Couldn't nab a new TV during the Prime Day sales?

Well then, you're in luck. Not only have we found a great saving, but it just happens to be on a five-star 65-inch LG C6 OLED, one of our favourite TVs this year.

And it's now at the lowest price we've seen: £1619 at Richer Sounds, a fair bit cheaper than the previous low of £1889 we saw in July.

To get this saving, the code RSTV100 shaves £100 off the price at checkout. You can then claim 10 per cent cashback from LG to get this new lowest price. You can claim 30 days after purchase – full details here.

We were surprised just how big an upgrade the LG C6 was over the outgoing C5, given that the biggest change was a new Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor. However, this chip has blessed the C6 with a brighter, richer and more refined picture.

"Even in Filmmaker Mode, the C6’s extra brightness over the C5 is immediately obvious," our LG C6 review reads. "Highlights are more intense, colours have a touch more richness and the overall image carries greater depth and dimensionality."

The delivery is more enticing, dynamic and three-dimensional overall, with enhanced upscaling, remastering and shading subtlety also.

LG has long gifted their TVs with flawless gaming specifications, and the C6 is no different. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are supported on all four HDMI 2.1 sockets, as well as 4K/120Hz for console gamers. Gamers with a powerful PC can even crank it all the way up to 4k/165Hz with VRR.

The ever-reliable WebOS has all the major streaming services on board, all well optimised and delivering content in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where applicable.

Dolby Vision is just one of the HDR standards available – HDR10 and HLG are also supported, though HDR10+ Advanced is missing.

After several years of disappointing sound, we're pleased to report that the C6 has seen a marked improvement in audio. It won't beat a dedicated soundbar, but overall delivery is more open and immersive than the C5 and pretty good for a TV of this class.

We were raving about the quality of the LG C6 even at full price, so with £881 off at Richer Sounds, it's even better quality. The perfect antidote if you missed out on a Prime Day TV deal.

MORE:

Check out our 48-inch LG C6 review

Also read our LG C5 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

We all love a comeback story.

Last year the TCL C8K was mildly disappointing, and instead its step-down sibling, the C7K, took most of the glory (and a What Hi-Fi? Award).

Not this year, though. With groundbreaking new Super Quantum Dot technology and a significant increase in dimming zones, its successor, the C8L, is now back in the running.

We declared as much when we awarded the TV five stars only two days ago – yet there is already a hefty discount. Just use the code TCL20PERCENT to save 20 per cent and get the C8L for £1519 at Richer Sounds.

The TCL C8L certainly looks promising on paper, with a claimed peak brightness of a huge 5000 nits, a high local dimming-zone count of 2040 and TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots. These represent a major update on traditional Quantum Dots, with claimed increases in efficiency, stability, brightness, colour range and colour accuracy.

That should establish the C8L as a cut above the LCD TV norm, but how does it actually translate to performance? Well, we found that it had a transformative effect compared with its predecessor, the C8K.

“This colour blend finesse feeds into an impressively three-dimensional look to pictures, regardless of whether you’re using the TV’s Standard or as-the-director-intended Filmmaker Mode preset, as well as an outstandingly crisp, detailed look to native 4K images where you feel like you’re appreciating the full and accurate weight of every single pixel,” our TCL C8L review reads.

“Its Mini LED plus advanced local-dimming backlight system also plays a huge part in the feeling of precision and, in the Filmmaker Mode’s case, accuracy, by being able to deliver not just extreme brightness highlights and remarkably inky black colours, but every imaginable shade in between.”

Gamers have a lot to look forward to: an input lag of just 10.1ms, 4K/144Hz support, VRR, support for refresh rates at HD resolution up to 288Hz, and ALLM switching.

The built-in Google TV also has all the key global video streaming services – including the main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps – while the TV also supports the four big four high dynamic range formats: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

The Bang & Olufsen 2.1.2-channel sound system is also good by TV standards, crafting a soundstage that extends beyond the screen’s outer frame and creating an open, immersive sense of space for movies. It can, though, sometimes lose coherence and give the wrong elements too much emphasis.

Overall, the outstanding picture quality of the TCL C8L is hard to beat, especially with 20 per cent off at Richer Sounds. If you’re after a backlit TV bargain, put this on your list.

MORE:

Read our Hisense UR9 review

Also consider our Sony Bravia 7 II review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Prime Day, or Big Deal Days, or whatever the fudge else Amazon’s calling it this very second (as noted by regular contributor Joe Svetlik earlier this week, it changes a lot), is entering its second and final day.

As we noted yesterday, though, it has been a bit of a damp squib so far, especially if you’re shopping for hi-fi.

Good deals have been isolated and usually limited to one product within a category, rather than the holistic drops we see on swathes of headphones, TVs and the like during Black Friday.

Which is why, with a particularly heavy heart, I am sad to inform any bargain-hunting TV buyer that the best deal we’ve seen on an OLED is gone.

Specifically, the stellar Amazon saving on the five-star, Award-winning 48-inch LG C5 from last year which let you pick it up for a modest £699 (saving £500), is now gone.

Stock has run out on Amazon, and the retailers still selling it are charging £999 or more.

If that hasn’t put you off and you’re still eager to buy a new OLED, but don’t have deep enough pockets to pay the full price, or make the jump up to flagship territory, I’m sad to say this is a double-whammy bad news post.

After trawling Amazon and rival retailers, both specialist and mainstream, I haven’t found any deals on good OLED TVs that we’ve fully reviewed and recommend that come close to matching yesterday’s C5 deal.

There are only two close – but not as good – deals currently running. The 48-inch LG C6, which we just finished reviewing and can confirm is a palpable improvement on the C5, currently retails for £1087 on Amazon (save £110). A good TV at an okay price, but far from what we'd describe as cheap.

Alternatively, if you really want to get the cheapest OLED possible that’s not completely terrible, the four-star, entry-level 48-inch Samsung S85H currently costs £824.10 at Richer Sounds – though you’ll need to claim £75 back from Samsung after purchase to unlock the full discount.

But that means you’re paying more for an OLED that doesn’t quite match the performance of the older C5 when it comes to pure picture quality – we know that, as we tested them both.

So what’s my advice to buyers looking for a new OLED? Sadly, unless you need a new TV this very second, I’d strongly suggest waiting a little longer.

Stock of the C5 may come back, and I’m expecting prices of all the OLEDs mentioned in this feature to drop even further in price, especially during Black Friday.

If past events are anything to go by, come November I can even see the C6 – which, having seen it in our review rooms, is the first OLED in nearly half a decade to tempt me to upgrade my ageing LG C2 – dropping below £899, which would make it an incredible option for serious movie fans on a budget.

If that hasn’t answered any of your OLED TV questions, feel free to drop a comment on this page, and I’ll endeavour to respond as soon as possible!

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we’ve reviewed

Our picks of the best 50-inch TVs

We rank the best soundbars

It's no secret that I love the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED, which romped to victory in the What Hi-Fi? Awards last year and now takes pride of place in my own living room.

Despite some extremely frustrating bugs that were introduced with a recent software update, I still love the TV. And, in fact, it's still better than almost every TV that's launched since.

There is one that has defeated it, though.

No, it's not the Bravia 9 II or LG G6 – it's the Samsung S99H, and it's just hit its lowest-ever price to coincide with Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.

This deal isn't an Amazon deal, though. Instead, you can get the 55-inch Samsung S99H for £1849 at Richer Sounds, and the 65-inch model for £2399 at Richer Sounds.

The retailer says you can also claim additional cashback from Samsung, to the tune of £150 for the 55-inch model and £200 for the 65-inch version. For a TV this new and this awesome, that's exceptional.

I'll level with you, I was surprised that the S99H beat the Bravia 8 II. Sure, the Bravia 8 II is a 2025 TV, but it was so far ahead of its rivals last year, I really didn't think any of them would close the gap.

Samsung has a reputation for slightly overplaying things where brightness and colours are concerned, too, whereas the Bravia 8 II is perhaps the best ever example of Sony's subtle and authentic approach to all elements of picture quality.

It seems pretty clear to me, though, that the South Korean brand set out with the specific aim of overthrowing Sony's flagship OLED.

The S99H pushes QD-OLED panel technology to new heights in terms of brightness and colour reproduction, but this combines with a newfound restraint and subtlety to deliver a much more mature and refined picture than we're used to from Samsung.

This is a TV that can (and will) absolutely dazzle, if that's what you and your content require, but it also satisfies purists by delivering movies, TV shows and games as the creator intended.

Like its Sony rival, the S99H is exceptionally sharp, too, and this combines with its awesome contrast and colours to create an image with oodles of pop and three-dimensional depth.

Gaming specs are also exceptional, with all four of the integrated HDMI sockets supporting 4K/165Hz (and 4K/120Hz) signals, VRR and ALLM.

And if that's not enough HDMI ports for you, or you want to go wireless with your connections, the Wireless One Connect can be added. This features four HDMI sockets that can be used in addition to those already built into the TV.

Before you click the big red 'Add To Basket' button, though, there are three little niggles to the S99H that you need to bear in mind.

The first is, for me, the biggest: it doesn't support Dolby Vision. Yes, HDR10+ is on board, as is HDR10+ Advanced, but these aren't quite the same thing. That said, the TV's Filmmaker Mode is so well tuned, I would personally be prepared to do without Dolby Vision.

The second is the design, which looks great when the TV is wall-mounted, but a little odd when it's plonked on a piece of furniture using the cheap, plastic feet, as it would be in my house. Honestly, there's no real solution to this – it's just something you will have to put up with in the name of excellent picture quality.

The final flaw is the sound, which is pretty good by TV standards, but not good enough to accompany this level of imagery. Frankly, that's an issue for all TVs, though, including the Bravia 8 II, and the solution is the same as ever: make sure to budget for some sort of dedicated sound system, even if it's 'just' an entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2.

