Tag: TVs

This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, Digital Trends and Yahoo Inc. may earn a commission.

Editor’s note: The biggest shopping day of the year — Black Friday — is almost here, and there are already TV deals you can grab. You can get Samsung’s 65-inch S90C for only $1,000. It’s a deal that we think makes it the best OLED to buy right now. You can save on more than just TVs on Black Friday. Check out our other Black Friday deals for more sales on headphones, streaming devices, phones, and more.

If you’re on the hunt for the best TV for whatever you’re into — movies and TV, sports, or gaming (check out our list of the best gaming TVs) — sitting at the top of the TV pyramid are OLED TVs. In lieu of traditional LED backlighting, OLED TVs use millions of self-emissive pixels (that create their own light and are not backlit) to create rich colors, inky blacks, and zero light blooming — in short, arguably the best picture in the business. Over the last several years, LG has been the predominant manufacturer of OLED TVss, but now the company competes with Samsung and Sony in the OLED marketplace.

With numerous models and sizes to choose from, three of the best TV brands make OLEDs, and they’re all worth considering. To help you hone in on the best TVs, we’ve created this list of the best OLED TVs for 2024.

Best overall OLED TV

LG OLED Evo G4

LG G4 OLED Review

Pros

• Unprecedented flexibility

• Awesome gaming performance

Cons

LG has done it again folks. One of our favorite TVs of 2023 was the amazing LG G3 Series, and now that set has been ousted from its throne… only to be replaced by the LG G4.

Much like its older brother, the G4 leverages Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology to achieve the kind of brightness levels we’d expect from an LED-LCD. We’ve put the G4 through several picture tests and were absolutely blown away by its peak luminance, breathtaking colors, and next-level HDR performance. LG has long been a TV brand one gravitates toward for picture accuracy, and thanks to features like Filmmaker Mode on the G4, that reputation continues.

As part of LG’s Gallery (what the “G” in G4 stands for) lineup, this OLED is designed to look like a piece of artwork when mounted to a wall. And if you purchase the 77-, 83-, or 97-inch version of the G4, the low-profile wall mount comes in the box (the 55- and 65-inch versions come with a tabletop stand). Each of the TV’s four HDMI ports are 2.1 certified, with resolution and refresh rate capped at 4K/120Hz. Action movies, sports, and gaming will look particularly great on the G4, and lower-res sources get the 4K upscaling treatment.

While webOS 24 and the included LG Magic Remote may not be for everyone, we have no doubt that if you’re looking for the best OLED picture that money can buy in 2024, you’ll be hard-pressed to do better than the LG G4 Series.

LG OLED Evo G4

Best overall OLED TV

Runner-up

LG OLED Evo C4

Pros

• Great black levels and color accuracy

• Stellar HDR highlights and vibrant colors

• Solid gaming optimizations

Cons

• Lackluster off-angle viewing

One of our favorite things about LG is that even though brands like Sony and Samsung have started getting very competitive with models like the A95L and S95D (these are QD-OLED TVs), LG hasn’t gone back to the drawing board to attempt to come up with picture tech that’s bolder and better. Instead, the company is sticking to its OLED roots, which leads us to the LG C4 OLED Evo.

Available in sizes ranging from 42 to 83 inches, the LG C4 is a great TV for everything from movies and shows to video games. And thanks to features like Brightness Booster Max, spectacular highlights and HDR colors really stand out on this set; even in a brightly lit room. We do recommend watching from as centered of a seating position as possible though, as there’s a bit of a green overcast to the image when viewing off-angle.

Calling all gamers: Not only does the LG C4 have four HDMI 2.1 ports and 144Hz refresh rate capabilities, but features like VRR support lead to some of the best response times and lag-free performance we’ve ever seen on an OLED. The LG C4 is also equipped with LG’s webOS 24 for accessing streaming service apps like Netflix and Disney+, or streaming tunes via AirPlay 2.

Historically, OLED TVs have always looked the best in dark rooms, so if your living room is often bathed in sunlight, the C4 Series may not be the best fit for your home. For that, have a look at our list of the best QLED TVs instead.

LG OLED Evo C4

Runner-up

A wire-free flagship

LG M3 Wireless OLED

LG M3 Wireless OLED Review

Pros

• Gorgeous OLED picture quality

• Low-latency wireless for gaming

• Solid wireless signal connection

Cons

• Wireless box needs true line of sight

It was only a matter of time before a TV company decided to go wireless, at least in terms of AV connectivity. Sure, Samsung’s One Connect tech is great for consolidating wire clutter, but the LG M3 Series goes a step further by eliminating cable leads altogether. That’s right: The M3 Series wirelessly beams picture and sound to the TV via its Zero Connect Box.

