When I was in college, I had to lug around a 50-pound, CRT-style TV from dorm to dorm — and it cost a lot. These days, TVs are slim and plenty of budget-friendly models are worth buying.

Whether moving into a dorm, an off-campus apartment or simply refurnishing a bedroom, the ideal TV for the average student is on the smaller side, with a reliable smart platform and a price tag that doesn’t add to the stress of a new semester.

I’ve put together a list of my five top picks that meet this criteria. In addition, I’ve made sure to choose sets that are currently on sale.

1. Samsung Q7F (43 inches)

This affordable Samsung QLED isn't the brightest or most-colorful TV on the block, but for students who want an extra-slim screen in their living space, the Q7F is the one to buy.

Despite its entry-level performance, the Q7F comes in a remarkably sleek package for the price. Setup couldn't be easier (no tools are required), and Samsung's built-in smart platform is reliable enough for everyday use.

The 43-inch version of the Q7F is on sale for around $300 at Best Buy, which is right in line with where this set ought to priced. There are better-performing TVs on this list, but the Q7F is perfect for the type of student who values design over a pricey picture.

2. TCL QM5K (50 inches)

If you want something a bit bigger than the Q7F at a comparable price, the 50-inch TCL QM5K is the TV I'd recommend. It's about $50 more than the Q7F, but the QM5K's original price was $649.

The QM5K's best feature is its Mini-LED backlighting. Most affordable TVs at or around the QM5K's price don't come with Mini-LEDs, so this should satisfy the sort of student who'd like a bit better performance for movies and games.

Additionally, this TV features Google TV, which I prefer to Samsung's built-in software. Google TV offers an easy-to-navigate interface and a vast library of downloadable apps.

3. Roku Plus Series (55 inches)

Once upon a time, if you wanted a TV with Roku built in, you had to settle for one that didn’t offer much in the way of picture quality. But in the last few years, Roku's TVs have greatly improved, and the Plus Series is the one I'd recommend to students who want the most convenient streaming experience.

At 55 inches, this TV is bigger than the rest of the recommendations I've included, but its price is nevertheless quite low for its class.

Roku's bold, clean interface is easy to navigate, while its app support is among the best in the industry. It's perfect for a college student who does more streaming than studying ... not that we endorse that.

4. LG B5 (48 inches)

LG's entry-level B5 OLED is the screen to buy if you're looking for a TV in the 43- to 50-inch size range that offers top-tier performance for gamers and cinephiles.

The 48-inch version is a Best Buy exclusive, and while it's over $600, it's arguably the best picture quality you can get for its price.

Students who splurge on the B5 won't just get OLED-driven performance — they'll also get an exhaustive set of features for streaming and gaming.

5. LG C5 (42 inches)

The 42-inch LG C5 OLED is the smallest screen on my list of recommendations, but it's also the best TV on this list, too. Its performance comes a higher cost than even the aforementioned B5, but if you're willing to spend more, you won't be disappointed.

As a mid-range OLED, the C5 is brighter and more colorful than the entry-level B5. At 42 inches, the C5 also makes for a terrific computer monitor. In fact, many people buy the 42-inch C5 specifically for this purpose.

$900 isn't cheap, but consider this: The 42-inch LG C5 was originally priced at $1,399. Its current price matches what we saw on Prime Day.

More from Tom's Guide

• We just graded every TV brand on price, performance and more — here’s how their report cards stack up
• This RGB LED TV is the one to buy if the Sony Bravia 9 II is outside of your budget
• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it

As much as I love eye-popping picture quality, I'll be the first to admit that it's tough to justify the sky-high price tag that usually comes with some of the best OLED TVs. That's why I spill a ton of ink telling people to hold off on buying brand-new TVs until they've had time to come down in price.

For one of the year's best-performing OLED TVs — the LG C6 — that time has come.

Right now, you can get the 65-inch LG C6 for just $1,799 at Amazon. That's a whopping $900 off its original price, and a deep-enough discount that I'm ready to recommend the C6 with enthusiasm.

You can check out our LG C6 review to get the full scoop on this impressive, mid-range LG OLED, but if you're looking for the basic gist, here's what you need to know: The C6 delivers incredible picture quality and class-leading features for less than what you'd pay for a luxury OLED TV. With this latest discount, the C6's value has never been higher.

In fact, until the C6 dropped in price, I was more likely to recommend its predecessor, the LG C5. But now that the 65-inch C6 is $900 cheaper than it was when it debuted, it's a much savvier purchase.

Like all OLED TVs, all of its pixels are self-lit, which has a hugely positive impact on performance. The C6 can produce perfect black levels and its picture is free of the distracting, bluish-colored light bloom you'll often see on Mini-LED TVs.

As mentioned, the C6 also leads the mid-range OLED class when it comes to extra features and enhancements: All four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 165Hz with a PC linked up), as well as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium. Unlike Samsung's lineup of OLED TVs, the C6 supports Dolby Vision, one of the most popular HDR formats.

The C6 is built around webOS, LG's own smart platform. Although it's not my top pick for streaming movies and shows, it'll get the job done if you'd rather not take up an HDMI input with an external streaming device.

In recent days, the 65-inch C6 has bounced back and forth between $1,999 and $1,799. I recommend pouncing on this price if you're ready to upgrade and want to save as much as possible.

More from Tom's Guide

• 'LG TVs are better than they've ever been' — here's what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong, and what needs to change in 2026
• LG C6 vs B6: We've tested both OLED TVs, and this is the one to buy
• LG C6 OLED review

I’ll be honest: For the most part, testing a TV isn’t exciting. Most of the process involves flashing differently colored boxes on the screen and measuring them with a doohickey. Thrilling.

But at some point, I get to tuck away my TV-testing equipment, toss on a few Blu-rays and treat myself to a feast for the eyes. Unfortunately, the better the TV, the longer it takes me to finish a review.

Over the years, I’ve put together a small collection of 4K Blu-rays that make the most out of the best TVs on the market. Some of these flicks feature scintillating lights and psychedelic colors — perfect fodder for a bright, punchy QLED. Others put the high-contrast characteristics of an OLED to the test. Here’s a peek at what I’m working with.

1. "Speed Racer" (2008)

Looking for something to showcase quantum-dot color? Or maybe you’re breaking in an all-new RGB LED TV and need a double-dose of dazzling, dream-like imagery.

In any event, the kaleidoscopic, kinetic visuals of Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s 2008 cult-classic is the perfect pick for people who want to push a TV to its limits. Best of all? It’s a damn good movie, to boot.

This 4K disc is brand-new, having just dropped back in May. Ahead of its release, fans of the film — myself included — crossed our fingers for a transfer that did this remarkable-looking movie justice. I’m happy to report that “Speed Racer” has never looked better on a TV screen. It ought to be a staple in any physical media-collector’s catalogue.

2. “The Northman” (2022)

Whenever I want to test a TV’s ability to render dark landscapes and shadowy sequences, I drop in a disc of one of the most atmospheric movies of the last several years: “The Northman.”

It’s not my favorite entry in Robert Eggers’s filmography, nor is it an easy watch. But few 4K Blu-rays do a better job of depicting gloom and glumness.

As a result of its dark, dreary presentation, “The Northman” is my go-to choice for seeing how well a TV preserves near-black shadow detail. It can be punishing on budget TVs, but on higher-end sets (particularly OLED TVs), it’s hard not to be swallowed up by the movie’s all-enveloping visual despair.

3. “Dune: Part Two” (2024)

One of the most successful sequels in the last few years is also a stunning cinematic showcase at home. Just as the spectacle of “Dune: Part Two” deserved to be seen on the biggest-possible screen during its initial theatrical run, it’s also best experienced on Blu-ray — not digital.

The “Dune: Part Two” 4K disc isn’t just a good way to show off a new TV’s HDR capabilities, it’s also a fine way to demonstrate the bass-heavy thumps of a dedicated soundbar. There aren’t too many sound bytes that fire me up as much as the first thing we hear in “Dune: Part Two”: a deep, bellowing voice declaring the ultimate power of Spice.

4. “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)

Years ago, while discussing Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece, “2001,” a friend of mine said something that will never leave my mind: “That movie looks like it was made tomorrow.”

Despite being nearly 60 years old, I’d be hard-pressed to name more than a handful of sci-fi films that come close to matching the visual command on display during “2001.” Fortunately, the 4K Blu-ray looks nearly as impressive as the 70mm release I experienced several years ago.

From its balletic spacefaring sequences to the hallucinogenic laser lights of Jupiter (and beyond the infinite), the “2001” Blu-ray is a great way to demonstrate how impressive modern TVs are at presenting classic cinema.

5. "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015)

One of the most popular discs among TV-testers, George Miller's high-octane "Mad Max" legacy sequel is a perfect inaugural viewing for new TVs of all types. It's a regular feature in our testing labs for a reason.

"Fury Road" is especially eye-catching on high-performance QLEDs and souped-up, quantum dot-equipped OLEDs on account of its masterful use of color. For years, I've used it to benchmark how well a TV can showcase deep, rich reds in particular.

This week, we handed out report cards to the biggest brands in the TV industry: Hisense, LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL and Vizio.

The goal was simple: grade each TV-maker on pricing, design, features and performance. We also took a hard look at each of these brands' software.

Now that these familiar names have received their respective report cards, it's time to meet them in the classroom for a conference about how they're doing this year. If you're shopping for the best TV in 2026, this ought to give you a pretty clear picture about how to spend your money.

Pricing

Of the six names in the mix, Hisense, TCL and Vizio led the class in the all-important pricing category. If you’ve shopped for a TV lately, this probably won’t come as a surprise.

Vizio has focused almost entirely on ultra-affordable TVs in recent years. While the rest of the big-name brands tinker with high-end, cutting-edge technologies like RGB LED and QD-OLED, Vizio is focused on more cost-effective hardware.

Meanwhile, the most-popular entry-level sets in Hisense and TCL’s primary lineups tend to be more affordable than those of LG, Samsung and Sony. In addition, it’s often the case that, when comparing similarly priced models, Hisense and TCL TVs offer a bit more bang for your buck when it comes to features.

Winner: Tie (Hisense, TCL and Vizio)

Design

When it comes to design, Samsung and Sony lead the way. Sony’s top TVs often arrive with multiple stand configurations, and its most recent True RGB TVs feature a unique stand design that effectively hides cables by way of lenticular lensing.

Samsung consistently innovates at the higher end of its lineup, too, popularizing matte-style screens, external connectivity hubs and, most recently, eye-catching metallic frames. Affordable, entry-level Samsung QLEDs lean into the simplistic nature of their display hardware, often arriving with sleek, slim panels that play the part of a more-premium set.

LG’s most noteworthy TVs — its OLEDs — are handsomely engineered, too, but the worldwide leader in OLED TVs doesn’t seem too eager to move away from tried and true formulas.

TCL and Hisense are purveyors of TVs with safe, middle-of-the-road designs that don’t innovate as much as they respond to (and replicate) industry trends. Their higher-end TVs tend to carry their best design characteristics.

Winner: Tie (Samsung and Sony)

Features

Years ago, LG was among the first TV-makers to outfit its TVs with a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs. This aggressive approach to supplemental features has carried all the way into 2026, where the company narrowly leads TCL and Samsung when it comes to gaming- and streaming-related enhancements.

Although Samsung’s top-shelf TVs are jam-packed with extras, there are plenty of people shopping in this higher price tier expecting the full package. Without Dolby Vision support, LG’s top TVs are the most feature-complete.

Sony is the last of these brands to embrace full HDMI 2.1 support. Fortunately, that seems to be the new standard for the brand as the company looks to leverage newer chipsets in 2026 and beyond.

This year, Hisense and TCL are similar in how they approach feature availability across their respective lineups, but for the last couple of years, Hisense has traded a fourth HDMI input for a USB-C DisplayPort on its higher-end models — a move that might disappoint home theater enthusiasts looking to plug in every single one of their HDMI-equipped devices.

Being the brand most concerned with affordability above all else, it’s no surprise that Vizio is the brand least concerned with premium features.

Winner: LG

Performance

Although TCL and Hisense make exceptional TVs, LG, Samsung and Sony are the brands to consider if you’re looking for top-tier, best-in-the-business performance.

Of the six brands we graded, LG, Samsung and Sony are the only three that make OLED TVs. Despite the rapid ascension of RGB LED technology, OLED remains the best all-around option (provided you don’t need super-high full-field brightness to overcome a sun-soaked room). And, of the graded brands releasing RGB LED TVs in 2026, Samsung and Sony have impressed me the most with the Samsung R95H and Sony Bravia 9 II.

These brands also deliver better picture processing than Hisense, TCL and Vizio. On the whole, Sony TVs feature better processing than any other brand, but LG and Samsung aren’t far behind.

At the mid-range and entry level, ranking the brands’ performance isn’t as cut and dry. Hisense and TCL have fortified their position as the best bang-for-your-buck brands in these price tiers because they typically offer brighter pictures with better contrast control. In many cases, you could spend the same amount of money on an entry-level or mid-range LED TV from LG, Samsung or Sony and walk away with a less-impressive picture.

Vizio is… Well, Vizio. The Walmart-owned brand doesn’t make high-end flagships anymore, and the rest of its TVs are affordably made models engineered primarily to generate ad revenue by way of its web-based software. There’s nothing wrong with buying a Vizio TV as long as you’re shopping for affordability instead of sheer picture prowess.

Winner: Sony

Smart TV platform

Hisense, TCL and Sony offer the smoothest streaming experiences thanks to their built-in Google TV smart platform. It’s my second-favorite choice behind the Roku operating system on account of its relatively straightforward interface and vast library of downloadable apps.

LG and Samsung fall to a lower tier, primarily because their respective software suites aren’t as easy to navigate. Both LG’s webOS and Samsung’s Smart Hub also come with a unique set of annoyances, like unnecessary AI features and auto-playing content.

Vizio is to be avoided if you’re hoping to avoid buying an external streaming device, as its proprietary software lags behind the five other brands. The interface is inundated with more ads than its competitors (including auto-playing commercials) and its app selection is limited.

Winner: Hisense, TCL and Sony

Overall Brand Grades

So, you’re shopping for a TV this year and you want to put all of this information to proper use. Allow me to simplify things.

If you’re looking to splash out on a top-performing TV with an emphasis on design and features, LG and Samsung ought to be at the top of your list of options. At the highest price tier, Sony’s TVs offer similarly excellent performance and design, but some of these models don’t offer as many gaming-related features despite their steep cost.

If you’re looking for a mid-range TV in the Goldilocks Zone between affordability and high performance, consider Hisense and TCL. These two brands are especially suited for mid-range TV-shoppers on the hunt for the brightest possible picture, since Hisense and TCL specialize in budget-friendly Mini-LED TVs that don’t skimp on display hardware. (For what it’s worth, Hisense and TCL flagship models are usually quite good — just not as impressive as flagships from LG, Samsung and Sony.)

If you’re looking to spend as little as possible, I strongly recommend shopping for something from Hisense or TCL over anything from Insignia, Pioneer or Onn. I also recommend Hisense and TCL over Vizio, unless you’re comfortable with Vizio’s ad-heavy software experience.

Next year, we’ll grade all of these brands again. That means there’s plenty of time for them to study up.

Plenty of TVs offer eye-popping picture quality, and even more are affordably priced. But your budget and a TV's performance should only part of the equation when shopping for a TV, because for the next several years, you won't just have a new screen, you'll have an entire brand's ethos at the center of your living room.

To help you choose a brand to take home, we’re tapping years of TV-testing expertise and doling out report cards to major TV brands this week. We’ve already given grades to Hisense, LG, Sony, TCL and Vizio. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the Samsung TV experience in 2026.

This year, like most big-time TV brands, Samsung is making a case for RGB LEDs with a pair of TVs that leverage the company's all-new Micro RGB technology. In addition, there are several new OLEDs and QLEDs rounding up the 2026 Samsung portfolio.

Pricing

Relative to most sets, Samsung’s TVs aren’t priced as high as Sony’s. However, when comparing similar models, you can generally expect to pay slightly more for a new Samsung TV than one from Hisense and TCL — or roughly the same price for fewer features.

This is especially true at the lower end of the spectrum. An entry-level Samsung QLED like the Samsung Q7F doesn’t offer Mini-LEDs and local dimming for improved contrast, but the TCL QM5K offers both of these features for about the same price.

Fortunately, previous-year TVs tend to occupy shelves alongside the latest models, so there are usually ways to secure these features on a Samsung TV at a lower price.

At the higher-end of the spectrum — among the brand’s OLED lineup, for instance — Samsung TVs are usually priced within a few hundred dollars of what you can expect to pay for a similar LG TV.

Consider this: As a mid-range OLED TV, the Samsung S90H is currently on sale for around $1,799. LG’s mid-range OLED TV, the C6, has been fluctuating between $1,799 and $1,999, too.

The brand’s top-shelf TVs (like the S95H OLED and the R95H Micro RGB TV) are almost always among the priciest TVs on shelves, but nothing egregious relative to the competition. You can expect to pay about the same for LG flagships (like the G6 OLED) and significantly more for Sony’s flagship models (like the Bravia 9 II True RGB TV).

Grade: B-

Design

Samsung does two things better than any other TV-maker: It engineers sleek, premium-looking TVs at the lowest end of the price spectrum, and it delivers fresh, innovative design features at the higher end.

Samsung understands that, because budget-friendly QLEDs don’t leverage complicated, multi-layered display components, their hardware is capable of fitting into a slimmer, lighter chassis. At this price point, the picture may not blow you away, but the elegant-looking design will certainly be appreciated.

It's worth noting, too, that, thanks to The Frame, Samsung is primarily responsible for the rapid expansion of the so-called lifestyle TV — models that emphasize design above all else.

If you’re shopping higher up in Samsung’s lineup, you’re bound to encounter several thoughtfully considered (albeit divisive) design flourishes: the detachable One Connect Box (which can expand your TV’s HDMI selection from four to eight ports), the eye-catching metallic frame of the S95H OLED and the brand’s iconic matte-style, Glare-Free display.

Elements like the metal frame and the matte-style screen won’t appeal to every viewer. But they’re bold design decisions that attract a wide swath of shoppers and, when you fold in the brand’s ability to properly zhuzh up budget-friendly models, I’m comfortable calling Samsung the brand to beat when it comes to design.

Grade: A-

Features

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Samsung TVs don’t support Dolby Vision, one of the most popular HDR formats across streaming services, Xbox titles and UHD Blu-rays. Even if you splash out on the best Samsung TV money can buy, you won’t be getting Dolby Vision support. Them’s the breaks, kid.

Samsung’s steadfast dismissal of Dolby’s proprietary HDR format (and the associated licensing fees) is a sore spot among dedicated home theater enthusiasts and all-around A/V aficionados. For most folks, though, Dolby Vision’s absence will hardly be felt.

On Samsung TVs, HDR content mastered for Dolby Vision falls back to standard HDR10. In these scenarios, the picture isn’t quite as dialed-in to the creator’s intent as it would be with Dolby Vision processing the details, but if you’re buying an excellent Samsung TV, chances are good that it’ll look impressive nonetheless.

When it comes to more affordable Samsung TVs, you can reasonably expect a shorter list of gaming-related features than some of the more value-forward sets from TCL and Hisense. Just as Samsung’s lowest-level TVs often lack display-related features like Mini-LEDs and local dimming, so too do they often arrive with zero HDMI 2.1 inputs and no added gaming enhancements.

But once you bust through Samsung’s entry-level range and move up to some of the mid-range and upper-mid-range options, you’ll find more features than you will on any other brand not named LG.

OLEDs like the S85H, S90H and S95H come with a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs and support 4K gaming at 120Hz — the highest 4K spec for current-gen consoles. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility are almost always represented, too.

Grade: B

Performance

After over a decade of reviewing Samsung TVs that are big, small, affordable and expensive, here’s how I’d summarize their performance tendencies: Budget-friendly Samsung TVs typically make up for limited hardware with excellent picture processing, while mid-range and high-end Samsung TVs are usually among the best-looking TVs in their class.

At lower price points, I find it easier to recommend models from TCL and Hisense, since these competing sets tend to offer more bang for the buck when it comes to sheer brightness and contrast control. Their processing may not be as adept as a rival Samsung TV, but at least you can hang your hat on a punchy picture.

At higher price points, Samsung tends to deliver better all-round performance than competing TVs from TCL and Hisense. A big reason for this is hardware availability. Samsung offers a full lineup of OLED TVs while TCL and Hisense don’t. For my money, I’d almost always choose an entry-level Samsung OLED over a similarly priced Mini-LED TV from Hisense or TCL.

Once you reach the highest echelons of Samsung TVs, you’re almost always dealing with some of the best TVs money can buy — whether OLED, Neo QLED or Micro RGB. Along with LG and Sony, Samsung offers some of the most impressive picture processing on the market, so finer details like skin tone accuracy, upscaling and light bloom-minimization are handled exceptionally well.

The brand’s top-shelf Micro RGB TV — the R95H — is among the best examples of RGB LED technology available today. The S95H is one of just a few quantum dot-enhanced OLEDs you can buy, and easily one of the best OLED TVs ever made.

Samsung could certainly afford to shore up its lower-end QLEDs to put them closer in line with the competition; I’d love to see Mini-LED backlighting with full-array local dimming become a standardized feature among those TVs above the Crystal UHD designation. But when it comes to the brand’s higher-end offerings, you can rely on Samsung to deliver exceptional performance.

Grade: A-

Smart TV platform

The weakest aspect of an otherwise-excellent Samsung TV is its built-in software. The Tizen-based operating system has seen some significant improvements in recent years (namely when it comes to the navigational experience), but I simply don’t enjoy using Smart Hub — I tolerate it.

I don’t appreciate how Samsung TV Plus — a free live TV service — automatically starts tunes in by default after the TV is turned on. I don’t appreciate how, from the home screen, accessing a menu of available inputs takes several more steps than it should. I don’t appreciate the chaotic amount of ads on the screen at any given time, and I definitely don’t have any use for the tangled thicket of AI-related features that continues to spread throughout the interface like an invasive weed offering no recognizable benefit.

LG’s webOS isn’t much better, but Google TV is a breath of fresh air compared to Samsung’s streaming platform, and Roku is a downright dream. Some viewers will be able to hang with Smart Hub thanks to its decent app support, but people with higher standards will be better off plugging in a dedicated streaming device.

Grade: C+

Overall grade: B

While some brands’ bread and butter are budget-friendly models that punch above their weight, a Samsung TV’s value tends to increase as you move up the lineup. In other words, I’m far more enthusiastic about the brand’s OLED, Micro RGB and Neo QLED TVs than I am about the brand’s more-affordable sets.

If you’re aiming to spend less than $700 on a TV, I’m not as likely to recommend a Samsung as I am a TCL or Hisense TV, given the likelihood of those sets to include some key, competitive features. However, if you’re planning on shelling out on a mid-range or high-end model, there are plenty of Samsung TVs I can recommend with plenty of enthusiasm.

In 2026, the Samsung TV that’s best suited for most people is the Samsung S85H. As the brand’s entry-level OLED, it carries a much friendlier price tag than the flagship-level S95H; you can buy the 65-inch S85H for just $1,497, while the 65-inch S95H will set you back over $3,000.

Thanks to the benefits of OLED display technology, the S85H delivers better contrast than most LCD TVs in its price range (provided you don't intend on putting it in a sun-soaked room). It also comes with nearly all of the same features as the brand's higher-end sets.

There's a lot to love in Samsung's 2026 TV lineup, but to fully appreciate what the brand excels at, you've got to be willing to spend at a higher level.

Streaming continues to get more expensive between rising platform costs and now streaming devices.

Roku announced that it's raising prices on several of its flagship streaming devices — an ominous sign after Fox just purchased Roku for $22 billion in June.

Here's what Roku devices will cost you now.

In an interview with The Desk, an unnamed Roku executive blamed the price hike on increased RAM prices and supply issues due to AI demand.

From laptops and phones to gaming consoles and now streaming devices, the AI gold rush is impacting and deforming the market for everything as RAM prices and supply continues to be astronomically bad with no end in sight.

How to save money on streaming devices

There is a small bit of good news, however: Currently, Roku is running a sale on its official store that keeps most Roku devices at their old prices. The Roku Ultra, for example, is "on sale" for $99.99.

You can also pick up Roku devices from Amazon and Best Buy, where you might find some for even less. The Ultra is on sale for $90 on Amazon. Best Buy isn't having a sale, but as of this writing, none of the devices are listed at the new prices.

Of course, if you're not inclined toward Roku, the best streaming devices have alternatives like the Google TV Streamer, which costs $99 on Amazon. I would offer the Apple TV 4K, but Apple just hiked prices across nearly every product the company makes, including the set-top box, which now costs $199 — $50 more than the Roku Ultra despite Roku's increase.

Of course, if you want the Stick form, there's always the Amazon Fire Stick HD for only $35, a new slimmer version of which just launched in April.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the ad load on 7 streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video and HBO Max — here’s the worst offender
• Tom's Guide streaming survey reveals the one service people will never cancel, plus the free app 49% of respondents are using
• 30 days without streaming — The money I saved and the shows I was lost without

Not every TV purchase is a 10-year commitment. Sometimes you just want a TV that's good, cheap, and easy to use. That's Vizio's brand in a nutshell.

This week we're going through the largest TV makers and we’re handing out report cards, grading them on everything from price to performance and usability.

So far, we've covered LG, Sony, and TCL. Now it's Vizio's turn. Here's what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong, and what needs to change in 2026.

Pricing

You can't talk about Vizio without mentioning the brand's corporate owner, Walmart. The big box retailer bought Vizio at the end of 2024, primarily due to the fact that Vizio releases cheap (but still good) TVs.

Pricing is arguably the brand's strongest area. Vizio may not always incorporate the latest and greatest technology in its TVs (there aren't any QD-OLED or RGB TVs in its 2026 line-up, for example) but it will take the cutting-edge tech from the last few years to a more approachable price point.

That's most apparent in the Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Smart TV we tested earlier this year. Mini-LED isn't exactly a new technology, but Vizio brought it to a new price point of under $400 for a 65-inch model. (This week it's even cheaper than it is regularly: It's just $358 at Walmart for the next few days.)

Best of all? The already-affordable sticker prices on Vizio TVs drop even more during sales events like Black Friday. Vizio TVs are the quintessential door busters that you should watch out for during end-of-the-year sales events.

Grade: A-

Design

Vizio's TV designs are practical, but largely not aesthetically ground-breaking. TVs in its 2026 lineup have minimal bezels (ooh!) but often measure in at a rather rotund 3 inches in depth (boo!).

Now, some of you might think, "That doesn't feel that thick..." Compared to LG's OLED TVs that are millimeters thick, Vizio's TVs are downright bulky.

For both better and worse, Vizio has stuck with the double V-shaped leg design that we saw on TVs a decade ago. Once upon a time the brand tried a pedestal design with its one-off OLED, but it hasn't used that design since.

Vizio's remotes, similarly, are simply mediocre. They're plastic and replete with handy shortcut buttons to popular streaming services, but they're lackluster compared to Samsung's solar-powered clickers or LG's Wii-mote styled Magic Remote.

Grade: C+

Features

As you'd expect given its TV's supremely low price points, features aren't in abundance on Vizio screens.

Let's focus on the good stuff for a moment. Vizio TVs don't have a horse in the HDR race and will support both the advanced Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. Its mid-range Mini-LED Quantum TV I mentioned earlier also supports Dolby Atmos pass-through, DTS:X spatial audio, and DTS Virtual:X. That's about as robust a collection of formats as you're going to see on a TV.

Gamers also get a neat benefit to picking a Vizio TV: If you don't mind downshifting from 4K to a 1080p resolution, you can effectively double the refresh rate of the TVs from 60 to 120Hz. There's also VRR support in there, but it's not on the same level as LG or Samsung's G-SYNC Compatible screens.

Unfortunately, that's kind of where features start and end on Vizio TVs.

Problematically, the vast majority of Vizio TVs are limited to a 60Hz refresh rate in 4K, despite having multiple HDMI 2.1 ports. You're also not going to get ATSC 3.0 support on Vizio TVs, either.

The latter is forgivable, but not having a native 120Hz refresh rate in 4K on your top-tier TV is pretty bad in the year 2026.

