The Sony Bravia 9 II is the brand’s top True RGB TV in 2026 and one of the best TVs of the year. It's earned praise on account of its a searingly bright, colorful picture and Sony's incredible engineering, but it's also one of the priciest TVs you can buy.

The Bravia 7 II is the most affordable True RGB TV in Sony's lineup this year. It's not as bright or as finely tuned as the flagship-level Bravia 9 II, but it still showcases an awesome picture and plenty of features for a much lower price.

They're among the best Sony-branded TVs on shelves this year and they share many of the same features, but we've tested both models and I'm deeply familiar with both. Let's see how they compare.

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: Specs compared

These Sony TVs share many of the same specs. The biggest difference between their listed specs has to do with screen size availability.

Both sets come in 65-, 75- and 85-inch options, but the Bravia 7 II offers a more-flexible slate of sizes. This includes 50- and 55-inch options (the latter of which is one of the most popular screen sizes for TVs).

Aside from that, their respective specs are mostly a wash. Both TVs support Dolby Vision (a popular, enhanced HDR format), and both carry just a pair of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs out of four total. They also support ATSC 3.0 for 4K over-the-air broadcasts and offer a native refresh rate of 120Hz. The edge here goes to the Bravia 7 II. It offers two more size options below 65 inches, which is critical for viewers with smaller living spaces.

Winner: Sony Bravia 7 II

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 7 II: Design

Both the Bravia 9 II (seen above) and the Bravia 7 II carry Sony's latest bit of design ingenuity: the so-called Mirage-style stand.

Essentially, the center pedestal that props up their panel is built around a special lenticular lens that, when viewed from the front, obscures the sight of any cables that might be dangling directly behind the TV. It's an effective illusion, and one that's sure to be appreciated by folks who value a tidy home theater.

The biggest difference in these TVs' design approach concerns the screen itself. The Bravia 9 II sports a matte-style screen, which does an effective job of blunting the impact of direct glare. Compared to Samsung's own Glare Free finish, Sony's isn't as aggressive in its flattening of light, so it doesn't create the grayish-purplish tint that can often be seen on some Samsung TVs that make use of the coating.

The Bravia 7 II's screen — while effective in combating glare — doesn't come with a matte-style finish. This makes it slightly less capable in a room flanked by windows.

The rest of the Bravia 7 II's design (seen above) is similar to the 9 II. Just like Sony's flagship, the Bravia 7 II is built with sturdy plastic and offers plenty of height clearance for soundbar placement.

And, if you're picky about your remote controls like I am, I've got good news: Both TVs ship with the same excellent clicker. It's slim, full of all the necessary buttons and, best of all, is backlit for easy use in the dark.

Both the 7 II and 9 II are thoughtfully designed TVs, but the Bravia 9 II offers just a touch more versatility. Its glare-free finish is better suited for people with many windows or intense light sources.

Winner: Sony Bravia 9 II

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: Performance

Before we dive into which of these TVs is the better performer, let's compare their test results. (Both TVs were set to Sony's Professional picture mode when these tests were taken.)

Both the Bravia 9 II and 7 II deliver superb, accurate picture quality in both SDR and HDR. If you're in the market for bright, punchy performance that handles the little things better than most TVs, either set will be just fine.

This is a testament to Sony's top-notch engineering. For instance, in Sony's most-accurate picture mode (Professional), both TVs hit a bullseye of around 100 nits of brightness on a 10% white window in SDR, as this is considered the standard during SDR mastering.

But if you're looking for the absolute best performance between the two, the Bravia 9 II takes the cake. In HDR, it's capable of nearly twice the brightness, which goes a long way towards imbuing the picture with depth. As a result of brighter HDR highlights, the 9 II looks significantly more OLED-like than the 7 II.

Another benefit of the Bravia 9 II that contributes to that eye-popping, OLED-like presentation is that it leverages a more complex array of RGB LED backlights. It's the most sophisticated RGB LED-based hardware that Sony offers, and its driven by the brand's best processing.

But the Bravia 7 II is anything but a slouch. In fact, Sony's True RGB technology is better realized in this class than most of the entry-level RGB LED TVs I've seen from other brands.

It may not be quite as adept at managing the dizzying amount of backlight management as its higher-end sibling, but to my eye, its picture is better than most mid-range TVs that rely purely on Mini-LEDs and quantum dots. This is another testament to Sony's expert engineering.

As mentioned, the Bravia 7 II doesn't get as bright as the Bravia 9 II, but with over 2,000 nits of horsepower under its hood, HDR movies, shows and games are dazzling. And, while Sony's flagship is slightly more accurate out of the box, the Bravia 7 II's color range is almost as wide thanks to Sony's True RGB technology.

Both sets are punchy enough for bright-room viewing, and both offer better color than just about any garden-variety Mini-LED TV on the market. However, the Bravia 9 II delivers arguably the best picture quality one can get from a non-OLED TV this year.

Winner: Sony Bravia 9 II

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 7 II: Smart platform and features

These Sony TVs offer a similar set of gaming and streaming enhancements, and both are built around the Google TV smart platform. All things considered, it's one of my preferred choices for everyday streaming, thanks to an easy-to-use interface, Chromecast functionality and a seemingly endless library of downloadable apps.

Both sets are limited to just a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs, which is admittedly kind of a bummer, as one of those high-bandwidth port also serves as a dedicated eARC port. This means that folks with more than one gaming device and an eARC-enabled soundbar will have to do some juggling.

Fortunately, these HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K gaming up to 120Hz on both Bravias, which is the top 4K spec for current-generation consoles. They also support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency (ALLM) for smoother gameplay.

All told, the software experience is generally the same across both sets.

Winner: Draw

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 7 II: Verdict

Despite the handful of features it leaves on the table — and despite its less-impressive performance — the Bravia 7 II is the TV I recommend to most people shopping for a Sony True RGB TV. It may not be the crown jewel of Sony's lineup, but its sort of like getting 80% of the Bravia 9 II for about half the price.

The Bravia 9 II is, in many ways, the best LED TV Sony has ever made. It's a luxury purchase, and its price reflects that luxuriousness. The 65-inch Bravia 9 II is $3,599 at Best Buy right now, and it gets even pricier as you move up the size chart.

The Bravia 7 II isn't a budget-friendly TV by any means, but its price tag won't have you seeing stars. Currently, the 65-inch Bravia 7 II is $1,999 at Best Buy , which is a bit more than what you can expect to pay for a 65-inch, mid-range OLED TV from LG or Samsung. Bear in mind, too, that the Bravia 7 II is available in 50- and 55-inch size options while the Bravia 9 II is not.

Here's another way to look at it: The Bravia 9 II is the best Sony TV I've seen all year, but the Bravia 7 II is the Sony TV I've recommended the most.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested Sony’s $3,600 Bravia 9 II True RGB TV — here's my verdict
• Sony’s new Bravia 7 II has a secret weapon that makes it so good
• Sony TV report card 2026: Is the 'Sony tax' still worth paying?

Roku is rolling out its first OLED TV, and stock is already lining shelves alongside rival sets from LG, Samsung and Sony. With its competitors having a generous headstart in the OLED sales race, Roku certainly has some catching up to do.

But outside of sales, there’s another arena in which Roku might have to catch up: OLED performance. Sony, Samsung and especially LG have had several years to tinker with their secret formulas for self-emissive success. Despite using similar hardware as some of the best OLED TVs on the market, Roku’s engineers haven’t yet shown us what sort of performance they can get out of the tech.

We’re still cracking away at our full-length Roku Pro Series OLED review, but in the meantime, I wanted to give folks a sneak-peek at some of our findings. Here’s how Roku’s brand-new OLED compares to two of the most popular models on the market.

Roku Pro Series OLED test results: At a glance

Our test results for the LG C6 and Samsung S90H were taken when each of these TVs were set to Filmmaker, their most-accurate picture mode. The Roku Pro Series OLED does not come with Filmmaker mode, so its SDR results have been measured in Movie mode, while the HDR results below were taken in HDR Dark with its Display Brightness set to Brighter.

Given the Pro Series OLED's range of picture modes and brightness-related settings, it's quite possible to produce slightly brighter (or dimmer) results when measuring these test patterns.

However, when comparing the numbers on the chart above, it's worth noting that the C6 and the S90H were measured with a similar set of constraints. As a result, these figures should give you some idea of the key differences in performance when a clean, accurate picture is in play.

While there's not much of a difference between peak HDR brightness on the C6 and S90H, there is a sizable gap between those sets and the Pro Series OLED, at least when it comes to small, concentrated areas of brightness. These are known as specular highlights, and due to their self-lit pixels, OLEDs are particularly good at leveraging highlight brightness for added depth.

The inherent liveliness of an OLED's eye-popping micro-contrast is good news for the Pro Series. Its peak highlight brightness may not be as high as its competitors, but because these objects are being shown on a display capable of perfect black levels, its 500 to 700 nits of HDR brightness appears brighter than it would on an LCD/LED-based TV.

But don't get it twisted: The C6 and S90H are nevertheless the brighter TVs. HDR movies, shows and games will pop on these sets more than they will on the Roku Pro Series OLED.

In SDR — particularly in an accurate picture mode like Movie — the Pro Series hangs tough with its rivals. No OLED TV can safely offer the room-filling, full-picture brightness you might see on a high-powered Mini-LED or RGB LED TV, but for everyday content like cable TV and YouTube videos, the Roku Pro Series offers a similar presentation as the C6 and S90H. It also delivers a finely tuned, accurate picture in Movie mode.

Lastly, let's chat color. The Pro Series OLED's limited brightness partially explains its limited HDR color range, as its simply not bright enough to produce some of the dimmer, subtler shades you'll see on the LG C6 and Samsung S90H.

It's an entry-level OLED, after all

Technically speaking, the C6 and S90H are mid-range models, as they're each sandwiched between entry-level and flagship OLEDs in both brand's respective lineup. One could easily make the argument that, as an entry-level OLED, the Roku Pro Series isn't fairly matched up against this pair of rivals.

The pricing bears this out. The 55-inch Roku Pro Series is currently $999 on Amazon, while the 55-inch C6 and S90H are each $1,499.

A closer match-up would be between the Pro Series OLED and the LG B6 — LG's most-affordable OLED TV in 2026. On Samsung's side, the S85H OLED represents the brand's cheapest mainline OLED TV this year.

For what it's worth, the 55-inch B6 and S85H are priced between $999 and $1,199 at the time of publishing, which is closer in line with Roku's most-affordable OLED. In the coming weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at how the Roku Pro Series OLED compares to LG and Samsung's entry-level sets.

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched LG's webOS smart platform for Roku and I'll never go back
• Cheaper OLED TVs might finally be on the way — here's when they could arrive
• It’s been nearly 5 years since I bought an LG OLED TV — will these 3 gripes stop me from buying another?

Samsung — the brand whose name is synonymous with QLED — might be leaving the popular TV type in the dust.

According to a recent report by the South Korean outlet ETNews, Samsung is in the process of drastically reducing its production of QLED TVs, and could potentially phase them out entirely by 2028.

In recent years, many of Samsung’s best TVs have carried the QLED designation, and it’s a dramatic shift for a company that once fought tooth and nail for QLED supremacy. But if this is truly the path Samsung has chosen, there could be a silver lining for future TV shoppers: cheaper Micro RGB TVs.

Samsung put QLED on the map — but then the map changed

Let's start with the bad news: Samsung's QLED reduction plans could see production drop by 80%, as it’s dropping from 10 million units down to just 2 to 3 million. By 2028, all Samsung QLEDs — including Neo QLEDs — could be TVs of the past.

While many popular brands offer quantum dot-enhanced TVs, Samsung gets credit for popularizing the term “QLED” as a means of describing what it viewed as a core feature.

In recent years, Samsung even expanded its lineup to include Neo QLED TVs. Initially, the term referred to quantum dot-enhanced sets that leveraged Mini-LED backlighting with full-array local dimming — the best-performing, non-OLED TVs in Samsung’s catalogue.

Unfortunately, Neo QLEDs are on their way out and, worse, some Neo QLEDs have even dropped hardware-based local dimming.

But QLED's slow demise isn't all gloom and doom: 2026 marked the first year that Samsung’s Micro RGB TVs sat at the top of its LED lineup. These souped-up Mini-LED TVs use red-, green- and blue-colored backlights to enhance color rather than quantum dots.

In retrospect, Samsung's restructuring of the Neo QLED lineup dovetailing with the release of its two first Micro RGB TVs should’ve been a strong indication that the former was on its way out.

This leaves somewhat of a vacancy in the mid-range-to-high-end, non-OLED section of Samsung’s portfolio. And the candidate that makes the most sense to fill that space is Micro RGB.

Analysis: Micro RGB expansion will lead to cheaper Micro RGB TVs

To my eyes, of the many brands taking a swing at RGB LED technology, Samsung’s Micro RGB tech is second only to Sony’s True RGB.

It takes a well-engineered combination of nimble hardware and intricate processing for a complex arrangement of red-, blue- and green-colored LEDs to properly harmonize, and Samsung seems to have figured it out.

The next step, then, is to expand. For Samsung, it’s just as important that the production of Micro RGB TVs gets more cost-effective than that the tech improves at the highest end.

There are two Micro RGB TVs available to the average consumer this year: the Samsung R85H and the flagship R95H. At the time of publishing, the 55-inch, entry-level R85H is the most affordable path to Samsung Micro RGB, but $1,199 is not cheap.

If Samsung does, indeed, phase out its QLEDs, then garden-variety, non-quantum-dot LED TVs will represent the cheapest tier of Samsung’s lineup. Some, I assume, will tap Mini-LEDs.

By the time this comes to pass, it would be shocking if Samsung's Micro RGB TV lineup hasn’t expanded beyond just a pair of (rather pricey) sets. After all, it took a few years, but Samsung now offers three tiers of OLED TV per year. When it first returned to the OLED scene, Samsung only sold one model.

There’s nothing stopping Hisense, Sony and TCL from continuing to tinker with quantum-dot color for the foreseeable future, either. Things could change in a hurry, but from where we’re sitting right now, TCL seems to be all-in on Super Quantum Dot (SQD), the brand’s newest spin on an old formula.

It may be bittersweet to say goodbye to our old friend QLED, but if Samsung plays its cards right, it could bring RGB LED technology to the masses before anyone else — just as it did with quantum dots once before.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung TV report card 2026: 'You can rely on Samsung to deliver exceptional performance'
• Are flagship Mini-LED TVs on their way out? Here’s how RGB LED technology is already reshaping the industry
• TCL is suing Samsung for false advertising on its Mini-LED TVs — here’s how to tell if your TV is included

When summer wanes and the leaves begin to turn, that’s around the time I start getting questions about Black Friday. People who know that I cover the TV business for a living begin to ask: Is it worth waiting until Black Friday to buy a new TV?

In the months leading up to November, some folks feel as though they’re in an awkward, pre-sale-season limbo, and with so much hype around holiday sales events, it’s easy to see why.

Before you commit to holding off on a new purchase or go all-in on that new big-screen this weekend, here’s what you ought to consider.

There are advantages to shopping for a TV on (or around) Black Friday

The benefits of buying a TV around Black Friday are twofold. The first is obvious: Stores competitively cut prices during their Black Friday sales events in order to entice shoppers ahead of the holidays.

The second benefit isn’t quite as obvious, but it’s nevertheless relevant: Since these sales arrive at the end of the calendar year, many newly released TVs have already seen several rounds of price cuts by the time the sale starts.

This creates a perfect storm of savings opportunities. Stores slash the prices of already-discounted sets, and this double-dipping takes some TVs down to their lowest price on record.

As a result, most new TVs are “on sale” during Black Friday sales events, either because they’ve already seen discounts throughout the year, and/or because a retailer is cutting their price as part of the sale.

