybe you catch yourself watching a movie on one of the best OLED TVs you recently bought and think: "This is great, but what if it were even bigger?" Well, my friend, let me introduce you to the LG MAGNIT Active Micro LED TV.

Recently unveiled by LG, this is a gargantuan 136-inch display that puts a theater screen on your wall. It's a Micro LED set, which means it can control each individual pixel dynamically for the best possible picture quality. The set boasts a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. That's a million to one on a screen measuring 11 feet across the diagonal.

In fact, this monster screen is so large and so packed with tech that LG won't even tell us what the price is yet. Chances are, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

For context, when the company dropped a 118-inch model in 2023, that cost $237,000. So you can probably do the math on whether or not this one will be inside your budget.

Active Matrix technology

This behemoth utilizes Active Matrix technology to get that huge contrast ratio. Unlike Passive Matrix systems, which control pixels by rows or columns, an Active Matrix system has individual control at a pixel level. Alongside this, the brand says it's applied a proprietary surface treatment technology to make the blacks even deeper and reduce the impact of ambient light on color accuracy.

The MAGNIT Active Micro LED TV uses LG's latest a9 AI Processor 6th Generation so the display "intelligently analyzes the creator’s intent to optimize every scene."

As per LG's press release, that means it "reduces noise, sharpens clarity and recognizes faces, objects, text and backgrounds to deliver more natural, detailed and lifelike images.

"In addition, its 144Hz high refresh rate ensures smooth, blur-free motion, making it ideal for fast-paced gaming and dynamic sports content."

Sound and connectivity

More from Tom's Guide

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• I’ve set up hundreds of TVs in my career — here are 6 mistakes people make when setting up a new TV

Your dollar may not go as far these days, but the Hisense U65QF is a clear exception. Though this is the lowest-end model in the company’s ULED line of Mini-LED TVs, it marks not only a substantial upgrade over last year’s model, but also one that trounces its competitors soundly, particularly when on sale.

What makes it such a winner? Well, its good color and terrific brightness don’t leave you wanting much in the picture department and it comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports that deliver up to 144Hz playback when connected to a gaming PC.

What missteps it makes are mostly around the edges: limited viewing angles, light bloom, and Amazon’s hokey Fire TV operating system powering it. These hamper the U65QF a little, but not enough to keep it from being one of the best budget TVs you can currently buy.

Hisense U65QF review: Pricing and availability

The U65QF is Hisense’s entry-level ULED Mini-LED TV, with the midrange U75QG and the upper-midrange U8QG above it. The TV comes in a variety of sizes to slot into any living room, though all of the models are (relatively) wallet friendly:

• Hisense 55U65QF (55-inch): $799 | Sale: $449
• Hisense 65U65QF (65-inch): $999 | Sale: $569
• Hisense 75U65QF (75-inch): $1,299 | Sale: $799
• Hisense 85U65QF (85-inch): $1,999 | Sale: $999
• Hisense 100U65QF (100-inch): $3,499 | Sale: $1,899

You will almost always be able to find the U65QF for sale online, either at Best Buy or Amazon, for closer to the sales price than the MSRP, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it drop even more during the holiday season.

We evaluated the 65-inch model for our review. All sizes boast the same software and feature set and will probably perform similarly, though because each one has a different number of dimming zones, there is likely some variation in brightness among the models.

Hisense U65QF review: Design

The U65QF, which measures 56.9 x 33 x 3 inches and weighs 45 pounds without its stand, has no standout design elements on either its front or back, aside from the de rigueur gray bar at the bottom that measures just under half an inch and sports the Hisense logo on the far left side.

Directly under the center of that bottom edge is a hardware button you can push for instant access to inputs, volume, channel, and power functions.

The stand consists of two straight feet that easily screw into the bottom of the set near the corners. If you would rather mount the TV on a wall, you can use the 400x400 VESA holes on the real panel.

Hisense U65QF review: Ports

The power cable connects to the right side of the U65QF’s rear panel, and all the other ports are found on the left. Three face directly out the back: Ethernet, S/PDIF optical audio out, and one powered USB port (0.5 amp). The others angle out the left edge. These comprise a headphone jack, AV IN, a coaxial cable connector, and a second powered USB port (up to 1 amp), in addition to the four HDMI ports.

Of these, only two support HDMI 2.1 and the full speed of the screen’s 144Hz refresh rate; the others, including one with ARC for connecting a soundbar, are limited to 60Hz. This isn’t exactly uncommon among TVs, but it’s always nice when all the ports support the higher speeds and broader feature set of HDMI 2.1 to support more devices and better future-proof the set. (With HDMI 2.2 on the horizon, though, this may not be a problem for long.)

Hisense U65QF review: How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance. For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate out of the box) and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer but usually include anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Hisense U65QF review: Performance and test results

What ultimately matters most, however, is the quality of the picture on the screen, and on that front, the U65QF rates an unequivocal “not bad.”

In cycling through my current roster of recent test movies, I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t at least watchable — and most of the titles were better than that. The one that came closest to stumbling was Ryan Coogler’s tense vampire film “Sinners”: Loaded with dark scenes and a predominantly Black cast, it can be difficult to watch in a room with even average amount of lighting if the TV isn’t bright enough to punch through the glare. But although glare and reflections on the screen were noticeable with the U65QF, they weren’t bad enough to be disruptive.

More conventionally lit and brighter movies had no trouble at all.“A Minecraft Movie,” “Barbie,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and “Wicked” all appeared thoroughly satisfactory. “Deadpool & Wolverine” mostly looked fine as well, though there was a bit of visible bloom around the lead characters leading up to the big confrontation near the end; I noticed bloom at other times during my testing period, too, and there was a little ghosting during faster action scenes, but these instances were generally tolerable.

More distracting for me were the limited viewing angles. Stray just a bit away from the center and the picture starts losing detail and color definition more quickly than with many other sets I’ve seen. The more you’re able to cluster viewers toward the center, the better the U65QF is likely to look for everyone.

Our test results confirmed the overall quality of the U65QF’s picture. In terms of brightness, it did support Hisense’s claims, at least in HDR: In Filmmaker Mode, the most accurate, the set managed 946 nits on 10% of the screen and 1041 on 25%. With SDR content, the TV hit only 526 nits (on 10% of the screen), though that makes sense with a mode intended to mimic Hollywood accuracy. Vivid mode, designed to maximize visual impact, saw 956 nits in SDR.

The U65QF is just as accomplished with color. Its Delta-E (a value representing the difference in color between the source and the screen, with lower numbers being better), was an outstanding 1.83, and it covered 99.45% of the Rec. 709 color gamut. Its 95.65% coverage of the UHDA-P3 gamut is solid for a set this price; its 71.26% coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 gamut is similarly par for the course. Because the U65QF supports all major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG), you’ll have no shortage of ways to experience the picture quality for yourself.

It’s worth mentioning that the U65QF’s picture performance represents a major upswing both from last year’s Hisense U6N (with more than a 64% increase in brightness, for example) and other competitors such as the LG QNED80T and the TCL QM6K. We saw similar jumps in performance with the Hisense U75QG, so the company is keeping the improvements in the family, and they’re stark enough that you may very well want them part of yours, too.

Hisense U65QF review: Audio

Superior audio quality is rare on TVs, and it’s even harder to find in low-end models — including the U65QF. It’s nice that this TV has support for Dolby Atmos. But in playing multiple types of content, from movies and music to video games, I found the sound passable, but not a lot more than that.

On my soprano test track, which climaxes in a clarion B-flat, the sound took on a noticeable metallic shrillness at the highest volume levels. There was also obvious distortion in the bass output on The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” which hurt what was otherwise mediocre low-end presence to begin with.

I didn’t encounter any serious problems while watching aurally textured action movies, dialogue-heavy scenes, or simpler TV shows, so as long as you temper your ears’ expectations, the U65QF should do fine. If you want anything more, you’d be better off adding one of Tom’s Guide’s best soundbars to your entertainment setup.

Hisense U65QF review: Gaming

Using our Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester, I measured the U65QF’s lag at 13.2ms. We consider anything below one frame (about 16ms) good, so this TV easily meets that target — a common one for lower-price TVs. Last year’s U6N got lower, as do Hisense’s higher-end ULED sets, but there’s still not much to complain about.

The native 144Hz panel ensures smooth animation, and HDMI 2.1 features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low-Latency mode (ALLM) sweeten the pot, as does support for AMD FreeSync Premium. I encountered no hiccups playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on the U65QF.

Hisense U65QF review: Smart features

As recently as last year, Hisense was loading all of its TVs with the top-notch Google TV operating system. Unfortunately, the U65QF doesn’t have it. Instead, it uses the Amazon Fire TV OS, which is a huge step down.

Uglier (from the sprawling top-center banner on down), less powerful, more difficult to navigate and customize, and heavily linked to Amazon’s content ecosystem, it gives the TV a cheaper, chunkier feel in most situations. It takes longer to do anything else that isn’t watching or searching Amazon content. At least Alexa is integrated, so you can easily search by voice, though you’ll need to use the remote control, as there is no on-board far-field microphone.

For streaming content, there’s support for Apple AirPlay for casting from Apple devices, though not Google Cast if Android is your mobile OS of choice. The built-in tuner is only ATSC 1.0, so over-the-air 4K streaming is out of the question.

Hisense U65QF review: Remote

The U65QF uses a standard-issue Fire TV remote: small, simple, and Amazon-forward. There’s a bright blue Alexa button at the top, and shortcut keys for Prime Video and Amazon Music (in addition to Netflix and Disney+) at the bottom.

There are no other surprises. The remote is not a looker, but the tiny pops of color against the black plastic are nice, its curved back gives it an ergonomic feel in the hand, and it does its basic job with a minimum of fuss.

Hisense U65QF review: Verdict

There’s no doubt about it: Given its performance, the Hisense U65QF is an affordable powerhouse of a TV. For a sub-$600 price, you wouldn’t expect a flawless picture all the time, and the U65QF’s is not that. But, it performs unusually well, which is something everyone should appreciate — no matter how much money they have to spend.

The biggest problem is Amazon’s Fire TV OS, which is tedious and cumbersome to use, especially compared with Google TV, which is used on the higher-end models (and even graced last year’s U6N). Hisense has prioritized value in nearly every other area with this TV; the operating system can’t help but feel like a letdown.

But that’s about it. And if you can live with it, you’ll find that your TV dollars go much further with the Hisense U65QF than with most other sets currently on the market.

I’ve reviewed Hisense’s mid-range Mini-LED TVs for three years running, but the Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV is one of the most exciting and impressive I’ve seen so far. I’ve now spent about two weeks with this TV and loved every second with it.

For movie lovers, the U75QG makes both HDR and non-HDR films shine thanks to its spectacular brightness levels, while gamers will appreciate its robust set of gaming features built on its 165Hz refresh rate, offering PC and console players excellent performance with low input latency.

However, the Hisense U75QG isn’t perfect. It falls into the same trap as the Hisense U8QG, offering poor off-axis viewing on a panel that’s prone to reflections in brighter rooms. Unlike the U8QG, this mid-range Mini-LED TV also has a rather middling speaker that lacks clarity.

Despite these complaints, the U75QG still offers serious value at an incredible price. Is it one of the best TVs in 2025? Read on for my thoughts after two weeks with this new Mini-LED TV.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV: Price and release date

The Hisense U75QG is the mid-tier offering in Hisense’s 2025 TV lineup, which launched in March. It sits between the flagship U8QG and the budget U6QF. The U75QG replaces last year’s Hisense U7N.

The Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV is available for purchase in the following sizes:

• Hisense 55U75QG (55-inch): $1,299 | Sale: $567
• Hisense 65U75QG (65-inch): $1,499 | Sale: $799
• Hisense 75U75QG (75-inch): $1,999 | Sale: $1,099
• Hisense 85U75QG (85-inch): $2,499 | Sale: $1,599 Hisense
• 100U75QG (100-inch): $4,999 | Sale: $2,499
• Hisense 100U75QG (116-inch): $24,999 | Sale: $14,999

We tested the Hisense U75QG in its 65-inch configuration. Some variations occur across sizes, notably dimming zones and panel technology. According to some sources, higher TV sizes use a VA panel over the IPS panel most commonly found on Hisense TVs, but this is very rare.

The price of the Hisense U75QG puts it in hot competition with the TCL QM7K, which is currently $100 more in the 65-inch configuration. The 65-inch Samsung QN70F is another great counter to the U75QG, but it’s currently $50 more than the Hisense model.

This is why the Hisense U75QG stands out in the mid-range Mini-LED market, as it is expertly priced against many of its closest rivals. It punches well above its price.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Design

Unlike some of the best OLED TVs, the Hisense U75QG has a thick frame and is heavy. The 65-inch model measures about 6.8 inches deep and weighs 49.6 pounds, so you’ll probably want an extra pair of hands when setting it up in your living room.

Speaking of setting it up, the Hisense U75QG is streamlined enough, but you will need a screwdriver to attach its base. It uses two feet and a wide rectangular plastic piece that attaches over the legs. It’s a lot like the pedestals on Samsung’s TVs, except those have legs that attach to the back of the TV without any screws.

Because it’s mostly plastic, the build quality of the stand could definitely be improved. It feels a little cheap, and it’s hard to tell if the base of the stand is attached correctly to the legs. It would be nice if the U75QG came with a metal base to stand out, but I did like how compact the legs are to each other. This makes it easy to place on smaller surfaces.

The other major design flaw is its anti-glare coating — it’s just not strong enough. While watching movies during the day, the U7G suffered from glare that washed out the colors and black levels. For the price, this isn’t unexpected, but it’s an area that Hisense should seek to improve in 2026 and beyond.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Ports

The Hisense U75QG includes a full array of ports on the left-hand side of the TV’s rear. Among them are four HDMI 2.1 inputs, one of which is an eARC-compatible port, allowing for soundbar connections via HDMI. This is already a step up from the Hisense U8QG, which comes equipped with only three HDMI 2.1 ports and one USB-C.

The U75QG also includes two USB ports (one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0), a headphone jack, optical digital audio output, LAN port, and RF input. It also includes a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner, allowing you to access NextGen TV OTA channels and 4K broadcasts.

The Hisense U75QG also has Wi-Fi 6E support, which offers slightly enhanced internet connectivity, provided your router also supports this functionality. Bluetooth 5.3 support ensures more stable wireless connections to various devices, like Bluetooth speakers and headphones. This is a major plus for those who don’t want to connect a soundbar to the TV via HDMI.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Performance

The Hisense U75QG has spectacular picture quality. I was awed by its immense brightness and HDR performance in movies like “Blade Runner 2049,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Batman,” and “Interstellar.”

The latter two movies were particularly ideal for testing the U75QG’s contrast control and performance in lifelike shadows. While it doesn’t offer OLED qualities for inky blacks, the U75QG still outshines many of its rivals thanks to its incredible HDR brightness. However, glare is still noticeable in pitch-black scenes, which means bright room use will vary.

I was also surprised by how precise its local dimming was for a Mini-LED TV in this price range. I set local dimming to High and disabled all of its energy-saving settings to get the best performance. This equated to improved highlights, making HDR movies pop even more. The downside to this is that you will see subtle blooming in subtitles (the local dimming is good, but it can’t work miracles); however, I think the tradeoff is worth it.

Although the U75QG doesn’t have the most robust color volume, it still handled vibrant scenes in “Blade Runner 2049” very well. Colorful animated movies still leaped off the screen, including “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “The Super Mario Bros Movie,” and “Suzume.”

Picture quality was surprisingly solid and improved on the U75QG over its predecessor, but similar complaints persist, such as its highly reflective screen in brighter environments and poor off-axis viewing. If you’re watching in a brighter, more ambient-rich room and sit at an angle, the U75QG might not be for you.

How we test TVs

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Test results

The Hisense U75QG performs well compared to similarly priced mid-range competitors and the flagship 2025 model. Here's how it fares against last year’s Hisense U7N, TCL’s QM7K, and the flagship Hisense U8QG.

Hisense has made several tweaks to this mid-range Mini-LED TV, raising the bar in terms of input latency and brightness. Color accuracy didn’t improve that much over last year, but these are still solid enhancements.

You can also see how well it stacks against the competition. The U75QG outperforms the QM7K in SDR brightness, HDR brightness, and input latency. Once again, its color volume in HDR isn’t the most ideal when compared to the QM7K or even the flagship U8QG, but it still fares well.

The U75QG is outclassed by every TV on the list in our Delta-E tests, which pertains to color accuracy. The variances between the U8QG and U75QG are imperceptible, but they’re still low for good-enough color accuracy. Anything under a score of four is ideal, but it would be nice to see improvements to its color volume.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Gaming

I’m not overstating it when I say the U75QG was a total blast for gaming. It’s one of the few Mini-LED TVs this year that offers a 165Hz refresh rate, making it an incredible choice for PC gamers. It’s also equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, as well, so you’re not locked to just two external devices, and its low 9.8ms input latency is perfect for fast-paced gaming.

On PS5, I played “Armored Core 6” and “Silent Hill f.” Both games looked striking, with colors popping on this display. Both of these games tested the U75QG with their own bright and vibrant colors. “Armored Core 6” was especially appealing, given its faster gameplay, while “Silent Hill f” offered me a better perspective of its contrasts in darker scenes.

The U75QG is no OLED TV, but it still offers incredible gaming support where it counts. I did throw a few PC games at the TV, which highlighted some subtle blurring and “trailing” at higher refresh rates. However, since most people will be playing on consoles at 4K/120Hz, this isn’t too serious an issue.

I walked away from this review feeling like the Hisense U75QG is one of the best gaming TVs for the price. You’ll get better pixel response times from an OLED TV, of course, but the U75QG offers some of the lowest input latency for a Mini-LED TV this year and has four HDMI 2.1 ports, making it an exceptional value for gamers.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Audio

Audio on the U75QG is a mixed bag. While it does have a wide sound stage, the built-in speakers lack refinement. Audio performance is serviceable, reaching high levels at just 20 (out of 100), but it doesn’t sound as immersive as other TVs I’ve tested.

Bass notes boom far too much on the U75QG, which means dialogue-heavy scenes can be hard to hear, and mids/highs sound thin or slightly distorted.

It’s tough because I wanted to like the speakers on the U75QG, but the lack of clarity makes them hard to enjoy.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Interface and apps

The Hisense U75QG runs on Google TV, one of our favorite TV interfaces. It’s a fantastic OS, offering many of the best streaming services and a multitude of free content to enjoy. I even noticed a new app called Hisense Channels after setting up the TV, so Hisense has its own curated list of free content if you’re looking for that.

One major change on the U75QG is a more robust Google Home integration. Now, you can fully interact with Google and ask to perform specific tasks, such as turning off lights or closing the shades. That means you can forgo devices like the Google Home Hub if you’re so inclined, which is pretty great if you’re big on smart home improvements.

A streamlined Google TV setup process also makes unboxing and initial startup a total breeze. It took me no more than 30 minutes to get straight into my content, which wasn’t the case last year. It also offered super slick and speedy navigation, as is typical for Google’s interface.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Remote

Hisense’s remote hasn’t changed too much since last year. It’s still lightweight and a tad long, wrapped in a chrome silver body that stands out. I prefer shorter designs, like Samsung’s and Roku’s remotes, but the Hisense version isn’t terrible. It even has backlit buttons, which few other remotes offer.

The remote includes quick access buttons to streaming services, such as YouTube, Tubi, Prime Video, and more. Again, these haven’t changed from last year’s remote, so it would be nice if it included additional buttons to other services, such as HBO Max and Hulu. A quick access button to gaming settings could also go a long way.

Overall, I have no complaints with the U75QG’s remote. It gets the job done and has most of the buttons I need for daily content consumption, settings changes, and the like.

Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV review: Verdict

The Hisense U75QG backs its excellent gaming features up with brilliant performance in luminance and input latency, making it an ideal choice for budget buyers and gaming enthusiasts alike.

It’s also one of the few budget TVs to launch this year with a 165Hz refresh rate. This might be null and void for console players right now, but it could offer a future-proofed solution for next-gen devices. It’s still too early to tell at this time, but it’s definitely something to consider if you’re on the fence about the TCL QM7K vs the Hisense U75QG.

I also find the U75QG a better option over the flagship Hisense U8QG. While the latter TV is similarly well-priced with stellar performance (especially in brightness), it lacks a full set of HDMI ports, offering just three and a USB-C input. The 65-inch model is also $300 more expensive than the U75QG, despite relatively similar performance.

I did find the reflective screen distracting, but this was a major pain point on the U8QG as well and won’t be as much of an issue if you watch in darker environments. Unfortunately, no matter how you slice it, the sound system leaves a lot to be desired, but that can be fixed by hooking the U75QG up to one of the best soundbars.

Looking past these complaints, the U75QG remains a hit. It’s one of the best budget TVs of 2025, especially for 65-inch models, and offers excellent picture performance for the price.

Almost every TV sold these days comes with a smart platform built-in. But not all of them are made equal. Google TV and Roku are two of my favorites, but you can't go wrong with Samsung's Tizen OS or LG's webOS, either.

Choosing the right interface not only means having access to a slew of free content and the best streaming services, but also being able to do all that without wasting minutes navigating a needlessly complicated interface.

Using my years of TV testing and streaming know-how, I've pulled together my favorite smart TVs for streaming that should meet your needs and budget.

