The Breaker Times

When it comes to the best TV brands on the market, you’ll find numerous options from companies like Samsung, Sony, LG, and many others. And while some TVs are best suited to run your PlayStation and Xbox titles (we have an entire list of gaming TVs for you to look through), other sets are renowned for color and contrast accuracy. You’ll find many of these cinema-approved screens in our best OLED TVs roundup, but what about TVs that use conventional LED lighting? 

Fortunately, we’re all about keeping our favorite apples in the same basket, which is why we’ve created the roundup of the best TVs you can buy in 2024. Whether you’re a QLED, OLED, or QD-OLED fan, or you’re looking for a giant monitor for your PC gaming rig, our list has a TV for just about every want or need.

Sony A95L QD-OLED

The best TV you can buy right now

Our current top pick remains the Sony A95L QD-OLED. When it came out last year, our Caleb Denison called it the best TV he’s ever reviewed, so you know you’re in for some seriously good picture, sound, and other features. And yeah, Sony’s 2023 flagship is still a killer TV, that just so happens to be equipped with cutting-edge QD-OLED display tech.

For those unaware, “QD-OLED” stands for Quantum Dot-Organic Light Emitting Diode. What we’ve got here is an OLED backbone, complete with a screen that contains self-emissive pixels. But on top of that, there’s also a layer of quantum dots built into the A95L, which does wonders for overall color and peak brightness level, not to mention the supremely wide color gamut you’ll get to experience.

It’s not too often we get to rave about a TV’s audio system, but we couldn’t believe the type of sound quality the A95L is capable of. With such bold performance and brilliant soundstaging, you’d think you were using a great soundbar or surround sound-lite, but nope: it’s all in the TV speakers, friends.

Picture-wise, the list of terrific things to say is nearly endless, but highlights include some of the best color purity and saturation levels we’ve ever seen; or at least one with these nit numbers. The A95L also delivers some tremendous 4K upscaling, which not only brings lower-res content closer to Ultra HD quality, but also reduces picture noise and other artifacts to give you final frames that clean and sharp look. The A95L is also a fantastic TV for gaming, especially for those who own a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S.

Price-wise, this is going to be one of the most expensive picks on our list, but we really can’t praise the Sony A95L enough. And if you’re on the lookout for a super-great deal on one of last year’s flagship sets, now is the time to track down a Sony A95K.

Sony A95L QD-OLED

The best TV you can buy right now

LG G4 evo OLED

The best OLED that LG has ever made

Last year, we were totally gung ho about the amazing LG G3 OLED, a marvel of self-emissive picture that you can still buy — and you should, as they’re likely to go on sale now that the 2024s are here. For now, though, it’s the LG G4’s time to shine.

In our LG G4 video review, Denison not only says that “the LG G4 has the best picture quality I’ve ever tested in a TV,” but that “it’s the brightest TV we’ve tested to date.” This is some high praise, but he does add that getting it there takes a little bit of work in the picture settings. In the end, it has some excellent versatility — it can be the brightest it can be if you’re going to use it in a bright room, or it can be dialed down if your viewing setting is a man cave or light-controlled home theater room, for example. The choice is yours.

There’s been plenty of fanfare about Samsung and Sony’s forays into QD-OLED tech, which has enjoyed the reputation of being brighter than OLED. We’re big fans of QLED and QD-OLED panels, but now LG is forcing its two fiercest competitors to take heed. We’re also pleased to see LG’s latest chip, the a11 AI processor, put to the test. The speedy new chip brings improved processing speed, unparalleled picture upscaling, lag-free streaming, and big audio performance to LG’s flagship lineup.

