Best TV 2025: flagship OLEDs and affordable flatscreens tried and tested

On the hunt for a new TV but not sure where to start? It can be an exciting but often daunting experience to start the search with countless options to choose from.

Well, you're in the right place. We have a team of expert reviewers with decades of combined TV-testing experience, and have seen it all ranging from budget screens to premium models. We test each TV against benchmark models in its size and price category, so we don't simply know which models are good and which are bad – we know how each one performs relative to its rivals. In other words, when we proclaim a model to be 'the best', it's because we've done the comparisons that prove it.

In the testing process, we're looking for a TV that provides picture quality as the director intended, exciting but clear sound, a user-friendly operating system that features all of the major streaming services, and support for the latest gaming features. The TVs that get closest to delivering in all of those areas – and at a good price – are the models that you will see below.

If you're curious to learn more about how we decide what models make it to the top, you can read about our TV testing process at the bottom of the page.

With all that out the way, let's get stuck into our top TV recommendations.

The quick list

You can see a quick breakdown of all the TVs in this list with a summary of what they do well and why we think they’re worth your money in the table below.

If you want more detail on a certain model, click its image to go to the in-depth entry, where we offer a more comprehensive breakdown of the specs, features and real-world performance.

Written by

Written by

Tom Parsons

I'm What Hi-Fi?'s TV and AV Editor, and I've been testing TVs and home cinema products (as well as hi-fi kit and headphones) for over 17 years. I've always been a massive TV nerd and got into reviewing so I could find the best TVs and recommend them to others. I firmly believe that great quality shouldn't cost a fortune, so I get just as excited about great-value sets as I do the flagship models. Overall, I'm looking for a picture performance that delivers movies and TV shows as intended, a great gaming experience, an app-packed and intuitive operating system, and good sound – though I also believe that any great TV should be combined with a great, dedicated sound system.

The best TVs in 2025

Below, you can see our picks of the best TVs currently available. Every set has been tested by our team of product experts to ensure it delivers great performance and value, so you can trust our buying advice.

Best TV overall

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Released in 2023, Sony A80L absolutely smashed the competition and ran away with a What H-Fi? Award, but we honestly didn't think its successor, the Bravia 8, would achieve the same feat. That's because the LG C4, which we received for review earlier last year, massively upped the ante with a consummate all-round performance that we just didn't think the Sony could beat.

Oh, how mistaken we were. The Bravia 8 might not be a huge step up on the A80L, but so good was last year's model that the small upgrades for this year have ensured Sony has stayed on top.

The most valuable of these upgrades is to the colour balance. For all of its many strengths, the A80L had a slightly cool balance that made it look really crisp but lacking in cinematically authentic warmth. That is not the case with the Bravia 8, which is richer and more accurate in tone, and therefore delivers movies closer to how the creator intended.

That's not the only improvement, either. Sony has managed to squeeze a little more brightness out of the 'standard' (as in not MLA or QD) OLED panel without sacrificing realism or black depth. This increased contrast makes the picture look more exciting, but it also makes it look more solid and three-dimensional – a quality helped by Sony's clever processing, which very subtly sharpens foreground elements and softens the background.

Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio, which features actuators that imperceptibly vibrate the screen to make sound, not only ties the audio to the onscreen action in a way that standard TV sound systems can't match – it also manages to create a soundstage that stretches a surprisingly long way to the left, right and even above the screen. A soundbar will still be a big upgrade, particularly in terms of bass weight and depth, but for a step-down TV, the Bravia 8 sounds very good indeed.

The Google TV operating system isn't quite as nice to use as the latest versions of LG's webOS or Hisense's VIDAA, but it's intuitive enough and packed to the rafters with streaming apps. And while the TV has just two HDMI 2.1 sockets, which will be a frustration to hardcore gamers with multiple gaming machines (particularly those who need to use one of those sockets for an eARC sound system), the Bravia 8's otherwise well-specced for gaming.