Quick List

• Roku 65" Plus Series Mini-LED TV: $649 @ Amazon
• TCL 75" QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $999 now $749 @ Best Buy
• LG 55" C5 4K OLED TV: was $1,799 now $1,396 @ Amazon
• Samsung 65" S90F 4K OLED TV: was $1,997 now $1,697 @ Amazon
• Sony 65" Bravia XR A95L 4K OLED TV: was $3,499 now $1,998 @ Amazon
• Samsung 55" S95F 4K OLED TV: was $2,197 now $1,997 @ Amazon
• Hisense 85" U8QG 4K Mini-LED TV: was $3,498 now $2,247 @ Amazon
• Panasonic 55" Z95B 4K OLED TV: was $2,599 now $2,397 @ Amazon

Roku Plus Series Mini-LED TV

I'm a big fan of Roku. I have a smattering of Roku streaming devices across my household, which come in clutch as major upgrades for older TVs.

Roku also launched its own TV lineup, which saw several major improvements earlier this year. While the Roku Pro Series TV is its flagship model, I personally recommend the Roku Plus Series for the price and design changes. In our review of last year's Roku Plus Series TV, we gave it a near-perfect score, highlighting its excellent value in tandem with great sound and HDR color.

At the heart of the Plus Series is the Roku smart interface. It makes life so much easier, giving you access to tons of free content without being a hassle when it comes to navigation. As smart platforms go, you can't go wrong with Roku OS, and the 2025 Plus series is a serious win, given its new Mini-LED backlighting and enhanced luminance.

TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV

The TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV is the streaming set I'd recommend for gamers looking to save on a great display loaded with features.

What makes the QM6K ideal for streaming is Google TV. Just like Roku, Google TV is incredibly easy to navigate and has one of the most sophisticated voice assistants in the TV market, letting you jump into specific content with ease.

LG C5 OLED TV

The LG C5 OLED is one of the best OLED TVs you can buy right now. It's sleek, has tons of features, and is now offered at a value price.

The C5 runs on webOS, which comes packed with tons of free content to explore, called LG Channels. It's also home to tons of apps and all the streaming platforms, but if that wasn't enough, it's even loaded with cloud gaming services, such as Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now.

LG's webOS is consistently being updated. LG promises that updates will extend over the course of five years, ensuring the C5 will remain up-to-date up to 2030.

Samsung S90F OLED TV

I've tested quite a few TVs this year, but so far they all pale in comparison to the Samsung S90F OLED TV. It's one of my favorite new TVs thanks to its exceptional performance metrics, slew of gaming features, and price.

Samsung's TV interface remains largely overshadowed by other notable rivals, such as Roku, Google, and webOS, but it, too, has access to a bevy of free content, which is regularly updated to include exciting new offerings.

Given it's an OLED, you can also expect the S90F to have near-perfect contrast. This was one of the major highlights for me while watching darker movies like "The Batman" and "Interstellar" in HDR. Unfortunately, the Samsung OLED doesn't support Dolby Vision, which could be a major letdown if you pay extra for the highest-tier Netflix account.

Sony Bravia XR A95L OLED TV

For the longest time, Sony's A95L held the top spot among several categories of best TVs. It remains the best smart TV for streaming, as it not only uses Google TV as its interface but also has incredible performance for an OLED TV despite its age.

The Sony Bravia XR A95L OLED TV was succeeded earlier this year with the Bravia 8 II, but it remains one of the best Sony TVs you can buy. Sony is known for delivering cinematic experiences, offering performance where it matters most, including HDR color volume, audio quality, and more.

Google TV is the icing on the cake. You get the best picture quality that Sony is known for, built on the backbone of Google's ecosystem with its myriad apps and easily accessible content. It also comes with one notable feature that many other OLEDs lack: an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV

The Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV is a premium set built at an incredible price, plus it has some of the highest brightness we tested all year in our lab.

Google TV is yet again the star of the show for the U8QG. It's especially snappy and intuitive on the Hisense display. You can also gain access to smart home functionality via Google Home, making your house feel like it's set in the future.

Aside from its impeccable brightness numbers, which we tested at 3,916 nits in HDR content, the U8QG also has serious color accuracy and volume. Most TVs tend to struggle in the Rec2020 test, but the U8QG covers 83.98% of the gamut. In short, expect beautiful colors and eye-watering brightness.

Panasonic Z95B OLED TV

I've ranted and raved about the Panasonic Z95A in the past, and things haven't changed with its successor.

Although the Z95B is built on Fire TV, there's still a lot to love with the platform. It's not the easiest to navigate and doesn't have as robust a list of free content, but it does make for a great interface if you're well-invested in the Prime Video and Amazon ecosystem.

For cinephiles, the Z95B is equipped with the entire range of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+, ensuring excellent picture quality in a wide range of content. It's also built with a 10-channel speaker system with a 180W output. There's also a 30W subwoofer built into the TV, making this one of the most bombastic sets money can buy.

The Panasonic Z95B is ideal if you're looking to get a smart TV that has it all. It's the most expensive smart TVs on this list, so it's definitely not a set for everyone, but I think it delivers exceptional performance for the price.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best TVs of 2025 tested: top OLEDs, Mini-LEDs and QLEDs for every budget
• OLED vs Mini-LED: What’s the difference and is one actually better?
• I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs

TV remotes are a funny thing. Over the last few years, they've added backlighting, gained new charging capabilities, and slimmed down, as seen on Samsung's and Roku's TV remotes. They're handy for navigation, tweaking the volume, and changing settings on the fly, but what if we didn't need them at all?

The popularization of built-in voice assistants coupled with the advancements in AI processing are making the best smart TVs smarter every year. Add to that the possibilities in store with ambient sensors, like the bespoke Ambient Display feature on the new TCL QM9K, and remotes start to feel like landlines: once essential, now outdated.

TCL's new flagship TV already has me thinking about a remote-less future, which sounds far-fetched, but might not be steeped in science fiction. Here's how it could take shape.

Smarter TV voice assistants

Voice assistants have seen some incredible improvements year over year, and they're only getting better as we reach the tail-end of 2025.

One of the worst offenders was Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, which would often misinterpret what you're saying or get hung up on particular queries. Over the past year, Samsung has improved its voice assistant, injecting Bixby with better search functionality and conversational awareness.

These upgrades will probably only be available on 2025 TVs and future sets, given the advanced AI processing needed to make the functionality work properly. But, it's a clear line into an era where remotes won't be needed at all; just your voice will do all the things, like pausing a movie or raising the volume.

These ideas apply to Google TV, as well, which has recently introduced Gemini features available in the TCL QM9K. Gemini will similarly allow you to ask the TV all kinds of different questions, like tough mathematical equations, what to watch that weekend, or if it's too hot outside for a jacket.

I got to see these features firsthand in the midst of my demo with the QM9K a few weeks ago, and it's a clear view into the future of TVs. Everyday queries are one thing, but what if you could ask the TV to find the best picture quality for your home environment? Better, what if you could ask it to diagnose a particular issue or literally fix the problem itself?

These concepts sound like a pipe dream (or, maybe a fever dream for some), but they aren't too far out of the realm of possibility.

Enhanced internal TV sensors

Gemini on the TCL QM9K wasn't the only exciting advancement the new Mini-LED has to offer. Another way TCL is advancing TVs is with the addition of a bespoke sensor that detects when a user is present.

TCL calls the technology "Ambient Display." Think it of it kind of like the always-on display in an iPhone, where the screen will go completely dark only if you're not looking directly at it. Ambient Display on the QM9K is sort of similar, allowing the TV to automatically turn on when it detects that you've entered the room.

It's a bold concept, one that's rooted in ease-of-use. TCL sees it as a way for you to instantly digest information from your various widgets, like weather forecasts, bite-sized news, or the like. But, what if it could go even further?

TCL's Ambient Display isn't alone, Samsung wants us to trade the remote out entirely for its Galaxy smartwatches: Its 2025 models have a feature allow you to control your Samsung TV with a mere pinch and flick of your wrist.

It's an interesting concept, but having tried it a few months ago at Samsung's North American HQ, I don't think it quite sticks the landing .

Still, while they might be in their infancy right now, with improvements and future refinement, they could be the remote-killer I've been looking for.

...Just don't throw away your remote just yet

While TV remotes are definitely here to stay for the time being, there is a clear path being set to a remote-less TV era.

It's tantalizing and terrifying all the same. Gesture controls could be a route to making remote-less TVs even more popular, however they often require built-in cameras on our TVs. With privacy concerns at an all-time high, the last thing most people want right now is another camera in the house — and I don't blame them.

That said, while the TCL QM9K heralds several exciting advancements in TV technology, the upgrades might not be for everyone. In the short term I hope it's improving voice assistants to make TV controls all the more streamlined, so any settings and picture tweaks are a total breeze.

At some point in the future I think the world will be ready to toss out their remotes ... just maybe give it another decade or two.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• Samsung RGB MicroLED TVs are coming — but should OLED makers be worried?
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

LG is launching its own art store to combat the growing interest in TV screensavers using well-known paintings and the like.

Called LG Gallery+, the new service takes aim at Samsung's Art Store, allowing you to keep your home display looking fancy and lively with real-world artworks, photographs, and even your own Google Photos.

The storefront will first be made available on LG's 2025 TV lineup, but will roll out to older models as part of LG's ongoing webOS ReNew Program.

LG finally finds its artful footing

Samsung's The Frame first launched back in 2017 and has since corralled a massive following. It blends Art Deco chic with display technology, allowing you to swap out different frames and change art backgrounds, so it looks and feels like you're living in a museum.

These types of art-infused TVs have gained significant popularity. Both Hisense and TCL launched their own versions of the Frame TV, but LG has largely sidestepped this arena. Instead, it has focused on bringing more value OLEDs to the market with its beloved C-series.

Although it's still not launching any dedicated hardware focusing on framed TV murals similar to The Frame and Frame Pro, LG will finally have an answer to Samsung's Art Store with Gallery+. It will include a wide swath of notable art pieces, photographs, and cinematic moments from around the globe.

Such artworks include paintings, like Vincent van Gogh's Wheatfield with Cypresses and Georges Seurat’s Bathers at Asnières, as well as "expansive landscapes" from notable video game franchises, like Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six. More artworks will be added on a monthly basis.

The scariest part for Samsung? LG's offering a free "light" edition. This will allow you to dive into a smaller, curated selection of artworks to get a taste of what Gallery+ has to offer. LG will also be selling a monthly premium subscription tier, netting you access to over 4,000 pieces of art. (LG gave no word on pricing yet.)

You'll be able to test out LG Gallery+ for yourself on all new 2025 models, including the LG G5 OLED and LG C5 OLED TVs. It will soon be rolled out in 150 countries, and older models will get the update as soon as webOS 25 lands on those particular TVs later this year.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• Samsung RGB MicroLED TVs are coming — but should OLED makers be worried?
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

I recently bought a TV antenna just to see what I might be missing. After all, who doesn't love some extra channels, especially if they're (sort of) free?

By adding an antenna to your TV, you could potentially save yourself extra cash by eliminating streaming services from your monthly spend. TV antennas net you access to an array of local channels, and these cost nothing but the antenna itself, which isn't too expensive to begin with.

But, what channels do you actually get with an antenna, and are they really worth it? I spent a week watching nothing but local channels with my brand new TV antenna to see if going back to the golden era of broadcast television is worth it in 2025. Here's how it went.

News, weather, sports, and more

Before you can dive into any content using a TV antenna, you'll first need to scan your local stations to acquire all the digital channels available in your region. Most TVs will also include an option for analog stations, but these channels have ceased broadcasting since 2021.

Right after scanning all your local channels, you'll find a good portion of them are dedicated to popular news and other national networks. These include CBS, ABC, PBS, and FOX.

I first settled on the latter channel primarily for some of early morning cooking segments on Good Day New York. The quality was actually very good on this channel, which extended to some of the more well-known networks, and that was particularly surprising to me.

Local broadcasts are great for garnering a better feel about what's going on in your neighborhood. I discovered several weather channels that gave me better insight into the actual climate and conditions of my specific area.

This week was rather cloudy and rainy, but the big twist was a cooling in temperature. Instead of sweltering-hot 90 degree days, we're now experiencing a high 70s workweek, which makes commuting to the office a bit more tolerable.

Where once I would typically just look at my Apple Watch or simply ask Google what the weather might be on any particular day, I was now diving into my local weather report each morning just to see what was on the horizon. But, it's certainly not something I'd be doing regularly.

Beyond news channels and weather reports, broadcast TV is also packed to the gills with channels dedicated to specific genres. Think mystery TV, game shows, classic movies, Cops reruns, and the like. It's a melting pot of total randomness, offering you tiny glimpses into the past.

You never really know what you're going to get. I'd often find myself settling on a game show, only to quickly switch to a classic movie channel for a taste of early 1960s Hollywood filmmaking. It's pretty electrifying, but again not something that's going to make me cancel all of my monthly streaming services.

Still a limited selection and subpar quality

Unfortunately, there still wasn't a whole lot more for me to dive into. My area only has access to around 60-something channels, many of which are repeats or duds. I was really hoping I could try some 4K broadcasts, but alas Nextgen TV isn't available in my area yet.

This is why I highly recommend buying a TV antenna that supports both 1080p and 4K resolutions. Although Nextgen TV isn't broadcasting in my region just yet, it is rolling out to various cities across the US. Here's a full map of Nextgen TV's current coverage so you can see if it's in your area right now.

You should also make sure your TV has access to Nextgen TV with an ATSC 3.0 tuner. Many of the best Google TVs come equipped with the specification, particularly TVs made by Hisense, TCL, and Sony. With it, you'll be able to watch 4K TV broadcasts and access other awesome content, like Game Loop.

It's a shame it's not available in my area yet, because I'd love to see what Nextgen TV offers over the mere 60 channels I have currently. It is available in parts of New York already, so I'm hoping it will arrive in my city soon.

Without the addition of 4K broadcasts, I relied on channels including Fox, NBC, Retro, ION, and more for content like Saturday Night Live reruns, Magnum P.I., and the morning news. To say it was limited would be an understatement. And some channels were borderline unwatchable. Quality took a nosedive on lesser-known channels, which shouldn't be too surprising, but you'd think they might look slightly better given OTA broadcasts don't require any signal compression.

Everything form your TV tuner to how high the antenna is placed can affect the quality of your TV broadcasts. Even the antenna itself could be the culprit, which is why I recommend buying one of the best TV antennas so you get the absolute best quality possible.

Should you cancel your streaming services for TV broadcasts?

While broadcast TV is definitely convenient and totally free, it's not quite the end-all-be-all option if you're looking to save yourself from streaming services.

I had a great time setting it up and experiencing what broadcast TV has to offer in 2025, but it's hard to recommend in the face of myriad of other free channels that already exist on your smart TV, not to mention free services like Tubi and Pluto TV.

Of course, TV antennas do have some pros. Broadcast TV can offer you a glimpse into new and exciting content, including older TV shows and classic movies. You'll even garner a better understanding of what's going on in your area through local government channels and weather reports.

You can also make the argument that every household should have a TV antenna, primarily in the case of emergencies. If the Wi-Fi ever goes out, OTA channels will still remain active, netting you access to news coverage and other assorted content. So, it's definitely nice to have if limited Wi-Fi is a concern.

But, if you're looking for a total replacement for some of the best streaming services, broadcast TV just isn't it. Even with the inclusion of Nextgen TV access, it still pales in comparison to what services like The Roku Channel, Freevee, and others have to offer.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• Samsung RGB MicroLED TVs are coming — but should OLED makers be worried?
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

If you're looking to add some extra free channels to your smart TV using an antenna, you'll need to first know how to get them all loaded up. Simply plugging in the remote won't just give you instant access as you'll first need to scan your area to collate all the channels you have access to.

It's a super simple process, and I've also even included a way to make navigating to your new broadcast TV channels that much simpler. For reference, I set my TV antenna up on a Sony Bravia 8 II OLED, which runs on Google TV, so the menus and settings might be a bit different depending on your TV at home.

Here's everything you need to know when setting up an antenna on your smart TV.

Why you should set up a TV antenna on your smart TV

You might be asking yourself, "why even bother adding an antenna to my TV?" Many of the best TVs these days come equipped with loads of free channels to dive into. What's more, streaming devices, like the Google TV Streamer and Roku Ultra, are equipped with their own slew of FAST channels.

But TV antennas work a bit differently. The best part about using a TV antenna is that it focuses on your local channels, meaning you get a wider array of coverage on content that's right in your neighborhood.

This means you can get better news coverage on what's happening around you. You'll also have a better understanding of the weather and traffic conditions, giving you a more birds-eye view of what to expect before you leave your house in the morning.

Additionally, while it might depend on where you live, you might even have more channels to choose from. And you don't have to worry about paying a dime, as it's all free to use, so long as you have one of the best TV antennas at your disposal.

Broadcast TV channels also don't rely on the internet, so you'll always have something to watch even if the internet is out.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• Samsung RGB MicroLED TVs are coming — but should OLED makers be worried?
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

Samsung's Gaming Hub is expanding its offerings with even more interactive experiences, thanks to several new partnerships and video game debuts.

The three new additions come in the form of GameLoop, Volley, and PHȲND, which aim to make Gaming Hub even more inclusive with tons of party experiences — no subscription required.

Additionally, major releases from Gamescom will also be available to play on the same day via Xbox Game Pass on Samsung TVs. These games include Black Ops 7 and The Outer Worlds 2.

The party lives on

For the longest time, Samsung Gaming Hub was the best way to play games directly on a TV screen, largely because it was the only interface with Xbox Game Pass support. Now that LG also has the cloud streaming platform on its own gaming hub, Samsung needs a power play.

And I think these new partnerships are just what it needs.

First on the list is a service we've discussed before regarding its inclusion on NextgenTV, which is available through ATSC 3.0 tuners. Called GameLoop, the service intends to make TVs even more interactive with insightful puzzles, arcade classics, and party games that bring the whole family together.

The best part is you won't even need one of the best TVs with ATSC 3.0 tuners, as GameLoop will be available directly within Samsung's Gaming Hub. It's a nice touch, especially seeing as Samsung TVs don't have an ATSC 3.0 tuner to begin with.

Samsung is also partnering with Volley, a voice AI games designer with titles like Song Quiz, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy!. According to Samsung, Volley is "played in over 30M homes worldwide," and seeing how popular karaoke is, this should make those late-night Taylor Swift sing-alongs a hoot with friends.

Last, but certainly not least, Samsung has also teamed up with PHȲND. a completely free cloud gaming service that has a variety of casual online multiplayer titles.

All of these new services come together on Samsung Gaming Hub to make it a more interactive space for everyone, though Samsung has not stated when specifically to expect their launch. No subscription is required for any of the new services, and you can use everything from your TV remote to a game pad or smartphone to play all of these experiences.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• Samsung RGB MicroLED TVs are coming — but should OLED makers be worried?
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

Grab your shades and get your finances in order, because Hisense just made available the brightest TV we’ve ever tested. It’s a 116-inch beast with a brand-new display type, and it’ll set you back a whopping $29,999.

The announcement comes just a day after the official launch of Samsung’s first Micro RGB TV — a 115-inch, $29,999 set that leverages a similar type of display technology.

In other words, the competition is heating up.

Originally unveiled at CES 2025, the Hisense 116UX launches alongside a slightly smaller (but still huge) 100-inch version, the Hisense 100UX, which carries a $19,999 price tag.

But what makes Hisense’s RGB Mini-LED technology worthy of this price tag? Among other benefits, its phenomenal brightness is at the top of the list.

I recently wrote at length about the Hisense 116UX brightness levels being off the charts, but here’s the basic gist: This TV packs better HDR highlight brightness than any commercially available TV we’ve measured to date.

While the brand’s more accessible Mini-LED flagship, the Hisense U8QG, delivers close to 4,000 nits of HDR highlight brightness, the 116UX RGB Mini-LED exceeds the 5,000-nit mark. That’s eye-popping brightness on a gargantuan screen.

As mentioned, Hisense’s RGB Mini-LED technology brings benefits beyond bonkers brightness. Unlike traditional Mini-LED backlights, Hisense’s RGB Mini-LED display tech consists of red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs. This allows for more precise color control.

The best brightness with largest color volume to boot

Testing bears this out, too. According to our measurements, the Hisense 116UX covers a remarkable 91.14% of the BT.2020 color gamut. That’s the best color volume we’ve seen this year, surpassing the most colorful OLED we’ve tested, the Samsung S95F.

We’ve not yet tested the slightly smaller-sized Hisense 100UX, but given that it leverages RGB Mini-LEDs as well, I’d have to imagine that its test results are, at the very least, in the 116UX’s ballpark.

Given the sky-high price point of both TVs, Hisense's new RGB Mini-LED technology is certainly not for everyone. The good news is that the next-best thing might be staring you in the face.

The aforementioned Hisense U8QG is still working with the traditional blend of quantum dots and traditional Mini-LEDs, but it’s the brightest TV we’ve tested this year in that class. It’s also available in all of the most popular size options — not just 100- and 116-inches.

