Best 65-inch TVs 2023: all the top options tested

If you want a big-screen movie experience but live in a regular-sized home, then 65-inches is a good option for any TV buyer. 

On a decent set, the size is large enough to offer an immersive, big-screen viewing experience for anything but the largest of lounges, but small enough to not completely dominate the space.

As an added perk, thanks to developments in screen panel technology there have been a number of surprisingly great value 65-inch TVs passing through What Hi-Fi?’s test rooms.

But, while this is a great development for buyers on a budget, be warned there an equal, if not larger, number of poor quality 65-inch TVs doing the rounds, which simply aren’t worth your hard-earned cash.

Common issues we experience include outright terrible audio quality, poor screen uniformity, sub-par HDR performance, and, on cheaper LCD sets cringe-worthy black levels - all of which can add up to a frustrating, rather than entertaining viewing experience.

Here to help you avoid making a poor purchase, we’ve created this guide detailing all the top 65-inch TVs our team of experts have reviewed and can personally recommend. .

Written by

Written by

Tom Parsons

Tom Parsons has been writing about TV, AV and hi-fi products (not to mention plenty of other 'gadgets', even cars) for over 15 years. He's tested pretty much every type of TV and is an expert on the 65-inch size bracket, which we view as the sweet spot for most buyers.

The quick list

You can see a quick breakdown of all the TVs in this list with a short summary of what they’re best at and why we think they’re worth your money in the table below. If you want more detail use the jump links to quickly get to the TVs specific entry where we fully explain why it made the list.

The best 65-inch TVs in 2023

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best OLED TVs in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

Best overall

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The LG C3 is out, but after testing it we'd still recommend the C2 over it for a couple of reasons. First, because it's more expensive. Second, despite the rise in price, during our checks we found it's not actually a huge upgrade on its more affordable predecessor. This is why at the moment the LG OLED65C2 is our recommended 65-inch set for most people.

Though it doesn’t have the dazzling max brightness levels of the newer MLA and QD-OLED sets currently doing the rounds, the C2 's solid all-around performance and flawless feature set make it an easy recommendation.

For starters, unlike many of the sets we test, the C2 had four HDMI 2.1 ports which are capable of 120Hz/4K. This gives it far more connectivity than most sets - some of which are astronomically more expensive - which for reasons beyond us are still limited to two HDMI 2.1 connections, one of which doubles as an eARC. This means if you have a Dolby Atmos sound system and multiple next-generation consoles, you can’t have everything connected at once. It’s also a key selling point for the C2.

The WebOS software is also great, with it featuring access to all the major entertainment apps, and many gaming apps, including GeForce Now and Steam Link. The end result is a wonderfully feature-rich TV that can easily act as the heart of any home entertainment setup.

Picture wise it’s also a solid performer for the price, despite the fact it doesn’t have the heatsink or new micro lens array (MLA) tech seen on more expensive sets, like the LG G3.

During our checks, the 65-inch C2 delivered consistently excellent, immersive picture quality that easily beat or matched pretty much all the other sets we test this price.

Powering it up our testers were particularly impressed with its Dolby Vision HDR performance, with the images offered being clearly brighter and having noticeably more punch than most competing 65-inch sets this price. 

The results watching No Time To Die in HDR10, weren’t quite as impressive as what we got playing Dolby Vision content, but they are still incredibly good considering the TV’s price. Colors, in particular, held a wonderful naturalness, with skin tones looking accurate and not being plagued by the warm, artificial tone we experience on many sets. All-in-all, based on our checks, if you want a better all-around TV and picture quality then you’ll need to invest more, in a set like the Sony A80L, which is close to twice the price at the moment in many stores.

Our only minor issue is that, even by TV standards, the LG OLED65C2’s in-built speakers aren’t great. Though they’re fine for basic viewing, they don’t match the performance of even a basic soundbar, like the Sonos Ray. Annoyingly we also regularly experienced a slight rattle from the speaker cabinet when the set is challenged by the loud bassy thumps, such as the opening of Blade Runner 2049. 

