Tons of TV options making you overwhelmed? Don’t worry. I have handpicked the best TVs you can buy in 2022. But, before we delve into my recommendations, here are a few things to help you better understand the modern TV market.
- LED TVs are LCD TVs with an LED-backlighting. The early LCD TVs featured cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlighting, but that’s no longer the case.
- OLED and LCD are the two main display types you’ll find in the market. However, both have their advantages and disadvantages.
- OLED TVs are capable of displaying perfect blacks, which helps them achieve a near-infinite contrast ratio. As a result, they are best suited for a dark room setting and offer wide viewing angles. But OLED TVs are typically more expensive than LED-backlit LCD TVs and are susceptible to burn-in. Moreover, they don’t get very bright, hampering their HDR performance. But picture quality-wise, they are still the best televisions you can buy. QD-OLED TVs may surpass them, but the first QD-OLED TVs are still a few months away, and they are likely to be more expensive than OLED TVs.
- LED-backlit LCD or LED TVs rely on full-array local dimming to improve their black levels and contrast performance. However, they can get significantly brighter than OLED TVs and are comparably cheaper. QLED TVs are essentially LED TVs with a layer of color purifying quantum dots, typically produce lifelike colors, and are better than regular LED TVs in terms of picture quality. If you plan to place your TV in a room with a lot of ambient light, LED TVs are typically a better option than OLED TVs as their high brightness allows them to better counter glare.
- If you are buying an LED TV, try to get a TV that has full-array local dimming and VA-type panel. Mini-LED backlighting is nice to have, but it is typically only available on higher-end models.
- 4K is the best choice in terms of the display resolution for TVs right now. This is because the availability of 4K content is constantly increasing, and 4K TVs are cheaper than ever.
- 55-inch TVs typically offer the best bang for the buck, but 65-inch TVs have also started getting a lot more affordable. However, for 75-inch TVs or bigger sizes, you still need to pay a premium.
- While most 4K TVs have HDR support, you also want your TV to have Dolby Vision and HDR10+ to get the best HDR experience. These are advanced HDR formats that can include metadata to adjust brightness on a scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame basis. That said, even just getting Dolby Vision support is quite good as there isn’t a lot of HDR10+ around.
- Gamers would want features like variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode, low input lag, fast response time, and HDMI 2.1.
Best televisions
| Best OLED TV for most people | Best LED TV for most people | Ultimate OLED TV | Ultimate LED TV | Best budget OLED TV | Best budget LED TV |
| LG C1 | Hisense U8G | Sony A90J | Samsung QN90A | LG A1 | Hisense U6G |
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Best OLED TV for most people: LG C1
The LG C1 is the best OLED TV for most people. It has everything you might want for movie-watching, gaming, or PC monitor usage. The TV offers stunning picture quality thanks to its perfect blacks and near-infinite contrast ratio. However, it doesn’t get as bright as the company’s higher-end LG G1 TV, but its brightness is sufficient for a decent HDR performance. Speaking of HDR, there is Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10 support on the TV. If you want a slightly brighter OLED TV, LG also sells the G1, which is the company’s flagship 4K OLED TV model. The G1 uses the OLED evo panel, which is said to be 20% brighter than the display on the LG C1.
Coming back to the C1, it also comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports, including one that also supports eARC. So whether you are connecting Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, you’ll be able to enjoy 4K gaming at 120fps. In addition, there is variable refresh rate (VRR) support and auto low latency mode (ALLM) in other gaming features.
LG uses webOS on its smart TVs on the software front, including the C1. webOS is decent, although you’ll occasionally encounter a bug or two. Thankfully, it has apps for all popular streaming services, like Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, and HBO Max.
I own this TV, and after over three months of usage, I wholeheartedly recommend it.
You can get the LG C1 in five screen sizes—48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, and 83-inch. The 48-inch model is the best option if you want to use it as a PC monitor.
You can check out my best OLED TV recommendations for even more OLED TV options.
Best LED TV for most people: Hisense U8G
Hisense is producing some of the best bang for the buck LED TVs. If you want an LED, the U8G is the best option. It is a 4K TV that uses a VA-type panel and full-array local dimming, providing deep blacks and an excellent contrast ratio. The U8G also gets very bright in both SDR and HDR. All this makes watching movies and TV shows on the TV a superb experience.
Moreover, as the Hisense TV uses quantum dot technology, the TV display vivid and lifelike colors with great accuracy.
Other features include support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced, and Dolby Atmos. The U8G is also great for gaming and has two HDMI 2.1 ports. As a result, you can play games in 4K at 120 fps with very low input lag and a great response time.
The U8G is powered by Android TV software that is good and relatively easy to use. In addition, it provides access to all popular streaming apps.
Unfortunately, as the U8G uses a VA-type panel, the viewing angles of the TV aren’t good. But it’s not a big problem unless you frequently watch TV with a group of people.
The Hisense U8G is available in 55-inch and 65-inch models. If you want to go even bigger, Hisense sells its U9DG TV in 75-inch size, which is an equally great TV.
