1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best Mini LED
4. Best 42-inch
5. Best 50-inch
6. Best 65-inch
7. Also consider
8. How to choose
9. FAQ
10. How we test
11. Recent updates
If you asked most people to describe the TV of their dreams you can guarantee cost wouldn’t be a consideration. In reality, though, a budget is likely to be the first thing you decide on before you start looking for a new TV, and not everyone can afford to splash out on the newest QD-OLED or 8K set.
If you’ve got up to £1000 to spend, though, there are still plenty of very capable televisions to choose from. They might not necessarily include the very latest technology, but you can still expect 4K and HDR support, some console-friendly gaming features, and you might even be surprised by the size of TV you can get for under a grand (spoiler alert: there’s a super-cinematic 65-incher on this list).
All the sub-£1000 TVs here have been fully tested by our team of reviewers, who retreat to our test rooms to evaluate each one’s picture quality, audio performance, usability, features, and gaming prowess. Every product is then compared to our favourites in its class, so we know which ones are good enough to make the cut. You can read more about how we test the best TVs under £1000 at the bottom of the page.
Got it? Then let’s find you a new TV.
I’m What Hi-Fi?’s TV and AV Editor and during my 16 years in the industry I’ve had a front row seat for the introduction of HD, 3D (RIP), 4K and 8K, so I know a good TV when I see one. I’ve also seen plenty of bad ones, particularly when budget is a key consideration and brands cut corners to keep costs down. A TV that costs £1000 can hardly be considered cheap, but it’s essential to know both ends of the market inside out when testing those that sit in the middle, which is why you can trust the choices below.
The quick list
Best overall
This LG OLED may soon get superseded by the B4, but you won’t get one of those for under £1000.
Best Mini LED
What it lacks in thinness the 55C845K very much makes up for with its brilliantly bright and colourful picture.
Best 42-inch
Small OLEDs aren’t common, and what's even less common is just how capable this 42-incher is.
Best 50-inch
If you’re looking for a 50-inch TV on a limited budget, this QLED from Amazon is an absolute steal.
Best 65-inch
It has its limitations, but this feature-packed 65-incher comfortably outperforms its price tag.
The best TV under £1000 overall
LG’s B Series of OLED TVs often gets overlooked in favour of the slightly better-specced C Series, but now you can get the 55-inch B3 for less than £1000, it’s time for it to steal some of the limelight.
As you’d expect from an OLED it delivers superb contrast, with rich and vibrant colours, excellent motion, and high levels of detail. It doesn’t go as bright as one of LG’s Evo panels, so the picture isn’t as intense when there’s light streaming through your windows, but it’s never less than very watchable. If this is your first OLED, you’ll still be blown away by the punch and dynamism the picture has.
The B3’s sound system is less powerful than the C Series, but considering both benefit hugely from the addition of a soundbar that’s hardly a huge black mark against the B3. It’ll do for watching Homes Under the Hammer, but you’d want to give it some help for Hammer House of Horror. Unfortunately the angled stand prevents a soundbar from sitting flat in front of the screen, so you’ll need some sort of unit to accommodate both.
The only other significant compromise is the presence of just two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which also functions as the eARC port for your aforementioned soundbar, but that will only be an issue if you own multiple games consoles. It’s well-equipped when it comes to gaming, though. Those top-spec HDMIs support 4K/120Hz gaming, but all four can cope with VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision, with LG’s excellent HGiG ensuring its HDR performance is up to scratch.
Throw in the excellent webOS interface and the B3 delivers everything many people will need from a TV.
Read the full LG OLED55B3 review
The best Mini LED TV under £1000
A surprise hit for 2023, the TCL C845K was the only TV on our Awards list to use Mini LED technology, with the rest going to OLED. If anything, this should prove how much we like this TCL set.
This is TCL's flagship TV for the UK and Australia (US readers can try this alternative instead) and that's reflected in the screen technology, feature set and picture performance. We tested the 65-inch variant, its Mini LED backlight is broken into 576 individual dimming zones (this may vary depending on screen size), while the addition of Quantum Dots boosts colour volume.