Grade: C+

Performance

As someone who's spent the last decade-and-a-half of my life reviewing TVs, Vizio TVs have always surprised me when it comes to performance.

I go into every review with an open mind and with as few prejudices as I can — and that's absolutely crucial when checking out budget TVs. One might assume that, given the price, performance would be poor, but the Vizio TVs that I've seen are actually above par for the price.

Now, that doesn't mean Vizio TVs are going to overtake a high-end Samsung Neo QLED or LG OLED on our list of the best TVs, but I think you're getting more than you'd expect here: nice colors, good motion handling in Sports mode, and decent brightness.

In our most recent review of the 2026 Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K, our reviewer Sean Captain said that the TV delivered "strong colors in Sports mode" and "better-than-expected HDR performance." With a peak brightness that topped 700 nits and decent color spectrum coverage, that absolutely makes sense.

Can you get similar performance from other budget brands' TVs? You can, yeah. But that doesn't detract from Vizio's ability to deliver above-par performance for a budget price.

Grade: B-

Smart TV platform

Unfortunately, there's not nearly as many good things to say about Vizio's smart TV platform, Vizio OS, as there was to say about its performance.

At best, Vizio OS is a middling alternative to Roku and Google TV, delivering decent recommendations alongside far too many advertisements.

At worst, it's far behind the pack: Smart home integration is limited and AI is totally absent here. You'll also have to create a Walmart account to get it working. (Yuck.)

On the bright side, you've got WatchFree+ that delivers 300+ live OTT channels for free and Cast support, but it's not overwhelmingly impressive given the many downsides of the platform.

Grade: C-

Overall grade: C+

Vizio is still finding its footing post-Walmart acquisition. The brand isn't as strong as it was when it was an independent entity, but I think it could make a comeback in the next few years if Walmart decides to make investments in Vizio OS.

Still, Vizio has two things going for it: performance and price. The brand built its reputation on delivering good performance for budget TV shoppers, and it's still doing that under Walmart's watch.

Would I like to see Vizio venture back into the world of OLED? Absolutely. But let's start first by adopting a native 120Hz refresh rate as standard in more models.

Here's hoping for a big comeback in 2027.

Choosing a TV means choosing a TV brand — the very brand you’ll be locked into a relationship with for the next several years. Specific screens may dazzle you in a store aisle, but it’s important to remember that the experience of living with a TV amounts to more than just picture quality.

With this in mind, we’re playing the role of administrator and doling out report cards to major TV brands this week. We’ve already given grades to LG, Sony and TCL, but today, we’re evaluating the Hisense TV experience in 2026.

This year, like most of the biggest names in the TV business, Hisense is making a case for RGB LED technology along with a series of quantum dot-equipped Mini-LED TVs ranging from budget-friendly to mid-range.

Pricing

In recent years, Hisense has occupied a similar position in the marketplace as TCL, in that both brands aim to deliver competitive performance at lower price points than brands like Sony, Samsung and LG.

In fact, Hisense is a big reason why Mini-LEDs went from being a high-end luxury just a few years ago to somewhat of a standardized feature among entry-level TVs in 2026.

Simply put, Hisense has been aggressive in its expansion of affordable Mini-LED TVs, which put pressure on companies like Samsung and TCL to do the same.

Hisense’s most-recent main lineup follows this familiar formula. Its entry-level model — the U6SF — is currently priced at just $499 for a 55-inch model. The U65F comes with Mini-LEDs and full-array local dimming. In order to get a similar deal from Samsung, you’ll have to settle for the M70H, a TV without local dimming.

Moving up through the lineup reveals even more competitively priced sets with premium hardware. The spec sheet of the Hisense U7SG Mini-LED TV is comparable to the brand’s previous flagship TV (the U8), but you can get a 65-inch U7SG for $649 — far lower than the price of a Samsung QN70H.

And, while the brand’s first-ever flagship RGB LED TV made its debut at a sky-high $3,499 for a 65-inch model, it has since assumed the much-lower MSRP of $2,199. Of all the flagship-level RGB LED TVs on shelves this year, the UR9 is currently the most affordable.

Almost without fail, the best aspect of any given Hisense TV is its price relative to the competition. This makes them an attractive option for deal-hunters who nevertheless want a little oomph when it comes to performance.

Grade: A-

Design

Hisense TVs are not as sleek and seamless as most Samsung TVs. They’re often heavier than their competitors, with big, beefy panels that bulge out with subwoofers and right-angled corners.

The overall vibe I get from the design of mainline Hisense TVs is one of carefully cut corners — as if most of the cost was seemingly put towards the underlying display hardware rather than the outer shell.

The tradeoff isn’t a bad one. After all, I’d rather the bulk of my money go towards picture quality, especially when shopping in the entry-level or mid-range tier.

However, if you’re the sort of person who wants a big, pricey expense to assume the appearance of a luxury purchase, the heavy, industrial-adjacent look and feel of a Hisense TV might not be as soothing as the smooth, svelte appearance of an LG or Samsung TV.

Grade: B-

Features

In addition to their regularly low prices relative to rival sets, one of the reasons I routinely recommend Hisense TVs is their reliably thorough list of features.

Mainline Hisense TVs almost always arrive with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. LG and Samsung offer only one or the other.

Just as Hisense put pressure on the competition to expand Mini-LED across a lower price range, the brand has also been aggressive in their inclusion of HDMI 2.1 compatibility on lower-end TVs. This means that if you want an affordable, entry-level TV in the Hisense U6SF, you don’t have to sacrifice the inclusion of HDMI 2.1.

Unfortunately, over the last two years, Hisense has replaced one of the HDMI inputs on its flagship model (the U8QG and the UR9) with a USB-C DisplayPort. It’s an interesting move, but not one I’ve heard too much positive feedback about, even among home theater enthusiasts.

Grade: B

Performance

Hisense has perfected the art of capturing excellent on-paper test results from TV-reviewers like myself, as their TVs consistently demonstrate impressive benchmarks in areas of performance like brightness and color. In fact, Hisense TVs routinely pump out higher brightness numbers than what is listed in the marketing materials.

But these numbers don’t tell the whole story. Just as I’m regularly impressed by the high brightness levels and color gamut coverage of an aggressively priced Hisense TV, I’m regularly on the fence about that same TV’s overall presentation.

When it comes to the little things — upscaling, motion handling, color gradients, and HDR EOTF tracking — Hisense TVs often lag behind comparable sets from LG, Samsung and Sony. The result is a picture that sometimes looks a little fuzzy relative to rival sets.

To be clear, I do believe that Hisense has improved its picture processing in recent years and I hope that this trend continues. Additionally, there’s no denying the fact that TVs like the U6SF, the U7SG and the flagship-level UR9 are among the brightest in their respective classes, and that sort of horsepower goes a long way in a sunny viewing environment.

In 2026, buying a Hisense TV is like taking a savvy shortcut to pretty-great performance. You’ll still arrive at the desired destination of bright, colorful picture quality, but by skipping the scenic route, you’ll miss out on some of the finer things in life.

Grade: B-

Smart TV platform

Nearly all of the mainline Hisense TVs in 2026 are built around the Google TV smart platform. A handful of lower-end models leverage Amazon’s Fire TV smart platform.

The Hisense U6SF and U6SF Pro arrive with Fire TV right out of the box. Amazon’s streaming platform has seen some improvements in 2026, but to be honest, I wouldn’t rely on Fire TV as a daily driver unless I was an avid Alexa user. Fortunately, the rest of Hisense’s main TV lineup is all about Google.

Google TV isn’t my first choice for streaming software (that honor goes to Roku), but I’d rather use Google TV than Samsung’s Smart Hub or LG’s webOS. It offers a much more straightforward navigational experience, and while it’s plastered with sponsored content, Google TV is much more user-friendly than the cluttered, AI-infused landscapes of Samsung and LG TVs.

Grade: B+

Overall grade: B

In 2026, Hisense TVs represent one of the best ways to maximize your dollar. Its entry-level sets are brighter than just about every other similarly priced option, and its higher-end TVs tend to deliver competitive performance specs for less than the cost of rival flagships.

The catch — if you feel comfortable calling it a catch — is that Hisense TVs often lack the finesse of pricier models from The Big Three (LG, Samsung and Sony). Its picture processing capabilities aren’t nearly as impressive, and the design of its TVs seems more about accommodating hardware rather than harmonizing with it.

For my money, the Hisense TV to buy in 2026 is the U7SG Mini-LED TV. We're still in the process of evaluating this model, but because it sits right in the middle of Hisense's lineup this year, the design- and performance-related shortcomings I've come to expect from Hisense TVs don't weigh as heavily on the experience.

When you buy a TV, you're buying more than just a screen — you're buying into a brand's entire philosophy. For better or worse, over the course of the next several years, that brand will be at the center of your living room.

As professional TV-reviewers, no one understands the relationship between a viewer and their TV better than us. That's why we're passing out report cards to the biggest names in the TV industry this week, grading everything from price to performance.

Previously, we doled out report cards to both LG and Sony. Today, we’re taking a look at TCL, makers of some of the most popular QLEDs on the market. In 2026, TCL's proprietary Super Quantum Dot (SQD) technology is up against some fierce competition, too.

Pricing

In recent years (including 2026), TCL TVs have played the part of value-forward alternatives to pricier analogues from brands like Samsung and Sony. They’re not always budget friendly, but outside of a handful of exceptions, TCL sets are typically priced lower than the competition while still offering many of the same benefits and features.

On the lower end of the spectrum, TVs like the four-star TCL QM6K offer a taste of premium hardware for a price most people can justify. Backed by Mini-LEDs, a 65-inch QM6K launched at just $799 and eventually fell even further throughout its shelf life.

The Best Buy-exclusive TCL QM5K offers a modest array of Mini-LEDs for even less. The 65-inch QM5K is still available for $499.

You don’t have to stick to entry-level and mid-range models to see the inherent value in most TCL TVs in 2026. The top-shelf TCL QM8L — which recently earned our four-star rating — is equipped with the brand’s best display technology, but still comes in at a relatively low price compared to some of its competitors.

Just a few months (and price drops) after its release, the 65-inch TCL QM8L is just $1,499. For all intents and purposes, it’s a direct competitor of the Sony Bravia 9 II True RGB TV and the Samsung R95H Micro RGB TV, but those sets are currently $3,599 and $3,199, respectively.

TCL is no stranger to the concept of a flashy, big-screen luxury TV. The TCL X11L is a prime example of this. But when it comes to its mainline QLEDs, its TVs are usually more affordable than alternatives from LG, Samsung and Sony — and they tend to go on sale fast and frequently.

Grade: A-

Design

I've been covering TCL TVs for over a decade, and early on, the company wasn't exactly known for the build quality of its TVs. Fortunately, as TCL's lineups upgraded and expanded, so too did its design chops.

In 2026, TCL TVs are neither flimsy nor posh. They're on the nicer end of the utilitarian spectrum — they're thoughtful in their approach while safely following a formula. The most eye-catching design flourish you're likely to notice on a TCL TV is something like a Bang & Olufsen-branded sound system.

If you shop high enough in TCL's lineup, your TV will include one of the most convenient remote controls of 2026. It comes with a built-in backlight for easy use in the dark and runs off a built-in battery that recharges via USB-C. Much appreciated.

Grade: B-

Features

When it comes to extra features and enhancements, very few TVs come with everything but the kitchen sink. When they do, they're usually pretty pricy.

What matters more is that a given TV comes with enough features to be worthy of its price. For TCL, this is generally true across the board: Its lower-end and mid-range models may not be covered in bells and whistles, but rarely do I feel like I should be getting more features for a TCL TV's price.

The brand's primary mid-range model for 2026 is the TCL QM7L (a TV that we're still in the process of evaluating). This set doesn't come with a full slate of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs like an LG OLED, but you're getting a pair of high-bandwidth ports that each support 4K games at up to 144Hz. That's plenty for most people, and unless you have more than three gaming devices, you won't find yourself shuffling around cables.

Critically, if you shell out for a top-shelf TCL TV and go with the QM8L or X11L, you won't have to settle for a mid-range setup. These high-end models come with four HDMI 2.1 inputs and nearly every major gaming feature. In addition, mainline TCL TVs support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

Grade: B+

Performance

This year, while the rest of the TV world is showcasing their spin on RGB LED technology, TCL is zagging in a different direction. Three of its TVs are equipped with something called Super Quantum Dot (SQD) color, and based on our test results, these souped-up dots are just as intriguing as RGB LEDs.

Without getting too deep into the weeds, SQD TVs are engineered to wring a wider range of color out of traditional quantum dots by way of added brightness, improved processing algorithms and a fancy new color filter.

Thanks to SQD technology, the QM7L, QM8L and X11L are capable of color volume we previously only measured on quantum dot-equipped OLED TVs. These figures are also on par with what we’ve been measuring on RGB LED-based TVs, too.

Given the nature of TV technology, it’s tough to do a generic, one-to-one comparison of SQD and RGB LED. How, exactly, brands use these technologies matters the most, and not all are created equal. But in RGB LED’s inaugural year, TCL has shown that its competing tech can stand toe-to-toe with the rest.

There’s room for improvement here, however. I’ve watched TCL make great strides when it comes to picture processing, but from what I’ve seen throughout the last year, some models still struggle to upscale sub-4K content as cleanly as LG, Samsung and Sony. For picture purists, out-of-the-box accuracy can be disappointing, too, especially compared to rival brands’ flagship models.

For the average viewer in the market for a good deal on a high-performing TV, though, models like the QM7L and QM8L are a savvy way to secure a bright, colorful picture without paying a premium on RGB LEDs. You can still splash out on a TCL-branded RGB Mini-LED TV if you so choose, but it's clear that SQD technology is the brand's top focus at the moment.

Grade: A-

Smart TV platform

In 2026, TCL TVs are built around the Google TV smart platform. Despite its bevy of sponsored and recommended content, Google TV remains one of my top picks for everyday streaming, second only to Roku.

Here's the thing: There are elements of the Google TV experience that annoy me, but as a TV-reviewer, I'm acutely aware of how much more annoying the alternatives can be. Samsung's Tizen-based OS and LG webOS are far more frustrating to use on a daily basis (to say nothing of Vizio's dreadful in-house software).

By and large, the Google TV navigational experience is straightforward and hassle-free. It moves along at a steady pace, and this is true even for some of the brand's lower-end models.

Grade: B+

Overall grade: B+

Similar to Hisense, TCL has gone from being a brand known primarily for affordability to one recognized for value. Affordability and value often go hand in hand, but in this case, I can plot a clear shift from TCL, a brand that makes cheap TVs to TCL, a brand that makes really good TVs for less than the price of most of its competitors.

I have no way of knowing for sure, but over the last year, I'm willing to bet that I've recommended TCL TVs more than any other brand — at least when it comes to budget-friendly options. The brand often demonstrates the highest amount of upside relative to cost, so it's well-liked by folks who want to spend less while still buying an impressive-looking picture.

I've yet to see a TCL TV whose picture looks as good as, say, Samsung's best OLED TV in 2026. But if you can get the QM8L — one of TCL's best SQD TVs — for half the price, that's a pretty friendly proposition, don't you think?

Want something even cheaper than the QM8L? We're still working through our full review of it, but the QM7L is brighter and more colorful than most TVs in its mid-range class. As mentioned, it comes with nearly every feature a dedicated gamer could ask for, and its streaming software is better than what you'll get on a comparably priced LG or Samsung set.

When buying a TV, you enter a long-term relationship with the brand that made it. For the next several years, your day-to-day viewing experience will be the result of countless decisions made by the folks who work for that company — from the TV’s performance to the feel of the software.

As professional TV-testers, no one understands this relationship better than us. That’s why we’re handing out report cards to the biggest names in the industry this week, grading each in categories ranging from price to performance and software. (Yesterday we evaluated LG's 2026 so far.)

Today, we’re taking a look at Sony, makers of OLEDs, QLEDs and, most recently, a lineup of TVs that tap a brand-new technology that the company has dubbed True RGB.

Pricing

Let’s start with the most controversial aspect of Sony’s presence in the TV space. You might’ve heard of something called “the Sony Tax,” a derisive term used to describe the often high price of Sony TVs relative to rival models.

I try to avoid this term on account of its flippancy, but there’s no denying that the cost of any given Sony TV is typically higher than TVs in the same class with similar specs.

Take, for instance, the recently released Sony Bravia 7 II. It’s the most affordable TV in Sony’s lineup to feature the brand’s True RGB display technology, but at the time of publishing, a 65-inch Bravia 7 II will set you back $1,999 at Best Buy.

For an entry-level RGB LED TV, this is relatively steep. Consider this: Hisense’s most-affordable RGB LED TV, the UR8, is $1,299. Even Samsung’s cheapest Micro RGB TV is $1,699 at the 65-inch size point.

Some TV experts and A/V enthusiasts would argue that Sony’s premium pricing is justified by the brand’s meticulous engineering and commitment to consistency. In fact, I’m one of those people — there isn’t a brand I trust more when it comes to how well a TV handles the little things. Everything from upscaling to motion handling is almost guaranteed to be exceptionally realized on a Sony TV, and Bravia TVs in particular are considered by many to be guided by the best picture processing in the game.

But there’s no way around it: Sony TVs are priced higher than most of the competition.

Grade: C-

Design

Just as Sony TVs are known for excellent processing, so too have they earned a reputation for showcasing thoughtful design approaches.

Oftentimes, Sony TVs arrive with multiple stand configurations to accommodate different home theater setups. Mid-range and high-end Sony TVs ship with remote controls that offer a full spread of buttons (including an input button), and in recent years, these remotes are often backlit — a hugely convenient feature.

The brand innovates in its design approach, too, which is not easy to do in an industry where standards are slow to change.

Take the Sony Bravia 9 II, for instance (Sony’s top TV for 2026). This TV’s pedestal-style stand is outfitted with a special, lenticular material that hides cables when viewed from the front.

The illusion is tough to explain unless you’re standing in front of the Bravia 9 II, but it’s unlike any design flourish on the market from competing brands.

Grade: A-

Features

For the majority of my career covering the TV industry, Sony has been behind the eight ball somewhat when it comes to features.

On one hand, the brand isn’t afraid to showcase relatively niche enhancements for audio- and video-related functions, and high-end Sony TVs offer a ton of ways to tweak the sound and picture. But, conversely, Sony lagged behind its competitors in standardizing out-of-the-box features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and it’s been slow to embrace the implementation of universal HDMI 2.1 inputs.

The good news is that the brand seems to be in the process of course-correcting. The Bravia 3 II — an entry-level model for 2026 — comes with a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs. Weirdly, though, the Bravia 9 II is limited to just two out of four inputs with HDMI 2.1 functionality, due to the fact that it was developed over several years with an older chipset.

Grade: B-

Performance

If you’re interested in an accurate presentation, nothing looks quite as sharp as a Sony TV. Its engineers sink countless hours into the development of new technologies designed to bring the picture as close as possible to the creator’s intent. Even at the lower end of the Bravia TV lineup, you can pretty much always count on Sony to make the most of a set’s hardware — whatever the limitations may be.

To give you an idea of Sony’s commitment to accuracy, consider this: For as searingly bright as the Sony Bravia 9 II is capable of getting, if you put a 10% white window on the screen and measure it in the TV’s Professional SDR picture mode, you will almost certainly receive a rating of 100 nits on the dot. This is because 100 nits is the industry standard for professional reference monitors when mastering for SDR.

Sony TVs may not be the brightest in any given year, but the attention to detail on display in everything from sub-4K upscaling to color gradients is staggeringly good. As a result, its TVs often lap brighter, punchier TVs in several key performance categories.

In other words, high-end Sony TVs are built for picture enthusiasts.

Grade: A

Smart TV platform

Like several competing brands, Sony TVs leverage the Google TV streaming platform. While not perfect, for most people, this is perfectly fine.

The worst thing I can say about Google TV is that its layout is stuffed with sponsored content. This is more or less the case with every streaming platform outside of a few, though, and there’s a lot to be said for the sheer volume of downloadable services available via the platform’s app library.

For what it’s worth, I’ve always found that Sony’s own menu software harmonizes pretty well with the skeletal structure of Google TV. Aside from the claustrophobia-inducing amount of ads, using a Sony TV in 2026 is mostly a breeze.

Grade: B+

Overall grade: B-

In 2026, Sony TVs are laser-targeted at home theater-owners, A/V enthusiasts and all-around picture purists. The attention to detail on display from a presentation standpoint is astonishing, and the brand's approach to design is among the best in the business, too.

Unfortunately, Sony TVs tend to be pricier than the competition. Even if you feel — as I do — that the higher pricing is often justified when considering the high level of performance associated with some of these sets, the fact of the matter is that it limits the scope of who can shop for certain Sony TVs.

If you're shopping for a Sony TV in 2026, the one to buy is the Sony Bravia 9 II. In a year chock-full of RGB LED TVs, Sony's flagship model is the gold standard. In many ways, given its unique design and intricate hardware, the Bravia 9 II is the "most Sony" TV that Sony has ever made.

When shopping for a TV, you’re not just choosing a set — you’re also choosing a brand. It’s the company whose software you’ll be using almost every day, and the one whose hardware will live in your home for years to come.

Here at Tom’s Guide, our goal is not only to help you choose a new TV, but to give you an idea of how it might feel to enter into a long-term relationship with the brand itself. This week, we’re handing out report cards to the biggest TV brands, grading them on everything from price to performance and usability.

We’re kicking things off with a company whose name is synonymous with OLED TVs: LG. It’s one of the most popular TV-makers in the world, and year after year, its OLED TVs are among our most-recommended models.

But if we take a step back, how does LG grade on its pricing? What does it feel like to use LG’s software on a daily basis? The semester is over — and we’ve got marks.

Pricing

LG manufactures both LCD TVs and OLED TVs, but over the last decade, the brand has completely taken over the OLED category, representing many of the most popular OLED TVs on the market.

As the worldwide leader in OLED TV sales, it’s not a stretch to say that LG sets the tone for OLED TV pricing. And, while LG OLEDs aren’t exactly cheap, they’re usually in line with competitive OLEDs from Samsung.

For many shoppers, buying an LG OLED isn't a sensible option until the entry-level, mid-range and top-shelf OLEDs begin dropping in price throughout the calendar year. To LG's credit, its OLED discounts are relatively consistent from one year to the next. After just a handful of months of shelf life, TVs like the C Series OLED usually fall to $1,500 to $1,800 for a 65-inch option. That's a pretty killer deal for a mid-range OLED TV.

Grade: B

Design

LG’s design approach is both thoughtful and refined, though not without a little wiggle room for improvement. Its B and C Series OLED TVs are known for their ultra-thin panels, while its flagship G Series OLED is one of the best-looking TVs when its uniform design is mounted on a wall.

That said, I routinely find myself reminding readers that LG’s slab-like stands — though elegant — keep the screen close to the surface of a media console or credenza. As a result, folks with taller soundbars risk obstructing their view.

LG’s Magic Remote has seen some redesigns in recent years, but its motion-activated controls are a feature that viewers either love or hate.

The brand gets some bonus points this year for offering a high-end lifestyle OLED in the LG W6 Wallpaper TV. As the name implies, its wildly thin design sits flush against the wall, and its wireless connectivity is almost magic.

Grade: B+

Features

When it comes to features, LG OLEDs are the gold standard. Although both LG and Samsung typically release at least three OLEDs a year with similar sets of features, LG’s models consistently edge their across-the-aisle rivals thanks to one feature in particular: Dolby Vision support.

Along with the most-popular HDR format, LG OLEDs come with a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs and support for 4K gaming up to (and frequently beyond) 120Hz. Even the brand’s entry-level OLEDs (like the LG B6) come with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and a variation of AMD FreeSync.

Grade: A

Performance

LG TVs — especially its OLEDS — have been reliable performers for as long as I’ve covered the industry. Its flagship models (like the LG G5 and G6 OLED) are perennial TV-of-the-year contenders, while mid-range models like the LG C5 and C6 OLED offer high-end picture quality at a reasonable price.

In recent years, LG has done an admirable job narrowing the gap between itself and Sony. Its engineers respond to viewer feedback, often fixing standout performance issues year over year.

That said, LG has sometimes found itself patching-in fixes to Dolby Vision and other HDR-related issues shortly after its TVs launch. And, while LG Display’s RGB Tandem OLED panels have proven to be tremendously successful in keeping up with the ever-increasing brightness levels that Samsung and Sony have been able to wring out of quantum dot-enhanced OLED displays, they still can’t quite match QD-OLED color volume.

Still, there aren’t too many $2,000, 65-inch TVs that look as good as the LG C6. The brand sells a ton of OLED TVs for a reason.

Grade: A-

Smart TV platform

As an LG OLED enthusiast, it brings me no pleasure to dole out a not-so-great assessment of the brand’s smart TV platform, webOS.

If you absolutely, positively refuse to fuss with an external streaming device, webOS has enough app support and a straightforward-enough interface to get the job done. You’ll just need to grit your teeth and put up with an onslaught of sponsored and recommended content.

In the last few years, LG has taken to stuffing webOS with AI-based features that, frankly, I can’t imagine anyone using with any sort of regularity. It’s just more stuff to navigate around while trying to jump from menu to menu.

Grade: C+

Overall grade: B+

In 2026, LG TVs are better than they've ever been. The structure of what has come to be its annual OLED lineup has been successful enough that Samsung has adopted a similar approach, and in all likelihood, TVs like the B6, C6 and G6 will be among the best-selling OLEDs of the year.

LG OLEDs may not be as colorful as Samsung's QD-OLED TVs, and when it comes to the little things like upscaling, LG often lags behind Sony's higher-end sets. However, it's not tough to make the argument that LG OLEDs are are the most versatile. They lead Samsung in included features thanks to Dolby Vision, and they represent some of the best gaming TVs money can buy.

This year, the best LG TV for most people is the C6 OLED. It comes with nearly every feature you'll find on the flagship-level G6, and while it's only a marginal upgrade over its predecessor, it's current sale price makes it one of the most value-packed, mid-range TVs on the market.

Not only is the Samsung S95H one of the best OLED TVs of the year, it's one of the best TVs I've ever seen, period. It recently earned our rare five-star rating on account of its incredible picture quality and its laundry list of features, but its price is steep and its metal-frame design won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Sitting beneath the S95H in the TV-maker's OLED TV lineup is the Samsung S90H. This mid-range OLED isn't as bright or as colorful as the S95H, but it offers many of the same features for a significantly lower price.

If you're in the market for an OLED TV this year — especially a Samsung-branded OLED — both of these TVs will surely make your short list of candidates. That's where I come in. I've got over a decade of TV-testing experience and I'm quite familiar with both models. Here's how the Samsung S95H and S90H OLED TVs compare — from performance to features and price.

Samsung S95H vs S90H: Specs compared

Despite their difference in price, the S95H and S90H are quite similar on paper. Like all Samsung TVs, neither set supports Dolby Vision, one of the most popular, enhanced HDR formats.

These OLEDs are among the first Samsung TVs to support HDR10+ Advanced, an all-new, royalty-free Dolby Vision alternative. HDR10+ Advanced is meant to compete with Dolby Vision 2, the newest version of Dolby Vision HDR, but content for both is still scarce.

One major difference has to do with size availability. The S90H comes in two smaller screen sizes: 42 and 48 inches. And, while it won't make a difference to the average viewer, it's worth noting that the S95H supports an optional, external One Connect Box that unlocks four additional HDMI ports.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S90H: Design

The Samsung S95H's design is quite divisive, as it's unlike anything else on the market. As you can see in the photo above, the S95H features an eye-catching, metallic frame, and it can't be detached from the screen itself. The brushed-metal material plays the part of a premium design flourish, but based on conversations I've had with readers, you'll either love it or hate it.

I don't mind the look of the S95H's frame when the TV is mounted on a wall, as the entire point is to emphasize the picture, similar to a portrait's frame. That said, the frame draws more attention to itself when the S95H is set up on a media console.

The S90H, on the other hand does not come with a big metal frame. Its OLED screen sits atop a pedestal-style stand. It's sturdy enough to minimize wobble, but some people might prefer the approach of the S95H's setup, which trades a pedestal-style stand for a pair of L-shaped feet.