More from Tom's Guide

• We are misunderstanding TV brightness — here’s how important it actually is
• If you just bought a Hisense TV, change these 5 settings right away
• Hisense’s TriChroma LED tech could transform LED TVs — here’s how it works

The Anker Nebula X1 brings a lot to the table. Not only does it come swinging for the fences with a triple-laser projection system hitting 3,500 ANSI lumens, but it features Dolby Vision support, has Google TV baked in, features four internal speakers, and — the standout feature — mounts its internals on a motorized gimbal to adjust the aim of the projection while automatically framing the picture.

It’s an interesting machine, and it has strong fundamentals. When set up right, you can get an excellent picture out of it, and you should expect no less from a $2,999 projector. After all, it has to contend with the ever-so-slightly dimmer Hisense C2 Ultra.

As capable as it is, the Nebula X1 still has room to improve. The exciting gimbal loses some of its luster when considering that it can’t aim down at all, requires an unideal digital keystone anytime it’s used, and would have been better as a vertical lens shift mechanism instead. If you can live with those issues, the Nebula X1 still provides a strong option for a ready-to-move theater-in-a-box on account of its brightness and picture alone.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Pricing and availability

The Anker Nebula X1 is a fairly pricey projector, though not unreasonable for the brightness it’s offering. It comes in at $2999, right in line with the MSRP of the Hisense C2 Ultra (though it has dropped down to as low as $2,500).

It launched May 21, 2025. Anker launched an accessory pack alongside it that includes a carrying case, two wireless speakers, and two wireless microphones for $999. But until June 20th, the accessory pack can be bundled with the projector for a total price of $3,298. The projector and accessory pack are available from the Anker Nebula store and Amazon.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Design

The Nebula X1 is a compact powerhouse bearing some resemblance to predecessors in the Nebula Mars and Nebula Cosmos line of projectors. It’s beefy for a portable projector, but it’s ready to move. Like its siblings, it has a top-mounted handle, but you wouldn't know it at first — it hides the handle away, but a quick press will see it slowly rise up, and pressing it down will tuck it right back away.

Where many projectors will have little legs or gimbal stands to help you adjust the angle of the projection, the Nebula X1 builds its lens and projection system into a motorized gimbal that can tilt 25-degrees up. The lenses also enable optical zoom for a throw ratio of 0.9:1 at the wide end and 1.5:1 at the long end, offering pretty flexible placement on the same level as the Hisense C2 Ultra.

Once it’s plopped down, the Nebula X1 relies almost entirely on internal smarts and mechanism to square away the image. Once powered up, it fires up a little red LED light show on the top panel and it will use its gimbal and cameras to scan up and down and find a clear space to project onto, digitally adjust keystone to keep the picture rectangular, and adjust focus. It can also be set to shrink the image down further to avoid obstacles and conform to a projector screen if you have one. It’s an impressive system for its ability to make all the adjustments on its own in a few seconds.

Though the vertical offset of the projection (compounded by the X1’s ability to only further aim up) means the Nebuila X1 should be set up low to the ground (e.g., coffee tables or the floor). And if the projection actually uses the gimbal to aim upward, it will inherently impact the quality of the image by requiring digital keystone adjustment that crops away some of the usable resolution.

While the Nebula X1 is easy to move, it’s not a completely portable projector like the Nebula Mars 3. It doesn’t pack an internal battery, so there’s no running away from a power outlet. The power brick and cabling that Anker does include can stretch a long way, though. A battery probably wouldn’t have been much use for the Nebula X1 anyway, as it’s a super-bright beamer promising 3,500 ANSI lumens.

Pumping out that much light from a small projector isn’t simple. The use of an external power brick likely helped make space for cooling inside the case and avoided adding another heat source to it. Anker has also opted for a liquid cooling system inside the X1, and it seems effective. Impressively, while beaming away at full brightness, the projector just whirrs, not kicking up an incredible racket of fan noise. It spouts out noticeable heat from the rear, so it won’t be comfortable to sit immediately behind.

The Nebula X1 offers a modest selection of ports along the upper edge of its backside. You’ll find the DC power connector alongside two HDMI ports, one of which supports eARC. These are next to a USB-A port, USB-C port (seemingly only for data transfer and power), and a 3.5mm jack that supports analog and optical audio.

Anker built four speakers into the Nebula X1: a pair of 15W woofers and a pair of 5W tweeters. These pump sound out the vented sides of the projector. Google TV is also built in.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Performance

HDR visuals look excellent. Bright elements can simply sizzle, as with the thrusters of the ships landing on Pandora during the intro section of “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

The contrast could still be stronger, as black levels aren’t quite tipping OLED levels, and the illumination of letter boxes (or any area left after keystone correction) is still easy to see. The projector is bright enough that it’s easy to get past those distractions, though, unless you’re simply staring at them.

With the projector’s 4K clarity, details impress even when stretching across sizable screen spaces. The fine textures constantly on display in “Dune” are still a delight to behold.

The high brightness of the projector also makes it much easier to enjoy all sorts of content at any time of day. I enjoyed wandering the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 throughout the day without needing to draw the curtains. Most of the time, it was easy to see. Even as I explored the extremely dark Sinister Cave, I was able to push ahead with daylight entering the room. After the sun went down, the picture just got that much better, and the projector had the wiggle room to lower its brightness and still rock.

The Nebula X1 runs with a special picture mode by default, but this mode has unfortunate motion smoothing enabled. It also applies motion smoothing to its two Dolby Vision profiles. At its low setting, this isn’t as distracting, but it generally runs at a medium setting that has plenty of artifacts and introduces some stutter when it can’t quite figure out how to smooth the image.

Thankfully, it can be disabled, and motion looks quite good without it. This mode may be a more accurate picture mode, but for color lovers, it doesn’t have the widest gamut. Switching to the Vivid color profile expanded the color gamut considerably.

While projecting, the Nebula X1 is not a projector you want to get in front of. The bright lasers are a danger to eyeballs. Like many other home theater projectors, the X1 has a safety system to detect people and animals moving in front of the projector and dim the projection. This safety system is mixed, sometimes it seems quite reactive, but other times it will let me put my head into the corner of the screen without turning the lights down.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Test Results

To put it through its paces, the Nebula X1’s brightness measurements were taken with a light meter and ANSI test pattern. A Spyder X2 Ultra colorimeter was used alongside DataColor’s software and a 1.1-gain projection screen for color measurements.

Once tested, the Nebula X1 didn’t disappoint when it came to brightness. Anker promised 3,500 ANSI lumens, and I measured it at 3,491 lumens — respectably close to its rating, and pretty much spot on if you account for margin of error. This level of brightness can actually let the Nebula X1 hold up in rooms with lights on or daylight coming in. And the Nebula X1 achieves this without a special picture mode that unforgivably tints the picture.

Contrast is also fairly strong. Measuring brightness for a fully white image and comparing it to a fully black projection, the projector managed a 1311:1 FOFO contrast ratio. That’s within spitting distance of the Hisense C2 Ultra’s 1330:1.

Displaying a checkerboard pattern, contrast fell to 44.7:1, and with two white boxes in the corners and an otherwise black screen, contrast slipped back up to 128.5:1, lagging behind the Hisense C2 Ultra in both cases. It’s possible different picture profiles and auto-contrast and iris settings could boost these results further, but these results came from stock picture settings.

The Nebula X1 uses a triple-laser light source, which I’ve seen work wonders in other projectors. But Anker appears to temper its brilliance in some cases: The main Nebula Master profile only covered 88% of the DCI-P3 color space and 68% of the Rec.2020 space, well below the projector’s rating of 110% Rec.2020 coverage.

However, switching over to the Vivid picture profile, DCI-P3 gamut steps up to 92% and Rec.2020 leaps up to 87% coverage.

The projector is likely just not oversaturating colors in an attempt to maintain color accuracy. It’s certainly fun to see the brilliance of RGB laser systems, but Anker’s not wrong to clamp the color in most cases.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Audio

You can get pretty full sound out of the Nebula X1, but you won’t get the complete cinematic experience. While the projector combines a pair of woofers and a pair of tweeters to perform well across a range of frequencies and provide considerable volume, it doesn’t have the deep, sub-bass rumble that can bring movies to life.

It simply, and unsurprisingly, comes up short there.

It still deserves credit for its sound, however. It’s punchy and clear. And pretty much no projector is going to offer deep sub-bass anyway.

The projector’s native support for a pair of special external speakers is neat in theory, and they do sound better than the projector alone, but I was still unimpressed. They claim to offer 4.1.2 surround sound, but as far as I can hear, they aren’t enabling much beyond basic stereo, and in my testing, I experienced them struggling with their connection intermittently.

The height channels don’t seem to matter much, as they are just upmixing from the basic source audio — they don’t present to the system as Dolby Atmos-compatible or anything to receive proper height audio, and it shows.

The fact that they largely disable the projector’s onboard speakers seems like a waste. The projector will still play bass, but it doesn't have the depth to serve as a real subwoofer anyway. It could have better served as a powerful center channel instead.

With the high price of the accessory pack, they really fail to impress — plenty of Bluetooth speakers would do a similar job at a fraction of the price.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Gaming

Gaming on the Nebula X1 wasn’t quite as impressive as some other projectors you can get in its class. It caps out at 60Hz, so there’s no bumping to a lower resolution for faster refresh rates like the Hisense C2 Ultra allows. Not to say 60Hz is bad, and 4K gaming still looks great at this speed, but the option to go faster never hurts.

The default picture settings won’t do for gaming, though, so change those ASAP. The latency is simply too high, sitting at over 150ms. I measured this with a timecode mirrored on both a 240Hz OLED monitor and the projector and a camera set to a 1/1000-second shutter speed to read how many milliseconds the projector’s timecode was behind the monitor’s.

The Nebula X1 has a pair of different gaming modes with the aim to reduce latency from picture processing. I found the main one good enough to get through some tough fights in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that required a lot of time-sensitive dodging and parrying, though the roughly 50ms of latency wasn’t negligible and required a little adaptation after coming from an OLED gaming monitor. This 50ms measurement was also with no keystone applied, so it’s possible using keystone could worsen the results.

The projector can completely disable even more processing (including keystone) to further lower latency, but it still was subtly detectable, only dropping to 46ms in my measurements. The mode also essentially requires a perfectly aimed projection, and thereby makes the special optical system pointless.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Smart TV Interface

You’ll get Google TV baked into the Nebula X1 with support for plenty of streaming services and a simple user interface. That said, the system is running on just 2GB of memory, and it’s easy to feel the limitations there. Navigation can be slow, especially at the start of playback.

This can make everything from pulling up picture settings, adjusting volume, or even changing inputs a slow and tedious process.

The X1 can be set up as a basic projector without the full array of features of Google TV, which may help it operate more smoothly. But this will require external video sources. And with just two HDMI ports, that may be similarly tedious if you have multiple devices you want to play video from.

To the Nebula X1’s credit, it provides fairly deep settings menus for the picture. It has plenty of picture profiles, and it lets you mess around with them to get your desired look.

One neat aspect of the projection settings is that the X1 knows how far it is from a screen. So if you adjust the zoom manually, it will tell you just how big the diagonal of the projection is. It may not be the most important detail, but it’s fun when you want to compare it to common TV screen sizes (and see how readily the projection can leap beyond them).

Anker Nebula X1 review: Remote

The remote control itself is a compact, simple Google TV remote. It’s far from the most effective I’ve come across as a result of its minimalistic approach to buttons.

You get your typical Google TV navigation wheel, Home and Back buttons, a settings button, a Google Assistant button and a power button. There’s also volume controls and a mute button, but they are confoundingly positioned — the mute button isn’t next to the volume buttons, and the volume buttons aren’t next to each other.

Unless you memorize where they are and feel them out, you can’t quickly make adjustments to them.

Beyond those controls, the remote has shortcuts to YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video, and it has a button for image adaptation.

A custom shortcut button and an input selection button would have helped round out the remote. On the bright side, the remote has motion-activated backlighting for most of its buttons, making it easy to see them in a dark home theater space.

Anker Nebula X1 review: Verdict

The Anker Nebula X1makes great use of its triple-laser projection system to deliver a bold and bright image that exceeds every other projector I’ve tested for Tom’s Guide. It may not push the color to the limit, but its palette is still rich and provides better out-of-the-box accuracy than its rivals. The image is paired with powerful audio that can definitely serve in a pinch when dedicated audio gear isn’t available.

The high-tech motorized gimbal system of the projector is a neat concept and does simplify the process of plunking down the projector and getting to watching, but it’s an expensive addition. It also doesn’t support downward tilting, and it will basically always require digital keystone, which is never optimal.

As it stands, the Nebula X1 is a worthy rival to the Hisense C2 Ultra. It goes a bit brighter, though it lags slightly behind in other aspects. It has enhanced portability with its carrying handle, and Google TV offers more streaming options than Vidaa OS, but Hisense can run games faster at 240Hz and its OS runs more smoothly.

If you want the best brightness and a better built-in smart platform, the Nebula X1 is a good projector — but its price and stiff competition from Hisense keep it from a perfect score.

If you're heading back to school and are looking for a TV for your dorm room or apartment bedroom, I think I've found the best possible sets that meet most needs.

Beggars can't be choosers, after all. You don't need the top-of-the-line OLED for back to school, as (honestly) you should be focusing on studying and schoolwork as opposed to getting the best possible picture performance for movies and shows.

That's where some of the cheapest TVs come into play. Most of these displays aren't necessarily bottom-of-the-barrel, but they do come cheap and yet still will net you quality performance. I've also listed a few 2024 sets, which will save you some extra dollars while still lasting over four years.

Check out the full list below so you can deck out your dorm room and make it the chill spot for every movie night.

Quick List

• Smart TV sale on Amazon: deals from $69 @ Amazon
• Panasonic 55" W95A 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,299 now $497 @ Amazon
• TCL 55" QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $599 now $498 @ Amazon
• Hisense 55" U6QF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $599 now $527 @ Amazon
• Sansui 55" 4K OLED TV: was $999 now $799 @ Amazon
• LG 42" C4 4K OLED TV: was $999 now $899 @ Best Buy

Panasonic W95A Mini-LED TV

The Panasonic W95A makes one of the best cases for a budget dorm room TV. It's marked as one of the cheapest Mini-LED TVs on the market right now and though it arrived in 2024, it has some serious picture performance.

In my review of the Panasonic W95A Mini-LED TV, I raved about its viewing angles and anti-glare mitigation. These are crucial for back-to-school goers, who often don't have a ton of space in their room and will watch TV from an angle.

At just under $500, the W95A is hard to beat. It might not be the most feature-rich set, but it definitely ticks most of the boxes you'd want for general entertainment without diminishing on picture quality.

TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV

I know what you're thinking; "A gaming TV for my dorm room?" You're allowed to have some leisure time, and the TCL QM6K would be my pick to pair up with a PS5 or PC in my dorm.

I might have graduated college nearly nine years ago, but I know just how important those late-night gaming sessions are. You're going to want a TV that's a one-two punch in terms of gaming features and price, which the QM6K nails at just under $500.

In our review, we raved about just how many features are packed into the TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV. Although it might have a poor speaker and doesn't have the best glare mitigation, its 144Hz refresh rate and picture quality makes up for this.

It can also hit 288Hz in 1080p, which no other TVs have on offer, making it perfect for the burgeoning PC gamers still in school right now.

Hisense U6QF Mini-LED TV

Although it sits at the bottom of Hisense's 2025 TV lineup, the U6QF is still a remarkable display with tons of value. We don't have a full review of this Mini-LED TV just yet, but it already seems like a tempting budget model built on the back of Hisense's brilliant brightness know-how.

Unlike the rest of its lineup, the Hisense U6QF Mini-LED TV is the only set to feature Fire TV over Google TV. That means you'll have access to cloud gaming services, like Amazon Luna and Xbox Game Pass, which is nice if you're needing a break from the cramming for finals.

It is a bit larger in terms of its chassis, which is par for the course when it comes to most Mini-LED TVs. If you have limited space in your dorm room, you might need to find a smaller screen — even in the face of its sub-$600 sticker price.

Sansui OLED TV

I couldn't imagine having an OLED TV in my college dorm room, but the best possible way you could get one is with the Sansui OLED TV. I reviewed this budget OLED last year and while it didn't match the same performance against other OLEDs, its appealing price is hard to ignore.

The Sansui OLED did stand out with some good color performance, which we measured at 129% of the Rec709 gamut. And it did have some higher brightness metrics for an OLED, measured at 480 nits in standard content and 724 nits in HDR with Brightness Booster enabled.

A big letdown for me was its slower interface, but this can be amended with one of the best streaming devices, like the Roku Ultra. Still, if you want those perfect contrasts and wide viewing angles at a perfect price, the Sansui OLED isn't a bad pick at just $800.

LG C4 OLED

As the top dog among best OLED TVs last year, the LG C4 OLED is a perfect TV for your dorm room. It's got tons of specs and is built on the widest selection of sizes, all of which are set at competitive prices — made all the better now that it's a year old.

Don't let its age fool you, though. It's built with some of the best features, like a 144Hz refresh rate and four HDMI 2.1 ports. In our testing, it also had some exceptional color accuracy and coverage. Delta-E measures color accuracy, with lower scores being better, the C4 posted a Delta-E of 1.8. The screen also covers 98.9% of the Rec709 gamut.

Movie nights and even all-night gaming sessions will be unbeatable on the LG C4. You could even use it as a PC monitor — last year, in fact, I replaced my PC monitor with the LG C4. While it might be overkill, it's totally worth it.

More from Tom's Guide

• What is the Dirty Screen Effect and how can you tell if your TV has it?
• Help me, Tom’s Guide: Which OLED TV should I get for my new home theater?
• I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs

If you’re shopping for a good TV but aren’t a hardcore videophile who won’t tolerate even the slightest picture imperfection, it’s getting harder with each generation to tell the difference between high- and low-end TVs.

Take the TCL QM8K, for example. This QD–Mini LED set is fairly priced, and it produces good enough brightness and color, as well as picture processing and gaming features, to catch the eye of even someone who sees a lot of TVs (like me). It earns its pride of place at the top of TCL’s catalog, and is worth consideration by someone who wants that level of TV but doesn’t want to shell out the kind of money they might for an equivalently positioned TV from the likes of LG, Sony, or Samsung.

The biggest problem with this good-looking TV is the market surrounding it, as hefty competition from Hisense makes this TCL’s overall value proposition less certain, at least on paper.

Still, the QM8K makes a compelling case for itself as one of the best TVs. Should prices drop further, Hisense will have a real fight on its hands.

TCL QM8K review: Pricing and availability

The QM8K is the highest-end model in TCL’s 2025 TV lineup, which also includes the lower-end TCL QM6K and the midrange TCL QM7K.

The QM8K is available now and comes in four sizes:

• TCL 65QM8K (65-inch): MSRP: $2,499 | Sale: $1,599 [Hisense: $999]
• TCL 75QM8K (75-inch): MSRP: $3,199 | Sale: $2,299 [Hisense: $1,699]
• TCL 85QM8K (85-inch): MSRP: $3,799| Sale: $2,999 [Hisense: $2,199]
• TCL 98QM8K (98-inch): MSRP: $6,499 | Sale: $4,999.99 [Hisense: $4,499]

We evaluated the smallest (65-inch) version of the QM8K. The larger sizes all use the same technology for picture processing, but reportedly have different numbers of dimming zones (up to more than 3,000 on the 98-inch), so performance may not precisely scale among all sizes. One other difference: The 98-inch model’s stand consists of two feet that connect at the lower corners of the set, as opposed to a single, centrally positioned wedge.

As of this writing, three of the four sizes may be easily found online at discounted prices at outlets such as Best Buy. Only the 85-inch version was not available at a reduced price (though this could well change in the future).

TCL QM8K review: Design

Measuring 56.5x32.4x2 inches and weighing 46.5 pounds (in both cases, without its stand), the QM8K is on the “big and heavy” side, so you will probably want help setting it up and positioning it.

It has an attractive premium look, with a shiny brushed-metal bezel surrounding the screen on all sides. The bottom bezel is the thickest, allowing the design to accommodate the IR emitter in the bottom center, under which is located a physical button that gives you instant access to Power, Channel, Volume, and Input controls.

The stand is a three-piece design that connects to the center. Setting it up is as easy as screwing a riser into the rectangular brushed-metal foot, screwing the entire thing into a TV, then applying the black plastic backplate to even out the look and hide the helpful cable organizers beneath.

If you would rather mount the QM8K on the wall, there are 300x300mm VESA holes on the rear panel for this purpose.

TCL QM8K review: Ports

The power connector is on the left side of the TV (though the cable can be easily routed down through the center) and all the other ports are on the right. There’s a standard collection here: two USB, one Ethernet, coaxial cable, and S/PDIF optical audio out, in addition to the HDMI ports.

Although the QM8K has a native 144Hz panel, only two of the four HDMI ports support the HDMI 2.1 standard that lets you take full advantage of it; the other two are limited to 60Hz. (One of the 60Hz ports has eARC for connecting a soundbar.)

TCL QM8K review: Performance

Over time, advances in technology always make it possible for LED TVs to look brighter and better than they did before, but the combination of quantum dots and Mini LEDs has done even more to accelerate the process and TVs like the QM8K are the primary beneficiaries of it.

In the default Filmmaker Mode (designed for maximum fidelity with movies, and thus typically the most accurate out-of-the-box picture setting), a variety of content played very well on it. Color-drenched movies like Barbie and Wicked were beautifully candy-saturated. Dune Part Two, which has a more muted color palette, was vivid and easy to watch throughout its many contrast-heavy scenes.