Ultimately, none of these niggles should be a deal-breaker as far as I'm concerned, and if I were to buy any TV in the world right now, it would be the Samsung S99H.

MORE:

Read the full Samsung S99H review

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

And here are all of the best soundbars

The phenomenal bang for your buck offered by TCL’s 2025 C7K left that year’s C8K feeling a little underwhelming in comparison. Especially as, in one or two picture areas, the C7K actually performed slightly better than its costlier sibling, too.

For the 2026 C8L, though, TCL has introduced both its groundbreaking new Super Quantum Dot technology and a significant increase in dimming zones, applied to a new-gen version of the already excellent WHVA LCD panel designs introduced last year.

Price

Given that the C8L is the most premium TCL TV you can buy without trampolining up in price to the ‘technology showcase’ X11L and RM9L models, it generally looks like good value, both in terms of how it lines up against rival premium screens and TCL’s step-down C7L.

Ironically, given that it’s the version we’re looking at here, the one exception to this is the 65-inch set. At £1899 in the UK, it costs a whopping £700 more than the 65-inch C7L at the time of writing, while the price gaps at other sizes are much smaller.

As we’ll see, the 65C8L is still good enough to just about hold its own over the 65C7L, but its unusually large price gap is still something we have to mention.

The 65C8L’s price holds up better against those of rival backlit sets. Sony’s 65-inch Bravia 9 II costs £3499, for instance, while Hisense’s 65-inch UR9 costs £1999 and Samsung’s 65-inch R95H Micro RGB TV costs £3000.

Perhaps a bigger concern is that a 65-inch LG C6 OLED can now be bought for under £2000.

In Australia, the 65-inch C8L will set you back AU$2295, while in the US, where the set is called the QM8L, heavy discounting has already taken the price down to a very appealing $1700.

Design

The C8L isn’t the most instantly glamorous premium TV around. It’s slightly chunky around the back by modern standards, and sits somehow rather heavily on its centrally attached desktop bass. The depth is excused, though, by the fact that it provides room for both a premium direct LED lighting engine and up-firing speakers built into the screen’s top edge.

The stand, meanwhile, benefits from an appealing metallic finish and a neck attachment that lets you hide cabling behind a clip-off/on cover.

The set’s rear tapers back steeply from the screen’s outer edges, too, helping to hide its depth from normal viewing angles, while the frame around the screen is both remarkably slim and features a crisp metallic finish.

All in all, once the TV is in place, its design lets you focus on the pictures it’s producing rather than the technology producing them. Which always counts as a win with us.

The C8L ships with two remote controls. Most people will settle into using the smart metallic silver one with its stripped-back button count and built-in voice mic, but the long, thin full-number button alternative is also easy on the eye and comfortable to hold if, for some reason, you prefer all those extra buttons.

Features

The 65-inch C8L has some impressive numbers to share, starting with a huge claimed peak brightness of 5000 nits, a high local dimming zone count of 2040, and support for almost 100 per cent of the AV world’s most extreme BT.2020 colour spectrum. This is enough in itself to establish the C8L as a cut above the LCD TV norm, but it’s really just the start of this TV’s initial charms.

It also uses, for instance, TCL’s new Super Quantum Dots. These represent a major update on traditional Quantum Dots, with five different layers being squeezed into their tiny form rather than the previous two. This is claimed to result in increased efficiency, stability, brightness, colour range and colour accuracy.

These new SQDs have been integrated into the second-generation version of TCL’s new WHVA LCD panel, which introduces a whole host of advantages, including more efficient and accurate Mini LED lighting for enhanced contrast and brightness, reduced blooming from the local dimming system, extra image clarity courtesy of a reduced ‘throw distance’ from the backlighting to the screen and a faster transient response from the LEDs, plus enhanced shadow-detail handling to stop dark scenes looking hollow or flat.

As the name suggests, WHVA screens are based on VA technology, which is known for giving better contrast than the rival IPS panel technology. The W bit, though, also indicates that this premium take on VA tech from TCL is designed to support wider viewing angles than VA panels customarily do.

TCL has also introduced a mild anti-reflection filter to the C8L, though we might as well say right away that this doesn’t operate on nearly the same reflection-removing level as those on the latest top-end TVs from Samsung and Sony.

The C8L’s hardware attractions are controlled by a new version of TCL’s TSR AiPQ processor specifically optimised for the new SQD WHVA panel.

Gamers, meanwhile, can look forward to input lag of just 10.1ms, 4K/144Hz support, VRR (including in the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format), support for refresh rates at HD resolution right up to 288Hz via HDMI’s Direct Line Gate system, and ALLM switching when a game source is detected.

All four of the C8L’s HDMI ports can handle 4K/120Hz signals, while other connections comprise a single USB 3.0 port, an optical digital audio output, an Ethernet port and RF inputs for both satellite and (Freeview HD) aerial connections.

Wireless connectivity is also available, of course, in wi-fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 flavours, while the TV’s use of Google TV for its smart operating system adds built-in Chromecast.

On the subject of Google TV, TCL has ensured that, as well as all the key global video streaming services the platform usually supports, the C8L’s interface also carries the key UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps that Google TV doesn’t typically offer.

The C8L supports all four of the main high dynamic range formats, too: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. So it will play the best version available of any HDR content you feed it.

Last but not least on the C8L’s lengthy list of attractions is its audio system. Designed with Bang & Olufsen, no less, it features 2.1.2 channels, including two up-firing speakers (to aid Dolby Atmos delivery) and dedicated bass drivers. There’s no direct forward-facing ‘soundbar’ along the bottom edge as you get with TCL’s flagship X11L series, though.

Picture quality

Adding more dimming zones and, especially, Super Quantum Dots to the C8L has had a transformative effect on its picture performance compared with its 2025 predecessor.

As we did with last year’s TCL C7K and C8K series, we look at the C8L alongside its step-down sibling – but this time there is no repeat of the peculiar colour inconsistency issue with the C8K, which could sometimes cause some of its colours to actually look less vibrant and natural than those of the cheaper model. On the contrary, the C8L’s colours are even punchier in the TV’s excellent Standard preset than those of the C7L – despite the C7L itself being streets ahead of most of its similarly priced rivals in the colour department.

This doesn’t mean that the C8L’s colours look overblown or inconsistent, though. TCL has seemingly taken great care to ensure that any amplification of colours its TV is delivering in its relatively vibrant presets maintains the tonal balance and overall ‘feel’ of the source content remarkably well.

The C8L’s SQD and processing capabilities ensure, too, that colours retain full saturation even in the brightest HDR picture areas, rather than brighter colours fading away as can happen with lesser TVs. Nor do the brightest, most heavily saturated HDR colour areas become cartoonish thanks to any loss of subtle shading details.

This colour blend finesse feeds into an impressively three-dimensional look to pictures, regardless of whether you’re using the TV’s Standard or as-the-director-intended Filmmaker Mode preset, as well as an outstandingly crisp, detailed look to native 4K images where you feel like you’re appreciating the full and accurate weight of every single pixel.

This sense of depth and detail isn’t just down to the C8L’s new colour engine, though. Its Mini LED plus advanced local dimming backlight system also plays a huge part in the feeling of precision and, in the Filmmaker Mode’s case, accuracy, by being able to deliver not just extreme brightness highlights and remarkably inky black colours, but every imaginable shade in between. That includes the faintest dark colour and grey details; nothing gets lost in the darkness here.

Subtle shadow details are delivered without looking noisy or exaggerated, too, revealing a level of local light control and backlight intelligence that’s still very rare in the LCD TV world.

Given how well the C8L handles the subtlest of dark scene details, it comes as little surprise to find that it also exhibits scarcely any backlight blooming at all around even the most starkly stand-out bright highlights. That’s despite those bright highlights not obviously being dimmed down when they appear against even black backdrops, and the screen’s general brightness being consistently spectacular for a fairly mainstream TV.

The C8L’s intense brightness can be felt in highlights of both Standard and Filmmaker Mode images, and it makes all bright or mid-bright scenes look breathtakingly intense and vivid in Standard mode without the results looking forced.

That isn’t to imply, though, that the Filmmaker Mode looks in any way drab. It is, of course, less bright than the Standard preset, especially with SDR content, in keeping with the relatively dim brightness values used by most of today’s content mastering studios. But Filmmaker Mode actually looks more dynamic with both SDR and HDR than such modes usually do, purely as a result of the screen’s hardware strengths and software support helping to deliver the picture attributes Filmmaker Modes demand.

With motion processing set to Low, the C8L delivers 24fps content with good sharpness, while keeping it free of excessive hardware judder, soap opera effect or general unwanted processing side effects, and the WHVA panel definitely helps the screen retain richer colours and better contrast from wide viewing angles than your average LCD TV.

The C8L’s picture heroics aren’t limited to video playback, either. It’s also an excitingly crisp, bold and responsive gaming display that you can’t help but become immersed in. Even if you’re playing the scary Silent Hill: Townfall and might want to be a bit less immersed…

The C8L’s pictures in both its Standard and Filmmaker Modes combine punchiness with naturalism, consistency and nuance so well that it’s hard to find anything serious to complain about.

However, while viewing angles are good in most ways, blooming becomes much more obvious from angles of around 30 degrees and more. The screen is also quite reflective of bright light sources in your room, even if it suppresses more general ambient light quite well.

The noise reduction features are all a bit over-aggressive and basically unnecessary (so turn them off), and the Natural Cinema motion processing mode that sounds like it should be the best option for film fans… isn’t.

Finally, we can’t help but think that the rather complicated way TCL has integrated its new ‘Eco’ power-saving features into the TV’s menus in its out-of-the-box mode might result in more than a few C8L buyers leaving their new television hobbled with greatly reduced brightness and colour. Hopefully anyone who’s read this review, at least, will take the necessary steps to make sure this unfortunate situation doesn’t happen to them.