LG G4 evo OLED

The best OLED that LG has ever made

Samsung S95D OLED TV

Samsung’s best for bright rooms

The Samsung S95D is further proof that one of the biggest names in TVs shows no signs of stopping. The S95D QD-OLED delivers impressive brightness levels on-par with some of the better-performing LED sets on the market. Another OLED TVs struggle in sunny rooms, but the S95D’s anti-glare screen holds its own, making it a great choice for spaces for even brightly lit rooms. Then there’s the flip side of this awesome coin: its OLED backbone. Thanks to millions of self-emissive pixels, on top of brilliant HDR capabilities, inky black levels and ultra-rich colors are just part of the norm for the S95D.

The S95D’s marquee feature that has been dividing TV enthusiasts is its special anti-glare coating, that’s new to the TV this year. We first saw it demoed at CES earlier this year, and it’s cool tech that does a great job at drastically reducing glare, especially in bright rooms. However, it can ever-so-slightly reduce the picture’s luster compared to traditional OLED TVs. In a completely dark room, you probably wouldn’t notice the difference, but with some light in the room, a keen eye might pick up on it.

The Samsung S95D also surprised us a bit with how good it sounds. Usually, TVs have pretty weak built-in speakers. The S95D’s has rear-firing speakers and eight bass transducers that deliver decent low-end rumble. It won’t replace a dedicated soundbar, but for casual viewing, it gets the job done. Especially if you plan on mounting this TV on the wall, where the speaker design performs best.

The Samsung S95D is a strong contender for the title of best OLED TV, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention that it features Samsung’s One Connect box that keeps your cables at bay. One of our only gripes is that it runs Samsung’s Tizen operating system, which can be easily remedied by connecting your favorite streaming device instead. If you prioritize absolute picture perfection in a dark room over reflection control, you might want to consider other options. But for most viewers, the S95D is a winner.

Samsung S95D OLED TV

Samsung’s best for bright rooms

LG M3 Wireless OLED

Premium picture meets cutting-edge tech

The LG M3 Wireless OLED has arrived to solve a problem that a lot of home theaters struggle with: having too many wires to run. When it comes to power cables, we’ll always be reliant on a lead and power brick (at least for the foreseeable future), but as far as AV connections go (HDMI and digital optical), this is where TVs like the LG M3 are starting to change the game. In terms of picture quality, the M3 is pretty much toe-to-toe with the amazing LG G3, our favorite OLED this year. But the true calling card feature is the M3’s ability to wirelessly receive picture and sound from a broadcasting unit called the Zero Connect Box.

The Zero Connect includes three HDMI ports that can push 4K at up to 120Hz (and the second port is eARC/ARC compatible), digital optical, ethernet, two USB-A, and an output for an IR blaster. And as long as the transmitting device is in range of the M3 TV’s receiver, you’ll be able to enjoy wireless audio and video. Do keep in mind that if you’re planning on using a soundbar, you’ll want to have the Zero Connect located fairly close to the TV, otherwise, you probably won’t have enough cord length to place the soundbar under the M3.

As mentioned, the picture quality on this model is right on par with the LG G3, and when we tested the M3 ourselves, we experienced zero troubles with latency or any kind of compression or pixelation. This is definitely the kind of next-gen TV that leans on one awesome feature more than any other, and at $5,000 we do wish the Zero Connect box was a little smaller and completely reliable in the signal-range department. But if you told us a year ago that we’d have the ability to go wireless with our HDMI gear, and the picture and sound would be just as good as running physical cables, we’d scoff and laugh. But the LG M3 Wireless OLED has proved us wrong.

LG M3 Wireless OLED

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Premium picture meets cutting-edge tech

Hisense U8N

Our favorite Hisense

It’s getting harder and harder for us to call Hisense a “budget-friendly” brand. That kind of connotation just doesn’t line up with the type of picture and sound performance you’ll get from a Hisense set, especially if you’ve got your sights set on one of its U8 offerings.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve had the continued opportunity to review several Hisense sets, including a handful of its flagship models. The 2024 Hisense U8N is the newest addition to the Hisense family, and we were simply blown away by the picture quality and medley of features this bad boy brings to the table.