But, even with this annoyance it still is the best set overall that we’d recommend to most people.

Read our full LG OLED65C2 review

Best premium

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We recommend the LG C2 above the newer flagship G3, not because it’s a better performer, but because it offers better value and is good enough for most buyers. But, if you have oodles of cash and want the best picture quality available on a 65-inch set then the LG G3 is our current recommendation.

The G3 is the first TV we’ve had the pleasure to test that features MLA tech. This was a vogue technology that made a huge splash at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this year. It’s a rival technology to Samsung’s QD-OLED, which aims to let TVs overcome one of OLED’s biggest shortcomings - the fact they can’t go as bright as competing LCD sets. Specifically, on the G3 it apparently lets the set go to a maximum 2,000 nits brightness. Which in layman's terms means it can go nearly twice as bright as most OLED sets in certain instances.

During our tests, we found, while it doesn’t go that bright unless you use very specific picture settings when playing very specific content, it is an absolute top performer.

Running it head-to-head with the older 65-inch LG G2, which was our previous top-end reference set, the G3 proved to be a great upgrade in nearly every way.

Watching It (the 2017 version), the extra brightness was immediately apparent. The stained glass window behind Stanley’s head when he returns the Torah to his father’s office is was markedly brighter. Colors also had more vibrance, without looking overcooked, as they can on some competing QD-OLED sets, like the Sony A95K. Skin tones in particular held a more natural feel.

Dark scenes are equally well handled, despite the G3’s focus on max brightness levels. Watching The Batman, our current go-to for checking detail levels during dark scenes, the G3 completely delivered. Gotham City oozed with grubby detail and there was a wonderful peak around the Bat signal glaring in the night sky.

LG’s done good work to the G3’s sound as well, though it is still far from perfect. For starters the Alpha 9 Gen 6 chip adds up-mixing of all sound formats to 9.1.2 (up from 7.1.2 last year), A custom Auto Balance Control feature also attempts to prevent certain frequencies from being drowned out by others, in theory offering extra clarity for voices during bass-heavy or noisy scenes.

These make it functional and reasonably good for casual viewing, but annoyingly it still struggled during difficult scenes, like the bass-heavy BladeRunner 2044 where we found its flappy woofer could overshadow other frequencies.

Despite this, the incredible picture quality and inclusion of four full-fat HDMI 2.1 ports, rather than the standard two we see on most TVs, make the G3 our current recommendation for buyers where money is no object.

Read our full LG OLED65G3 review

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Best cheap

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Cheap and Mini-LED aren’t two words you often hear in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what the Samsung QN65QN85B is. It’s the entry-level TV in Samsung’s Mini LED line, and while it’s not perfect, based on testing it’s one of the best 65-inch TVs you’ll get without spending more.

On paper, it’s an impressive beast and for the money it does deliver great value. The biggest is that it has four HDMI 2.1 inputs, each of which can support 120Hz/4K. This is a rarity in the current market, with many sets outside of those from LG, coming loaded with a miserly two HDMI 2.1s. As an added affront one of these often doubles as an eARC, leaving you with one port for current-generation consoles, PCs and set-top boxes if you also connect an external sound system. 

But there are some shortcomings to its feature set. The biggest, it uses an IPS panel, rather than the usual VA panel you see on other Samsung Mini LED sets. Thankfully, when we tested it the issue didn’t ruin the QN65QN85B’s picture, which performed well considering its atypically low cost. 

During our checks, the TV’s light management was particularly impressive, with the QN65QN85B handling dark scenes much better than expected. Playing key titles, like The Batman, the QN65QN85B delivered a convincing, engaging and consistent picture that, while not as deep as the top OLEDs in this list, was very good by LCD standards and more than enough to keep us engaged while watching.

