It’s been a banner year for the TV industry: We witnessed the unveiling of some of the best TVs ever produced, Mini-LEDs and OLEDs continued to trickle down in price, and several brands unveiled the next generation of display technology in RGB Mini-LED.
In taking stock of 2025, I couldn’t help but look back on my favorite TVs of the year. While I didn’t personally review every mainline TV release from every major brand, I’ve become deeply familiar with all of them.
1. LG C5
If I was in the market for a new TV, the first I'd consider is the LG C5, our best-reviewed TV of 2025. There are three reasons why this is one of my top TVs of the year: performance, pedigree and value.
First, let's take a look at the C5's performance. It boasts all of the benefits of OLED technology (perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming and ultra-wide viewing angles, just to name a few) all while offering better highlight brightness than what you'll find on cheaper, entry-level OLED TVs. It's nearly twice as bright as my current TV, the LG C1, so the C Series has come a long way in four years.
Don't get me wrong: I love the amount of value that entry-level OLEDs like the LG B5 bring to the table. However, given my number-one hobby as a movie enthusiast, I need a little extra brightness and color for when I watch HDR movies and shows. The C5 is a better fit in that regard.
Next, let's talk about pedigree. As mentioned, the C5 is the latest in a long line of LG C Series OLED TVs, and I've been paying attention to every single one of them. I know that this line of TVs is reliable over the long term.
Lastly, the C5 is overflowing with value, especially once you factor in end-of-year sale prices. This is one of the best TVs you can buy for movies and gaming, but it's priced far lower than its higher-end competition.
2. TCL QM7K
My next favorite TV of 2025 is one that I recommended to more friends, family members and acquaintances than any other model: the TCL QM7K. It doesn't deliver OLED-level picture quality, but if you ask me, it's the best-looking Mini-LED TV under $1,000.
The QM7K is a fantastic compromise if you can't justify shelling out for something pricier like the LG C5. I've been recommending it most often to folks who want to save money on a TV but still have fun buying something impressive and entertaining.
Here's what I love about the QM7K: it's plenty bright to hold up during daytime viewing and its backlight control is excellent for its class. This means everything from daytime baseball to movie night will look great. Plus, there are enough gaming features in tow to make the most out of current-generation consoles, and Google TV is a robust-enough streaming platform to act as your daily driver.
The QM7K was at its lowest price ever earlier this week for Cyber Monday. Fortunately, its current price is still heavily discounted.
3. Sony Bravia 8 II
My third favorite TV of 2025 is not an ideal fit for everyone. It's not as bright as some of its rivals. It doesn't come with as many features as those sets, and it's one of the priciest TVs of the year. I'm referring to the Sony Bravia 8 II, an OLED TV that's better suited for hardcore A/V enthusiasts than the average shopper.
Like high-end Sony OLEDs that came before it, the Bravia 8 II marries OLED display technology with quantum dot-color. These days, a handful of competing OLEDs from Samsung take a similar approach. But what sets the Bravia 8 II apart from those competitors is Sony's incredible attention to detail.
If you're a fan of reference standards — accurate color, clean upscaling and dialed-in calibration — the Bravia 8 II is a tailor-made TV. As mentioned, it doesn't get as bright as some of the other flagship OLEDs we've tested this year, but it's basically like having a big-screen, professional reference monitor in your living room.
The Bravia 8 II is not as much of a crowd-pleaser as something like the LG C5 thanks to the latter's better collection of gaming features. In addition, the Bravia 8 II isn't as punchy during bright-room viewing as some of the brighter OLEDs we've tested this year. But Sony's masterful picture processing shines on the Bravia 8 II. Its presentation is downright immaculate, especially while upscaling sub-4K content.
For a better value, I recommend sticking with the LG C5. But if you were to give me free rein to buy any TV of the year, I would most likely pounce on the Bravia 8 II.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
More from Tom's Guide
- I test TVs for a living — and Hisense needs to improve its TVs in one way before I recommend them
- Samsung just dropped the first ever Micro RGB TV — and it's a total game changer
- I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