Sound quality

The C8L continues to benefit (mostly) from TCL’s working relationship with Bang & Olufsen when it comes to its premium TVs’ sound systems.

The 2.1.2-channel sound system does a particularly good job of crafting a soundstage that extends further beyond the screen’s outer frame than most TVs manage, creating an open, immersive sense of space for movies into which the TV then places specific effects with good positional accuracy.

These effects are very clean and crisp, too, even at loud volumes, which gives the overall tone of the sound an almost hi-fi quality. That’s testament, no doubt, to the physical quality of the B&O speaker design.

There’s plenty of clean and expansive power to go with the detail and large soundstage, too, and bass is handled tastefully, for want of a better word, staying clean, even when Hollywood really hammers the low-frequency knob.

As with last year’s C8K, though, the soundstage presentation can sometimes lose a little coherency as the wrong elements in a mix get too much emphasis, and the sound generally feels like it’s happening more behind the screen than in the room with you, costing it some immediacy and directness.

Dense soundtrack moments ebb in and out at times too, and, finally, while bass is clean, it doesn’t hit quite the sort of depth we feel that it perhaps should be able to with such large low-frequency drivers available to it.

Overall, the C8L’s sound is good by prevailing TV standards, and improves on its predecessor, but it somehow still doesn’t feel like it’s getting the optimal impact from all of its undoubtedly premium audio parts.

Verdict

While the 65-inch model doesn’t represent quite such excellent value as other screen sizes in the C8L range, the addition of Super Quantum Dots and a clearly much improved backlight system still delivers a hard-to-resist upgrade from last year’s mildly disappointing C8K.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Hisense UR9

Also consider the Samsung R95H

Read our Sony Bravia 7 II review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Happy Prime Big Deal Days!

Yes, it's time for Amazon's third big sales event of the year, following Spring Deal Days in March and Prime Day in June.

The big difference with this Amazon sale? Black Friday is just under eight weeks away.

This presents a conundrum for anyone looking to buy a new TV. If you somehow held out during the World Cup but are craving a bigger, better screen in your living room, then we are arriving in peak sale season.

But should you actually wait another two months and put up with your ageing TV? Here's our two cents...

• All the latest Amazon Big Deal Days savings!
• Don't forget to check Richer Sounds for deals too!
• Peter Tyson also has some compelling deals running!
• Sevenoaks Sound and Vision's top savings

Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a new TV?

Largely, yes. While many retailers launch rival Prime Day sales now, it's not to the same extent as Black Friday, when every outlet, including the specialist TV retailers, pull out all the stops to compete for the best price.

Black Friday is also traditionally when the year's new releases get a big price drop, meaning if you wait a few months your budget could stretch to a 2026 model rather than one of last year's releases.

One TV brand that can be worth buying over Prime Day is, of course, Amazon. And while there are good deals on Amazon TVs we recommend – such as the Amazon Ember QLED with Fire TV, now £640 at Amazon – they're not quite the cheapest we've seen them (that particular model dropped to £600 over Prime Day in July).

Our advice? Unless you particularly need a new TV between now and December, you're better off holding fire and resisting temptation for a few more weeks, when the TV deals selection should be wider and better.

Unless you happen to be after a small-ish OLED...

The exception to the rule?

If you can't wait until Black Friday, however, and have a smaller room, thereis a rather excellent TV deal available this Big Deals Day.

The 48-inch LG C5 has crashed to £699 at Amazon, the lowest price we've seen so far and a whopping 50 per cent off the price we reviewed it at last year.

We can't promise it won't go cheaper on Black Friday, but a five-star OLED for under £700 is an excellent deal at any time of year.

Its brilliant, bright picture makes it a solid choice for anyone upgrading to OLED for the first time, and LG’s webOS has excellent app support with all the key services.

The LG C5 is also our gaming TV Award winner thanks to its myriad of gaming features, including four HDMI 2.1 sockets – ideal for the upcoming GTA 6.

As far as we're concerned, it's the TV deal to beat this Prime Day.

MORE:

The best Amazon Big Deal Days savings on headphones, OLED TVs, Dolby Atmos soundbars and more, direct from our experts

Read our 48-inch LG C6 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets tried and tested

TV screen sizes are seemingly only going in one direction, with manufacturers across the board touting sets north of 100 inches as the new norm. For those of us with moderately sized living rooms, this trend is simply not in our best interests.

Naturally, going “small” means accepting a compromise on screen size and, therefore, cinematic scale. But does a smaller TV necessarily mean a less immersive viewing experience? The 48-inch LG C6 sets out to answer that question with a resounding no.

Considering we are huge fans of the 65-inch LG C6, which we reviewed back in April, this might not come as a surprise. That said, we’ve always said that picture and sound performance can vary greatly across different sizes, so the five-star performance of the 65-inch model isn’t necessarily indicative of the 48- and 42-inch versions.

Fortunately, the 48-inch C6 comes surprisingly close to matching its larger sibling, retaining much of the picture and sound performance that made the 65-inch model so impressive.

Price

The LG OLED48C6, to give it its proper title, launched at £1400 / $1600 / AU$2400 earlier this year, but frequent price drops in the UK and US have cut that down to around £1200 / $1200. Similar price drops haven’t yet appeared Down Under, unfortunately.

Competition at this level is rife, as we’re seeing more “small” OLEDs hit the market than ever before. LG itself currently offers its step-down B6 in this size for £999 / $800 / AU$1995, and a 48-inch version of the G6 is also on the market in the UK for £1399.

LG’s C-series models tend to stick around for quite some time, too, which means remaining stock of the five-star 48-inch LG C5 can still be snapped up for around £999.

LG’s archrival, Samsung, also offers its C6 equivalent, the S90H, for £1199 / $1300 / AU$1760. It presents an almost identical feature set at an almost identical price in the UK and US.

Last year’s Award-winning 48-inch OLED, the Panasonic Z90B, also remains on sale for £1199, making it a very competitive option.

Design

LG’s tried-and-true C-series design soldiers on for yet another year, and it carries forth the various pros and cons we’ve found with previous generations stretching back to 2022’s 48-inch C2.

The good news is that this is a superbly slim TV at just 4.6cm in thickness when you take into consideration the “backpack” that houses the electronics and connections. At its slimmest, the TV measures just 47mm, giving it a premium and stylish look, and the central pedestal stand means it can be placed on a narrow piece of furniture.

However, that stand still protrudes outwards in a slightly awkward way if you plan on pairing this TV with a soundbar. The smaller 42-inch C6 sports a pair of dual blade-style feet that you can squeeze a compact soundbar between.

LG has also bundled in the same Magic Remote that we’ve seen across the previous few generations of this TV. It keeps the ThinQ AI button in place of the source select – dare we say one of our least favourite changes in recent memory – and the buttons aren’t backlit; however, the scroll wheel and Nintendo Wii-style motion pointer control system are both novelties that can make interacting with the TV slightly more engaging.

Features

We’ll get straight into the panel tech, as LG could be taking an unconventional approach this year. Traditionally, the C-series has been staunchly WOLED, meaning it hasn’t adopted LG Display’s brightness-boosting Primary RGB Tandem OLED or Micro Lens Array display technology.

That changes with the C6, though. The company has essentially confirmed that the 77- and 83-inch versions sport RGB Tandem OLED panels by stating that they are ‘Brightness Booster Pro’ models rather than standard ‘Brightness Booster’ sets as per the rest of the sizes.

Rumours suggest, though, that the 48-inch C6, despite being a ‘Brightness Booster’ model, does in fact feature a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel. We have attempted to get clarification from LG Display, but have been met with the usual “we don’t talk about panel tech" line.

Our approach is to focus on performance with real-world content rather than get bogged down in product components, but our testing suggests this could indeed be a Primary RGB Tandem OLED TV.

Moving on from the display, the C6 is powered by the Alpha 11 AI Processor 4K Gen3, which keeps the webOS smart platform running smoothly while also handling picture and sound processing. LG says that its latest processor utilises a new 12-bit processing pipeline, which brings extra colour and brightness precision to the table.

On top of this is Dual AI Super Resolution, which essentially runs lower-resolution content through an AI-backed picture upscaling process twice: the first time to sharpen edges, and the second to refine texture and detail. This should sharpen up non-4K content (think Blu-rays, DVDs and streaming), resulting in a more natural look.

AI HDR Remaster is also featured. This analyses content on a frame-by-frame basis to enhance contrast, sharpness and colour. SDR content takes on a more HDR-like appearance, and HDR content will take on a “more vibrant and realistic” look.

AI Picture Pro is also on board, which uses content recognition algorithms to adapt the TV’s settings to reduce noise, optimise contrast, manage colour saturation, and sharpen faces and text. AI Sound works in a similar way, as it uses content recognition to adapt the sound settings and performance to best suit what you’re watching. The remote even features an AI button that allows users to navigate the TV and troubleshoot issues using voice commands.

The AI features don’t stop there, though, as you’ll find a bountiful feast of AI-enhanced picture and sound modes on board too. AI Picture Wizard and AI Sound Wizard allow users to select from a range of preset image and sound samples to find their ideal personalised set-up without having to dig too deep into the picture menus.

That said, we find Filmmaker Mode (in the TV’s picture settings) delivers the best results.

Moving away from the near-endless list of AI features, the C6 supports a solid set of HDR formats, including HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. Samsung's HDR10+ isn’t supported, as per LG’s usual stance.

The Dolby support extends to audio too, as the C6 features Dolby Atmos through its built-in 2.2-channel 40W sound system, and through connected audio devices via HDMI eARC.

