All 4K TVs deliver a sharp image, but contrast, color, and smart capabilities vary a lot depending on the model you buy. The best 4K TVs balance these performance elements with general ease of use and a reasonable price tag.
I've been covering home entertainment products for more than a decade, so I have extensive experience with TVs from all of the major brands. My team of reviewers and I tested several popular models to find the best 4K TVs that are actually worth the money. My top recommendation is the Samsung S90D OLED, which offers high contrast, vivid colors, and deep black levels. But buyers on a tighter budget should check out the more affordable TCL QM6K QLED. It's dimmer than pricier TVs, but delivers the most impressive picture quality I've seen in its price range.
I also recommend 4K models from LG and Roku, with additional picks geared toward midrange pricing, smart TV navigation, and bright rooms.
Our top picks for the best 4K TVs
Best overall: Samsung S90D 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best on a budget: TCL QM6K 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best midrange OLED: LG C4 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best mid-tier QLED: TCL QM7 4K TV - See at Walmart
Best anti-glare display: Samsung S95D 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best smart TV system: Roku Pro Series 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best overall
The S90D is our favorite TV overall. Its QD-OLED panel delivers a high-contrast image with vivid colors, wide viewing angles, and impressive brightness for this class.
- Excellent peak brightness for a midrange OLED
- High color volume with quantum dot technology
- Wide viewing angles so picture doesn't degrade when sitting off center
- Smart TV interface is OK but not the best
- Issue with update notifications
- Dolby Vision isn't supported
The S90D offers the most impressive balance between picture performance and price of any 4K TV I've tested. The 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes use an OLED panel with quantum dots, enabling an infinite contrast ratio, a wide range of colors, and a brighter image than midrange competitors from LG and Sony.
OLED tech gives the S90D deep black levels and wide viewing angles, while the display's quantum dots allow it to produce more intense colors than a standard OLED. It also has exceptional peak brightness for a midrange set. I measured a max of 1,240 nits, which is about 200 nits more than its predecessor, the S90C. This level of brightness makes the TV a great fit for dark home theaters and typical living rooms. HDR (high dynamic range) movies and shows from 4K Blu-rays or streaming services like Prime Video and Disney Plus look especially stunning using the HDR10 and HDR10+ formats.
Smart TV features are also robust, with access to every popular app. You also get Alexa and Bixby voice control. The interface is solid, but I do wish navigation speed were more consistent. I also encountered a few glitches involving notifications and a setting that's supposed to disable apps from automatically opening. These are small drawbacks, though, and are easy to fix with firmware.
The S90D includes a Gaming Hub that lets you access cloud services like Xbox Game Pass to stream games without a console. Samsung and LG are the only brands to include the Xbox app built-in. If you pair the TV with a gaming PC, it can also support a smooth 144Hz refresh rate.
The TV's only notable con is its lack of Dolby Vision support. Most Dolby Vision content will instead play in standard HDR10, but the TV's HDR10 performance is so strong that most people won't notice a difference. Check out our HDR TV guide for more details on how Dolby Vision compares to other formats.
With deal prices as low as $1,200 for the 65-inch model, the S90D is the best 4K TV — and the best TV period — that you can get for the money. Samsung also sells a newer 2025 version of this TV, the S90F. This updated model offers some performance improvements, but it costs a lot more than the S90D. For now, the S90D is the better value.
Check out our guide to the best Samsung TVs.
Note: The 42-, 48-, and 83-inch S90D models don't incorporate quantum dots, so their color volume can't match that of other sizes.
Best on a budget
The QM6K is an excellent entry-level Mini LED TV with solid contrast, vibrant colors, and decent black levels. However, its HDR brightness capabilities are limited compared to step-up models.
- Solid HDR performance for an entry-level Mini LED TV
- Local dimming enhances contrast with minimal blooming
- Google TV navigation is quick and responsive
- Brightness is limited compared to midrange and high-end QLEDs
- Older 2024 TVs with better performance are sometimes available for less
TCL's QM6K is the budget 4K TV to beat. This affordable Mini LED display has picture quality features that most similarly priced competitors cut to save costs. Though its launch price was a little high, recent discounts have made it an incredible value.
The QM6K has a QLED panel with Mini LED local dimming, which helps the display produce higher contrast and a wider range of colors than most TVs in this price range. Black levels are also solid, and the QM6K has excellent blooming control, which reduces halos around bright objects. Blooming is a common flaw on Mini LED TVs, but this model handles it extremely well.