And though the animated films The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Spider-Man: Across the Universe derive their unique looks from radically different styles, both were satisfying. Heavy action scenes in Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning unfolded with a minimum of skips or other distortion, which is a testament to how far TCL’s motion processing has come.

In every case, the picture especially popped with HDR content. And given that the QM8K supports all four major HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG), you’ll have plenty of opportunities to discover this for yourself.

As is typical of LED sets, the QM8K’s picture suffers a bit when viewed from off-center. The picture loses a bit of distinction and appears slightly grayer the farther away you move from the middle. But the effect is minimal, making the set still highly viewable from more extreme angles, and its screen can get bright enough that glare and reflections are only significant problems at the brightest times of the day.

TCL QM8K review: How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance across a series of key metrics that are likely to matter most to you.

For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker Mode and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 150-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’s Calman TV-calibration software. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming capabilities.

For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

TCL QM8K review: Test results

Our technical tests largely backed up what my eyes had told me. With HDR content, I saw brightness as high as 3,300 nits, again in Filmmaker Mode, though the Standard and Movie modes at their default settings were able to display brightness upwards of 4,400 nits, in any event ensuring the TV is nice and bright when you want it that way.

The QM8K’s HDR brightness is on par with that of the new Hisense U8QG and nearly twice what we saw from TCL’s own QM7K, showing that one upgrade step could make a real difference if you crave a bright picture.

SDR content is generally tuned much lower — I saw just 231 nits. It’s important to note, though, Vivid (which I never use if I can help it) does get up past 3,400 nits. Still, it’s not worth the oversaturation of colors and over-processed motion settings compared to Filmmaker.

The QM8K doesn’t have the best color performance out there, but that also offers little to complain about: It covered a respectable 97.28% of the UHDA-P3 color gamut (about the same as the Hisense U8QG) and an even more impressive 80.11% of the much wider Rec. 2020 gamut — quite a bit higher than most TVs can manage, if still a bit behind the Hisense set.

The (SDR) Rec. 709 gamut was just a hair worse: The set covered 99.03% and demonstrated a Delta E (a number measuring the difference in color between the source and the screen, with lower numbers better) of 2.71, a bit on the high side (and a trifle behind the Hisense), but still a good result. Generally speaking, a Delta E of 3.0 or lower is not perceptible to the human eye.

TCL QM8K review: Audio

Good as this set may look, the TCL QM8K’s audio is significantly weaker. Although the set boasts an 85W Bang & Olufsen sound system and supports Dolby Atmos, it rarely got very loud to my ear.

I had to set the TV to close to 50% volume for the levels to be acceptable most of the time, and cranking it up too high resulted in more noticeable distortion.

Even at lower volumes, bass sounded metallic and artificial, especially when listening to The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” and high trebles were uninspiring and prone to screechiness at higher volume levels.

The good news is that when my listening was relegated to typical movie audio, with basic mixes of music, dialogue, and sound effects, the sound was much more acceptable…if still never thrilling. If you need or want more than that, you should definitely supplement the QM8K with one of Tom’s Guide’s best soundbars.

TCL QM8K review: Gaming

Gaming was just fine on the QM8K. Our Leo Bodnar lag tester, which measures the difference between when an image is generated and when it appears on the screen, registered an even 13ms on the QM8K.

This is just above the 10ms threshold we suggest for the smoothest gaming experience (and some less-pricey TVs, like the Hisense U8QG, can get below that mark), but I encountered no problems or noticeable lag issues when playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

The pop-up gaming bar, which you can raise when the TV is in “Game Master” mode, provides a wealth of performance information and features that can supplement your play, such as crosshairs and a screen magnifier.

Additional gaming features include Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which switches to the proper game mode when you start playing, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Although the QM8K’s Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) capabilities can go up as high as 288Hz, that’s only when you’re playing in 1080p. At 4K, you’re limited to 144Hz (though that’s still higher than you’ll see from many sets on the market).

TCL QM8K review: Smart features

Like an increasing number of TVs these days, the QM8K uses Google TV as its operating system. This powerful OS connects your TV to the entire Google ecosystem, which makes it easier to find and resurface things you’re most interested in watching (or have previously searched for).

The home screen interface is clean and easy to navigate, and there’s a broad selection of default apps you can easily add to by selecting others from the Google Play Store. In addition to searching by typing on the screen, you can push a button on the remote (see below) to activate voice search.

To further expand your viewing options, the QM8K is equipped with an ATSC 3.0 tuner — a rarity in TVs these days, as many companies have abandoned them due to licensing issues — that lets you watch over-the-air 4K broadcasts.

As far as other features: You can cast video from your mobile device using Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay. If you own a smart home speaker, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant are available for linking the TV to your pre-existing smart home setup.

TCL QM8K review: Remote

The QM8K’s remote uses a newer design for TCL TVs this generation. It’s matte silver, with a basic, trimmed-down button layout featuring only four shortcut keys (for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, and TCLtv) — two fewer than on the QM7K’s similar remote.

It is not as small or as eye-catching as other remotes out there (particularly from Sony and Samsung), but there’s very little wasted space, and it has backlit keys.

The only thing I don’t like about the remote is the beveling on its underside, which can give the edges a sharp feeling in the hand. Otherwise, it’s as well considered as it is easy to use.

TCL QM8K review: Verdict

In another year with less competition or at a more competitive price, the TCL QM8K would be a top-class TV. It has a great picture and a solid feature set.

Problematically, however, it’s price is still high for what it offers. Despite offering a richer slate of features and somewhat better picture processing than the Hisense U8QG, the QM8K at its most affordable can still run you hundreds of dollars more. That means you have to really want the modest performance gains you get over the Hisense set.

If you don’t even care that much about having the brightest TV on the block, the less-expensive QM7K (also a 2025 model) is a tempting value proposition, too, offering comparable performance in most every other area and easily available for $800 less than the QM8K.

That might make the TCLC QM8K less than a perfect choice for everyone, but it’s still a strong jack-of-all-trades QD-Mini LED TV that provides a good balance of performance and price.

The Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV takes the top spot in Hisense’s 2025 TV lineup and comes in to replace last year’s Hisense U8N, Tom’s Guide’s QLED TV of the Year in 2024.

Feature-rich, spec-ridden, and kitted with tons of brightness, the U8QG has a lot in store for would-be TV buyers, but can we confidently say it’s one of the best TVs like its predecessor?

While there’s lots to love — brightness, gaming, and audio performances are top-notch — its specs don’t tell the full story: It lacks the improved anti-glare coating found in major competitors, and it still suffers from issues common to Mini-LED TVs, like blooming and mediocre off-axis viewing.

At its launch price of $1,499 (now down to just $999 at the time of writing) for a reasonably sized 55-inch TV, this premium Hisense screen walks a fine line between keeping costs low and delivering big-budget thrills, and it mostly succeeds.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Price and release date

The U8QG sits near the top of Hisense’s 2025 Mini-LED TV lineup, just below the Hisense U9QG. It starts at $1,499 for a 55-inch model, but you can buy that configuration right now for around $999. We reviewed the 65-inch version, which is currently on sale for about $1,399.

Like last year’s Hisense U8N, we’re expecting a pretty sizable difference in performance between the various sizes. We measured the peak brightness output of the 65-inch model to be around 4,000 nits, but the 55-inch version will likely top out around half that amount.

Conversely, larger screen sizes — like the 75-inch and 85-inch models — will have more contrast control zones and might suffer from less blooming than the 65-inch screen we tested. In short, there’s going to be some performance variation between the different models, but specs and supported features are all otherwise the same.

• Hisense 55U8QG (55-inch): $1,499 | Sale: $999
• Hisense 65U8QG (65-inch): $1,999 | Sale: $1,399
• Hisense 75U8QG (75-inch): $2,499 | Sale:$1,899
• Hisense 85U8QG (85-inch): $2,699 | Sale: $2,499
• Hisense 100U8QG (100-inch): $5,799 | Sale: $4,999

The U8QG’s discounted pricing puts it in line with other major Mini-LED rivals like the TCL QM7K, however against competing TVs from other major brands, the U8QG is cheaper than most. Take the Samsung QN80F, for instance, that’s $1,699 for the 65-inch version. The 65-inch Hisense U8QG is already $300 cheaper and that price gap will likely increase as the year goes on.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Design & remote

In terms of overall aesthetics, the U8QG isn’t very slim. In fact, unlike some high-end Mini-LED TVs, its 45mm-thick panel is comparatively bulky, owing largely to its beefy audio system. Fortunately, its bezels aren’t too pronounced, aside from the bottom bezel.

The 65-inch U8QG comes with a pedestal-style stand that is pretty simple to put together. The stand is sturdy, making it more than adequate to hold the TV in place. For safety’s sake, however, I recommend having at least two people on hand to set up the TV, but it’s a quick process.

All sizes in the series use the same stand design except for the 100-inch version, which uses a pair of wide-set feet.

If the stand isn’t for you, you can always go with a wall mount instead. The U8QG comes equipped with a 400 x 400 VESA mounting interface.

Finally, Hisense’s remote is more or less the same as the one found with the Hisense U8N. The silver-toned remote is still conveniently backlit and comfortably slim, but its elongated design could stand to be shortened.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Ports

The Hisense U8QG offers just three HDMI ports instead of four, which goes against the standard for almost all TVs in its class. Fortunately, all three are HDMI 2.1-compatible, which should satisfy most hardcore gamers.

The true kicker is the addition of a USB-C video port that doubles as a fast charger. You don’t often see this design on a TV, as it’s more often found on gaming monitors. That being said, because it comes at the expense of a fourth HDMI port, I’m not sure it was a good trade.

Rounding things out are one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 input, an Ethernet port, optical output and a 3.5mm audio jack. A cable/antenna can also be found here, netting you access to NextGen TV and 4K broadcasts thanks to its ATSC 3.0 tuner.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Performance

I put the Hisense U8QG through its paces with a variety of content, including shows like “Reacher,” “Andor” and “Lazarus,” as well as movies like “Barbarian.” I also watched a few DVDs to test its upscaling, like “Ghost in the Shell” in 4K and “Tenet” in standard Blu-ray.

High contrast is the U8QG’s strong suit. Typically, Mini-LED TVs tend to struggle with darker scenes, but the U8QG was a standout performer. “Barbarian” and the third season of “Reacher” popped on the screen, with shadows looking especially detailed. Similarly, its higher brightness specs, hitting a high of 2,908 nits in SDR, is to be praised as well.

I also have to give Hisense some credit for an absurd color volume and accuracy on the U8QG. You can see it working its magic in sharper daylight scenes, with accurate skin tones and crisp highlights on surfaces, like rolling hills and crashing waves. Colors truly stuck out in animated content, like “Lazarus,” which is filled with sweeping shots of a futuristic cityscape.

All Mini-LED TVs exhibit some degree of haloing (a soft glow around bright objects on a dark background), but the best Mini-LED TVs keep haloing to a minimum. For the most part, the U8QG does a decent job of managing haloing and light bloom, even during dark scenes with subtitles. I could see some haloing during space sequences in “Andor,” but it didn’t ruin the experience and thankfully, it was only distracting in menus and outside of content.

Unfortunately, despite the TV’s incredible brightness, you’ll probably have to contend with glare problems if you install the U8QG up against bright light sources. It handles conventional lights a lot better than it does daylight, but glare is still going to cause problems.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set’s performance. For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Test results

Let’s compare the Hisense U8QG to similarly-priced Mini-LED TVs, including the TCL QM7K, Sony Bravia 7 and Samsung QN80F. (Note that the Bravia 7 launched last year, but is still being sold in 2025.)

Historically, the Hisense U8 series has been known for its sensational brightness, and the U8QG keeps with tradition. In HDR, the U8QG delivers highlights as bright as 3,900 to 4,000 nits. Brightness isn’t the only metric that matters, but there’s no denying that this TV is far brighter than these competitors.

The U8QG also delivers excellent color volume. While the Bravia 7, QM7K and QN80F barely break 80% coverage of the Rec.2020 color gamut, the U8QG covers about 84%.

In Filmmaker mode, its out-of-the-box color accuracy is excellent, too. We measured a Delta-E of around 2.4, and anything under a Delta-E of 3 is considered imperceptible.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Gaming

Games also look great on the U8QG. This TV made those sweeping vistas as seen in Death Stranding look utterly spellbinding while VRR and ALLM makes console games on the U8QG run so much smoother compared to TVs without those features. Plus, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro does wonders for amplified screen tearing if you’re running a compatible AMD GPU.

But the real fun was playing Armored Core 6 on my GT1 Mega Mini PC. While I could’ve used one of the three HDMI 2.1 ports, I opted to use the USB-C video output instead, allowing me to run games up to 144Hz in 4K. (While the Hisense U8QG supports 165Hz refresh rate, there’s few if any games that might hit that high unless you’re running a powerful gaming rig.)

I also want to call attention to the Hisense U8QG’s in-depth Game Bar that lets you adjust all kinds of settings on the fly. It’s not quite on the same level as Samsung or LG’s versions, but everything is automatic and works as intended.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Audio

The Hisense U8QG has some serious speaker specs: 72W of power output on a 4.1.2-channel system and a 20W subwoofer. It doesn’t quite surpass the best soundbars, but it’s far better than the average pair of 10W speakers we see on most 4K TVs in 2025.

The Hisense U8QG also offers an AI-based audio enhancement called AI Sound. It modulates everything from dialogue to sound effects depending on your preferences, and it works quite well if you need it. It’s best if you have a larger room that doesn’t handle sound very well or is hard on hearing and strain to make out more subtle tones.

Dialogue could’ve been stronger, but overall I felt the U8QG has one of strongest audio systems of any TV I’ve reviewed in the last six months.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Interface and apps

For years, Hisense TVs have been built around Google TV, and this year’s U8QG is no different (that’s why there’s the “G” in its name).

Google TV is relatively snappy on the U8QG, but I did notice some lag when pressing the system button for changing settings. Navigation is super simple, however, and Google TV features incredible search functionality.

Google TV is one of the best smart TV platforms due to its wide assortment of apps and many of the best streaming services. There’s even smart home functionality — though it’s not on the same level as you might get with the Google TV Streamer.

The only minor issue I have with Google TV is that it does miss the boat on key features, like cloud gaming platforms, which have begun to show up on Samsung’s Tizen and LG’s webOS-based smart TVs.

Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV review: Verdict

The Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV has a lot to offer, including high brightness, enhanced color, and a slew of gaming features. That’s not even mentioning the fact that the U8QG has one seriously powerful speaker system that rivals most soundbars.

But there are major rivals to consider, like the TCL QM7K. The TCL model is cheaper by about $200, but it loses out on several performance enhancements, like better brightness, input latency, and HDR color. Those metrics may not matter as much when you’re looking for the best TV under $1,000, however.

Despite some minor flaws in glare mitigation and off-axis viewing, the Hisense U8QG still makes for an outstanding display that offers up tons of value for the gaming conscious and HDR movie lovers.

JMGO has something of a mild refresh to its projector lineup with the N1S series. I previously tested the JMGO N1 Ultra and found it quite an impressive little beast indeed.

This year’s lineup includes the N1S, N1S Pro, N1S Ultra, and the N1S Ultimate (reviewed here). It gets to be rather confusing, but the N1S Ultimate sits at the top of the stack with all of the features, and the highest brightness levels, though it doesn’t add much that the N1S Ultra and N1S Pro don’t also include at considerably lower prices.

At $2,799, the N1S Ultimate isn’t a cheap option, but it’s not a disappointing one either. The triple-laser projection system proves plenty bright even for lit rooms (just be sure you can keep up sunlight), and is as astoundingly colorful as ever. But with brightness being its big upgrade, folks who are willing to instead dim the light and invest in far more affordable blackout curtains may struggle to see a reason to choose this model.

Its biggest problem, however, is the $2,999 Hisense C2 Ultra, which stood out for much the same qualities as the N1S Ultimate but doubled down with better sound, optical zoom, and a 240Hz game mode that absolutely rips for fast-paced gaming.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Pricing and availability

The JMGO N1S Ultimate is currently available and launched with a starting price of $2,799. Since its launch, I have seen the price fall as low as $1,999.

While that pricing may have been intended for Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings, it has stuck around a little bit longer than I would have expected and may become a sticky street price that the projector remains at.

Given some of its competition, it would be smart for JMGO to keep it at that price.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Design

JMGO appears to have figured out its formula and stuck with it for the new lineup. The JMGO N1S Ultimate bears so much in common with the N1S Ultra I tested last year, that I don’t think I’d be able to say which was which if you put them beside each other.

The N1S Ultimate continues the two-tone, gray design. It also continues to set the projector body onto an adjustable stand, allowing for easy vertical and rotational adjustments of the projection. Power goes directly into the base while the back of the projector body offers two HDMI ports, USB, and a 3.5mm audio output.

The unit is plenty compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry around. And JMGO includes a styrofoam case just for the purpose. It continues to be tricky to remember the exact arrangement to get everything in the case and have it close, and it’s very particular about closing. But once it’s sealed up, it’s ready to protect the projector on its adventures.

The sides of the projector are covered in ventilation holes that let air in and sound out. The rear is also largely covered by a large grille for air to exhaust out of. While it looks like it’s covered in heatsink fins, it’s really just lined with plastic vents that do little to help expel heat.

The front of the projector includes the projection lens as well as a series of sensors that help the JMGO N1S Ultimate with a few correction features. The sensors play a part in auto focus, image adjustments to shrink the picture to fit a given space, and a laser dimming feature to protect the eyes of anyone who walks in front of the projector — an important consideration considering the strong lasers used in this device.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Performance

The JMGO N1S Ultimate has the same projector DNA that has made for so many great projectors. Its triple-laser light source (though certainly using quite a few more lasers in total than that) provides an amply bright image for many different conditions and offers imagery that sparkles with color.

Right from the jump, you can see how it punches out the color. Open up Netflix, and the red letter “N” fires out of the projector with incredible vibrance. The sharpness and color can bring worlds to life. Whether it’s the contrast of London at night or its many fanciful illuminations in “Black Doves,” the JMGO N1S Ultimate presents them wonderfully.

Like others I've seen, the projector can struggle when displaying thin lines or bright lights that move, as it can create a flicker as the bright sections move into new positions with each frame. The projector's motion interpolation is able to remedy this slightly, though not as readily as Hisense's and not without introducing its own motion artifacts and soap opera effect.

The projector has a number of automatic image adjustment tools, but they’re not entirely dependable. The projector doesn’t always squeeze the image into the available space, and when set at the back of a room, struggles to get the picture properly in focus. It’s quite quick and adept at making keystone corrections, though, helping square up an image rather than leaving a distorted trapezoid.

Unfortunately, most of the projector’s image adjustments are digital, so they all cut into the actual displayed pixels (i.e., zooming in, reduces the resolution). With its reliance on digital zoom and keystone, I’d have loved to see a lower black level, as these leave quite a bit of subtly illuminated area around the active picture. I also find it strange that JMGO advertises the device as having “lossless zoom” when the digital zoom, by its nature, results in lost resolution.

The JMGO N1S Ultimate also has an odd light bleed. It spills out at a downward angle. With the projector up on a perch behind my couch, it lights up an area on the couch almost like a reading lamp. It’s not intense or obnoxious, but it shouldn’t be happening.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Test Results

The JMGO N1S Ultimate is a stalwart little projector, though maybe not the incredible leap up from its predecessor that it ought to be. In testing, the projector was readily able to achieve 2,538 lumens.

It has an ultra-brightness mode that lets it go even further, hitting a measured 3,340 lumens, but this came with an unacceptable hit to picture quality, casting the whole picture in a greenish tint. This is pretty typical of projectors that offer brightness boosting modes.

Following up the brightness test, I measured the brightness of an all-black image to determine the FOFO (full-on, full-off) contrast of the projector, and here the JGMO N1S Ultimate performed admirably, shining at a little under 2 lumens for a 1,401:1 contrast ratio. Actual native contrast for a picture that includes dark and bright imagery at the same time is considerably reduced with a checkerboard pattern resulting in a 72.5:1 contrast ratio, but this is still quite strong for a projector.

Checking the color gamut of the JMGO N1S Ultimate with a SpyderX Elite colorimeter positioned roughly a foot away from a 1.1-gain projection screen, I measured 100% coverage of the sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces as well as 97% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and 94% of the Rec.2020 color space.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Audio

Like most projectors in its class, the JMGO N1S Ultimate has speakers that don’t keep up with the quality of the picture. While you can go massive and bright with the imagery, the audio is more modest. The system combines a pair of 10-watt speakers to deliver respectable volume for a 200-square-foot room, but if you have a large viewing party with talkative guests, you’ll likely be in search of speakers to upgrade the audio.

The speakers offer punchy mids and a bit of bass, but higher treble tones fall pretty low in the mix and there’s really no sub-bass to speak of. Even though JMGO suggests the speakers can reach as low as 45Hz, I found them largely failing to reproduce a 45Hz signal.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Gaming

The JMGO N1S Ultimate doesn’t have any particularly powerful enhancements for gaming. It can switch over to a game mode that will reduce the amount of image processing done in an attempt to reduce latency, but it’s not turning the projector into a zero-latency, ultra-fast gaming machine with the flick of a switch.