A line-of-sight peripheral that should be placed no further than 30 feet away from the M3 Series, you’ll be able to connect everything from streaming devices to gaming consoles to the Zero Connect. Caleb Denison, our editor-at-large, has had the privilege of seeing this bad boy in action, and reported that there is no discernible picture difference between a tried and true HDMI cable and the M3’s wireless tech.

As for overall picture quality, the LG M3 is simply a beast. As we’ve come to expect from the kinds of OLED, LG’s M3 Series delivers excellent color and contrast, on top of class-leading brightness for an OLED display. LG’s phenomenal a9 AI Processor Gen 6 is responsible for the TV’s image upscaling, and it does a terrific job at further enhancing visuals for each and every frame.

The M3 is also optimized for next-gen gaming, with resolution and motion clarity topping out at 4K/120Hz. You’ll be able to grab this model in 77-, 83-, and 98-inch sizes, and even though this is LG’s first foray into wireless TV tech, the execution is already excellent and we can’t wait to see what future iterations of the M3 Series will look and sound like.

LG M3 Wireless OLED

A wire-free flagship

More

The best OLED for videophiles

Sony XR A95L

Sony Bravia A95L Review

Pros

• Outstanding color accuracy and brightness

• Excellent contrast and luminance

• Gorgeous game mode picture quality

• Incredibly good upscaling

Cons

• Some deep features not available at launch

We finished our review of the Sony XR A95L as very happy campers. In fact, we awarded the latest Sony QD-OLED flagship a perfect five out of five stars. This TV is seriously good, and because we’re dealing with a QD-OLED display, there’s plenty of brightness, colors, and contrast perks thanks to those onboard quantum dots. But we’re really just scratching the surface with those highlights; so let’s take a look under the hood.

As we’ve come to expect from most Sony sets, the formidable A95L is equipped with the company’s Cognitive Processor XR (CPXR) as the main brains behind the picture. As it handles everything from frame-to-frame improvements and 4K upscaling, we’ve always been major fans of Sony’s picture engine, but when you combine the CPXR with the A95L’s native panel tech and XR Triluminos Max, you get movies, shows, and video games that look like they could leap right off the screen.

This is also the first of Sony’s QD-OLEDs to be equipped with the Pentonic 1000 HDMI chipset, which allows for Dolby Vision gameplay at up to 120Hz. That’s on top of other gaming features like VRR support and HDMI 2.1 connectivity.

As for the latter, only two of the TV’s four ports support the latest HDMI standard, and as our own Caleb Denison points out in his review, one of these ports is also the TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port. This may pose a little trouble for those who may want to use the eARC connection for Dolby Atmos or HDMI CEC purposes, but one can always invest in an HDMI switcher if push comes to shove.

Beyond that one minor hitch, the Sony A95L lives right on the cutting edge of TV tech, and other manufacturers should definitely be taking notes.

If you’re in the market for a 55-inch model, you can take advantage of Best Buy’s $200 price cut on the Sony A95L.

Sony XR A95L

The best OLED for videophiles

More

A runner-up Sony OLED

Sony Bravia 8 Series

Pros

• Unbeatable black levels and rich colors

• Fantastic HDR performance

• Low input lag and fast response time

Cons

• HDMI 2.1 is limited to two ports

• Not as bright as other OLEDs

For 2024, Sony decided to part ways with the medley of random letters and numbers that generally make up its TV models. Instead, we’re getting simplified Bravia 3, 7, 8, and 9 Series labeling, and only one of these models is a 2024 Sony OLED: the Bravia 8 Series. And unlike the flagship Sony A95L QD-OLED, the Bravia 8 uses a WOLED panel. While this doesn’t really affect the TV’s contrast performance, the loss of quantum dots does make for a less vibrant image overall.

But OLED TVs aren’t renowned for brightness to begin with (that’s where the best QLED TVs come into play); although the Bravia 8 does bring exceptional SDR and HDR brightness to the table. The Bravia 8 does an excellent job at standing up to ambient lighting and has a wide viewing angle, so every seat in the living room is the right seat. We’re also glad to see that Sony included a few gaming optimizations on the Bravia 8 too, including VRR support and an automatic Game Mode. In fact, the only drawback for gamers is that HDMI 2.1 is confined to two of the TV’s four HDMI ports.