The key question, then, is how much savings one is leaving on the table by shopping ahead of Black Friday.

How much money do you save by buying a TV on Black Friday?

After over ten years of testing, reviewing and tracking the sales of TVs, I’ve developed a not-so-scientific, vibes-based answer to this very question: a few hundred bucks.

How much is a few hundred? Well, sometimes it’s $200 and sometimes it’s $500. Some TVs crash by over $1,000, and others, weirdly, climb in price.

“But Michael,” you might be saying, “doesn’t that make the word ‘few’ inaccurate? Don’t words have meaning? Are we not trying to have a society here?”

Consider this: Some TVs are released exclusively on Black Friday and debut on sale. That doesn’t stop retailers from slapping a big ol’ “$800 off!” label on the listing, referring to an original price that technically never really existed.

In other words, we don’t exist in a realm that makes much sense. Besides, sale prices are impossible to predict. Brands are constantly affected by forces great and small that contribute to when products go on sale (and for how much).

So, if you ask me how much extra money you’re spending by buying a TV now instead of waiting until Black Friday, I’ll tell you what I tell everyone else: probably a few hundred bucks. And that brings me to my final point.

If you want a new TV right now, you shouldn't wait until Black Friday

I know, I know: This piece of advice seems like a bit of a cop-out.

“Buy a TV if you want a TV” may seem like an obvious statement to make (and it is), but the truth of the matter is that no one but yourself can decide if — ahem — a few hundred bucks is more valuable than having a new TV between now and Black Friday. Nor can anyone tell you which models are most likely to get the biggest discounts when these sales events start churning out deals.

I can tell you two things with certainty: Most new TVs will be on sale during Black Friday, but most of these models are already relatively close to what will eventually be their lowest price.

Your particular circumstances and preferences matter more than anything else in this scenario. Maybe the risk of spending more on a TV now than you will in a couple of months is worth having a new screen to look at during football season. Perhaps you're really itching to do that marathon of "The Lord of the Rings" sooner rather than later.

Just for fun, let’s take a look at one of the most popular TVs among our readers during Black Friday last year: the LG C5 OLED.

According to my records, in late September of 2025, the 65-inch C5 was $1,699 at Best Buy. When Black Friday rolled around a couple of months later, the same model had fallen to $1,399.

The LG C6 OLED — the C5's successor — appears to be following a similar trajectory. At the time of publishing, the 65-inch LG C6 is $1,599.

While there's no way to know for sure, my hunch is that this model will settle between $1,299 and $1,399 at major retailers during Black Friday sales events. If I'm correct, the cost of skipping the wait will be about $200 to $300.

In other words, a few hundred bucks.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your living room might be too bright for an OLED TV — here’s how to tell
• LG responds to claims that its smart TVs track viewers — but I still have several questions
• Don’t believe your eyes when shopping for a TV in person — here’s why

The Sony Bravia 3 II is one of the most affordable Bravia-branded TVs in 2026. It comes with a remarkably thorough collection of features given its place in Sony's Bravia TV lineup, but its relatively simplistic display hardware and lack of brightness limit its versatility.

As its name suggests, the Hisense U6SF Pro is an entry-level TV with a little extra flair compared to garden-variety, budget-friendly TVs. Its Mini-LED backlighting is the key to its success, and it's one of the brightest sets in its class. This makes it a dependable choice for a wide swath of shoppers.

In the battle between two affordable, high-performance LED TVs, which one is right for you? Before you make a decision, there are some key differences worth highlighting. We've tested both models, and we're happy to point you in the right direction.

Sony Bravia 3 II vs Hisense U6SF Pro: Specs compared

Despite its entry-level status, the Bravia 3 II's spec sheet is one of the best of I've seen on a Sony TV in recent years, and it all starts with its full slate of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs. Until now, it's been tricky to track down a Sony TV with more than two high-bandwidth ports.

Whichever HDMI port you pick, it's ready to make the most of your connected device. All four support 4K games at 120Hz — the top 4K spec on current-generation consoles.

The Hisense U6SF Pro, meanwhile, supports 4K content up to 144Hz, so it's slightly more accommodating for people who plan on linking up a gaming PC. However, only two of its HDMI ports support this functionality, so the Bravia 3 II's port selection is better equipped for a dedicated gamers.

Another key advantage of the Bravia 3 II is its wider array of size options. It's available in both 43- and 50-inch screen sizes, which is relatively hard to come by in its class.

The U6SF Pro's HDR10+ support is nice to have, but the added size options in the Bravia 3 II lineup and its universal HDMI 2.1 support put it over the top.

Winner: Sony Bravia 3 II

Sony Bravia 3 II vs Hisense U6SF Pro: Design

Neither of these budget-friendly TVs are dressed as dashingly as higher-end models. However, given their place in each brand's respective lineup, they could look and feel a lot worse than they do.

The Sony Bravia 3 II (pictured above) leverages a sturdy panel that looks about as utilitarian as a TV gets. That said, I appreciate the minimalist approach, as the Bravia 3 II is able to slot right into any living room without looking aesthetically out of place.

At close to three inches thick, the Bravia 3 II's panel is a bit of a chonkster. If you're expecting something slim, you might want to take a look at it in person before plunking down your credit card. In any event, the U6SF Pro isn't much thinner.

Take a trip around the back of the U6SF Pro (seen above) and you'll notice that its panel has a bit more business going on — lines, indents, things of that nature. Most notably is its built-in subwoofer, which according to my colleague Dylan Haas, does a pretty decent job of filling out the TV's soundscape.

Both TV's screens sit somewhat low to the ground, but the Bravia 3 II offers a bit more soundbar clearance. In addition, I have to shout out the remote control included with the Bravia 3 II, which is much more pleasant to hold and use than the clicker that comes with the U6SF Pro.

But when sizing up both sets, their design chops are pretty much a wash. They'll look fine in all rooms and don't feel cheap to the touch.

Winner: Draw

Sony Bravia 3 II vs Hisense U6SF Pro: Performance

Before we dig deeper into how these TVs look, let's compare their test results. Both TVs were in their most-accurate picture modes when these tests were taken. (For the Bravia 3, this is Professional mode. For the U6SF Pro, it's Filmmaker mode.)

The U6SF Pro's primary advantage over the Bravia 3 II is its display hardware. It taps an array of Mini-LEDs that can be brightened and dimmed across multiple zones, while Sony's entry-level set is limited to standard, direct-LED backlighting with no local dimming at all.

The result — as is illustrated in the chart above — is that the U6SF Pro features a much brighter presentation. This is especially true for HDR content, where Mini-LEDs really shine.

Additionally, the U6SF Pro's smaller-sized LEDs and local dimming capabilities allow for tighter contrast control. Black levels are deeper than they are on the Bravia 3 II during certain content, which contributes to a more cinematic picture overall.

To its credit, the Bravia 3 II doesn't sport a bad-looking picture. True to Sony's reputation, the Bravia 3 II delivers a dialed-in presentation in its most-accurate picture mode. It handles the finer aspects of picture quality (like motion handling and upscaling) better than most entry-level sets.

But while Hisense's picture processing isn't as impressive as Sony's, our eyes have evolved to notice contrast above almost everything else. That the U6SF Pro is about twice as bright as the Bravia 3 II is what makes it the better choice for HDR content, bright-room viewing and with the lights off.

Colors look brighter on the U6SF Pro, too, as a result of this added luminance. When you factor this alongside the Bravia 3 II's limited contrast, you're left with a picture that runs the risk of looking flat in certain lighting conditions.

Winner: Hisense U6SF Pro

Sony Bravia 3 II vs Hisense U6SF Pro: Smart platform and features

Like all Bravia TVs, the Bravia 3 II is built around the Google TV smart platform. It's not my first choice when it comes to streaming software, but it's good enough to serve as a your daily viewing backdrop.

The Google TV interface is, for the most part, laid out in a sensible way, and while plenty of ads grace the home screen, it's not difficult to prioritize the apps and shows you're most likely to engage with. Google TV is also connected to a huge library of downloadable apps, so you'll rarely find yourself wondering why a piece of software isn't supported.

When it comes to bells and whistles, there's a lot to enjoy. The Bravia 3 II offers gamers Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), as well as the aforementioned quartet of HDMI 2.1 inputs. IMAX Enhanced mode is along for the ride, too, as well as all of the usual Google TV enhancements (like Chromecast functionality).

Unlike most mainline Hisense TVs in 2026, the U6SF Pro isn't running Google TV. Instead, it's built around Amazon's smart platform, Fire TV.

While Fire TV has seen some improvements in recent years, I still find the overall experience to be rather frustrating. At times it can be slow to boot up apps, and its user interface isn't as streamlined as that of Roku and Google TV. Unsurprisingly, folks who already use a number of Alexa-enabled devices in their home stand to make the most out of Fire TV.

Similar to the Bravia 3 II, the U6SF Pro also supports VRR, ALLM and IMAX Enhanced mode. It also advertises AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. The U6SF Pro would be a slightly better gaming TV than the Bravia 3 II if it offered as many HDMI 2.1-enabled ports.

Winner: Sony Bravia 3 II

Sony Bravia 3 II vs Hisense U6SF Pro: Verdict

The U6SF Pro is a safer pick for a wider variety of viewers than the Bravia 3 II. The reason for that is simple: Its picture is about twice as bright.

Thanks to its impressive picture processing, Google TV and the inclusion of four HDMI 2.1 inputs, an argument could easily be made that the Bravia 3 II is the best direct-LED-based TV on the market. It's certainly a fantastic gaming TV for the price, at least.

But the U6SF Pro's Mini-LED backlighting and local dimming are more impactful on a day-to-day basis than the Bravia 3's extra pair of high-bandwidth inputs, and the same goes for Google TV. The ideal Bravia 3 II-owner is someone who owns several consoles, appreciates the finer aspects of picture quality and does most of their viewing during the day (in a room that isn't too bright). That's a pretty narrow slice.

And we haven't even talked about pricing yet. The 65-inch Hisense U6SF Pro is $699 at Best Buy at the time of publishing — it's not the cheapest set, but you're getting a lot for that price.

Meanwhile, the 65-inch Bravia 3 II is currently $899 at Best Buy. Unless you're absolutely certain that the Bravia 3 II's performance profile is a good fit for your living room, I recommend taking a closer look at the set with Mini-LED backlighting.

More from Tom's Guide

• Sony Bravia 3 II review
• Hisense U6SF Pro review
• Best TV Brands 2026: We just graded them on price, performance and more — here’s how their report cards stack up

No two living rooms are the same. Some are extremely bright with lots of ambient light streaming through a half-dozen windows. Others are pitch black thanks to a bevy of blackout curtains. Since they can be so different, there’s no one right TV that fits every space.

Below you’ll find our attempt to cover every use case — from the most premium OLED TVs that look best in a proper home theater to budget models that can thrive in any living space, there’s a TV here that should work for both your space and your budget.

These displays will not only change the amount of details you can pick out in your favorite shows and films, but they’ll totally revolutionize the way games play and how you’ll find the next thing to watch on any of the top-tier streaming services. Without further ado, let’s hop into our picks for the top TVs — and projector — for the Tom's Guide Awards 2026.

Best TV overall

LG C6 OLED

This one’s not going to surprise anyone. LG’s vaunted C-Series has won some sort of award from us for the last five years straight. Last year, the honor belonged to the LG C5 OLED, and in 2026 it’s going to the LG C6 OLED.

So what makes these TVs so special that they just keep winning? It comes down to two things — value and performance. We love a jaw-dropping OLED around here and we love them even more when we can find them for around $1,500. That’s the LG C6 OLED to a T.

Does that mean it’s absolutely perfect? No. The brand recently came under fire for its handling of audio data obtained by its microphones and you can get better color performance from rival TVs (look no further than the Samsung S95H or Sony Bravia 9 II, both found lower on our list). If those foibles can be overlooked (or outright disabled in the former’s case), the LG C6 perfectly embodies Tom’s Guide’s ethos: performance without paying a premium. At this price, the C6 simply can’t be beat.

— Nick Pino, Managing Editor TV and Audio

Best OLED TV

Samsung S95H OLED

You could make the argument that the Samsung S95H should be the Best TV of 2026. (This was, in fact, the subject of much debate here at the Tom’s Guide office.) But in the end, we had to give the C6 the edge for its slightly more consumer-friendly price.

If you don’t mind paying for its slightly higher sticker price, however, the S95H delivers even better color than its LG rival thanks to its implementation of Samsung’s QD-OLED display. In the labs, it could accurately reproduce 89.67% of the Rec2020 color space — a huge advantage over the LG C6’s good-but-not-great result of 76.26%.

Other OLED TVs are going to offer inky black levels, pixel-perfect contrast and responsive refresh rates, but only the Samsung S95H is going to give you all that and a color reproduction that will blow you away.

— Nick Pino, Managing Editor TV and Audio

Best projector

Hisense XR10

Let me rip the Band-Aid off right away: The Hisense XR10 costs $4,999 — and that’s when it’s on sale. When it’s not on sale, you’re looking at $5,499 and closer to $6,000 after taxes. That’s not an easy pill to swallow, especially in this tough economy.

All that being said, we wouldn’t recommend it if we thought it wasn’t worth its exorbitant entry price and our veteran projector reviewer Mark Knapp summed it up best: “The XR10 will leave you feeling like going to the movie theater is a downgrade.” It’s extremely bright at nearly 7,000 lumens (it looks good even with all the lights turned on) and is easily fitted to your space.

I know the price can be shocking, especially considering that the myriad other Chinese newcomers to the projector market like XGIMI are selling projectors for thousands of dollars less, but just think about how much you’re going to save on movie tickets.

— Nick Pino, Managing Editor TV and Audio

Best Mini-LED TV

TCL QM7L

It’s not the best and brightest Mini-LED TV in TCL’s 2026 lineup, but when you factor in its price and value relative to the rest of the sets in its class, the TCL QM7L is one of the best all-around TVs of the year.

In a year defined by new TV technologies, TCL’s bold reformulation of traditional quantum dots gives cutting-edge, RGB LED-based TVs a run for their money. The QM7L is the most affordable way to experience Super Quantum Dot (SQD) color, and according to our test results, this TV is every bit as colorful as the higher-end TCL QM8L. It’s also plenty bright for daytime viewing.

Like any Mini-LED worth its salt, the QM7L’s backlight control keeps haloing and light bloom to a minimum. Plus, it’s packed with a proper amount of gaming- and streaming-related features for a TV in its price range. All of this adds up to a TV that, at times, feels like it ought to cost more than it does.

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

Best RGB TV

Sony Bravia 9 II

2026 has been the year of RGB LED. Nearly every major brand rolled out at least one of these ultra-colorful sets this year, and of all the examples we saw of this cutting-edge technology, none impressed us more than the Sony Bravia 9 II.

We’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage of our relationship with RGB LED backlighting (which trades the white- or blue-colored lighting found in traditional LED TVs for red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs), but one of the things we’ve already observed is the tech’s demand for precise backlight control and high-powered processing. These are areas in which Sony has historically excelled, so it’s no surprise that the Bravia 9 II is currently the crown jewel of RGB LED TVs.

The Bravia 9 II is immensely bright, downright psychedelic in its showcasing of color and nearly perfect when it comes to handling the finer details of picture quality, such as upscaling, color accuracy and the handling of gradients.

If you’re in the market for an RGB LED-based TV, there’s the Bravia 9 II — and then there’s everything else.

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

Best budget TV

Hisense U6SF Pro (2026)

As its name suggests, the U6SF Pro is an elevated entry-level TV that punches well above its weight. It’s Hisense’s answer for people who want a little extra oomph from a budget-friendly TV.