If you are one of those really serious gamers, you might want to go for the LG C4 instead, but for everyone else the Bravia 8 is the best TV you can currently buy.

Read the full Sony Bravia 8 review

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Best cheap TV

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It’s fair to say that the standard of budget TVs has dropped significantly in recent years. Salvation is at hand, though, and from a slightly unlikely source – Amazon.

We first reviewed the 65-inch version of its 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 / $530, 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 / $350, but find it for anything under £500 / $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 limitations: 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

TOP TIP

TOP TIP

Tom Parsons

Whatever you do, don't buy the 43-inch version of the Amazon Omni QLED. Unlike the larger versions, the 43-inch model lacks local dimming, and Amazon doesn't appear to have tuned the picture to account for that. The result is a bright but pale picture with smeary motion.

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Best gaming TV / best 42-inch TV

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There was a time not that long ago when really good 42-inch TVs simply didn't exist. That changed when LG launched its first 42-inch OLED TVs, and the new C4 is its latest and greatest. In fact, it's not only our favourite all-round 42-inch TV, but it's also the best gaming TV you can currently buy.

Despite being very similar on paper to the 42-inch C3, the C4 is a surprisingly effectice upgrade with actual content. Smaller OLED TVs have always lacked the outright brightness of their larger siblings, but with the C4 models LG has closed the gap. The 42-inch C4 is beautifully punchy and dynamic, and the increased pixel density of the smaller display actually means it's even sharper than its bigger brothers.

The picture is really balanced, too, and easy to get the most out of. Pop it into Filmmaker Mode and you've instantly got an image that is fairly cinematically accurate and really enticing – though it is slightly cooler in balance than the larger models.

The webOS smart platform features far more ads than any TV operating system should, but it's also quick and intuitive, and it features the best selection of properly optimised streaming apps that you'll find anywhere.

For gaming, the 42-inch C4 is unbeatable. It's just about compact enough to work as a desktop-based gaming monitor, should you wish, it supports every gaming feature you might require (including 4K/144Hz, which its predecessor lacked), and it has four full-spec HDMI 2.1 sockets whereas most rivals have two at most.

The only real downside is poor audio, but that's par for the course with TVs this size. Accept that you will need to add a soundbar and the 42-inch C4 is a superb TV, whether you're a gamer or not.

Read the full LG OLED42C4 review

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Best 48-inch TV

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LG’s C-series has been a near-perfect intersection of performance, features and price for years, and not just compared with other LG OLEDs, but with TVs in general.

The 48-inch C4 looks different to both the 42-inch and 65-inch models that we have also tested. While the 42-inch model has desktop-friendly feet, this 48-inch version has the same compact pedestal stand as its larger siblings. That makes it less fussy about placement but does also make it a little harder to find space for a soundbar.

And while the 65-inch model boasts an astonishingly lightweight and minimalist chassis, much more of this 48-inch version's rear is covered by the plastic enclosure that contains the set's processing hardware, connections and speakers. That said, the 48-inch C3 is still only 4.7cm (1.9") thick at its chunkiest, which is pretty slim by modern TV standards.

Moving on to features, you simply won't find a better-specified TV at this size. While neither MLA nor QD-OLED technology have made it below 55 inches yet, the C4 uses the best 48-inch OLED panel currently available from sister company LG Display. What's more, LG has significantly boosted the brightness of its smaller OLEDs this year, so while this 48-inch C4 is still not quite as bright its larger sibling, the difference is smaller than ever before.

All four of the C4's HDMI sockets are 48Gbps 2.1-spec affairs that support 4K/120Hz (4K/144Hz if you have a powerful enough gaming PC), VRR and ALLM, and it supports Dolby Vision gaming and has a really well-implemented HGiG setting that makes it a doddle to get more accurate HDR with many modern games.

Like the larger models, the 48-inch C4 represents a surprisingly big improvement on the C3 model it replaces. That additional brightness equates to increased contrast, and that has benefits right across the picture, with greater perceived sharpness and a big dose of extra punch and dynamism. There's still plenty of subtlety too, though, and the C4 is particularly good right out of the box, requiring very little intervention to get looking its best.