Without its gaming mode, the JMGO N1S Ultimate isn’t good for gaming. Using a camera with a fast shutter speed and a timecode generator to measure the difference between the projection and a 120Hz OLED source, the JMGO N1S Ultimate lagged behind by 144ms without its game mode. This dropped to 47ms with the game mode enabled.

It’s not perfectly responsive, but it was definitely good enough to fight my way through quite a few levels of Hades without laggy inputs getting me killed. Still, next to 240Hz mode available to the Hisense C2 Ultra, the JGMO falls short.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Smart TV Interface

JMGO brings Google TV to the N1S Ultimate, marking a notable upgrade over Android TV included on the N1 Ultra I tested last year. Not only does this continue to provide access to plenty of streaming services and applications, but it also comes with native Netflix support without the need to use any weird workarounds.

The Google TV interface is easy to navigate and find content on. Unfortunately, JMGO is still packing underprepared hardware to run the operating system and it can occasionally be a bit laggy in responding to inputs and slow to pull up menus. While it generally doesn’t take too long to get into an app and pull up something to watch, you’ll find it a bit more bogged down if you frequently jump around between apps or tweak settings often.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Remote

JMGO’s remote is quite basic. It has a quick shortcut to Google Assistant for voice controls, a four-directional navigation ring that’s easy enough to feel out, and a handful of additional shortcut buttons. You get home, back, menu, and settings buttons as well as a pill-shaped button for volume that helps for feeling it out in the dark.

The simplicity may help some, as there’s no backlighting to the buttons, so it’s very hard to see them in the dark of a home theater.

The remote includes three shortcut buttons to Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube — no custom shortcuts. There’s also a dedicated input source button, which can be especially convenient if you plan on using the projector largely with external devices, since it provides a quick way to switch away from the somewhat slow built-in operating system.

JMGO N1S Ultimate review: Verdict

The JMGO N1S Ultimate is a powerful projector and a small upgrade over last year’s N1 Ultra. It can dazzle with its bright and stunningly colorful triple-laser projection system, and it's incredibly easy to set up and enjoy a wonderful movie-watching experience.

At $2,799, however, it’s a pricey option, and comes way too close to the Hisense C2 Ultra, which has some serious advantages in audio, gaming, brightness, and flexibility.

With that in mind, the N1S Ultimate becomes harder to recommend unless it’s going for the $1999 price it’s recently hovered at. And if you don’t need the extra brightness available to the N1S Ultimate, you may find the cheaper N1S Ultra and N1S Pro get you largely the same experience with lower brightness levels (but still plenty for a dark room).

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought that the less expensive sector of the TV market would have had much to offer those who wanted good TVs, but how quickly things can change. The combination of Mini LEDs and quantum dots has transformed picture quality for sets at any price, leaving me eating up my words.

The latest example to follow the trend is the new TCL QM7K: You may not get everything you would with a pricier set, but you’ll get by quite well, and with a picture you can feel good about. Brightness, color, and fast-motion processing are in no way out of reach with the QM7K.

Its weaknesses lie mostly around the periphery. The TV works best when viewed from straight on and in a dark room, the built-in audio system isn’t that hot, you don’t get all the HDMI 2.1 ports you could, and some cheaper sets make an even better value proposition (while not offering quite as much in every area). But if you find the QM7K on sale, which is easy to do and worth the effort, it has no trouble fulfilling expectations at its lower-midrange price point.

TCL QM7K QD-Mini LED TV review: Pricing and availability

The QM7K lands just above the lower-end QM6K (released earlier this year) in TCL’s 2025 line, replacing last year’s QM7. It is available in five sizes:

• TCL 55QM7K (55-inch): $1,299.99 | sale: $999.99
• TCL 65QM7K (65-inch): $1,499.99 | sale: $1,199.99
• TCL 75QM7K (75-inch): $1,999.99 | sale: $1,499.99
• TCL 85QM7K (85-inch): $2,499.99 | sale: $1,999.99
• TCL 98QM7K (98-inch): $4,999.99 | sale: $2,999.99

I evaluated the 65-inch model and expect the 55-inch one to offer similar picture performance. TCL claims, however, that the 75-, 85-, and 98-inch models offer HDR brightness up to 3,000 nits, as opposed to the 2,600-nit rating for the 55- and 65-inch versions.

In terms of other differences, the 55-inch QM7K limits its Game Accelerator Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) feature to 240Hz, whereas on the other sizes, it goes as high as 288Hz, and the 98-inch TV uses a two-foot stand design instead of the centrally located, one-piece stand on the smaller sizes.

TCL QM7K QD-Mini LED TV review: Design and features

The 65-inch QM7K measures 56.8x32.7x2.2 inches and weighs 39.6 pounds (in both cases, without the included stand), making it a hefty and sturdy set. There is a power button under the TCL logo on the bottom bezel that lets you put the TV in standby mode or change the channel, volume, or input. Additionally, there’s a switch next to it that toggles the on-board far-field microphone.

You can add the stand, which connects to the back of the TV with screws (and has a plastic cover for simplifying cable arrangement), or wall-mount the TV with a 300x300mm VESA mechanism on the rear panel.

The power cable plugs into the left side of the TV. All of the other ports are on the right: two USB, Ethernet, four HDMI, coaxial cable, and S/PDIF optical audio out. Two of the HDMI ports adhere to the newer and more powerful HDMI 2.1 standard with refresh rates up to 144Hz; the other two are HDMI 2.0 ports limited to 60Hz.

Google TV is the QM7K’s operating system, and that’s okay by me. It’s the most flexible and powerful on the market, both easy to use and connected to the sprawling Google ecosystem so search can extend from your other devices to your TV, and vice versa. You can cast to it from your mobile devices using Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2 or watch over-the-air broadcasts via the integrated ATSC 1.0 tuner. (They won’t be 4K, though — for that, you would need ATSC 3.0, which many manufacturers have abandoned due to licensing issues.) The TV can also connect to your smart home network via Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit.

The remote is simple and lightweight. It’s black, with the appearance of brushed metal, and a tight, helpfully backlit collection of all the basic buttons. I don’t love the heavily beveled shape of the remote’s back panel, as it’s uncomfortably angular in my hand, but the design is otherwise acceptable.

TCL QM7K QD-Mini LED TV review: Performance and test results

To evaluate the QM7K in everyday conditions, I watched a number of recent movies and TV series in various genres, from action movies (“Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning” and “Deadpool & Wolverine”) to more vibrantly colorful live-action films (“Wicked” and “Barbie”) to animated features (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”).

They all looked good when viewed in Filmmaker Mode (usually the most accurate out-of-the-box preset). Heavily shadowed and black-and-white scenes, of the kind that make up much of Dune: Part Two and the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, looked crisp and detailed. Barbie and Wicked, which happily freebase pink, were attractively balanced throughout.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which trends livelier, packed exactly the right cartoony punch. But grittier realism was no problem, either, as I saw on the hit Max series The Pitt and the acclaimed new season of Andor. Stutter was at a minimum in more action-packed moments, if sometimes slightly visible, but it never deterred high-riding heroes like Ethan Hunt and Miles Morales.

A couple of problems did crop up. The first was reflections. Though TCL touts a new “nanoscale low-reflective film” on the screen, I found its effectiveness limited in a bright or semi-bright room, especially in dark scenes. When the sun was down and I turned off all the room lights, the picture looked a lot better, with only barely visible reflections of objects directly in front of the screen and in the darkest parts of the picture.

Viewing angles were a bigger issue. As good as the TV looks straight on, just a few steps away from the picture is a different story. When standing at or past the corners from almost any distance, I found the picture tainted by a distractingly dullish cast and the colors noticeably distorted. Even more than with many LED TVs, it seemed to me, the QM7K is one that’s best viewed only from straight on.

When running our objective tests (learn more about how we test TVs here), I measured SDR brightness of 132 nits on Filmmaker’s default settings, which is low, though its color accuracy (a Delta-E of 1.44) and Rec. 709 gamut coverage (99.17%) were much better.

By playing around with the settings or switching to another mode, you can increase the brightness considerably. I got up past 1,600 nits in Filmmaker and 1,992 nits in Vivid — these numbers are much higher than I saw with the step-down QM6K. (Vivid also represents a big step up from the QM7’s 1,354 nits, though tweaks to the other picture modes make direct comparisons there more difficult.)

HDR is another story, with the QM7K measuring 1,734 nits of brightness again in Filmmaker Mode (and getting up as high as 2,492 nits in Vivid). This is well above the QM6K (560 nits in Filmmaker Mode), though the Hisense U8N, our favorite midrange TV in our list of the best TVs, takes brightness to still another level (3,296 nits on similar settings).

The QM7K proved sufficiently apt with HDR color, too: 96.98% coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut and 79.22% coverage of the wider Rec. 2020. The latter number is higher than we’ve seen with many TVs, including the recent and excellent LG C5 OLED, though the low amount of Rec. 2020 content means you can’t take great advantage of it yet — and the U8N comes in a tick above it in that area, too (with 82.07% coverage).

In terms of HDR support, the QM7K supports all four major formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG.

The set’s gaming performance is fine but not spectacular: With my Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester, I measured an input lag of 13.1ms — just above our 10ms threshold for outstanding gaming performance. A major feature is a pop-up, two-part game bar you can activate when “Game Master” mode is on. Like similar bars on sets from other manufacturers, this one is well loaded with information and access to useful game settings.

It’s worth mentioning, though, that the 288Hz VRR refresh rate can only kick in if you’re playing at 1080p. At 4K, it’s still 144Hz. During my testing period, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looked good and played well.

One thing I really did not love: the TV’s sound. Though the QM7K is loaded with a 40W Bang & Olufsen speaker system and supports Dolby Atmos, it never gets very loud (I routinely had to have the volume around 50 just to hear what was happening). I also noticed a distinct lack of bass response (as I heard when playing The Knife’s “Silent Shout”) and shrill high trebles.

I got used to the audio eventually, but I’d recommend pairing the TV with one of the best soundbars so you can avoid its built-in speakers altogether.

TCL QM7K QD-Mini LED TV review: Verdict

The TCL QM7K is an affordable TV you can count on, especially when it’s on sale. For less than $1,200, it gets a lot right, starting with the most important picture factors in its brightness and color, and its additional pluses — operating system, remote, superior picture processing — give it a fighting chance against the less expensive and brighter Hisense U8N.

Even if it doesn’t get you everything a higher-end set might, it gets you a lot — and you won’t have to break the bank for the privilege.

Full disclosure: I came into this Samsung S95F OLED TV review with a healthy amount of skepticism. Having reviewed many TVs over the years, I’ve just never totally bought into all the OLED hype.

Sure, its contrast and black levels are unmatched, but OLED's lower brightness levels and potential for burn-in have always put me off. Given the option, I would almost always choose a Mini-LED TV over an OLED.

While last year's S95D OLED TV made some significant strides over its predecessor, Samsung still considered the Mini LED-sporting QN900D Neo QLED 8K TV as its flagship television of 2024. I awarded the QN900D a perfect 5-star rating in my review, so you won't get any arguments from me.

But that was then, and this is now. In 2025, Samsung is unwilling to choose a favorite between the upcoming QN990F Neo QLED 8K TV and the S95F OLED TV I've reviewed here — they're both flagships as far as the South Korean electronics giant is concerned.

Now that I've had some time with the S95F OLED TV, I can see why Samsung is so confident about it: The S95F is Samsung's greatest OLED television to date, improving on its predecessor in every way that counts. Of course, I'll need to see the QN990F for myself before I can confidently crown the S95F my favorite Samsung flagship of 2025.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Pricing and availability

Samsung's S95F OLED TV is available in four sizes around the world, though which sizes are available to you will depend on your region. That said, Samsung has not yet announced pricing and availability details for the S95F OLED TV in the UK. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

For now, you can find a complete US / AU pricing list for the S95F OLED TV below, along with the best S95F OLED TV deals in your region.

• Samsung S95F (55-inch): $2,300 / N/A
• Samsung S95F (65-inch): $3,300 / AU$5,299
• Samsung S95F (77-inch): $4,500 / AU$7,999
• Samsung S95F (83-inch): N/A / AU$9.999

It's worth mentioning that there's been some contention regarding the panels used in the S95F range, as they can vary depending on size. You will notice that Samsung is not using the term QD-OLED in any of its marketing regarding the S95F, and that's because the new 83-inch model (which isn't currently offered in the US) uses a WOLED panel.

For the purposes of this review, I focused my attention on the 83-inch model, however, I did also have access to the 77-inch version for comparison. I asked Samsung's PR about the different panel technologies used in each television, and was told that Samsung is "not discussing panel technologies" on the S95F, opting instead to focus on the experience offered by the TVs, which I was assured would be the same.

Having watched both the 83-inch and 77-inch models back-to-back, I can indeed say that I found no discernible difference between the two — each television was exceptionally bright, offered excellent color accuracy and featured the same glare-free display. For all intents and purposes, my experience with each model was identical.

Unsure about which TV size is right for you? Our 'What TV size should you buy?' guide can help.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Design and remote

Just like the S95D before it, Samsung's new S95F is a beautifully designed television, particularly when viewed from side on — it boasts a uniform depth of just 12.6mm (0.49 inches) on the 83-inch model, and 11mm (0.43 inches) on the 77-inch model, making it an ideal candidate for wall mounting regardless of size option.

Of course, the reason it's so thin is due to the One Connect Box, which is essentially a detachable media receiver that houses all of the S95F's inputs and serves as its power supply — all of which is routed back to the screen via a single cable.

In a clear example of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", the S95F appears to have the same flat metal base stand as the S95D, which connects to the center of the TV and has slots to attach the One Connect Box at the back.

Arguably the most important design feature, however, is the return of Samsung's anti-glare display, which debuted with last year's S95D and continues to be astonishing on the S95F.

I took several opportunities to view the S95F with all of the lights in the room turned on, with the TV next to an open window during daylight hours, and with a chandelier hanging above and slightly in front of the screen, and not once was there any noticeable glare or reflection present.

Having already seen the S95F's main OLED rivals for the year, I can honestly say that this TV is streets ahead of the competition when it comes to glare reduction.

While the bezel itself is relatively small compared to most other TVs in 2025 (we're talking around 8mm or so here, depending on where the image has shifted), there's no denying that a bezel-less TV will always look more premium by comparison.

As for the S95F's remote, it's compact, light, and keeps things simple. It's got a round directional pad for getting around menus, and anyone who's used a Samsung TV remote over the last few years will feel right at home.

You'll also find volume and channel controls, function buttons like back, home, and play/pause, a settings button, a mic button for voice control, and a small selection of quick-launch buttons for streaming services.

Buttons for Netflix, Prime Video and Samsung TV Plus are still present. However, the dedicated Disney Plus button has been replaced by a YouTube button this time around, which, let's face it, will probably get used more frequently in the majority of households.

I'm also pleased to report that Samsung's solar-charged remote has returned with the S95F. Simply place the remote face down when not in use, and the light in your home (both natural and artificial) will help keep its battery topped up. And, if the remote's battery does eventually get low, you can quickly charge it via its USB-C port.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Ports

All of the S95F's ports are located on the aforementioned One Connect Box, with the exception of the port which connects said box to the panel itself.

The panel receives both power and data through a single cable, which is available in two lengths: a short one for use when the One Connect Box is attached to the TV stand and a longer 5-meter cable for when the box is placed in a nearby cabinet or entertainment unit. It's worth noting that the included cable is not rated for in-wall installation and should only be used for surface running.

The One Connect Box contains four HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which supports eARC) capable of a maximum input rate of 165Hz at 4K resolution, which should be more than sufficient for most gamers on PC or console.

It also boasts three USB-A ports, one USC-C port, one ethernet (LAN) port, one digital audio out (Optical) port and an RF input for your TV antenna.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: How we test

At Tom's Guide, we follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review. Our benchmarks include technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Performance and test results

When Samsung returned to OLED TV technology after a nearly decade-long hiatus in 2022, it did so with the intention of delivering brighter OLED displays than the current industry standard. That's once again the case with the S95F, which is one of the brightest OLED TVs you can buy this year.

Testing on the S95F revealed a peak HDR luminance of 2,138 nits in a 10% window, which is fantastic for an OLED display. To put that into perspective, Samsung's Mini LED-sporting QN900D reached 2,338 in the same test, and that's one of 2024's brightest televisions. And while we haven't had the chance to test LG's 2025 flagship, the G5 OLED, the S95F's peak brightness result is well ahead of the 1,488 nits achieved by last year's LG G4 OLED.

Samsung's S95F also exhibits the best color accuracy of any television we've tested to date. In the all-important Delta-E test, which is used to determine color error and where lower scores are favored, the TV measured just 1.1972.

Taking into account that last year's S95D measured 3.5085 in our own independent tests, it goes to show how much this year's model has improved — especially when many consider a Delta-E of 3 to be the threshold of perceptibility.

Even beyond its predecessor, the S95F measured below last year's LG G4 (1.4041) and this year's LG C5 (1.2468), which is an impressive feat.

The big selling point for Samsung's S95F is that it makes use of the company's Vision AI technology, and while that may be used to personalize the UI experience, the biggest benefit for most people will be its upscaling capabilities.

To put the S95F through its paces, I watched portions of several films ranging from quite old (1959's "Rio Bravo") to quite new (2024's "The Fall Guy"), along with several other movies in between using the AI mode picture setting.

Apart from everything looking as clean as can be expected based on the quality of its source (don't expect grain to completely disappear), the S95F's AI upscaling performed exceptionally in terms of image processing, with nary a hiccup spotted.

As you'd expect from an OLED, contrast is remarkable on the S95F, right down the individual pixel. During sections of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", I was able to distinguish all the individual stars with ease against the deep black of space, though what impressed me most was how bright the Earth and other lit elements looked by comparison.

The AI mode picture settings, like the UI, can be tailored to the user's liking through a series of screens and button presses. Users begin by selecting the scene type they want to customize (sports event, movie, or general). The user will then be presented with visual options to help them find their ideal brightness, contrast, color and color tone settings, with four options to choose from for each setting.

Although this makes it effortless for users to find the most visually appealing image, with vibrant colors and deep contrast that pops, it also makes it very easy to deviate significantly from the creator's original artistic vision.

It might not seem like a huge difference at first, but when you switch between your customized AI settings and the TV's own Filmmaker or Movie modes, you'll quickly see how drastic the changes can be.

That's not to say that Filmmaker Mode is great by default — on the S95F, it's a bit too dark with a color tone that's unnaturally cool, which is far from ideal.

Thankfully, Smart Calibration is still available for those with a compatible Samsung Galaxy or iPhone device using Samsung's SmartThings app, allowing users to automatically find the TV's ideal white balance and color gamut settings to a near-professional level within minutes.

That said, it's disappointing that Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision 12-bit color, opting instead to implement its own HDR10+ format, preventing the S95F from displaying the full dynamic range of many titles.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Audio

Just like with last year’s S95D, the S95F offers a 70W 4.2.2 built-in speaker system that’s capable of decently loud, high-quality audio with clear dialogue — the latter of which can be attributed to Samsung’s Active Voice Amplifier Pro technology, which uses AI to upscale voices.

While the TV’s Dolby Atmos support, Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) technology and built-in height channels are supposed to bring some dimensionality to the soundstage, the effect was only slightly convincing, which means you’ll probably want to pick up one of the best soundbars to get the most immersive audio experience.

If you decide to purchase a soundbar, you may want to consider a model that supports Samsung's Q-Symphony technology, which allows the TV's speakers to work in conjunction with the soundbar for better audio and even clearer dialogue.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Gaming

From a gaming standpoint, the S95F comes well-equipped for both console and PC gamers alike.

As mentioned earlier, the S95F boasts HDMI 2.1 support on all four of its HDMI ports, meaning each one can achieve 165Hz at 4K resolution, which is sure to please those looking to hook a high-end gaming machine up to a large OLED screen. FreeSync Premium Pro support returns to minimize screen tearing, as does Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

Given that AI is such a large focus for Samsung this year, you probably won't be surprised to learn that the S95F sports an AI Auto Game Mode, which will automatically detect your game genre and adjust your picture settings to best suit it. Of course, you can still manually tweak these settings in the S95F's Game Bar UI, which can be reached by holding down the 'play' button on the TV's remote.

The S95F measured just 9.5ms of input lag in Game Mode — an imperceptible decrease from last year's S95D, which recorded an input lag of 9.2ms. Although we haven't tested LG's G5 flagship, the mid-range LG C5 measured an input lag of 12.9ms.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Smart features

Samsung's Tizen smart TV platform continues to offer one of the most cluttered interfaces on any television, with way too much to sort through when you press the home button on your remote.

I can see that Samsung's heart is in the right place as it tries to enable content discovery, but sometimes you just want a simple list of apps or devices. Instead, the home screen is split into three tabs: Discover (content suggestions), Live (currently streaming content from Samsung TV Plus channels), and Apps (recommended apps).

For reasons unbeknownst to me, all of your apps and content sources can be found under the 'Discover' tab. Of course, moving too quickly on the home screen will have you jumping between the three main tabs instead of cycling through your apps, which can lead to some backtracking (and frustration).

First up on the 'Discover' screen is a 'Recent' content row that shows your last used apps or content sources, followed finally by a row which lists all of your installed apps and connected devices.