The U6SF Pro’s modest array of Mini-LEDs offers far better brightness and contrast control than entry-level sets that don’t come with local dimming. The U6SF Pro is also a sensible choice for people whose TVs sit alongside windows or light sources, as the screen features a matte-style, glare-free finish. (Did I mention that it’s arguably the best-equipped gaming TV in its price range?)

Thanks to its aggressive pricing, easy-to-please, budget-conscious shoppers can justify the U6SF Pro and walk away with a better TV than they might’ve thought they were getting. And, thanks to its bright, accurate presentation, folks in the market for an affordable TV with great picture quality will have trouble finding a better value at this price point.

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

Best big-screen TV

TCL X11L

When we were thinking about the best big-screen TV of 2026, only one TV came to mind: the TCL X11L. While other TVs might have a 75-inch and 85-inch variation on sale, the X11L starts at those sizes and only goes bigger (up to 98 inches). For that reason, it’s probably not the TV you want to buy if you’re living in a two bedroom apartment in the city, but for those folks with a living room big enough to accommodate it, there’s no better big-screen TV in 2026.

Its expansive exterior isn’t just for show, it also houses up to 20,736 precise dimming zones, the TSR AiPQ Processor, and TCL’s reformulated Super Quantum Dots (SQD). Combined, they help the X11L maintain richer color even at high luminance levels — something the TV certainly achieves with its 91.77% Rec2020 color space and nearly 7,000 nits of specular highlight brightness.

TCL’s other 2026 TVs certainly offer wheelbarrows of brightness and don’t cost nearly as much as the X11L, but if you want to see what the brand’s newest SQD technology is truly capable of, this TV will blow you away.

— Nick Pino, Managing Editor TV and Audio

Best gaming TV

Samsung S90H OLED

For dedicated gamers, the ideal TV comes with three key features: excellent picture quality, a full slate of high-bandwidth HDMI ports and ultra-low input lag. The Samsung S90H delivers on all fronts — and it packs additional perks for people who prioritize living-room gaming.

As far as OLED TVs go, the S90H isn’t the brightest or most-colorful option in Samsung’s catalogue. However, as a mid-range set, the S90H offers a brighter presentation than entry-level OLED TVs. It also borrows one of the most popular design flourishes of Samsung’s flagship-level OLED: the brand’s Glare Free display, which keeps distracting reflections out of your gaming sessions.

Like all Samsung TVs, the S90H doesn’t come with Dolby Vision support, but in addition to a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs, the S90H also comes with Samsung Gaming Hub built into the TV’s Tizen-based software. Gaming Hub offers an easy way to access several cloud-based gaming services (including Xbox Cloud Gaming).

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

Best TV design

LG W6 OLED

Perhaps the best combination of performance and design I’ve ever laid eyes on, the LG W6 OLED is as stunning a TV as it is a statement piece. Its featherlight display practically floats on the wall, but its performance is nothing short of a heavy hitter. The W6 taps LG’s superb Hyper Radiant Color technology, which blends eye-popping, OLED-driven contrast with rich, punchy hues.

At the heart of the W6 experience is LG’s True Wireless system, which allows connected devices to be thoughtfully arranged somewhere near the TV, free of cables. Between the flexibility of its wireless capabilities, the TV’s razor-thin, flush mounting system and its incredible picture, the LG W6 is a home theater enthusiast’s dream.

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

Best smart TV platform

Roku TV

It’s not perfect, but Roku is still as close as a smart platform gets to the ideal streaming hub. Compared to the dense, ad-heavy interfaces of Google TV, webOS, Tizen and Fire TV, Roku’s minimalist menu and easy-to-navigate home screen is a breath of fresh air.

There are ads and recommendations in the corners of the UI, but the placement of this content is easy to sidestep. Plus, Roku’s library of downloadable apps is vast, and all of the most-popular streaming services are supported.

Unfortunately, Roku’s presence as a platform is more prominent in the realm of dedicated streaming devices; there are far fewer TVs with Roku as its built-in software than, say, Google TV. However, so-called Roku TVs are getting better with each passing year, and recently, the first Roku-powered OLED TVs entered the market — a boon for folks who equally value simple software and picture quality.

— Michael Desjardin, Senior Editor TV

For several days, LG has been facing intense scrutiny after investigators at the YouTube channel Gamers Nexus alleged that the brand's smart TVs track users in more ways than most people realize, and that these efforts are a result of a lack of transparency between LG and TV-owners.

Specifically, the investigators claim that LG smart TVs collect details about devices connected to users’ Wi-Fi networks, track content watched and even transcribe ambient audio recordings — often without the users’ knowledge.

LG has broken its silence on the matter and responded to these assertions. But its reaction — while swift — hasn’t cleared the air on many of the concerns raised in the investigation by Gamers Nexus, and as a TV expert myself, even I still have questions.

LG's response to the smart TV controversy

If you're curious, you can peruse LG's statement in full to get the brand's complete response. For our purposes, let's run down the key points.

On the subject of voice recognition, LG has this to say:

"LG smart TVs do not continuously record or transmit users’ conversations. Speech-to-text processing begins only if a user activates a voice interaction through a supported wake-word feature or by pressing the voice (or AI) button on the remote control. Audio used for wake-word detection is processed locally on the TV and, if no wake word is detected, audio is not converted to text, stored, or transmitted."

Here's LG's response to concerns about Automatic Content Recognition (ACR):

"Where ACR is available and enabled, ACR-related information may be used for audience segmentation and viewing or audience trend analysis. Interest-based advertising and cross-device advertising require separate user consent through the applicable advertising-related agreements ... LG does not use ACR for interest-based advertising unless a user opts in to both agreements. Users can withdraw from these agreements at any time and also can turn off ACR in TV settings."

Lastly, this passage serves as LG's explanation for the Gamers Nexus investigators

"Smart TVs are designed to work with a variety of connected devices and services throughout the home. LG smart TVs may use device-discovery functions to recognize and communicate with compatible external devices that users connect or use with the TV ... The information identified through this device-discovery function is used to support connectivity-related features and is not used for household profiling, cross-device targeting, or advertising segmentation."

The questions LG hasn't answered

In many ways, that there needs to be an investigation into what sort of personal information our televisions are collecting from us (and where it ultimately goes) is a massive problem to begin with. Further, that LG's response to such an investigation does little to clear the air is even more problematic.

As someone who's covered the TV industry for over a decade has observed the rise of internet-connected, microphone-equipped smart TVs, LG's official response does little to address my concerns — and I'm someone who surrounds himself with this tech on a daily basis.

Here's just a sampling of the questions I still have after reading LG's response:

1. What protections (if any) exist to safeguard the wake-word detection process so that malicious actors can't take advantage of audio- and text-based voice records?
2. If LG does not use ACR for interest-based advertising or audience trend analysis so long as the user opts out of these arrangements, are there any other applications for ACR data outside of trend analysis and targeted advertising that ACR is used for?
3. What details, specifically, are collected from devices connected to the same network as an LG smart TV, and what steps can users take to ensure that this process can be avoided if they choose to do so?

Perhaps my biggest source of confusion is this: LG has stated that "[t]he claims made in the recently published video are not true."

However, at no point has LG refuted the methodology and evidence on display in the video itself. The concerns raised by these investigators are refuted, but as far as I've seen, LG hasn't touched the process in which Gamers Nexus gathered evidence.

In the interest of transparency, I encourage you to check out Gamers Nexus' reaction to LG's response, which is useful in understanding the stated position of the folks' whose investigation launched this particular news cycle.

In the meantime, we'll be reaching out to LG with our own questions. I hope to share its responses soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your LG TV could be tracking devices on your home Wi-Fi — here’s how to stop it
• Yes, your TV probably has a microphone in it — here's how to turn it off
• Here's why it's hard to find 'dumb TV' in 2026 — and why you shouldn't buy one anyway

Welcome to the 2026 Tom's Guide Awards! Our annual awards celebrate the best tech, tools, gear, and services we've used over the past year, culminating with our Hero awards, which celebrate the very best innovation, company, and product design, among others.

Without further ado, here are all the winners of this year's Tom's Guide Awards.

Today, a brand-new version of tvOS arrives on Apple TV 4K. It’s good news for folks who own our pick for the best streaming device for Apple users.

Unfortunately, not all of the Apple TV devices out in the wild will be receiving the update. It’s the first time an update to the Apple TV hasn’t been released across every generation of the product.

Here’s what you need to know about tvOS 27 — including what’s new in the latest version.

Which Apple TV 4K boxes are getting tvOS 27?

The tvOS 27 update is available on Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen) and Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen). The update rolled out today and should be available immediately at the time of publishing via the device’s Settings menu. The tvOS 27 update is not available to first-generation Apple TV 4K boxes, perhaps due to its older hardware.

If you’re not sure which version of the Apple TV 4K you own, there’s a simple way to tell. From the home screen of the Apple TV 4K interface, navigate to Settings, then select General and About. The model numbers for each generation are as follows:

• Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen with Ethernet): A2843
• Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen): A2737
• Apple TV 4K: (2nd Gen): A2169
• Apple TV 4K (1st Gen): A1842

It’s worth noting that you can also cross-reference these model numbers with the label on the bottom of your physical device. Non-4K Apple TV models aren’t eligible for the latest version of tvOS.

What’s new in tvOS 27

The latest software update to Apple’s 4K streaming device brings quality-of-life changes to the user interface and, according to Apple, improved performance. This includes an updated Control Center, faster app-launch speeds and quicker AirPlay connections. Another nifty new feature is the ability to adjust text size across the entire platform.

The biggest software changes, however, concern the Apple Music and Apple Podcasts app. Apple Music now supports Hi-Res Lossless audio, and a feature called AutoMix is now available, which enhances the transitions between songs.

Apple’s Podcasts app has been spruced up in an effort to simplify the navigational experience. In addition, video podcasts are now accessible via the Podcasts app.

Is a new Apple TV 4K on the way?

At Apple's latest keynote event, insiders and enthusiasts alike were rather surprised at the lack of an Apple TV 4K announcement. For months, rumors swirled about a new, 4th-generation version of the device that was said to be right around the corner.

For now, the 3rd-generation Apple TV 4K remains the newest (and most capable) version of the powerful streaming device. Unfortunately, like so many devices on the market today, this version of Apple TV 4K has seen recent price hikes, and there's no guarantee that there won't be more price increases in the coming months.

It's possible that the next version of an Apple TV 4K streaming box will fold in many new features that have already found their way into other devices across the Apple ecosystem. Features like Siri AI, for instance, feel destined to land on the brand's dedicated streaming device in the not-so-distant future due to its recent integration in iOS 27.

Until that device is announced, however, the 3rd-generation Apple TV 4K is still the best streaming device for Apple users.

More from Tom's Guide

• Is a new Apple TV in the works? Here's how John Ternus' appointment as Apple CEO could benefit Apple's streaming device
• I found 5 hidden shortcuts for my Apple TV 4K that make it so much easier to use — here's how to use them
• iOS 27 is live — here's how to download and install it now

LG — makers of some of the best TVs on the market — is facing scrutiny after an investigative report revealed potential privacy vulnerabilities associated with its smart TVs. Specifically, the investigation purports that LG is aware that its TV users are being tracked to the degree that they are, but that in most cases, the user doesn’t.

For LG TV-owners, these developments could be cause for concern. Despite the seemingly endless spool of user agreements that unfurls during the set-up process, the extent to which a TV can track a person’s actions (and where that data ends up) remains eerily inscrutable.

But while LG is taking its turn under the microscope, every other TV brand is conveniently side-stepping the latest round of scrutiny. In 2026, every smart TV on the market is gathering a ton of data about who we are, what we watch and how likely we are to buy stuff — and there’s currently no incentive for them to stop.

What’s going on with LG smart TVs?

Let’s start with some context. According to a recent investigation by YouTube channel Gamers Nexus, LG smart TVs continuously scan and gather information about devices connected to a user’s home Wi-Fi network.

The LG smart TV news gets even more concerning, though, as Gamers Nexus also discovered that select models record audio via microphones in the TV and remote control — even while the TV is disconnected from the internet. These audio files are transcribed, stored and can be sent to LG when the TV connects to the internet.

We’ve reached out to LG for more information on these matters, but based on comments provided to outlets like Ars Technica and Tom’s Hardware, the stated function of LG TVs’ network analyzation function is to recognize and enable compatible devices that can interface with the TV.

Additionally, LG claims that its TVs’ always-on listening function is limited to situations in which this feature has been deliberately enabled by the user, either by via a button on the remote or when the TV detects the “wake” words (like “Hi, LG”). According to LG, transcribed text is locally processed and deleted — not stored.

Like many tech brands that deal heavily in the gathering and mapping of user data, LG insists that its practices are above board. But critics (myself included) maintain that the process in which data is collected and catalogued is too opaque for most people to understand, and that allowing companies increasing access to our private lives introduces certain risks.

LG happens to be the brand catching the most flak right now, but it’s far from the only actor engaging in these dealings. In fact, I can’t think of a single TV-maker that isn’t.

LG is not alone

The worldwide leader in OLED TVs isn’t the only brand whose smart TVs are built around data-collection. Nearly every major TV-maker in the world is getting in on the action and has been for years.

As TV-enjoyers, we awkwardly reap some of the benefits of this system. One of the biggest reasons why TVs have gotten better and cheaper is because brands are able to offset costs by collecting and selling user data.

But make no mistake: We are nowhere near the primary benefactors here. These companies study who we are and what we watch, map our habits and find ways to maximize that information.

In addition to LG, Hisense, Samsung, Sony and TCL have faced criticism for their use of Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), a built-in function that tracks what’s on screen, gathers screenshots and shares the data with the brand associated with the TV or its software. All of that on-screen information can then be used as a roadmap for trying to sell stuff back to the user.

Almost every smart TV on shelves right now is equipped with at least one microphone. And, while there are ways to disable these mics, the amount of software entanglement that exists between voice-activated smart home devices, TVs and smartphones provides plenty of incentive for people to smash that “Agree” button at the bottom of a wall of complicated legalese without much of a thought.

The frenzied, capitalistic advent of AI-based TV features — many of which offer little tangible benefit but are nevertheless the centerpiece of a company’s marketing pitch — all but ensures that the relationship between us and our data is about to get even more opaque.

Smart TVs have made streaming more accessible and cheaper than ever, but along the way, there’s been a slow-creep of access granted to the companies we invite into our living rooms.

How to protect your smart TV privacy

There’s no way around it: The best “Dumb” TVs don’t really exist, and if you’re buying a smart TV, there’s a certain amount of privacy you’ll have to give up in order to use it. There are, however, ways to nibble around the edges of the situation.

We recently published a guide on how to stop an LG TV from listening, but it wasn’t our first foray into the subject. We’ve also published a guide on how to turn off TV data collection for several popular brands including Samsung, Roku, and sets built around Google TV and Amazon Fire TV.

If you’re unclear whether or not your TV is tapping an on-board listening device, we’ve outlined instructions on how to disable a TV microphone. The exact manner in which these on-board microphones are used depends on the brand associated with the TV and/or its software, but I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with your own set’s functionality.

Until something powerful compels TV companies to disclose more information about their business practices, we — the viewers — need to take it upon ourselves to understand what’s at stake when it comes to our personal data and to draw our own lines in the sand for what we deem acceptable and unacceptable. LG is the latest brand at the center of controversy, but it surely won’t be the last.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your LG TV could be tracking devices on your home Wi-Fi — here’s how to stop it
• Yes, your TV probably has a microphone in it — here's how to turn it off
• Here's why it's hard to find 'dumb TV' in 2026 — and why you shouldn't buy one anyway

Sony just dropped a brand-new OLED TV, and the most surprising thing about it (other than its sudden, mid-year announcement) is its relatively low price.