Speaking of HDMI, the C6 sports four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, all of which are capable of handling signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM. For those without a console, the C6 supports cloud gaming up to 4K/120Hz with HDR through the likes of Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox. LG touts this feature as a world-first.

webOS is also a well-equipped, if frustratingly advertisement-heavy operating system (you can turn sponsored content off in the settings, thankfully), and LG has made a few tweaks this year to make things run even smoother.

Recent inputs are easier to access; there’s a new customisable My Page menu with widgets that turns the TV into a smart display when not in use, and a new “Continue Watching” rail also adorns the home page.

App support is also practically flawless, with all of the expected domestic and international apps supported and working as expected, with quick loading times to boot.

Picture quality

As we alluded to, the 48-inch C6 bears many of the positive picture markings of its 65-inch counterpart, despite it being significantly scaled down.

We’ve plugged our trusty Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player into the C6 and selected a handful of reference 4K discs from our library, including Civil War, Pan, Blade Runner 2049 and F1: The Movie.

While selecting Filmmaker Mode from the picture menu gets us most of the way to picture excellence, we opt to enable Cinematic Movement in the TruMotion settings to eliminate the touch of judder inherent in 24fps content. Cinema Home is also a worthwhile preset to explore, for those who don’t mind sacrificing some accuracy for a punchier picture.

With these settings dialled in, it’s hard to argue that the 48-inch C6 OLED doesn’t have all of what it takes to be a truly special compact OLED TV. The combination of deep blacks, excellent contrast control and punchy highlights creates a striking image with excellent depth and solidity, as evidenced in the final battle sequence of Civil War.

Rockets and flares light up the deep black sky with bursts of brightness, and the buildings of Washington DC are rendered with a superb sense of realism and detail. Throughout the sequence, we find that the C6 balances shadow depth and detail with impressive finesse too.

Onto a more colourful sequence from Pan, the scene in which a floating pirate ship sails past some floating orbs of water, we find that the C6 is capable of delivering rich, punchy greens and blues while also retaining the natural skin tones of the children on the ship. As the ship approaches the floating island of Neverland, the concentrated brightness of the sun burns with intensity while also retaining a clearly visible circular outline.

Motion also remains a highlight. We noted that motion looked “impressively smooth and controlled without introducing obvious artefacts or drifting into the dreaded soap-opera effect” with Cinematic Motion applied on the 65-inch version of this TV, and the same can be said for the 48-inch model.

The opening sequence of Blade Runner 2049 demonstrates this nicely; a tricky panning shot, a tracking shot of a hovering drone, and a shot of Sapper Morton stepping backwards are all handled smoothly yet naturally on the C6, despite these specific shots tripping other TVs up.

Rounding out our testing with F1: The Movie, the OLED48C6 truly shines. Colourful race car liveries pop yet never look garish or overcooked, and fireworks burst with vibrancy without appearing overblown. There is no apparent stuttering or juddering as the Porsche and BMW tussle for first place, and the C6 looks wonderfully sharp without verging into over-etched territory.

Sound quality

As was the case with the 65-inch version of this TV, the 48-inch C6 seems to be a sonic step forward for LG. While this TV doesn’t perform miracles, it’s certainly an upgrade over the 48-inch C5, which we criticised for sounding “distinctly flat” and lacking definition.

The C6, on the other hand, sounds crisper, weightier and more spacious. The atmospheric effects of the dystopian Los Angeles streets are presented with a solid sense of width and detail, and while the TV doesn’t reach for the ceiling with its Dolby Atmos height effects, there is a sense of spaciousness to the audio that accompanies the floating holographic adverts beamed onto Officer K’s apartment block in Blade Runner 2049.

Most crucially, the C6 projects voices slightly more, and there is a touch more warmth and tonality, which makes listening to dialogue more engaging. Bass is also mostly well controlled, although there isn’t much in the way of depth or tonal variation.

Now, we won’t deny that even a basic soundbar will run circles around the C6’s built-in speakers, and a Dolby Atmos soundbar will provide much more authentic height effects – the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Beam Ultra would make a perfect accompaniment, for example – but the improvement over the last generation model is worth commending.

That is, if you steer clear of the AI Sound setting. This continues to sound oddly synthetic, and while there is the option to tailor the sound to your liking, we find that avoiding it altogether provides a more natural and balanced presentation.

Verdict

LG’s 48-inch C6 is arguably the brand’s most interesting OLED TV in recent memory. While that might sound strange when the brand is selling a TV that is slimmer than an iPhone and powered by a magical wireless box, the company’s small mid-range OLED is a true dark horse.

If our theory is correct, it’s likely the cheapest way to acquire an RGB Tandem OLED TV, and if it’s not, then we’d really like to know how LG has pumped the brightness and vibrancy up to this extent.

Regardless, it’s fully featured, talented in the picture and sound departments, and it proves that you don’t need to sacrifice a considerable chunk of your living room to achieve a cinematically satisfying experience.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the LG C5 48-inch

Also consider the LG C6 65-inch

Read our Panasonic Z90B 48-inch

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Samsung really seems to have gone out of its way to make its TV lineup as confusing as possible this year, especially where its flagship OLEDs are concerned.

In the UK, Samsung’s top OLED is the S99H. It’s a glorious TV that takes OLED performance to new heights, wrapped in a fancy, somewhat divisive frame design.

Elsewhere in the world, though, this TV is known as the S95H.

Not too confusing yet, right? But get this: in the UK, we also get an S95H, and it’s different to the S95H found elsewhere in the world.

So, what is the UK S95H? Prevailing wisdom says that it’s essentially the S99H with a wired One Connect box and the large metal frame removed.

We were excited about this prospect: we like the S99H’s frame when the TV is wall-mounted, but it looks rather awkward when the TV is set on the – let’s face it – rather cheap, plastic feet.

If we could get a version of the TV with the same performance, a more typical design and a lower price, that would be a winner, right?

Well, it would, but that isn’t what the UK S95H is.

With both models set up side by side in our test room, there’s an instantly appreciable difference in brightness and vibrancy, with the S99H being clearly better in both regards.

Samsung is always (infuriatingly) coy about which of its models feature what panel tech, but we do know that the S99H is a QD-OLED model. Given that the UK S95H is less vibrant and less bright, you might assume that it’s a WOLED, but while I can’t be 100 per cent sure, I don’t think that’s the case.

The S95H’s screen has a very similar matte coating to the S99H, and while it’s less bright and vibrant than the S99H, it looks more ‘step-down QD-OLED’ than ‘WOLED’ to me. In fact, it looks remarkably similar to Samsung’s 2025 OLED flagship, the S95F.

To be clear, the S95H looks like a very good TV, and, having tested all of the brand’s OLEDs and several of its backlit models as part of our Awards process, I think it’s probably the second-best Samsung TV you can buy this year.

It isn’t, though, in the same league as the awesome S99H.

Frankly, no TV we’ve seen so far this year is in the same league as the S99H, but our Awards testing isn’t quite finished yet. Could anything else knock it off the top spot? Find out when we announce the What Hi-Fi? Awards on 13th October.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs and best soundbars you can buy right now

Here's our Samsung S99H review

We're deep into the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 judging process, and finalising our list of the best TVs has been the point of order for this week.

As such, I've had the pleasure of testing a crop of compact OLED TVs, and this is a particular area of interest for me both inside and outside of the testing room.

While I love OLED TVs of all shapes and sizes, I've had my eye on a sub-55-inch OLED ever since I first laid eyes upon the LG C2 during my very first year on the What Hi-Fi? team.

Every year since, I've fawned over the 42- and 48-inch OLEDs that we've tested from the likes of LG, Samsung and Panasonic.

As a keen gamer with a love of competitive shooters, getting "up close and personal" with my screen is a must, and these desktop-friendly sizes are ideal monitor replacements, and they often pack in way more features that appease my AV enthusiast side too.

Four years on, however, I still haven't bitten the bullet and bought one. "The time has never been right" and "they're still quite expensive even during Black Friday" are my two favourite excuses, hence why they've sat in my browser tabs on checkout screens that I've never completed.

However, after testing the 42- and 48-inch Samsung S90H and LG C6, I now have a rather smug sense of self-satisfaction, as my patience (or commitment issues, depending on how you look at it) has paid off.

Without spoiling the upcoming reviews or the coveted Awards list, all four TVs are pretty fantastic, and they prove that you can get a large-scale cinematic experience from a TV that doesn't require loads of space.

All of them offer punchy, rich colours, excellent motion, and perfect black depths, and the smaller screen sizes give them an edge when it comes to detail and sharpness, thanks to their greater pixel density compared with their 55- and 65-inch counterparts.

Focusing directly on the LG C6, as we've reviewed the 65-inch model (we have a review of a larger Samsung S90H in the works), we find that the 48-inch version simply feels like a smaller version of that five-star TV.

We affirmed that the C6 has a "brighter, richer and more refined picture quality" than its predecessor, the C5, at this larger screen size. From experience, the 48-inch seems to have taken a very similar path, as I was instantly struck by how bright, crisp and balanced this TV looked this year.

While I've thoroughly enjoyed previous versions of this TV, such as the 48-inch C4 and C5, they've not jumped out at me in the same way this year's C6 has.

Furthermore, the 42-inch C6 and S90H are two truly exceptional TVs, and while I won't divulge who is taking home a What Hi-Fi? Award, they're practically on par when it comes to picture quality and features.

Simply put, I could happily sit and watch a movie on these TVs, despite being used to having an expansive 65-inch at home. They don't feel like compromised versions of larger TVs, but actually great alternatives in their own right.

Now, will any of these TVs make it into my upgraded gaming setup? With the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Grand Theft Auto VI launching very soon, I could have the perfect excuse to finally pull the trigger.