Below that, you'll find endless rows of content suggestions from your installed apps, beginning with YouTube. Strangely, these YouTube video recommendations are not based on your accounts or viewing history, so you'll be bombarded with the anguished faces of all the annoying YouTube celebrities you usually try to avoid.

Thankfully, Samsung has made some UI refinements in other areas since last year. For instance, the S95F's settings now appear via smaller, floating windows on the left side of the screen, giving users a better view of their content while making adjustments.

Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Verdict

I'm ready to declare Samsung's S95F as the company's best OLED TV yet, thanks in large part to a significant increase in brightness and an outstanding glare-free display. It also boasts advanced AI upscaling features, unrivalled color accuracy and brilliant black levels. Additionally, it's an awesome TV for gamers, with support for 165Hz at 4K resolution via each of its four HDMI 2.1 ports, along with several other game-specific features.

I won't say that the S95F's AI-powered image enhancement and color tweaking is necessarily for me, but I can absolutely appreciate that many users will love how easy it is to make content look spectacular. Thankfully, it's just as easy to switch to Movie or Filmmaker Mode or run through the Smart Calibration process for a more faithful viewing experience.

Aside from the continued omission of Dolby Vision support and an unnecessarily cluttered home screen, there's not much I'd change about the Samsung's S95F OLED TV...except for maybe the price tag.

However, it's hard to imagine anyone feeling shortchanged by what is easily one of the most exceptional OLED TVs available this year.

Home entertainment has largely transitioned from cable to streaming. Sure, the cable business is still around, and there are plenty of people with cable subscriptions — but even most people who have cable subscriptions subscribe to streaming services for all the content that they offer.

But sports content lives in both worlds. Live sports are still usually available on cable channels, often broadcast in 1080i, but increasingly, it's streamed on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and even Netflix too.

Unfortunately, while streaming sports is more convenient than tracking down the game on cable, some streams are only available in lower resolutions, while others might appear to be 4K, but actually aren't.

So, what if you want high-quality sports streams? Things are complicated, but here's what you need to know.

Why aren't sports broadcast in 4K?

There are a few reasons why sports networks don't stream in 4K. The fact is that plenty of people really do still watch content over-the-air, and while the ATSC 3.0 standard supports 4K content, plenty of TV stations around the country are still only set up to broadcast in the very dated ATSC 1.0 standard. That could be due to a variety of factors, whether it be regulatory, related to licensing, or simply financial.

Even without that limitation (in the case of streaming services like Prime Video and Apple TV+), it often makes more sense to produce in 1080p and then upscale to 4K, both for cost reasons, and for bandwidth reasons.

Producing native 4K content is expensive and requires much better infrastructure than what many services currently have in place. I don't know about you, but I'd rather a smooth upscaled 1080p feed than a choppy 4K feed that drops connection.

A great example of this is Fox Sports. It doesn't just not produce content in 4K — it doesn't even produce in 1080p. Instead, Fox Sports is mostly produced in a measly 720p (save for some special events, like the Super Bowl, which is produced in 1080p). CBS produces live sports streams in low resolutions too, at only 1080i (not 1080p).

So how do they trick your TV into thinking that they're streaming in 4K? Well, with upscaling. You might be familiar with upscaling as it relates to watching older content on higher-resolution TV. Sometimes, these streams are upscaled before distribution, meaning that the feed that your TV gets is actually a 4K stream (upscaled before it ever reaches your TV), while the rest of the time, it's upscaled on your TV. For example, the Fox Sports app receives a lower-resolution stream, which saves on bandwidth, and then upscales to 4K when you watch it.

So what about sports that are licensed to streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ instead of traditional networks? You would assume they'd be high-quality — but unfortunately, things are a little hit-and-miss there, too. Even Apple TV+'s Major League Soccer streams are 1080p.

Where can you get real 4K sports streams?

Well, the simple fact is that if a network doesn't produce its streams in 4K, you just can't get true 4K. Again, you could get an upscaled feed that actually looks pretty good — but the discerning eye will still be able to tell the difference.

That said, there are still things you can do to ensure you're getting the best possible stream that the network makes available. For starters, avoid watching over-the-air feeds. That's to say, if you want high-quality streams, watching it free-to-air with an antenna (even one of the best antennas) simply isn't the way to go. That's true of the cable streams too. Instead, wherever possible, stream using the network's app.

That, of course, may require spending more money. If you have a cable subscription with access to the network in question, you may be able to access a live stream through that network's app for free by logging in to your account when you open up the app. If you don't, however, you'll likely have to subscribe to the network.

Often, thankfully, the stream to the first-party app and to other apps is the same quality: Fox Sports is streamed both to the Fox Sports app and to Tubi (which is technically first-party considering Fox owns Tubi), but you can also access streams through services like YouTube TV and Sling TV.

YouTube TV streams Fox Sports content in the same upscaled resolution as Fox does in the Fox Sports app. That said, YouTube TV has generally positioned itself as a higher-quality option — so for the most part, YouTube TV does stream at the highest quality that the networks offer. Sling TV, on the other hand, sometimes prioritizes a lower bandwidth. Often, they’ll be the same quality though.

If you're looking for better sports-streaming quality across multiple networks, then a service like YouTube TV could be the way to go. Unfortunately, YouTube TV charges extra for 4K content — but if sports is the most important thing to you, you won't be getting true 4K anyway, and you may actually get a similar quality by simply letting your TV upscale the 1080p feed from YouTube TV.

Will we ever get real 4K sports content?

There are glimmers of hope in the world of sports streaming — but much of that is focused on upgrading to 1080p, not from it.

That's not horrible news, however. Plenty of networks still stream in 720p or 1080i, and upgrading to 1080p is going to make a difference. Some rare streams are produced in 4K, like Netflix's stream of the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight, though perhaps that event proves why sports content should remain in a lower resolution, than why it shouldn't. Don't expect native 4K sports streaming on a regular basis any time soon.

That said, that doesn't mean sports streaming won't seem like it's getting better. Upscaling tech is improving, and in some cases, 1080p content can look like it's in native 4K even if it isn't (that's especially true on the new LG C5 OLED).

For now, if you want the best streams possible, make sure you're actually using a streaming service instead of a free-to-air or cable channel.

Ultra-affordable TVs like the Samsung DU7200 fulfill an important role for folks who have no interest in splashing out on high-end features and high-octane performance. However, it’s important to understand the limitations of TVs like this if you want to ultimately spend money on something that works for your viewing habits.

With this in mind, consider that the DU7200 is not a good fit for bright rooms, nor is it suitable for folks who want a TV that showcases HDR content. It will look better in dimly lit or darkened rooms, but its lack of local dimming means that there is a relatively low ceiling on how good dark-room viewing can possibly be.

If spending the least amount of money is paramount and you’re shopping for a 50- or 55-inch TV, keep in mind that the DU7200 is currently just $20 to $50 cheaper than the Samsung DU8000 at this size point. The DU800 is also lacking in performance, but it’s a little bit brighter than the DU7200, and that brightness is worth the added cost.

But you probably already figured that this TV puts affordability above all else, and if you’re comfortable with that, it’ll save you a ton of money, especially when looking to buy a 75- or 85-inch TV.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Pricing and availability

The DU7200 is an ultra-affordable set with almost a year of shelf time under its belt. This makes it one of the most affordable Samsung TVs you can currently buy.

I’ve listed the most up-to-date sale prices of each model in the series below, but prices are sure to fluctuate.

• Samsung UN43DU7200FXZA (43-inch): $269.99
• Samsung QN50DU7200FXZA (50-inch): $309.99
• Samsung QN55DU7200FXZA (55-inch): $359.99
• Samsung QN60DU7200FXZA (60-inch): $449.99
• Samsung QN65DU7200FXZA (65-inch): $399.99
• Samsung QN70DU7200FXZA (70-inch): $529.99
• Samsung QN75DU7200FXZA (75-inch): $579.99
• Samsung QN85DU7200FXZA (85-inch): $799.99

The DU7200 is available in an array of size options ranging from 43 to 85 inches. Conveniently, it’s available in 50-, 60- and 70-inch models — three size points that are relatively hard to come by.

Due to the DU7200’s rudimentary display hardware, we do not expect there to be significant differences in picture quality between the various size options. Our review unit is a 43-inch model that we purchased ourselves.

Not sure which size TV you need? Check out our ‘What TV size should you buy?’ guide.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Design and remote

You’re not getting a head-turning TV with the DU7200, but it’ll blend into most living spaces and the build quality seems fine.

The TV sits atop a pair of slim, L-shaped feet, and they do a good job of keeping the panel from wobbling too much. My favorite thing about these feet is how easy they are to connect to the panel; they slot into the back and lock into place without the use of a screwdriver and screws.

The DU7200’s tool-free setup is convenient, but that’s where my praise for the TV’s physical design ends. The most disappointing aspect is the depth of its panel: over two inches thick at its deepest point. It’s noticeably chunkier than the DU8000 and the Samsung Q60D, so if you’re shopping for something slimmer, those two TVs might be worth the added cost.

The remote control is similar to that of the DU8000 and the Q60D, but it lacks Samsung’s Solar Cell functionality, which is a shame, as this is one of Samsung’s best hardware developments in the last several years. Without this feature, the U7200’s included remote control relies on disposable batteries rather than a lithium-ion battery with natural and artificial light-based charging.

Between the lack of a Solar Cell remote and the added panel depth, you are beginning to see how the price difference between the DU7200 and its higher-end counterparts shakes itself out.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Ports

With the DU7200, you’re not getting as robust a port selection as you would with a higher-end Samsung TV. For one thing, there are only three HDMI inputs here, and most TVs arrive with four. In addition, all three of these inputs are of the HDMI 2.0 variety.

While the lack of a fourth input might be an issue for folks with more than three devices (like two consoles, a soundbar and a dedicated streaming device), the lack of HDMI 2.1 compatibility is less of a concern for most people shopping in this price tier. As a 60Hz TV with negligible HDR support, the DU7200 would have nothing to do with HDMI 2.1’s would-be benefits.

Rounding out the input selection are the following: a USB-A port, an ethernet port and a coaxial connector. Unfortunately, the DU7200 supports ATSC 1.0 rather than the newest ATSC 3.0 standard for 4K over-the-air broadcasts.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: How we test

At Tom's Guide, we follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review. Our benchmarks include technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance.

For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV’s gaming prowess.

Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Performance and test results

The main takeaway of these test results and my hands-on time with the TV is that the DU7200 is absolutely, positively not a good pick for bright-room viewing. In fact, even if you wouldn’t exactly characterize your living space as sun-soaked, there’s still a good chance its picture may wilt during daytime viewing.

It’s just not bright enough for anything — games, TV shows or movies — to look any better than just OK. In its most accurate picture mode (Filmmaker), the DU7200 tops out at around 270 to 300 nits. There is virtually no appreciable difference between SDR and HDR content as far as brightness is concerned.

Without impactful HDR, watching some of my favorite shows on the DU7200 has been far less exciting. On “The White Lotus,” the nighttime flickering of hotel lights from behind trees doesn’t create the same depth as it would on a brighter TV with better contrast control.

The DU7200’s edge-lit panel and lack of local dimming is its second biggest issue behind its relative dimness. During dark sequences (like the nighttime scene described above), the picture takes on a gray-blue hue. This is because the DU7200 can’t adjust the picture’s brightness on a zone-by-zone basis.

Higher-end (but still budget-friendly) Samsung TVs like the DU8000 and Q60D aren’t that much better than the DU7200 when it comes to contrast control, but the added brightness — while meager — would go a long way.

In dimly lit rooms (or with the lights off), the DU7200 looks mostly fine, provided you can adjust your expectations accordingly. I recommend keeping the DU7200 in Filmmaker mode for a majority of TV shows and movies, as that mode produced a respectable Delta-E of 2.4. This figure describes color error, with a lower number being better. A Delta-E of 3 is considered by many to be the threshold of perceptibility, so a 2.4 is quite good.

Fast-paced content — like sports, action flicks and video games — don’t look as smooth as I’ve seen on other affordable models like the Q60D and the Sony Bravia 3. If you spend a lot of time watching football, baseball or anything else where things are moving at a quick clip, this is worth keeping in mind.

All told, the DU7200 doesn't offer noteworthy performance outside of the fact that it doesn’t look altogether weird. In order to get the most out of it, I recommend that you favor Filmmaker mode (or Movie mode) for most content, then tweak the TV’s motion enhancement options for sports.

If you care at all about picture quality, however, you really ought to spend a little more on something with better display hardware. That could cost you anywhere from $150 to $200 more than the DU7200, but if you can swing it, you’ll have a much better time watching TV — especially during the day.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Audio

The good news is that saving money on the DU7200 makes it easier to justify buying one of the best affordable soundbars within your budget. The bad news is that you’re really going to need a soundbar if you plan on making the most out of the DU7200.

The sound here is just not very good at all, unfortunately. While it got loud enough to fill my relatively small living space, it does not offer enough oomph on the low-end for movies to feel cinematic or for games to feel totally immersive.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Gaming

While we’re on the subject of gaming, I must stress that the DU7200 is not much of a gaming machine. You’re not getting much support for Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 — to say nothing of the PS5 Pro.

As mentioned, the DU7200 is limited to 4K gaming at 60Hz, so 120Hz and above is out of the question. Basic Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is accounted for — which is nice to have at this price point — but the DU7200’s dim picture and lack of contrast control makes gaming an altogether ho-hum experience.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Smart features

The DU7200’s built-in smart platform leverages Samsung’s Tizen OS, and while I certainly have my complaints about the user experience, I will say this: Most people will probably appreciate that they can spend a few hundred bucks on a TV and gain immediate access to some of the best streaming services available today.

It’s not all roses. Tizen can be sluggish even on the best TVs that use it, and the tendency for it to stutter on a TV with limited processing power is even greater.

If you can afford to spare one of the DU7200’s three HDMI inputs for one of the best streaming devices that fits your budget, I would recommend that move. However, it’s not lost on me that the DU7200’s built-in smart features may be part of the appeal for shoppers who are making the jump to a smart TV for the first time.

Tizen will get the job done if you need it to. Just don’t expect it to move at a smooth, steady clip at all times.

Samsung DU7200 LED TV review: Verdict

If you’re shopping for a new smart TV and your top priority is saving as much money as possible, the Samsung DU7200 is worth considering. Given its ultra-low cost, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that its picture quality isn’t very good, but that probably won’t be a deal-breaker for most people shopping in this price range.

However, if you’ve reached the end of this review and you’ve decided that ultimately you’d rather spend a few hundred bucks more on a TV with better display technology, there are a few options I’d recommend: Both the TCL QM7 and the Hisense U7N offer much, much better performance (and a brighter picture) for about $150 to $200 more (provided you’re shopping in the 55- to 65-inch size range).

That being said, if you’re here because you want an affordable 75- or 85-inch TV, I’ve got good news: The DU7200 is more affordable than most TVs in these extra-large sizes. An 85-inch DU7200 is currently about $800. That is close to $500 less than the 85-inch DU8000.

Just keep in mind that the DU7200 may be a great deal, but it’s not a great TV.

A product I’ve been pining for since 2019 was quietly released last month. Yet it’s only this week that I’ve started to see it available online (and even then, it remains hard to find in stock). Said product is the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K. Catchy, right? 

Once paired with a Philips Hue Play Gradient TV light strip, it mimics the colors of any on-screen action you’re watching, then casts them onto your wall. It’s a seriously nifty sight to behold in full flow/glow. 

While I think the old 4K model is great, the key limitation of Philips’ first sync box, released some years back, is that it doesn’t support HDMI 2.1. This new 8K model does. And it should put on quite the light show alongside one of the firm's outstanding light strips I've spent hundreds of hours enjoying. 

I’ve got about as much interest in watching 8K movies or gaming at that ludicrously demanding pixel count (7,680 x 4,320) as a Coulrophobia sufferer has in being trapped in a Big Top full of freaky, face-painted jesters. And yes, I did just teach myself a new word about clowns.

What I actually care about is being able to play the best PC games at 4K/120Hz with my sync box and TV lightstrip working their glowing magic on my home office’s wall — yup, I play the best Steam games on a television, not a monitor.

It’s an experience I’ve been craving for over three years which Philips and its $250 / £230 accessory couldn’t give me due to its HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 limitations. Well, now the company finally has granted me my most super-geeky of AV wishes.

That’s because the new HDMI sync box from Philips supports 8K at 60Hz, my long desired 4K at 120Hz — which should prove useful to Sony gamers planning on buying the upcoming PS5 Pro — and both 1440p and 1080p at 120Hz. To give Philips’ aging 4K model credit, it can also handle a 120Hz signal at those last two resolutions. 

The catch with the 8K sync box? Philips wants me to fork out an eye-watering $350 / £300 on it. Even for an AV enthusiast of my slightly unhinged levels, that’s a little too rich for my veins.

Sync or swim

Although, who knows? You’re currently reading the words of a dude who bought a special PC stand on wheels so he could roll his rig through to his living room every night to play way too much of a classic stealth game that keeps kicking my ass to this day. If I sell my old model for a decent sum, I might pull the trigger on the 8K upgrade for that sweet, sweet 4K/120Hz support.

Just bear in mind that if you are tempted by either of the Dutch’s company’s HDMI sync boxes, you won’t just need a Hue Play lightbar, you’ll also need the Philips Hue Bridge. The little puck lets your sync box and light strip talk to each other, while it can also be used to control any Philips smart bulbs you may have in your home. That’s why I linked to the bundle further up the page.

From my frigid home here in the Great Britain, that £300 figure is just too steep at the moment to realize my PC gaming 4K/120 fps glowed up dreams. Considering it’s only been out a matter of weeks and I can only find it available on Philips' U.K. store, I’m hoping that by Black Friday 2024, the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K will be more widely available. 

And hopefully it will cost a less wallet-hammering sum in the not too distant future.

More from Tom's Guide

• I made the best LG OLED TV even better with this one amazing accessory 
• I tried Govee's Smart Star Light Projector, and now I can't sleep without it 
• The best gaming PCs in 2024

Whether you've carefully considered budget-friendly TV options or splashed out on one of the best TVs money can buy, you might be tempted to spend extra on a professional calibration — especially if you're a picture purist. For a hefty fee, a professional calibrator will come to your home, make use of some fancy-looking equipment, and adjust your TV's settings until the picture is as accurate as can be.

It's a simple enough process, but deciding whether or not to do isn't always simple. I've been testing and calibrating TVs for over a decade, and even I don't have a straightforward answer. But I can help you weigh the pros and cons. Here's everything you need to know about professional TV calibrations.

What does a professional TV calibrator do?

Your TV is stuffed with picture settings. There's a good chance you've opened your TV's settings menu only to have your eyes glaze over at the sight of words like "gamma," "motion interpolation," and "color space."

If you're adventurous, you may want to make tweaks here and there and follow-up with an eye test to see what looks best to you. If you have a pretty good handle on what these settings actually do, you're probably confident enough to make extensive changes to the picture.

However, without a specialized array of equipment, your eyes and instincts can only get you so far. Just as our TV-testing gadgets allow us to rigorously test a TV's performance, they also allow a calibrator to leverage some of a TV's deepest, most precise picture tools.

Think of it this way: Anyone can make adjustments to any picture-related settings they see fit, but without the proper equipment providing the necessary feedback, it won't be clear whether or not the picture is getting more or less accurate. A professional calibrator's expertise and equipment are necessary in order to make the most out of a TV's many picture settings.

For instance, a colorimeter — like the one seen above — is capable of measuring the exact nature of reds, greens, and blues (among other aspects of a TV's picture). When used in tandem with a laptop running high-end calibration software, a professional calibrator can tweak red, green, and blue values by way of a TV's settings — all while receiving feedback in real time about how these minute changes are affecting color accuracy. Without it, you're left guessing as to what values need to be adjusted.

A professional calibrator will also come equipped with something called a signal generator to create the colors and patterns needed for taking measurements in the first place.

These are expensive, highly specialized pieces of hardware. We're talking thousands upon thousands of dollars. You can gut-check broad, sweeping adjustments to settings like contrast and brightness, but if you want to dial-in everything with extreme precision, you need the proper gadgetry. That's where a professional calibrator comes in.

How can I tell if a professional calibration is worth it for my TV?

If you bought an entry-level TV (between about $200 and $600), there's a very good chance that it lacks the sort of settings that rely upon the expensive equipment outlined above. In that case, hiring a professional calibrator isn't really worth it. For this scenario, there are ways you can make your TV look its best with the basic settings you've been given.

Mid-range TVs (between about $600 and $1,000) will most likely arrive with a relatively lengthy list of picture settings, many of which are geared towards professional calibration. The Hisense U7N, for instance, features both 2- and 20-point white balance settings, which a calibrator can put to good use.

From a cost standpoint, it might make sense for you to roll with a professional calibration for a TV such as this. Many people buy a mid-range TV instead of a higher-end TV so that they can put the money they saved towards a professional calibration. Your U7N might not perform at the highest possible level, but it will look its absolute best.

For high-end TVs (about $1,000 and above), the calculus is a bit more complicated. People shopping in this price range are more likely to care about picture quality (and  accuracy in particular), but they're also shopping in a price range where most of the options offer superb out-of-the-box accuracy.