For the first time, a Sony OLED TV is going toe to toe with more modestly priced OLEDs from Sony’s top rivals. The Bravia 6 is $1,999 for a 65-inch model, which puts it roughly in line with mid-range OLEDs from LG and Samsung.

That’s exciting news for anyone looking for more OLED-driven options in this price range, but I’m especially interested in the Bravia 6 for two reasons: its hardware and its picture processing.

The Bravia 6 is the first Sony OLED TV with four HDMI 2.1 inputs

Believe it or not, there aren’t very many Sony TVs with more than two HDMI 2.1 inputs. Despite the steep price tags associated with top-tier Sony sets, even the brand’s best TVs (like the recently released Bravia 9 II) are mostly equipped with just a pair of high-bandwidth ports.

The Bravia 6 is different. It might not be as bright or as colorful as the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED, but the Bravia 6 offers more flexibility when it comes to current- and next-generation gaming. With four HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs, folks who upgrade to the Bravia 6 won’t have to think too hard about what devices are plugged into which input, as all of them support the same slate of features, such as 4K gaming at 120Hz.

For years, LG and Samsung OLED TVs have offered a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs. This has been true across nearly all of these brands’ OLEDs — from entry-level models to flagship-level models.

As expected, the Bravia 6’s closest competitors — the LG C6 and Samsung S90H — both carry four HDMI 2.1 inputs. Had Sony’s latest OLED TV arrived with just two high-bandwidth ports, it would have stumbled out of the gate.

But perhaps the most enticing aspect of the Bravia 6 isn't the hardware on its outside, but rather, the software that makes it all possible.

Sony's picture processing is among the best in the game

Until now, experiencing Sony's exceptional processing on an OLED TV typically meant spending more for the privilege — at least relative to competitive sets. The Bravia 6's aggressive pricing makes the brand's expert engineering a bit more accessible.

If you’re the type of viewer who values an accurate presentation above all else, it's tough not to respect Sony's commitment to the cause. Even at the lowest end of the Bravia TV lineup (the Bravia 3 II), Sony is dedicated to making the most of a TV’s hardware.

We're still in the process of evaluating the Bravia 6, and while we don't have test results ready to publish, it's quite possible that Sony's new OLED doesn't get quite as bright as mid-range models from LG and Samsung. But if the Bravia 6's picture processing is as good as we've seen on several Bravia TVs this year, Sony's attention to detail could be the ace up its sleeve.

Sony Bravia 6: Outlook

As mentioned, we're still in the process of evaluating the Bravia 6 OLED. However, the TV's surprise announcement coincided with its debut on store shelves.

The 65-inch Bravia 6 is $1,999, but in the coming months, sale pricing could very well make the Bravia 6 a sleeper hit of the 2026 holiday-shopping season. Nevertheless, its current price makes it an intriguing alternative to the LG C6 and the Samsung S90H.

It's worth mentioning, too, that Sony recently emerged at the front of our assessment of the best TV brands. When we asked our readers to vote for the TV brand they trust the most, Sony ran away with those results, too.

Despite the tendency for Sony-branded TVs to carry higher price tags than rival sets, it seems that Sony has maintained a sterling reputation among A/V enthusiasts and casual viewers alike.

If the Bravia 6 can succeed without the high-price caveat, it could end up being one of the year's smartest buys for anyone in the market for a sensibly priced OLED TV.

More from Tom's Guide

• Sony TV report card 2026: Is the 'Sony tax' still worth paying?
• TCL and Sony are joining forces to sell more TVs — but is that bad news for shoppers?
• We asked readers which TV brand they trusted most — and one company rose above the rest

Smart TVs have evolved from simple living room displays into active data-gathering hubs. Between targeted banner ads, voice-assistant listening, and automatic content recognition, today's TVs track far more than just what movie you are watching.

According to a recent technical investigation by Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs (and reported by Ars Technica), certain LG Smart TVs running webOS are capable of scanning local Wi-Fi networks (LAN) to identify secondary devices like smartphones and smartwatches connected to the same household network.

In a statement to Tom’s Guide, LG pushed back against the report's conclusions. Regarding local network scanning, LG explained that its TVs "feature the ability to scan for and connect to nearby devices on the same network," calling it "a standard function commonly provided by smart TVs and smart home devices.

You, however, don't have to tolerate any potential snooping in your living room. By adjusting a few buried default settings, you can lock down your television's privacy in under five minutes.

Here is how LG's background scanning works, and the exact steps to turn it off.

How smart TVs track your home network

Most users assume that agreeing to a TV's privacy policy simply allows the built-in apps to stream video. In reality, modern webOS systems utilize several overlapping background services designed to monetize user data.

Local network scanning: Using built-in discovery protocols, the TV scans your Wi-Fi network to identify other connected smart devices, helping advertisers build a broader profile of your household.

Automatic content recognition (ACR): Feature settings like "Live Plus" analyze on-screen pixels and audio cues to identify every show, movie, or ad you watch — even from external devices like cable boxes or gaming consoles.

Always-on microphones: Voice recognition services and "Always Ready" modes keep the TV's internal or remote listening for wake words, logging audio requests to cloud servers.

How to turn off tracking and network scanning on LG Smart TVs

You can block background network scanning, targeted ads, and active listening by navigating to a few key areas in your LG webOS settings menu.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to extend your TV's lifespan — 5 simple habits that make it last longer
• 7 tips and tricks to make your LG TV even better
• This smart TV setting is ruining your picture quality — turn it off now

Shelling out for one of the best TVs is a luxury in this tough economy — thankfully almost every manufacturer has a budget or mid-tier offering. For Sony, that’s the Bravia 3 II, a mid-range LED TV that sits above the entry-level Bravia 2 II and replaces the Bravia 3 that came before it.

We’ve already reviewed the Sony Bravia 9 II flagship True RGB TV as well as the step-down Sony Bravia 7 II, but the Bravia 3 II recently made its way to our New York City test lab. Overall, it’s a great TV where Sony’s excellent processing meets a direct-lit LED panel at a midrange price point starting around $900. But is that good enough when you could also go with a cheaper Roku, Vizio, or an Amazon Fire TV?

After spending some time with this TV, and putting it through our extensive lab testing, the answer to that question is a resounding yes, especially if you’re planning on putting this TV in your living room for daytime viewing. Nighttime viewers — or folks with a dedicated, lighting-controlled space like a home theater — might want to keep the other aforementioned Sony TVs at the top of their shopping list instead.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Pricing and availability

You can buy the Sony Bravia 3 II today from Sony’s website and other retailers like Best Buy. Pricing starts at $569 for a 43-inch model and goes all the way up to $1,999 for a 100-inch model. Our 65-inch review unit’s MSRP is $900, but it can be found on sale for $849.

Pricing for the full range is below.

• 43-inch: $599 | Sale: $569
• 50-inch: $699 | Sale $669
• 55-inch: $799 | Sale $699
• 65-inch: $899 | Sale $849 [TESTED]
• 75-inch: $1,999 | Sale $1,049
• 85-inch: $1,599 | Sale $1,499
• 100-inch: $3,099 | Sale $1,999

The 65-inch Bravia 3 II is $100 cheaper than the older Bravia 3 when it launched in 2024 for the price of $999, but that TV is now harder to find.

It’s worth noting that Sony’s TVs — even at this entry-level price — are more expensive than their competitors. For example, you can pick up a 65-inch Roku Select Series for $449, or the Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Smart TV for $398. Those other options might tempt you with their lower sticker price, but choosing another brand means passing up on Sony’s excellent picture processing.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Design

The Bravia 3 II is a simple, super clean-looking TV that is easy to set up. The 65-inch model has a decent size footprint of 57 x 35.56 x 11.87 inches with the stand, and weighs about 46 pounds without it.

Bezels are also thin, coming in around a quarter of an inch. You have about 2 inches of space under the front bezels of the TV, and there’s very minimal branding aside from a Sony logo on the bottom left.

The middle of the TV has a chin for the light sensors, power button, and a microphone slider button to mute the TV’s voice control features — a surprising feature that the more expensive Bravia 7 II also has onboard.

The feet, which have a plastic bottom and metal top, slide into slots at the bottom of the TV and are secured with screws with little effort. Unfortunately, those feet must be placed at either the right or left side under the panel, and can not be center-mounted.

You’ll need a wide entertainment center for this set, or you can wall mount using the 300mm x 300mm VESA mount on the rear. The rear of the TV isn’t too busy — it’s all plastic, all-black, and nothing fancy. Ports, though, are split into two areas and are a little surprising.

You’ll find four total HDMI 2.1 ports on this TV, something even Sony’s Flagship TVs don't have, making this an excellent companion for gaming consoles. HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 sit on the right side of the TV, directly below the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

HDMI 3 and 4, meanwhile, are tucked towards the middle in a little cove, and face downward. The eARC port is attached to HDMI 3, which is convenient for soundbars. The other mix of ports in that area are the Digital Audio Output, RF port, Ethernet port, and the RS-232C input.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: How we test

Testing TVs for Tom’s Guide is an in-depth process. In our New York City test lab, my lab assistant and I personally test every TV across SDR and HDR benchmarks using the 10% window method. For color accuracy, we switch the TV over to Filmmaker Mode, usually the “best” mode on the TV first. We also disable any intrusive ambient light sensors that could skew our meter’s readings.

For our tools, we use the Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer to profile the Klein K10-A colorimeter. Once profiled, these work with the Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator and a Tom’s-Guide specific workflow in Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate software which helps us determine the TV’s overall brightness and color accuracy across HDR and SDR.

For testing gaming performance, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester. This tool is used on the screen in the TV’s Game Mode to measure how responsive the TV really is. Once all technical lab testing is done, and we’ve tested the majority of the TV’s remaining picture modes, we put the TV through subjective testing using a curated selection of films and shows, both on streaming services, and on our lab’s Blu-ray player.

Visit our “How we test TVs” guide for a more in-depth explanation on the process.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Performance

The Bravia 3 II uses Sony's XR Processor, which is the same processor family found in the company's more expensive flagship TVs. Needless to say, it does the job excellently, helping optimize color, contrast and fine detail.

I noticed this in action across all the HDR content I watched, including Project Hail Mary on Amazon Prime and Top Gun Maverick. The opening 10 minutes of Project Hail Mary has some dark scenes but plenty of beautiful shots of the space ship's interior. The Bravia 3 II brings out lots of details as Grace plays with the ship’s various machines. Finer details, like the skin tone in Grace’s face looked natural and even the bright objects in the cold metallic ship have pop and life to them.

But this is still an LED TV, however, and Sony’s image processor does not overcome the limits of the panel on the TV itself, particularly with black levels. Without local dimming, darker scenes and select darker colors don’t have a lot of depth. For example, I noticed that when Grace looked out of the spacecraft window, the deep darkness of space had more of a dark grayish look.

For a more controlled test, I turned to watching Top Gun: Maverick on our lab’s 4K Blu-ray player. As with Project Hail Mary, the movie looked surprisingly good in regular room lighting. The bright outdoor shots in the movie’s opening made the TV look better than its price — and brighter than my measured 520 nits in Professional Mode might show.

I noticed the fine details I never caught before: the drops of sweat on Tom Cruise’s hands as he worked on his jet, and as the bright sunlight shimmering on the fuselage on an airplane as the camera panned to it in the hangar.

But, again, the lack of deep blacks that a Mini-LED or QLED TV might have are still present. As Tom Cruise got dressed and put on his pilot outfit, the blacks in the fabric looked slightly dull. Scenes still remained enjoyable though, just you will not get the reference-grade HDR brightness and accuracy you might get on the Bravia 9 II or more premium TVs.

Conversely, SDR performance is solid, especially with New York Mets MLB replays, and regular cartoons like Spongebob Squarepants on YouTube.

For SDR content, I watched about 20 minutes of a 45-minute-long Pure Happiness at the Krusty Krab video. On YouTube. Switching the Bravia 3 II to Vivid mode, I was blown away. It was my favorite way of testing the TV.

Spongebob’s skin popped with a bright vibrant yellow that I’ve never seen before, even on an OLED TV. The blues in a cabinet in the Krusty Krab’s kitchen, and the turquoise in Squidward's skin looked incredible. Even the red in Mr. Krabs’ shell jumped off the screen and appealed to my eyes right away.

This episode looked really bold and bright, and it was not what I expected out of this TV. Sony’s image processing really wins here, producing a more polished picture than I’ve seen from many budget TVs from Roku, Amazon and Vizio.

Of course, Vivid mode is designed to push brightness higher. It doesn’t go for the pure color accuracy which is where Professional mode is better. But the extra brightness really helps make cartoons, or animated series, and even sports look great on this TV.

I also switched the TV over to Standard mode and watched MLB highlights of a New York Mets game. The green grass of the MLB diamond looked alive. The “road gray” color in Kodai Senga’s Mets uniform was also great. I could make out the fine folds in his uniform as he threw out the final pitch to get his first career save.

Overall, there were a few snags with the black levels, but I was impressed with the Sony Bravia 3 II’s performance.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Test results

As the lab results show, the 65-inch Bravia 3 II performs well for a direct-lit LED HDR TV. I measured 520 nits on a 10% window, which beats out the older 43-inch Bravia 3 (448 nits) — though that is a smaller size which impacts benchmarks. It also completely outperforms budget entry options like the Roku Select Series QLED (334 nits).

It, however, does not rival the Vizio Mini LED Quantum (781 nits), which has a different technology and the dimming zones this TV lacks. The flagship True RGB beast like the Bravia 7 II (2,077 nits) also won’t come close to it, but shows just how much more you can get for extra money.

Out of the box, the Bravia 3 II’s 2.12 Delta-E score in Professional Mode beats both the older Bravia 3 (3.49) and competing models like the Vizio Mini LED (4.63) This shows its strong color accuracy.

Not a lot of content is mastered for Rec 2020 coverage, but the Sony Bravia 3 II covers 74.06% of that gamut. That is a big jump from its smaller predecessor (69.81%). It is also ahead of the Roku QLED (64.50%), and the Vizio Mini LED (71.37%). For the more common UHDA-P3, it covers 94.62% of UHDA-P3, putting it third in the group, but these small percentage differences are not something your eyes will likely notice.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Gaming

I was happy to see that the gaming experience on the Bravia 3 II’s game mode was smooth as butter — which is impressive, considering its sub-$1,000 price. Like the more expensive Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II, the TV supports Auto HDR Tone Mapping with PlayStation 5, along with VRR and ALLM support. This lets you skip the HDR optimization and auto applies the best settings for the TV’s HDR gaming features.

Yet unlike the more expensive Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II, this TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning you can use up to four gaming consoles at 120Hz. For a gamer like me, that’s heaven. It is honestly very baffling to me why this TV has this many HDMI 2.1 ports and some of Sony's flagship TVs do not.

To test the gaming performance, I booted up Pragamata on our lab’s PlayStation 5. The game looked visually incredible, and played great. I experienced no lag in this game, where input timing is key. My quick inputs on the Triangle, Square, Circle buttons perfectly aligned with the hacking sequence needed to shoot enemy crusher robots in the Solar Power Plant sector.

Sony also includes the PS Remote Play app on the TV pre-installed. I have to admit, it was nice remoting into my own PS5 and playing a game like Gran Turismo 7 that we do not own on the lab’s console.

A dedicated Game Bar can also be summoned by pressing the “. . .” button on the remote when in the TV’s game mode. This gives you controls for VRR, Motion blur reduction, a Black equalizer, and the option to add a Crosshair. These are nice-to-have features at this TV’s price point.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Sound

For audio testing, I watched the music videos for Post Malone’s “Sunflower” as well as Shaboozy’s “Highway”. The Bravia 3 II sports "X-Balanced" speakers in a "Bass Reflex" enclosure. There's no subwoofers or surface drivers, so I would suggest pairing this TV with a soundbar if you plan to do anything beyond watching movies or TV shows.