> Buy the Hisense U8G from Amazon
Ultimate OLED TV: Sony A90J
It is no secret that Sony makes great TVs, and if you are looking to buy the best possible OLED TV on the market, the A90J is the TV for you. It delivers exceptional picture quality, thanks to the OLED panel that gets even brighter than the OLED panel on the C1. Moreover, Sony’s impressive processing ensures you get the best possible picture on your TV.
The A90J looks and feels premium. Whether you are going to hang it on a wall or place it on an entertainment center, it will make an impression. You also get a new adjustable stand that you can use raised for soundbar placement or flat to bring the TV flush against the table. Additionally, the TV is built well, and you get your money’s worth.
Dolby Vision and HDR10 are supported for HDR content. In addition, Dolby Atmos support is also present. In terms of inputs, there are four HDMI ports (including two with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth) and one USB 3.0 port.
Google TV software handles the smart TV duties, and it’s good. You get access to all popular streaming services, tons of other apps, and games.
If you will use the A90J for gaming, you’ll be happy to know that it has low input lag and provides near-instant response time. You can also game in 4K at 120fps. The only area of concern with the A90J is the lack of VRR and ALLM. Sony says both features will be available via a firmware update. But it has been several months, and the update is not in sight. So if these two features are crucial for you, you are better off with the LG G1 OLED TV. The G1 also gets almost as bright as the A90J, and it has all the gaming features you may need, including VRR and ALLM.
The Sony A90J comes in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 83-inch sizes.
> Buy the Sony A90J from Amazon
Ultimate LED TV: Samsung QN90A
While the Hisense U8G is an excellent choice for most people, the Samsung QN90A is the best LED TV you can buy if money is no bar. It costs as much as an OLED TV, and it can justify the price.
The TV uses quantum dot technology to offer vibrant and lifelike colors. It also packs Mini-LEDs for backlighting, which allow it to provide high peak brightness levels. Additionally, Samsung has included a VA-type panel and full-array local dimming for deep blacks and an impressive contrast ratio. But local dimming results in some blooming.
The company’s Ultra Viewing Angle technology ensures that the TV has decent viewing angles, rare for TVs with VA-type panels.
Design is another area where the Samsung QN90A excels. It looks premium and has a thin profile. If you are going to hang it, it will sit flush against the wall.
HDR10+ and HDR10 are supported for high-dynamic range content. However, the lack of Dolby Vision support is a bummer.
The QN90A shines on the gaming front. It has a quick response time and very low input lag. Moreover, it comes with VRR, ALLM, and support for 4K gaming at 120Hz. Unfortunately, there is just one HDMI 2.1 port, which can be an issue for people with multiple devices to plug into HDMI 2.1 ports.
The Samsung QN90A is available in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 98-inch sizes. Except for the 43-inch model, which lacks VRR and has a 60Hz panel, all sizes have the same features.
> Buy the Samsung QN90A from Amazon
Best Budget OLED TV: LG A1
If you want an OLED TV but don’t want to shell out too much for it, the LG A1 is perfect for you. It isn’t super cheap, but it is one of the most affordable OLED TVs. Despite its lower price tag, it delivers superb picture quality as the LG C1. You get perfect blacks and a near-infinite contrast ratio.
The TV also packs Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10 for high dynamic range content. But as the A1 doesn’t get very bright in HDR, small highlights don’t stand out very well. That said, you should still enjoy most of the content.
To reach the A1’s price, LG has made some sacrifices. The key ones include using a 60Hz panel instead of a 120Hz panel, lack of HDMI 2.1 support, and there is no VRR. So essentially, if you plan to game on PS5, Series X, or one of the newer high-end PC graphics cards, the A1 won’t allow you to get the best out of your gaming machine. The LG C1 and the G1 are better OLED TV options for gaming.
However, the A1 is still a decent TV for casual gaming. It has a low input lag and quick response time. The TV also features ALLM support.
The LG A1 comes in 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch sizes.
Best Budget LED TV: Hisense U6G
As mentioned earlier, Hisense makes some of the best value for money TVs, and its U6G is an excellent TV if you can’t spend a lot. It’s an entry-level 4K model, so obviously, it is missing some features, mainly on the gaming front, but apart from that, it has everything you need for a good TV experience.
Thanks to its VA-type panel, the TV has an excellent native contrast ratio. Hisense has also added full-array local dimming, but it doesn’t help a lot because of a relatively low number of dimming zones. However, the TV does get decently bright in both SDR and HDR.
Additionally, the U6G packs quantum dot technology that helps it produce accurate and vibrant colors.TV also handles upscaling well, and if you are watching a lot of lower-resolution content, like DVDs and cable TV, you will have no issues.
In terms of HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR10 are available. So you can enjoy high dynamic content from pretty much all sources.
The TV runs on the Android TV platform, which does the job well as I have already mentioned. It also has tons of apps and games.
Casual gamers will be happy to know that the Hisense U6G provides very low input lag and a great response time. However, the panel is 60Hz, so you can’t game in 120Hz. Moreover, there are no HDMI 2.1 ports or support for VRR. But the TV packs ALLM.
You can buy the U6G in 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch sizes.