It's an interesting conundrum: The folks most likely to care about a professional calibration are also more likely to spend up on a TV in less need of one. This brings me to my final point, which may be the most important takeaway of them all.

For the most part, new TVs are pretty accurate out of the box

So long as you're choosing an accurate picture mode and disabling energy-saving settings, you're already well on your way towards making your TV look as accurate as possible. This is the case for everything from cheap TVs to pricey flagships.

If, on the other hand, you'd like to save energy and prefer the presentation of less-accurate picture modes (like Vivid or Dynamic), you can roll with those settings, too. They won't produce the most accurate picture, but what ultimately matters is how you feel about it.

More from Tom's Guide

• ATSC 3.0 Tuners — do you really need one on your 2024 TV?
• What is TV glare and how do you get rid of it?
• What size TV should you buy?

It's no secret that TVs always improve year-over-year, whether that's because they offer higher brightness, better color vibrancy, better contrast or some mixture of the three. That said, unless you have plenty of cash to spare and make it your passion project, it’s unlikely you’re upgrading every year. 

So how do you know when it’s out with the old and in with the new? Most TVs should last at least five years before needing to be upgraded, and it’s entirely reasonable for you to expect up to 10 years from a high-end TV that you use regularly. But if you’re looking to get as many years as possible out of your TV, there are still plenty of signs to look out for to know when your old TV is on its last legs. 

For starters, there are obvious reasons to buy a new TVL For example, it’s time to buy a new TV if your old one has a cracked screen. Duh. There are also reasons you might be thinking about a new TV, but should consider spending your money elsewhere — for example, if you’re finding the audio to be sub-par, it’s worth buying a soundbar or speaker system instead, considering pretty much all TVs have sub-par audio. 

Want some reassurance that's it's time to move on? Here are five signs it's time to upgrade your TV.

Its image quality is getting worse 

TV screens don’t stay good forever. In fact, over time, the image quality of your TV can degrade, and as the years go on, you might start to notice that the image quality of your TV is actually getting worse.

There are a few image-quality-related things to look out for: You could start to see areas of the image that are more faded than the others, and as time goes on, those parts of the image might lead to the entire image fading. This is due to a backlighting system that’s wearing out. 

Other image-related issues could come up too. For example, your TV could develop colored lines that stretch across the screen, which could be caused by loose or frayed wiring. Simply tapping the side of the TV could be a temporary fix, if it knocks the wiring back into place — but it’s unlikely to permanently fix the problem. In some situations, a TV can be repaired instead of replaced — and if you want to save money and don’t mind keeping your current TV, it’s a good idea to get a quote from a repair store.

There’s screen burn-in 

Screen burn-in is another problem associated with the image quality of OLED TVs — but we’re separating it into its own section given how front-of-mind it has been recently. Screen burn-in essentially occurs when there’s a static image on all or part of the screen for a long period of time. A good example of this could be a news station logo that’s fixed in the corner of the display, and always in the same spot. 

This issue mostly affects older OLED TVs, especially the first generation of OLED TVs. That’s because newer OLED TVs have technology that can detect parts of an image that are static and make use of a screen shift or pixel shift technology that moves the image slightly to avoid that burn in. OLED TVs also have a screensaver that can kick in when the TV isn’t in use, and it’s a good idea to ensure this setting is enabled. Lastly, newer LG TVs have a so-called “Daily Pixel Refresher” that automatically runs in the background when a TV is off, and has been used for more than four hours total. This is designed to even the wear on the pixels of an OLED TV.

Of course, despite the fact that newer OLED TVs make use of technology to avoid screen burn-in, it can still occur, and if you have an older OLED TV, it’s more likely to occur. If it happens, you’ll need to either deal with the “ghosting” effect that burn-in causes, or buy a new TV.

The operating system is slow 

Software slows down over time, and we’re in an era when smart software is built into pretty much every TV. Software slows down as companies update it and it gets more advanced, and as processors start to age and struggle to handle these newer features. As it slows down, it can take longer to get to your favorite streaming apps, and you might deal with lag and stutters that can last seconds at a time. That’s pretty annoying.

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to replace your whole TV just because software is slowing down. Instead, as long as your TV has a HDMI port, you could buy a separate streaming dongle or box, and use its software instead — only turning to the TV’s built-in software to control settings every now and then or to switch inputs. I personally have my TV set up to automatically switch inputs with HDMI CEC, and automatically turn on to the last-used input. As such, the only time I have to use Google TV built into my TV is when the TV updates. 

You want something more energy efficient 

TVs are getting better, and thankfully, they’re also getting more efficient. If you find that your electrical bill is a little high, buying a new TV could help.

Of course, in many cases, you might just be shifting the cost. After all, if you spend $1,000 on a new TV and save $5 per month on your electrical bill, it’ll take over 16 years to make your money back — and by then you likely will have bought another new TV. Still, if you've been considering making the jump to a new model anyways, then this is just one more reason to go for something newer.

Finally, you just want a new one 

Maybe you went to a store or a friend’s house, and saw how far TV technology has come. Maybe you’ve read our sweet guides and reviews on new TVs and want a new OLED model. Or, maybe you’re a TV reviewer with a near-psychotic need to have the newest tech every single year. Regardless, simply wanting a new TV is as good of a reason as any to buy a new one. 

Of course, we would never recommend buying an expensive new gadget if you can’t afford one, and if your TV is working perfectly fine, it’s probably not worth going into debt to get a new one. But, assuming you can afford a new TV, it’s a great time to buy, no matter what your budget.

Need some recommendations?

If you’re flush with cash, we recommend going for the Samsung S95D or new LG C4 OLED. If you’re willing to pay a midrange price, then the Hisense U8N is the way to go. And, if you want a TV on a budget, consider the Hisense U6K.  

The LG G3 OLED TV has shot my credit card bills through the roof. And you know what? I couldn’t be happier. I may have amassed some seriously spicy debt to own what I consider to be the best TV in the world, but I don’t regret it.

Alright, so it may not have claimed the recent title of ‘King of 4K TVs’ based on Value Electronics' recent celebratory A/V event — that particular honor fell to the Sony Bravia XR A95L. Yet based on my obsessive eyeball tests, the G3 and its brightness-boosting Micro Lens Array tech makes it essentially a perfect TV, whether it wears an imaginary crown or not. 

Here’s the kicker, though. The LG G3 OLED is a hell of a lot more expensive than last year’s still awesome LG C2 OLED, which is currently on sale ahead of the latest Prime Day bonanza. 

I just bought the 77-inch version of the G3 (a model that currently costs $4,300/ £4,300). That’s obviously an astronomical amount to spend on a tech purchase, but hey, it’s brought me a colossal amount of happiness in the short time I’ve owned it, so I can just about accept the hideous debt. 

(Not that I’m seriously suggesting you should get yourself into the sort of financially dicey situation I’ve chosen to plummet myself into in the quest to own an OLED TV of this caliber.)

As I said, the LG C2 OLED remains a sensational set that costs far less than its upgraded 2023 sibling, while the cheaper Samsung S90C is a television that can almost match the G3 in the brightness stakes at a substantially lower price point. For reference, during our tests over a 10% HDR brightness window, the S90C hit a super respectable 1,073 nits, while LG’s flagship TV has set the bar with an incredible 1,361 nits.

Bright future

Historically, brightness (especially in real-world terms where many of us have to deal with sun-filled living rooms) has long been OLED as a technology’s only real weakness. The LG G3 covers up this long-time blemish thanks to two key factors. The first is the previously mentioned boost in brightness thanks to MLA tech, which is genuinely transformative.

The second is more subtle, but also easy to appreciate if you live in a house/apartment that is constantly plagued by reflection-courting rays during the summer months. The LG G3 OLED boasts a new form of anti-reflective coating that does an amazing job of cutting down upon distracting reflections. In terms of boosting real-world picture vibrancy, I’d argue it’s just as big a deal as LG’s new MLA screen, which maxes out brightness thanks to billions of convex lenses being placed on top of its OLED panel.

I found myself in the unique (and slightly unhinged) situation of being in possession of both a 77-inch version of the LG C2 OLED and the same-sized LG G3 while I was in the process of selling the former. During this obsessive screen-scanning week, I ended up taking dozens of shots to convince myself that the brightness boost the G3 offered over the C2 really was worth the bank balance-shattering investment.

For 90% of OLED lovers out there, the difference probably won't be enough to justify the upgrade, considering the costs involved. Such is my A/V obsession though, once I’ve seen a piece of tech that’s even a little better than what came before, there’s no going back.

And make no mistake, it’s incredibly easy to spot just how much brighter the LG G3 is over the C2 once you've been in the presence of both TVs for a few hours.

MLA lights the way

The numbers paint a transformative picture my eyeball tests immediately confirm. Stick both sets in Vivid mode, and the resulting 1,361 nits of the G3 compared to the 800 nits of the C2 is truly game-changing. Considering this year’s LG C3 OLED is more or less a match for the C2 when it comes to HDR brightness, it makes the LG G3 the undisputed king of the South Korean firm’s OLED line-up.

It’s not just a matter of MLA-boosting brightness that makes the LG G3 OLED such a sensational set, though. I may not have hard data to back this up, but having compared the C2 and G3 side-by-side for days, I can confidently state the image upscaling of the latter is significantly better.

As much as I adore my Nintendo Switch OLED, I found the handheld hybrid to be all but unplayable on my 77-inch C2. When your average Switch game clocks in at around 900p in Docked mode, and with Nintendo’s continued resistance to implementing anti-aliasing techniques in even its biggest games, playing my Switch on my former gargantuan OLED was often rough.

Happily, that’s not the case with the LG G3 OLED.

So improved is the image upsampling on LG’s high-end TV, games like Super Mario Odyssey look soooo much cleaner on the G3 compared to the C2.

Admittedly, I use the Marseille mClassic Upscaler to boost my Switch’s native resolution, but having used the device on both TVs, I can effortlessly say the G3 still makes 1080p signals and below look vastly superior to last year’s line-up of LG OLEDs.

So much so, when I was recently playing the wonderful The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on my new TV, the image was smooth enough it could almost have passed for one of the best PS5 games.

So yes, the LG G3 OLED is the best TV the South Korean company has ever made. In my books, it's also the best television in history. If you can afford the more reasonably priced LG G3 55-inch OLED on sale at Amazon for $1,896, I'd recommend if without hestitation. And if you've just come into some serious cash, hot damn is the 77-inch model a sight to behold.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best OLED TVs to buy right now
• How to prevent OLED burn-in on your TV
• I’ve been using my OLED TV as a PC monitor — here’s what happened

Would you tolerate endless ads in exchange for a free 55-inch 4K TV? That’s the proposal being made by Telly, the new tech startup created by the co-founder of Pluto TV, Ilya Pozin. 

Telly has confirmed that it will be giving away 500,000 Smart TVs, and reservations are now open to customers in the U.S. The specific model of the TV isn’t listed but it will have HDR features and three HDMI ports for connecting additional devices such as a gaming console. It will also pack an in-built five-driver soundbar. Alongside the high-definition display, you’ll also get a 4K streaming stick thrown in for good measure. 

The TV also comes packing a built-in camera and microphone. The latter can be used to operate the TV via its AI assistant (That apparently answers to “Hey Telly”!), while the former allows users to play a variety of games including “arcade classics” and “immersive multiplayer experiences” where your body becomes the controller. The camera is also used for fitness programs that Telly claims utilize “advanced motion-tracking.” 

So what's the catch? 

As noted there's a fairly substantial catch to this offer in the form of a secondary display that will continually show advertisements as well as rolling news updates, sports scores and weather forecasts. 

This second screen is separate from the larger 55-inch TV, but presumably, neither can be independently operated and instead work in tandem. Telly also states that you must keep the TV connected to the internet at all times while in use. 

The catch also extends beyond just tolerating a constant stream of ads, data collection is also a big part of Telly’s pitch. The small print notes that the company “may collect information about the audio and video content you watch, the channels you view, and the duration of your viewing sessions” as well as storing details on “how you interact with the TV” including which buttons you press and what you regularly search for via the voice AI. 

Of course, you are given the option to opt out of data collection, but this will result in you having to return all the free equipment. If you refuse to return the dual screen and soundbar setup, Telly will charge you $500, which gives us a rough indication of the combined retail cost of this free TV. Although Pozin told Deadline, if sold direct to customers, the TV would retail for more than $1,000. 

“When I co-founded Pluto TV, we created an entirely new model that offered amazing TV content to viewers for free. Now, with Telly, we are providing the actual television for free as well,” Pozin said in a statement. “Don’t be fooled by the free price. This is by far the most advanced television ever developed.”

The best cheap TV deals regularly see 55-inch 4K TV drop below $500, which raises the question of exactly how good this “free” TV deal actually is. Zero upfront cost is certainly a boon, but there are several nasty strings attached to this offer, and the data-sharing requirements sound like a privacy nightmare. At least the in-built camera does include a privacy shutter, which is reportedly enabled out of the box. 

Perhaps Telly will prove to be a trailblazer and in a few year's time, all TVs will be given away for free in exchange for your personal viewing data and the understanding that you will allow persistent ads into your home. However, we can’t help but feel that purchasing one of the best TVs during seasonal events such as the upcoming Memorial Day sales isn’t perhaps the better deal overall.  

More from Tom's Guide

• Shopping for a cheap TV? 3 to buy and 1 to skip
• Ted Lasso season 3 is so bad it’s making me question if I ever liked the show
• Best budget TVs of 2023

When you think of Bang & Olufsen, you don’t necessarily think of the best TVs out there. However, the luxury speaker maker does offer a selection of TVs — including the absolutely bonkers Beovision Harmony.

But apparently, Bang & Olufsen isn’t satisfied with the Harmony lineup topping out at a $33,450 88-inch display. B&O has now added a 97-inch option to the lineup — with a whopping $63,075 price tag.

To be clear, this TV setup’s hefty price tag is all about the things that aren’t the TV. The display itself is actually an LG G series display that is comparable to the LG G3 OLED TV. The 65-inch, 77-inch and 97-inch models of the Harmony are LG G series 4K displays and the 88-inch model uses an LG Z series 8K display. That means that Harmony gets many of the same features of the LG displays, from Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10 and HLG support to AI upscaling for content that isn’t natively 4K or 8K.

In fact, the LG counterparts of the Beovision Harmony will probably produce a bit better picture quality than the B&O behemoth. The Beovision Harmony uses an Alpha 9 4K Gen 3 processor for the 4K resolution 65-inch, 77-inch and 97-inch 4K displays and an Alpha 9 8K Gen 3 processor for the 88-inch 8K display — both of which are three generations behind the AI processors used on the LG G3 OLED TV and LG Z3 OLED TV announced as part of the LG 2023 TV lineup.

And yes, you heard that right. The 97-inch display is limited to 4K because LG doesn’t currently have an 8K 97-inch OLED display. The LG Z3 OLED TV tops out at 88 inches. 

What do you get for over 60 grand?

Still, with the gorgeous design of the Beovision Harmony, you won’t miss the extra pixels. The Harmony’s display is partially encased in a beautifully crafted wood cabinet that unfolds with just a push of a button. Seriously, with just one top of a play button, the TV rises from the Harmony’s cabinet while two Beolab 28 speakers also simultaneously are unveiled from their wooden coverings. Those speakers aren’t included though — they’ll set you back at least another $15,250 for a set of two.

If you decided that’s too rich for your blood though that’s okay. The Beovision Harmony still comes with a fully integrated three-channel stereo speaker setup featuring Bang & Olufsen’s famed speakers. This includes one 1-inch 50W center tweeter, two 2.5-inch 50W, one 4-inch 100W midrange/woofer speaker and two 4-inch 100W woofers. You definitely won’t need to buy one of the best soundbars we’ve ever tested to upgrade the Harmony.

So if that sounds like the perfect TV setup for you, head over to Bang & Olufsen’s online store now to customize your Beovision Harmony. But if the $63,075 price tag is a bit outside your budget don’t worry — we have you covered. Check out our pick for the one TV we’d buy right now if we only had $500, which should be a far easier price to swallow.

Despite all the best TVs impressing in terms of picture performance, sound quality and content features, there’s a huge limitation to regular OLED or QLED TVs: screen size. 

The largest TVs you can buy at Best Buy or other retailers is between 85 and 88 inches. Of course, there’s the 97-inch LG G2 OLED TV and 98-inch Samsung QN100B Neo QLED TV, but neither come cheap. If you’re looking for a screen that’s 100-inches or larger that doesn’t cost $25,000 (or more), something like the new Hisense L9H 4K Laser TV might be what you’re looking for.

I spent some time with the 100-inch Hisense L9H 4K Laser TV in a demo session recently, and as others there who were less familiar with laser projectors asked, “what’s the point?,” I found myself reminding people that size matters. 

Not that I needed much more convincing, but the L9H looks like a great example of what projectors can offer in place of regular OLED TVs or QLED TVs. This short-throw projector is made to be placed close to the wall, altering the geometry of the projected image so that despite the positioning the picture appears as a normal rectangle on the wall or projection screen. 

But most importantly, the projected images can reach 100 inches or 120 inches depending on the unit, making it possible to bring a big-screen experience into any room that has ample wall space. 

What is a Laser TV?

In terms of brightness, the Hisense L9H is rated for 3,000 ANSI lumens, which is pretty good for a Laser TV. With that level of brightness you'll be able to watch it in well-lit rooms as well as in the dark, which is a major difference compared to a projector for a couple hundred dollars on Amazon.

Although we don't have testing data to back it up yet, we're expecting its internal light source to last at least 20,000 hours without brightness deteriorating. That’s approximately as long as a normal TV should last before the performance takes a noticeable toll.

Why would you buy a Laser TV instead of a normal TV?

Still, projectors can only offer so much in terms of picture performance. Even the best projectors cannot achieve the black levels of OLED or color volume of quantum dots. That said, if screen size is your priority, a short throw projector is the more affordable route to go. 

I usually recommend getting as large of a TV as possible that fits your screen size needs. A TV is something you have for several years, so it’s worth a bit of investment if you’re going to set up a home theater space. But again, TVs larger than 85 inches are far and few between  — and the few that exist are ridiculously expensive.

The Hisense L9H price hasn’t been announced yet, but if Hisense sticks to the same pricing from its previous-gen Laser TVs, the 100-inch configuration will be priced around $4,500 before TV deals. If it’s between that and a $24,000 OLED, I think the Laser TV is the more cost-effective option. 

More from Tom's Gudie

• Forget OLED — this new 85-inch Mini LED TV is absolutely stunning
• What size TV should you buy?
• The new Roku Plus QLED TV just aced nearly all of our tests — and it's just $499

You might not know why your TV sometimes pauses with a black screen, but the latest Apple TV 4K is finally getting rid of that odd moment. That's thanks to a new TV setting added in a recent Apple tvOS update — but you may not be able to access it yourself just yet. 

This change — promised back when Apple launched the Apple TV 4K (2022) (one of the best streaming devices, and my personal favorite) — was the support of the up-and-coming feature Quick Media Support (QMS) for variable refresh rates. For those who haven't experienced it, or realized they have, a black screen can often appear when your TV and streaming device switch between frame rates, such as 23.976Hz, 24Hz, 50Hz and 60Hz. 

This isn't a huge headache, but when it interrupts your TV watching, and when the Apple TV 4K doesn't have many flaws (at least for those of us who are used to its touchpad) — it's not hard to say that Apple's finally squishing one of its most annoying issues. To enable it, as the fireCore community forums showed, you go to the Settings app, open Video and Audio and select Match Content to learn if you can actually fix it. And more power to Apple for adopting QMS for VRR.

Because herein lies the problem that stopped yours truly from fixing it: even with the most up-to-date Apple TV 4K 2022 model, your TV also needs to support QMS. And as flatpanelshd (via our sister site TechRadar) reports, only some LG OLED C3, B3, M3, Z3 and LG QNED models support it. 

So, even though I have a relatively new LG OLED C2, it's not new enough, and I don't see the "Quick Media Switching" feature on my TV. And the C2 is one of the best OLED TVs on the market!

Analysis: Waiting on TV OS updates is a bummer

So, for as much as I'd love to tell you Apple's fixed this bug and you should download tvOS 16.4 right now (Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software) — only those with the aforementioned quite-new LG TVs will see this functionality. And none of the reports about this fix actually specify it's in the newly released tvOS 16.4. 

On top of that, nobody's said for sure whether or not any older Apple TV 4K models, or any older TVs, will get QMS VRR support. And, of course, note that this is only about frame rate changing, not the switch to Dolby Vision or HDR (High Dynamic Range) from SDR (Standard Dynamic Range). The latter is something I'm still waiting for, and have opted to disable the Match Dynamic Range setting to fix it manually.

So now, supporting this feature is left to TV manufacturers, and nobody's even promising it for legacy models. And this isn't an option that feels like it would be worth buying a new TV for, we wouldn't recommend anyone spend to get it, or hold their breath for it either.

Who should download tvOS 16.4 ASAP?

After I updated my Apple TV 4K (202) to tvOS 16.4, and tapped on the What's New button, it only gave me a message about support for multiple HomePod speakers over eARC. Fortunately, tvOS 16.4 does provide a big new feature for those who suffer from epilepsy.

In Apple's official release notes, tvOS 16.4 is stated to add "Dim Flashing Lights, an accessibility option to automatically dim the display of video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected, and includes performance and stability improvements."