On the first music video, I noticed how clear Post Malone’s vocals sounded. There was a lack of sub bass, but with the volume turned up to around 30%, I didn’t hear any distortion.

With Shaboozy’s music video, I heard the thump from his deeper voice, but the finer details from acoustic guitar was somewhat muted.

My recommendation? Check out our list of the best soundbars to pair this set’s impressive performance with a more formidable piece of audio equipment.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Smart TV and remote

We’ve reviewed almost a dozen TV this year with Google TV and the Bravia 3 II adds another tally to that list. Compared to what you'll have with a Roku TV or ad-ridden and privacy-last Vizio TV, Google TV is minimalist, clean and easy to use.

Everything you need is up front in a clean and easy to navigate experience, from settings, to inputs to TV shows and movies. The TV’s Google Gemini integration will have your back, too and will make finding what you’re looking for easy in a more human-friendly way.

Sony is recycling the remote from the Bravia 7 II on this year’s Bravia 3 II. It is a plastic remote, with a speckled design. It’s a bit big in the hands but still super comfortable to use.

There’s the usual suite of buttons for navigation, apps like Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, voice control, and settings and menu. The remote can also be found using the power button on the TV. You also can program your own app to the star button on the remote.

Sony Bravia 3 II review: Verdict

The Sony Bravia 3 II is a surprising TV. It brings Sony’s flagship-level image processing to a basic LED panel to help make your favorite TV shows and movies look great when the lights are on. It might not match Mini-LED or QLED TVs for brightness or black levels, but it’s still great for the everyday TV viewer.

The Bravia 3 II will be a solid purchase thanks to its gaming performance. It is great for gamers with its four HDMI 2.1 ports, its sleek Google TV interface, and a smart design. If you're buying a 65-inch TV primarily for daytime living-room viewing and gaming, this is the one for you.

If you want cheaper, sub-$500 options, the aforementioned Roku or Vizio models are good first ports of call, while the more-expensive Bravia 7 II will deliver better color and brightness. As a jack-of-all-trades, though, the Bravia 3 II is a good all-arounder.

What makes a Mini-LED TV a Mini-LED TV? That’s the question at the heart of a recent lawsuit against Samsung, in which TCL alleges that two of Samsung’s Mini-LED TVs don’t actually use Mini-LED technology at all.

The complaint, filed Monday by Los Angeles law firm Larson LLP, states that “[Samsung] took a cheap, non-Mini LED model from a recycled product line and peddled it to the public as a ‘supreme’ Mini LED model at an attractive price point.”

Obviously, nobody wants to learn that the TV they thought they were buying isn't as advertised. But is there any truth to the claims laid out in TCL’s lawsuit? To better understand the situation, let’s start with which models are being called into question.

Samsung’s M Series TVs and “Supreme Mini LED Dimming”

The claim centers around Samsung’s 2026 M Series lineup, including the M70H, M80H and M90H TVs. In the complaint, TCL alleges that these models, specifically, “contain none of the technological advancements associated with Mini LED technology, including FALD [full-array local dimming].”

Instead, TCL says, “Samsung merely recycled its pre-existing low-end standard LED televisions, the Crystal UHD line, and re-labelled them as ‘Mini LED.’” The complaint cites a page on Samsung’s website that describes Mini-LED technology as involving both “backlight control” and “local dimming” — two features that, according to TCL, aren’t accounted for across Samsung’s M Series lineup.

In other words, TCL alleges Samsung’s edge-lit, Mini-LED-based TVs as not meeting Samsung’s own criteria for what makes Mini-LED technology worth buying over a standard QLED TV.

A spokesperson from Samsung stated that the brand intends to “vigorously defend against” the lawsuit, and that Samsung “stand[s] behind the quality and accuracy of our product descriptions.”

Samsung’s M Series lineup sits below the brand’s Neo QLED family of TVs, the latter of which has historically combined both Mini-LED backlighting and quantum-dot color — hence its higher-end status.

Curiously, when I compared Samsung’s official spec sheets for the M70H (the entry model in the M Series) and the QN70H (the brand’s entry-level Neo QLED TV), I noticed that the “Lighting Technology” labels differ, but their respective “Dimming Technology” classifications are the same.

You’ll notice, however, that the M70H’s “Supreme Mini LED Dimming” designation is joined by a footnote indicator. And, if you follow that footnote, you’ll find a disclaimer stating that the M70H’s “Supreme Mini LED Dimming” is “[s]oftware-based (not full-array hardware-based) technology.”

What we’re left with, then, are two TVs — currently separated by about $500 at the 65-inch size point — that are stated by Samsung to use the same dimming technology. However, on only one of these models is this technology described as being software-based rather than hardware-based.

This is called out directly in TCL’s complaint. It states:

"Samsung’s specification sheets identify the dimming feature available on its Mini LED televisions as 'Supreme Mini LED Dimming,' which, when coupled with its descriptions of Mini LED local dimming on its website, is purposefully designed to suggest dimming that is a better version of typical Mini LED FALD than that of its competitors such as TCL. This is reinforced by the fact that Samsung uses the same terminology— 'Supreme Mini LED Dimming'—to describe its high-end Neo QLED televisions."

It's worth noting that this wouldn't be the first time Samsung released a TV with edge-based lighting under the designation of "Mini-LED TV." One of the brand's latest lifestyle TVs — The Frame Pro — is billed as a Mini-LED-based set with some type of dimming, despite the fact that these LEDs are not arranged in a traditional, backlit array.

This raises an important question: Are edge-lit Mini-LED TVs — the sort that the M70H and M80H are alleged to be — truly a downgrade compared to Mini-LED models with proper local dimming?

Can "software-based dimming" be a stand-in for FALD?

TCL claims that the inclusion of "Supreme Mini LED Dimming" on the lower-end M70H misleads people into thinking that the M70H features the same dimming technology as the higher-end Neo QLED, or that the version of Mini-LED dimming found on the M70H is somehow superior to full-array, hardware-based dimming on TCL TVs.

Should this move to a trial, that'll be up for a court to decide how much water those claims hold.

For me, the more interesting question is: Are the higher-end QN70H also leveraging edge-lit Mini-LEDs driven by software-based dimming? After all, their spec sheets list identical dimming technologies.

Back in May, when I was evaluating the QN70H, I reached out to Samsung with this exact question, and a spokesperson from Samsung responded with the following: "Samsung can confirm that both the QN70H and M70H support software-based Supreme Mini LED Dimming."

While one can certainly make the argument that traditional, hardware-based dimming is driven in part by software, this could be the first time a TV-maker has used the term "software-based dimming" as a means to describe a TV with full-array local dimming.

We'll be following this story closely as it evolves, but let us know in the comments below if you purchased one of the aforementioned TVs and if you've seen any issues with its contrast.

In reporting this story, Tom's Guide reached out to Samsung to clarify TCL's claims and a spokesperson said that the brand will “vigorously defend against” the lawsuit, and that Samsung “stand[s] behind the quality and accuracy of our product descriptions.”

More from Tom's Guide

• Best TV Brands 2026: We just graded them on price, performance and more — here’s how their report cards stack up
• Roku and TCL accused of 'bricking' TVs with poor software updates in new class action lawsuit
• Samsung TV report card 2026: 'You can rely on Samsung to deliver exceptional performance'

I've spent a lot of time this year with TVs that cost more than most people's monthly rent, so it's a nice change of pace to sit down with something like the Hisense U6SF Pro, a Mini-LED TV that starts under $900 (under $600 on sale) yet still feels like a premium pick. Hisense has quietly become one of the best budget TV makers out there, and the U6SF Pro is evidence of that.

The U6SF Pro sits just above the standard U6SF in Hisense's 2026 lineup. The big differences include a brighter, glare-resistant screen, a beefier speaker system, a native 144Hz panel that's great for gaming, and upgraded software features.

I spent some time with the 65-inch model, watching everything from prestige streaming dramas to World Cup highlights, and by the end of it, I was totally won over by the U6SF Pro. It’s not going to take on the best OLED TVs in sheer picture performance, but at this price, there’s almost nothing else like it.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Price and release date

The U6SF Pro launched in March 2026 as part of Hisense's broader U6 and U7 refresh, and it's sold alongside the cheaper, non-Pro U6SF. Here's how the lineup breaks down:

• Hisense U6SF Pro (55-inch): $849 | Sale: $547
• Hisense U6SF Pro (65-inch): $1,099 | Sale: $597
• Hisense U6SF Pro (75-inch): $1,399 | Sale: $797
• Hisense U6SF Pro (85-inch): $1,999 | Sale: $1,099
• Hisense U6SF Pro (100-inch): $3,499 | Sale: $2,497

Like most budget and mid-range TVs, the U6SF Pro hasn't stayed at its list price for long. I've already seen the 65-inch model discounted by as much as $500 at various retailers just months after launch, so it pays to be patient if you can wait for a sale.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Design

The U6SF Pro isn't reinventing anything here (and I mean that as a compliment). It's a clean, minimalist design with slim bezels that should fit seamlessly into any room. It's not as dramatically thin as something like the Samsung S85H, but at roughly 2.5 inches deep, it still sits relatively flush against a wall without looking too bulky.

Setting the U6SF Pro up was refreshingly simple: The dual feet were easy to attach, and they felt really sturdy — no wobble and no anxiety about it tipping over, which I can't always say for TVs at this price. If you'd rather skip the stand entirely, the U6SF Pro supports VESA wall mounting via a 400 x 300 mm mount.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Ports

With the U6SF Pro, you get four HDMI inputs total, with two of them being HDMI 2.1. I would've liked to see all four ports be HDMI 2.1, but for most people, two will be enough for their 4K/120Hz console gaming and soundbar needs.

Beyond that, there's a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, Ethernet, optical digital audio out, and a coaxial antenna input. Wireless duties are handled by WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4.

It's not quite as generous as the HDMI setup that you’ll sometimes find on Hisense's other sets, but the U6SF Pro has all the ports that most people at this price point will ever need.

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’s 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.

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.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Performance

I threw a pretty wide mix of content at the U6SF Pro during my testing period. Prestige streaming shows like “The Bear”; popcorn blockbusters like “Twisters”; 4K Blu-ray disc versions of “Blade Runner 2049” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”; some 4K YouTube videos; and a bunch of World Cup highlights.

Hisense rates the U6SF Pro at up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness. That tracks with our lab testing results and with what I saw in person: bright, punchy highlights that held up even in a brightly lit room. A lot of budget TVs, and even some pricier OLEDs, don't manage as well here. The anti-reflection, glare-free screen coating is great, too. Throughout my testing, I never once had to adjust the lights to see the screen better, which really impressed me.

Colors stayed accurate, and skin tones looked natural pretty much the entire time. I did notice the Mini-LED backlighting struggling with blooming here and there, especially with bright text or objects set against a dark background. In most cases, it's not something you'd catch unless you were looking for it, but it shows up in dark, high-contrast scenes.

New to the U6SF Pro is an AI Sports Mode, Hisense's answer to Samsung's new soccer-specific picture mode, and it performed similarly well. It boosts pitch and jersey colors, and cranks up crowd noise while cutting through commentary. In practice, I found it easier to track fast-moving plays without the picture looking blurry or oversaturated.

Gaming performance is really good, too. The U6SF Pro panel runs at a native 144Hz refresh rate and includes AMD FreeSync Premium Pro with full VRR and ALLM support. I spent a good chunk of time playing both “Marvel's Spider-Man 2” and “007 First Light” on PlayStation 5, and the U6SF Pro's low input lag, paired with smooth frame rates, made for a satisfying experience I wasn't expecting from a TV in this price range. Hisense's Game Bar made it easy to check frame rate, VRR status, and more without digging through too many menus.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Test results

Similarly-priced TVs

Taking a look at our lab test results, the U6SF Pro stacks up nicely against similarly priced competition. In terms of SDR brightness (measured while using the TV’s “filmmaker” or most color-accurate picture mode), the U6SF Pro beats the TCL QM7L (196 nits), Samsung S85H (230 nits), and Hisense U7 (185 nits) with its 358 nits of peak brightness.

In HDR, the U6SF still gets pretty bright at 1,265 nits, making it a great TV for bright rooms across the board. It doesn’t reach the HDR brightness heights of the TCL QM7L (2,270 nits) or the Hisense U7 (2,866 nits), but easily surpasses the Samsung S85H’s 770 nits and solidifies itself as a great middle-of-the-pack performer, especially at this price point.

In the color accuracy department, the U6SF Pro also stands out with a Delta-E (the lower the number, the better) of just 1.58. That beats all the other TV’s mentioned above by a decent margin, save for the Samsung S85H’s Delta-E of 1.69. The U6SF Pro’s impressive peak brightness and color accuracy test results track with what I saw during use, and made for an overall great viewing experience.

If you’re into gaming, the U6SF Pro won’t disappoint with its 9.3ms of input latency, which is nearly on par with some of the best gaming TVs. I recently reviewed the more expensive Samsung S85H, and it scored 9.2ms. Overall, the U6SF Pro is a well-balanced TV across regular viewing and gaming, which really boosts the value of this budget Mini-LED.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Audio

The U6 Pro has a built-in subwoofer, part of a 2.1-channel, 40-watt speaker system, and it actually sounds like it. Loud, intense moments in “Blade Runner 2049” and “Twisters” had real weight to them instead of the thin, tinny quality I usually brace for with stock TV speakers, and dialogue stayed clear even at higher volumes.

It's not going to replace one of the best soundbars or a dedicated surround sound system if you're serious about having a full-fledged home theater, but for casual viewing, this is one of the few built-in TV audio setups I wouldn't rush to upgrade.

Last but not least, Dolby Atmos support is here too, and while you won't get true overhead effects without external speakers, the mix sounds noticeably more spacious than I expected from the TV alone.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Interface and apps

The U6SF Pro runs Fire TV, so app load times are decently fast, and you'll get access to just about every major streaming service. In addition, built-in Alexa+ allows for easy voice controls. But, my usual gripes with Fire TV apply here as much as ever: the UI feels clunky, and the home screen leans heavily into promoted content instead of the stuff you actually want to watch.

It's not a dealbreaker, but it's not my preferred interface by any means.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Remote

The U6SF Pro’s remote is your standard Fire TV remote. The construction of it feels a little flimsy, but it has all the buttons and functions you’ll need for a streamlined TV-watching experience.

Navigating the U6SF is easy thanks to the remote’s dedicated buttons for Prime VIdeo, Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. You’ll also find a settings button, as well as one for Alexa voice controls. I would appreciate some more features in future updates, like a lost remote finder, but the U6SF’s remote doesn’t have any glaring omissions that negatively impacted my time with the TV.

Hisense U6SF Pro review: Verdict

The Hisense U6SF Pro delivers a bright, glare-resistant, sports-and-gaming-friendly screen with surprisingly capable built-in audio, and a price that undercuts most of its Mini-LED competition. Overall, I think it's a fantastic value.

If you want to save some money, the standard U6SF gets you some of the same core experience for less, minus the brighter anti-glare screen,144HZ refresh rate, and built-in subwoofer. If you're chasing something closer to OLED-level contrast, look further up Hisense's TV lineup at the U7 or U8 series. These will offer better contrast with less blooming as they use a greater amount of dimming zones.

That said, if you're shopping for one of the best TVs under $1,000 and want one that's bright enough for a sunlit living room, the U6SF Pro is a great pick.

There’s big news in the world of Roku: The TV-maker — once known exclusively for its easy-to-use streaming software — is releasing two new OLED TVs this year.