MORE:

Check out our full Samsung S90F 48-inch review

As well as our LG C5 48-inch review

And read our full list of the best OLED TVs

RGB Mini LED was the big new panel technology of 2026, and it first entered our test rooms with the Hisense UR9.

We were rather impressed by the controlled backlight performance and rich cinematic HDR picture, granting it four stars.

One of our main issues was the price tag, with the £3000 cost pitting the 65-inch UR9 against flagship OLEDs. No more, however – the RGB Mini LED TV can now be picked up for £1499 at Sevenoaks.

To get this price, you'll need to use the code GDTV300, and then claim £200 cashback from Hisense. Full Ts and Cs can be found here.

That's not all, however – gamers can enjoy a free Xbox Design Lab controller and a month of Game Pass, both of which can be used with the TV with no need for a console.

Apart from the RGB Mini LED screen, one of the biggest selling points of the UR9 is that it's one of the first TVs with support for Dolby Vision 2, specifically the premium Dolby Vision 2 Max. Be aware that iQIYI is the only current Dolby Vision 2 content partner operating in the UK, though we expect more services to join as the format grows.

HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG are all on board too, with widespread support on both streaming and physical media.

Whatever you watch, however, you'll benefit from the RGB Mini LED screen. The new technology uses red, green and blue Mini LEDs in the backlight for greater brightness and more precise colour reproduction.

We found it couldn't quite top OLED in some categories, but it was one of the most accomplished backlit TVs we've tested.

"Play 1917 on 4K Blu-ray, and the opening logos immediately demonstrate just how well controlled the TV’s backlight system is," our Hisense UR9 review reads. "Blooming around the bright white text is minimal, black depth is strong, and colours look rich, warm and nicely cinematic.

"More importantly, the local-dimming system generally goes about its business without drawing attention to itself. Throughout our testing, the UR9 almost never exhibits the flickering, brightness pumping or visibly shifting backlight behaviour that can make many Mini LED TVs distracting."

Gamers are nicely catered for, with three gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports that support a whopping 4K/170Hz (including 4K/120Hz for consoles), VRR and ALLM. Perfect for that Xbox controller and Game Pass subscription, then.

You'll be able to access the Xbox app on Hisense's fast and responsive VIDAA platform, which includes all the major streaming services and UK catch-up apps. Do note that access to the Apple TV Store is missing, though.

The sound is also surprisingly expansive and full-bodied for TV standards, with the Devialet-tuned 4.1.2-channel speaker system delivering particularly impressive width and height effects. A modest soundbar will still outperform it, but UR9’s audio system is better than that of most TVs.

The Hisense UR9 sports several next-gen features at a knock-down price. For some of the latest technology 2026 has to offer, check out the Hisense UR9 now half-price at Sevenoaks.

MORE:

Also consider reading our Sony Bravia 8 II review

There's also the LG G6 review

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

2026 is the year of RGB Mini LED and, unsurprisingly, Samsung is eager to get a slice of the new panel technology pie.

To give the Korean AV giant some credit, it joined Hisense to be among the first manufacturers to release a TV sporting the latest backlit panels last year, although its model was only available in a ginormous 115-inches.

Much like its Chinese adversary, Samsung has scaled down the panel technology this year, which brings us neatly to the R95H we have before us today.

This is the brand’s flagship "Micro RGB" (we’ll explain that shortly) TV for 2026, and it’s essentially a backlit counterpart to the superb S99H OLED.

As most tech-obsessed people are aware, Samsung spent years refusing to produce OLED TVs (and even campaigning against them) before doing a full one-eighty, embracing the tech, and going on to produce some of the finest OLED TVs around.

In fact, its OLED models are now so good that this alternative, backlit flagship TV really struggles to make a case for itself.

Price

The 65-inch Samsung R95H – MRE65R95H in the UK, MRN65R95H in the US, and MRA65R95H in Australia – launched at an eyebrow-raising price of £3299 / $3200 / AU$5299.

Given Samsung’s track record of aggressively discounting its TVs throughout the year, it's unlikely you will need to pay that much for it if you're a little patient. In fact, we've already seen the TV dip below £3000 in the UK.

Fascinatingly, the company's S99H OLED launched in the UK and Australia with an identical price tag of £3299 / AU$5299, while it was slightly higher in the US, at $3400.

This is intentional: Samsung hasn’t been shy about how it’s positioning its premium TVs this year, saying that customers can choose from two sides at the top end, with the S99H and R95H being two sides of essentially the same coin.

The R95H also has other RGB Mini LED TVs to contend with, of course, most obviously the Sony Bravia 9 II (which is more expensive at £3499 / $3600 / AU$5999) and Hisense UR9 (a cheaper alternative at £2999 / $2000 / AU$3999).

The battle to be crowned the king of this freshly waged RGB war is heating up, but it also may be futile, as we’ve tested three (four, including this Samsung) and none has held a candle to our favourite OLED models.

Design

Samsung knows how to build TVs that look good and feel high-quality, and the R95H is no exception.

Despite being a backlit TV, it's surprisingly slender at just 3cm thick and the uniform flat back should make it an easy TV to wall-mount.

This slim design is paired with super-slim bezels and a central pedestal that sports a reflective panel to give the illusion of a floating screen. The effect is a touch more rudimentary than Sony’s clever lenticular solution on the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II, but the thought process is essentially the same.

What we really must commend Samsung on is how easy this TV is to assemble. The stand slots together with ease, and it clicks onto the main chassis of the TV akin to an oversized LEGO set – all of that with no screwdriver required.

As such, setting this TV up (in its tabletop orientation, that is) takes very little time and effort, although it's worth noting that the stand can only be set up at one soundbar-friendly height.

The only element of the design and build that we don’t approve of is the bundled remotes. It's the same simple smart remote and button-heavy handset duo that has come with Samsung TVs for years, and at this price we really think that Samsung could include a nicer-built remote with backlit buttons.

We do like the USB-C charging port and solar panel, though; anything to avoid fussing with batteries.

Features

Samsung’s 'kitchen sink' approach to loading its TVs full of features continues with the R95H, but the most interesting feature is the new panel technology – so we’ll start there.

Each competing brand has put its own spin on the naming of its take on RGB Mini LED tech, with Samsung opting for "Micro RGB".

As the name suggests, Samsung claims that its LEDs are smaller than those used by its competitors – under 100 microns to be exact. For those without a microscope and a tiny ruler, that’s roughly the width of a human hair.

This has allowed Samsung to increase the density of the LEDs, essentially meaning that the R95H should have more distinct red, blue and green LEDs packed into the backlight.

In theory, this should greatly improve contrast and local dimming capabilities, but, interestingly, we counted 1344 dimming zones on our 65-inch R95H sample, which is fewer than the 1530 we counted in the 65-inch Sony Bravia 9 II.

Panel tech aside, the R95H is packed with features. HLG, HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Advanced, HDR10+ Gaming and HLG are all on board, for starters, and this suite of HDR formats is being bundled under what Samsung is calling its Micro RGB HDR Pro system.

Samsung’s stance against Dolby Vision remains, as it prioritises its own HDR10+ system instead. Thankfully, Dolby Atmos support is on board, and the company’s Eclipsa Audio format is also now supported – though it’s only available via YouTube at the time of our review.

The R95H's Tizen OS software platform and picture processing are powered by Samsung’s new Micro RGB AI Engine Pro. This encompasses a plethora of picture processing features, including Real Depth Enhancer (contrast enhancement), AI Motion Enhancer Pro, Micro RGB Colour Booster Pro, Auto HDR Remastering Pro, Ultimate Micro Dimming Pro, and 4K AI Upscaling Pro.

Samsung’s Tizen system is also home to a wide array of smart apps, both global and terrestrial. We find coverage across movie, gaming, and lifestyle apps to be stellar, with no noticeable omissions.

Speaking of gaming, Samsung remains dedicated to serving gamers only the finest selection of features, with four HDMI 2.1 sockets all capable of handling gameplay up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM. The inclusion of Xbox, Amazon Luna, NVIDIA GeForce Now and many more gaming apps also allows you to stream games directly to the TV – just add a Bluetooth controller.

Samsung has also implemented a handful of AI platforms (including Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot), and Art Mode is available for displaying a range of artwork from galleries around the world while your TV is in ambient mode.

The 65-inch model that we’re testing sports a 70W 4.2.2-channel sound system, which is compatible with Samsung’s Active Voice Amplifier Pro, Adaptive Sound Pro, 360 Audio and Object Tracking Sound+ features.

If you have a Samsung soundbar, you can also pair the TV’s sound system with it using Q-Symphony, though we advise caution with this feature. Generally speaking, your soundbar will sound better without the heavily compromised speakers of your TV getting in on the action, but do experiment with your specific TV and soundbar combination to establish what sounds best to you.

Picture quality

The R95H has to prove itself a worthy alternative to the five-star S99H, which we have set up as a direct comparison for our testing. Our S99H is 55-inches, so we do have to account for a slight difference in pixel density, which will impact sharpness and contrast to a degree; however, we expect the 65-inch S99H to perform very closely to its 55-inch counterpart.

We’ve hooked our Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player up to both TVs, and raided our 4K disc library to put the R95H through its paces.

We should start by saying that the R95H has some positive attributes by backlit TV standards. Black levels are very impressive, with letterboxing bars and shadows in darker content (think Blade Runner 2049 and The Batman) looking suitably solid and deep.

Black levels remain mostly uncompromised by blooming; our go-to stress test scene from Oppenheimer highlights this, with spotlights lighting up the testing site at night featuring a small halo that looks like an intended glow rather than unwanted blooming.

Colours are also handled well, with slightly more subtlety than the already excellent S99H, particularly in foliage and skin tones. Ultimately, we feel that a truly perfect colour balance sits somewhere between the subtle delivery of the R95H and the more vibrant S99H, but of the two, we find that the R95H looks slightly truer to our eyes.