This feature is found in Settings > Accessibility > Motion.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Night Agent is No. 1 on Netflix — should you watch?
• 7 top new movies to watch on Netflix, Hulu and more
• 15 best Apple TV Plus movies to watch now

Black Friday deals are happening now. If you're in the market for a new TV, Best Buy Black Friday deals are especially hot. 

One of the best deals so far is the LG 70-inch UP7070 4K UHD smart TV for just $549 at Best Buy. It gives you a decent picture, HDR support and LG's webOS smart TV system all at a reasonable price. Add in that it's absolutely massive at 70-inches, and you've got a great Black Friday TV deal.

Luckily, this year, supply chain constraints are a bit better than the 2021 holiday season. But that doesn't mean you should wait too long to get your shopping done. Retailers from Amazon to Walmart and of course Best Buy are already flooding the market with early deals. (Check out our Black Friday deals live blog for the latest sales). 

While it's not one of LG's top-tier OLED sets, thanks to the television’s 4K resolution and strong picture performance, you can enjoy bright colors, high contrast, and detail while watching TV shows and movies or playing the latest games. Plus, this television has HDR10 and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) support. Without getting too into the weeds, this basically means whatever you're watching will look gorgeous.

This LG smart TV also runs LG's webOS system which gives it a full suite of smart TV features and apps you’d expect. From Netflix to HBO Max, you can watch content on just about every streaming service under the sun. The only trade-off is this model doesn't come with a voice assistant built-in. But it's a small price to pay to get this good of a deal.

If you’re looking for a new television to watch all your holiday favorites this winter, then you really can’t go wrong with this early Black Friday deal from Best Buy. But if you want to make sure you get the best of the best, make sure to check out our guide to the best TVs available before you buy anything.

Although movie theaters around the US are already dying a slow death due to the influx of great streaming content and declining ticket sales, there’s a new MicroLED TV that’d make me swear off going out to the movies for good if this set ever made its way into my home.

The TV I’m talking about is the new 136-inch 4K MicroLED TV called the LG Magnit. Not only does it have a number of features carried over from LG’s best OLED TVs like the new LG C2 OLED, but its MicroLED panel makes movies look even better.

The 136-inch LG Magnit made its debut at CEDIA 2022 this past week in Dallas, Texas, alongside other massive screens like the new 98-inch Samsung QN100B Neo QLED TV and it’s already making quite a stir in the world of home theater lovers.

It’s unclear how much the LG Magnit going to cost, but considering that you’re going to need a custom installer to come to your house should you get one, it’s unlikely to be cheap. You can’t blame me for dreaming about one, though. 

What goes into a massive 136-inch MicroLED TV? 

So what’s the big deal with MicroLED? Imagine if you could have the brightness of QLED but the color saturation and black levels of OLED — that’s MicroLED. MicroLED trades out a standard liquid crystal display with an LED backlight for millions of individual diodes that can be completely turned on and off. 

The numbers provided by LG claim that the Magnit can reach a peak brightness of around 2,000 nits — in the realm of the brightest QLED TVs we’ve seen this year — and has a native 120Hz refresh rate. Behind it are four HDMI-in ports, digital audio out, two USB-in ports and an RS232C port. 

Inside, the Magnit uses LG’s Alpha a9 AI Processor that can reduce picture noise when upscaling content. The screen also has a built-in light sensor for dynamic HDR that can turn up the brightness and contrast when it detects a large amount of ambient light in the room.

Want to Cast movies from your phone? The Magnit has built-in AirPlay 2 and Miracast, plus it uses the webOS smart TV platform if you want to peruse some streaming services.

What about sound? LG is collaborating with Bang & Olufsen to bundle a Beolab 90 home speaker with every sale. These speakers have 18 drivers — seven tweeters, seven mid-range drivers and four subwoofers — that can output sound in every direction. Typically they cost about $85,000 per pair, so you have to imagine the sticker price of this home theater setup running at least a couple hundred grand. 

Would I really give up going to the theaters for a 136-inch TV? 

First off, this isn’t any 136-inch TV — it’s a MicroLED TV. It’s the technology that I genuinely expect to replace OLED in 10 years’ time. And theaters? They’re fine — I worked in them and made some great memories there — but these days, it’s hard to justify a trip to the theater.

The film industry doesn’t want to admit it, but watching films at the theater is wildly inconvenient. They’re usually full of people talking during the movie and there’s no way to pause the film when you need to get up. Theaters force you to watch a film in a group setting and often charge you an arm and a leg for the experience, especially if you want a snack.

That said, I do love that movie theaters are a community resource. Yes, they’re expensive compared to a streaming service that will run you $9.99 per month, but they are much less expensive than going out and buying a 136-inch TV for your living room. For folks looking for a two-hour escape from their homes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better venue.

On top of the escapism that theaters provide, the price of super-sized TVs is prohibitive from ditching them for good — and it will probably be that way for at least another decade. We’ve seen the price of larger-screen TVs come down drastically over the last decade, but TVs larger than 100 inches are still going to cost more than most of us will ever spend at the theater.

Still, you can’t blame me for wanting to ditch the cineplex completely. Heck, the reason I cover home theater is so that I can help movie-lovers like myself re-create the magic of the movie theater in our own homes. It’s the magic of the silver screen without any of the inconveniences. 

The 136-inch Magnit TV is going to provide that experience to some folks — just to a very select few who can afford it. (Not me.) So…I guess I’ll see you at the theater?

• Keep reading: Micro-LED vs. OLED TV: Which TV tech will win?

Labor Day has arrived, and that means that Labor Day sales are now in full swing. Retailers have been slowly ramping up the discounts over the past few days, but now that the long holiday weekend has arrived the deals have reached their peak. 

The rapidly rising cost of living and ongoing stock shortages across popular products make scoring the best Labor Day deals more vital than ever. And to compensate retailers are offering bigger-than-average discounts on everything from 4K TVs to major kitchen appliances. If you want to stretch your budget as far as possible, Labor Day is the perfect time to make that big purchase you’ve been delaying.  

There are significant savings to be found across retailers, and some of our top-rated devices are dropping to a new all-time low price. Some of our favorite deals right now include the latest MacBook Pro for $1,599 at Best Buy (that's $400 off) and the stunning 55-inch LG A1 OLED 4K TV for $965 on Amazon, that's 26% off.  

These fantastic discounts are just a couple of the thousands of deals currently available. With so much choice, it can be hard to know where to start, that’s why we’re sorting the faux deals from the genuine sales in our Labor Day live blog. Follow along to make sure you don’t miss a single discount.

Top 10 Labor Day sales right now

• Fire TV + Echo Dot: from $89 @ Amazon
• Nectar Mattress: $798 $399 @ Nectar
• LG A1 55" 4K OLED TV: $1,299 $965 @ Amazon
• Anker Eufy 25C: $249 $129 @ Walmart
• MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro/512GB): $1,999 $1,599 @ Best Buy
• 10.2" iPad (64GB/2021): $329 $279 @ Amazon
• Lenovo Chromebook 3: $219  $89 @ Best Buy
• Echo Dot (4th Gen): $49 $34 @ Amazon
• Sunny Indoor Bike: $299 $165 @ Amazon
• Galaxy Z Fold 4: up to $1,200 off @ Best Buy

Shop all Labor Day sales

• Amazon: save 40% on Echo devices, 4K TVs, Bose speakers, and more
• Best Buy: up to $400 off MacBooks, iPads, $100 off MacBook Air, more
• Dell: free Disney Plus bundle w/ select purchases
• Helix: up to $350 off mattresses + 2 free pillows
• Home Depot: up to $700 off kitchen appliances, fridges, and more
• HP: up to 75% off laptops
• iRobot: up to $600 off deals from $149
• Lenovo: up to 63% off ThinkPads and IdeaPads
• Microsoft: up to $500 off laptops, Surface, more
• Nectar: $200 off Editor's Choice mattress + $499 in free gifts
• Overstock: up to 70% off shelves, furniture from $110
• Razer: up to 50% off accessories + free gift
• Samsung: save up to $430 on appliances, Chromebooks and more
• Sling TV: 50% off your first month
• Verizon: buy one 5G smartphone, get $800 off another
• Walmart: apparel from $15, vacuums from $29 
• Wayfair: up to 50% off outdoor furniture, living room seating

Welcome to Tom's Guide's Labor Day live blog! Here we'll be covering all the biggest discounts and best deals throughout the entire day. So, let's start with am all-time low price on the 2021 MacBook Pro. 

The powerhouse MacBook Pro 14" is on sale for $1,599 at Best Buy. That's a $400 saving compared to its full retail price of $1,999. This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this laptop, and it's a Labor Day deal that is hard to resist. 

In our Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) review, we were seriously impressed by what this device had to offer. It has pretty much everything you could want in a laptop; including incredible performance, a beautiful display and battery life that lasted over 14 hours in our tests.

MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro/512GB): $1,999 $1,599 @ Best Buy

It wouldn't be a holiday weekend without sizeable savings on top-quality TVs, and while there are dozens of excellent discounts on a range of fantastic televisions, our top pick is the LG A1 OLED TV. 

For a limited time, the LG A1 55" 4K OLED TV is $965 at Amazon. That's a saving of 26% compared to its regular price of $1,299, and is definitely one of the best Labor Day TV sales we've spotted so far. 

We rank the LG A1 OLED as one of the the best OLED TVs you can buy. It packs LG's powerful Alpha 7 Gen 4 processor and 4K resolution, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision support, while running on LG's webOS 6.0 Smart TV software. This particular model packs a rich 55-inch 4K Ultra HD display with an OLED panel and has a refresh rate of 60Hz. 

LG A1 55" 4K OLED TV: $1,299 $965 @ Amazon

The always-popular Apple Watch 7 is currently on sale for Labor Day, making now the ideal time to upgrade your smartwatch, or jump into the world of wearables for the first time. 

Right now, the Apple Watch 7 (GPS/41mm) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. This is the best smartwatch you can buy if you're an iOS user. Compared to the previous Apple Watch, the Apple Watch 7 offers a larger display, brighter screen, and faster charging. It's also the first Apple Watch to have a full QWERTY keyboard, which is super useful for quickly sending texts from your wrist. 

It's also the perfect fitness accessory, especially if you also sign up for the optional Apple Fitness Plus service. The main drawback of this smartwatch is the 18-hour battery life, which is less than half of its main rival the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. But so long as you charge it regularly, it's far from a deal breaker. 

Apple Watch 7 (GPS/41mm): $399 $299 @ Amazon

One of the biggest discounts we've seen of Labor Day so far comes courtesy of Walmart. The retailer has slashed this Anker Robot Vacuum by $120. Right now, the Anker Eufy 25C Robot Vacuum is on sale for $129 at Walmart. That's a massive saving compared to its regular price of $249. 

While the Eufy 25C doesn't have mapping capabilities like some more pricey alternatives, it can still be controlled from your smartphone and linked to other Eufy smart home devices. You can also connect it to Alexa and Google Assistant, and use those smart assistants to tell the 25C to start cleaning. 

The Eufy 25C isn't the most powerful vac on the market, but it's more affordable price tag makes it a great pick as a first robot vacuum. This Labor Day sale isn't quite it's all time low price, but it's still an excellent discount. 

Anker Eufy 25C: $249 $129 @ Walmart

One of the most popular early Labor Day deals is still running, and it's continuing to us impress us even now. 

The iPad 10.3-inch 2021 64GB is just $279 at Amazon. That's $50 off and the lowest price we've ever seen for Apple's popular tablet. Best Buy is also offering the same price. 

We rate the 10.2" iPad as the best tablet for people on a budget. That's because of its excellent screen, cameras, and 11-hour battery life. In our iPad 10.2 review, we were also impressed by this tablet's performance thanks to its new A13 Bionic chip. It's perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming, and you'll be able multitask and switch between apps in a flash. 

10.2" iPad (64GB/2021): $329 $279 @ Amazon

Our favorite budget mattress is on sale for Labor Day. Nectar is taking $200 off mattresses of any size. And if that wasn't enough of a deal, you also get a free bedding set worth $499 with any mattress purchase. 

The Editor's Choice Nectar Memory Foam mattress offers tremendous value for the money and holds a spot in our best mattress guide. In our Nectar Memory Foam mattress review, we found that it's very comfortable (thanks to its five layers of memory foam) and it offers excellent pressure relief around your shoulders, hips, and back. Bonus points for offering an impressive 365-night trial and a forever guarantee. 

As part of its current Labor Day sale — you can get the twin mattress for $399 (was $798) or the queen for $799 (was $1,298).

Nectar Mattress: $798 $399 @ Nectar

The best Labor Day deals aren't just about saving money, the annual holiday also offer the chance to score some excellent freebies with purchase. Case in point, Amazon is offering a free Echo Dot (3rd Gen) when you buy a Fire TV. 

Fire TVs start from just $89, with a 50-inch 4K model available for just $299 (down from $429). An Echo Dot (3rd Gen) usually retails for $39, but has been discounted for Labor Day to $29. It's a nifty little freebie, especially if you were already in the market for a brand new TV. 

Fire TV + Echo Dot: from $89 @ Amazon

It's hard not to flag this $10 discount on Elden Ring for PS5 at Amazon. The tough-as-nails RPG is easily one of the best games of the year so far, and dominated the gaming conversation for weeks when it launched back in February. 

From the creators of Dark Souls and Bloodborne and with story assistance from George R. R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, Elden Ring offers a cryptic narrative set in an expansion open-world with danger lurking behind every corner. It's undoubtedly a very difficult game but it's also one that you won't want to stop playing. It was easy to recommend at full price, now at $10 off, there's no excuse not to dive into Elden Ring. Just prepare to die, a lot. 

Elden Ring (PS5): $59 $49 @ Amazon

Let's be honest — the Apple TV 4K is an excellent streaming device, but it's a little expensive. At a retail price of $179, it costs over three times as much as some other popular streaming sticks like the $49 Roku Streaming Stick 4K.

However, for Labor Day, the Apple TV 4K has seen a big discount at Amazon, bringing it down to a much less eye-boggling $119. The device has excellent streaming performance, a good remote, and its interface doesn't throw as many ads in your face as Roku or Amazon streaming devices do.

Apple TV 4K (32GB): $179 $119 @ Amazon

If you're shopping for a new phone this Labor Day, look no further than this live blog. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is $200 cheaper than usual at Amazon for the holiday.

If you're on team Android, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is our choice for the best phone you can get right now. It has the best display of any phone we've tested. Plus, the cameras are excellent, especially in low light. The phone even comes with the S-Pen included for smooth note-taking and drawing.

The one drawback of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is its 10-hour battery life. For comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro Max lasted more than 12 hours in our testing. But keep in mind that 10 hours of juice is enough to get most people through the day without needing to carry a charger around.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: $1,199 $995 @ Amazon

Fancy a gaming laptop? Check out the Acer Nitro 5. It's already relatively affordable at its usual asking price of $839, but Amazon have the Acer Nitro 5 (i5/RTX 3050) for $649.

It doesn't have the specs to run graphically-intensive games at high settings, but that's a lot to ask of a gaming laptop that costs below $1000. The Intel Core i5 processor and RTX 3050 GPU Acer Nitro 5 are more than enough to run popular games like Assasins Creed Valhalla or Grand Theft Auto V at medium settings.

If you have a little more to spend, you could upgrade to the Acer Nitro 5 (i7/RTX 3050 Ti) for $789 for some improved performance.

Acer Nitro 5: $839 $694 @ Amazon

Happy Labor Day, shoppers! Deals editor Louis here taking over the live blog for the day. September 5th is an excellent time to shop for new appliances. Whether you're looking for a new fridge, microwave, washer/dryer — you name it. Practically every major retailer is discounting its selection of appliances. One of the biggest sales I've seen this morning comes from Samsung. Their appliances are generally priced higher than competitors, but right now Samsung is taking up to $1,200 off all appliances including refrigerators, ranges, washer/dryer sets, and vacuums. If you buy a bundle, you'll also get an extra $100 off. 

Home appliance sale: up to $1,200 off @ Samsung

Ok, this isn't a Labor Day sale per se, but just a heads up that Walmart has stock of the PS5 with Horizon Forbidden West. PS5 restock has gotten a little easier to find these days, although there are still a few console droughts from time to time. That said, you can pick up this bundle for list price today. Best part is you don't have to request an invite to purchase the console like most retailers require nowadays!  

PS5 Horizon Forbidden West Bundle: for $549 @ Walmart

With summer winding down, now is a good time to start looking at your fall/winter wardrobe. Nike, for example, is offering up to 50% off select apparel. If you become a Nike member (it's free to join), you can then use coupon code "SUMMER20" to take an extra 20% off select clothes. (For more ways to save, make sure to check out our guide to Nike promo codes).

Nike apparel: up to 50% off + extra 20% off @ Nike

If you've been waiting for the right time to pick up a new smartwatch, Best Buy has a pretty epic deal right now. Buy a Galaxy Watch 5 or Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and you'll get a free $40 or $60 Best Buy gift card, respectively. In our Galaxy Watch 5 review, we called it the best Samsung smartwatch to date. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is great if you want extra battery life. (It's rated for 80 hours, but we got 3 full days with regular use).

Galaxy Watch 5 / Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: free $40 or $60 gift card @ Best Buy 

Labor Day is the perfect time to upgrade your bed. Practically all mattress manufacturers are offering deals on beds, duvets, mattress toppers, pillows, and all things bedroom related. One of my favorite deals this afternoon comes from Nectar. They have their Nectar Down Alternative duvet on sale for $94. I bought it a few years ago and find it's perfect for keeping me cool in the summer and warm during the winter. I'm pretty sure this is the cheapest it's ever been price-wise. (For more bedding deals, check out our roundup of the best Labor Day mattress sales). 

Nectar Duvet: $152 $94 @ Nectar

Amazon is offering an epic deal on select Bowflex and Schwinn exercise equipment today. The sale includes treadmills, adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, benches, and more. If you have the space for a full home gym, you ca get the Bowflex Blaze Home Gym for just $799 (was $1,099). If you live in an apartment, the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells are on sale for $379 (was $549). 

Bowflex / Schwinn sale: deals from $119 @ Amazon

When I want fast and strong coffee — nothing beats my Nespresso machine. For a limited time, Amazon has the Nespresso Vertuo Next on sale for $149. It uses the same premium brewing techniques as the popular Vertuo Plus machine, but packs a much smaller form factor. It's perfect if you want a convenient pod-based machine that won't take up your entire countertop. This model holds a spot on our best Nespresso machine guide. 

Nespresso Vertuo Next: $199 $149 @ Amazon

I love using TRX straps during my workout. They're great for stretching post-workout and I like using them for full-body workouts as well. You can target your abs, back, chest, or whatever body part you want to tone/strengthen. (You're using your own body weight most of the time, which is more than enough for a full workout). Today only, they're on sale at REI for just $74. This set comes with a door anchor and suspension anchor so you can use it at home. 

TRX Fit Suspension Trainer: $99 $74 @ REI

There are plenty of really great TV deals this Labor Day. However, the one that's caught my eye the most is this one from Amazon. If you're not familiar with the Hisense U8H, all you need to know is that we named it the best value TV for 2022. It offers a Mini-LED panel, Dolby Atmos sound with built-in its 2.1.2 audio system, and a native 120Hz refresh rate. It's further proof that you don’t have to overpay to have the best tech in your TV. 

Hisense 55" 4K Mini-LED QLED TV: $1,099 $649 @ Amazon

If there's only one sale I could highlight today — this would be it. Best Buy is taking from $350 to $400 off select MacBook Pros. You can get the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 for $949 ($350 off), the 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1,599 ($400 off), or the 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,099 ($400 off). These are the lowest price I've seen so far on these MacBooks and the lowest price ever ($949) for any Apple silicon-based MacBook Pro. I'll be honest, I don't think we'll see these prices again all year (not even on Cyber Monday).  

Also, heads up — certain states (such as NJ) are offering tax-free back to school shopping, so you'll pay no taxes on your purchase. You can check out the full tax holiday schedule at www.taxadmin.org/2022-sales-tax-holiday. The Best Buy sale ends today. 

MacBook Pro sale: $350 to $400 off deals from $949 @ Best Buy

The Pixel 6a is one of the best Android phones you can get. If you're looking for a phone that offers plenty of horsepower and excellent value — the buck stops here. Currently, you can get the phone for free at Verizon with select 5G unlimited plans. It features a 6.1-inch OLED 1080 x 2400 display, Google Tensor CPU, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. You also get 12.2MP main (f/1.7) and 12.2MP (f/2.2) ultrawide rear cameras accompanied by a 8MP (f/2.0) front camera. 

Pixel 6a: free w/ eligible 5G plan @ Verizon

Here's a little secret — while most people tend to think the AirPods are Apple's go-to workout headphones, the truth is that the Beats Fit Pro are Apple's best workout buds. In our Beats Fit Pro review, we said that sound is better on these sporty in-ear buds than in any AirPods model. Now....take note that the AirPods Pro 2 could be announced this Wednesday (and AirPods Pro 2 preorders could begin as early as this Friday). But if that doesn't bother you — you can't go wrong with the Beats Fit Pro. Even better, Amazon has multiple Beats buds on sale for Labor Day from $49.