The Roku Pro Series OLED and Roku Pro Series LX OLED blend the user-friendly simplicity of the Roku smart platform with a bevy of benefits we’ve come to expect from OLED display technology. Even better, the entry-level model starts at $999 for a 55-inch screen and is available now on Amazon.

Roku Pro Series OLED

The most affordable of Roku’s new sets is the Roku Pro Series OLED, which is available in both 55- and 65-inch sizes. The smaller 55-inch Roku Pro Series OLED is the cheapest of the bunch at just $999.

For context, LG’s entry-level OLED for 2026 — the B6E — is currently on sale for $799 at the 55-inch size point. The entry-level Samsung S85H OLED, meanwhile, is $1,199 in this size. This should give you an idea of which OLED TVs it is competing with when it comes to performance.

The Roku Pro Series OLED comes with a native refresh rate of 120Hz, so it supports the highest 4K spec of current-gen gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 Pro. Gamers will also benefit from Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD’s FreeSync Premium for optimized, tear-free gaming.

From the looks of it, Roku has leaned into OLED’s reputation for ultra-thin panel design. Like many LG and Samsung OLEDs, the Pro Series’ display is wafer-thin above the chassis.

The Pro Series is just one half of the story. If you’re looking for an OLED with a little more oomph, the step-up Pro Series LX OLED might be a better choice.

Roku Pro Series LX OLED

Roku hasn’t revealed as many details about its flagship-level OLED TV, but the Roku Pro Series LX is shaping up to be a rival for mid-range OLED TVs like the LG C6 and the Samsung S90H. It’s slated to hit shelves in October with a starting price of $1,299, but it’s not yet clear whether the series starts at 55 or 65 inches.

Unlike its entry-level sibling, the Pro Series LX OLED offers a 144Hz refresh rate with VRR, so folks who link up a gaming PC will have the option of tapping into a higher refresh rate at 4K resolution. In addition, Roku says that its higher-end OLED incorporates “an advanced polarizer that cuts room reflections.”

The Roku Pro Series LX also ships with the brand’s Voice Remote Pro. It’s similar to the standard Roku remote that comes with the entry-level Pro Series OLED in that it offers backlit buttons and voice recognition, but the Pro version also includes a rechargeable battery via USB-C.

Analysis: Roku + OLED is a dream come true

For years, I’ve praised Roku for three key reasons: the simplicity of its user interface; its relative lack of visible ads; and its vast library of downloadable apps and supported streaming services.

In essence, Roku is the smart platform I recommend to people who hate smart platforms.

But if you’ve been tempted by the self-lit pixels of OLED technology and the many benefits it brings to your living room, you’ve had to go along with LG’s webOS, Samsung’s Smart Hub or Sony’s incorporation of Google TV as your built-in streaming companion.

Until now, no OLED-maker who’s dealt in North America has put the user-friendly approach of Roku front and center. But that's all changing.

I, for one, am pumped to see that we're finally getting a proper Roku OLED. I’ve been using an LG OLED TV for several years, but I rarely interact with its webOS home screen and all of the banner ads and bloatware that come with it.

Instead, I rely on a Roku streaming device as my daily driver. It takes up an HDMI input, but I’d much rather keep track of my favorite shows and services by way of Roku’s basic-looking interface. Ads are present but easy to ignore and typically limited to just one banner on the home screen.

Are Roku OLED TVs going to steal the crown?

It's far too early to tell if the Roku Pro Series and Pro Series LX OLED will make our list of the best OLED TVs. I'd argue that, to a certain extent, they don’t need to be top-performing OLEDs in their respective classes in order to be extremely intriguing (though that would be a nice surprise).

Instead, all these sets need to do is to remain competitively priced while offering the best backdrop for streaming.

For many people, Roku OLED TVs will be an enticing alternative to sets from LG, Samsung and Sony precisely because they aren’t saddled with software that they’ve come to find sluggish, ad-heavy and difficult to navigate.

For all those reasons and more, we'll be keeping close tabs on these OLED TVs as they make their way into our labs ahead of launch.

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• Cheaper OLED TVs might finally be on the way — here's when they could arrive
• It’s been nearly 5 years since I bought an LG OLED TV — will these 3 gripes stop me from buying another?

Few things strike fear into the hearts of A/V enthusiasts like OLED burn-in. It describes the permanent imprint of a ghostly afterimage on an OLED screen after extended use — a phenomenon that, once upon a time, kickstarted the downfall of plasma TVs.

These days, OLED TVs of every make and model come with an array of preventative measures for burn-in built right into the software and the hardware itself. This makes them better than ever at side-stepping the searing effects of burn-in.

Unfortunately, despite the sharp reduction in risk, burn-in is still very much a real possibility on even the best OLED TVs for people who habitually put static images on their TV for several hours at a time.

If you consider yourself a power-user and you want to check in on the health of your OLED TV, there’s a simple way to check for burn-in at home — and it’s the same method I use in the TV-testing lab.

How to check for OLED burn-in without equipment

As mentioned, there are plenty of ways to prevent OLED burn-in using the tools built into your TV along with a touch of common sense. But if you suspect that your OLED might’ve been visited by the ghost of pictures past, listen up.

Burn-in can be mercifully hard to see during everyday content, but that subtlety stops being convenient during scenes that emphasize the contours of whatever has been burnt into the pixels. Therefore, in order to diagnose your display, it’s necessary to recreate a scenario in which burn-in would be more obvious to the naked eye.

YouTube user Garabet uploaded a convenient video several years ago that I’ve often relied on when testing TVs in the lab. You can run this OLED burn-in test video on your TV’s YouTube app (or via whichever streaming device you use).

The video will cycle through several test patterns, all of which are solid colors or shades of gray. The uniform nature of these full-field images are more likely to reveal OLED burn-in than the busy details of everyday content.

In my experience, burn-in is more likely to materialize along the top, bottom and sides of an OLED TV. This is where news chyrons, sports tickers, channel logos and video game HUD elements are most likely to reside.

What can I do if my OLED TV has burn-in?

First, it’s important to separate legitimate burn-in from other, potentially non-permanent visual artifacts commonly associated with OLED TVs.

For one thing, OLED TVs sometimes arrive out of the box with vertical or horizontal banding across most or all of the screen. They usually manifest as straight lines of varying widths, and can often be resolved by running your TV’s Pixel Refresh function.

In addition, while not guaranteed newer OLED TVs — particularly higher-end OLEDs that leverage RGB Tandem-style panels — sometimes show subtle, vertical bands when large portions of the screen are displaying certain shades of gray. This is different from the banding described above in that it’s inherent to the hardware and can’t be removed via Pixel Refresh. Fortunately, it’s next to impossible to see outside of hyper-specific circumstances.

But if you’re witnessing big, cloudy blobs of discoloration, streaky banners at the bottom of the screen or the ghostly outline of a CNN logo, in all likelihood, your OLED TV has received some burn-in. I regret to inform you that there’s no tried-and-true way to reverse OLED burn-in.

However, while it might come across as cold comfort, I can almost guarantee that you’ve made the most out of your TV — either over the course of several years or many hours of continuous, daily use.

If you’re ready to shop for a new model, many of the best OLED TVs on the market today — like the LG C6 and Samsung S95H — are better equipped to avoid this, and entry-level models like the LG B6 OLED are more affordable than ever.

More from Tom's Guide

• Does your OLED TV look funny? Here are 5 common issues and how to diagnose them
• Cheaper OLED TVs might finally be on the way — here's when they could arrive
• It’s been nearly 5 years since I bought an LG OLED TV — will these 3 gripes stop me from buying another?

This year, folks in the market for a mid-range TV have a handful of enticing options. We recently tested the Hisense U7SG — a quantum dot-enhanced Mini-LED TV — and found that it offers a bright, punchy picture and plenty of features for the price.

And then there's the TCL QM7L. Despite its mid-range status, this Mini-LED TV comes with TCL's Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology, which has proven effective when it comes to saturating a wider range of color than the U7SG's traditional quantum-dot display.

These sets offer similar performance in a similar price range. However, there are some differences you ought to be aware of before you shop.

Hisense U7SG vs TCL QM7L: Specs compared

Before we talk about how they differ, let's cover the similarities: Size availability, HDR and ATSC 3.0 support are about the same across both TVs.

However, while both sets arrive with the standard set of four total HDMI inputs, only two of the QM7L's inputs offer HDMI 2.1 compatibility. With the U7SG, you'll enjoy a full suite of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs.

With four high-bandwidth ports, the U7SG offers more flexibility, as they all support 4K content at 120Hz (and up to 165Hz with VRR). Only two of the QM7L's inputs support 4K content at 120Hz and up to 144Hz. Fortunately, the QM7L's dedicated eARC input isn't pulling double-duty as one of the TV's only high-bandwidth inputs.

Winner: Hisense U7SG

Hisense U7SG vs TCL QM7L: Design

Due in part to the nature of its display hardware, the Hisense U7SG (seen above) is thicker than many Mini-LED TVs we've seen in recent years. Nevertheless, it's constructed out of sturdy plastic and the overall aesthetic is similar to what you'll find in its price range this year.

The U7SG's panel sits on top of a pedestal-style stand that takes the form of a heavy plate that sits below the center of the screen. For some viewers, this type of stand is more convenient than a pair of feet, as the center-positioning allows the U7SG to sit on narrow pieces of furniture.

As you can see from the photo above, the QM7L is very similar in its design approach. It, too, features a thick, heavy panel, which measures about the same depth as the U7SG.

Like the U7SG, the QM7L also relies on a centered, pedestal-style stand. Conveniently, the QM7L's stand can be attached in two height configurations. This helps to ensure that people with taller soundbars have an setup option in which the soundbar won't obstruct the screen.

Both TVs ship with backlit remote controls, which is quite nice to have in a dark room. Of the two, I prefer TCL's remote design, but there aren't too many differing characteristics worth calling out.

Given the similarities, this category is a toss-up. The U7SG and QM7L aren't as slim and premium-looking as other LED TVs we've seen in recent years, but neither looks (or feels) poorly designed.

Winner: Draw

Hisense U7SG vs TCL QM7L: Performance

Before we dig deeper into how these TVs look, let's compare their test results. (Both TVs were in their respective Filmmaker picture modes when these tests were taken.)

In many ways, these TVs offer similar performance profiles. As mid-range Mini-LED TVs with quantum-dot color, they offer bright, colorful pictures — far brighter than what you'll see on entry-level LED TVs. This is especially true during HDR movies and shows, where the U7SG and QM7L each deliver over 2,000 nits of highlight brightness.

While we consistently tracked higher HDR highlight brightness on the U7SG, it's worth mentioning that the gap between the U7SG's roughly 2,900 nits of highlight brightness and the QM7L's 2,300 nits is not very substantial.

We measured similar readings for Delta-E, a figure that represents color error (with lower numbers being more desirable). There's not much of a difference between a Delta-E of 3 and 2.6, and both measurements indicate that the U7SG and QM7L feature accurate color that won't appear out-of-tune to almost every viewer.

The biggest difference between them concerns color. The QM7L is one of a few TVs to harness TCL's proprietary Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology. This has proven to be effective at boosting color compared to standard quantum-dot color (the kind you'll find on the U7SG).

In certain viewing conditions, people are more likely to notice the QM7L's punchier color than they are the U7SG's higher brightness. (Impressively, the QM7L's color is right in line with what we measured on the more-expensive TCL QM8L.) It mostly depends on the content.

To my eyes, the QM7L does a slightly better job of upscaling sub-4K content than the U7SG, too.

Additionally, my colleague Sean Captain noted that the U7SG has a tendency to crush near-black shadow detail during select HDR content.

The added color and tighter contrast make the QM7L an all-around better performer, but it's worth noting just how close these TVs are in their presentation.

Winner: TCL QM7L

Hisense U7SG vs TCL QM7L: Smart platform and features

Both TVs are built around the Google TV streaming platform, and the software feels more or less the same on each set. Google TV is one of my preferred streaming platforms (just behind Roku), as navigation is relatively easy and it supports nearly every streaming service and app you could want.

In addition, the U7SG and QM7L both arrive with a similar set gaming features right out of the box. These features include Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (for smooth, tear-free gaming).

Each set supports 4K gaming at 120Hz, the highest 4K spec for current-generation consoles like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the U7SG can stretch this to 165Hz with a gaming rig hooked up, while the QM7L can only reach 4K/144Hz.

Remember: The QM7L comes with just two HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs. In order to access any of these advanced gaming enhancements, you've got to use one of the QM7L's designated HDMI 2.1 ports. The U7SG, on the other hand, comes with four HDMI 2.1 inputs, which adds to its gaming prowess.

However, we've already settled this advantage when we were comparing these TVs' specs. In almost every other way that matters to the average viewer, the U7SG and QM7L are equals when it comes to features.

Winner: Draw

Hisense U7SG vs TCL QM7L: outlook

Here's some good news: Regardless of which of these mid-range TVs you pick, you'll be setting yourself up for terrific performance relative to price, as well as a thorough selection of features for gaming and streaming. As I see it, the choice comes down to price and performance.

At some size points, these TVs are priced similarly. The 65-inch Hisense U7SG is on sale for $899 at Best Buy right now, and the 65-inch TCL QM7L is just $899, too. However, from what I've gathered, the 65-inch U7SG is more likely to be on sale for this price, while the 65-inch QM7L has fluctuated in recent weeks between $899 and $1,199.

At the 55-inch size point, the TCL QM7L is currently $799, while the U7SG sits just below $700. If you're intent is to shop for a 55-inch screen, the U7SG is more likely to be cheaper, too.

But if you're looking for the best possible performance, my choice would be the QM7L across all size options. Its SQD-powered color can be a difference-maker during certain content.

Unless the U7SG's full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs is essential to your setup, I suspect that most A/V enthusiasts would prefer the QM7L's excellent presentation.

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• TCL QM7L review
• The RAM crisis came for computers first and now it's coming for TVs — here's why I recommend upgrading while you still can

OLED TVs have long since been the darling of A/V aficionados, home theater enthusiasts and TV dorks like myself. While OLEDs aren’t ideal for every viewing environment, the technology is nonetheless capable of performance- and design-related feats that even the top Mini-LED TVs can’t pull off.

There’s just one problem: OLED TVs don’t come cheap. Even entry-level OLEDs tend to be priced higher than mid-range Mini-LED TVs, and the best OLED TVs are often more expensive than some brands’ best LCD-based sets.

But there are signs that the status quo could be changing. This year, LG Display is manufacturing cheaper OLED panels for LG and its competitors, and it’s happening at a time where the top OLED-maker is also reportedly developing an even-cheaper panel for the next generation of OLED TVs. Here’s how these advancements could usher in an era of cheap OLEDs.

LG Display’s quest to make OLED cheaper, more efficient and longer lasting

There are two exciting developments in the realm of affordable OLED technology playing out as we speak. The first spin on OLED technology is already available to buy and it's called OLED SE.

Announced back in March by LG Display, OLED SE sits below OLED EX, the latter of which is the panel-type associated with the mid-range LG C6. OLED EX, however, sits below OLED META, the panel-type associated with the flagship-level LG G6. This makes the OLED SE one of the most affordable panel options for any brand looking to sell an OLED TV.

There’s been speculation among industry insiders that the all-new LG B6E OLED — one of LG’s most-affordable OLED TVs this year — is built around LG Display’s OLED SE panel. We’ve yet to take this model for a test spin in our lab, but there’s no denying its relatively friendly price tag of just $899 for a 55-inch model.

Earlier this year, rumors began circulating that a new Sony OLED could be on the horizon — a more-affordable set that could compete with entry-level and mid-range OLEDs from Samsung and Sony. At the time, I floated the possibility that this TV could very well leverage LG Display’s OLED SE panel, too.

Even if we assume that OLED SE panels are present in TVs like the LG B6E (and in entry-level OLEDs from LG’s competitors), $899 for an entry-level model isn’t exactly cheap. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like LG Display’s work is done.