However, the TV's black levels aren't quite as deep as I've seen on pricier QLED models. Brightness is decent but also a bit limited compared to more expensive TVs. With the display set in its most accurate picture mode, I measured a peak of 557 nits on a 10% HDR test pattern and about 736 nits on a larger 50% test pattern. Those numbers are good for a TV in this class, but HDR content doesn't pop as intensely as it does on brighter displays. Viewing angles are also limited, but actually a bit better than previous TCL models in this tier, like last year's Q65.
Another upgrade over the Q65 is the TV's refresh rate. The QM6K is now one of the cheapest TVs available with support for up to a 144Hz refresh rate. This means the panel can display 4K/120Hz signals from a PS5 or Xbox Series X, so you can get smoother motion when playing compatible games.
I also like the QM6K's Google TV interface, which is organized nicely and runs well without any major hiccups. Past TCL models I've reviewed have been prone to small glitches here and there, but I didn't encounter any major software issues when testing the QM6K over several weeks.
If you want to enter the world of 4K HDR TVs but don't want to spend too much, the TCL QM6K is a perfect starting point. It's budget-friendly without sacrificing the key features that make an HDR TV worth owning.
Check out our TCL QM6K 4K TV review.
For more affordable display recommendations, check out our guides to the best budget TVs and best TVs under $500.
Best midrange OLED
The C4 is LG's midrange 4K OLED TV from 2024. It delivers excellent contrast and black levels, along with solid HDR brightness. Though a newer C5 model is available, the C4 is a better value for most needs.
- Pixel-level contrast with perfect black levels and wide viewing angles
- Lots of different sizes to choose from
- Plenty of HDMI 2.1 ports for other devices
- Not as bright as Samsung's competing midrange OLED
- Color performance can't match that of an OLED with quantum dots
- WebOS is cluttered with promos and an update caused temporary issues with apps
LG's C4 is an excellent midrange OLED, and it's a close runner-up for the best 4K TV overall. I do give Samsung's S90D an edge in a few areas, but the C4 is a great alternative for those who prefer the LG brand.
Though it lacks the quantum dot tech that boosts Samsung's OLED in brightness and color volume, the C4 still has great image performance and solid smart TV capabilities. Like all TVs that use OLED panels, the C4 achieves an infinite contrast ratio with inky black levels that look fantastic when watching movies in a dark room.
It also has wide viewing angles, so contrast doesn't fade if you're sitting toward the side of the TV. Peak brightness is good for a midrange OLED, at around 1,000 nits, which is about 200 nits more than the older C3 this model replaced. However, the C4 can't match the 1,200+ nits that Samsung's similarly priced S90D can hit.
On the plus side, the C4 does have one picture-quality perk that my top pick lacks: Dolby Vision support. Dolby Vision is regarded as the best HDR format since it can tell your TV how to display contrast and colors with more precision. However, its benefits are subtle, especially on TVs in this class. I don't consider Dolby Vision to be a must-have feature, but it is a nice inclusion.
LG's webOS platform also provides access to popular apps, and the TV's unique Magic Remote allows you to navigate menus by pointing at the screen to move a cursor.
Samsung's S90D has a slight upper hand in image performance for the money, but the C4 is definitely worth considering, especially if you're a fan of LG or consider Dolby Vision to be essential. A slightly improved 2025 version of this TV, called the C5, is also available. But considering the current price difference, I recommend the C4 as the better buy.
Check out our LG C4 4K TV review and LG C5 4K TV review.
Check out our guide to the best LG TVs.
Best mid-tier QLED
The TCL QM7 is an impressive midrange QLED TV. Its Mini LED contrast performance, high brightness, and 144Hz gaming capabilities are nearly unrivaled at this price range.
- High brightness at a midrange price
- Good contrast performance thanks to Mini LED local dimming
- Fast 144Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming
- Snappy smart TV navigation
- Black-level imperfections and fluctuations
- Occasional motion stuttering with some streaming content
- Small OS glitches here and there
- Mediocre viewing angles
TCL's QM7 4K display is a midrange TV champ, with performance that beats more expensive mid-tier QLEDs from brands like Samsung. During my review, I measured a peak brightness of around 1,700 nits, which enables the TV to deliver excellent HDR performance, even in rooms with lots of light.
The TV uses a Mini LED backlight with full-array local dimming capabilities to produce good black levels and minimal blooming (large halos around bright objects). However, when I tested the TV in a dark room, black levels looked a little elevated and patchy in certain scenes, but performance is strong considering the QM7's price.