The U8N is a powerful TV that delivers a brilliant and colorful image in both SDR and HDR viewing modes. When measuring nit output for these settings, our reviewer measured peak brightness at 1,300 nits in SDR, with around 3,500 for specular highlights in HDR. There’s no doubting the fact that the U8N can get very bright, but it also delivers the kind of incredible contrast numbers that might fool some folks into thinking it’s actually an OLED set.

While it suffers a bit in the viewing angle department, if you can arrange your furniture appropriately, we have no doubt that the Hisense U8N is one of the best bright TVs on the market for 2024.

Hisense U8N

Our favorite Hisense

Sony Bravia 9

The best mini-LED you can buy right now

The Sony Bravia 9 is one of the best TVs we’ve ever tested, bar-none; and quite frankly, we were expecting it to be amazing. This is because Sony has basically conditioned us to expect big things when a new premium TV hits shelves. In the case of the Bravia 9, Sony developed a new IC chip that allows the TV’s mini-LED lighting to be meticulously controlled, leading to some of the most accurate colors, contrast, and brightness levels we’ve ever seen from an LED-LCD.

In terms of overall picture quality, our own editor-at-large Caleb Denison thought the Bravia 9 actually did a nice job at striking the balance between a great mini-LED LCD TV and an OLED TV. That being said, because it’s an LCD set, the Bravia 9 performs best in brightly lit rooms and is a champ when it comes to reflection handling. From 4K movies and shows to next-gen gaming, your favorite content gets a solid boost in quality, thanks to Sony’s advanced picture processing and a full suite of HDMI 2.1 ports, which bodes particularly well for gamers who want a TV that delivers fast response time and excellent motion clarity.

One of the best ways to maximize the picture of the Bravia 9 is watching or playing HDR titles. Thanks to Dolby Vision support and compatibility with other leading HDR codecs, the Bravia 9 pushes deep blacks and bright highlights in a way we’ve never seen on an LCD set. Other noteworthy features include a pulse-pounding 70-watt, 2.2.2 audio system, Google TV for apps and streaming content, and VRR support for optimizing your next round of Call of Duty.

While we do wish the off-angle viewing and gray uniformity were a bit better, we’re thrilled to see the kind of precise engineering that went into the development of this 2024 TV.

Sony Bravia 9

The best mini-LED you can buy right now

LG C4 evo OLED

The best LG OLED for most people

Let’s not beat around the bush: The LG C4 OLED is one of the best TVs that LG has ever made, and we think most folks will agree. Sitting just one rung below the flagship LG G4 Series, the C4 is equipped with LG’s all-new a9 AI Processor Gen 7 that delivers some of the best picture processing and 4K upscaling we’ve ever seen from an OLED. And unlike its direct predecessor, the C3 Series, the C4 now includes Filmmaker Mode, giving you the kind of picture that a movie or show’s creative team intended for you to see.

Each of the C4’s HDMI 2.1 ports are fine-tuned for both console and PC gaming, so expect lightning-fast response times and low input lag. And because the C4 can handle up to a 144Hz refresh rate, feel free to use this bad boy as a big PC gaming monitor — it’s an excellent gaming TV. We’re glad to see that LG has only improved when it comes to HDR and SDR brightness, colors, and contrast.

We’re also glad to see another example of a TV company giving a little more consideration to its speakers. Not only is the C4 equipped with a 40-watt 2.2 speaker configuration, but thanks to the new A9 AI Sound Pro feature, your favorite movies, shows, games, and music can be up-mixed to 9.1.2 surround sound.

In years past, we’ve talked about how LG’s webOS streaming hub can be a little overwhelming; at least as far as layout and ad drops go. And while these interface elements could still use some love, we think webOS 24 runs smoother than ever before.