Last year, Samsung's flagship OLED was the only OLED TV in the brand's lineup to feature Samsung's Glare Free display. This year, the Glare Free display has made its way to the mid-range S90H.

This matte-style finish is the best in the business at eliminating direct glare, but there's a catch: During daytime viewing (or in well-lit rooms), the Glare Free display scatters light in such a way that black levels on the S95H and S90H appear purplish-gray instead of deep, inky black. This would not be the case with a glossy-style screen.

Both TVs ship with Samsung's Solar Cell remote control, which automatically charges its lithium-ion battery via indoor/outdoor light. This convenient feature saves on the waste that comes with disposable batteries, but the Solar Cell remote's lack of an input button is a bit inconvenient.

There's no denying that the S95H features a more luxurious look and feel. But the S90H's design is far less divisive.

Winner: Draw

Samsung S95H vs S90H: Performance

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

Both TVs deliver the performance-related benefits that we've come to expect from OLED TVs: perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming and ultra-accommodating viewing angles. Because of these benefits, pretty much everything look superb on both the S95H and S90H.

However, compared to the S90H, the S95H offers a superior picture. The differences come down to two key areas of performance: brightness and color.

Almost every size in the S95H leverages Samsung Display's quantum dot-enhanced OLED technology (also known as QD-OLED). Samsung's mid-range S90 series featured a QD-OLED display last year, but this year, every size in the S90H series makes use of a standard WOLED display.

There are many differences between QD-OLED and WOLED, but for our purposes, here's what you need to know: The S95H offers better HDR brightness and color volume than what you'll see on WOLED-equipped OLED TVs like the S90H.

As you can see from our test results, the S95H is capable of pumping nearly twice the level of brightness to HDR highlights than the S90H. During HDR movies, shows and games, highlights — like the sharp reflection of sunlight off the hood of a car — are appear much brighter on the S95H.

This added highlight brightness adds tremendously to the S95H's ability to create visual depth. It also allows for better detail around said highlights.

But the primary benefit of the S95H's quantum dots can be seen in its color volume. Thanks to Samsung Display's enhanced OLED display, it covers 89% - 90% of the BT.2020 color space (compared to about 78% on the S90H).

The added range of colors makes for a more color-rich viewing experience on the S95H, particularly during cinematic, HDR content. Bold, bright primary colors are punchier, but the S95H is particularly good at rendering accurate skin tones and low-luminance colors like dark blue.

Despite its shortcomings when compared to the S95H, the Samsung S90H is nevertheless a sensational TV. Its roughly 1,500 nits of HDR highlight brightness is more than enough for an eye-popping, cinematic picture. It's an OLED TV, after all, so it's not saddled with light bloom and haloing around bright objects.

I'm willing to bet that nearly everyone who spends time with the S90H will walk away impressed with its accurate, OLED-driven performance. The S95H is just brighter, more colorful and guided by more-advanced processing. In a side-by-side comparison, the S95H's advantages really shine.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S90H: Smart platform and features

Both the S95H and the S90H are built around a newly refreshed version of Samsung's Tizen-based smart platform, Smart Hub. This version is similar to what we saw across the brand's 2025 lineup, but there are some subtle changes to the user interface that improve the overall experience. For instance, new this year is a menu bar at the top of the screen that provides quick access to important settings.

I suspect that most people that choose to rely on Smart Hub as their daily streaming platform will find it decent enough. Navigation and load times are similar across both TVs.

When it comes to additional features and enhancements, these TVs are nearly identical. Both sets support 4K/120Hz gaming (the highest 4K spec on current-gen consoles), and with a gaming PC linked up, both OLEDs can support 4K titles at up to 165Hz.

Winner: Draw

Samsung S95H vs S90H: Verdict

The Samsung S95H is an astonishing TV. Its quantum-dot color is nearly unmatched among OLED TVs, and it's also one of the brightest OLEDs you can buy right now. This makes it a safer bet than the S90H for brighter-than-average rooms, all while creating a truly impressive sense of visual depth.

But all of this performance upside comes at a steep cost. Right now, the 65-inch Samsung S95H is $2,999 at Best Buy, which is prohibitively pricey for the average consumer — even those willing to spend over a thousand bucks on an impressive, new TV.

This is the primary reason why I recommend the Samsung S90H over its flagship-level sibling. The 65-inch S90H is currently $1,799 at Best Buy, and while it's not as bright and colorful as the S95H, you're still getting a near-identical set of features for gaming and streaming. In addition, the S90H's frame-free design is a safer bet for the average shopper.

I won't tell you that the S95H's sensational performance isn't worthy of the S95H's added cost. For home theater enthusiasts who've been saving up for a life-changing TV, the S95H is probably worth its price.

The S90H has far greater appeal for most people shopping for a higher-end TV. I suspect it'll be the more popular model in 2026.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung S95H OLED TV review
• Samsung S90H OLED TV review
• Micro RGB vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference?

If your Samsung TV automatically turns up its volume when life gets loud, it’s all thanks to a built-in feature called Active Voice Amplifier (AVA).

I caught this feature in action during a routine sweep of my living room. Pushing my vacuum cleaner toward the TV stand, I noticed something strange: the show I was watching suddenly cranked up its own volume. When I pulled the vacuum away, the sound dropped back down.

At first, I thought I was standing on the remote control. Turns out the TV was just working exactly as Samsung intended, which then sent me down a rabbit hole into its audio settings.

What is Active Voice Amplifier (AVA)?

Not every Samsung TV does this. Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) (or its upgraded cousin, AVA Pro), is a feature exclusive to Samsung’s mid-to-high-range models (typically the Q70 series and up), as it relies on a dedicated built-in microphone sensor on the set itself.

Part of Samsung’s Intelligent Mode suite, AVA constantly monitors the ambient noise in your living room. When the microphone detects a sudden spike in background noise like a vacuum cleaner, blender, or hair dryer, it automatically boosts the dialogue frequencies on screen so you don't miss a line. Once the noise stops, the volume settles right back down to normal.

On paper, it’s a brilliant feature for anyone who likes to multitask while watching TV. But the dark price of this convenience is clear: your TV is constantly listening. To catch that vacuum the second it turns on, the TV’s microphone has to stay permanently active, sampling the audio environment in your home.

The soundbar exception

If you use external speakers, there's an important catch. Plug in a standard soundbar or AV receiver, and AVA is automatically disabled because the TV passes audio control over to your external hardware.

There is one exception: Samsung’s Q-Series soundbars equipped with Q-Symphony. Because Q-Symphony syncs the TV’s built-in speakers and microphone directly with the soundbar, the system keeps its 'ears' open, allowing Active Voice Amplifier to keep running even through your external sound system.

How to turn off AVA on your Samsung TV

While it’s a clever piece of tech, I prefer controlling my own volume, and having my TV react every time I do chores was a bit unsettling. If you feel the same way, or just find the sudden, drastic volume jumps annoying, you can easily disable it.

Press the Home button on your Samsung remote and navigate to Settings (or All Settings). Then scroll down to General (or General & Privacy on newer models).

Select Intelligent Mode Settings and Toggle Intelligent Mode off completely, or leave it on and scroll down to disable just Active Voice Amplifier.

If the option is greyed out, make sure you are using the TV's internal speakers. If you have a non-Samsung soundbar plugged in, the feature will already be disabled automatically.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your Samsung TV is watching you — how to turn off data collection
• 5 Samsung TV settings to change right now to make your TV look and perform better
• Your Samsung TV could be quietly driving up your electric bill — here is the setting to change

It’s hard to remember a time before the Cast icon. It’s only been 13 since the debut of the Google Chromecast, but it's one of the most universally known icons in the world of tech. It's so ubiquitous that you can't go more than a few minutes without seeing the logo on a smartphone or tablet.

I watched the rise — and inevitable fall — of the Chromecast over the last decade-and-a-half as Tom’s Guide’s Managing Editor and TechRadar’s Senior TV Editor, and to commemorate its 13th birthday I’m throwing together a short retrospective on the device.

While it hasn’t lived on in its original form, Chromecast has left a legacy — and a technology platform — that continues to thrive on modern smart TVs. Here’s what you need to know (and what I can remember) about the streaming dongle that changed the tech landscape forever.

The origins of the Chromecast

The Chromecast wasn’t the first streaming stick on the market. That honor belongs to the Roku Streaming Stick that was released in 2012. But the Chromecast wasn’t trying to be just another player — in fact, not being a player at all is what made it so different.

The original Chromecast, by design, didn’t have a UI. It was simply a tool that could accept incoming links from a phone or tablet living on the same wireless network. With no remote, Google could sell this innocuous-looking piece of cutting-edge technology for just $35.

And sell it did — the first batch of models was snapped up by Google devotees.

According to an excellent write-up from Fast Company in 2019, Chromecast is the brainchild of Google’s Majd Bakar. Apparently the story goes that then-product manager Rishi Chandra’s wife and Majd Bakar’s wife would sit in front of their TVs with laptops watching YouTube videos. When asked why they didn’t just play them on the TV instead, Chandra’s wife said “It’s just too much of a pain.” Bakar, a Google engineer at the time, and Chandra then set off to make what would become the Chromecast in 2012, first as a side project, but later as a full-time job.

The evolution of the Chromecast

Reviewers (our own Marshall Honorof included) liked the form factor, but had qualms about its usability.

In our original Chromecast review, we lauded its easy setup, but said that it was limited in its functionality compared to the competition — a fair, but cutting critique of a device that wanted to break the mold.

Google thankfully didn’t let a few critical reviews stop it from innovating on the product: We got the Chromecast 2 with a circular design in 2015 alongside the ill-fated Chromecast Audio and my personal favorite, the Chromecast Ultra, in 2016.

In my review for TechRadar, I called the Chromecast Ultra “exceptionally smart, powerful and fast” and “hard to find a device that offers as much as Chromecast Ultra for the price.”

By this time the Chromecast Ultra was under siege on all sides from both cheaper streaming sticks like the newly released Amazon Fire TV Stick and more competent high-end devices like the Apple TV HD.

Google would eventually fire back with a third-generation Chromecast in 2018 and the oblong Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, but by this time streaming sticks were out of vogue. The era of the smart TV had begun, and with its dawning, the need for a dedicated smart streaming stick had dissipated.

The legacy of the Chromecast

Google finally killed off the Chromecast line in 2024 and while the hardware may no longer be in production, its software lives on: Google was so successful in the creation of Google Cast, the wireless communication protocol for the Chromecast, that we’re still using the functionality 13 years later in modern smart TV platforms.

In 2026, almost every major smart TV platform comes with Google Cast functionality built in. (One of the last holdouts, Samsung, officially added it to its Tizen smart TV platform earlier this year.) You can still find a few outliers like Roku OS and Amazon’s Fire TV platform that don’t support it but, by and large, Google Cast is now the universal screen sharing standard. That is a monumental legacy for a $35 streaming stick to leave behind.

As for what comes next for Google's TV division, it’s hard to say. The company released the Google TV Streamer 4K, a more expensive competitor to the Roku Ultra, in 2024, but it’s yet to see the same level of adoption as the Chromecast did a decade ago.

While it's sad that we'll likely never see another one, the legacy the Chromecast leaves behind cements it as one of the best streaming devices ever made.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• Samsung S95H is 2026’s OLED to beat
• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it

There's a stretch of time between Memorial Day and the holiday-shopping season where major, tech-related sales events are few and far between and deep discounts on TVs begin to dry up. Every now and then, though, a big-box retailer comes through with some price cuts — and that's where I come in.

Best Buy is right smack in the middle of its Black Friday in July sales event, and as the name suggests, there are a ton of deals to shop on OLEDs, QLEDs and even RGB LED TVs. I spend most of the calendar year testing and reviewing popular TVs from some of the biggest brands in the business, so I'm well equipped to help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

Yes, reader, I have done the painstaking task of poring over pages of TV listings on Best Buy's website, plucking out the best-performing TVs and the top-value picks at the store's limited-time sales event. These are models I'm deeply familiar with, and nearly all of them have been put through their paces in our TV-testing lab.

Quick Links

• shop all smart TVs at Best Buy from $59
• TCL 55” QM5K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $699 now $399
• Hisense 55” U6SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $749 now $429
• LG 48” B5 4K OLED TV: was $649 now $599
• Samsung 65” M80H 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $699
• Hisense 75” U7SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,999 now $1,199
• LG 65" C5 4K OLED TV: was $2,699 now $1,399
• Samsung 77" S90F 4K OLED TV: was $3,499 now $1,799
• Hisense 65" UR9 4K RGB Mini-LED TV: was $2,199 now $1,699
• Sony 65" Bravia 7 II 4K True RGB TV: was $2,599 now $1,999

My favorite Black Friday in July TV deals

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• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it
• Best Buy Essentials Ultra-Thin Amplified HDTV Antenna review
• Your streaming stick isn't broken — these apps are just slowing it down to a crawl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sony Bravia 7 II: outlook

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

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

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

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

More from Tom's Guide

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

Value Electronics — an esteemed, US-based A/V retailer — held its annual TV Shootout last week, pitting many of the year’s best TVs against one another in a series of tests designed to measure picture quality. OLED TVs competed in their own contest, which included the Samsung S95H, the Sony Bravia 8 II and the LG G6.

Despite some tough competition, Samsung’s flagship OLED took home the crown, besting LG and Sony’s top OLED models across several performance categories. Having seen all of the competing OLEDs, I’m not surprised by the results; the S95H received our coveted five-star rating on account of its gobsmackingly gorgeous picture.

There’s just one problem: The Samsung S95H carries a sticker price that’ll make you stumble towards the nearest fainting couch. King of OLED TVs? Sure, I can buy that. But I won’t be able to afford the S95H itself anytime soon. Fortunately, there’s a mid-range OLED waiting in the wings with a lower price and wider appeal: the LG C6.

The LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: by the numbers

The fine folks at Value Electronics put the year’s top OLEDs through a series of tests that measured in-depth performance metrics like shadow detail, low-luminance color saturation, skin tone accuracy and more.

It’s worth mentioning that Value Electronics’ TV Shootout is operated and aimed at A/V specialists, home theater enthusiasts and all-around hobbyists. As a result, their tests (the results of which can be perused at eCoustics) dive deeper in the finer details of these displays’ capabilities.

Despite the fact that LG’s mid-range C6 OLED didn’t compete at Value Electronics’ TV Shootout, we’ve conducted our own tests on the C6 and the Samsung S95H. Here’s how they stack up:

Both of these sets deliver the performance benefits that OLED TVs are known for: perfect black levels and pixel-level dimming. As a result, pretty much everything looks terrific on both TVs.

In addition to some higher-end features and components, the S95H's secret sauce is its quantum dot-enhanced OLED display. This is the reason its color volume is so impressive compared to the LG C6, and a big reason why its HDR highlight brightness is nearly double.

Samsung's picture processing at the flagship level can't be ignored, either. Value Electronics' methodology is designed to put a microscope on the small stuff, like how smoothly color gradients transition from one shade to another, or how effective a TV is at displaying dark, hard-to-render colors.

I can't sit here and tell you that the LG C6 is a better-performing TV than the S95H. The difference in a side-by-side comparison would be undeniable. But for most viewers, the LG C6 is about 80% as impressive-looking as the S95H, and the gulf in price is much more significant.

The C6's 1,300+ nits of HDR highlight brightness is plenty good for most viewing environments. More importantly, the self-emissive nature of OLED means that the C6 gets more out of its highlight brightness than an LCD/LED TV with similar brightness. It's one of the reasons why there's a much smaller perceivable performance gap between mid-range and flagship-level OLEDs when compared to LCD lineups.

The C6 is also equipped with nearly every streaming- and gaming-related feature you'll find on the S95H. Plus, if you're a home theater completionist, you'll appreciate the C6's inclusion of Dolby Vision support — something you won't find on any Samsung TV.

You might also find that the C6's traditional design is better suited for your living space. The S95H features a divisive metal frame that can't be removed. It looks more natural when the S95H is wall-mounted, but when it's on a table, I find it to be more than a little distracting.

As a TV expert, you won't catch me claiming that the S95H isn't as impressive as the C6, or even that the S95H isn't worthy of Value Electronics' crown. But for most people, it's a much more sensible option, and I'm willing to bet that it'll be the more popular choice in 2026.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• Samsung S95H is 2026’s OLED to beat
• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it

Many of the year's top-performing TVs aren't worth buying when they first hit store shelves, and it all comes down to price. We appreciate eye-popping picture quality and an overflowing set of features as much as the next group of TV-testers, but premium TVs tend to cost a pretty penny within the first few months that they're available.

Take the LG C6, for instance. When we tested LG's latest mid-range OLED TV back in April, we were thoroughly impressed — except when it came to the C6's price. In the review, my colleague Dylan Haas recommended that folks wait until the C6 saw some mid-year discounts.

Well, the discounts have arrived. Right now, you can get the 65-inch LG C6 for just $1,799 at Amazon. That's a full $900 off its original price, and a steep-enough discount that I'm ready to recommend the C6 over its still-available predecessor, the LG C5.

You can scope out Dylan's full LG C6 review to get the complete story on this impressive OLED TV, but here's what you need to know: The C6 is a perfect fit for people who'd like a truly impressive, cinematic experience, but who'd rather not shell out for a flagship-level TV.

Until recently, I've been more inclined to recommend the older version of this TV, the LG C5. Given its cheaper price point, the C5 made more sense for most shoppers, as it's very similar to the C6 in both performance and features. However, now that the 65-inch C6 is nearly a thousand bucks cheaper than it was when it debuted, I'm ready to point people in its direction.

Like all OLED TVs, the C6 doesn't rely on a traditional backlight. Instead, all of its pixels are self-illuminating, which has a tremendously positive impact on picture quality. As a result of its lack of a backlight, the C6 can render perfect black levels and isn't saddled with distracting light bloom like many ultra-bright Mini-LED TVs.

The C6 also leads its class when it comes to gaming features. All four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K gaming at 120Hz (the highest 4K spec for current-generation consoles), as well as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium.

Unlike Samsung's mid-range OLED TV (the Samsung S90H), the C6 supports Dolby Vision, one of the most popular, enhanced HDR formats across streaming platforms and physical media.

LG's proprietary streaming platform isn't my favorite (that honor goes to Roku), but webOS is reliable enough for everyday use. In other words, if you decide to forgo a dedicated streaming device, you'll be able to get by with webOS.

While I don't expect the LG C6 to fluctuate too wildly in price in the coming weeks, it's worth noting that this TV was pricier by a few hundred bucks as recently as a few days ago. Now's a great time to pounce on one of the year's best TVs.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 vs B6: We've tested both OLED TVs, and this is the one to buy
• LG C6 OLED review
• LG C6 vs. Samsung S95H: We tested both OLED TVs — here's the best choice for you

The LG C6 is the latest in a long line of perennially popular, mid-range OLED TVs. It offers the exceptional performance we've come to expect from an LG OLED TV along with a class-leading selection of gaming- and streaming-related features.

As a Samsung-branded, mid-range OLED TV, the Samsung S90H is the C6's top rival. Its price, performance and size availability is similar to that of the C6, but its overall design is quite different.

If you're in the market for an OLED TV this year, and you're willing to spend on something above the entry-level tier, the C6 and S90H are two of the best OLED TVs to consider. Here's how they stack up when it comes to performance, design and features.

LG C6 vs Samsung S90H: specs compared

Before we dive into the rest of the specs, let's discuss size availability. The LG C6 is available in in 77- and 83-inch screen sizes, but these variants are classified as an altogether different model called the LG C6H. This means if you want a 77- or 83-inch LG C6, you'll technically have to buy the C6H.

We've not yet tested the 77- or 83-inch versions of the C6H, but LG promises better performance on these sets due to the fact that they leverage LG Display's newest RGB Tandem OLED display. This type of OLED panel allows for higher brightness and better color volume than the standard WOLED displays found on the 42- to 65-inch versions of the C6.

One of the biggest differences between these sets concerns HDR support. Like all LG OLED TVs, the C6 supports Dolby Vision, a licensed version of enhanced HDR.

The S90H does not support Dolby Vision. No Samsung TV does. Instead, it offers HDR10+, a royalty-free version of Dolby Vision that uses metadata to adjust the picture on a scene-by-scene basis, similar to Dolby Vision.

You'll still be able to watch Dolby Vision content on the S90H, and it'll certainly look great, but without Dolby Vision support, the S90H won't be optimized to replicate the creator's intent on Dolby Vision-mastered movies and shows . (To learn more check out our guide to whether or not you need Dolby Vision.)

Neither one of these OLED TVs supports ATSC 3.0, which supports native 4K over-the-air broadcasting. However, both sets offer a full slate of four HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs, along with support for 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 165Hz when a PC is linked up).

It's close, but the C6's Dolby Vision support gives it an edge..

Winner: LG C6

LG C6 vs Samsung S90H: design

Given their performance similarities, I suspect that the design differences between the C6 and the S90H will inform many people's choice about which to buy.

The C6 (seen above) looks remarkably similar to its predecessor, the LG C5. That's not a bad thing, as both the C5 and C6 are quite sleek.

The C6's wedge-shaped stand sits below the center of the screen. The stand isn't very tall, so people with larger soundbars should make sure that their device won't obstruct the screen.

Every size in the C6 series ships with the newest version of LG's remote control. Like previous iterations, this remote features Wii-mote-like motion controls for pointing and clicking. (If you don't want to use this feature, the remote's directional pad can override the motion controls.)

Like the C6, the S90H — the back of which you can see above — also leans into the ultra-thin look that OLED TVs are typically associated with. (It doesn't, however, feature a unique, marble-like design on the back of its panel like LG's OLED.)

The C6's stand is a flat plate rather than a wedge-shaped piece, and it lifts the S90H slightly higher above its surface than the C6's stand. If your soundbar is extra tall, you might want to take a closer look at the S90H.

Samsung's Solar Cell remote control is included in the box, and while I'm annoyed at its lack of a dedicated input button, I do appreciate the fact that it charges by way of a solar panel on its back. It really cuts down on battery waste.

Unlike its predecessor (the S90F OLED), the S90H is the first mid-range Samsung OLED to feature the brand's Glare Free display. This matte-style finish is the most effective I've seen in combating direct reflections, but it it does so at a cost.

In average-to-well-lit rooms, the S90H's matte finish significantly lifts the picture's black levels. Big, bold reflections will disappear, but the light from those sources will scatter across the display. When this happens, the darker portions of the screen can appear purplish-gray and lose the deep, inky presentation that many people associate with OLED picture quality.

The C6's glossy screen isn't as adept at fighting direct glare, but it maintains the inky OLED patina in well-lit environments. With the lights off, both presentations look similar.

Depending on your living space and viewing habits, you'll likely prefer one of these designs over the other. Folks who are concerned about reflecting light ought to favor the S90H's matte-style screen, and viewers without competing light sources will likely prefer the C6's glossy screen.

Winner: Draw

LG C6 vs Samsung S90H: performance

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

As much as I'd love to regale you with a multi-point breakdown of the many ways in which the performance of these rival sets diverge, the truth of the matter is that they're almost the same TV.

Both deliver the key benefits that OLEDs are known for: perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming and ultra-wide viewing angles. Given these benefits, pretty much everything looks terrific on the C6 and S90H.

The C6 is slightly brighter during SDR content (like cable TV and most TV shows), but it's close enough in this category that it almost doesn't matter. Ditto for HDR content, too — the S90H offers slightly brighter HDR performance, but in normal viewing scenarios, the difference is barely noticeable.

When it comes to color, these OLEDs are neck and neck, too: The S90H's marginally higher brightness allows for a wider range of color, but — and stop me if you've heard this one before — the difference is too subtle to matter.

The story here would've been different if Samsung had outfitted the S90H with a quantum dot-enhanced OLED display, just as last-year's S90F did. With quantum dots in tow, the S90H would likely produce a much wider range of colors. Unfortunately, with WOLED panels in play, Samsung's mid-range OLED has lost a step to LG's this year.

Nevertheless, home theater enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn that both sets are remarkably accurate in their out-of-the-box state. You won't have to shell out for a professional calibration in order to enjoy a precise picture.

Both of these TVs look fantastic. However, even in a direct, side-by-side comparison, their differences are subtle.

Winner: Draw

LG C6 vs Samsung S90H: smart platform and features

The C6's user experience is built around the latest version of LG's webOS. Dubbed webOS 26, it's a similar experience to the version we tested last year, but a handful of small changes to the interface make it a bit easier to navigate.

While I'm always in favor of software improvements, webOS still isn't my top choice for daily streaming on account of its heavy ad placement and occasional slow-down. Still, webOS will get the job done if you'd rather not deal with a separate streaming box.

Samsung's Tizen-based streaming platform, Smart Hub, has similarly seen some subtle improvements year over year. For instance, there's now a quick-access menu at the top of most of the pages on the home screen, and its convenient placement makes it easier to access often-used settings.

Unless you favor LG's software over Samsung (or vice versa), both of these user experiences are on a similar level when it comes to sponsored content and navigation speed.

And, as far as gaming features go, the similarities continue. Both TVs offer HDMI 2.1-compatibility across all four of their primary inputs, and they're equipped to make make the most out of 4K titles on current-generation consoles since they each support 4K gaming at 120Hz. With a gaming PC hooked up, you can stretch that to 4K/165Hz on both sets.

In addition, both the C6 and S90H support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and a version of AMD FreeSync Premium for smooth, tear-free gameplay.

We've already factored in the S90H's lack of Dolby Vision support, and once you set this aside, these TVs offer essentially the same set of features and ehancements.

Winner: Draw

LG C6 vs Samsung S90H: verdict

Regardless of which set you settle on, you're getting equally impressive performance and a near-identical selection of features. That said, the LG C6 is the OLED TV I recommend for most people. Its glossy screen is less divisive and the S90H's lack of Dolby Vision support is likely to be a sticking point for a certain type of viewer.

That said, you should consider the S90H if your living space and viewing habits are such that you'd make the most of its matte-style screen (or if you'd rather have Samsung's software suite).

Price is less of a factor in this matchup since both TVs are similarly priced. The 65-inch LG C6 is on sale for $1,799 at Best Buy and the 65-inch Samsung S90H is currently $1,999 at Best Buy. These prices will fluctuate in the coming weeks and months, but I don't expect them to stray too far from one another.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 OLED review
• Samsung S90H OLED TV 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

2026 had all the makings for a revolution in the TV world. At CES 2026, nearly every major player in the industry announced that it would be selling its own version of an RGB LED TV this year under different names — like Samsung Micro RGB, Hisense RGB Mini-LED TV and Sony True RGB.

These cutting-edge sets are all engineered for bolder, brighter color, and based on the RGB LED TVs we’ve tested, the tech does what it says on the tin. So why aren't RGB LED TVs outselling OLEDs?

Having seen most of the year’s best TVs (including nearly all of the available RGB LED models), I propose that the technology’s seemingly small splash comes down to three things: the limitations of RGB LED, its premium price and the inherent benefits of OLED.

RGB LED’s limitations

First, let’s talk about what the technology does well. Many of the RGB LED TVs we’ve evaluated have delivered some of the best color-related scores we’ve measured to date. The Hisense UR9 covers about 93% of the BT.2020 color gamut — an impressive feat for a flagship TV with nary a quantum dot. When I tested Samsung’s top Micro RGB TV, the R95H, it was similarly colorful, clocking in at around 92%

Even the Bravia 7 II — Sony’s most affordable True RGB TV — covers about 87% of the BT.2020 color gamut. That’s not quite as vibrant as Hisense and Sony’s flagship RGB LED TVs, but it’s better than the 79% figure we measured on the previous, non-RGB iteration of the Sony Bravia 7.

Considering that the color-leaders in the OLED TV class (typically quantum-dot OLEDs) hover around the 89%-to-91% range, these numbers aren’t anything to scoff at. RGB LED displays have proven to be some of the most colorful you can buy, and when you consider that these sets are remarkably bright in addition to being rich in color, there’s a ton to appreciate.

But, as I'm sure you're aware, testing a TV and watching TV are different experiences.

This was a major point of criticism in my colleague Dylan Haas’s Hisense UR9 review. Measuring colored rectangles will produce impressive color scores, but during actual content, Dylan reported that HDR movies and games looked muted and washed out.