We also find that in its most dynamic settings – either Standard or Vivid – the R95H can seriously push brightness limits. We find that it outshines the S99H in these modes, but that’s somewhat of a hollow victory considering we recommend avoiding these picture presets.

Unfortunately, Samsung’s flagship Micro RGB falls noticeably behind its OLED counterpart in nearly every other picture aspect.

In our preferred Movie and Filmmaker Mode presets, which are designed to prioritise authenticity over bombast, the R95H struggles to compete. Those Oppenheimer spotlights look dull against the dark night, especially compared with the punchy pinpoint highlights produced by the S99H, and that unfortunately carries forth to the rest of the image.

Switching to the 4K restoration of The Matrix to see if we can push the R95H to outshine its OLED alternative (it’s mastered to 2000 nits), we find that the sequence of Morbius explaining how the simulated world works to Neo on an all-white backdrop is simply more dazzling on the S99H. A panning shot introducing the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar ship also highlights some unpleasantly smeary motion from the R95H, too.

There is also a sense of flatness and dullness to this TV that is genuinely surprising to see. The R95H lacks the three-dimensionality found on the S99H, and we find that the QD-OLED is almost constantly drawing our eyes away from the Micro RGB throughout our testing.

Civil War’s forest fire sequence really sums up the shortcomings of the TV quite efficiently. Simply put, black depths, the intensity and brightness of the flames, and the sharpness and depth of the image are all clearly superior on the OLED.

Crucially, though, this isn't purely a backlit TV being beaten by an OLED, which is something we've seen time and time again, particularly this year: while the Sony Bravia 9 II also struggles against its Bravia 8 II OLED sibling and the S99H, it gets closer than Samsung's R95H does, delivering a picture with more three-dimensionality and a better balance of punch and authenticity.

Sound quality

The R95H also feels like a step back when it comes to sound. Revving up Blade Runner 2049’s tricky chapter two sequence, the TV instantly spirals into distortion, with warbly and mushy bass dominating the scene. This is at odds with the S99H, which holds back on piling on weighty bass in favour of a more controlled delivery.

That unruly bass is emphasised by a recessed midrange, which creates an unbalanced delivery throughout this sequence, with dialogue and several effects lacking the attention they deserve.

Thankfully, the R95H makes up some ground in less bass-heavy sequences. As Officer K heads back home after a stressful day of being slammed through a wall by Dave Bautista’s Sapper Morton, we find that the TV can produce a big, broad and spacious sound. The city's audio advertisements are presented with a solid sense of height, and the general bustle of the street is well preserved.

The conversation between K and Joi in the apartment is delivered with clarity and a semblance of low-level dynamics that ensures the voices aren’t completely devoid of character and emotional inflexion, too.

However, the R95H brings back a critical issue we’ve found with other Samsung sets recently: it’s just too quiet. Even cranked up to maximum volume, we find it easy to speak over this TV without raising our voices, and this is only partly rectified by applying the Amplify sound mode, which boosts volume at the expense of some dynamic compression.

Verdict

We’re not entirely sure what wrong turn Samsung has taken here. The brand stunned us with the S99H, which is a true flagship TV that justifies its price thanks to its sublime picture performance, excellent feature set and improved sound.

While the R95H retains that unquestionably superb feature set, it’s a considerable step backwards in the other two crucial categories. Impressive black depths for a backlit TV can’t make up for the flattened picture and heavy-handed approach to sound.

Some will point to the R95H's peak brightness potential as an important factor, but with the best new OLED TVs – most notably Samsung's own S99H – now capable of going vastly brighter than almost any room and the vast majority of content requires, we simply don't see that as a fundamental issue.

And, what's more, the R95H isn't even the best TV of its type – that crown currently rests on the head of the Sony Bravia 9 II.

SCORES

• Picture 3
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Samsung S99H

Also consider the Sony Bravia 8 II

Read our Sony Bravia 9 II review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Whether you’re watching a scene of hushed conversation or shouty statements punctuated by explosions, some of you may find it difficult to hear dialogue when watching movies.

That can be particularly frustrating when you have forked out a fair amount of cash for a brand-new TV. Unfortunately, as TVs have been getting slimmer, so have their built-in speakers which often does not allow enough space for the drivers you deserve.

But don’t worry, there are a few things you can try before completely relying on subtitles or cranking up the volume to 11. Let’s take a look.

Experiment with your TV’s speech boosters

One of the simplest ways to try to improve the dialogue from your TV is to dive into its settings menu. Every TV brand has a slightly different name for its speech boosters, so finding the right one may take a bit of searching online or in the user manual.

Sony Bravia TVs, for instance, offer a feature called Voice Zoom, which reduces ambient noise and increases the voice level.

There are usually also sound presets that prioritise dialogue, although they might be under Dialogue or the less intuitive News option. It might be a little time-consuming to start with, but it’s worth it in the long run to find the best setting for you.

Invest in a soundbar

If you are still struggling to catch dialogue, then it might be worth investing in a soundbar. They can sit in front of your TV screen, or you can wall-mount them if you prefer. And they offer far better dialogue and a more immersive audio experience than the vast majority of TV speakers.

There are oodles of models on the market, ranging from premium entries to more budget-friendly options. For the latter, the Award-winning Hisense AX5125H soundbar system and the compact Creative Stage Pro models are each well worth your consideration. In both cases, we find that dialogue is much clearer compared with the TV speakers, as well as delivering more expression and nuance in voices.

Many soundbars also offer their own EQ modes to enhance the dialogue further. The Sonos Beam Ultra, to which we just awarded five stars in our test room, for instance, has its own Speech Enhancement mode, which you can adjust from low to max, or just leave off entirely.

Connect to your headphones

This option won't suit everyone, but if you are still struggling, then it might be worth connecting your TV to a pair of headphones. That, of course, makes the listening experience much more intimate, and you quite possibly already have a compatible model in your home.

It’s also handy if you don’t want to disturb others in your home without having to turn the volume down and making the dialogue even less clear.

Most smart TVs allow you to connect your cans via Bluetooth, as you would link them to your phone or computer. For the more analogue among you, you can connect many over-ear headphones to the TV using the 3.5mm auxiliary jack and a cable extension.

Invest in a good pair of Bluetooth headphones, such as the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM6 or Sennheiser HDB 630, and you should be getting a much more detailed and engaging experience compared with your built-in TV speakers.

If you wear hearing aids, you can connect these to your TV as well via Bluetooth.

After finding the right solution for you, hopefully you will be well on your way to getting much clearer dialogue – and so to immersing yourself more fully in movies.

MORE:

These are the best headphones we have tested

Check out the best soundbars

And here are the best TVs

We're big fans of LG's latest mid-range OLED.

The five-star LG C6 is one of our favourite TVs of the year, thanks to a bright, rich and refined picture, awesome gaming credentials and an app-packed smart platform.

It also delivers a solid audio performance for its class, though it's no substitute for a dedicated sound system.

That's where this bundle deal comes in. The LG C6 is currently down to an impressive £1899 at Smart Home Sounds with the code TRADE250, only £10 above the lowest price we've seen.

But the real kicker is that you get a Dolby Atmos soundbar absolutely free – add the four-star LG S70TY to your basket with the C6 and the cost will be removed at checkout.

Even without the soundbar, this would be a great deal on a fantastic TV.

Much of the C6's success comes from the new Alpha 11 Gen 3 chip. We don't often get too excited about processor upgrades, but this seemingly small change has resulted in an even brighter and richer performance than its predecessor, the Award-winning LG C5.

"Even in Filmmaker Mode, the C6’s extra brightness over the C5 is immediately obvious," our LG C6 review reads. "Highlights are more intense, colours have a touch more richness and the overall image carries greater depth and dimensionality."

The C6 offers a more enticing, dynamic and three-dimensional delivery overall, as well as enhanced upscaling, remastering and shading subtlety.

Gamers, as ever, are well looked after with LG TVs. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are available on all four HDMI 2.1 sockets, as well as 4K/120Hz for console gamers. PC gamers can even crank it up to 4k/165Hz with VRR.

The reliable LG WebOS is similarly impressive, with all the major streaming services present, well optimised and delivering content in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where applicable.

As well as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG are also on board. HDR10+ is missing – as are the newly released Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced – though this isn't a huge issue at the moment.

Improvements have been made to the sound also, with a more open and immersive delivery. We recommend taking the soundbar freebie, however – the LG S70TY package will smash the C6 when it comes to sound quality thanks to its easy-going, balanced presentation and well-integrated subwoofer.

You can pay a lot more and get a lot less than this great-value bundle deal. A £601 saving at Smart Home Sounds on one of the year's best OLEDs is quite the bargain anyway, but chucking in a decent Dolby Atmos soundbar makes this an absolute steal.

MORE:

Check out our LG C5 review

Also read our LG G6 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

2026 has been one of the most interesting and, if we're being brutally honest, exhausting years for TVs on record.

From the mainstream adoption of RGB Mini LED to cheaper OLED SE panels hitting the market, and the news of TCL essentially buying a majority stake in Sony's Bravia TV division, it's been a whirlwind.

And yet, there's been one manufacturer which has remained concerningly quiet up until now: Panasonic.

Rewind all the way to February (which feels like both a lifetime ago and strangely recent), when I flew to Munich to attend the Panasonic Experience 2026. At the event, the renowned Japanese consumer technology brand was showing off everything from air fryers, cameras and toothbrushes to Technics turntables, rice cookers and hair dryers.

TVs were also on show, and Panasonic made a huge announcement; just not the one I was expecting.

Now, it's an open secret that Panasonic's TV division has been struggling. At the lower end, it has struggled to keep up in a market now dominated by affordable 4K sets produced by the likes of Hisense and TCL. At the top, its prestigious OLED sets have seen tough competition from the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG: look at our recent lists of TV Award-winners, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture for the brand.