LG C4 evo OLED

The best LG OLED for most people

TCL QM8 Series (2024)

The best TCL TV for 2024

TCL has been a consistent achiever in the TV world, especially over the last couple of years. As a matter of fact, our own TV expert Caleb Denison gave considerable praise to the previous year’s TCL flagship QM8 Series, a mini-LED-driven QLED set with top-shelf brightness, colors, contrast, and motion clarity. For 2024, the new and improved QM8 brings a few meaningful changes to the table, namely enhanced brightness and a more advanced picture engine. TCL claims the new QM8 delivers double the illumination of its predecessor, with some sizes offering up to 5,000 local dimming zones.

Movie enthusiasts and gamers will love the new QM8’s picture processing and console optimizations. Each of the four HDMI ports is 2.1 certified, making this an excellent TV for lag reduction and fast response times. You’ll even be able to game at up to 4K/144Hz or 1080p/240Hz, though only one of the HDMI ports can do so. With support for leading HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+, the 2024 QM8 delivers vibrant highlights and solid black levels during dark scenes. 

As for all things apps and games, the new QM8 returns to Google TV OS. This fast and intuitive platform gives you access to hundreds of streaming apps, free live TV, AirPlay capabilities, and smart home controls via Google Assistant. 

Available in 65, 75, 85, and 98-inch sizes, the latest and greatest TCL QM8 Series is further proof that this fan-favorite TV maker shows no signs of stopping. 

TCL QM8 Series (2024)

The best TCL TV for 2024

Sony Bravia 7

The best midrange Sony for 2024

We’ve sung the praises of the Sony Bravia 9 mini-LED, a premium TV for the ages that delivers a brilliant picture, complete with top-notch upscaling, terrific colors and contrast, and impeccable motion clarity. While Sony’s Bravia 7 Series sits a couple of rungs below the flagship Bravia 9, we’re still big fans of this midrange 2024 offering. Do keep in mind we’re not talking about the best LED set Sony has this year, so there’s definitely an issue or two that we’d like to get squared away. 

First and foremost, this isn’t an excellent TV for off-angle viewing. If you happen to be placing it in a living room or media space where seating is spread around the entire room, guests sitting at the farthest ends (totally off-center with the TV screen) will see a less vibrant and colorful picture than those sitting closer to the screen’s center. We’re also not the biggest fans of the Bravia 7’s reflection handling, so this may not be the best TV for a brightly lit room. These grievances aside, our own TV expert Caleb Denison was impressed by how good this TV can look under optimal viewing conditions.

Expect incredible brightness levels, terrific colors and contrast, reliable image upscaling, and must-have gaming features like 4K/120Hz (on two HDMI ports), next to no input lag, and lightning-fast response times. The Bravia 7 is also loaded with Google TV version 12 for all things Netflix, AirPlay, and smart home. 

And if you’re thinking you may want to spend more to get into the Bravia 8 Series, do keep in mind that the latter is actually an OLED TV. Is there a big difference between QLED versus OLED TVs? Our thoughtful comparison should settle the score.

Sony Bravia 7

The best midrange Sony for 2024

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Hisense U7N

A cheaper Hisense U8N alternative

If you can’t reasonably afford the $1,000-plus splurge that the Hisense U8N requires, you can still own an amazing 2024 Hisense by going with the U7N Series. The U7N delivers similar performance peaks as the U8N and uses a similar mini-LED lighting system. However, the U8N is the better choice for overall brightness, colors, and contrast, as well as reflection handling. Our TV expert Caleb Denison also flagged this set for lackluster off-angle viewing and the occasional dirty screen effect. 

This isn’t to say you won’t be blown away by the type of picture the U7N brings to the table. On top of class-leading HDR support, the U7N has excellent gaming features, including an automatic Game Mode for reduced input lag and increased response time and 4K/144Hz (or 1080p/240Hz) support across the TV’s four HDMI 2.1 ports. Google TV OS takes care of the user menus and onboard streaming capabilities, and the remote comes with a Google Assistant button for content searches and smart home controls. 