What is two-stack OLED?

According to Korean newspaper ETNews (as reported by FlatpanelsHD), LG Display is reportedly developing an all-new, “two-stack” WOLED panel for use in TVs and monitors. The design is built around a simplified structure that relies on just two emission layers, while previous WOLED-based designs (like the one found on the LG C6) rely on three layers.

LG Display claims that the new two-stack structure is capable of covering about 82.5% of BT.2020.

If true, that would be an impressive step up from what we've measured on the three-stack OLED panels we've tested, which tend to settle in the 75% to 77% range.

While there's no guarantee that future OLED TVs built around this new, two-stack structure will ultimately be cheaper than what we're used to seeing within the entry-level and mid-range class, it's likely a net-positive for the market (and shoppers) for the manufacturing of OLED technology to get more efficient in the long run.

Cheaper OLEDs in 2027 and beyond

The development of new OLED technology won't immediately crash the price of OLED TVs around the world. But new, more-cost-effective ways of manufacturing this infamously finnicky display tech is essential to its long-term viability.

Whether we're talking OLED SE, "two-stack" WOLED or something not yet fully realized, these developments are all stops on the road to OLED TVs' becoming less of a luxury for the average person.

Shared adoption of these new panel types from brands like Samsung, Sony and others is key, too, because the more options people have when buying a new TV, the better (and cheaper) those options are likely to become. Additionally, if LG Display is successful in these endeavors, it could entice TV brands that haven't previously developed OLED TVs to finally take the plunge.

In 2027 and beyond, OLED TVs could see even cheaper pricing, provided these advancements aren't offset by additional supply-chain shortages.

It's possible that the next major OLED frontier won't be about making these TVs bigger and brighter, but rather, leaner and cheaper.

More from Tom's Guide

• RGB LED vs Tandem OLED TVs: We’ve tested both and here are the differences
• We just graded every TV brand on price, performance and more — here’s how their report cards stack up
• TCL and Sony are joining forces to sell more TVs — but is that bad news for shoppers?

Two things can be true at the same time: I review the best TVs in the world for a living, but because I live out of a suitcase, I end up watching far more movies on airplanes than in front of my 75-inch Sony Bravia 9.

That said, I still haven't seen several of this summer’s biggest blockbusters. Why? Because the unapologetic screen snob in me strictly refuses to subject my eyes to standard in-flight displays. Traditional airplane monitors have a lifeless, washed-out gray filter permanently affixed to the glass, turning high-contrast cinema into an unwatchable smudge of low-res pixelation.

When United debuted its new Airbus A321XLR, I cared far more about the Panasonic Astrova 4K OLED displays outfitted throughout the cabin than my actual travel prospects. (Granted, United did just announce 10 new routes for 2027, with five operated on the A321XLR.) But after testing these screens in person, I’m ready to skip the AMC entirely and book a transatlantic flight purely for the 30,000-foot movie marathon.

OLED in every cabin

Usually, the best in-flight entertainment experience is reserved for business class. While Polaris passengers do get a massive 19-inch 4K OLED screen paired with a digital seat-control touchscreen, built-in wireless phone charging, and a sliding privacy door, the coach customers aren’t shortchanged.

Every seat in the economy cabins features a 13-inch OLED display, while Premium Plus offers a compromise with a 16-inch screen and wireless charging.

Infinite contrast at 30,000 feet?

On traditional airplane monitors, dark space scenes or night shots suffer from massive backlight bleed and limited contrast. On the A321XLR’s 4K OLED panels, you get genuine, ink-black contrast and rich color volume.

To make myself perfectly clear, an in-flight system won't match the dedicated video processing or AI upscaling of say, an LG C6 OLED TV. But it’s still easily the best screen I’ve seen on any commercial aircraft with my own eyes.

I tested it with ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ (don’t judge, it’s fantastic for gauging color volume.) SpongeBob’s canary yellow punched right off the screen against the eerie depths of The Flying Dutchman’s underworld. Dark scenes actually look dark, shadow detail stays intact, and the animation stays pin(head)-sharp.

Finally, in-flight entertainment that doesn’t suck

A cinematic screen is hampered if the supporting tech is clunky, but United solved the surrounding friction points. Native Bluetooth 5.1 allows you to pair any of the best wireless headphones directly to the seatback system.

Add free Starlink Wi-Fi (read here about what it’s like) and ambient mood lighting meant to trick your brain out of jet lag to the mix, and the long-haul coach experience might finally feel like less of a sensory-deprivation experiment.

So the next time a major blockbuster drops, don't look for me at the local AMC paying $25 for sticky floors and stale popcorn. I'll be in the A321XLR's seat 42B, noise-cancelling headphones paired, getting a quality picture at 35,000 feet while enjoying United’s signature stroopwafel.

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It’s hard to make one of the best TVs under $1,000. The competition is stiff and, for this kind of money, performance has to be top-notch. In short, a model costing a grand needs to justify the investment.

After spending a day with the 65-inch Hisense U7SG ULED Mini-LED Google TV, I think it makes a solid case for itself, even if it’s not perfect in every respect (see: black levels and contrast).

In spite of some tough competition from TCL — and Hisense itself — the U7SG ULED Mini-LED Google TV is one of the better mid-range models on the market in 2026. I’m not crowning it the best 65-inch TV in its class, but its excellent audio quality and $899 sale price help it stand out from the crowd.

Hisense U7SG review: Pricing and availability

Hisense's 2026 U7 series has essentially replaced the U8QG series as the company's top mainstream Mini-LED TV line this year. Meanwhile, the new RGB Mini-LED UR8 and UR9 lines occupy the pricier tier above it. Below the U7SG sits Hisense's U6SF and U6SF Pro tier — as well as last year's budget QD7 line (which I reviewed and liked), that’s currently hovering around $500.

The U7SG lineup ranges in screen size from 55 to a whopping 100 inches. Here’s a full breakdown:

• 55-inch Hisense U7SG (55U7SG): $1,298 MSRP | $699 on sale
• 65-inch Hisense U7SG (65U7SG): $1,499 MSRP | $899 on sale
• 75-inch Hisense U7SG (75U7SG): $1,998 MSRP | $999 on sale
• 85-inch Hisense U7SG (85U7SG): $2,499 MSRP | $1,399 on sale
• 100-inch Hisense U7SG (100U7SG): $4,498 MSRP | $2,498 on sale

Among other TV makers, the 65-inch U7SG lands right alongside last year’s TCL QM7K (lately hovering below $800 for the 65-inch model), with a 144Hz panel and Bang & Olufsen-tuned audio). For a bit more, the 2026 TCL QM7L is also a strong rival. The Samsung QN70F lands in similar territory, but doesn't hold up, based on my review.

Hisense U7SG review: Design

The front facade of the Hisense U7SG features a scarcely visible bezel of just a few millimeters thick and little to no branding. In this case, the text is not for the TV maker, but the tiny words "TUNED BY DEVIALET" in the lower-right corner that reflects a vaguely defined partnership with the French luxury acoustic manufacturer.

Whatever that means, this TV does have a powerful sound system, evidenced by the which you can see more of on the rear of the TV—but I'll say a lot more about audio below.

The U7SG measures 2.3 inches deep and gives you the option of either using an included large central pedestal or wall-mounting, with VESA standard screw holes in the 400 × 300mm arrangement. The audio settings allow you to configure the sound system for table placement vs. wall mounting.

Hisense U7SG review: Ports

The Hisense U7SG has the full complement of connections you'd expect from a performance model. That starts with four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting the highest-grade inputs: up to 4K/120Hz for sources such as the PS5, Xbox Series X, and many gaming PCs; and up to 4K/165Hz for the most-capable game PCs. The panel has a 165Hz native refresh rate to make full use of that.

HDMI port 3 supports eARC, which can output high-end digital audio signals such as Dolby Atmos to a soundbar or home-theater system. (The U7SG also decodes Dolby Atmos internally to feed its powerful built-in sound system.) It also features a standard optical digital audio S/PDIF output.

There are two USB ports (5 volt, 0.5 amp and 5V, 1A) — should you want to connect a hard drive, USB stick, or alternative smart TV stick from Roku or Amazon. But with a fully (even overly) equipped Google TV operating system and Wi-Fi 6E, there may not be much use for such. That argument is even stronger for the old-timey wired LAN Ethernet port.

You can attach a cable or satellite box or a terrestrial antenna via the RF-in port. Inside, it connects to an ATSC 3.0 tuner supporting the NextGen broadcast standard for 4K resolution, HDR, and wider color gamuts. Check this map to see which broadcasters support the standard in your area.

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 (which may go by different names depending on the TV maker). It is usually the most accurate out of the box color. We 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 U7SG review: Performance and test results

*As measured in Filmmaker mode

I can sum up the Hisense U7SG visual performance as: Solid in both dark and bright rooms — except for black levels, and shadows, which are too bright. Our test results bear all this out.

In the TV's Filmmaker mode, which is most faithful to the original content, the one outlier is color accuracy, but not by a meaningful amount. We measure this as Delta-E: the difference (or delta) between the colors in test signals we send to the TV and how they measure onscreen. A lower number is better.

We read a Delta-E of 3, indistinguishable from the average of 2.92 for 2025 and 2026 models (which range from 1.44 to 6.98). In practical terms, the Hisense U7SG aced the colors in clothing, furnishing, and the challenging variety of skin tones in "Bridgerton" (Season 1, Ep 3, 17:00-19:00 minutes). The Netflix stream kicks the TV into Dolby Vision IQ image mode — the right call. It also rendered the lush tones of the Bruno Mars "Risk It All" music video on YouTube, without overdoing it.

Overall, colors appeared nearly identically on the Hisense U7SG and the TCL QM7L, which just earned an Editor's Choice.

On most TVs, Filmmaker mode (or equivalent) tends to be rather dim and only watchable in a dark room. It's not the case here, as Filmmaker was perfectly fine in a bright room. (The dual-layer Anti-Reflection & Glare-Free coating seemed to do its job in the latter case.)

That is not a good sign, however. The Hisense U7SG’s screen never got as dark as it should. I tested this on the HDR10 Blu-rays for "Blade Runner 2049" (Chapters 5 and 6), "Sinners" (Chapters 9, 10, and 12 — and also with Dolby Vision). I also viewed some challenging photos I have taken over the years — including a nighttime shot of a bright neon sign against an almost-black background. I saw more gray than black or near-black areas than with other TVs.

Lab results offer a hint here, too. HDR Brightness for the U7SG (using the 10% window method) came in at 2866.9 nits. It's not the brightest for newer 65-inch LCDs, but it's well above the average of 1683.5. High HDR brightness is often a good thing for expanding dynamic range, but in this case, it may be the cause of lightening what should be darker parts of images.

In a well-lit room, you are unlikely to notice this much, though. Standard dynamic range brightness in Filmmaker mode for the Hisense U7SG is on the dim side at 185.4 nits — below the Filmmaker-mode average of 372.4 nits for newer 65-inch LCDs, and in the lower half of that range. However, some newer blindingly bright TVs have pulled that range and average way up.

One of the most important modes is Game, where the TV harnesses the latest technologies. The U7SG’s panel natively supports the highest possible frame rate of the day: 165Hz. Input Lag (in game mode) is a zippy 9.8 ms. That's better than the average of 10.98 ms for newer 65-inch LCDs, and just half a millisecond off the best score of 9.3 ms. Translation: This TV is as well-equipped for gaming as it can be.

Hisense U7SG review: Audio

The Hisense U7SG’s audio is a big step above what I've heard on other TVs, and here's where specs say something meaningful. The 2.1.2-channel spec translates to two standard stereo speakers (where most built-in TV sound systems stop), one subwoofer (or at least a powerful bass driver), and two height channels for spatial effects like rain or a helicopter overhead—channels supported by Dolby Atmos.

The 50 Watts of power seem to make a difference, too. Most TVs provide just 20 Watts, total. Better sound systems go to 40W. I don't know if "Tuned by Devialet" had a real effect, but I do know that this TV sounds great. It fills the room with spacious sound in music and thundering bass in high-action scenes. I think you could skip the soundbar with this TV — a nice, slimming bonus for wall mounting.

The U7SG delivers on the rich potential of Bruno Mars's "Risk It All." This TV really accents the bright Latin Trumpet sounds, the resonant guitar strings, and the soulful crooning. (Sometimes too much.) I had to crank down the Bass Boost setting from its default 0 to -3 so the thumping wouldn't overpower everything else.

Default Bass Boost was fine for other content, however. It captured the foreboding sounds of the "Blade Runner 2049" Blu-ray (Chapter 5) without default Bass Boost hurting dialogue. It also pleasantly accented the foot stopping, punches and gunshots in the "Sinners" Blu-ray (Chapter 10) without harming the music. In contrast, I didn't notice much difference between the Standard and Theater audio modes.

Hisense U7SG review: Interface and remote

On the surface, the U7SG’s UI will look similar to any other Google TV: At the top is a massive, highly graphical carousel of promoted content. ("Masters of the Universe" got big billing at the time of my review.) That element, plus a "Top Picks for You" section consumed about 75% of the screen, leaving just enough room at the bottom for a side-scrollable row of installed-app icons.

Scrolling down, you see sections such as "Continue Watching," "Top Free Movies on Google TV Freeplay" (nice), collections like "The World of Christopher Nolan" … and a big, fat ad for some vague business service I couldn't even decipher.

Then I found a setting called Apps Only Mode that switches Google TV to a minimalist layout a la the Best Roku TVs. You still see the promoted content up top, but below that is just a scrollable screen of big rectangular icons for each installed app. You can get there by going to Settings (top of the home screen) > Accounts & Profiles > Apps Only Mode. That mimics the minimalist style of Hisense's own content selection — a separate section accessible from a button on the top of the home screen that features hundreds of free (ad-supported) channels.

You might also dig into Google's privacy settings — which often have tracking on by default. Most of these controls are under Settings > Privacy. There you can decide whether to toggle on or off or adjust data-collecting items such as Location, Microphone, Cameras, Usage and Diagnostics, Ads, Voice Assistant, and App Permissions. You might also go to Settings > Advanced System > Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. (In the default setting, Google can.)

Gemini voice control has not been upgraded to the new capabilities that let you adjust TV settings with natural-language comments such as "my screen is too dark." But it provides the solid navigational capabilities I've seen in other Google TV models. For instance: I asked for Matt Damon movie recommendations, and where I could stream each. It found "Good Will Hunting" when I asked if he'd won any Academy Awards. When I asked about "The Odyssey," Gemini explained that it's only in theaters at the moment.

The remote control is rather chunky, favoring more buttons than fewer. They include shortcuts to apps including Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+KiD, and Free TV. In an era of sleek, black designs, this bulky, grayish model with a metal four-way directional ring looks like a throwback.

Hisense U7SG review: Verdict

Were it not for the muddy blacks and shadows, I'd have no qualms praising the Hisense U7SG. But even with those drawbacks, I think this TV is solid, especially for the price. Colors are great, sound is amazing, and gaming prowess are top-notch. Google TV is a good OS (with the right adjustments). If you don't hunker in the dark for a lot of your TV viewing, you probably won't notice this shortcoming much.

Still, there are some competitors worth mentioning around the same price. The TCL QM7L is the top contender, but the 65-inch model will run you $1,199 — $300 more than the Hisense U7SG when both TVs are on sale. There’s also the Samsung QN70F from last year that’s cheaper (the 55-inch model starts at $697 on Amazon) but I think the Hisense has it beat in pretty much every category.

In the right viewing environment, the Hisense U7SG delivers value in spades, making it a top contender for TV enthusiasts looking to get a big-screen TV on a moderate budget.