Colors are also vivid and rich, with a wide gamut thanks to the display's quantum dots. Unfortunately, those colors do fade a bit if you watch the TV from an off-center position. Likewise, picture processing isn't as high-end as I've seen on flagship Sony, LG, and Samsung sets, so low-quality streams and cable TV feeds don't look quite as sharp as they appear on pricier displays.
On the plus side, the QM7 supports a fast 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC (120Hz with a PS5 or Xbox Series X). This can enable smoother gameplay. I was also impressed by the TV's snappy Google TV interface and handy backlit Google Assistant voice remote, which made navigation a breeze. However, I did encounter a few small glitches here and there with the operating system, but nothing too troublesome.
The 65-inch QM7 is sometimes on sale for as low as $679, which is an excellent price for a TV with this level of performance. TCL sells a new 2025 version of this set, called the QM7K, that offers some improvements in black level control. But the 2024 QM7 is a better value while it remains in stock for less money.
Check out our TCL QM7 4K TV review.
Visit our guide to the top sports TVs.
Best anti-glare display
Samsung's S95D is the brightest OLED we’ve ever tested. It features a new matte screen that nearly eliminates reflections, making it ideal for rooms that struggle with glare. However, the matte design gives black levels a slightly faded look in direct light.
- The brightest OLED we've tested
- Matte screen significantly reduces glare and reflections
- 144Hz refresh rate for smooth PC gaming
- Slim design with One Connect Box
- Doesn't support Dolby Vision
- Glare-free coating elevates black levels in bright rooms
- Pricey compared to 2023 counterpart
Samsung's S95D is one of the brightest OLED TVs I've reviewed. It also boasts an anti-glare screen with a matte finish to combat reflections better than any other display in this guide. These two qualities make it an ideal OLED for buyers who have bright rooms plagued by glare from windows and lights.
With the S95D set in Filmmaker mode (the TV's most accurate picture preset), I measured a peak brightness of 1,700 nits. The only OLEDs that can get brighter are Samsung's newer S95F and the LG G5. And both of those TVs cost substantially more.
In addition to delivering excellent HDR10 and HDR10+ performance with vivid colors and punchy highlights, the TV's high brightness gives you more wiggle room to adjust the display's luminance to suit rooms that let in a lot of light. The S95D is also one of the few TVs you can buy that uses a matte screen instead of a glossy screen.
Though glossy displays have perks, they're prone to showing lots of reflections in bright rooms. In contrast, the S95D's matte finish essentially eliminates glare and reflections. This makes it a game changer for people who struggle with reflections caused by lights and windows. As a result, this set is a top recommendation for people who like to watch sports during the day. However, there is one catch that comes with the matte screen: it hurts black-level performance in a bright room.
The S95D's black levels in a dark room look just as deep as they do on any OLED, but once you put the lights on, black levels become elevated with a more gray and hazy look. This is particularly noticeable when you watch movies and shows with lots of dark scenes.
Ultimately, whether you like the S95D's matte screen comes down to personal preference and your priorities as a viewer. But if you want a display that almost completely eliminates reflections and delivers high-end image quality, this set offers terrific value.
Buyers should note that Samsung's 2025 S95F OLED also has a matte screen and offers an even brighter image. But given the S95F's hefty price tag, I only recommend that newer model to big TV enthusiasts with deep pockets.
Check out our Samsung S95D 4K TV review and our Samsung S95F 4K TV review.
Best smart TV system
Roku's flagship Pro Series TV is a great all-around 4K QLED. Though similarly priced TCL and Hisense models have an edge in image quality, Roku's intuitive smart TV interface, handy backlit voice remote, and easy assembly make the Pro Series a worthy competitor.
- Great black levels and contrast for a QLED
- Good brightness and quantum-dot color performance
- Simple and intuitive Roku smart TV interface
- Voice remote is rechargeable and backlit
- Narrow viewing angles
- Minor motion and picture processing issues
- Notable screen reflections in bright rooms
- No dedicated gaming bar feature
The Roku Pro Series is an excellent 4K TV for anyone who wants a simple and straightforward smart TV experience. The display is one of the few QLEDs in the upper-midrange class to come with the Roku OS (operating system) built in. Roku OS is my favorite interface thanks to its streamlined navigation and reliable performance.
Roku's home screen focuses on apps with access to every major streaming service there is. Apps are arranged via large icons that you can order however you like. Unlike other smart TV systems, like the Fire TV OS, Roku doesn't bombard you with content recommendations on the homepage, but you can always jump into the "What to Watch" section on the sidebar to see various recommendations across genres.