HDR performance is also admirable with the TV offering high enough max brightness levels to deliver an immersive experience during our checks.

However, there are some big compromises. Running it against competing TVs that are marginally more expensive, like the LG C2, we found the Samsung could struggle to compete in tricky scenes with a busy mix of bright and dark elements. In this situation, the QN65QN85B’s picture can look a touch washed out and flat. Watching It, Pennywise’s glowing eyes in the sewer didn’t hold the same menacing sparkle we experienced on the C2.

From an audio perspective, it is once again good for the price, but not anywhere close to what you’ll get with a decent soundbar. The audio was crisp and offered a study soundstage, though we found max volume levels are surprisingly low.

Read our full Samsung QN65QN85B review

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Best QD-OLED

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The Samsung S95B is one of the world’s first Quantum Dot OLED TVs (along with the excellent Sony A95K). And even though we've since reviewed the follow-up Samsung S95C we're still recommending the older model to most people.

This is because, like the LG C3, the new model isn't a massive step up from the S95B. This plus its higher price, makes it a hard one to recommend over the S95B which has conversely started getting some compelling price drops since the S95C came out.

If you take our advice you're in for a treat. While not always the most subtle performer, the S95B QD-OLED delivers thrills aplenty. It's incredibly thin over the vast majority of its rear – just a couple of millimetres deep. It also displays a wide selection of digital artworks on the screen when not watching TV.

But, why would you not be watching TV when the S95B serves up such phenomenal contrast, delivering the sort of immaculate, ultra-deep blacks long associated with the best of the OLED world. Better yet, it offers a level of brightness that we haven’t seen before on any regular OLED TV.

Connectivity is superb, audio quality is pleasant enough, and Samsung has included no less than three built-in voice assistants (Bixby, Google Assistant and Alexa). The new Tizen interface feels a tad cumbersome compared to previous versions, but it's still extremely good.

All in all, the S95B is a brilliant argument for QD-OLED TV technology. If it's within budget, there's very little to disappoint the early adopter.

Read our full Samsung QN65S95B review

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Best sounding

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The Sony XR-6A95K is the Japanese giant’s first QD-OLED set. And as well as offering fantastic picture quality, it’s also the best-sounding set we’ve tested this size, making it a great option for any buyer that doesn’t want to invest in a separate soundbar or speaker system.

This is largely due to the fact it uses Sony’s custom Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology. This is a clever solution from Sony to let its TVs deliver decent sound without needing to add a chunky speaker bar. It works by using actuators that vibrate the whole screen to create sound. On the A95K, two of these under-screen actuators combine with two subwoofers for added bass. 

To be clear, the audio still doesn’t match the experience you’ll get on a top soundbar, like the Sonos Arc, but by inbuilt TV speaker standards, the A95K’s are best in class.

The system’s handling of the low end is particularly impressive. Playing the opening to chapter 2 of the Blade Runner 2049 4K Blu-ray, the A95K starts and stays strong, offering plenty of weight and punch to the tricky bass notes. This is impressive as this scene is beyond nearly every other TV we test, with next to all the units suffering from distortion or a lack of precision when we play it.

As an added perk the A95K also offers great picture quality. Featuring a first generation QD-OLED panel it offers wonderfully high max brightness levels and a wonderfully immersive viewing experience.

Its biggest strength is its advanced motion processing, which remains best in class, even when compared to other premium sets such as the LG G2 and Samsung S95B. Every test we threw at the A95K, including difficult shimmering effects, delivered a wonderfully controlled, completely natural picture.

Black levels are also excellent and combined with its high max brightness HDR content, like Rogue One in Dolby Vision, the picture had a brilliant amount of detail and a suitable sense of depth. The only downside stopping it from beating some premium sets is its handling of some colors, particularly skin tones can look a little warm.  