It produces an image that’s really solid and has a three-dimensional feel, too. In fact, the increased pixel density of having a 4K resolution squeezed into a 48-inch space means this smaller C4 looks significantly sharper than its 65-inch sibling.

The sound is fine for everyday TV, in that it's fairly clear and pretty natural with voices, but it struggles in terms of spaciousness and weight, so it's not great for movie nights. Adding a soundbar is vital if you're able.

There are very few TVs that sound good, though, so we almost always recommend adding a soundbar. Follow that advice and the 48-inch C4 is comfortably the best TV at its size.

Read the full LG OLED48C4 review

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Best premium TV

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The A95L is the successor to the A95K, arguably the best TV of 2023 if you don't take price into account. One of the two first QD-OLED TVs launched, it trumped its Samsung S95B rival by deploying its brightness-boosting, vibrancy-adding Quantum Dots in a more considered and authentic fashion – and by offering a far superior sound system to boot.

The promise of second-generation QD-OLED panels is an even brighter and more efficient performance, but we were just as excited to find out how the team at Sony could refine the performance further with an extra year of experience with the new panel technology. Having now put the Sony A95L up against pretty much every other TV you might be considering, we can safely say that it is, with very little doubt, the very best TV you can currently buy.

Playing the super-bright Pan 4K Blu-ray, the A95L's additional brightness and colour vibrancy over the step-down Sony A80L and even the MLA-boosted Panasonic MZ2000 are immediately clear in the first scene's streetlamps and headlights, which are reproduced with a more intense and accurate yellow glow. The A95L also reproduces the moon over London with greater brightness and some subtle pink shading and texture detail that its rivals miss.

There's no loss of black depth, though, with the grimy streets of Victorian London being both oppressively dark and packed with shadow detail. What's more, the A95L also reproduces colours expertly in these darkest parts of the picture so that skin tones remain accurate and lifelike where other TVs allow them to go a bit pale.

The brighter highlights combine with OLED's perfect, inky blacks to increase contrast, which helps to reinforce edges and textures, in turn increasing the solidity and three-dimensionality of the picture. Thankfully, this is also combined with supreme subtlety, so the lights shining on a tiled wall reveal all sorts of subtle shades on the A95L, and as Peter peers into a bottle in Mother Barnabus's office, the little ship inside is resolved with fabulous fine detail and excellent solidity.

What's perhaps most impressive is the way that the A95L achieves all of its pop and dynamism without eroding subtlety or authenticity in the way that Samsung's S95C QD-OLED is occasionally guilty of.

While less-bright HDR movies and SDR content don't show off the A95L's advantages quite as strongly, it's still a cut above its rivals with everything we watch during testing, particularly in terms of colour vibrancy and accuracy.

For sound, the A95L uses a very slightly tweaked version of the 2.2-channel actuator-based sound system of the A95K. Two actuators vibrate the whole screen in order to produce sound, backed up by two regular woofers that add bass. This results in a level of directness that other TVs can't match, with dialogue that literally comes from the screen.

What's surprising is the way this sound system also extends the sonic presentation far to the sides and above the set, creating a very impressive pseudo-Atmos effect. On top of that, the sound is crisp, clear and detailed. Some extra bass weight and depth would be nice, but this is still very good sound by TV standards.

At launch, the A95L was lacking the UK catch-up apps and Dolby Vision gaming, but these issues have since been sorted through software updates. So, really, the only flaw of note remaining is that there are still only two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which inconveniently doubles as the eARC port.

Otherwise, the Sony A95L is an absolutely stunning performer that should be right at the top of the list for those lucky enough to have a very large budget for their next TV.

Read the full Sony A95L review

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Best budget large TV UK

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TCL has become well known for delivering surprisingly good cheap TVs, but the 65-inch P755K is quite incredible value even by its standards.