Some of the gap between test results and real-world performance can be explained by taking a closer look at how the hardware works. Tiny, red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs are at their most effective when big swaths of the picture feature one or two colors. This explains why so many of the RGB LED tech demos we see playing on a loop at press events feature bright, candy-colored imagery.

The second most of these TVs start showcasing run-of-the-mill scenes — like, say, a person walking down a city street — the secret sauce of RGB LED technology can be much less impactful.

There’s also the matter of color crosstalk, a visual artifact in which objects receive a spillover of color from those around them. Imagine a white ball scrolling over a red-colored column, taking on a pinkish hue as it passes over the red portion of the picture.

As a technology, RGB LED’s quirks can be lessened with proper picture processing measures. Perhaps more so than most display technologies, the impact of RGB LEDs on color performance comes down to how effectively a brand engineers those RGB LEDs and the algorithms that drive them.

But color crosstalk is not something to be concerned about with OLED TVs, and for many shoppers willing to splash out on high-end performance, OLEDs are still the top-shelf technology to beat.

OLED is still the king of contrast

Despite their awesome brightness and terrific backlight control, the RGB LED TVs I’ve spent time with cannot compete with OLED when it comes to one metric in particular: contrast. Unfortunately for RGB LED, this is arguably the most important metric to consider when unpacking picture quality.

Our eyes are really good at noticing contrast. And, while RGB LED TVs get super bright and control their backlights effectively, that they rely on a backlight at all is what puts them at a distinct disadvantage. Simply put, they can’t compete with the self-illuminating pixels of an OLED TV.

For all of its visual splendor, Samsung’s flagship Micro RGB TV can’t consistently create perfect black levels like the brand’s top OLED, the Samsung S95H. OLED TVs like the S95H can also drive a ton of brightness to teeny-tiny clusters of pixels, creating an unparalleled sense of depth (something I often refer to as “the OLED look”).

The S95H is a quantum-dot OLED, too, so its impressive, 89% coverage of the BT.2020 color space puts it just a hair below the 92% color volume I measured on the R95H Micro RGB TV. In a side-by-side comparison, I’m willing to bet that you wouldn’t notice much of a difference in these two TVs’ color, but I can guarantee you’d notice a difference in contrast.

RGB LED: price and outlook

Above all else, I suspect that the primary reason RGB LED TVs haven’t been as buzzy and popular as I thought they’d be has to do with their price relative to other mid-range and high-end TVs. In 2026, this is still brand-new hardware, and you can expect to be charged for the privilege.

The 65-inch Hisense UR9 is currently $2,199 at Best Buy, while the 65-inch Samsung R95H Micro RGB TV is $2,999. Sure, both of those TVs are still significantly cheaper than the $3,299, 65-inch S95H OLED, but if someone is tempted to throw a few thousand dollars at a high-end TV for a luxurious home theater setup, they’re likely to at least consider the flagship OLED and all of the benefits that come with it.

In other words, until RGB LED TVs get significantly better, come down in price or both, they’ll face fierce competition from both cheaper TVs and pricier sets that offer all-around better picture quality.

However, one of the few RGB LED TVs I haven't seen yet could change my tune entirely: the Sony Bravia 9 II. It's Sony's top TV of 2026, and a contender for the RGB LED TV crown.

Remember when I said that the benefits of RGB LED come down to engineering? Well, Sony is widely considered the best in the business when it comes to picture processing, upscaling and the handling of finer details.

Unsurprisingly, the Bravia 9 II is one of the priciest TVs of the year. Even if it wows me, the cost of doing business with RGB LED in 2026 is high enough that I'll likely stay squarely in OLED's corner for the foreseeable future.

More from Tom's Guide

• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• Samsung S95H is 2026’s OLED to beat
• There's a better cable for TVs than HDMI — but here's why we'll probably never use it

RGB Mini-LED TVs have been getting all the hype this summer. However, not all models command a $2K price tag. One of our favorite value-based TV makers just released its own RGB Mini-LED TV and Best Buy is knocking $800 off its full price.

For a limited time, you can get the Hisense 75-inch UR8 RGB Mini-LED 4K TV on sale for $1,699. That's $800 off and one of the least-expensive RGB Mini-LED TVs I've seen.

There's a ton of hype surrounding RGB LED TVs right now. Similar to Mini-LEDs, RGB LED TVs leverage an array of ultra-small LEDs arranged in dimmable zones. However, unlike Mini-LEDs — RGB LEDs are red, green and blue. The result is brighter, purer colors than what we’ve come to expect from even the best TVs.

We've yet to review the UR8, but Hisense is known for being a disruptor with competitively low prices and solid performance. It's already taking the lead in the affordability department and with its new Hi-View AI Engine RGB processor, we're expecting a rich and balanced picture from this TV.

Right now you can get the 75-inch model for $1,699 ($800 off) or the 85-inch model for $2,499 ($1,000 off). Either way, you're getting a cutting edge TV at a fraction of the cost you'd pay from competitors.

OLED panel prices have been coming down (for now), while brightness levels have been coming up…at least when we’re talking about the best OLED TVs. Samsung’s S90H series exemplifies that progress, with bright images, an anti-glare screen, and strong dynamic range, even in a moderately lit room.

That accomplishment comes alongside the traditional strengths of OLED — deep blacks, rich (and in this case, accurate) color, and screens measuring just a few millimeters thick. This TV is well-equipped for gaming, too, with inconsequential input lag through the latest high-throughput HDMI ports.

The biggest challengers to Samsung's S90H line may be its own, cheaper siblings: the impressive new S85H and last year's excellent S90F, which were $600 to $1000 cheaper, at press time, based on discounts. Those are two of the best Samsung TVs, and if you don’t need the new anti-reflective matte screen, those other options deliver a lot of the same features at a more affordable price.

Samsung S90H review: Pricing and availability

The S90H is Samsung’s mid-range OLED for 2026 that sits between the entry-level Samsung S85H (which we just awarded four stars) and the flagship Samsung S95H (which just earned five). The 55-inch S90H model we reviewed lists for $1,999, and is often discounted at samsung.com and at various retailers like Amazon for $1,797.

Other S90H sizes and list prices are: 42-inch ($1,297), 48-inch ($1,397), 65-inch ($1,997), 77-inch ($2,997), and 83-inch ($4,497).

The step-up S95H lists at $2,299 for a 55-inch screen and adds a brushed-metal frame, Art Store access for using it as a digital picture frame, and powerful OTS+ (70W, 4.2.2-channel) audio. The step-down S85H lists for $1,399; it trades the Samsung Glare Free screen for a standard OLED panel and downgrades audio and gaming features to lower price.

The S90H’s primary competition outside Samsung is the identically priced (at 55 inches) LG C6 OLED. (We reviewed the 65-inch version, which lists for $2,699.) Another close rival is the Sony Bravia 8 II, which features PlayStation-specific integrations. (The 55-inch model lists for $2,599; we tested the 65-inch, $3,299 version.)

Samsung S90H review: Design

The S90H exemplifies the ultra-minimalist panel aesthetic of the day. Its barely-there bezel leaves no room for branding. Without the bulky backlight required for LCD sets, the panel is also incredibly thin, at about 0.15 inches. The bottom-half of the TV protrudes to accommodate all the internals, for a maximum thickness of 1.6 inches.

The one unsubtle feature is a beefy central pedestal stand, with a faux-pewter "Space Titan" plastic finish. Of course, such a thin set is ideal for wall-mounting, using screw holes aligned in the VESA-standard 300mm × 200mm rectangular pattern. The exceptionally petite power cord connector on the back right-side of the TV is well-suited for streamlined mounting.

Even better, because of the new anti-glare screen, you don't have to be careful around windows — it's perfectly capable of dispersing large amounts of light (though you will notice slightly raised black levels as a tradeoff).

Samsung S90H review: Ports

The TV is brimming with high-end connections — all on the left side of the panel, when viewed from behind. Chief among them: a quartet of HDMI 2.1 inputs. They support the highest-grade input: 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 TV supports both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate (VRR) standards.

HDMI port 3 supports eARC, which can output high-end digital audio signals to a soundbar or home-theater system. The S90H can decode Dolby Atmos for its built-in sound system or output the signal via the eARC port. It also features a standard optical digital audio S/PDIF output.

Every other type of connection is also present: 3 USB-A ports, LAN for a wired network connection, and RS-232C (which Samsung calls EX-LINK) for access by professional technicians or calibrators. The latter two are basically vestigial organs on consumer TVs these days. You can attach a cable or satellite box or a terrestrial antenna via the RF-in port.

Terrestrial signals are routed to an older-style ATSC 1 tuner that doesn't support new ATSC 3.0 NextGen broadcast standards for 4K resolution, HDR, and wider color gamuts. (These limitations don't apply if you are using other sources, such as modern cable or streaming services.) Its Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E wireless capabilities are not the latest either, but are more than adequate.

How we test

We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom’s Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subjective tests designed to rate the set’s performance. For our technical tests, we set the TV to Filmmaker mode (usually the most accurate out of the box) and take measurements using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays’ 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. For a more detailed look, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Samsung S90H review: Performance

I zeroed in on the is-it-worth-it question by evaluating the S90H vs S85H. Long story short: They are very close, with the S90H standing out a little in HDR quality and more in sound quality.

Visually, in a moderately lit room, there were only slight differences between the two models. The S90H's higher brightness helped a tad, and skintones were perhaps a bit too warm on the S85H, but I had to squint to make out any of these differences.

I love "Bridgerton" (Season 1, Ep 3, 17:00-19:00) for testing TVs. It spans a wide range of lighting from brilliant sunshine to dim interiors (rendered in HDR10+), a riot of bright but not garish colors, and the show's hallmark variety of skin tones. The S90H handled the material as well as any TV I have tested. In the deeper shadows, the S90H showed a noticeable improvement over the S85H in clarity — point to the S90H.

Turning on Ariana Grande's "hate that i made you love me," on YouTube showed some other slight differences. For instance, I could see a tad more detail in the wheels of the upturned, burning car, or in Grande's face against various fire scenes. I did not see a clear difference with the S90H's glare-free screen technology in my moderately-lit test environment — but in rooms with uncontrollable ambient light, it's going to make a world of difference.

Of course, we can’t talk about the S90H without talking about its AI features — Samsung has gone all-in for AI enhancement, powered by its NQ4 AI Gen3 processor. AI Mode is on by default for both video and audio. The audio effects are subtle. The video ones can be dramatic. Sometimes AI Mode produces a little extra clarity; often, it just makes everything super-bright and slightly blue-tinted (which increases the perception of brightness). For bright videos in a bright room, you won't notice it too much. With higher grade content, it can be a detriment.

I liked Samsung's AI enhancement in my review of its QN70F Neo QLED TV because it made up for the TVs shortcomings, such as murkiness in HDR content like "Dune" or "Stranger Things," but here it can actually make the image worse.

For example, AI Mode was rather brutal for the HDR-10 "Blade Runner 2049" Blu-ray (Chapter 5). It did maintain strong blacks, but it also blew out (and blue-d out) some scenes. This could help in a very bright room. But for film-night viewing, the set's Filmmaker mode preserved the nuance of Denis Villeneuve's vision (even though this TV doesn't support the Dolby Vision standard for image fidelity).

If you find Filmmaker mode too dim, you can get similar quality and a bit more brightness in the adjacent Movie mode. I had no choice but to use it when watching the extremely dim night scenes in the "Sinners" Blu-ray. Eco was also a good, even brighter, option. But AI Mode made a bright, blue mess of it.

When I turned off AI Mode, the TV defaulted into the Eco Mode, which was the right choice for most content. It produced the best colors across most content types, and it was certainly the best for displaying photos. In a challenging picture I took of three women sitting before a fountain on a brilliant day, the S90H captured colors with subtle accuracy and toned down a heavily overexposed portion of the image about as well as can be expected.

But here's the thing: The S85H performed equally well. They were also matched for a photo testing extreme light and dark: a bright-blue neon sign against a black background. OLED is the master of black levels, and even a lower-cost model is a solid performer.

Samsung S90H review: Test results

*As measured in Filmmaker mode.

In a battle among high-performance TVs, the differentiating factor is often brightness, especially with HDR content. This is where you generally get what you pay for, as in Samsung's own OLED lineup. We measured HDR brightness of 771 nits for the S85H, 1,497 nits for the S90H, and 2,721 nits for the S95H (not pictured in the chart above, but tested in the same way).

The S90H we reviewed is one of the only 55-inch OLED models we've tested; most have been 65-inch screens. So our comparisons inevitably span screen sizes. The S90H's HDR brightness is well above average for all 65-inch OLEDs we've tested (1,104 nits) and a tad above average for newer models from 2025 and 2026 (1,331 nits). Newer 65-inch LCD TVs, by comparison, average out to just a bit more, at 1,507 nits — showing that the performance gap between TV technologies is narrowing (excluding some new LCDs that target blinding brightness like the TCL QM9K).

These and other rival TVs are either quite close, or inconsequentially different, in most other measures. The cheaper S85H already reproduces 100% of the Rec. 709 color gamut; comparatively, the 109.61% of the S90H and 113.30% for the S95H are only of theoretical benefit. Here specs take a backseat to a practical question: How does the color look?

Delta-E is a measure of how far the colors on the screen diverge from what the signal sent to the panel calls for. The lower the number, the better the accuracy. This TV's Delta-E of 1.65 (in Filmmaker mode) is quite good. It's in the lower (better) half of results, ranging from 0.8 to 3.6, for the OLEDs we've tested (with an average of 1.9). More importantly, it's far below a level at which a person, rather than a color meter, would notice a difference.

For yet more perspective, this TV's performance is indistinguishable from that of its cheaper sibling, the S85H, which posts a Delta-E of 1.69. Curiously, it's also better than that of the pricier S95H, at 2.24.

Samsung S90H review: Audio

Sometimes there is a clear correlation between specs and experience, and built-in audio is one of those cases. The 20W, 2.0-channel speakers in the S85H didn't sound bad: I found the quality of the trumpets and guitar playing on the Bruno Mars "Risk It All" YouTube video to sound faithful. But the audio lacked a sense of presence. (Raising the volume didn't make a meaningful difference.)

By contrast, the 40W, 2.1-channel system in the S90H provides enough oomph for a respectable audio experience. It puts the spatial audio capabilities of Dolby Atmos to good effect in "Blade Runner 2049."

Even the YouTube music videos had a more enveloping quality: Switching from Standard to Amplify mode definitely expanded the soundstage in both the Bruno Mars and Arianna Grande music videos.

Keep in mind: This is grading on a curve. You will get a substantially fuller experience, especially in bass, with external speakers. If sound is a priority for you, it may not matter much that the S90H has better built-in audio than the S85H. You'll be adding home theater speakers or one of the best soundbars, anyway. But if you don't want peripherals to distract from this TV's slim, minimalist design, you'll appreciate the built-in 40W, 2.1 system.

Samsung S90H review: Interface and remote

Samsung's One UI Tizen smart platform exemplifies the bloat that is endemic in smart TV software. The setup screens push you hard to install the SmartThings app — a hub for Samsung's smart home device universe, which hogged 866MB on my iPhone 13. What's more: Popups encouraging me to use SmartThings plagued my navigation of the TV interface. I was able to bypass the app for setting up the TV, but it was still a long, complex process, requiring me to click through a wall of permissions screens to set up a mandatory account. (I had been kinder to Tizen in my review of the QN70F, but the more time I spend with it, the more frustrated I get.)

The overall interface is pretty standard. From top-to-bottom: a bunch of promoted content, some clusters of content (such as soccer coverage), a thin band of installed streaming app icons, and clusters of recommendations (such as "New on TV" or "4th of July Favorites"). After I connected a Blu-ray player, an icon for the device was scuttled to the end of the apps bar, which took a while for me to locate. The set includes access to Samsung TV Plus, with over 400 content channels.

Samsung's Bixby voice interface could handle basic queries, such as "What are the top five movies with Tom Cruise?" I got options like "Top Gun: Maverick" and various Missions Impossible, and the options to select services to play them on, such as Pluto TV. The experience was not consistent, though. I didn't always get the same movie recommendations, or not recommendations in the same order. And I didn't always get the same options for where to play them. (The TV also offers Alexa as an assistant.)

When I asked the TV to "play 'Bridgerton' on Netflix," all I got was a Wikipedia-like description of the show and options for "related content." (That's despite having just watched the show in the Netflix app on this TV.)

Going the tactile route, this TV provides Samsung's standard slim remote — small enough for most people to operate one-handed. It has the ubiquitous four-direction ring and central button, shortcuts to select video apps, and a button for the TV's shortcut settings menu. The remote charges via USB-C or a solar panel on the back.

Samsung S90H review: Verdict

If it existed in a vacuum, the S90H would be one of the best OLED TVs of 2026. Unfortunately it has to share shelf space with the brand’s cheaper S85H and step-up S95H OLEDs that are, in my opinion, either a better value or a better performer overall.

That’s not to say that the S90H is a bad value, though. Factors such as relatively high brightness, relatively good sound, and top-tier gaming capabilities justify the cost of the S90H.

If you want good anti-glare matte coating and a better-than-average sound system, this TV's price is justified. If your budget isn't as high as your aspirations, however, look to the S85H or discounts on recent predecessor models, especially the S90F.

When it comes to value, Hisense TVs are among the best. The brand dominates our list of the best TVs under $500 and also holds the value spot in our list of the best TVs of 2026.

The World Cup final is this weekend and if you want a great TV, but don't have a big budget — Best Buy has Hisense TVs on sale from $431. The sale includes TV deals on some of our favorite sets. Below are the screens I recommend buying right now.

Quick Links

• shop all Hisense deals at Best Buy
• Hisense 65" U6 Mini-LED 4K TV: was $529 now $450
• Hisense 65" QD7 Mini-LED 4K QLED TV: was $599 now $499
• Hisense 55" CanvasTV 4K QLED TV: was $999 now $699
• Hisense 100" QD6 4K TV: was $2,499 now $1,699

My favorite TV deals

The Amazon Ember 4-Series (2025) is an admirable entry-level TV. The 43-inch and 55-inch models launched at $329 and $459, respectively, and they can now be found for as little as $269 and $379 when they’re on sale. So could the 4-Series be one of the best TVs under $500 we’ve ever tested? If you value affordability above all, it could be a contender.

The general performance of the Ember 4-Series is around what I’d expect given its budget sticker price. However, due to the lack of full-array local dimming, black levels weren’t as dark as I’d have liked, and the TV’s lower brightness threshold hurt the overall contrast.

It’s not going to make our list of the best TVs and I wouldn’t recommend the Ember 4-Series for serious home cinema lovers, but for people on a budget, it could be one to watch. To find out why, keep reading my Amazon Ember 4-Series review.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Specs

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Price & availability

The Amazon Ember 4-Series is the second-cheapest TV under Amazon’s belt. The 4-Series (2025) launched at $329 for the 43-inch model and $459 for the 55-inch. Unlike the Ember QLED, the 4-Series’ biggest size is 55 inches. (Amazon Ember QLED is $479 for 50” and provides a brighter screen — but it’s still not perfect.)

In the U.K., the Ember 4-Series is £439 for the 43-incher and £549 for 55 inches, but is often on sale for around £300-£400 depending on the model.

If you’re wondering why your searches for “Amazon Fire TV” only seem to bring up old models, that’s because Amazon recently updated its naming conventions. Amazon TVs are now called “Ember”, not “Fire”. The OS is still called “Fire TV”, though.

Keep in mind that the Ember 4-Series is a traditional LED-LCD rather than a newer Mini-LED or a QLED. There’s no Mini-LED lighting for higher brightness and better contrast, nor is there a quantum dot filter for more vibrant colors in HDR. If those features sound appealing, you might want to check out the Hisense QD7 ($339 for the 50” QLED) or the Samsung Q7F ($379 for 43” QLED).

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Design and ports

Like the Amazon Ember QLED, the 4-Series looks pretty great from an aesthetic perspective for such a cheap TV. It’s just 3 inches deep, has two dual-pronged feet — much closer together than the Ember QLED, so better for smaller TV stands — and an attractive black bezel.

The ports are hidden on the back of the TV. Here you’ll find four HDMI ports, only one of which is a 2.1 with eARC, so if you’ve got a soundbar and a game console, you’ll need to choose which one gets the 2.1 connection. There’s also an optical port and a USB-A port if you have devices that require those connectivity types.

Although its limited port selection won’t win any design awards, the Ember 4-Series’ utilitarian functionality does the trick.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: 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 technical benchmarking tests, we use a Jeti SpectraVal 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator. We measure using Portrait Displays’ Calman TV calibration software.

We use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester to determine whether it’s one of the best gaming TVs. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our “How we test TVs” page.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Test results

The Ember 4-Series outputs only 304 nits in SDR and a measly 287 nits in HDR. The Delta-E score (color accuracy) was 7.1, which is pretty poor.

Compared to the more advanced Amazon Ember QLED, the 4-Series is going to be dimmer in SDR and will have noticeably skewed colors. This demonstrates exactly why QLED TVs have become so popular in the last few years — they offer better brightness and color.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more on the Hisense QD7, you’ll see a significant improvement across the board. Shows and movies recorded in HDR will look much punchier on the Hisense thanks to its higher peak brightness (659 nits vs 287 on the 4-Series) and better contrast.

If you’re a home cinema enthusiast, I don’t think you’d be overly impressed with the Amazon Ember 4-Series — but for the most casual of viewers, it’s not the worst TV we’ve ever tested.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Performance

I expected to dislike the Ember 4-Series based on the test results, but I actually enjoyed using this TV during my subjective tests.

When watching “Top Gun: Maverick” on 4K Blu-ray, colors were bright in outdoor scenes, but a little dim in indoor scenes. Blues look particularly vibrant on the 4-Series, so images of clear skies were standouts.

Scenes with a lot of warm colors — like the beach football scene — appeared a little washed out, especially when compared to the blue ocean. The TV has much better saturation for cooler colors.

I noticed a lot of motion smoothing and ghosting during dogfighting scenes in “Top Gun: Maverick” — it made me feel a little motion sick in some long sequences — but this wasn’t noticeable while watching TV on Netflix.

Speaking of TV, I also watched “Yellowjackets.” The snow scenes looked great, and I didn’t notice any white blooming. The colors looked striking in a dark room, but in daylight, warm tones especially had a tendency to undersaturate.

Gaming might be an issue if you play demanding games; the max refresh rate is 60Hz, so you might want to spend more on a 120Hz TV if that’s the most important area to you.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Audio

The Ember 4-Series has two 10W speakers. I would best describe this sound as “thin” and possibly also “tinny”. As someone who’s been using a soundbar for years now, I don’t think I could ever go back to standard TV speakers.

You don’t have to spend a lot to get a great-sounding soundbar. One of the best soundbars we’ve tested, the Sony HT-S100F is $99 (often on sale) and has fantastic clarity and a rich sound profile.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Interface and apps

As we all know, Amazon Fire TV interface is incredibly easy to use. However, I did notice it took longer to respond on the Ember QLED compared to a dedicated streaming stick.,

Sometimes, title cards didn’t load for a few seconds and when apps loaded, they could be a little jerky. This is something I’ve found with a variety of Fire-powered TVs — my old Toshiba and my parents’ old Panasonic also suffer from this.

One of the biggest upgrades from previous Fire TV models is the updated Alexa+ functionality. With the purchase of the TV, you get a year of free Alexa+. When I asked, “Show me a high school drama”, it obeyed. Easy commands like “sci-fi movie” and “thriller TV series” bring up a range of suggestions.

Better still, if you have more Amazon devices like the Amazon Echo Studio or Amazon Echo Dot, you can link the TV up with them and they will behave as an external speaker.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Remote

As with every other Amazon TV, you get the classic ‘Fire TV’ remote. It’s easy to hold and is long and slender. There are four buttons on the bottom: Disney+, Netflix, Freely, and Prime Video. I wish one of these could be programmable, however. On other platforms, this is a common feature, and I usually configure the remote to quick-start YouTube.

The remote uses two AAA batteries, so not as innovative as Samsung’s solar-powered remotes, but it’s not a deal-breaker at this price point.

Amazon Ember 4-Series review: Verdict

Even though the Amazon Ember 4-Series didn’t perform well in our benchmarking tests, I actually think it’s a decent budget option. In 4K Blu-rays, I noticed a few issues with motion handling and color accuracy; however, when I was watching TV on Netflix and YouTube, the performance was great.

If you’re on a serious budget and want a 55-inch screen for well under $500, there are some other options like the Hisense QD7. It’s more expensive, but it offers both quantum dot colors and better overall brightness.

Still, if price is the ultimate factor in your buying decision, I still recommend the Ember 4-Series. Those looking for an entry-level, easy-to-use model with a huge variety of downloadable apps and built-in Alexa will find it here.

HDMI 2.2 has arrived. And, even though its features can't be fully supported by the best TVs and gaming consoles just yet, it already has a rival.

There are ongoing efforts by organizations in the tech sector to replace HDMI with something called GPMI. It does everything HDMI does with some added tricks up its sleeve. For its supporters, GPMI represents a simplified future of fewer cables and faster speeds.

It's a rosy outlook, for sure, and one that requires some squinting in order to see it. As promising as GPMI is, I fear that our living rooms will be firmly entwined with HDMI for the long haul.

What is GPMI?

Short for General Purpose Media Interface, GPMI is a new connectivity standard developed by an alliance of over 50 Chinese companies, including Hisense and TCL. It’s an alternative to HDMI that merges high-bandwidth audio, video, data and power-delivery in a single cable.

Like HDMI 2.1 and 2.2, GPMI’s benefits are primarily due to its added bandwidth compared to older standards. It supports higher-resolution, higher-framerate content than what’s available via the garden-variety HDMI 2.0 cables most folks still use in their living room. Similar to Thunderbolt cables, GPMI cables also offer power delivery.

There are two types of GPMI cables: USB-C and a proprietary Type-B cable. The USB-C version supports a bandwidth of 96 Gbps and 240 watts of power-delivery while the Type-B cable offers speeds of 192 Gbps and a total of 480 watts.

GPMI’s flexibility makes it an attractive option for the future of home entertainment. But with a new, higher-bandwidth version of good ol’ fashioned HDMI on our doorstep, which of these cables will earn a place in our living room?

GPMI vs HDMI 2.2: Which will win?

HDMI 2.2 is available in three bandwidth tiers: 64, 80 and 96 Gbps. This means that its highest tier is on par with the slowest version of GPMI (the type that uses a USB Type-C cable). Bandwidth levels of 80-96 Gbps allows for 4K content at up to 480Hz with color compression and up to 8K/60Hz for uncompressed content.

With 192 Gbps speeds, the proprietary Type-B GPMI cable can reach A/V heights far beyond HDMI 2.2. Its power-delivery functionality is just the cherry on top.

But despite its built-in benefits, GPMI’s ascension is far from assured. For one thing, HDMI 2.2 is already here. You can buy HDMI 2.2 cables right now — just look for the “Ultra96” label and the proper certification.

No TV supports HDMI 2.2 yet, but we’re likely to see high-end sets arrive with at least one HDMI 2.2 input within a few years. From where I’m sitting, HDMI 2.2’s arrival on TV sets seems like a certainty. GPMI’s arrival doesn’t.

TCL and Hisense might stand behind GPMI, but LG, Samsung and Sony are noticeably absent. These brands’ TVs represent a huge portion of the market share, and this is before you even take into account the devices we plug into those TVs.

It would take a massive group effort on behalf of TV-makers, game developers and brands of all types to standardize GPMI, and HDMI 2.2 already has a head start.

More from Tom's Guide

• These are the 3 best gaming TVs we've tested for console and PC gaming without breaking the bank
• HDMI 2.2 is coming — here's what it means for your living room
• Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced will change how you watch movies at home — but here’s why you don’t need them in 2026

It's been a banner year for high-performance TVs. OLEDs are better than ever and, between RGB LED and Super Quantum Dot (SQD) TVs, brands are breaking ground with all-new souped-up display technologies.

Take, for instance, the Samsung S95H. After extensive testing, we awarded the S95H a rare, five-star rating on account of its stunning performance and its extensive list of features. The S95H is not only one of the best TVs of the year, it's one of the best TVs I've ever seen, period.