With 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch size options available, the Hisense U7N is one of the best middle-of-the-road sets we’ve tested in 2024 so far, and it’s one of the best TVs you can buy for less than $1,000. We’re also curious to see what a couple of software updates might do for the TV’s overall performance, though we’re pretty sure brightness, colors, and contrast will remain untouched. 

Hisense U7N

A cheaper Hisense U8N alternative

Frequently Asked Questions

Glossary of terms

Here’s a rundown of some of the most common terms associated with today’s TV technology.

4K Ultra HD

This refers to a display resolution that is four times that of 1080p HD. A 4K Ultra HD TV’s pixel resolution is a 3,840 x 2,160 grid in a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in nearly 8.3 million pixels. This increase in density adds striking detail and realism to an image and allows larger screens to be viewed from closer distances without individual pixels becoming visible.

High dynamic range (HDR)

High dynamic range is probably most familiar to people through the HDR mode on their digital cameras. It’s designed to deliver a picture that has greater details in the shadows and highlights, plus a wider range of colors. HDR in televisions pursues the same goal. The color palette is wider, blacks are deeper, and whites are brighter.

Presently, there are two major HDR formats: HDR10 and Dolby Vision, with a third — HDR10+ — beginning to show up on new models, particularly those from Samsung. The first is the HDR standard, but Dolby Vision offers a premium experience. Consider a TV that supports both. HLG (hybrid log gamma) is another recent addition to the HDR collection, which supports over-the-air (OTA) broadcast content with HDR.

Full-array local dimming (FALD)

This refers to an LED TV’s backlighting system. A FALD display contains an array of LEDs spread out in a grid behind an LCD panel, rather than just at the edges of the TV. This LED array is broken up into zones that can be dimmed when necessary to achieve better black levels. Another benefit is more uniform brightness across the screen.

Wide color gamut (WCG)

These are the expanded color reproduction abilities of a 4K Ultra HD TV, which are closer than ever to what we see in a digital cinema. By approaching (or sometimes exceeding) the Digital Cinema Initiative’s (DCI) P3 color specification, a 4K UHD TV can produce billions of more colors than a 1080p HD TV.

Quantum dots

A layer of film loaded with tiny nanocrystal semiconductors is placed in a TV’s display panel to help produce a more accurate array of colors. Quantum dots work by producing a purer form of white light from a TV’s backlighting system, which helps the TV’s color filter perform more accurately.

Phosphor-coated LED

An alternative to Quantum Dots, phosphor-coated LEDs have a chemical coating to alter the light’s output. When used in a TV, this results in a purer backlight that’s more easily manipulated by a TV’s color filter, resulting in a wide color gamut and increased color accuracy.

HDMI 2.1

The latest version of the HDMI spec. It offers new enhancements for video games like variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low-latency mode (ALLM) and the ability to pass 4K signals to the TV at up to 120Hz, for ultra-smooth motion. HDMI 2.1 is a requirement for 8K video sources like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. For most non-gamers, HDMI 2.1 is a nice way to future-proof yourself but it’s nowhere near a necessity yet.

HDCP 2.3

The latest version of the High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection technology, which provides copy prevention specifically of 4K Ultra HD and 8K content. Any source device that requires HDCP 2.3 will require a TV with an HDCP 2.3-compliant HDMI port for a compatible connection.

HEVC (H.265)

Stands for “High-Efficiency Video Coding.” A compression technology developed to make large 4K UHD video files smaller and, therefore, easier to stream over broadband Internet connections. HEVC is said to double the data compression ratio over H.264, the predominant encoding technology used today for 1080p videos while retaining the same video quality. A smart TV or streaming set-top box must be able to decode HEVC to playback 4K Ultra HD video from sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

VP9

An alternative to HEVC developed by Google and used predominantly for encoding 4K Ultra HD YouTube videos. For a smart TV or streaming set-top box to play 4K Ultra HD YouTube videos, it must be able to decode VP9 videos.