Shopping for a new TV can be challenging; with so many different manufacturers, it can be hard to know which is the best TV brand and where to start. It's difficult to simplify an entire brand lineup and declare one brand better than the others, as each brand releases good and bad models, but there are a few trends across brands that can provide you with a good starting point. Most of our recommendation articles take price into consideration. However, for the purpose of this article, we pick a model from each brand that performs the best overall across over 350 tests that we do, regardless of price. The TVs in this article are all higher-end, so most of them provide solid image quality overall and offer a wide range of extra features.
From smart features to design, each TV brand has its own way of doing things. So, how do they stack up? Keep reading to see our take on the best TV brands. Also, see our recommendations for the best Mini LED TVs, the best OLED TVs, and the best 4k TVs, or vote on which TVs you want us to buy and test. If you want to see what each brand is releasing later this year, check out our 2026 TV lineup page.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
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Best Samsung TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:MattePanel Type:OLEDSub-Type:QD-OLEDDolby Vision:NoSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 77" 83"Samsung releases one of the widest selections of TV models on the market. From cheap, entry-level models with basic features and lackluster picture quality up to high-end OLED, RGB Mini LED, lifestyle models, and even a few 8k TVs, there's something for everyone. Entry-level and mid-range Samsung TVs are usually poor value propositions and aren't worth buying, and you're better off looking at a competing model from more typical budget brands like TCL and Hisense. Samsung's high-end lineups deliver far better performance overall, and these fall into two main lineups: OLED and QLED.
The best Samsung TV that we've tested in 2026 is the Samsung S95H OLED. This TV delivers truly fantastic picture quality, with bright, vibrant colors, high peak brightness, and perfect contrast. Its matte coating effectively eliminates glare for daytime viewing, but the QD-OLED panel structure adds an unfortunate purple tint that may bother some people. It's an incredibly feature-rich TV, with an amazing selection of gaming features like VRR, and it has low input lag and a nearly instantaneous response time, so fast action is crystal-clear.
For more options from Samsung, check out the best Samsung TVs.
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Best LG TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:OLEDSub-Type:WOLEDDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 77" 83" 97"LG is one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world, and they release a wide range of new models every year. They're best-known for their OLED lineup, but they also release a decent selection of LED models each year. Their OLEDs are almost always fantastic choices, with an incredible selection of extra features for gaming or watching movies. Their TVs are suitable for both casual viewing and a more discerning eye, and most of their TVs offer both accurate and vibrant picture modes, depending on what you prefer. Their LED lineup isn't as polished, though, as they often have low contrast, and they usually offer worse value overall than competing models from brands like TCL or Hisense.
The LG G6 is the best LG TV we've tested in 2026. It's a fantastic OLED with truly stunning picture quality, with perfect inky blacks that give your shows and movies an almost-3D appearance. It's a versatile choice, with high peak brightness and excellent reflection handling that helps it maintain its picture quality even during the day. It also has a wide selection of gaming features, so you can take full advantage of the latest gaming consoles. Its webOS smart interface is polished, easy to use, and has a massive selection of streaming apps so you can quickly jump into your favorite content without the additional expense of an external streaming box.
Take a look at the best LG TVs for more options.
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Best Sony TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:120HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:OLEDSub-Type:QD-OLEDDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65"Sony has a much smaller TV lineup than most other TV manufacturers, releasing only a handful of models. Their release schedule is also a bit different, as they don't always release new models every year and instead target a roughly 18- to 24-month cycle for their models. They recently partnered with TCL to spin off their TV line into a separate business, so it's unclear what the future will hold for Sony TVs, but we expect they'll still be around for years to come. Speaking of TVs, Sony primarily focuses on LCD models, but they usually have one or two OLED models available on the market. Their TVs are typically very expensive, but they tend to have the best picture quality on the market, with a strong focus on creative intent. They also tend to have the best processing overall.
The Sony BRAVIA 8 II OLED is the best Sony TV we've tested. Although it's a 2025 model, it's Sony's only OLED model currently on the market, and it holds its own against the 2026 competitors. It delivers impressive picture quality, with bright, vibrant colors, though it's a bit less accurate than Sony typically delivers out of the box. It has impressive processing capabilities, great for watching lower-quality streaming channels or older cable channels, and it takes full advantage of the latest gaming consoles. It runs the Google TV smart interface, which has the widest selection of apps available on any smart platform, and it integrates easily into your existing smart home experience, if you have one.