But there's a twist. Broadly speaking, there aren't too many people I'd point in the S95H's direction. Despite its prowess, this near-perfect TV is a tougher sell than another competitive OLED: the LG C6.

Don't get me wrong, the S95H is great...

To understand why I recommend the C6, let's dive deeper into the Samsung S95H's performance: Most of its success comes down to contrast.

As an OLED, the S95H trades a traditional backlight for millions of self-illuminating pixels. The benefits here are immense, as the S95H can whip up perfect black levels with zero light bloom.

OLED TVs have always been dimmer than backlit LCD sets, but the gap is shrinking. At over 2,700 nits, the S95H is one of the brightest OLEDs we've ever measured, and this combination of perfect black levels and searing highlight brightness creates eye-popping depth and a truly realistic-looking presentation.

The added horsepower is primarily the result of the S95H's quantum dot-enhanced OLED display. These nanocrystals are also responsible for the S95H's incredible color — it covers an impressive 89.6% of the BT.2020 color gamut.

It all adds up to a TV whose picture is as close to perfection as I've seen. But I'm still recommending the LG C6 over the S95H for most shoppers, and I suspect I'll continue doing so throughout the year.

...but the C6 is (probably) the better buy

LG's mid-range marvel isn't nearly as bright as Samsung's best OLED TV, nor is it strapped with quantum dots for brighter, purer color. But the C6 is a gorgeous sight to behold nonetheless, and it all comes down to LG's fantastic OLED engineering.

Its peak brightness of around 1,300 nits is plenty punchy when paired with the perfect black levels of an OLED-driven picture. Yes, the S95H's blistering highlights play a huge role in its eye-catching presentation, but even the most jaded of viewers are liable to be floored by the C6's excellent HDR performance.

The C6 covers about 76% of the BT.2020, and while that isn't as impressive as the S95H, you're not likely to notice the difference outside of a direct, side-by-side comparison. More importantly, according to our testing, the C6 is terrifically accurate right out of the box.

The main reason I'll spend the rest of the year recommending the C6 over the S95H, however, has nothing to do with performance. The S95H is obviously the more impressive-looking OLED, but the C6 is an order of magnitude cheaper than Samsung's top-shelf set.

The 65-inch C6 just received its first major discount of about $700, which brings its price down to $1,999. That's not a budget-friendly sticker price, to be clear, but it's much friendlier than buying the 65-inch Samsung S95H for $3,299.

Ask yourself this: The S95H offers better performance than the C6, but is that added performance worth an extra $1,300? For dedicated home theater enthusiasts, the answer might be yes, but the average viewer looking for high-end performance will be more than happy with the C6.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: We pushed both OLED TVs to the limit to find the true winner
• Here’s everything you need to know about LG's Hyper Radiant Color technology — and why you should want it in an OLED TV
• Samsung S95H is 2026’s OLED to beat

In the TV business, July is a turning point. Memorial Day sales event are way back in the rearview mirror and Independence Day sales have dried up. By this time of the year, Prime Day has usually come and gone, too.

Mid-July is when I start sounding the alarm bells about last-year's TVs disappearing from shelves. There's no way around it: Newer models are replacing the old ones, and their prices are probably much higher.

This week, I'm ringing the bell about LG's entry-level OLED TV from last year, the LG B5. Specifically, I'm expecting a Best Buy-exclusive version of the B5 to be cleared out of stock soon. Right now, the 48-inch LG B5 is $649 at Best Buy, and when it's finally gone, one of my favorite OLED deals will be gone, too.

OLED TVs like the B5 don't rely on a backlight. Instead, all of their pixels are self-illuminating, and this built-in advantage is why people rave about OLED TVs.

Self-lit pixels allow for perfect black levels. An OLED-driven picture is free from that hazy, bluish-colored light bloom you'll often see on even the best Mini-LED TVs money can buy.

And, while the entry-level B5 isn't nearly as bright and colorful as some of the best OLED TVs on the market, the perfect black levels and surgical contrast control make a huge difference, particularly during cinematic, HDR content.

In addition, the B5 is a terrific choice for A/V enthusiasts yearning for an accurate presentation. According to our tests, the B5 is almost entirely free of perceptible color error in its out-of-the-box state. It's one of the reasons I find it to be such an attractive option for bargain-shoppers who care about picture quality.

Another reason I recommend the B5 so often is because, despite its low price and entry-level approach, it's nevertheless stuffed with a ton of useful features for streaming and gaming.

Gamers are getting basically everything they need for current-gen consoles, including support for 4K gaming at 120Hz. The B5 also comes with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility.

The B5 is built around last-year's version of webOS. It's not at the top of my list of preferred streaming platforms, but if you're hesitant to buy a dedicated streaming device, webOS has enough app support to serve as your daily driver.

If you need a bigger screen than 48 inches, the 55-inch LG B5 is just $899 at Best Buy right now, too. It's not quite as good of deal as a $649, 48-inch OLED TV, but it's more affordable than most OLEDs.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG B6 vs B5 test results are in: Is LG's newest entry-level OLED TV worth it?
• 3 OLED settings you should've enabled already — they prevent burn-in
• 'TV brightness matters more than anything else' and 4 other myths that I need to debunk after a decade of testing TVs

We're now into July, which means we've done six full months of testing here at Tom's Guide in 2026. From coffee machines, through to vacuums, gaming handhelds, laptops and phones — not only is it our job to put tech through its paces, it's what our journalists, editors and contributors love to do.

I'm Pete, Senior Reviews Editor here at Tom's Guide, and I head up our reviews coverage on site. My team of dedicated reviews writers alone have lab tested and reviewed hundreds of products already this year, with the wider Tom's Guide editorial team having testing dozens more. If you've not had your finger precisely on the pulse of the latest tech this year, well, I don't blame you — it's hard to keep tabs on everything. That's why we exist.

To help, I've gathered the Tom's Guide team's favorite products from 2026 so far. Obviously, I can't fit everything into a single article, so I asked our subject experts across the site to give me their top picks, too. I've also curated the top five highest scorers, which stand above the rest. Every product on here has been tested by us, hands-on, as part of a full, extensive review.

Read on to see the tech Tom's Guide loved in the first half of 2026.

Tom's Guide's Top 5

Every product on this list has scored at least four stars, earning our TG Recommended or Editor's Choice badges. But there are five products on this list that scored our full five stars after testing. These are the best of the best so far this year. To save you some time, here are the links to our reviews.

• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review ★★★★★
• 007 First Light review ★★★★★
• KitchenAid Artisan Plus review ★★★★★
• Gozney Dome XL Gen 2 review ★★★★★
• Samsung S95H OLED review ★★★★★

Keep reading to see the rest of our top tested picks for 2026.

AI

Rokid Glasses

After 5,000 miles in the Rokids, we were seriously impressed
Score: ★★★★☆

The best smart glasses without a display are cool and all, but their features are usually rather limited to just asking questions about what you see. The Rokid Glasses proved to me that adding a screen turns that superpower into an ambient computing platform — offering features only when you need them and disappearing into the background in some stylish specs.

With that display, you get real-time conversation translation with text subtitles so you’re not having to try to listen to your smart glasses talk over the person in front of you. And the multi-modality unlocked by asking a question and just getting answers you can see makes them much more subtle. Not to say they’re perfect — the camera quality for snapping pictures suffers in low light and some features are very China-specific (like Alipay). But arm these with Google Gemini in setup, and they’re a genuinely helpful companion on your face for a decent price.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Rokid Glasses review

Cameras & drones

GoPro Mission 1 Pro

GoPro's return to form in the action camera game
Score: ★★★★½

After years essentially re-releasing the same Hero cameras with minor tweaks, GoPro has finally pushed itself. The Mission 1 Pro is pricey, but it’s the first GoPro I’ve been excited about in a while. It seriously impressed me with its powerful and versatile video credentials in testing, namely open gate 8K and a wealth of shooting features that make it ideal for its target market: professionals. Thanks to revised processor architecture and a shiny new battery, I managed to extract unparalleled battery life and thermals versus other action cameras in my standardized battery tests. GoPro is back!

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full GoPro Mission 1 Pro review

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

The best all-around tool for content creation
Score: ★★★★★

I awarded the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 our full five stars in my review, and that’s because I literally couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Aside from the fact that it’s not available in America (yet?) due to tariffs and DJI’s ongoing feud with the U.S. government. The Osmo Pocket 4 improved on its predecessor in every single way that mattered: video, stabilization, storage, thermals, battery life, and more. If you’re after a single tool for professional-looking content creation, I really can’t think of anything better to recommend.

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review

DJI Avata 360

Although a little late to the 360 party, DJI absolutely smashed it
Score: ★★★★½

The DJI Avata 360 does exactly what you want a drone to do: make flying fun. It stakes its claim as the best 360° drone around (granted, there are only two at the time of writing, but still!) and its twin lenses capture every single angle in 8K at 60fps. 120MP hi-res stills, user-friendly editing software, and exceptional build quality make it the drone to buy today. It also undercuts its main competitor, the Antigravity A1, and with dual ways to fly (FPV and with a standard controller), the Avata 360 is versatile and oh-so-powerful. Every day I still think about it — and as someone who’s tested many, many quadcopters, that’s saying a lot.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full DJI Avata 360 review

Computing & gaming

MacBook Neo

Our favorite budget laptop, literally ever
Score: ★★★★½

Value for money in laptops has become a bit of a running joke this year (thanks, RAMageddon). But of all the companies building notebooks, I didn’t anticipate it would be Apple to deliver the goods and give you an honest-to-god well-priced system. Yes, there’s been a $100 increase recently, but even with that, the premium aluminum build quality, great display, tactile keyboard and zippy performance of that A18 Pro makes for a great system for the day-to-day essentials.

I must admit, to see Apple actually having fun with colors in its MacBooks is a refreshing change from the blacks and silvers of its more expensive lineage. All of this comes together into a laptop that has terrified the budget Windows laptop market, and the best ultra portable we’ve tested this year.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read our full MacBook Neo review

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026)

Dual OLED panels = chef's kiss
Score: ★★★★½

Yes, this is a dual-screen OLED beauty of a premium laptop; Asus has really paid attention to the design and ergonomics of a system like this. But the real superpower is what lies inside that shell. Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) has been a truly generational moment for Team Blue in its Windows laptops, and it comes down to huge updates to both the performance and power efficiency.

Those new CPU cores and efficiency architecture they’re built onto gives this a gargantuan battery life that would make a MacBook blush, while the superpowered GPU (alongside XeSS 3) gives this some serious gaming laptop chops too. Usually, you had to be considerate of just what you wanted to do with your Windows laptop and decide on the strengths and compromises around that. With anything that sports an X9 chip like this, though, that’s no longer a compromise you have to make.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) review

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

A true next-gen gaming handheld
Score: ★★★★☆

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ delivers the performance jump I’ve been waiting years for. With Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme chip, games are pulling a 20 to 30+ FPS advantage over AMD Z2 Extreme handhelds. Battery life gets a big boost too. I could hit the same performance as the Z2 Extreme at half the power consumption. Combine that with its major redesign bringing more Xbox-like controls, better haptics, and its large 8-inch 16:10 display, and you’re getting, in my opinion, one of the best handheld gaming consoles of 2026.

Paul Antill, Video Producer
Read our full MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review

007 First Light

Forget GoldenEye: this is the best Bond game ever
Score: ★★★★★

Gamers are being treated to a licensed games renaissance right now. The days of cheap cash-ins launched to coincide with a new blockbuster movie are over. But even in this golden era for video games based on popular media franchises, 007 First Light surpasses expectations.

Forget GoldenEye, First Light is the best James Bond game ever. With its ludicrously cinematic gameplay, compelling narrative that focuses on a younger Bond (played by Patrick Gibson), and deep commitment to authenticity, 007 First Light is easily the best thing to come out of this long-running spy series in 20 years, movies included. There’s a reason it was only the second video game I’ve given the full five stars. Whether you’re a longtime Bond fan or a newcomer, 007 First Light is quite simply unmissable.

Rory Mellon, Senior Entertainment Editor
Read Rory's full 007 First Light review

Epomaker Glyph

Nikita's dream keyboard
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve tested close to 100 keyboards in my time as a reviews writer, and it isn’t often that I get to proclaim, “I’ve found my dream keyboard.” Ever since I tested the Epomaker Glyph, it hasn’t left my desk, and it’s my daily driver when I’m at the office. Typewriter-like aesthetics, a return lever that acts as an Enter or Backspace key, beautiful RGB lighting, a creamy sound profile, and a typing experience that’s nothing short of stunning — all of these characteristics come together to deliver what’s probably the best mechanical keyboard I’ve used for typing. I’m a speed demon when I’m bashing out 109 words per minute of this thing.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full Epomaker Glyph review

(A note from Nikita's editor, Pete: "I can confirm, the Glyph genuinely hasn't left her desk!")

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36

Pro performance for under $1,000
Score: ★★★★½

It’s no secret that MSI knows how to make a great gaming monitor, and its MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is one of the most beautiful displays I’ve ever tested. Blistering 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time for buttery smooth gameplay? Check. Ridiculously accurate colors and wide color coverage? Yep. AI sleep and wake features that are actually useful and not just a gimmick? Oh yeah. And all of this is packed into a sleek design with plenty of ports. Not much to complain about here, really.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 review

Viture Beast AR glasses

Beast by name, beast by nature
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve traveled the world testing all of this year’s biggest AR glasses releases, and Viture Beast stands head and shoulders above the pack as the best I’ve used this year (so far). There’s three reasons why: picture quality, comfort and features. Viture’s color science and fidelity really shines in those micro-OLED displays with a massive 58-degree field of view. There’s a little edge fringing on the sides, but given the massive vision field, it’s unlikely you’ll notice it. And this is packed into a nice-feeling pair of glasses with a soft-touch coating that sits gently on your ears with optimal weight balance. Cap it all off with plenty of customization built in, plus the SpaceWalker app for multi-monitor home office setups, and the Beast are…well…pretty beastly for work and play.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Viture Beast review

Fitness

Fitbit Air

The best Whoop alternative, and subscription-free
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitbit Air is my fitness tracker of the year so far. Discreet and distraction-free (no screen), this is a fitness tracker that's easy to use, lightweight, and oh-so-comfortable. Just $99 and subscription-free for core features, it offers a week of battery life and covers all the holistic metrics you'd expect from a modern device, like heart health, sleep quality, daily movement, and workouts. For most people, this is the best screen-free fitness tracker you can buy, and the new Google Health companion app makes viewing all your health data a dream.

Jane McGuire, Managing Editor, Fitness
Read our full Fitbit Air review

Salomon XT-6

Hike, shop or relax in comfort and style
Score: ★★★★½

The Salomon XT-6 shoes have become a staple in my closet. Whether I’m heading to the store or hitting up a challenging trail on the weekend, I know I’ll be supported. I wore these hiking sneakers on a city break, where I clocked over 93,000 steps and didn’t have a single complaint. Not only that, the multidirectional lugs kept me stable on even the trickiest terrain, as I hiked in mud, over rocks, and through water.

On top of their technical ability, the XT-6s are a fashion statement, worn all over New York by fashion-forward celebs; these shoes have earned a coveted spot in my daily rotation — although you’ll find me cleaning the mud off them after each adventure.

Ashley Thieme, Staff Writer
Read Ashley’s full Salomon XT-6 review

Homes

Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless

A powerful cordless Dyson that's perfect for pet owners
Score: ★★★★☆

I’ve tested my fair share of Dyson vacuum cleaners in my time, but I must say that the V16 combines all of my favorite features in one cleaner. First, its upgraded ‘Fluffy Cones’ head is designed to be used on both carpets and hard flooring without the need to swap over attachments. This is a great time-saver, and lets me quickly zip around my home without pausing. Perhaps my favorite feature is the dust-detecting green light which reveals those hidden dustballs lurking underneath furniture and in corners. Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to store, which is why it’s now my go-to for daily maintenance, and why I awarded our Editor’s Choice badge.

Cynthia Lawrence, Homes Editor
Read Cynthia’s full Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless review

KitchenAid Artisan Plus

The latest version of KitchenAid's legendary mixer, and the best one yet
Score: ★★★★★

I got to test KitchenAid’s newest stand mixer, the Artisan Plus, and it’s even better than I imagined. I’d been happily using KitchenAid’s Artisan stand mixer as my go-to appliance for a good few years, and I really didn’t see how it could be improved, but it has. It may only seem like a few tweaks, but they have made a big difference. From the sliding speed control that just glides, to the in-bowl light, which illuminates the mix — and let's not forget the double-edge flex beater that cleans the bowl as it sweeps past— I loved it so much during testing that I gave it a 5-star rating.

Camilla Sharman, Staff Writer
Read Camilla’s full KitchenAid Artisan Plus review

Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2)

The undisputed king of pizza ovens
Score: ★★★★★

If you’re a dedicated — and I mean dedicated — at-home pizza maker, the Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) is the closest you’ll come to actually building a pizza oven from scratch. It can run on either gas, wood, or charcoal, has dual temperature probes, and is big enough to fit a 16-inch pie with room to spare. I loved its easy-to-ready displays, and the design of the oven is just gorgeous, too. Yes, it’s huge and it’s expensive (I’ve made equally good pizzas in much cheaper ovens), but this is the oven that’ll signal you’re the real pizzaiolo in your neighborhood.

Mike Prospero, U.S. Editor-in-chief
Read Mike’s full Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) review

Fellow Espresso Series 1

Beginners or pros, coffee snobs or otherwise — this one is for everyone
Score: ★★★★½

When Fellow designed the Espresso Series 1, it looked at the other espresso machines out there and thought, “I’m going to do something different.” And different the Espresso Series 1 is. When I tested this machine, I loved that it provided coffee-snob-approved features while still being usable for complete beginners. On top of having a litany of customization options on the machine itself, I loved having the app, which walked me through how to make every type of coffee ever invented. You may think this is too ambitious, but for me, the Espresso Series 1 hits all its marks and comes out victorious.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full Fellow Espresso Series 1 review

Phones

Apple iPhone 17

A surprisingly solid update over the previous generation
Score: ★★★★½

Apple launched more new phones than in any previous year, but the iPhone 17 remains my favorite for several reasons. One thing that makes it stand out is that it finally got a long-overdue upgrade to a 120Hz refresh rate, making its screen look even more fluid than before in testing. On top of that, I really love how it didn’t get a price hike and still managed to get double the starting storage.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read John's full iPhone 17 review

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The phone that'll get better over time
Score: ★★★★½

When it comes to Android phones, nothing caught my eye more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung’s flagship received all the iterative updates it deserved, but one particular new feature stood out most: the Privacy Display. It works like magic, making the screen look dark when someone tries to peek at it from the side. You can even customize it to block out specific parts of the display — like when you’re messaging someone. This exclusive feature is what sets it apart from everything else.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Sleep

Saatva Zenhaven Mattress

What you should be sleeping on in 2026
Score: ★★★★½

The Saatva Zenhaven latex mattress blew our socks off during testing, thanks to its naturally cooling and supportive sleep feel for eco-conscious shoppers. Handcrafted in the US from (mostly) organic materials, the Zenhaven boasts a flippable design with a different tension on each side: Luxury Plush and Gentle Firm. We appreciated how one side boasted more cushioning for side sleepers, while the unyielding feel of the firmer side best-suited back and stomach sleepers. At $3,549 at full MSRP it’s a splurge, but cheaper during Saatva mattress sales. However, it’s worth noting that latex mattresses can last up to 20 years, so we think it’s worth the investment.

Nicola Appleton, Sleep Editor
Read our full Saatva Zenhaven Mattress review

Fitnexa SomniPods 3

If you struggle sleeping, these earbuds are for you
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 are compact sleep earbuds that helped me sleep better in even the most disruptive environments (like my neighbor's son playing basketball at unsociable hours). Fitted with built-in white noise, excellent active noise cancelation, plus sleep tracking features, they’re an easy recommendation for any troubled sleepers. But the real stand-out feature for me is the Fitnexa app. Here, your own AI coach waits for you, ready to provide personalized advice based on your sleep tracking data, activity logs and food diaries. The info isn’t quite on par with a qualified sleep professional but thanks to the wealth of data to draw from, it was pretty spot on in testing, helping take the SomniPods from sleep earbud to all-round sleep enhancer.

Ruth Jones, Senior Sleep Writer
Read Ruth's full Fitnexa SomniPods 3 review

Smart home & security

Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+

A fantastic way to improve security on a budget
Score: ★★★★☆

Blink has long been one of our favorite budget smart home brands, and its newest battery-powered video doorbell furthers its reputation as a value leader. The Battery Doorbell 2K+ delivered very good 2K video in our testing — not the tops, but for a sub-$100 device it was more than acceptable. And, while it runs on AA batteries, they’ll last up to two years on a charge. You can also use this video doorbell without a subscription (you’ll need to purchase a separate adapter), but Blink’s subscription price is relatively affordable.

Mike Prospero, U.S. Editor-in-chief
Read our full Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ review

TV & Audio

Samsung S95H OLED

Supreme picture quality, even in bright rooms
Score: ★★★★★

I’ve tested countless TVs, but the Samsung S95H is the first unit in several years that truly surpassed all my expectations. It completely shatters the familiar rules of OLED, obliterating ambient glare and delivering an unprecedented, jaw-dropping brightness in the self-emissive category. Even the floating metal bezel (a design choice I fully assumed I'd hate) adds a striking, premium presence I grew to love. Between its breathtaking performance and how seamlessly it transitions into a decor piece via Samsung Art Store support, this is a flagship that stands as a definitive standard-bearer.

Kate Kozuch, Managing Editor
Read Kate's full Samsung S95H OLED review

AirPods Max 2

Everything is dialed up to 11
Score: ★★★★½

It’s impossible to be a tech lover and not have strong opinions about Apple’s new AirPods Max 2. Some people love them, some people hate them, but I’m firmly in the first camp. The AirPods Max 2 are headphones that know what they’re about, and they’re not apologizing for it. With gorgeous anodized aluminum ear cups and an all-metal headband, they’re not the lightest cans in the world, but the sound more than makes up for it.

Every detail is clear, mids are melodic and vivacious, and the bass is balanced, rich, and warm. Of course, you’ve also got industry-leading smart tech features like Live Translation and integrated Siri, but Apple users looking for the best headphones need look no further than Apple’s own.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full Apple AirPods Max 2 review

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO

Open earbuds that make no sacrifices
Score: ★★★★½

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO have completely changed the way I think about open-earbuds (and I’ve tested a lot). Up until testing the ZEROs, I’d accepted that if I wanted ambient awareness, comfort and stability while working out, I’d need to sacrifice sound quality — but they prove that’s not the case. They provided me with the detailed listening experience I love from Beyerdynamic’s other headphones, without compromising bass performance, delivering perfectly balanced sound. I wear them when I’m working, running, or hiking in the rain (thanks to IP54 durability). They’re the only open earbuds I’ve tested with no compromises.

Ashley Thieme, Staff Writer
Read Ashley’s full Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review

JBL Xtreme 5

The party speaker for summer 2026
Score: ★★★★½

The JBL Xtreme 5 came, it saw, and it conquered. JBL really understood the assignment with the surprise follow-up to 2024’s Xtreme 4. Everything about the Xtreme 5 oozes confidence: the deft, controlled bass that’ll have your floorboards shaking and your bones quaking; the literally unbeatable IP68 rating that protects it against rain, sand, and drops; the gorpcore, utilitarian design; and of course the rugged 24-hour battery life. This is the party speaker of 2026. I’ve tested hundreds of audio products and Bluetooth speakers, but the Xtreme 5 is a special one.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full JBL Xtreme 5 review

More from Tom's Guide

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• Check out all of our Best Picks pages

Once upon a time, you turned on a TV and it was just… on. If you watched an episode of “Seinfeld” the night before, you might've found your TV still tuned to NBC the following morning. There was no home screen between you and your shows, and if you were confronted with an advertisement, it was because NBC happened to be running a commercial at that moment.

I’ve been testing and reviewing TVs for over 12 years, and while I’m not that old, my memories of a time before smart TVs are starting to fade. I’ve watched my tiny living room ecosystem accumulate litter — like a bug in a jar with a leaf, stick and increasingly bigger piles of discarded candy wrappers. Worse, it seems like the folks in charge of the jar are watching my every move and selling off the data to a bug-squashing company.

It’s not just the cheap TVs, either — the worst aspects of the best TVs I review usually relate to the user experience. Can anything be done about this? Are we destined to be forever bummed out by our TVs?

The internet is (mostly) to blame

Ask yourself this: What percentage of my movie- and show-watching experience is made possible by the web? For me, the answer is close to 100%.

I’m a big-time advocate for indoor antennas and over-the-air broadcasting. Plenty of people still pipe-in TV shows by way of a cable box. But in 2026, internet-based streaming dominates, and brands are acutely aware of how this all shakes out.

Why would LG, Samsung or any TV manufacturer move away from the smart TV business model? Viewers want to watch “The Bear” on Hulu and “The Mandalorian” on Disney Plus. “Seinfeld” is on Netflix now and NBC puts its newest slate of programming on Peacock (starting at $7.99 with ads).

And then there’s the data collection. As is the case with seemingly every other aspect of our lives, we — the viewers — are just as much of a product as the TVs themselves.

Streaming apps catalogue what we watch, what we skip and when we skip it. Netflix is anything but transparent about how it measures viewership, but its — ahem — somewhat lofty figures are nevertheless bandied about in business earnings calls.

If you own a relatively new Samsung TV, you're probably sick and tired of the brand's free streaming service automatically booting up every time you turn on the TV. When I yearn to return to the halcyon days of a TV powering on, being forced to stomach Samsung TV Plus is not what I had in mind, but what incentive is there for Samsung not to immediately funnel the viewer into an experience they very likely stand to profit from?

In other words, we're stuck. Smart TVs have made streaming more accessible than ever and the era of streaming has made it critical for brands to cater to the streaming lifestyle.

More software = more slowdown

The longer we use our TVs, the more apps and updates we pile into its storage. The answer's not as simple as "stop installing updates," because we've been told — and correctly so — that not staying up to date on these patches could introduce some security holes.

So we soldier on, watching "Seinfeld" on Netflix and updating the app on a regular basis. Regardless of the brand of TV we use, its hardware won't last forever. When you first set up your TV, a clock begins counting down on the display, the processor and other critical components.

This was always true to a certain extent, but now that TVs are closer to computers than ever before, there's more crap waiting to crap out on you. And when some critical, piece-of-crap component finally craps out, it's curtains for your crappy TV.

There's no going back

People always ask me why they can't buy a so-called "dumb TV." It sounds like a great idea, right? Just bypass the sluggish software, the annoying algorithms, the banner ads and the on-board data collection. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as all that.

There are vanishingly few dumb TVs available to consumers. The market just isn't there. Brands are tied up in too many licensing deals and there's too much money to be made off sponsorships, partnerships and user data.

Further, any TV worth buying from a performance standpoint is, I'm sorry to say, going to be saddled with smart features. You can set out to find the TV with the least amount of these features, but I promise that you'll be on a crash course for disappointment. The picture will look bad and the menu software will drive you bonkers.

This is the world we live in now. On average, TVs are better-looking than ever, but they're all nodes in a complicated, nightmarish network. But there are ways to disengage.

People who own TVs built around the Google TV streaming platform can enable Google TV's Basic Mode, thereby taking their entire TV offline. If you want to increase privacy, some brands offer ways to disable data collection on your TV.

But until our entire media ecosystem changes, the little ecosystem in our living room will be, to varying degrees, a microcosm of ads and outbound data.

More from Tom's Guide

• Netflix reportedly removes useful library sorting features, making it harder to find the movies and TV shows you want to stream next
• Your TV is watching you — how to turn off data collection on LG, Samsung, Roku and more
• Your TV in 2035 will be wildly different — and it’s not what you think

The World Cup final is set for July 19th! That means you have just over a week to upgrade your TV and catch every detail in the much-anticipated final match.

We're just off the back of Prime Day and 4th of July says. That means that in many cases, TV prices are unfortunately not at their lowest. But you can still save a lot of cash and get a new set in time to watch the winners lift the trophy.

My biggest recommendation is the TCL 75-inch QM8L 4K Mini-LED TV on sale for $1,999 at Amazon. It's $1,000 off (a 33% discount) and we rank it as the best TV for live sports. Its 144Hz refresh rate means you'll see every action and it has a gorgeously bright and colorful picture. It has sold for less in the past ($1,697), but it's still a fantastic TV at this price.