The design is predictably plasticky but that's not something you really notice from across the room, and the chassis isn't super-thick so it won't stand out too far if you go down the route of wall mounting. The remote control is quite nice to use, too, despite the budget materials.

It's rare that we come across TVs with just three HDMI sockets these days, but that is what we have with the P755K. Those HDMIs do, rather surprisingly, handle advanced gaming features such as VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. The TV even supports 120Hz gaming, albeit using clever processing that reduces the resolution and 'accelerates' it for the native 60Hz panel.

That panel is a VA-type LCD, which tends to be brighter than the IPS-type alternatives that are more common at this level, and there's a direct LED backlight – albeit without the local dimming of more expensive sets.

There are no colour-boosting Quantum Dots here, yet the P755K is a really vibrant performer that doesn't veer into over-saturation. Detail and sharpness are good, too, particularly with 4K content – though it's worth noting that the picture does soften slightly in motion.

Despite the VA panel, the P755K isn't stunningly bright, but the effective tone mapping ensures that there's a noticeable benefit to watching HDR content, which the TV supports in all four of the current mainstream formats. There is a bug with Dolby Vision content that is sent to the TV from an external source such as a 4K Blu-ray player, but this thankfully isn't an issue with streamed Dolby Vision content.

Other than those bits, the only thing to bear in mind is the rather weedy sound, which is easily overcome if you add a budget soundbar.

All told, while the P755K isn't perfect, it's really rather impressive for a 65-inch TV that costs so little. If you're looking for a big TV with a small price tag, this is it.

Read the full TCL P755K review

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Best budget large TV US

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Unfortunately, the TCL C845K isn't available in the US, but the 65-inch version of Amazon's Omni QLED is a decent alternative.

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 might surprise you is how much of an all-rounder it is, delivering a very solid picture and sound performance and a very good feature set for the money.

This isn’t a performance in the same league as that offered by flagship sets from the big boys, of course – 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.

A common problem with affordable TVs is that they attempt to dazzle you without having the hardware or processing quality to back it up, and that often actually highlights the limitations of the set. That's not the case with the Omni QLED, which takes a more considered approach across the board, resulting in an overall performance that's less striking than some but much more natural and consistent than most. This balanced approach means you're rarely if ever distracted by what the TV is doing and so can remain fully engrossed in what you're watching.

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.

Motion is a slight issue, too. If you avoid the heavier active processing options (which you should), there's no soap opera effect or unpleasant fizziness, but motion is a bit smeary. This is a common issue with affordable non-OLED TVs and the Omni QLED is better than most in this regard, but it's a shame that it is present at all.

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 – and there is no attempt to push sound outwards to the sides or up from the television’s chassis – 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 US buyers on a tight budget.

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

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Best 8K TV

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The wait for actual, real, worthwhile 8K content continues, but the QN900D proves that there is value in buying an 8K TV even now. That's because it uses next-level AI-enhanced upscaling to make everything you watch now look better than before.

During our extensive testing, all of the 4K content we watched looked sharper and more detailed through the QN900D than with any TV we've previously tested. This isn't 'real' detail, per se, because the TV is adding the extra picture information, but it does it in such a way that's entirely convincing and never looks unnatural. On the contrary, it's often the organic elements of a picture – trees and grass, for example – that benefit most readily from the QN900D's enhancements, coming across as more solid and more three-dimensional.

The QN900D is extremely capable in other ways, too. Its Mini LED backlight is one of the best we've seen, for starters, and as long as you stick to the excellent 'Movie' preset it delivers near-OLED blacks, hugely bright highlights and superb overall contrast. Its Quantum Dots enable stunning colour vibrancy, too, but Samsung has also been careful to tune the QN900D for naturalism and cinematic accuracy.

This combination of picture traits helps to make the QN900D an exceptional gaming TV, and its input lag is a super-low 11ms even with all of that clever upscaling in play. The set also has four HDMI 2.1 sockets, all of which support 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM.

