For many years, TVs with LED backlights have dominated the market. Manufacturers release many LED models every year that have different features. You won't get the same excellent dark room picture quality as an OLED, but LED TVs have a few advantages compared to OLEDs (check out our article about OLED vs. LED). LED TVs' biggest advantage is their brightness, which allows them to get brighter than most OLEDs, and they're immune to permanent burn-in. However, with the rise of local dimming technology, we've discovered through testing that the best LED models also have excellent contrast ratios, giving them solid dark room performance as well.
LED TVs are also sometimes called LCDs instead. LED refers to the technology used to create the backlight, whereas LCD refers to the technology used to produce different colors and shades. As all LCD models currently on the market use LED backlights, the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Below are our recommendations for the best LED TVs in 2024 that you can buy. See also our picks for the best TVs, the best gaming TVs, and the best QLED TVs, or vote on which ones you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the 2024 models, check out our 2024 TV lineup page.
The Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED is the best LED TV we've tested. Its superb reflection handling and SDR brightness mean it easily overcomes glare in the brightest rooms, so you aren't distracted by reflections on your TV screen. As impressive as this TV is in a bright room, it's also spectacular for use in a dark room. Its black levels aren't as good as an OLED, but it still has exceptional contrast that delivers incredibly deep blacks for an LED TV, with almost no blooming. It's also a great option for 4k Blu-ray collectors or those looking to get the most out of high-quality streaming services due to its support for Dolby Vision and DTS audio formats.
The TV's image processing is excellent, and it's also very accurate in both SDR and HDR, delivering an image that respects the content creator's intent. Although its viewing angle is wider than most other LED TVs, it's still not wide enough for large group settings. However, it's a great option if you need a TV that pairs well with modern consoles. It has low input lag and a fast response time, so you get a responsive experience with minimal blur behind fast motion. The TV has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two ports, up to 4k @ 120Hz, and supports VRR, so it's fully compatible with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The best mid-range TV we've tested with an LED panel is the Hisense U8/U8N. It's an excellent TV with exceptional contrast and an impressive Mini LED local dimming feature. It delivers deep blacks in a dark room with very little distracting blooming around bright objects. The TV also has exceptional peak brightness and reflection handling, ensuring it can easily overcome glare in a bright room. It has good image processing and accuracy, although not nearly as good as the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED.
Still, it's a great TV for gaming, with up to 4k @ 144Hz support on its two HDMI 2.1 bandwidth ports, alongside full VRR support. It has a fast response time and incredibly low input lag, ensuring a smooth and responsive gaming experience, which is great for competitive gamers. It's compatible with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+, so content looks its best no matter its form. Like the Sony TV, it supports advanced DTS audio formats, allowing for the best sound when watching physical media. Overall, it's an amazing bang for the buck.
The best LCD TV we've tested in the budget category is the Hisense U6/U6N. It has a very effective local dimming feature for a budget model, delivering deep blacks in a dark room. The TV isn't nearly as bright as the U8N, but it still has very good SDR brightness and good enough reflection handling to fight some glare in a well-lit room. It supports a wide color gamut, so colors in HDR content are vibrant and lifelike. Another standout feature of the TV is its support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision HDR, and DTS audio formats. The TV's upscaling is on par with the U8N's, but unfortunately, its low-quality content smoothing is a lot worse.
The TV has an excellent response time, so there's not too much blur behind fast motion, and you get a responsive gaming experience due to its incredibly low input lag. Although the TV doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and 4k @ 120Hz support, it still supports up to 1440p @ 120Hz for those who prefer a higher frame rate over resolution. Unfortunately, the TV's VRR feature is limited to 60Hz, so you can't game in 120 fps with VRR active.
The best cheap LED TV is the Hisense A7N. It's just as colorful as the Hisense U6/U6N, so it delivers vibrant colors with impact. It also delivers decent dark room performance, but it lacks local dimming, so you don't get the same deep blacks as you do from other TVs on this list. It can't get bright enough to overcome glare in a bright room, although it does well in a moderately lit room with its good reflection handling. HDR content looks acceptable, with visually appealing saturated colors, but it's not bright enough to make most highlights stand out.
Unfortunately, its low-quality content smoothing isn't very good at all. On the other hand, it has the same upscaling capabilities as the more expensive Hisense models, and it still supports HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and DTS audio formats, which is great for a TV this affordable. This model offers gamers a few features: a good response time, extremely low input lag, and VRR support. However, you are limited to a 60Hz refresh rate across all resolutions.
Sep 11, 2024: Replaced the Hisense U6/U6K and the Hisense U8/U8K with their 2024 successors in the 'Best Budget LED TV' and the 'Best Mid-Range LED TV' categories. We also refreshed the notable mentions section to bring it up to date.
Jun 14, 2024: Replaced the Sony X93L/X93CL with the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED as our new pick for the 'Best LED TV.' We also moved the Sony X93L/X93CL and added the Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED to the Notable Mentions section, and updated text throughout the article for accuracy.
Apr 11, 2024: Added mention of the 2024 Hisense U6N and Hisense U8N in the 'Best Budget LED TV' and 'Best Mid-Range LED TV' categories. We also updated the text in the introduction for accuracy.
Feb 15, 2024: Confirmed that picks are accurate and available, updated intro text, and clarified that the TCL Q5/Q550G QLED is a Best Buy exclusive.
Dec 20, 2023: The better Roku Select Series replaced the TCL S4/S450G as the 'Best Cheap LED TV', and we added a few Notable Mentions.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best LCD TVs to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (a cheaper TV wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no TVs that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our LED 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.