There are plenty more TV deals out there (including budget-friendly picks,) so keep scrolling to see my favorites.

Quick Links

• shop TV deals from $69 at Amazon
• shop 55" TV deals from $379 at Best Buy
• Roku 55" Plus Series 4K Mini-LED TV: was $499 now $369 @ Amazon
• Hisense 75" QD7 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $547 @ Amazon
• LG 65" B6 4K OLED TV: was $1,999 now $1,899 @ Best Buy
• TCL 75" QM8L 4K SQD Mini-LED TV: was $2,999 now $1,999 @ Amazon

My favorite TV deals

Shop more deals

Landing a good TV deal is all about timing. When we tested and reviewed LG's newest mid-range OLED TV back in April, our takeaway was simple: The LG C6 is an exceptional TV whose sticker price is a bit too high. My colleague Dylan Haas — who wrote the review — recommended that folks wait "until the back half of the year when the C6 inevitably drops its price."

Fast-forward to today. If you took Dylan’s advice and held off on buying the C6 at full price, your patience has now been rewarded.

The 65-inch LG C6 just crashed to $1,999 on Amazon. It's a steep, 26% discount on one of the year's best TVs, and for the first time since its release, I can recommend it with full, unbridled enthusiasm.

You can check out Dylan's LG C6 review for a full report on this mid-range OLED (including test results), but here's the basic gist: The C6 is only a marginal upgrade over the C5, but to be fair, the C5 was a five-star stunner of a TV.

Until now, I've been directing people to the C5 on account of its cheaper price tag. And, while the C5 is still sporting a friendlier price tag over a year after its debut, the C6's latest discount is deep enough to bring it back into the conversation.

If you've never gazed upon an OLED TV before, you're in for a treat. The C6 doesn't rely on a traditional backlight, and instead, each one of its millions of pixels is self-illuminating.

This means that the C6 can render perfect black levels. Bright objects aren't saddled with the distracting, hazy-looking light bloom you're bound to see even on high-end Mini-LED TVs that cost roughly the same as the C6.

The C6 also leads the mid-range OLED class when it comes to features. All four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K gaming at 120Hz (the highest 4K spec for today's consoles), and 4K/165Hz is an option for PC gamers. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium are along for the ride, too.

LG's in-house streaming platform isn't my favorite (that honor goes to Roku), but the C6's built-in webOS functionality is reliable enough for everyday use.

Unlike Samsung's mid-range OLED TV for 2026 (the S90H), the C6 comes with Dolby Vision support. This is one of the most popular HDR formats, and its inclusion ensures that the C6 is able to accurately match a filmmaker's vision during Dolby Vision-mastered content.

Unfortunately, this is the portion of the post where I must remind you that the prices of new TVs fluctuate quite often. According to my records, the LG C6 was listed on Amazon for $2,699 as recently as the middle of June. If you're interested in saving on this set, I don't recommend waiting.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 vs B6: We've tested both OLED TVs, and this is the one to buy
• LG C6 OLED review: The best OLED TV you shouldn’t buy (yet)
• LG C6 vs. Samsung S95H: We tested both OLED TVs — here's the best choice for you

You might assume that all of the best TV antennas will more or less pick up the same number of channels and the same channel quality. But that isn't exactly the case: The Axevoi ANT-CS8268 is built to be the go-to option for cord-cutters who simply want great reception and don't want to think too hard about picking an antenna.

Just don't believe what it says on the box. This antenna is billed as offering a "3,200-plus-mile" reception range, which physically isn't possible because TV signals would be blocked by the actual curvature of the Earth. Maybe they mean square miles? It’s definitely not clear on the listings.

Setting aside the silly claims about range, is this antenna actually worth considering? Or should you go for a different model? I've been testing it to find out.

ANT-CS8268 Antenna review: Price and availability

The ANT-CS8268 sells broadly across the major e-commerce platforms, and costs around $65 on Amazon, at least at the time of this writing. That puts it in the mid-range of pricing and above models from the likes of Channel Master, but well below premium VHF-focused outdoor models.

The antenna is widely available, so it shouldn't be hard to find if you're interested in buying it.

ANT-CS8268 Antenna review: Design and setup

The ANT-CS8268 is a flat panel made of ABS plastic, measuring 9.41 x 5.55 x 0.52 inches. It's thicker than the paper-thin antenna models that have become more popular over the past few years, like those from the likes of Channel Master, but it's still relatively thin.

The antenna has a little stand that pops out on the back of it, though I found it to be flimsy and difficult to keep in place. There are also small holes on the back of the antenna which you can use to mount it to a wall with nails or screws. Included in the box are both adhesive and drywall hooks and screws if you need them.

The antenna has a 4-meter coaxial cable that's fixed, so you can't remove it. If it breaks, you'll need to buy a new antenna altogether. That's a little disappointing. While I'm glad the cable is pretty long, fixed cables can make placement more complicated — not to mention the fact that they limit repairability.

Also in the box is the small amplifier, which is powered by a standard USB connection (use the USB port on the back of your TV if you have one available). The amplifier has a small switch on it for so-called short and long range amplification.

Setting it all up is extremely easy and took less than five minutes. Once you figure out where and how you want to place the antenna, you'll connect the amplifier to your TV through the coaxial port and the USB port for power. Then connect the antenna to the amplifier, scan for channels on your TV, and you should be good to go.

ANT-CS8268 Antenna review: Performance and reception

Okay, so the antenna certainly can't reach radios 3,200 miles away. But it does actually perform decently well, regardless. The ANT-CS8268 covers both VHF (170-240MHz) and UHF (470-860MHz) bands and it supports the major global terrestrial standards — ATSC, DVB-T/T2, ISDB-T, and DTMB.

I pulled in 90 channels with the antenna unamplified, 71 with the short-range amplifier setting, and 79 with the long-range option. The catch is that "channels picked up" and "channels worth watching" are not the same thing. A fair number of those 90 were too noisy to actually watch, and the count alone oversells what you're really getting. Around 40 of the channels it pulled were actually watchable – less than half.

For comparison, I tested the $35 Channel Master FLATenna 35 in the same spot. It pulled 83 channels, and I found it offered a higher-quality signal across the board.

In a typical suburban setup within about 25 miles of the towers, the ANT-CS8268 should reliably connect to a good 20 channels or so with enough signal strength to watch without too much distraction.

The amplifier is a double-edged sword. The 25dB inline amp is likely to improve weak-channel retention if you're in a fringe or rural area. But if you're close to the towers, leaving it on actively hurts your signal. Strong signals overload the amp and degrade the picture, so you have to manually toggle it off.

Placement, of course, matters a lot too, as it does with any indoor entry. It'll perform at its best near a window or at least mounted high on a wall. And, the signal can be degraded by obstacles, including things like concrete. Not only that, but if you're far enough away from towers, your signal could dramatically change depending on the weather.

Verdict

For an urban or suburban cord-cutter living within 15 to 25 miles of the towers, the ANT-CS8268 is a solid antenna. It looks nice enough, and performs decently well, and while I would have liked a removable cable, at least the fixed one is long enough for most.

Ultimately, in my specific area, the much cheaper Channel Master FLATenna 35 performed better, getting a higher quality signal much of the time. That doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will have the same experience, though, as things vary a lot depending on proximity to towers and the geography that your home is in.

Additionally, if you are willing to put something on the roof of your home, you might find that you can get something more powerful at a similar price, though that, of course, only covers the antenna itself and not the other wiring you'll need in your home. If you already have that infrastructure set up for a roof-mounted antenna, though, there are probably other options worth considering. If you’re willing to go all out, you could get an antenna like the Antop AT-800SBS HD Smart Panel Antenna, which we’ve found to be the best indoor/outdoor antenna, but comes at a higher price.

The LG C6 is one of the year's best TVs, and it's easy to see why. In addition to its incredible, OLED-driven performance, the C6 offers more gaming- and streaming-related features than any other TV in its class. Like its predecessors, its mid-range price is sure to make it a popular pick.

The Samsung S95H, on the other hand, is a significant step up from the C6 in many ways. It's arguably the best TV in Samsung's 2026 lineup, and maybe the best TV the brand has ever engineered. Thanks to its quantum dot-enhanced OLED panel, the S95H delivers better brightness and color than the LG C6, but its divisive design and sky-high price tag could limit its appeal.

If you're in the market for an OLED TV this year and you're willing to spend on something beyond the entry-level tier, the C6 and S95H ought to be on your short list. Here's how they stack up when it comes to performance, design and features.

LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: Specs compared

First, let's take a look at the available size options in both series. You can buy the LG C6 in 77- and 83-inch variants, but these are classified as an altogether different model called the LG C6H. In other words, if you want a 77- or 83-inch LG C6, you'll technically have to buy the C6H.

We've yet to test either the 77- or 83-inch versions of the C6H, but LG promises better performance on these sets on account of the fact that they're equipped with LG Display's newest RGB Tandem OLED display. This panel type allows for higher brightness and better color volume than the standard WOLED displays found on the 42- to 65-inch versions of the C6.

There's panel variance to be aware of on Samsung's side, too. The 55-, 65- and 77-inch versions of the S95H harness Samsung Display's quantum dot-enhanced OLED display, while the 83-inch S95H uses LG Display's RGB Tandem OLED panel, similar to the C6H. (I'll dive into how the differences in panel type affect performance later on.)

One of the biggest differences between these sets lies in HDR support. Like all LG OLEDs, the C6 supports Dolby Vision, a proprietary version of enhanced HDR.

As is the case with all Samsung TVs, the S95H does not support Dolby Vision. Instead, Samsung offers HDR10+, a royalty-free version of Dolby Vision that leverages metadata to adjust the picture on a frame-by-frame basis, similar to how Dolby Vision works.

You'll still be able to watch Dolby Vision-mastered content on the S95H, but the picture will fall back to standard HDR10. It'll certainly look great, but technically speaking, the S95H can't take full advantage of Dolby Vision's efforts to replicate the creator's intent. (To learn more check out our guide to whether or not you need Dolby Vision.)

Neither OLED supports ATSC 3.0, which allows over-the-air broadcasts to be piped-in at native 4K resolution. However, both sets serve up four HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs and support 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 165Hz when a PC is connected).

With everything else being mostly equal, the C6's Dolby Vision support and wider range of size options gives it an edge here.

Winner: LG C6

LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: design

The C6 (seen above) mostly sticks to the design approach of its predecessor, the LG C5. That's good news, because it's an elegant-looking TV.

The C6's downward-slanting, wedge-shaped sits below the center of the screen. It sits low on its surface, so folks with taller soundbars ought to make sure the C6's design offers enough clearance.

I really love the sleek, thin look of the C6, since it leans into the flexible design elements OLED TVs are known for. And, while you'll almost never see this particular design flourish, I also dig the marble-like finish across the back of the C6's panel.

The C6 comes with the newest version of LG's Magic Remote. Like older versions of the Magic Remote, the C6's clicker can be used to point and click at the screen like a Wii-mote. If you don't want to use it (which I rarely do), there's a directional pad here, too.

Whether you mount it on the wall or set it up on a credenza, the C6's design is both premium-looking and convenient. The Samsung S95H, on the other hand, is a different story.

Built around Samsung's flagship OLED screen is a thick, metallic frame. The brushed-metal material plays the part of a premium piece of engineering, but it's quite divisive nonetheless.

For my money, the S95H's metal frame allows it to look better in a wall-mounted position than a wall-mounted C6. It keeps the S95H flush against the wall and resembles a portrait frame.

But on a credenza, media console or table, the LG C6 is a better-looking TV. The S95H comes with a pair of L-shaped feet if you don't decide to wall-mount it, but its frame (which can't be detached) looks out of place when not on a wall.

Like the its previous two predecessors, the S95H's screen features Samsung's Glare Free display. This matte-style finish is unparalleled in its ability to reduce direct glare, but it does so at a cost.

In well-lit rooms (especially during the day), the S95H's matte finish lifts the TV's black levels due to the manner in which it scatters incoming light. When this happens, darker portions of the screen can appear purplish- or pinkish-gray rather than deep, inky and black.

Thanks to its glossy-style screen, the C5 doesn't have this issue in well-lit rooms. However, it's nowhere near as adept at blunting the impact of direct glare.

Both TVs are rocking thoughtful, premium designs, but depending on your needs, you might favor one over another. The C6 is more versatile and the S95H is more specialized.

Winner: Draw

LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: Performance

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

Both of these sets are capable of delivering the key features that OLED TVs are known for: perfect black levels and pixel-level dimming. As a result, pretty much everything looks superb on both the C6 and the S95H. However, if you take a peek under their respective hoods, you'll see that their display hardware plays a big part in the S95H's built-in advantages.

As mentioned, the C6 leverages LG Display's standard WOLED display, while the S95H taps Samsung Display's quantum dot-enhanced OLED display.

QD-OLEDs tend to offer brighter highlights and purer color than garden-variety WOLED panels, and we can see that in test results of the C6 and S95H. Samsung's flagship is capable of driving nearly twice as much brightness to specular highlights, and this has a tremendously positive impact on visual depth and clarity.

Fiery sparks, pools of reflective light and muzzle flares are much, much brighter on the S95H during HDR content. In addition, Samsung's quantum dot-enhanced display allows for better overall color volume than the C6, so everything from skin tones to foliage has a chance of looking richer on Samsung's flagship OLED.

Make no mistake: The C6 is still an incredible performer. Over 1,300 nits of HDR highlight brightness is nothing to scoff at, and the self-emissive nature of OLED means that the C6 gets more out of its highlight brightness than an LCD TV with similar brightness levels. Colors are well-saturated, too, even if the C6 can't cover as much of the expanded color gamut as the S95H.

If the LG C6 is a 9/10 performer, the S95H offers 10/10 picture quality. In this case, the difference between a 9 and 10, however, is pretty wide. Both are excellent options if you care about picture quality, but the S95H offers some of the best performance I've ever seen.

Winner: Samsung S95H

LG C6 vs Samsung S95H: Smart platform and features

The C6 ships with the newest version of LG's webOS. It's a similar experience to last-year's version of webOS, but a handful of tweaks to the interface and menu layout make it a bit easier to navigate this year.

As far as smart platform software goes, LG's webOS isn't my top choice (that honor goes to Roku). It's littered with ads and recommended content, and at times, the software feels a bit sluggish.

That said, webOS will get the job done if you'd rather not shell out for a dedicated streaming box. I suspect that most people will see no problem using it as their daily streaming platform.

The S95H arrives with a recently refreshed version of Samsung's Tizen-based smart platform, Smart Hub. It's similar to what we used last year, but as is the case with webOS, Samsung has made some minor changes to improve navigation. For instance, new this year is a menu bar at the top of the screen that makes it easier to access important settings.

Unless you have strong feelings about either streaming software, both webOS and Smart Hub are similar in their perks and pain points. In other words, they're passable.

As far as gaming features go, the C6 and S95H are almost identical. As mentioned, each OLED offers HDMI 2.1-compatibility across all four inputs, which means you don't have to juggle devices to maximize bandwidth.

These TVs can make the most out of 4K titles on current-generation consoles, as they each support 4K gaming at 120Hz (and up to 165Hz with a PC linked up). Both offer Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and a version of AMD FreeSync Premium for smooth, artifact-free gameplay.

We've already docked the S95H for its lack of Dolby Vision support, and setting this aside, these TVs are very similar when it comes to software and enhancements. They're powerful gaming TVs with average streaming platforms.

Winner: Draw

LG C6 vs Samsung S90F: Verdict

Here's some good news: No matter which set you settle on, you're getting one of the best OLED TVs of the year. But let's take a closer look at some key factors.

If you absolutely, positively want Dolby Vision support, the answer is easy: Buy the C6. Likewise, if you're looking for an OLED screen under 55 inches, the C6 is the answer.

The S95H is the OLED to buy if you favor picture quality above all else. Its added brightness and quantum-dot color add up to performance that's a significant step up from the C6. Similarly, if you have bright light sources in your living space and you suspect that the S95H's matte-style screen will help, Samsung is probably the way to go.

Price is important, too. Today, you can spring for a 65-inch C6 for $1,999 on Amazon. The 55-inch LG C6 is available for just $1,699 on Amazon. That's not exactly cheap, but it's a far better cost than what you'll have to shell out for Samsung's top OLED TV.

Right now, the 65-inch Samsung S95H is $3,299 at Best Buy. The 55-inch S95H is $2,299 at Best Buy — a full $600 more than the 55-inch C6.

This gulf in pricing is why I recommend the LG C6 to most shoppers. It's still a stunning, high-performing TV that delivers everything I appreciate about OLED technology, but it's much more accessible. The S95H is more of a luxury purchase for those who want the best of the best.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 OLED review
• Samsung S95H OLED TV 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

Search for a "portable projector" on Amazon, and you’ll be flooded with dozens of listings under $50 with thousands of reviews. Spending so little on a home theater setup sounds like an absolute steal, until you plug it in and realize the picture quality is, for lack of a better phrase, total trash.

To find out if any of these ultra-budget devices are actually worth your hard-earned cash or if they’re just electronic waste hiding behind clever marketing, the Tom’s Guide Savings Squad brought four of Amazon's best-sellers into the lab. To see the chaotic testing process and the side-by-side visual breakdowns, watch the full episode of Value Verified below.

For this experiment, we put four projectors through a technical gauntlet. We measured true brightness using a professional Lux average meter, tested internal fan noise levels, and even hooked up a PS5 to see how they handle real-world gaming.

The results were, unfortunately, brutal. Despite boasting over 11,000 Amazon reviews, the $40 (though often on sale for $20) MEER LED Mini Projector is a pitiful product. Yes, it’s cheap, but it’s also guaranteed e-waste.

Other contenders didn't fare much better.

But we did find one portable projecter under $50 worth buying

Fortunately, our hours of testing did unearth one promising contender: the Alwtniet Mini Projector. Pumping out a chart-topping average of 37 Lux, the visual difference between this and the competition is night and day.

When we fired up Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on the PS5, the Alwtniet completely surprised us. Colors had genuine depth, details stayed sharp, and there was zero digital artifacting during high-speed web-swinging. It even comes packed with native streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ built right into the interface.

That said, there’s a caveat when it comes this projector’s “4K support” marketing. Brands at this price point often install cheap display chips to "trick" your PC into sending a 4K signal, even though the physical glass lens is only outputting native 720p. As long as you know that the "4K support" is just a digital masquerade, what you are actually getting is a rock-solid 1080p device.

For fifty bucks, it delivers a far better experience than it has any right to, making it officially Value Verified.

Want to see the exact data breakdown and find out which other budget projectors you should avoid at all costs? Watch the full video above, and drop a comment to tell the Savings Squad what suspiciously cheap products we should put through the lab next!

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• 9 things to consider before buying your first projector
• AI showed me 7 ways I was still overpaying

The Samsung S95H is not only one of the best OLED TVs of the year, it's one of the best TVs I've ever seen. It recently earned our coveted five-star rating thanks to its jaw-dropping performance and its thorough array of features, but starting at $2,299 (for 55-inch) its prohibitively pricey for most people and its metal-frame design is divisive.

The Samsung S85H, which earned 4 stars in our review, is the brand's entry-level OLED for 2026. As such, it's far less expensive than its flagship-level sibling, starting at $1,199 for a 48-inch. It comes with a ton of nifty features despite its entry-level status, but its otherwise-impressive picture can't compete with the quantum dot-enhanced performance you'll see on the S95H.

If you're shopping for an OLED TV this year, these sets are worthy candidates. Fortunately, we've tested both extensively, and I've got over a decade of experience under my belt. Here's how the Samsung S95H and S85H OLED TVs compare — from performance to features and price.

Samsung S95H vs S85H: Specs compared

These TVs share many of the same specs despite their different price points. Like all Samsung TVs, neither of these OLEDs supports Dolby Vision, the most widely used, enhanced HDR format. However, they're among the very first Samsung TVs to arrive with HDR10+ Advanced, an all-new, royalty-free Dolby Vision alternative. HDR10+ Advanced is a direct competitor of Dolby Vision 2, the newest version of Dolby Vision HDR.

Conveniently, the S85H is available in a smaller, 48-inch screen size and goes up to 83 inches. This is good news for people looking for a more modestly sized OLED TV. The S95H starts at 55 inches and goes up to 83 inches.

Although both sets support 4K content at 120Hz (the highest 4K spec for current-gen gaming consoles), the S95H can showcase 4K/165Hz content with a PC linked up. And, while it's only relevant for a small subset of people, the S95H can support an optional, external One Connect Box if you need up to four additional HDMI ports.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S85H: Design

The first thing we ought to discuss is the Samsung S95H's most eye-catching (albeit divisive) feature: a metal frame surrounding its picture.

The S95H's OLED screen sits above this metallic frame, elegantly lifting the entire picture closer to the viewer. The brushed-metal material looks and feels like a premium flourish, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Personally speaking, I don't mind the look of the S95H's frame when the TV is mounted on a wall, but it draws more attention to itself when its positioned atop the S95H's included feet. (It's important to note that the frame can't be detached, so if you don't dig the look, you won't be able to duck it.)

The metal frame isn't the only bold design choice found on the S95H. Like the pair of Samsung-branded flagship OLEDs that preceded it, the S95H's screen features Samsung's now-iconic, Glare Free display.

This matte-style finish does a fantastic job of eliminating direct glare, but there's a catch: During daytime viewing (or whenever there's an average amount of ambient light), the S95H's matte-style screen lifts its black levels due to the scattering of light. When this happens, darker sequences can appear purplish-gray instead of deep, inky and black.

The S85H (seen above) doesn't come with Samsung's Glare Free display. Instead, it features a good ol' fashioned, glossy-style screen.

This means that, when there's an average amount of light in the room, the S85H's black levels will appear darker, and closer to the way you might expect when imagining OLED-backed performance.

Unfortunately, if a bright source of light (like a window or lamp) is caught in the S85H's reflection, you'll see most of its impact on the picture. It simply can't blunt the contours of that glare as effectively as the S95H's matte screen.

The S85H isn't sporting a wide, metallic frame, either, which could be a positive or a negative depending on your taste. Its pair of L-shaped feet keep the panel in place without much wobble, and without the frame, its wafer-thin panel is proudly spotlighted.

Both OLEDs arrive with Samsung's Solar Cell remote control in the box. It's light-powered lithium-ion battery is mighty convenient and saves on waste, but its lack of backlight feature (to say nothing of its missing input button) remains a drag in 2026.

While there's no denying that the S95H's overall build quality comes with a more premium look and feel, its bold aesthetic touches will either entice or repulse depending on the viewer. Points for style, I suppose.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S85H: Performance

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

Somewhat surprisingly, in Filmmaker mode, the entry-level S85H offers slightly brighter performance when showing SDR content. This means that run-of-the-mill, average stuff like cable TV, YouTube videos and most over-the-air programming are a touch brighter on the S85H when watching in Samsung's most-accurate picture mode.

That said, I need to stress that the difference in brightness in SDR is quite slim, and the S95H's superior processing (which includes upscaling) is the real difference-maker during most SDR content.

In nearly every other way that matters, the S95H is a better-performing TV, and it all comes down to OLED type; the lower-end S85H taps a standard WOLED display, while the 55-, 65- and 77-inch versions of the flagship-level S95H are equipped with Samsung Display's quantum dot-enhanced OLED display.

The 83-inch S95H also leverages enhanced OLED technology. This model makes use of LG Display's RGB Tandem OLED panel, a sort of souped-up WOLED display.

There are many differences between QD-OLED and WOLED, but for our purposes, here's what you need to know: Every size option in the S95H series offers better HDR brightness and color volume than what you'll see across the S85H series, and it's not particularly close.

As you can see from our test results, the S95H is capable of driving over twice the highlight brightness in HDR compared to the S85H. In real-world terms, this means that small, shimmering reflections of sunlight, distant streetlights and muzzle flashes will look far more realistic on the S95H.

The S95H also excels in the always-important color category. Thanks to its enhanced OLED display, it covers a whopping 89% of the BT.2020 color space compared to about 73% on the S85H.

In a footrace, quantum-dot OLEDs gain most of their ground against WOLED due to their ability to work with brighter, purer shades of color. As a result, everything from skin tones to sunsets look truer to life on the higher-end S95H.

(I should note that, while we haven't tested the 83-inch version of the S95H, I don't expect its RGB Tandem OLED panel to be quite as colorful as the quantum dot-equipped displays attached to the 55-, 65- and 77-inch versions. Nevertheless, I do expect this version to offer significantly better color volume than all sizes of the S85H.)

The good news is that, no matter its limitations, the S85H is still an OLED TV. It still comes with perfect black levels and pixel-level dimming. Like all OLEDs, it's not saddled with light bloom, nor does it exhibit haloing around super-bright objects.

Most folks will be gobsmacked by the S85H's picture quality. The S95H is simply brighter, more colorful and guided by more-advanced processing, and in a side-by-side comparison, the differences are overwhelming.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S85H: Smart platform and features

Both the S95H and the S85H arrive with a refreshed version of Samsung's Tizen-based smart platform. It's similar to what we saw across various 2025 Samsung TVs, but there are some minor changes to the interface that make navigation a bit easier. For instance, new this year is a menu bar at the top of the screen that provides quick access to important settings.

Samsung Gaming Hub is still prominently featured within the newest interface, but nothing is more omnipresent than the platform's various AI-based features — none of which have helped me solve a problem nor sparked joy in the several hours I've spent testing Samsung TVs this year. Your mileage may vary.

As far as nuts-and-bolts gaming stuff goes, you're getting support for 4K/120Hz gaming on both of these TVs, but only the S95H can hit 4K/165Hz with a gaming rig linked up. Both sets offer stock VRR, G-Sync compatibility and FreeSync Premium (though the S95H is rocking FreeSync Premium Pro).

The overall user experience of these TVs is quite similar. That said, the S95H offers more features than almost every other Samsung TV on the market.

Winner: Samsung S95H

Samsung S95H vs S85H: Verdict

The Samsung S95H is one of the best OLED TVs I've ever laid eyes on. It's also one of the brightest OLEDs you can buy, which not only makes it one of the safest OLED-based options for brighter-than-average rooms, but also allows for an astonishing sense of cinematic, visual depth.

There's no way around it, however: Many people will bump up against the S95H's bold design elements, and while it's a fantastic bright-room OLED, some home theater enthusiasts won't dig the TV's raised black levels while it sits in a bright room.

And then there's the price. Right now, the 65-inch Samsung S95H is $3,299 at Best Buy. That's a lot of money.

The Samsung S85H is nowhere near as impressive-looking as the S95H, but you're still getting a similar set of features. In addition, as an OLED TV, it's got a bunch of built-in benefits over similarly priced LCD TVs, and its "safer" design has wider appeal than that of the S95H.

I suspect that the S85H's price will be the thing that catches the conscience of most shoppers. Currently, the 65-inch Samsung S85H is $1,899 at Best Buy — a full $1,400 cheaper than the S95H.

I can't argue that the S95H's higher-end performance isn't worth the added $1,400 over the S85H. It's a truly stunning TV and, in my estimation, worthy of its high price. Nevertheless, it's an order of magnitude more expensive than Samsung's entry-level OLED, and the S85H is plenty good for the price, too.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung S95H OLED TV review
• Samsung S85H OLED TV review
• Micro RGB vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference?

For several months, the TCL QM7K has been one of my most-recommended TVs for one simple reason: It successfully blends a bright, impressive picture with a price tag that most people can justify. It’s the type of TV I typically refer to as a Goldilocks set, as it sits right in the middle of the value-to-performance spectrum.

Here’s the thing, though: For most of the time I’ve been recommending the QM7K, the 55-inch version has cost $799 or above. But because it’s rapidly being replaced by a newer model, the 55-inch QM7K is just $599 at Best Buy right now.

And, because of the whittling-down of the QM7K stock, the 55-inch version isn’t available at Amazon. This trending Best Buy deal might be its last hurrah.

While tons of budget-friendly, entry-level TVs make use of basic LED backlighting, the QM7K leverages a more advanced array of Mini-LEDs. These are smaller-sized LEDs that typically offer better backlight control due to their size.