Reaching an impressive brightness of 2000 nits, this TCL is certainly an overachiever when it comes to figures and stats, which is what drew us to it initially, but its price and performance solidified its place in our list of favourite TVs.
In practice, the C845K's picture is bright, punchy and rich in contrast, offering an image that practically "jumps off the screen" (as we described in our full review). Its eye-catching brightness is well-controlled thanks to the aforementioned quantity of dimming zones which allows the TCL to maintain high levels of local intensity, with the TCL refraining from the aggressive dimming of zones of peak brightness that we see on more expensive Mini LED sets from the likes of Samsung.
The only picture weakness we could identify would be the slight clouding issue on high-contrast scenes, as this can add a slight blooming effect to bright objects on dark backgrounds. This is remedied somewhat by the TCL's excellent black levels by regular TV standards, not just budget TVs. On the flip side, colours are an equally successful aspect of this TCL, with a punchy and vibrant presentation that doesn't verge into oversaturated or cartoonish.
It's not only adept in the picture category, sound is also a highlight. While we've become wary of TV sound thanks to lacklustre performances from most of the most expensive sets on the market, the TCL has proven that TVs with good built-in sound systems do in fact still exist.
It gets impressively loud, vocals emanate from the screen thanks to the TCL's solid ability when it comes to placing sound, and the subwoofer is eager to provide ample amounts of bass.
Overall, the TCL C845K delivers much more than its relatively low price point may suggest. We've not even touched on the excellent gaming spec (4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM) or impressive HDR format support (Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG), but the bottom line is that its picture and sound merits alone are enough to recommend this TV.
Read the full TCL C845K review
The best 42-inch TV under £1000
For a long time, those who only had space for a 42-inch TV had to settle for something without all the latest bells and whistles, but LG’s C Series delivers all the benefits of an OLED at a size that’s more manageable for those with compact living areas.
While the 42-inch model doesn’t go as bright as its larger C3 siblings, there’s a benefit to squeezing all those pixels into a smaller frame: increased sharpness. In real-world use the smallest C3 is bold and dynamic, with natural colours and the kind of amazing contrast you expect from an OLED.
Despite being slightly chunkier than a lot of larger OLEDs, the 42-inch C3’s reduced dimensions mean that its built-in speakers are unable to go as loud or deliver as much bass as its bigger brothers, but it still creates a more spacious sound than you’d expect. That makes it fine for an episode of Pointless, but a soundbar is essential if you want the audio to live up to the quality of its picture.
Those looking for a capable second TV to use for gaming will be pleased to see the inclusion of four HDMI 2.1 inputs, all of which support 4K/120, VRR, ALLM, HGiG, and Dolby Vision game mode, so you can plug in both current-gen consoles and a gaming PC, and still have one socket spare for the soundbar.
This year’s LG C4 has raised the bar for its mid-range rivals, but if you’re looking for something small and don’t want to spend over a grand, its predecessor is an excellent option while it’s still available.
Read the full LG OLED42C3 review
The best 50-inch TV under £1000
We first reviewed the 65-inch version of Amazon's Omni QLED range and discovered a TV with a surprisingly sophisticated performance to go with its surprisingly comprehensive feature set. It just missed out on five stars, but knowing how much variation there can be between different-sized versions of the ‘same’ TV, we decided to take a separate look at this 50-inch model – and we're glad we did.
This is a TV that's very good value at its full price of £650, but even so, you shouldn’t pay that much for it. That’s because it's frequently discounted by large amounts. We have seen it go as low as £400, but find it for anything under £500 and you've unearthed a bargain.
What makes the Omni QLED appear to be such a bargain is its specification, which includes a QLED panel with full-array local dimming, support for every current HDR format, gaming features such as VRR, ALLM and even Dolby Vision gaming, and the app-packed and user-friendly Fire OS operating system (which can be fully operated via Alexa, of course).