The TV's assembly is also convenient. The left and right feet can be attached without any tools via knobs that can be turned to keep them in place. You can also choose between a low or high position to accommodate a soundbar.
Roku's remote is user-friendly, too, with several handy features that are rare for this class. You can charge the remote via USB, so you don't need batteries, and it has backlit buttons for easy use in a dark home theater. Hands-free voice search is supported with a wake word, but you can deactivate this with a switch and engage search with a button if you prefer. Another cool feature is the "lost remote finder," which activates a chime on the remote if you ever lose it.
When it comes to picture quality, the Roku Pro Series is no slouch. This is the brand's flagship TV, and it delivers good image performance. The QLED panel has a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, which enables vibrant colors, high HDR contrast, and solid black levels. However, viewing angles are poor compared to OLED TVs and pricier QLEDs from Samsung. Likewise, the TV's processing and peak brightness can't quite match other flagship QLEDs, like the TCL QM8K.
But when looking at the total package, the Roku Pro Series does a great job of balancing ease of use without sacrificing image quality features like Mini LEDs and quantum dots. Roku also sells a new second-generation version of the Pro Series, which it says can produce higher dynamic range, but it costs more. For now, this first-gen model remains the better buy.
Check out our Roku Pro Series 4K TV review.
Visit our guides to all the best smart TVs and best Roku TVs.
How we test 4K TVs
To test the best 4K TVs, our reviewers focus on key parameters, including picture clarity, high-dynamic-range (HDR) performance, color gamut, contrast, viewing angles, smart TV capabilities, navigation speed, and value. We've been covering tech products for over a decade and have used that experience to inform our testing methodology.
We use a colorimeter with test patterns found on the Spears & UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray to measure a TV's brightness and color capabilities. However, test patterns can only reveal so much, so we place a large emphasis on watching real-world content on a day-to-day basis to really see how a display performs under typical use.
We also use a series of demo scenes that we've selected from different movies and TV shows to evaluate each 4K TV's overall picture quality, with a specific focus on sequences that emphasize black levels, specular highlights, color fidelity, and sharpness with native 4K, high-definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) material via cable, Blu-ray players, and all of the best streaming services. TVs are also evaluated in different viewing conditions, including a completely dark room for critical movie watching and environments with various lights on and windows to test daytime performance and reflection handling.
Smart TV functionality is also considered, with tests to measure how long apps take to launch and how smooth menu navigation is. We also evaluate voice search responsiveness and digital assistant capabilities.
For additional details on our testing methodology, check out our breakdown of how we review tech products.
4K TV FAQs
What are the best 4K TV brands?
LG, Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic are among the top 4K TV brands. Though typically more expensive than other options, these companies' TVs are known for delivering cutting-edge technology, modern designs, and great quality control. If you're in the market for a premium TV, you can't go wrong with flagship models from these manufacturers.
Meanwhile, brands like TCL, Hisense, and Vizio are top midrange and value-priced TV market players. Though build quality isn't always on par with more expensive brands, these companies offer advanced features, like quantum dots and Mini LED dimming, for less than the competition. If you want the best bang for your buck in a midrange TV, these are the brands you should consider first.
Companies like Amazon and Roku also make solid entry-level and midrange TVs. Their flagship offerings are decent options when on sale during TV deal events like Black Friday, but you can typically find better displays for less money from TCL, Hisense, or Vizio.
Finally, budget brands like Toshiba and Insignia are known for selling entry-level LED displays that use Amazon's Fire TV operating system. Though inexpensive, these sets are about as basic as TVs get. We typically recommend paying a bit more to get one of our picks for the best 4K TVs listed above, but these displays are decent enough if you just want a cheap TV for casual viewing.
Should you buy a 2025 or 2024 4K TV model?
Most brands are now selling various 2025 4K TV models, but many 2024 models still remain in stock. In most cases, 2024 and 2025 models offer very similar performance, but the 2024 editions are a lot cheaper. With that in mind, we continue to recommend several 2024 TVs as top picks, since they offer the best overall value while they remain in stock.
Learn more about new TV models in our 2025 TV roundups:
- Samsung 2025 OLED and QLED details
- LG 2025 C5 and G5 OLED details
- Top TVs revealed at CES 2025
- Top TV trends for 2025
What size 4K TV should you get?
The size of the 4K TV you should buy depends on your space, how far you want to sit from your display, and your budget. In general, bigger TVs cost more than smaller ones with comparable features, and you'll need to have enough wall mounting space or a large enough TV stand to accommodate whatever display you get.