The inclusion of Mini-LEDs is also why the QM7K is brighter than most garden-variety LED TVs in this price range. According to the testing we carried out for our TCL QM7K review, this set is capable of over 1,700 nits of highlight brightness during HDR content. Its full-screen brightness is also punchy enough to stand up during daytime viewing.

To put this into context, consider the QM7K's step-down series partner, the entry-level TCL QM6K. While plenty good for an entry-level model, the QM6K tops out at around 700 nits during HDR content. The QM7K is a much better choice for most people.

The QM7K is built around the Google TV smart platform, and while it's not my top choice for streaming software (that honor goes to Roku), I still prefer Google TV over the vast majority of software suites that are packed into TVs these days. Its strong app support and easy-to-use interface makes it a trusty choice for daily use.

Casual and dedicated gamers are likely to squeeze even more value out of the QM7K, since it comes with a useful toolbox of gaming features for the price: It comes with a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, and both of them support 4K gaming at 120Hz (the highest 4K spec for current-generation consoles) and up to 144Hz with a gaming PC connected.

It's no surprise that the 55-inch QM7K is currently unavailable on Amazon. When its stock finally runs out at Best Buy, we'll be one step closer to the newly released TCL QM7L taking the QM7K's place entirely.

More from Tom's Guide

• TCL and Sony are joining forces to sell more TVs — but is that bad news for shoppers?
• HDMI 2.2 is coming — here's what it means for your living room
• TCL's new 2026 TVs are up to $1,000 off — here's what I'd buy

After a week of testing it with the darkest scenes I could find, the Sony Bravia 7 II True RGB TV made me reconsider what today’s TVs are actually capable of in low light. I lined up the usual stress‑test material — everything from “The Batman” to “House of the Dragon” — and watched it alongside my Samsung Neo QLED TV to see how each set handled the same challenges. I wasn’t trying to crown a winner right away; I just wanted to see how differently two modern TVs approach the same problem.

In our Bravia 7 II review, we praised the TV for its ability to deliver "really deep blacks" alongside "precisely managed highlights", but its handling of contrast goes deeper than that — what stood out to me was how the Bravia 7 II's True RGB backlight system treated near‑black detail.

Even before digging into side‑by‑side comparisons, it was clear Sony’s Bravia 7 II had a distinct way of presenting dark scenes that didn’t rely on simply brightening them. That contrast with the Mini LED-backed Samsung TV became more noticeable the longer I watched.

The main takeaway is that the Bravia 7 II doesn’t try to reshape dark scenes to make them easier to see — it leans into how they were graded. Sometimes that means a scene stays intentionally dim; other times it reveals details that are easy to miss on other sets. Taking into account how difficult it is to accurately capture the colour and brightness of all RGB TVs in photos, here's how the Bravia 7 II handled the darkest scenes I could throw at it.

‘House of the Dragon’

Like many people who watched the first season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon”, I was incredibly frustrated by one episode that was almost impossible to sit through. I’m talking about episode seven, “Driftmark” — the one filmed and graded so darkly that I could barely tell what was happening on screen, even while watching on Samsung’s flagship at the time, the QN900A Neo QLED 8K TV.

In his testing, Vincent Teoh from the YouTube channel HDTVTest revealed that some sections of the episode “barely went above 1 nit” of brightness, so it’s no surprise that my television’s backlighting system went haywire in an attempt to compensate for the darkness on display, resulting in extreme haloing and light bloom. The episode also reportedly caused many OLED TVs to auto-dim until the image was almost totally black.

The backlash from viewers was so intense that showrunner Ryan Condal would eventually comment on the matter, telling Variety that future seasons would “take much more into account the fact that we are making the show for people’s television sets versus in a perfectly calibrated movie theater environment.” In other words, the viewing experience was less than ideal for those of us without super expensive reference monitors.

Naturally, this particular episode was my first stop in testing the Bravia 7 II’s handling of dark scenes. Taking into consideration Sony’s claims that its new True RGB TV range is factory-calibrated, I went in expecting the Bravia 7 II to do a decent job. Sure enough, I was pleased by how I could now make out what was happening in one of the most problematic scenes, which features two characters walking and talking on a beach. While the scene was clearly filmed day for night and then graded down for the sake of additional darkness, shadow detail was now much more visible, and I was able to see the characters’ faces without much issue. Don’t get me wrong — it’s still a very dark scene, but the murkiness and overcompensating backlight from my previous experience was gone.

The Bravia 7 II’s exceptional tone‑mapping also deserves credit here. Sony’s XR processor does a good job of preserving what the filmmakers actually meant you to see, especially in tougher HDR scenes. Instead of letting deep shadows swallow everything, it balances the contrast just enough so textures in faces or the outline of a creature in a night shot remain visible without brightening the whole frame.

‘The Batman’

I absolutely loved “The Batman” when I saw it in theatres, and was excited to watch it again once it hit 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. While my current Samsung QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV did a decent job displaying most of the film, it did struggle with some of its darker scenes. The opening train station brawl, in particular, was one that caused my TV to raise the brightness until blacks became somewhat grey and washed out.

Predictably, the Bravia 7 II handled this scene far better, revealing far more shadow detail without dulling the film’s contrast‑heavy mood. The moment when Batman slowly emerges from the darkness to confront a group of thugs has always been a trouble spot on the aforementioned Samsung TV, yet here it finally looked as dark and dramatic as I imagine the filmmakers intended.

It’s likely that Sony’s XR Backlight Master Drive, which uses a proprietary dimming algorithm, played a big part in keeping “The Batman” moody and dark without letting the shadows turn into a murky blur. The automatic switch to Dolby Vision Bright could also have helped, lifting just enough detail out of the deepest parts of the frame without noticeably changing the film’s overall tone.

‘Only God Forgives’

Next, I moved to a film that’s notoriously tough on both OLED and Mini‑LED displays: “Only God Forgives”, from director Nicolas Winding Refn. Its relentless swings between pitch‑black shadows and hyper‑saturated neon highlights often expose local‑dimming delays, where the backlight or pixels can’t react quickly enough, creating faint ghosting that pulls you out of the moment.

The film’s heavy use of harsh red lighting against deep darkness also pushes the red channel hard, sometimes leading to clipping that bleeds into surrounding objects and wipes out fine detail along edges and contours.

A big part of why these issues show up is simply how most TVs generate brightness in the first place. Mini‑LED sets rely on a white backlight, and WRGB OLEDs boost luminance with a white subpixel. When a scene suddenly demands intense, saturated colour — especially neon red — the TV often leans on that white source to hit the required brightness. In a film this stylised, that can wash out the purity of the colour, lift nearby blacks, and make edges look a little less clean than they should.

Unsurprisingly, the Bravia 7 II’s ability to drive pure red, green, and blue light straight to the screen — without relying on any white backlight boost — made “Only God Forgives” look exactly the way I imagine the director and his cinematographer intended. While it’s still very much a dark film, the red highlights looked vibrant and well‑defined, without any noticeable bleed into faces or surrounding objects when viewed in person (that nuance doesn’t always translate perfectly in photos — as I mentioned earlier, TVs this bright and saturated can be surprisingly tricky to capture accurately).

In the end, the Bravia 7 II handled the darkest, most demanding scenes even better than I expected. It kept deep contrast intact while still pulling out the small bits of shadow detail that usually disappear on other sets, all without brightening the image in a way that would undermine what the filmmakers were going for. And with its True RGB backlight system doing the heavy lifting, the Bravia 7 II comes across as a strong option for anyone who cares about accurate, well‑controlled dark‑scene performance — one that gets about as close to a reference‑monitor experience as the consumer TV space currently allows.

More from Tom's Guide

• We just tested the Bravia 7 II — here’s why I think it could be the Sony TV to buy in 2026
• I saw Sony's Bravia 9 II up close and it completely shattered my expectations — here’s why it’s the king of RGB TVs
• Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is finally here — but I'd rather buy this OLED instead

Just when you thought you’d wrapped your head around HDMI cables and ports, a new specification emerges: HDMI 2.2.

According to a recent report from FlatpanelsHD, the HDMI Licensing Administrator (the organization that oversees HDMI specifications), the first products to carry the HDMI 2.2 certification will arrive next year. It’s not yet clear which devices will be the first to feature HDMI 2.2-certified inputs, the industry’s best TVs are as good a candidate as any.

For folks in the market for a new TV, the imminent nature of HDMI 2.2 raises several questions about what to buy and when to shop. Before we dive into that, let’s get to the bottom of what HDMI 2.2 actually does.

HDMI 2.0 vs HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.2: what’s the difference?

Take a trip down any TV aisle and you’ll find two types of HDMI ports on the back of TVs: HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1. The higher of the two specs, HDMI 2.1, has been around since 2019.

Affordable TVs tend to offer HDMI 2.0, while many high-end models are equipped with a full slate of HDMI 2.1-compatible ports. Mid-range TVs often come with a mix of both.

HDMI 2.1 allows for better audio support, higher refresh rates and additional gaming enhancements like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). Most of HDMI 2.1’s benefits are, in fact, gaming-related, which is why this specification is often sought after by gamers.

Their differences come down to bandwidth. HDMI 2.1 offers a much higher bandwidth than its predecessor (48 Gbps compared to just 18 Gbps for HDMI 2.0).

HDMI 2.2 is even faster — up to two times faster than HDMI 2.1, to be precise. The words “up to” are important, though, because unlike 2.0 and 2.1, HDMI 2.2 will be available across three separate bandwidth tiers: 64, 80 and 96 Gbps. This means that a device (like a TV) might technically carry HDMI 2.2 certification while only supporting some of its features.

What are the benefits of HDMI 2.2?

At the higher performance tiers (80 and 96 Gbps), HDMI 2.2 supports uncompressed, 4K/240Hz content, or 4K/480Hz content with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling (color data compression) enabled. HDMI 2.2 also supports true, uncompressed 8K/60Hz content, and with compression enabled, can push 8K content even further.

HDMI 2.2 also arrives with something called Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), which improves audio-and-video synchronization at the device level.

Although HDMI 2.2 represents a massive upgrade to the pipeline between a TV and any given device, it’s worth remembering what, exactly, is capable of passing through that pipeline.

The top 4K spec for current-generation gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 is 120Hz, with most titles settling at 60Hz. 8K content is still hard to come by, too, and there's no indication that 4K is on its way out anytime soon.

Does HDMI 2.2 require new cables?

Yes, devices that support HDMI 2.2 will require HDMI 2.2-certified cables in order to take advantage of any HDMI 2.2-based features. These cables are already on their way to store shelves.

Much like HDMI 2.1-certifed cables carry the "Ultra High-Speed" designation, HDMI 2.2-compatible cables carry the "Ultra96" label (a reference to the 96-Gbps bandwidth speed). TV-makers are encouraged to label any HDMI 2.2-compatible ports with the Ultra96 designation, too.

There's a catch, though. Ultra96 cables will always offer 96 Gbps bandwidth, an HDMI port with the Ultra96 label can support any of the three HDMI 2.2 bandwidth speeds. This means that shoppers will have to pay attention to whether an HDMI 2.2-supporting TV is cleared for 64, 80 or 96 Gbps.

HDMI 2.2: outlook

Here's the bottom line: If you're shopping for a TV in 2026 or 2027, you needn't worry about HDMI 2.2 at all. For one thing, TVs aren't likely to adopt HDMI 2.2 for another couple of years. More importantly HDMI 2.2 won't offer you much upside until its features are widely adopted.

The next generation of gaming consoles (like the would-be PlayStation 6) might be among the first devices to take advantage of certain HDMI 2.2-based features. But even if this pans out, game developers will need to be on board with those features, too.

For the foreseeable future, TVs that feature four HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs will continue to offer the most flexibility for viewers and gamers.

More from Tom's Guide

• These are the 3 best gaming TVs we've tested for console and PC gaming without breaking the bank
• Samsung S95H is 2026’s OLED to beat
• Is this the beginning of the end of HDMI? Here’s what you need to know about GPMI

As Senior TV Editor with over a decade of experience under my belt, I love to gawk at gorgeous, top-of-the-line TVs with eye-popping picture quality. But I hold a special place in my heart for budget-friendly TVs with mass appeal, too — especially if they’re easy to use. And, thanks to their simple-but-powerful software, Roku TVs play the part perfectly.

Not all Roku TVs are worth buying, however. We recently reviewed the Roku Select Series — one of the brand’s newest TVs for 2026 — and walked away with a not-so-rosy view of this affordable model.

If you’re upgrading your TV and you have your heart set on built-in Roku functionality, I recommend spending just a little bit more on the Roku Plus Series, a 2025 model. Right now, the 55-inch Roku Plus Series is just $349 at Amazon — it’s $80 more than the 55-inch Select Series, but it’s worth the extra dough.

The extra cash you’ll spend on the Plus Series will go towards better hardware, and in turn, better picture quality. The more-affordable Select Series is limited to a basic, direct-LED display. It’s better than a bottom-of-the-barrel, edge-lit display, but if you care about performance, the Plus Series is preferable.

The Roku Plus Series is equipped with a modest array of Mini-LEDs. They’re not as bright or as bountiful as the Mini-LEDs you’ll find on higher-end models, but they represent a significant step up from the Plus Series’ more rudimentary LED backlighting.

It’s not just that the Plus Series’ Mini-LEDs are smaller — they’re also equipped with local dimming, so they’re more dynamic when it comes to controlling the TV’s contrast. Simply put, if you’re aiming to keep costs low but still want decent picture quality for the price, the Roku Plus Series is a better bet than the newer Select Series.

Regardless of which set you go for, the true star of the show is the built-in Roku software. I don't own a Roku TV, but I still I use a dedicated Roku device everyday due to its simple interface and robust app library. The Plus Series and the Select Series puts the entire Roku experience into the TV itself with no additional hardware needed.

Compared to most streaming platforms, Roku remains relatively free of ads and recommended content. Its menus are straightforward and navigation is zippy. These TVs are terrific for the type of person who's tired of fussing with bloated, slow software every time they turn on their TV.

At just $269 for a 55-inch model, I completely understand the appeal of the Roku Select Series. Nevertheless, most people owe it to themselves to spring for the Plus Series' punchier picture.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fox is buying Roku for $22 billion — here's what that could mean for your living room
• Your Roku is hiding these 5 useful features — here's how to find them
• I ditched LG's webOS smart platform for Roku and I'll never go back

When I reviewed 2025’s mid-budget Samsung S85F OLED, I said that it transformed me from a Samsung skeptic into a genuine fan. Its successor, the S85H, is really only an incremental upgrade — similar to the differences between LG’s C5 and C6 OLEDs — but I still think it’s worth adding to your 2026 shortlist based on our lab tests and living with this set.

Like the S85F, the S85H brings stunning visuals, speedy performance, and an excellent gaming mode to the table. New additions include a better-performing OS, expanded AI features, and a 48-inch option for those who want a more compact TV. To see how the S85H stacked up against the S85F, I put the newly released OLED through its paces using our in-depth testing process (which you can read about more below in the “How we test TVs” section), and I came away pleased with my experience.

While you could safely buy an S85F at a deep discount and get a similar overall experience, you should still consider the S85H if you want to stay on the cutting edge of Samsung’s current OLED offerings. It’s not a monumental improvement in terms of picture quality and gaming features, but its updated processor will get you sharper streaming content and a bevy of AI optimization features that the S85F doesn’t. It’s a strong candidate to be one of the best OLED TVs of the year.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Price and release date

The Samsung S85H is part of Samsung’s 2026 OLED TV lineup. It launched in April 2026 for $1,999. We reviewed the 65-inch model, but it comes in four other sizes for you to choose from. Here’s a breakdown of your options:

• Samsung S85H OLED (48-inch): $1,099
• Samsung S85H OLED (55-inch): $1,299
• Samsung S85H OLED (65-inch): $1,699
• Samsung S85H OLED (77-inch): $2,399
• Samsung S85H OLED (83-inch): $3,999

These prices are in line with what the Samsung S85F launched at, but one notable change is the addition of a 48-inch model for 2026, which should fit nicely in smaller spaces like a bedroom or home office.

If you don’t want to pay full price for the 55-,65-,75-, or 83-inch models, you could always pick up last year’s S85F OLED. You’ll get a similar experience to the S85H (minus some features), and the 65-inch model is currently sitting at a $1,000 discount on Samsung’s website.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Design

The S85H, like the S85F, has an ultra-thin profile that looks super sleek at just 1.3 inches deep. Setting the TV up felt a little bit precarious — the S85H’s frame felt like it could snap in half if you held it the wrong way — but as long as you’re careful and have a second set of hands to help, it shouldn’t be an issue.

The TV utilizes the same stand setup that the S85F did, and while I generally prefer a central pedestal stand, Samsung’s dual legs work just fine. That’s because they can be placed in more than one configuration, one of them being pretty close to the center of the TV, which makes it compatible with a wider range of furniture.

The downside is that the legs don’t feel that sturdy, which isn’t great at this price point, but I didn’t notice any issues after getting them in place. If you want to avoid that altogether, you can always mount the S85H on the wall using a 300 x 200 mm VESA wall mount.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Ports

Besides a switch from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6E, the Samsung S85H has a nearly identical set of connectivity options to the S85F, which is good considering that the latter came with four HDMI 2.1 ports and was eARC-compatible in case you want to connect one of the best soundbars.

In addition to the HDMI ports, you’ll also find two USB-A ports, as well as an Ethernet port, antenna input, and 3.5mm jack. Unless you’re looking for an ATSC 3.0 tuner, which isn’t present on the S85H, it’s a pretty all-encompassing suite of ports … even if it’s mostly copy/pasted from last year’s model.

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.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Performance

To test out the S85H, I watched various films, shows, and YouTube content. I also spent some time playing games on the OLED using a base PlayStation 5 console.

I started with Netflix hits “Beef” Season 2 and “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners”. Both looked wonderful and detailed, boasting a deep range of colors and blacks. Switching over to 4K Ultra Blu-Ray copies of “Blade Runner 2049” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” yielded even better results at much greater detail. “Spider-Man” looked particularly good on the S85H, with its spectacular color palette and animation style popping off the screen in every scene.

The S85H has a wide breadth of picture modes for you to toy around with, including Standard, Eco, Vivid, Filmmaker, and more. Filmmaker is my preferred mode to watch most content in, which gives everything a warmer and cinematic tone that looks its best in a dark room, and is supposedly the closest to how a given piece of media was intended to look.

New for 2026 is an AI Soccer Mode, which optimizes the colors of team jerseys and the pitch, and amplifies both crowd and commentator voices — perfect for the FIFA World Cup. There’s also an option that completely cuts out commentary and prioritizes the ambient sounds of the stadium for a more immersive experience.

In practice, I thought this mode worked pretty well, but it oversaturates the screen in my opinion, especially when watching in a dark room. Still, the brightening of the field made it way easier to follow the action, and the audio adjustments did up the immersion factor a bit. I’m not sure I would use it to watch every game due to the overly vivid color saturation, but it’s a worthwhile feature that soccer fans should definitely check out.

Like the S85F, the S85H’s Game Mode is a huge highlight. Turning it on significantly reduces input lag and allows you to turn on helpful features like VRR, mini map zooming, aim reticles, and more. Playing through Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and 007 First Light was a treat — both were shown in stunning detail and color thanks to the S85H’s capabilities, and the former was even able to hit a buttery smooth 120 frames per second.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Test results

Similarly-priced TVs

The Samsung S85H is a high performer amongst its competition in just about every category. While our test results show that it’s actually not as bright as its predecessor, the S85F, in either SDR or HDR brightness, it still beats the LG B6 OLED and gets very close to the SDR brightness of Samsung’s higher-tier S90F.

When we measured the TV’s color accuracy (Delta-E) we saw that the S85H is a decent step up from the S85F. (Remember, the lower the number, the more accurate it is.) While not as accurate as the LG B6 (1.04) and Samsung S90F (1.1), the S85H is on par with both, and the difference between them shouldn’t be noticeable to the naked eye.

The S85H is also great for gaming thanks to its 9.2ms of input latency, which stacks up well against similarly-priced competition (the lower the result, the less lag-time there is between controller inputs and their on-screen responses). Combined with its SDR/HDR brightness, the S85H is a very balanced OLED that lends itself nicely to both gaming and watching content. However, if you do want to upgrade to the Samsung S90F OLED, you’ll get some clear gains in performance, including a class-leading 1,231 nits in peak HDR brightness, better color accuracy, and slightly better input latency performance.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Audio

I didn’t really notice any difference between the audio performance of the S85F and S85H. Unfortunately, neither is great. This is a common issue with stock TV speakers, which is why I always recommend picking up one of the best soundbars to balance out your setup, and if you get a Samsung soundbar, you can use the brand’s Q-Symphony feature that synchronizes your TV’s audio with the soundbar, making for a more immersive experience.

The S85H’s speakers aren’t terrible, but they do sound muffled in general. I had to crank up the volume pretty high to hear anything clearly, but I didn’t notice any crackling or buzzing within the speakers themselves. So, I think you can safely jack the volume up on this TV without doing damage (still, soundbars are the way to go).

The TV does have an AI Amplify mode for audio, which is meant to make spoken dialogue sound clearer. It worked okay in some instances, but in others, it sounded tinny and washed out all other sounds within a given scene. Your mileage may vary, however, so if you’re watching something with subpar sound mixing, you should give it a try.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Interface and apps

Samsung’s Tizen OS has never been my favorite — I prefer the simplicity of Roku’s interface — but the S85H’s interface has received a welcome upgrade in the form of One UI Tizen 2026. It doesn’t perform noticeably faster, but the home screen is more polished and organized, and more AI features have been integrated into the UI, like better personalized content recommendations. Samsung is now promising up to seven years of OS upgrades as well, which is a nice change.

The issues I had with the S85F are improved upon here, thanks to the more intuitive menu navigation pathing. Changing picture modes and swapping between apps feels more natural and less confusing. All in all, One UI Tizen 2026 feels more like “Tizen 2025.5” than a massive upgrade, but I’m happy with the quality-of-life updates that are here.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Remote

The S85H’s remote remains unchanged from the S85F, and I’m totally okay with that. I’m a big fan of Samsung’s streamlined, solar-powered remotes, and there’s not much that needs changing, in my opinion. It has everything you need to navigate the TV’s updated Tizen OS, including dedicated buttons for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Samsung TV Plus, and picture settings.

The only downside is that it’s pretty small, so you’ll have to take care not to lose it between your couch cushions. Maybe in the next iteration, Samsung can include a remote finder — otherwise, not having to swap in fresh batteries all the time remains an awesome perk.

Samsung S85H OLED TV review: Verdict

The S85H delivers great performance, picture quality, and an excellent gaming mode for the price. Its minimalist design will appeal to many, and the new AI Soccer Mode will be a massive asset to soccer … sorry, football fans everywhere. You could save a nice chunk of change by getting last year’s model, but if you want the best that Samsung currently has to offer at this price, the S85H is the way to go.

If you’re looking for an alternative pick, the closest match that we’ve tested is the LG B6 OLED. The S85H beats it in both SDR and HDR brightness, but the B6 is more color accurate, and in my opinion, has a more full-featured gaming mode. If you want to splurge on an upgrade pick, the Samsung S90H would be a great choice, offering way better HDR brightness performance and overall color accuracy. You could really shell out and go for the flagship model, the S95H, if money is no object.

All in all, if you’re in the market for a new OLED but want to maintain a modest budget, the Samsung S85H is a strong choice even with its few shortcomings.

We’ve officially crossed into the dog days of summer. I don’t know about you, but I plan on beating the heat by staying inside and parking myself in front of the TV whenever the thermometer climbs above 100°F.

If your living room would feel a lot cooler with a new TV and you feel like you missed your shot now that Prime Day’s over, don’t sweat it — Best Buy is running a 4th of July sales event this holiday weekend, and I’ve already plucked out the best TV deals available.

For instance, the 65-inch LG C5 is just $1,299, and while that’s not quite as low as its Prime Day price, it’s still over 50% off this five-star OLED’s original price. There are discounts on OLEDs, QLEDs and Mini-LED TVs for every size and budget, but some of them (like the LG C5) are among my favorite TV deals of the year so far.

Quick Links

• shop all smart TVs at Best Buy from $59
• TCL 55” QM5K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $699 now $349
• Hisense 55” U6SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $749 now $429
• Roku 65” Plus Series 4K Mini-LED TV: was $649 now $499
• LG 48” B5 4K OLED TV: was $649 now $599
• Samsung 65” M80H 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $647
• TCL 65” QM7K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $999 now $799
• Hisense 75” U7SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,999 now $999
• LG 65” C5 4K OLED TV: was $2,699 now $1,299
• Samsung 77" S90F 4K OLED TV: was $3,499 now $1,799

My favorite Best Buy 4th of July TV deals

More from Tom's Guide

• Miss Prime Day? The LG C5 OLED TV is 52% off at Best Buy’s 4th of July sale
• Best Buy Essentials Ultra-Thin Amplified HDTV Antenna review
• Your streaming stick isn't broken — these apps are just slowing it down to a crawl

The countdown to Independence Day has officially started. While that means a long holiday weekend for some of us, it also means an influx of new 4th of July deals. I've been covering retail holiday for over a decade and while Independence Day isn't summer's biggest retail holiday, it's still a great opportunity to score deals on any major purchases you need to make.

Although there are many deals to pick from, I'm especially bullish on 4th of July TV sales. New 2026 TVs continue to enter the market, which in turn is leading to record-breaking price lows on some of the best TVs we tested last year. Plus, with the World Cup in full swing, retailers are offering better-than-average deals in an attempt to lure buyers.

• Smart TVs: deals from $69 @ Amazon

When it comes to TV deals, Best Buy has always been one of my go-to stores. Their deals are just as aggressive as those you'll find on Amazon, and their prices tend to fluctuate less. (Oftentimes, TV prices on Amazon change rapidly due to their reliance on deals from 3rd party merchants). Best Buy also has a few TV exclusives you won't find on Amazon.

For example, right now Best Buy has OLED TVs on sale from $599. The sale includes the LG 48-inch B5 4K OLED TV for $599, which is a Best Buy exclusive and the least-expensive OLED TV I've ever seen. Below I'm rounding up all of the best 4th of July TV sales you can find. So whether you're buying a new screen for the World Cup or looking for a cheap, dorm-room friendly TV for college, I'll be vetting the best deals of the holiday. For more deals and recommendations, check out our full guide to the best 4th of July sales this week.

Quick Links

• Smart TVs: deals from $69 @ Amazon
• OLED TVs: deals from $599 @ Best Buy
• TCL 55" QM7K Mini-LED 4K QLED TV: was $648 now $499 @ Amazon
• Amazon 55" Ember Mini-LED 4K QLED TV: was $819 now $529 @ Amazon
• Insignia 85" QF 4K QLED TV: was $1,099 now $659 @ Amazon
• LG 55" B5 4K OLED TV: was $999 now $799 @ Best Buy
• Hisense 75" U7SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,999 now $999 @ Amazon
• Samsung 65" S90F 4K OLED TV: was $2,499 now $1,199 @ Best Buy

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My Top 5 TV Deals

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60-75 inch

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50-59 inch

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OLED

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4th of July TV sales are live and here are the best...

• Smart TVs: deals from $69 @ Amazon

The holiday weekend is almost here, but before you check out for the long weekend, we're here to guide you through the best 4th of July TV sales. Whether you're buying your first OLED TV or upgrading to a bigger screen — the Tom's Guide Savings Squad has been tracking TV deals for over a decade. So make sure to bookmark this page and join us as we highlight all of this week's best TV deals.

Picking the right TV size

We've combed through the best deals up top — and don't worry, we'll be posting many more here — but before you click that buy button, it's worth a quick mention on TV size.

Many of the deal prices will change based on the size of the TV you're looking at. That's not always a bad thing. If you check out our full guide to choosing the perfect TV size for your room you may decide you don't need as big a TV as you thought you did. The larger models won't always be right for your space, so if you can save money on a smaller set, then you definitely should.

Often, there's little compromise when reducing the size — except when you go below 50 inches and the power drops to avoid overheating, reducing the brightness.

Hisense's 2026 TVs are already discounted

I'm a bit of a fan of Hisense. The Chinese brand has started offering some really good TV sets at competitive prices over the last few years. That trend continues for 4th of July, with some of the company's 2026 sets already dropping down to discount prices.