Read our full Sony XR-6A95K review

How we choose

How to choose the best 65-inch TV for you

Size really does matter with TVs and going big on a 65-inch screen can often be worth sacrificing a little bit of picture quality and next-gen display tech for those few extra inches of screen real estate. But once you've committed to a screen size what else should you consider when weighing up features and price? 

The type of display you choose will have a huge bearing on your TV's picture performance. Without a doubt, OLED has become the premium TV technology of choice, thanks to its perfect blacks, extraordinary contrast and exceptional viewing angles. QLED, which combines LED (or Mini LED) backlighting with ultra-vibrant Quantum Dots, is a strong alternative, though, largely thanks to being capable of greater brightness and punchier colours. Meanwhile, standard LCD TVs (often, confusingly, sold as 'LED' TVs on account of their LED backlights) are more variable in overall quality but, if you shop carefully, can offer excellent bang for your buck.

But visuals aren't everything and it's important to decide if want to combine your new TV with a dedicated sound system. We'd always recommend doing so as most TVs sound passable at best, even at the high-end. But if you're determined to keep things neat and rely on the in-built speakers, check our reviews to make sure that they're good – there's no point in a great picture if the accompanying sound is rubbish.

If you're a gamer, it's also worth considering the next-gen gaming features of your prospective new TV. Xbox Series X and PS5 gamers can gain a competitive advantage on certain games if their TV supports 4K 120Hz, while VRR support can result in a smoother gameplay experience. ALLM, meanwhile, simply ensures that you automatically get the best visual experience from both games and movies / TV shows. If you're a more casual gamer or not a gamer at all, you can pretty much disregard these features, and doing so will likely save you a lot of cash.

How we test

How we test TVs

Testing a TV is a long and complex process because a modern TV simply does so much. Not only does it need to handle a variety of content resolutions – standard-def, 1080p, 4K and sometimes 8K – and both standard dynamic range and high dynamic range (the latter in a number of formats), all of which need to be specifically tested, is also has a sound system with various advanced settings and a full smart platform. A TV is an all-in-one device in the best sense, but that also makes it a challenging review proposition.

As part of our testing process, we manually check that every major app – from Netflix to All 4, Prime Video to Spotify – is not only present but also outputting in the video and sound formats that it should. Just because there's a Disney+ app doesn't necessarily mean it's working in Dolby Vision and/or Dolby Atmos. In fact, in many recent cases, it hasn't been.

We also connect both a PS5 and Xbox Series X in order to establish which advanced gaming features are and aren't supported, and on which of the TV's HDMI ports. Is 4K 120Hz supported? How about VRR? Is there a Dolby Vision game mode? Is there an HGiG preset for more accurate HDR tone mapping? We check all of these things and measure input lag using a Leo Bodnar device.

We then test the TV's picture quality using a vast variety of content, from old DVDs to the latest 4K Blu-rays and plenty of streamed movies and TV shows in between. Every TV is tested against the best model at its price and size – we have a stockroom packed full of Award-winners for this very purpose.

We don't accept the out-of-the-box settings that a TV comes in either. While we intentionally don't go down the route of professional calibration (you shouldn't have to have your TV professionally calibrated in order to get the best out of it), we do spend hours adjusting settings using a mixture of test patterns and real-world content until we're sure we're getting the best out of a TV so that it has the best chance to shine.

While we almost always advise that a new TV is combined with a dedicated sound system such as a soundbar or AV amplifier, many people still prefer to stick with their flatscreen's built-in speakers, so we thoroughly test these too, using a wide variety of movie and music content and with great attention spent to the TV's many processing modes and individual settings.

We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in the UK, where our team of experts do all of our reviews. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency. What's more, all review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than an individual reviewer, again helping to ensure consistency and avoid any personal preference.

The What Hi-Fi? The team has more than 100 years of experience reviewing, testing, and writing about consumer electronics.

From all of our reviews, we choose the best products to feature in our Best Buys. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended below, or on any other Best Buy page, you can be assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi? approved product.