TV sizes start as small as 24 inches and reach around 98 inches. A few manufacturers have premium models that are even larger. Many companies reserve their best picture quality and design features for their larger sizes. Though not a hard rule, midrange features are often reserved for models that are 50 inches or larger, and high-end features tend to start in 55-inch models.
Most companies use 65 inches as their flagship size to highlight their best 4K TVs, and for many people, 65 inches hits just the right sweet spot to offer a solid home theater experience without taking up too much real estate or totally breaking the bank.
If space and budget aren't a concern, what size 4K TV you should get can be best determined by how far you plan to sit from your display. This is because the benefits of 4K resolution become most noticeable when you sit at a distance of about one to 1.5 times the size of your TV. For instance, to get the most out of a 65-inch 4K TV, you should sit between 5.4 and 8.1 feet from your TV. Crutchfield has a handy chart recommending 4K TV sizes based on your seating distance.
For 4K TV recommendations tied to certain sizes, check out our size-specific guides:
What are the best smart TV interfaces?
Practically any new 4K TV you buy will be a smart TV, which means it features built-in support for accessing popular apps and streaming services. However, different companies use different smart TV interfaces. Here's a rundown of the different platforms that each brand uses.
- Tizen: Samsung
- webOS: LG
- Vizio Home: Vizio
- Google TV: Sony, TCL, Hisense
- Roku TV: Roku, TCL, Hisense
- Fire TV: Amazon, Panasonic, Toshiba, Insignia, Pioneer, Hisense
Though a few services may be missing here and there, all major streaming apps are supported across every operating system. However, each system's navigation style, personalization options, and extra features differ.
We prefer Roku's interface because it is the simplest, most user-friendly, and most reliable. However, its visual style is a bit outdated compared to other options that present a more content-focused approach. Ultimately, every system has pros and cons, but they all get the job done.
If you're unhappy with your TV's built-in interface, you can purchase a separate streaming device with your preferred platform. Roku and Fire TV options are often sold for as low as $20. Check out our guides to the best streaming devices and best Fire TVs for more details.
What's the difference between OLED and QLED?
OLED and QLED TVs are two of the most popular display types on the market, and each has its pros and cons.
OLED TVs have self-illuminating screens. This means they can dim and brighten each pixel to create an infinite contrast ratio. This makes OLED the ideal choice for people who want the absolute best image quality, especially if you like watching movies in a dark home theater.
QLED TVs, meanwhile, are a type of LED TV that relies on older LCD panel technology that requires a backlight to illuminate their pixels. These backlights can include multiple zones to brighten and dim specific areas, but even the most advanced QLED models can't match the pixel-level contrast of an OLED. This can cause an uneven look in dark scenes where you can see halos around bright objects or washed-out black levels that look gray.
Where QLED TVs have an edge, however, is with max brightness. Midrange and high-end QLED TVs can get brighter than most OLEDs. QLED models also tend to be less expensive than OLED TVs, and they present no risk for burn-in. For more details on the differences between each panel type, check out our QLED vs. OLED comparison.
What is burn-in?
Even the best OLED TVs are technically susceptible to an issue called burn-in. If a static image — the CNN or ESPN logo in the corner, for example — is left on the screen for hours on end, a faint, ghostly image can become stuck on the TV.
Though OLED owners should be aware of this risk, OLED TVs have specific measures built in to prevent burn-in, including pixel refreshers and pixel shift modes. Publications like Rtings have conducted long-term tests with OLEDs, and while their results do show that burn-in is possible, their tests show that people with regular viewing habits don't need to worry about it.
I've owned an LG CX OLED TV for over three years, and the display has no signs of burn-in. Though burn-in is something that QLED TV owners don't have to think twice about, in my experience, as long as you don't plan on watching CNN all day, burn-in shouldn't be a factor when deciding whether to buy an OLED.
What is HDMI 2.1?
Many 4K TVs in the mid and premium tiers now include one or more inputs that support the HDMI 2.1 standard. HDMI 2.1 enables 4K signals at 120Hz (some brands even support 144Hz with a PC), along with features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM) to provide smooth gaming performance with less lag.
Every device in your home entertainment chain needs to be compatible with the HDMI 2.1 specification to enable its features. So, if you have a gaming console hooked up to a soundbar that's connected to your TV, all three components need to support HDMI 2.1. Likewise, you need to use ultra-high-speed HDMI cables rated for 48Gbps to transmit the necessary bandwidth for an HDMI 2.1 signal. Visit our guide to the best HDMI cables for affordable recommendations.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