One to point out is the mid-range Hisense U7SF Mini-LED TV, which gives you a taste of high-end performance without the sky-high price. And yes, it's being marketed heavily towards the World Cup as Hisense is a headline sponsor of the tournament.

Right now, the 75-inch version of the U7SF is just $998, which is a whopping 50% off its regular price. In addition to bright, punchy Mini-LEDs and QLED color, the U7SF also offers a thorough slate of gaming- and streaming-related features.

Hisense 75" U7SF 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,999 now $998 @ Amazon

Oh, look! One of our favorite Prime Day deals is still available

If you missed all the hullabaloo from Amazon's Prime Day event last week then fear not — on of our TV editor's favorite deals is still available for the July 4th weekend. The 55-inch Roku Plus Series isn't packing eye-popping picture quality, but it's perfectly fine for folks who don't need fancy features or premium performance.

This Roku TV sets itself apart from other entry-level models with the inclusion of Mini-LEDs. This hardware is much better to have than the standard edge-lit screens commonly found in this price range.

The star of the show, however, is the Plus Series' built-in Roku functionality, which combines an easy-to-use interface with a massive library of downloadable apps. It's my favorite way to stream movies and shows, and it's all built into the Plus Series' experience right out of the box.

Roku 55" Plus Series 4K Mini-LED TV: was $499 now $349

An incredible OLED TV value

The LG C5 4K OLED is not discounted for the 4th of July, according to Amazon. But it cost a whole lot more when it launched, so in my books, this is a great deal. We also used to rank the LG C5 OLED as the best TV on the market, until it lost its spot to the newer LG B6 OLED.

In our LG C5 OLED TV review our testers loved pretty much everything about this set, praising its gorgeous picture quality, amazing colors and impressive brightness. We only had a few issues, mainly the lack of an ATSC 3.0 tuner for 4K TV broadcasts, and the audio quality which is just average.

The 42-inch LG C5 OLED TV cost $1,399 at launch, while the 65-inch version cost $2,999. Today, you can get them for $899 and $1,299, respectively. These are pretty close to the lowest prices ever for these sizes.

LG C5 OLED TV 42": Launch $1,399 | Now $899 | Lowest price ever $799

LG C5 OLED TV 65": Launch $2,999 | Now $1,299 | Lowest price ever $1,099

• LG C5 4K OLED TV sale: deals from $899 @ Amazon

The king of OLED TV deals

The LG C5 OLED TV deal I posted about previously is arguably better value than this one since it's a lot cheaper. But nothing beats getting the shiniest, newest model.

We rank the LG B6 OLED as the best TV you can buy right now, since it's the perfect combination of picture quality and price. It's a spectacularly designed TV with a thin and light shell, a beautifully colorful picture and excellent features for gamers. In our LG B6 OLED TV review, we even said that it's "nearly as good as the C6 for a fraction of the price." (The C6 is LG's mid-range OLED TV for 2026, while the B6 is the entry level version.)

It released just four months ago in March and is already on sale for a great discount with $200 off the 65-inch model.

• LG 65" B6 4K OLED TV: was $1,999 now $1,799 @ Amazon

The cheapest 4th of July TV deal

This is the cheapest 4th of July TV deal I've found so far. I wouldn't recommend using this TV as your main set, since it has a low 720p resolution and a small 32-inch display. It's the kind of TV I'd recommend for a guest bedroom or something to get if you want an extra screen in the kitchen to watch the World Cup while you're preparing dinner.

Since it runs on the Fire TV OS, you get Alexa voice controls and access to all your favorite streaming apps. (And at the moment, the 32-inch model is the same price as the 24-inch model, which is nice.)

• Insignia 32" F20 720p Fire TV: was $129 now $69 @ Amazon

5 TV settings to change first

Ok, let's say you're considering some of the deals we've seen so far today — once you've got your new TV, you need to know how to get the best out of it.

We run a lot of tutorials here on Tom's Guide about improving all elements of your TV's performance. And one you should definitely check out is our guide on the 5 TV settings to change first.

Things like changing to filmmaker mode or turning off motion smoothing can have a huge effect on how your TV displays its picture. The same TV can look oversaturated and artificial, or balanced and film-like depending entirely on a few settings most people never touch.

The perfect gaming TVs for GTA 6...

Hype for GTA 6 is reaching its peak! The biggest game release of the year so far (maybe even the decade so far?) is within touching distance. If you want to get the most out of your gameplay experience, you'll want to grab one of the best gaming TVs. Luckily for you, Tom's Guide has a team of TV experts who have done the legwork and figured out the TVs with the best specs and features for gamers.

Check out the link below to see our team's thoughts on the best gaming TV overall, the best for shoppers on a budget and the best option for bright rooms.

• These are the 3 best gaming TVs we've tested for console and PC gaming without breaking the bank

The best gaming TV we've ever tested is $500 off

If you're a gamer, you'll want all your video games to look their best. And right now, the best gaming TV we've tested is on sale for an epic $500 discount; its lowest price ever.

It's the Samsung S90F, which we gave a 4.5-star rating to in our Samsung S90F OLED TV review. Our staff writer Ryan Epps even said it was his favorite TV of the year. As well as stunning picture quality and a beautiful design, it has four HDMI 2.1 ports, a 144Hz refresh rate and a super-low lag time of 9.1ms. All your games will both look and feel buttery smooth.

• Samsung 65" S90F 4K OLED TV: was $1,697 now $1,197 @ Amazon

An incredible 75-inch Mini-LED TV for $549!

The Hisense QD7 is our current choice for the best budget tv on the market. For the 4th of July, you can get the 75-inch model on sale for just $549. This isn't its lowest price ever, since it sold for $499 earlier in the year. But this TV was already great value at full price, so any discount on it is great.

In our Hisense QD7 TV review, we liked its colorful picture, strong upscaling and Dolby Vision support. You also get strong audio that's a lot better than a lot of other cheap TVs. Even at just 25% volume, the speakers are powerful enough to fill a room with sound.

• Hisense 75" QD7 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $549 @ Amazon

How to make your TV picture brighter in 2 minutes

Yes, this is a 4th of July TV deals live blog. But you might not actually need to buy a new TV. If your TV's picture is looking just a little dull, it could actually be because you're not cleaning it properly.

After tweaking your existing TV's settings, if you still aren't impressed with the image quality, check out this guide to cleaning your TV with a microfiber cloth and see how much of a difference a clean screen makes!

• Why your TV picture looks dull and the 2-minute cleaning fix you’re probably skipping

Big-screen TV bargains you can't miss...

Happy Thursday, everyone! Deals EIC Louis checking in from the balmy Tri-State area. We're in the middle of a massive heatwave here in New York, so my only plan for the rest of the week is to watch the World Cup games with my AC blasting. And there's no better way to watch the games than on a massive screen. That said, here are some of the best 75-inch+ TV deals I've seen so far this 4th of July.

• Hisense 75" QD6 4K QLED TV: was $699 now $399 @ Best Buy
• Insignia 85" F50 4K Fire TV: was $899 now $549 @ Amazon
• TCL 75" QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV: was $1,199 now $599 @ Best Buy
• Samsung 85" M70H 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,199 now $999 @ Best Buy
• Hisense 85" U6 4K Mini-LED QLED TV: was $1,699 now $999 @ Best Buy
• Samsung 77" S85F 4K OLED TV: was $1,799 now $1,399 @ Best Buy
• LG 77" B5 4K OLED TV: was $2,999 now $1,499 @ Best Buy

This Amazon exclusive TV has a near-perfect rating...

The TCL QM64L is a rare TV in that it's an Amazon exclusive. This 2026 TV offers the benefits of Mini LED TV with TCL's Halo Control System, which promises stunning "halo-free" images. There's also TCL’s Enhanced QLED technology for improved colors and faithfully reproducing nearly all the DCI-P3 color space. Meanwhile, if you're a gamer you'll appreciate the TV's 144Hz native panel refresh rate with Motion Rate 480, which focuses on best-in-class motion clarity producing smooth video playback when watching sports (hello, World Cup!) or when playing games.

• TCL 55" QM64L Mini-LED 4K QLED TV: was $799 now $699 @ Amazon

Samsung's new RGB TVs are getting a price cut...

Samsung's new RGB TVs are getting a price cut. If you're not familiar with the technology, RGB LED TVs ditch the traditional color filter for red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs for brighter, purer color than what we've come to expect from the humble Mini-LED TVs. Practically every major TV brand is making this technology the center focus of its 2026 catalogue.

While all of these TV brands have their own, similar-sounding names for RGB LED technology, they're all building off a similar formula. In Samsung's case, a Micro RGB TV like the R95H delivers brighter, purer color in addition to the benefits that typically come with bright, carefully controlled LEDs arranged into separate zones. Here are two Samsung RGB TVs now on sale. (All sizes displays are on sale at Best Buy).

A bright TV that doesn't cost a fortune...

Looking for a bright TV? The Hisense U8QG is one of the brightest TVs we've ever tested. Essentially, it's a high-performing TV with a lower price tag than most of the competitive models in its class. The U8QG also arrives with suite of useful gaming features for both casual and dedicated gamers. Even better, it's 25% off this 4th of July.

• Hisense 65" U8QG Mini-LED TV: was $2,199 now $997 at Amazon

If you're shopping for a new TV this week, I've got bad news and good news. The bad news is that Amazon Prime Day is officially over. The good news is that Best Buy is coming in hot with its 4th of July sales event, and plenty of TVs are still heavily discounted.

During the sale, you can get the 65-inch LG C5 for just $1,299, which is a full $1,400 off the original price of this five-star, top-notch OLED TV. This discount isn't quite as deep as what we saw last week during Prime Day, but it's nevertheless my pick for the best deal at Best Buy's sales event.

• shop all TV deals at Best Buy from $69

You can check out our full LG C5 review for the full scoop on this award-winning OLED TV, but here's the basic gist: Year after year, LG's mid-range, C Series OLED is one of the most popular TVs among our readership, and it's not tough to see why.

The C5 combines jaw-dropping performance for a much more reasonable price than what you'll find among top-shef, flagship-level OLEDs. In other words, there are a handful of better-performing OLED TVs at Best Buy's 4th of July sale, but none of them pack as much value into the equation.

If you're not hip to this incredible display technology, allow me to catch you up to speed. OLED TVs like the C5 deliver such impressive contrast because, unlike traditional LCD/LED TVs, they don't rely on a backlight. Instead, every single pixel is self-illuminating.

This means that the LG C5 is capable of rendering perfect black levels with no distracting light bloom around bright objects. And, since every pixel is its own source of light, the C5 is able to drive a ton of brightness to very small, concentrated points of light. The result of this surgically precise contrast control is a sense of depth that LED-based TVs can't quite replicate.

Another reason the C5 earned our coveted five-star rating is its robust set of features. As it happens, the C5 arrives with nearly every streaming- and gaming-related feature you'll find on flagship-level TVs on sale at Best Buy.

It supports for 4K/120Hz on current-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 (which is the top 4K spec for these systems), and up to 144Hz with VRR enabled if you link up a gaming PC. It also comes with the newest version of webOS, LG's own streaming software. It's not my top pick for streaming movies and shows, but if you want to avoid buying a separate streaming device, it'll get the job done.

It's unclear whether or not the 65-inch LG C5 will ever return to its Prime Day price of $1,099, but its current price of $1,299 is still a slam-dunk deal. It's my favorite discount at Best Buy's 4th of July sale and it's not even that close.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG C6 vs LG G5: Which OLED TV is the better buy?
• Here’s everything you need to know about LG's Hyper Radiant Color technology — and why you should want it in an OLED TV
• Should you buy a new 2026 TV or save money on a 2025 model? Here's how to shop for a screen like an expert

While Prime Day is behind us, 4th of July is just days away and that's given retailers another excuse to slash prices. Over at Best Buy, for instance, there's a huge range of TVs on sale right now, some with discounts of over $1,000.

On this page we've pulled together nine of our favorite TV deals: big, beautiful screens from trusted brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, and Toshiba. These are just the thing for upgrading your home entertainment setup or perhaps adding a second TV for a bedroom or kitchen. We've selected a range of different price points too, so there should be something for most budget here, from great value QLED screens to the most lavish LG OLED Evo AI TVs. (For more deals, check out our guide to the best 4th of July sales).

Displays for TVs, monitors and laptops have only gotten brighter over the last few years, but one day they could reach an unprecedented 40,000 nits thanks to a technology that’s being developed by Samsung Display.

It’s called RGB OLEDoS — a.k.a. Red Green Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes on Silicon or micro-OLED — and Samsung Display has recently designed one that trounces even the best TVs.

The problem? The display in question is only 1.3 inches across and was designed more for mixed-reality headsets like the Apple Vision Pro rather than the next iteration of the Samsung S95H.

Micro-OLED is still a ways off, but it’s still worth caring about

OLEDoS works slightly differently than the OLED you may already own where, instead of depositing the organic materials onto glass, the material goes directly onto a silicon wafer.

RGB OLEDoS takes the already futuristic concept one step further: "Unlike white OLEDoS, RGB OLEDoS does not require a color filter, enabling higher light efficiency and longer lifespan. These advantages make it highly suitable for delivering excellent color reproduction and high brightness," said a Samsung Display representative (via FlatpanelsHD).

While we sadly won’t have a 40,000-nit 65-inch TV in our home anytime soon, RGB OLEDoS is a significant shift forward for display technology. Like TVs, mixed reality headsets need additional brightness to make content look more realistic — because the display sits so close to your face, you’ll notice discrepancies in brightness and colors more quickly.

Or, as the Samsung spokesperson more eloquently put it: “RGB OLEDoS is considered an optimal solution for XR devices, which require sharp image quality in compact and lightweight form factors."

That doesn’t mean OLEDoS won’t ever be practical for TVs — it’s just not the ideal solution right now.

Instead, we’ve got Mini-RGB, a technology that replaces white Mini-LED backlights with smaller, more vibrant RGB LEDs, and QD-OLED that places a quantum dot filter in between the front screen and the OLED substrate. The latter also enables higher brightness and color accuracy, but we’re talking around 2,500 to 3,000 nits — not 40,000.

What TVs currently use QD-OLED and RGB Mini-LED?

We've seen a few iterations of QD-OLED technology before (starting first in the Samsung S95D OLED) but RGB Mini-LED is pretty much brand-new for 2026.

You can find the latter in the new Hisense UR9 as well as the Samsung MR95F Micro-RGB TV while the former can be found in the Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II.

While it's not quite the same as RGB Mini-LED, TCL's new Super Quantum Dot TVs like the TCL X11L offer bonkers brightness and vibrant color without the help of RGB-colored LEDs.

We'll keep you posted about the future of micro-OLED technology, but in the meantime any of the aforementioned TVs will be a huge step up from the first generation OLEDs we saw from LG and Samsung a decade ago. And some of them are still on sale this week after last week's Amazon Prime Day event...

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Most of us try to be mindful of our electricity usage, so discovering that a household appliance is powering itself on behind your back is incredibly frustrating. That was my exact reality with a screen that insisted on waking up every time I entered the room, quietly draining power when nobody was even watching.

As it turns out, my TV was just a little too 'smart.' Many Samsung TV models, including the best OLEDs and QLEDs, use built-in motion detection to wake themselves up, which ends up wasting power just because you or your pets happen to walk into the room.

If you want to save your sanity and lower your energy costs, here is exactly how to shut it off.

Bonus tip: The mobile app fix

If the TV is still turning on by itself after tweaking those settings, the hidden culprit might be a smartphone or smart home integration. For anyone who uses the SmartThings app, a phone can broadcast its location and tell the TV to wake up the second it connects to the living room Wi-Fi network.

To cut off this trigger, open the Settings menu, go to Connections, and then select Network. Inside Expert Settings, ensure that features labeled Power on with Mobile, Wake on LAN, and Allow IP Control Devices are turned off.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your Samsung TV is watching you — how to turn off data collection
• Get the best World Cup picture: 5 Samsung TV tweaks
• 5 Samsung TV settings to change right now to make your TV look and perform better

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

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

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

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

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

There's a lot going on right now — I wouldn't blame you if Amazon Prime Day came and went without you checking in about a new TV. Fortunately, Best Buy is running a summertime sales event of its own this week, and it runs all the way through Sunday.

I've pored over hundreds of TV listings at Best Buy's Tech Fest sale, and while there's a slew of dazzling, high-end options over a thousand bucks, my favorite deal of the bunch is a modestly sized, surprisingly affordable OLED TV.

The LG B5 is just $599 at Best Buy this weekend, which matches its lowest Black Friday sale price. As a 2025 model, I don't expect one of my favorite OLED TVs to be around much longer.

Like all OLED TVs, the LG B5 doesn't rely on a backlight. Instead, each one of the display's millions of pixels is self-lit. This eliminates hazy, distracting-looking light bloom and allows for the perfect black levels that have come to be synonymous with the technology.

As an entry-level model, the B5 doesn't get as bright as higher-end LG OLEDs, but its ability to render perfect black levels means that the TV's contrast is much more impressive compared to LCD TVs that offer similar levels of brightness. As long as you're not placing the B5 in a sun-soaked room, its picture will hold up just fine.

According to our test results (which you can peruse in full by way of our LG B5 review), the B5 is remarkably free of color error in its out-of-the-box state. This is one of the reasons I find it to be such an attractive option for bargain-hunters; it's an affordable TV, but it doesn't sacrifice much when it comes to accuracy. Most folks won't need to bother calibrating it.

Another reason I've spent the last several months recommending the B5 to readers is its exhaustive set of features. Despite its entry-level status, the B5 arrives with nearly all of the same gaming- and streaming-related features you'll find on a higher-end LG OLED TVs (like the five-star LG C5).

It's especially good news for dedicated gamers, as they're getting basically everything they need for current-gen consoles. The B5 supports 4K gaming at 120Hz and comes with Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility.

Crucially, all four of the LG B5's HDMI inputs offer HDMI 2.1 compatibility. For a $599 TV, that's not exactly easy to come by.

If you need something bigger than 48 inches, the 55-inch LG B5 is just $799 at Best Buy right now, too. Just keep in mind that these sets are currently being replaced by newer models, so your window to buy them at this price is closing.

More from Tom's Guide

• LG B6 vs B5 test results are in: Is LG's newest entry-level OLED TV worth it?
• 3 OLED settings you should've enabled already — they prevent burn-in
• 'TV brightness matters more than anything else' and 4 other myths that I need to debunk after a decade of testing TVs

I've always loved Roku's straightforward, deliberately simple interface as an alternative to the ever-more-cluttered experiences on other TVs. It’s helped previous models in its TV lineup like the Roku Plus Series to become one of the best budget TVs.

But competition has heated up in this price range, and I don't think the Select Series is keeping up. Poor brightness is the dealbreaker for this TV, with dark and even some light scenes looking muddy or faded. Color is often quite good, and the audio is better than expected, but they can't make up for the often-dim screen.

For around $400, it’s a cheap TV that has a few merits, but if you want a screen with better brightness and color performance for around the same price, check out the TCL QM6K, Hisense QD7 or Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K TV instead.

Roku Select Series review: Pricing and availability

Priced at $379 at Best Buy (regularly $449), the 65-inch Roku Select Series 4K QLED (65R5D5) is the upper-middle tier of Roku's three-series TV lineup for 2026. Within the Select Series itself, the 43-inch model uses standard LED rather than QLED (incorporating quantum-dot color technology), while the 50-, 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sets all upgrade to QLED panels.

Stepping up from Select, Roku's Plus Series ($649 for a 65-inch screen) adds Mini-LED backlighting, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for more faithful video and audio play, Wi-Fi 6 (the latest standard), and an enhanced voice remote. Plus models from 2025 have fallen considerably, with last year's 65-inch Plus model selling for under $500 on Amazon. The flagship Pro Series is the only Roku-made line with a 120Hz refresh rate, currently around $899 in 65-inch trim.

Roku Select Series review: Design and ports

At 3.3 inches deep, the 65" Roku Select TV is a bit chunky. It has the standard design of all budget TVs: two plastic feet bear the ends of the panel and thin black bezel with minimal branding (a smallish silver "Roku" at the bottom-middle). On the back are VESA-standard screwholes in a 400 x 300 mm pattern for attaching to a wall mount.

When viewed from behind, the TV's power cord plugs in at the right, and all input and output ports are grouped in a column on the left. They include four HDMI ports (one with eARC, which can supply digital audio output to a soundbar or speaker system). They support only the 2.0 standard, which doesn't support capabilities such as 120Hz video input, though that might not matter much as the screen’s native refresh rate is limited to 60Hz.

The Select Series also features a SPDIF optical digital audio port and a single USB-A port that could load photos or videos from a USB stick. An ethernet port is on hand, as is a Cable/Antenna input that feeds an ATSC 1.0 tuner. The latter is limited to 1080p, standard dynamic range broadcasts, but that only matters if you use an antenna, rather than onboard streaming apps or a cable box that connects over HDMI.

How we test TVs at Tom’s Guide

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

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

Roku Select Series review: Performance

The 65-inch Roku Select shows pleasing, rather-accurate color in HD/SDR; but it's simply not bright enough to show a lot of content clearly — especially not in HDR. That’s a problem because HDR is no longer exotic: It's become standard on top streaming services and on Blu-ray discs. A TV that can't display HDR well, like this one, is hard to recommend.

To put it through its paces, I used Netflix's Strangers Things, Season 5, Episode 8 as it’s full of dark, forbidding scenes. They looked a bit muddy and grayish on this screen. Selecting the HDR+ Bright setting lightened up the shadows, but at the expense of black levels.

Chapter 4 of the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" Blu-ray fared better, but it’s still not up to par with some of its rivals. In some scenes, characters were lit well, such as the firelight illuminating the faces of Peter Parker and Dr. Strange, but in other scenes that wasn’t the case.

"Bridgerton" was especially disappointing. Season 1, Ep 3 (17:00-19:00 minutes in) displays complex indoor scenes/outdoor scenes, candlelight/sunlight, warm skin tones/pale complexions — and none of them looked especially good. One character's mop of blond hair nearly disappears in a sunny afternoon shot. There is a pallor over the colorful pastel dresses of four women in the same scene.

Indoor party scenes were also rather shadowy. Here toggling between the Standard, Bright, and Dark HDR+ settings made little difference. It's worth noting that this set does not support Dolby Vision, which includes extra metadata in content to help a TV display it more faithfully.

The Roku Select is fine for standard HD content, however. I found the YouTube edition of the gorgeous Bruno Mars video "Risk It All" to be an enjoyable watch. It begins with an outdoor scene and then transitions to a sunlit church interior. There aren't those challenging shadows where lower luminance can obscure detail, though. The Select also displayed motion smoothly, such as a difficult shot when the camera moves towards Mars, then rotates 90 degrees to show him from the side while backing away.

A few photos I shot while reviewing cameras for Tom's Guide also looked nice — including one with women of different skin tones by a fountain and another of a woman sitting on a bench. These were all outdoor shots by bright to very-bright light, however.

There's minimal difference between all other modes. With photos, Sports made images a tad warmer, sometimes livening skintones; and Vivid made them a bit cooler, deepening green foliage. (It also improved black levels, for instance in a photo of a blue neon sign at night.) The differences come down to a matter of personal taste.

Roku Select Series review: Test Results

*As measured in Filmmaker mode

Using its out-of-the-box Standard mode, we measured peak luminance (on a square covering 10% of the screen) at 397.6 nits, vs. an average of 927.0 for 65-inch TVs from 2025 and 2026. (They range from 228.7 to 2,908 nits.)

This Roku has several other picture modes, including Movie, Vivid, and Sports. Movie is the most color-accurate, by far. Similar modes on other TVs tend to be dimmer, but this TV was really dim. We measured 334.6 nits, vs. an average for rivals of 438.2.

To my eye, Standard beat Movie mode with Fellini's 1963 black-and-white surrealist film "8½." Standard gave light shades the hint of yellow you would expect in a black and white film shot over half a century ago, without overdoing it. The film looked quite yellow in Movie mode.

Color fidelity in Standard mode is better than average. We determine that with Delta-E, a measurement of how far colors on the screen vary from the signal we send to the TV. The lower the number, the more accurate the TV. We measured this Roku at 10.2. That's way higher than its value in Movie mode (2.45) but beats the average 11.9 for comparable TVs in Standard mode from the past couple years. Movie Mode color is also a skosh better than average — a Delta-E of 2.45 vs. 2.9 — but both numbers are firmly in the "too small to notice” range.

In practice, Movie Mode handled that aforementioned photo of the woman on the bench very well. She has a mid-tone complexion that could easily go wrong with bad color performance, as well as a wine-colored felt hat that could have gotten exaggerated.

Still, things are gloomy for fans of 4K/HDR content. In lab tests in Movie Mode, the TV's HDR brightness gave us a new all-time low against similar TVs: 334.6 nits vs the average of 1533.1 and max of 3685.4. This TV is in the lower half among peers for covering the Rec. 2020 gamut (72.36%) — though this will matter more when content actually is mastered in Rec. 2020. Right now, high coverage is more for bragging rights than anything else.

Roku Select Series review: Audio

The Roku Select offers pleasant audio, especially for a basic built-in system with minimal specs. The TV packs two speakers with the industry-minimum 10 watts each. It features basic Dolby audio technology, but not the richer Dolby Atmos standard (a feature of the step-up Plus Series).

The Bruno Mars "Risk It All" video sounded crisp and clear — from bright trumpets to the resonant guitar notes and his soulful voice. I recommend switching from Standard to Movie sound mode for all content for a more expansive experience.

A music video isn't too tough for a low-power speaker system. But I was especially impressed with the sound of Stranger Things, especially the crisp voices against the roaring background noise. Explosions had a booming sound without much distortion.

This is all graded on a curve, of course. For home theater sound, you can connect to a soundbar or speaker system over the eArc HDMI port or the SPDIF digital audio output. We have a list of the best soundbars if you’re not sure where to start.

Roku Select Series review: Interface and remote

I've been a fan of Roku's minimalist interface (on TVs, streaming sticks and streaming boxes) from early days. It's my interface of choice at home.

Popular apps are pre-installed and featured at the top of the app grid. You can easily move or delete them or add apps from a list of thousands (called Channels) that are supported. My one complaint is that the interface is a bit sluggish on this model.

The remote is streamlined without being too sparse. It features shortcuts to Netflix, Disney+, AppleTV+, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as a handy enhanced voice remote for easy searches. Roku's mobile app is equally handy should you misplace the clicker.

The ad-supported Roku Channel is shown discretely at the right side of the screen, instead of in-your-face as for other TV companies' video services (looking at you, Vizio). It doesn't have the latest blockbusters, but I have found noteworthy TV shows and movies such as "Frasier," "Longmire," "The Heat," and "Silence of the Lambs."

But make no mistake: Roku is a data and advertising company that may collect a lot of personal information. Like Vizio, Roku has found itself involved in several lawsuits over privacy. (The most recent of which is happening in Florida where the Florida Attorney General is currently suing the company, alleging that it "collected, sold, and enabled reidentification of sensitive personal data — including viewing habits, voice recordings, and other information from children — without authorization or meaningful notice to Florida families.")

No matter which smart platform you choose, however, you’re going to have to deal with a company that wants your viewing information. Roku is not substantially different in this regard, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention Roku’s robust data collection policy.

Roku Select Series review: Verdict

I’m a huge fan of Roku TVs (as well as the brand’s streaming-device add-ons), but this model line won't make our list of recommendations. At under $400 for a 65-inch QLED, the Select Series competes most directly with the Vizio Mini-LED Quantum 4K Smart TV (also $398) and the Samsung Q6F ($449). The Hisense QD7 (currently $599 at the 65-inch size but found as low as $435) is a small step up in price but is one of my favorite models in this range.

If you’re dead-set on a Roku TV for the lowest absolute price, I wouldn’t fault you for choosing the Select Series — there are some redeeming qualities. Roku TV is set to get its biggest overhaul in years, and the Roku Channel offers some free streaming options if you don’t mind dealing with ads every few minutes.

Would this be the TV I’d pick out for a home theater or a living room that gets a lot of afternoon sun? Probably not, but you could certainly do worse.