Available in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes, the Bravia 8 has a 50-watt, 2.1 speaker system, which produces a surprising amount of audio for a TV. As for all things apps, games, and smart home, Google TV is the OS and streaming hub for the job. Indulge in Netflix, cast media using AirPlay 2, or call upon Google Assistant to dim your smart lights.

The Sony Bravia 8 Series may not be the best TV for every Sony fan, but it’s still one of our favorite OLED sets of the year. And if you go with one of the smaller sizes, there’s a good chance you’ll find this TV on our list of the best TVs under $1,000 eventually.

Sony Bravia 8 Series

A runner-up Sony OLED

Best Samsung OLED

Samsung S95D QD-OLED

Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV Review

Pros

Cons

• Anti-glare treatment is polarizing

• Blacks may appear lifted in bright rooms

While we couldn’t help but leave the Samsung S95C in our roundup for the time being, 2024 has given us the incredible Samsung S95D. This is the third generation of Samsung’s QD-OLED technology, combining quantum dots and self-emissive pixels to deliver a TV with plenty of picture detail — especially when it comes time to dig into its color palette.

At one time, brightness was a major concern when buying an OLED TV, but sets like the S95D lay those worries to rest. In our own picture tests, editor-at-large Caleb Denison clocked 1,450 nits for peak brightness performance. While this isn’t exactly on par with QLEDs like the Hisense U8N, this type of brightness is a huge step forward for all OLEDs, not to mention the TV’s anti-glare matte screen, which helps to cut down on how much ambient lighting interferes with your picture.

The S95D is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 inputs, and supports 4K/144Hz with Variable Refresh Rate. Whether you plan on hooking up your console or gaming PC, you’ll get near-instant response time and super-low input lag with this Samsung QD-OLED. We were also quite impressed by the S95D’s built-in speakers, which brought far bigger sound to the table than we’re used to from any modern TV.

Available in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, the Samsung S95D QD-OLED is further proof that Samsung knows exactly what it’s doing with OLED technology.

Samsung S95D QD-OLED

Best Samsung OLED

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an OLED TV?

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and its signature characteristic is that each pixel on the screen of an OLED TV emits its own light and color and can be turned completely off to deliver true black color.

OLED versus QLED: which is better?

Be sure to check out our QLED versus OLED explainer. In general, OLED TVs produce a higher-quality image than QLED TVs, but there are caveats. QLED TVs get brighter, and so they’re the better choice for brightly-lit rooms.

Is OLED better than 4K?

Trick question! OLED is a description of a kind of TV display, whereas 4K refers to a TV’s native resolution. Like LED and QLED TVs, you can buy 4K and even 8K OLED TVs — the choice is yours.

What should I look for in an OLED TV?

If you’re a gamer, make sure your OLED TV supports HDMI 2.1 at the least, and in an ideal world, it should have Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, too. If you’re a cinephile or video maven, find a model with the best picture processing.

Is OLED the best TV technology?

We think OLED TVs still currently produce the best overall image quality, but upcoming new formats such as QD-OLED, microLED and mini-LED-based QLED TVs are starting to threaten OLED TV’s crown.

Do OLED TVs have HDR?

Yes, all OLED TVs are compatible with at least HDR10 — the most common HDR format — while most offer support for HLG and Dolby Vision, too.

Do OLED TVs have problems with burn-in?

For the vast majority of buyers, burn-in will not be a problem, but it can happen. When it occurs, it’s usually because someone has set their OLED TV to show a TV channel or a video game that has on-screen graphics that don’t move much or at all and left it there for many hours each day, for many days in a row.

Who makes the best OLED TV?

We believe that LG Electronics makes the best overall OLED TV: the G4 Gallery Series. That said, Sony’s image processing is slightly better, so if image perfection is your main yardstick, a Sony OLED TV is a great way to go.

While you’ll be hard pressed to find an OLED on our list of the best TVs under $500, this is a perfect example of getting what you pay for (at least when it comes to TV technology).

Is an OLED TV worth it?

Yes. OLED TVs are definitely expensive when compared to some other options, but their black levels, contrast, and color make for an awesome viewing experience.

How do we test TVs?

We’ve tested a lot of TVs. A lot. Our editor-at-large and resident TV expert, Caleb Denison, has been covering the TV and home theater space for decades. He’s one of the best int he business. But rather than trying to detail his reviewing process here, he’s laid it all out in this excellent explainer on how he tests TVs.

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.