To rectify this, Panasonic announced that it was entering a strategic partnership with Shenzhen Skyworth, under its parent company Chuángwéi RGB, which would secure the future of its OLED, Mini LED and QLED sets in Europe.

The partnership was set to take effect on the 1st of April, and since the date came and went, Panasonic has been unnervingly quiet. Broadly speaking, its TVs have been out of stock at most retailers, and the one OLED TV it did announce, the Z86C, hasn't materialised.

Fast forward to IFA 2026, which took place earlier this month, and I was invited to the Panasonic TV booth to meet with Toshihiro Takagi (Product Planning, TV Business Division), Haruka Kono (TV Business Division) and Paul Williams (Press Relations) from Panasonic Corporation, as well as Paul Darch (CEO and Managing Director) and Sebastian Wegielski (General Manager Europe and Managing Director) from the newly formed SWMEU GmbH.

Reassurance, reorganising, and rebuilding

My discussion with representatives from Panasonic's new TV business centred mostly on what's happened over the past six months, and the short answer is that Panasonic has been incredibly busy behind the scenes.

It acknowledged that the April date originally planned was well behind us, but it wanted to get this partnership right, hence why it's been working hard to lay a strong foundation and hasn't rushed any TVs out to market.

The overall goal is to restore the brand's position within the European marketplace, with Panasonic eyeing up the number five spot within the pan-European market; hence why it needs to hit the ground running.

Development of the business has centred around four main pillars (which it originally shared during the Munich event): "The reference stays the reference", "Continuity you can trust", "Scaling Up" and "Innovation Pipeline". These are "the cornerstones of our strategy as we move forward", according to CEO Paul Darch.

They all seem fairly self-explanatory, but they are also key indicators as to what we can expect from Panasonic in the coming years.

The notion that Panasonic is eager to retain its position as a reference TV manufacturer is the first promising sign, and it recognises that OLED is the way to secure this legacy. It hasn't been shy in proudly proclaiming that its high-end OLED sets have been used by Hollywood editors and colourists, and it wants to keep that keep that status.

"What we mean by that is that what was once a Panasonic TV is still a Panasonic TV. The same guiding principles that govern picture, sound, design and OS continue", Darch said, which was reassuring to hear.

Doubling down on that, Darch also affirmed that "one of the key pieces of feedback that we receive is: will these Panasonic TVs really be Panasonic TVs? The answer is yes". Ultimately, based on what I've been told, the notion that future TVs will be any old set with a Panasonic badge slapped onto it can be dispelled.

Continuity is another major focus for this new partnership, hence why SWMEU GmbH has opened its head office in Wiesbaden, Germany, which is the city where Panasonic's European headquarters is located.

The innovation pipeline and scaling-up initiatives are where Panasonic really hopes to make up some ground, though. Broadening the product portfolio and bringing its TVs to market more quickly are two major priorities for the brand moving forward.

This already seems to be paying off, as Darch notes that "feedback, overwhelmingly, has been extremely positive; the market is requesting Panasonic to come back stronger as an evangelist of premium picture quality".

"OLED remains our leadership flagship"

Retaining that title means keeping the technology that Panasonic is renowned for alive. Panasonic recognises this, and that's why it's keeping OLED as a "key focus" in its lineup.

Panasonic consciously didn't replace its Z95B and Z90B OLED TVs this year, and these five-star models will continue until Panasonic launches its 2027 lineup. That said, it also recognises the importance of QD Mini LED within the current TV market, but Darch affirms that Panasonic won't be "bringing it for the sake of bringing it".

Panasonic is relying on its glare-free technology and picture processing to differentiate it from the likes of Hisense and TCL in this market, but whether it will be enough to win back market share from rival powerhouse TV manufacturers is another matter.

I quizzed Panasonic on what to expect from its 2027 TV range, but it remained tight-lipped for now, telling me it will "probably around CES time is when you'll really see the strength and the power of this new organisation".

"The objective is to ensure that both the Japanese and the overseas lineup reflect a consistent Panasonic TV identity"

What was most apparent is that Panasonic wants to remind us that this isn't a buyout, but rather a collaboration that will ensure a future for Panasonic TVs in the UK and Europe.

"This is no short-term gimmick, no short-term collaboration. We are working strongly with the partnership for 2027 and onwards," Darch affirmed, continuing "I want you to leave the room having confidence in this collaboration".

He then handed over to Mr Toshihiro Takagi to discuss how this partnership works from Panasonic Japan's perspective.

"The objective is to ensure that both the Japanese and the overseas lineup reflect a consistent Panasonic TV identity", Takagi affirmed, and he continued to explain how each component of the business will work in tandem going forward.

Particularly with the brand's premium TVs, Panasonic's established engineers will continue to take responsibility for picture tuning and the integration work required for certification programmes (Panasonic has an established partnership with the picture calibration company Calman, for example).

"As a result, Panasonic's distinctive picture quality and modes continue to be incorporated into our TVs", Takagi confirmed.

This sentiment continues with sound, as I was assured that Panasonic's microphone-assisted audio calibration system will remain, and Takagi confirmed that the team is working on a new DSP algorithm for the 2027 models, which he mentioned in relation to a new speaker configuration.

Behind the scenes, Panasonic Japan has audited the manufacturing operations against the brand's approved criteria, which essentially means that Panasonic has ensured that the scaled-up manufacturing process meets its quality standards and expectations.

Panasonic Japan is still very much involved, by the looks of things, although it seems like Panasonic's engineers will have a much more direct involvement with the brand's future premium TVs, such as the theoretical follow-ups to the Z95B and Z90B.

A few questions remain...

While I did my best to eke out some information about next year's lineup, Takagi explicitly told me that "we cannot discuss future lineups or specifications today; we look forward to sharing more when the time is right".

Therefore, my questions relating to whether we can expect to keep seeing Technics-tuned sound systems in future flagship OLED sets, or if we can expect an RGB Mini LED from the brand in the future, were shelved for now.

That said, Darch rounded out our conversation with a simple yet powerful sentiment: "Panasonic TV is back. What does back mean? Back means a stronger product offering, stronger commercial and robust distribution strategy, a stronger team and backed with real resources for what really comes next".

Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding, and we'll need to see Panasonic's 2027 TV lineup in action to see if this partnership has achieved what it set out to create; but in the short term, I get the sense that Panasonic is alive and kicking.

MORE:

Read our full Panasonic Z95B review

As well as our Panasonic Z90B 48-inch review

And check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

Home appliance brand Haier is known for its glossy fridge-freezers, washing machines, and dishwashers, and more widely for producing medical equipment, gaming peripherals, and industrial robotics; but now it’s entering one of the trickiest markets of all.

That’s right, after years of testing the waters elsewhere, Haier is hoping to break into the TV market in the UK and Europe. It may be the newest player in a crowded and competitive market, but the brand has both huge aspirations and a plan to carve out an identity among its fellow super successful Chinese technology giants.

I sat down with Haier’s TV Business Director, Steve Macdonald, at IFA 2026 in Berlin to discuss where the brand wants to go next after launching its first QLED TV range in the UK earlier this year.

Competing with TCL and Hisense, or aiming higher?

The biggest takeaway from our conversation is that Haier knows it needs something special to differentiate itself from TCL and Hisense, which are currently dominating the market.

Haier is also well aware it is launching into a tough market, which is why it’s setting its sights on the premium segment. It is testing the waters with a fairly affordable QLED range at the moment, but I was reliably informed that this is just the first step for the brand.

Macdonald confirmed that Haier is open to adopting more advanced panel technology. Mini LED TVs are apparently already in the works, and I spotted an RGB Mini LED model on the show floor at Haier’s humongous stand at the Berlin Messe.

OLED is also on the table according to Macdonald. And that’s an interesting distinction, considering TCL and Hisense are both almost completely OLED-avoidant.

In fact, Macdonald says that Haier isn’t looking to tussle with the kings of budget TVs. Instead, it is looking to build a more premium reputation akin to those of Samsung and LG.

“I think the mindset we have is that what we would like to be is a more premium brand – and that will take time – but more akin to what the Korean brands are doing than some of the other brands,” says Macdonald.

He then clarifies that Haier isn’t looking to “become the new TCL or Hisense” when pressed on the matter.

Macdonald follows this by conceding this is a big aspiration and that the brand needs to have “an edge, otherwise we’re not going to survive in that area”.

Premium panels, KEF sound systems and accessibility upgrades…

To sharpen that edge, Haier is working hard to establish its own premium features, including a more powerful chipset to appeal to gamers, adding more potent accessibility features through its partnership with Amazon’s Fire TV platform (including visual and audio enhancement modes and easier navigation settings), and enhancing its anti-glare display coating.

Haier also wants to win over the hearts of serious AV fans (such as ourselves). And what better way to do that than to partner with one of the biggest names in audio?

For Haier’s latest TV range sports speakers tuned by legendary British hi-fi manufacturer KEF, a fact that inevitably piqued our interest almost immediately.

There was a pretty big emphasis on this partnership at IFA, with Haier hosting a dedicated sound-room experience with a KEF-branded TV and soundbar system, but Haier isn’t the first brand to get a big name in hi-fi on board for its TV sound systems.

Hisense has recently partnered with Devialet, TCL TVs sport Bang & Olufsen sound systems, Philips has a Bowers & Wilkins-equipped TV in its lineup, and Panasonic continues to leverage its Technics division for premium sound systems. So Haier can’t rely on this partnership alone to make its TVs appeal to home cinema enthusiasts.

But, unlike Hisense and TCL, Haier is open to exploring OLED panel technologies. Given What Hi-Fi?’s experience with even the most premium of backlit TVs, including the new RGB Mini LED variants, this could be a unique selling point for the brand.