But what's most impressive about the Omni QLED is the considered and consistent nature of its performance. Too many budget TVs attempt to dazzle you despite not having the requisite ability and they end up looking awful as a result. The Omni QLED, on the other hand, works within its limits: it's not going to knock your socks off but it gets all of the basics right and delivers a picture that's true to what the creator intended. It’s natural in a way that means you don’t question the delivery and instead focus purely on what you are watching, and that’s a more impressive feat than you might imagine, particularly at this level.
On the sound front, the Omni QLED is a simple stereo affair, and all the better for it. Instead of attempting fancy processing, it simply provides a clean, clear and direct audio performance that's ideal for general TV content. You're advised to add a soundbar for movies, though.
Read the full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review
The best 65-inch TV under £1000
While the 65-inch version of the Amazon Omni QLED isn't quite as good as the 50-inch model above, it is still very good by 'budget' TV standards.
You won't be surprised to learn that while this is a flagship product for Amazon, it’s still very much a value-oriented proposition. What you might not expect is that it's really rather good, both in terms of performance and features.
This isn’t a performance in the same league as that offered by flagship sets from the big boys – but the quality and balance that have been achieved at this level is very impressive.
Colours are vibrant and punchy when they need to be but subtle and pale when that is what’s called for. Skin tones at times look just a little richer than is perhaps entirely true to life, but only marginally so, and they certainly don’t look unnatural when viewing the TV in isolation.
Some TVs at this level attempt to mask their affordable origins with lots of active processing that's designed to make each scene look more impactful. Such processing, however, often actually highlights those sets’ limitations. The Omni QLED takes a much more consistent and considered approach to contrast that is less striking but significantly more watchable, particularly over the course of a movie. Its even-handed approach means you are less distracted by what the TV is doing and are therefore much more engrossed in the film.
It’s a generally similar story where detail and sharpness are concerned. In neither regard is the Omni QLED mind-blowing, but it delivers an image that is reasonably insightful and solid without veering into the realms of exaggeration.
Inevitably, Amazon’s Omni QLED isn’t perfect. It doesn’t have the pure peak brightness to provide a dazzling rendition of the latest and greatest HDR movies, but that’s understandable at this level. However, while detail levels are decent, they could be better, particularly in darker images, even at this price. Also, while motion is pretty smooth and mercifully free from the soap opera effect and fizzy artefacts (assuming you stick to mild or no motion processing), it can be a bit smeary at times
Amazon has kept things simple on the audio front, avoiding the temptation to attempt fancy Dolby Atmos processing and the like, and once again we feel that is a wise decision. Yes, the sound is narrow and small in scale compared with that offered by more premium TVs but it is also direct and clear.
On the features front, you're getting a 4K QLED display with the app-packed and user-friendly Fire OS operating system with baked-in Alexa control (you can turn the TV's mics off entirely if you prefer). Somewhat surprisingly, VRR and ALLM are also supported, though 4K 120Hz is off the menu.
All told, by getting the basics right in terms of picture and sound quality while providing an impressive feature set for the price, the Omni QLED makes itself an easy TV to recommend to buyers on a tight budget.
Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review
Also consider
TCL 55C745K: While it’s nowhere near as capable as the C845K above, this 55-incher is a good chunk cheaper but still offers great contrast and colour. It’s excellent for gaming, too.
Samsung UN55CU8000: If you’d like something a little larger than the 50-inch Amazon Omni above but don’t have the budget to match, this 55-inch Samsung is a bit of a bargain.
How to choose the best TV under £1000 for you
There are normally two main factors that determine which TV you end up buying: budget and size.
We’ve already covered the former by limiting the models here to under £1000, but when it comes to the latter there’s a bit more to it than just picking the biggest one that’ll fit in the boot of your car.
At this price you’re unlikely to find any genuine whoppers, but a 65-incher isn’t out of the question. What you should be really asking yourself, though, is whether you really have room for it. You see, it’s not just about whether you have space for the TV itself, but whether you’re going to be sitting far enough away from it to see the picture at its best. Fortunately, you can read our full guide that will help you to work the best viewing distance here.
Nobody in 2024 should consider buying a TV with a resolution that’s lower than 4K (and you wouldn’t find any on this list anyway), but it is worth considering what kind of screen technology you want. OLED tends to offer the best contrast and vibrant colours, but at this price the size of the screen you’ll be able to get will be limited, so you might want a Mini LED or QLED if you’re after more inches.