If you’re shopping for a new TV and you’re willing to splash out on something nice, there’s a very good chance you’ll come face to face with two premium display technologies: RGB LED and Tandem OLED.

In the world of TVs, these two types are relatively new. In fact, I’ve been testing and reviewing TVs for well over a decade, and I'm still getting to know RGB LED and Tandem OLED myself.

Understanding the difference matters because you could spend the same amount of money on an RGB LED TV as on a Tandem OLED-based TV and get an entirely different performance. With that in mind, let’s set you on the right path.

What is RGB LED?

In some ways, RGB LED TVs are simply specialized versions of traditional Mini-LED TVs; they use an array of teeny-tiny (albeit bright) LEDs clustered into dimming zones that can be dynamically adjusted in real time to enhance contrast.

To create color, traditional Mini-LED TVs rely on a color filter in conjunction with white- or blue-colored light (depending on whether or not quantum dots are in the mix). RGB LED TVs, on the other hand, take a different approach.

They come in many marketable names, but whether Samsung Micro RGB, LG Micro RGB evo, Hisense RGB Mini-LED, or Sony True RGB, the hardware is similar: red-, green-, is similar: red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs that generate brighter, purer color than what we’ve come to expect from garden-variety Mini-LED TVs.

In fact, based on our hands-on testing of RGB LED TVs from almost every major brand, color is the primary benefit of RGB LED technology. On brightness, contrast control, and other picture-quality factors, RGB LED TVs are about on par with the best quantum dot-enhanced Mini-LED TVs of recent years.

One significant disadvantage of RGB LED technology compared to traditional Mini-LED TVs is color crosstalk. In certain scenarios, light-colored objects can take on the shade of nearby colors because of the brightness and proximity of those LEDs. A commonly cited example is the white lines of a soccer pitch appearing lightly green rather than proper white.

How well an RGB LED TV mitigates color crosstalk — or any of the issues associated with Mini-LED backlighting, including haloing and light bloom — ultimately comes down to its engineering and the overall philosophies of the brand that built it. And then there’s the matter of price.

The most affordable RGB LED TVs are still costly. Brands like Hisense, Samsung and Sony offer two tiers to choose from, but I would still classify the lower-tiered options as premium sets.

A TV like the Sony Bravia 7 II strikes a balance between price and performance. It delivers the superb color and punchy brightness associated with RGB LED technology, but its components and software aren’t as sophisticated as the brand’s flagship True RGB TV, the Bravia 9 II. It’s a step-down option, but as a Sony-engineered TV, it handles the finer aspects of picture processing quite well.

For some folks, the punchy palette of an RGB LED TV might not be the best choice for a living room or home theater. Just as RGB LED is a step above regular LED TVs, Tandem OLED is a step above run-of-the-mill OLED displays.

What is Tandem OLED?

Tandem OLED (also known as RGB Tandem) is an umbrella term that typically refers to a high-end OLED display manufactured by LG Display. Multiple generations of Tandem OLED display technology have been developed to date.

Tandem OLED emerged as a way to compete with the high brightness and added color volume of quantum dot-enhanced OLEDs from Samsung Display. Select models in the QD-OLED series often use Tandem OLED panels when QD-OLED isn’t feasible or cost-effective at a given size.

Tandem OLED sets itself apart from traditional WOLED displays with an extra layer within its structure. In simple terms, it trades a yellow layer for red and green layers—a structural difference that allows for a longer-lasting, more-efficient panel.

In performance terms, OLED TVs that use Tandem OLED displays can achieve higher brightness and color volume than OLED TVs that use standard, WOLED-style displays. Most of this added brightness comes from small, specular highlights (like the muzzle flash of a gun or an intense glint of sunlight reflecting off a car’s headlight).

However, as good as high-end, Tandem OLED-equipped TVs tend to be (like the flagship-level LG G6), their color isn’t quite as bright and pure as what we typically see on top-tier QD-OLED TVs (like the Samsung S95H). White highlight brightness is gobsmackingly good on the LG G6, but its color isn’t as punchy as the S95H.

And since QD-OLED TVs rival RGB LED TVs in color, RGB LED TVs are, on average, more colorful than current-generation Tandem OLED TVs. Additionally, although RGB LED TVs must fight their own battles with issues like color crosstalk and haloing, they’re nevertheless brighter than Tandem OLED TVs in full-screen brightness.

RGB LED vs Tandem OLED: Outlook

RGB LED TVs excel in two areas: brightness and color. Thanks to their cutting-edge hardware, RGB LED TVs also offer premium features and high-end performance. (In other words, there’s really no such thing as an ultra-affordable RGB LED TV yet, and when it comes to picture quality, you can expect a certain level of quality from these sets.)

However, RGB LED TVs also share the same weaknesses as most Mini-LED-based TVs, like haloing, light bloom, and subpar off-axis viewing. In addition, many RGB LED TVs exhibit color crosstalk.

OLED TVs benefit immensely from self-lit pixels — whether Tandem OLED or not. You don't need to worry about light bloom or color crosstalk on an OLED, and OLED TVs offer the widest viewing angles money can buy.

Thanks to its sophisticated hardware, an OLED TV that leverages Tandem OLED technology can deliver highlight brightness that comes close to that of an RGB LED TV. But due to the limits of OLED technology, Tandem OLED-based TVs don’t even come close to matching the sustained, full-screen brightness of an RGB LED TV. Nor do they produce as wide a range of color.

My recommendation? If you’re looking for the sort of brightness that fills a room or borderline-psychedelic color, an RGB LED TV is a better choice than a Tandem OLED-based TV. This is especially true if you do a ton of daytime TV-watching.

If you’re looking for the surgical contrast control and unparalleled depth that comes with an OLED TV, few RGB LED TVs come close. By shopping for a Tandem OLED in particular, you’re guaranteeing yourself one of the brighter OLEDs money can buy, too.

While a Tandem OLED is best suited for a dim room or darkened home theater, make no mistake: It’ll hold up just fine during the day, provided it’s not directly opposite a window or light fixture.

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When readers, acquaintances and friends ask me to put over a decade of TV knowledge to good use and to help them shop for a new screen, I'm often given one of three budgets: $500, $1,000 and $2,000.

Yes, there are plenty of TVs cheaper than $500. There's also an entire classification of ultra-premium sets — including many of the best OLED TVs — above $2,000. However, setting aside the super-cheap sets and the luxurious, top-tier TVs, you can still find most of the best TVs within the $500 to $2,000 mark.

With this in mind, let's run through a little thought experiment: You come to me and ask me for help buying a TV within these three budgets, and I lay down some hip, up-to-date advice about which models I think make the most sense as a living room upgrade.

$500: Hisense U6SF Pro (55 inches)

$500 is one of the most popular price points for shoppers embarking on a budget-oriented search for a new TV. It's just above the ultra-affordable, $300 benchmark while not tipping into the lower end of the mid-range tier.

As such, I'm looking for a TV whose performance is also just above the ultra-affordable class. While $200 or $300 will net you a perfectly cromulent screen, I've found that folks shopping with a $500 expect a bit more when it comes to picture quality and features — and rightfully so.

If someone cut me a check for five hundred bucks and told me to come back with the best deal right now, I'd pick the Hisense U6SF Pro. We're still in the process of evaluating this set, but having seen the test results and the TV itself in action, I'm confident that it's among the best options at this price point.

As the "Pro" designation suggests, this TV is built around Mini-LED backlighting, which is great to have on hand for $500. With Mini-LEDs in tow, the U6SF Pro offers a peak brightness between 1,200 and 1,400 nits (depending on content and picture mode). That means it’s plenty bright enough for both daytime viewing and movie nights.

Unlike most super-affordable, entry-level sets, the U6SF Pro comes with a couple of HDMI 2.1 inputs (out of four total) and supports 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 144Hz with VRR). Just note: You'll have to settle for 55 inches to get under the $500 mark.

$1,000: TCL QM7L (55 inches)

Another number people throw at me when asking for TV-shopping advice is $1,000. If you're comfortable spending up to a grand on a living room upgrade right now, your list of options expands greatly.

If you slide me a sack of a thousand bucks and hire me to buy an all-around fantastic TV for your home, I'm coming back with the 55-inch TCL QM7L, one of the year's best mid-range TVs.

The QM7L is one of just a handful of TVs to sport TCL's brand-new, Super Quantum Dot (SQD) display technology. SQD tech enhances range of color on a Mini-LED display to, in some cases, levels we used to only measure on quantum dot-enhanced OLED TVs.

What I love about the QM7L is that, according to our lab tests, it delivers roughly the same color volume we measured on the flagship-level TCL QM8L. The latter is significantly brighter in HDR, but the QM7L is no slouch in the brightness department, either.

The 55-inch version of the QM7L is on sale for just a hair under $1,000. For my money, it's one of the most value-forward TVs of the year.

$2,000: Sony Bravia 7 II (65 inches)

For $2,000, you're opening up the door to some remarkable-looking, cinematic pictures. As your theoretical personal shopper, I might have some further questions for you about how and when you might use your new $2,000 TV, but the Sony Bravia 7 II will be one of the top picks for the job nine times out of ten.

Unlike the TCL QM7L, which taps TCL's proprietary SQD technology for brighter, bolder color, the Bravia 7 II leverages Sony's True RGB technology — the brand's spin on RGB LED backlighting.

While flagship-level RGB LED TVs often crest the $3,000-mark, Sony's step-down model is significantly cheaper. However, in many ways, it punches well above its relatively reasonable price tag. It's not quite as bright as Sony's top-tier TV for 2026 (the Bravia 9 II), but it offers a comparable range of color and a similar set of features as the higher-end model.

Look, I have to be honest: For $2,000, it was tempting to come back from the store with a brand-new OLED TV like the 65-inch LG C6 OLED. But while there are multiple mid-range OLED TVs worth buying this year, a TV with the bright, punchy performance profile of the Bravia 7 II is a safer bet for a wider swath of shoppers.

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The TCL QM8L is an all-new, Mini-LED TV that leverages Super Quantum Dot (SQD) display technology for brighter, bolder color. According to our test results, the QM8L's picture is, indeed, quite punchy, and the QM8L rounds out its impressive performance with a thorough collection of features.

The TCL QM7L is the brand's mid-range Mini-LED TV for 2026. Like its step-up sibling, the QM7L also leverages SQD technology, and while it's not as impressive-looking as the QM8L, it's much more affordable.

If you're in the market for a bright, high-performance Mini-LED TV this year, the choice may come down to one of these two TCL TVs. Here's how they compare — from performance to features and price.

TCL QM8L vs QM7L: Specs compared

When it comes to their respective spec sheets, there are two significant differences worth unpacking: size availability and HDMI functionality.

While the QM8L is available in four sizes ranging from 65 to 98 inches, the QM7L is available five sizes between 55 and 98 inches. If you're in the market for something smaller than a 65-inch screen, the QM7L has you covered.

On the other hand, although both sets arrive with the standard set of four total HDMI inputs, only two of the QM7L's inputs offer HDMI 2.1 compatibility. Folks who spend up on the QM8L will enjoy a full suite of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs.

With four high-bandwidth ports, the QM8L offers a bit more flexibility, as they all support 4K content at 120Hz (and up to 144Hz with VRR). Fortunately, the QM7L's dedicated eARC input doesn't overlap with one of its high-bandwidth inputs.

The QM7L's additional, 55-inch screen will matter more to people shopping for that screen size than its lack of two additional HDMI 2.1 inputs, but the QM8L's added flexibility here is more likely to affect a wider swath of people shopping in this price range.

Winner: TCL QM8L

TCL QM8L vs QM7L: Design

Due to the nature of its relatively complex display hardware, the TCL QM8L (seen above) is bulkier than many high-end LED TVs. That said, its design is quite refined despite the added bulk.

The QM8L's panel sits on top of heavy, pedestal-style stand that sits below the center of the screen. While the stand design introduces slightly more wobble than what you'll typically experience with a pair of wide-set feet, the placement of the pedestal lets people to place the QM8L on a narrower piece of furniture if they so choose.

As you can see from the photo above, the QM7L is nearly identical in its design approach. Its panel also bulges out around the middle, and it features a similar, pedestal-style stand.

The stands on both sets can be attached in two height configurations. This is particularly convenient for people with tall soundbars.

Additionally, both TVs ship with nearly identical, conveniently backlit remote controls. The QM8L's remote has a brightness rocker on its side.

Given the similarities, this category is too close to call. The QM8L and QM7L aren't as slim and premium-feeling as other TVs in their price range, but both of these sets are among the best-designed TCL TVs I've seen this year.

Winner: Draw

TCL QM8L vs QM7L: Performance

Before we dig deeper into how these TVs look, let's compare their test results. (Both TVs were in their respective Filmmaker picture modes when these tests were taken.)

The story of these TVs is rather simple. They're two of the first TVs to feature TCL's souped-up, quantum dot-based technology, Super Quantum Dot. Both the QM8L and QM7L deliver a wider array of color than previous TCL QLEDs thanks to a new color filter and a major reworking of the brand's picture processing algorithms.

However, according to our test results, the QM8L carries a significant advantage over the QM7L: peak brightness.

The QM8L is capable of driving way more brightness to small, concentrated areas of the picture, resulting in a punchier, more-cinematic look during certain content mastered in HDR. Additionally, its full-screen brightness in both SDR and HDR is slightly higher than that of the QM7L.

Somewhat surprisingly, the QM8L's added brightness doesn't make that big of a difference when it comes to color. You might notice better saturation of dark, low-luminance color on the QM8L, but for the most part, the QM7L does an excellent job of keeping up here.

In many viewing conditions, the real difference-maker is the QM8L's first-rate array of Mini-LEDs. Both the QM7L and QM8L do a terrific job of limiting haloing, but the QM8L is a step above the QM7L in this regard.

Everything else — color accuracy, input latency and upscaling — is very close. But if you're looking for the best-possible performance, the QM8L's added brightness and superior backlight control will be appealing to you.

Winner: TCL QM8L

TCL QM8L vs QM7L: Smart platform and features

Both TVs are built around the Google TV streaming platform, and they perform similarly. Google TV is one of my preferred streaming platforms (just behind Roku), as it's easy to navigate and supports nearly every streaming service and app you'd want on a smart TV.

The QM8L and QM7L both come with a similar set gaming features, too. These include Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (for smooth, artifact-free gaming), as well as TCL's Game Bar, a quick-access menu that lets users access the key gaming features instantly.

Each set supports 4K gaming at 120Hz, the highest 4K spec among current-generation consoles like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. With a gaming PC linked up, both TVs support 4K games at 144Hz, too.

As a reminder, the QM7L comes with just two HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs. In order to access those gaming enhancements, you've got to use one of those ports. The QM8L, on the other hand, comes with four.

That said, we've already settled this when comparing specs. In almost every other way that matters to the average viewer, the QM8L and QM7L roll with a similar set of features.

Winner: Draw

TCL QM8L vs QM7L: outlook

In our full review of each TV, the QM8L received a four-star rating and the QM7L earned a slightly higher, four-and-a-half-star rating. As you can see, however, the tally above has the QM8L at two points higher than its mid-range sibling. So, what gives?

Well, it all comes down to value. Right now, the 65-inch TCL QM8L is $1,399 at Best Buy. That's a fantastic sale price, considering that this model launched at $2,499.

But the 65-inch QM7L is just $1,199 at Best Buy at the time of publishing (down from its original price of $1,499). That's $200 bucks cheaper than the QM8L. Plus, the QM7L is available in a 55-inch model, which is a popular screen size for people who shop in the QM7L's mid-tier price range. For this reason, it has wider appeal.

While the QM8L delivers a brighter, better-looking picture overall, I suspect that most shoppers would be almost as impressed by the QM7L — and walk away with an extra $200 in their pocket, too.

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