Those HDMIs, along with the TV's other connections (including the power socket), are housed in a dedicated One Connect box that can be nestled into the stand behind the TV or placed away from it, with a single, very thin cable then connecting box to screen. This makes for an exceptionally neat set-up, particularly if wall-mounting. It also allows the TV itself to be supremely thin – a uniform 1.3cm (0.5 inches).

The downside to this super-thin design is that it likely hinders the sound, which lacks volume, impact, forward projection and bass control. A TV such as this really must be combined with a dedicated sound system.

Other issues of note are some distracting behaviour from the backlight when in the 'Standard' picture preset, a lack of Dolby Vision support, some unintuitive elements to the Tizen operating system and, of course, that lack of native 8K content. It's also a very expensive set at launch, though we do expect the price to fall quite quickly and significantly.

Ultimately, while we think buying a great 4K TV is still the best way to go for the vast majority of people, for those with deep pockets and a desire to both glimpse the 8K future and potentially be ready for it once it arrives wholesale, the QN900D has to be considered.

Read our full Samsung QN900D review

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Also consider

Panasonic Z95A
The Z95A was Panasonic's flagship TV for 2024. It combines brightness-boosting MLA OLED technology with the brand's trademark 'as the director' approach to picture quality to great effect. It also has an advanced audio system with dedicated side- and up-firing speakers, good gaming specs and the app-packed Fire TV operating system. It's just held off the main list by the even better Sony A95L.

Samsung Q80D
If you're looking for a mid-range TV that punches above its price, the Samsung Q80D has to be on your shortlist. It lacks the Mini LED technology of its more expensive siblings, but it uses its standard QLED technology to produce a sharp, punchy and always-enjoyable picture. It's got great gaming specs, too, including four HDMI 2.1 sockets that support 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM.

Sony Bravia 9
In a twist that surprised pretty much everyone, including yours truly, Sony decided to launch a Mini LED model at the top of its 2024 TV range rather than an OLED. Said Mini LED TV is the Bravia 9, a dazzlingly bright but cinematically authentic TV that isn't prefect but is well worth considering if you're OLED-averse.

Philips OLED809
The Philips OLED809 is a really strong alternative to the LG C4 and Sony Bravia 8 if you're in the UK (Philips doesn't sell OLED TVs in the US or Australia). Like those TVs, it uses a 'standard' OLED panel, but it delivers a particularly bright and vibrant picture. It's got Ambilight, too, which adds an extra degree of spectacle. It does take more effort than most to get the picture looking its best, though.

LG G4
The G4 is a truly fantastic OLED TV that goes toe-to-toe with Samsung and Sony’s best models. It earned a five-star review for its brilliantly bright picture, stellar gaming features, and impressively accurate motion handling.

Samsung S95D
Samsung's third-generation QD-OLED TV is an absolutely stunning performer that combines the pop and vibrancy we've come to expect from the brand with a welcome dose of restraint. Its very premium launch price is the only thing holding the S95D back from a place in the main list.

Hisense 43A6KTUK
If your budget is very limited or you're simply looking for a cheap TV for a second room, this Hisense could be for you. While it won't blow you away, it offers a surprisingly balanced and satisfying performance for very little money.

How to choose a TV

There’s no single TV that’s perfect for everyone, but your ideal TV is almost certainly on this page. You just need to figure out your budget, how big you can / are able to go, and what technologies are important to you.

Only you will know how much budget and space you have to use, although you will find a handy guide to choosing the right size of TV further down this page. We can most certainly advise when it comes to technology, though.

The first thing to consider is the panel technology. OLED now rules the roost at the premium end of things and is hugely popular thanks to its perfect blacks and pixel-level contrast control. LCD is still a huge deal too, though, particularly at the budget end of the market that OLED currently can’t touch. There are plenty of premium LCD-based TVs that are great, too, most notably Samsung’s top QLEDs, which combine Quantum Dots with Mini LED backlights to deliver the brightest, most vibrant pictures possible. There's also