Hisense, LG, Samsung, Sony and TCL are among the most popular TV brands in the world, but as someone who’s been testing their TVs for over a decade, I can’t see myself ever buying a new set based on the brand name alone.
As a matter of fact, there are only a handful of features I focus on whenever someone asks me for help picking out a TV — or when I’m shopping for one myself.
You can certainly find decent TVs that fit your needs without netting these features, but you might be surprised at how affordable it is to secure all of them.
1. A non-edge-lit display
Of all the reasons to spend more than you expected to spend on an LED TV, treating yourself to a non-edge-lit display is the best reason of all.
Some of the most affordable TVs on the market make use of panels that are illuminated from the edge of the picture rather than behind the picture. With an edge-lit TV, light from the edge of the panel needs to travel all the way to the center of the display. More often than not, this results in the darkness of space appearing hazy, maybe even gray or blue.
If your goal is to spend as little as possible on a TV, you’re probably on a crash-course with edge-lit hardware. But I highly recommend exploring options that, at the very least, leverage backlit LEDs (with bonus points for models that include full-array local dimming and/or Mini-LEDs).
This will be tough if you’re committed to spending, say, $300 on a TV, but check out what happens if you’re shopping in the $400-to-$500 price range:
On the left we have the Samsung Q7F QLED, a new, edge-lit TV with an average set of features. Currently, the 55-inch Q74 is $449 at Best Buy.
On the right is the TCL QM6K. This is an entry-level Mini-LED TV with local dimming capabilities — even better than basic, direct-LED backlighting. Right now, the 55-inch QM6K is on sale for $499 at Best Buy.
Now, I’m still in the process of formally testing and reviewing the Samsung Q7F, but I can tell you that its peak brightness and overall contrast aren’t nearly as impressive as the QM6K’s, and that mostly has to do with their hardware.
For me, that extra $50 is well worth it.
2. At least three (but probably four) HDMI ports
Another benefit of avoiding ultra-cheap, bottom-of-the-barrel TVs is that you’re far less likely to encounter sets that have just a pair of HDMI ports. Trust me: You’re going to want more than just two of these inputs.
For one thing, affordable TVs (and even mid-range models) tend to dole out not-so-great audio from their onboard speakers. This is why we usually recommend that you pair your TV with one of the best soundbars that fits your budget.
However, once you’ve taken up an HDMI slot with a soundbar on a TV with just two of them, there’s suddenly just a single port leftover for a cable box, a video game console or a dedicated streaming device.
Even if you don't intend to hook up a soundbar to your next TV, being limited to just two primary inputs is not something I recommend.
3. Dolby Vision (or HDR10+) support
Nearly all TVs on shelves are HDR-capable, 4K sets, but you ought to be setting yourself up to take advantage of all that HDR has to offer by securing a model with Dolby Vision, HDR10+ or both.
These formats work in largely the same way: They take advantage of dynamic metadata embedded within a signal to optimize the picture in real time. This ensures that content looks as close to the creator's intent as possible on your own TV.
There’s an array of streaming content, Blu-ray discs and video games mastered for these formats, but Dolby Vision is the more prolific of the two. HDR10+, the royalty-free alternative, is available across various streaming services, too.
If you're a home theater enthusiast, you might want to find a set that supports both of these formats. Many mid-range models (like the Hisense U75QG Mini-LED TV) come with both, but higher-end sets tend to favor one or the other.
Ultimately, how well your TV showcases HDR content comes down to its performance capabilities. The Hisense U75QG gets bright and colorful enough to make the most of these enhanced formats, but more affordable TVs might not look as impressive during Dolby Vision or HDR10+ content, despite supporting one or both.
Above all else, the TV you buy should fit comfortably within your budget, but these are the three features that I would put at the top of your list once you figure out how much you're hoping to spend.
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