You can also check out the best Sony TVs for more options.
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Best TCL TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:75" 85" 98"Although commonly seen as a budget brand, TCL has taken the TV industry by storm over the last few years and is now one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world. They only release LED models in the U.S., but unlike most brands on this list, they make nearly everything that goes into their TVs in-house. They release a wide range of LED TVs each year, covering everything from the cheapest budget models up to the most advanced premium LED TVs on the market. Their TVs tend to go for a punchy image over accuracy, though, so if you care primarily about creative intent, you're usually better off looking at other options from LG, Samsung, or Sony.
The best TCL TV we've tested is the TCL X11L. This incredible TV is amazingly bright, with some of the brightest, most vibrant colors that you can get from any display technology. It's also feature-packed, with a huge selection of gaming features that allow you to get the most out of any console or gaming PC. Like the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED above, it runs the Google TV smart interface, with the same amazing selection of streaming apps and quick and easy smart home integration. It's not perfect, though, and as we mentioned above, it doesn't follow creative intent all that well. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you care about accuracy, it's a noticeable issue.
You can check out the best TCL TVs for more options.
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Best Hisense TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 100"Like TCL above, Hisense is more traditionally known as a budget brand, but they've been working to change that impression in recent years. They now release a moderate selection of TVs each year, covering everything from budget to high-end models, but the selection isn't quite as wide as TCL's. Like TCL, they only release LED models in North America. You'll find many of the same features and a similar overall experience to TCL on most of their TVs, but again, they're not quite as accurate if you care about that sort of thing.
The Hisense U8QG is the best Hisense TV we've tested. It's a great TV overall, with extremely high peak brightness and incredible contrast, making it a versatile TV that works well in any room setup. It has a wide selection of features for gamers, including VRR support to reduce tearing and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can take full advantage of the latest gaming consoles. Like TCL and Sony, it runs the Google TV smart platform, which has a massive selection of apps.
See the best Hisense TVs to check out some other models.
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Best Panasonic TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:OLEDSub-Type:WOLEDDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 77"Panasonic has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the North American TV market, and recently sold their TV business to Skyworth. They don't release many models, only a handful each year, but they try to cover all market segments with at least one model. They release both LED and OLED models, and their TVs tend to perform well, with a strong focus on delivering an accurate image.
The best Panasonic TV we've tested is the Panasonic Z95B OLED. It offers impressive brightness and punchy colors that really pop. Combine that with the TV's inky blacks, and you get a top-tier HDR viewing experience in a dark room. On top of that, the TV has the SDR brightness and reflection handling needed to overcome glare in a well-lit room. Furthermore, it has excellent image processing, which is especially useful when watching lower-quality streaming channels, making it a versatile model. It also has a very wide viewing angle, so it's suitable for wide seating arrangements. To top it off, it's very accurate out of the box, so this model respects the filmmaker's intent without calibration.
Recent Updates
Jun 05, 2026:
We switched our picks in the LG, Samsung, and TCL sections of the article to their 2026 models and added a description of each brand at the start of each section. We've removed the Vizio and Roku sections as these brands don't release many models.
Mar 25, 2026:
We replaced the Roku Pro Series 2024 with the Roku Pro Series 2025 in the 'Best Roku TV' category.
Jan 29, 2026:
We confirmed the accuracy and availability of our current picks.
Jan 09, 2026:
We replaced the Sony A95L OLED with the Sony BRAVIA 8 II OLED in the 'Best Sony TV' category since the former is no longer available in most sizes.
Nov 26, 2025:
We confirmed the accuracy and availability of our current picks.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best TVs available from the six biggest TV brands in the U.S. There's not a definitive best smart TV brand, and all models on this list are loaded with features, so it really comes down to what OS you prefer if smart features are important to you.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our TV reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them. Also, keep in mind that our scores aren't comparable across different test benches, so the older TVs in the list below score higher than they would today.