It’s also worth checking which HDR formats a TV supports. HDR10 and HLG pretty much come as standard these days, but not all models play nicely with HDR10+ or Dolby Vision. If you’re a gamer, you’ll also want to make sure at least one of the HDMI ports can handle 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM, otherwise you won’t see your console performing at its best.
We’ve tested TVs that cost a lot more than £1000 that still don’t sound great, so while underwhelming audio shouldn’t be a deal breaker when it comes to choosing your next television, it makes sense to go for one that sounds acceptable when watching everyday TV. As always, though, we’d recommend budgeting for a soundbar as well, with plenty available at similarly wallet-friendly prices.
TVs under £1000 FAQ
What’s the difference between LCD, OLED, and QLED?
All three refer to different kinds of screen technology.
LCD is the least advanced of the trio, but that also makes it the cheapest. It uses white LED lights to illuminate a liquid crystal display (LCD), which means there’s a limit to how good the contrast between light and dark can be. LCD TVs are also fairly chunky in comparison to their newer, more advanced brethren.
OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, which means there’s no need for a backlight layer. Not only does that make OLED TVs delightfully thin, it also means they have control over individual pixels, so the picture looks more realistic, with loads of detail even in the very brightest and darkest areas. OLED screens are more expensive than LCDs, though, and aren’t available in as many sizes, with 42 inches the smallest at the time of writing.
QLED is Samsung’s answer to OLED, although QLED TVs are available from other manufacturers as well. It stands for Quantum-dot Light-Emitting Diode, and while it still requires a backlight meaning the contrast isn’t quite as good as on an OLED, QLEDs can go even brighter.
How many HDMI ports do I need?
HDMI has become the standard connection for everything from games consoles to soundbars, so the answer to this depends on how many things you want to plug in to your new TV.
The bigger question is really what type of HDMI ports you need. If one of those things you plan to plug in is a soundbar, make sure you use the TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI socket. This supports more audio codecs than an optical cable, and will also allow you to control everything with your TV’s remote, rather than using a separate one for the soundbar.
If you’re a gamer you’ll want to ensure that you get a TV with full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs. These can support features such as 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM, which you’ll want to make the most of if your console is going to perform to its full potential.
How we test the best TVs under £1000
The process of testing a sub-£1000 TV is no different to what we subject one over £1000 to, which means it involves a number of days in our state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading or Bath.
Sitting in front of the TV might sound like a leisurely task, but thoroughly testing one requires a methodical process of feeding it various sources, including 4K Blu-rays, HD terrestrial TV, and good old DVDs, and comparing the TV's performance in real time with its best-in-class rivals, which we keep in our stockroom at all times for reference.
We also check which streaming apps are available and confirm that they are able to play all the video and audio formats they claim to, before plugging in both a PS5 and Xbox Series X to check which HDMI ports support any claimed gaming features, such as 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision, and HGiG. Input lag is then measured using a Leo Bodnar device.
While we don’t have a professional calibrator on hand to get each TV performing at its best, we won’t just accept the settings as they are when it comes out of the box either. Each one is tweaked and adjusted, and different picture and audio modes are tested, until we’re absolutely sure the TV is performing to its full potential.
Speaking of sound, almost every flatscreen television benefits from being connected to an external sound system of some sort, whether that’s a full speaker package or a more compact soundbar, but it’s still important to test the built-in speakers to find out what they’re capable of for those without the space or budget to augment it.
Our in-house testers have over a century of combined reviewing experience, with each verdict settled upon by the whole team rather than just one individual, so if you buy a product off the back of something we’ve written, you can be sure your purchase is based on consistent, impartial advice.
For more on how we test products here at What Hi-Fi? read our full in-depth explanation.
Recent updates
- 10th April 2024: Added LG OLED55B3 as 'best overall' and LG OLED42C3 as 'best 42-inch' choices. Also added sections on how to choose, how we test, FAQ and other options to consider.