An OLED TV with a KEF sound system sounds pretty good, after all. Especially if it has a similar sonic character to the five-star KEF XIO.

Making big strides, but also taking things one step at a time…

Haier’s wider strategy to gain some ground in the UK also involves a huge sports partnership with the Champions League and appealing to UK retailers by taking a specialised approach.

Macdonald notes that the KEF partnership will be a vital tool in appealing to home cinema retailers such as Richer Sounds, whereas Haier will take a different approach to its broader retail partners.

Most importantly, Macdonald confirms that Haier is constantly re-evaluating its position and direction, and it won’t be going all guns blazing quite yet. He says that “every couple of months, we have to reset what we’re doing and understand, and it’s not going to be an easy journey.”

Haier is unquestionably launching into the UK TV market at a turbulent time. But with its sights set high and a major audio partnership already in place, it could be the next brand to challenge the likes of Samsung, LG and TCL.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best Mini LED TVs

As well as our TCL C7L hands on review

And our picks for the best OLED TVs

It's been a rough few weeks for many Sony Bravia TV owners – but a solution to their problems may finally be in sight.

Back in June, Sony pushed a software update to its current lineup of TVs that, for many, seems to have caused fundamental problems with eARC.

The issues include Dolby Vision content refusing to play, sound gradually desyncing, and audio dropouts, with most users experiencing some but not others. I’m a Bravia 8 II owner, and it’s the audio dropouts that I got.

The common factor is that it only affects content being played from an external source that is being routed through the TV to an external sound system.

For most people, including me, it has meant having to stop using their system as intended – I’ve been unable to use my Apple TV 4K, for example – and while the Dolby Vision problems were seemingly fixed by a further software update last month, the audio problems have remained.

Sony has been frustratingly quiet about the whole issue, with the only public acknowledgement coming from Sony Japan just last week.

Once translated, that Sony Japan post states that “the issue of audio being out of sync with the video (lip-sync discrepancy) will be addressed in a software update scheduled for September 2026”.

It's worth noting that Sony Japan's statement specifically refers to the lip-sync issue; it doesn't explicitly say that the audio dropout problems experienced by some owners will also be addressed by the same update.

But, in fact, it seems that the software update referenced may already be available – at least in some regions.

Software update 114.603.100.1 launched yesterday in the US, and early reports from some Sony Bravia owners suggest the audio sync and dropout issues might have been resolved.

To be clear, this software update is not yet available in the UK, so I haven’t been able to test it myself. It’s only a handful of owners in the US who are so far reporting positive news, too, so it’s a little too early to assume everything is hunky-dory.

I have contacted Sony UK for clarification, as well as a date for the software release over here, and I’ll report back if I hear anything.

Still, if the early reports are correct, this already feels like positive movement, and I, for one, am excited for the presumably imminent release of this new software in the UK.

I love my Bravia 8 II, and I would really like to go back to using it as intended.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs and best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

Sorting a new home cinema set-up can be a pricey affair, with the cost of both a new TV and sound system quickly adding up.

LG, however, has a solution – it offers a soundbar bundled with its latest flagship OLED, completely free of charge.

The flagship OLED in question is the LG C6, a punchy, premium TV to which we awarded five stars. It has just hit a new lowest price of £2564 at Smart Home Sounds for the wall-mount version, thanks to the promo code TRADE250.

That’s not all: you also get the LG S70TY Dolby Atmos soundbar and subwoofer included at no extra charge if you have both items in your basket at checkout.

We awarded the soundbar package four stars in our LG S70TY review, and it will certainly blow the TV into the weeds when it comes to sound quality. Given that the S70TY is retailing for £229 at Amazon, that’s quite the saving you will be making.

We retested the LG G6 following a major software update, which included a side by side comparison with its predecessor, the C5. It didn’t take long during a viewing of Civil War to start noticing the improvements.

“The flames in a burning night-time forest continue to offer an enthralling amount of extra detail as well as higher peaks, but, more crucially, characters’ skin tones look nicely realistic, retaining reds far better, to the point that the G5’s picture makes them look slightly jaundiced by comparison.”

Moving to a daytime scene in a military camp, “balanced” quickly becomes the word that best describes the G6. As a helicopter swoops into the camp over a forest, it’s clear that LG has backed away from its previous focus on aggressively pushing its TVs’ peak brightness at all costs.”

The G6 is particularly notable as one of the few TVs with a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, which uses a ‘four-stack’ panel structure to help the OLED TV achieve higher peak and operating brightness levels while retaining colour volume and accuracy.

It also features a new Alpha 11 Gen 3 AI processor and Hyper Radiant Colour Technology, enabling higher peak brightness than the already dazzling LG G5.

HDR is well catered for, with Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG all on board and only HDR10+ missing. WebOS 26 is similarly well equipped, with Now, Apple TV, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and pretty much every app you can think of available.

As with most LG TVs, the G6’s gaming chops are particularly strong. All four HDMI 2.1 inputs support up to 4K/165Hz gameplay with VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision Gaming HDR.

The G6’s sound system is a step in the right direction, with a fuller, more robust sound than its predecessors. The nicely balanced S70TY soundbar is a clear upgrade, however, so we certainly recommend taking up the freebie instead of relying on the built-in speakers.

If you are looking for a new flagship OLED and need a sound system also, then this LG G6 package is the best value you’ll find right now. £2564 at Smart Home Sounds is the lowest price we have yet seen on this nuanced, accurate and immersive OLED – and a free four-star soundbar is the icing on the cake.

MORE:

Here’s our pick of the best TVs for every budget

Want a cheaper LG OLED? Check out our LG C6 review

For last year’s model, head over to our LG G5 review

LG has released an extensive statement denying claims made in a damning report that its smart TVs spy on users. But the authors of the original report have responded in turn, accusing LG of lying.

In the original video, YouTube channel Gamers Nexus claimed that LG TVs are capable of recording private conversations even when no wake word has been spoken. It also accused the company of collecting sensitive data such as IP addresses, the geographic location of the TV, and details of nearby wi-fi networks and the names of devices connected to them (even if they’re not connected to the TV).

The report includes demonstrations of the claims made, and was conducted in conjunction with tech site Level1 Techs and independent cybersecurity researchers.

LG’s statement says that such reporting has led to “misconceptions about how LG smart TVs work”. The company claims that “LG smart TVs do not continuously record or transmit users’ conversations,” though some commenters have noted the use of the word “continuously”.

“Speech-to-text processing begins only if a user activates a voice interaction through a supported wake-word feature or by pressing the voice (or AI) button on the remote control,” LG goes on. While the TVs must always be listening in order to detect a wake word, the statement says that this audio is “processed locally on the TV” and if no wake word is detected, “audio is not converted to text, stored, or transmitted”.

“Voice-recognition results and related technical logs may be generated as part of processing a voice command,” it adds. “These records are associated with specific voice interactions and do not indicate continuous recording of conversations occurring outside an active voice recognition session.”

While “speech-recognition results may be used to support voice-related features,” they are “not uploaded later when the TV is offline or when connectivity is restored.”

The statement notes that the automatic content recognition (ACR) feature is optional and not enabled by default. ACR has proved controversial, as it detects what’s on screen in order to improve recommendations or sell that information to advertisers.

LG’s statement then goes on to detail how various features of its smart TVs work. It notes that “No connected product is ever completely immune from security vulnerabilities.” Some of Gamers Nexus’s claims would rely on a bad actor hacking the TV to gain control over it.

But that’s not the end of the story. Gamers Nexus has since responded with a bullish follow-up video, claiming that LG’s statement contradicts itself and that its denials are not evidence-based.

We have contacted LG to see if it has a response to that response.

The report has caused a storm in the TV world, and – judging from some of the comments – consumers aren’t happy about how invasive smart TVs are capable of being. LG executives saying it “owns the glass” and “owns the TV” in an attempt to attract advertisers isn’t a good look, especially for anyone who has just shelled out thousands of pounds for a new C6.

MORE:

Read our LG C6 review

Also consider the Samsung S95F

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

The long Labor Day weekend is the last big sales event before Black Friday, so it’s well worth taking a look at the deals.

And while it may be tempting to wait a few more months, there are some record-low prices to be had already – including a whopping 50 per cent off a pair of multi-Award-winning headphones.

There’s plenty else to consider, though, including our 2025 TV Product of the Year, a new OLED favourite and a saving on Apple’s best AirPods.

Whatever you decide on, every product below has been tried and tested by our expert review team. Each device is compared to the market leaders, and only those with four stars or more get our sought-after recommendation.

So kick back this long weekend and enjoy some of the deals…

The Sony WH-1000XM5 premium noise-canceling headphones are great performers, and this fantastic half-price saving makes them even better value. The newer WH-1000XM6 have taken their place, but the XM5 are still very much recommended.

The LG C6 is one of our favorite TVs of the year so far, with a new processor delivering a brighter, richer and more refined OLED picture than its predecessor. If you’re looking for a mid-range OLED, this is the one to get, and its awesome gaming specs are ideal for GTA 6 in a few months.

If you’re looking to add streaming smarts to your TV or just upgrade its capabilities, then the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation) is our video streamer Product of the Year and our top choice at this price range. The stick adds Amazon’s app-packed Fire OS, with a detailed, rich picture and support for all four HDMI formats.

The AirPods Pro 3 have it all, with spacious, powerful and dynamic sound, effective noise-canceling and a comfortable, lightweight design. If you have an iOS device, these are the AirPods we recommend, and you’ll get to enjoy the snappy, seamless synergy between the two.

JBL has been king of the portable Bluetooth speaker game for a while now, and the JBL Flip 7 is no different. With skilful handling of dynamics and rhythms, excellent build quality and a strong feature set that includes Auracast and lossless wired audio, there’s a lot on offer here.

The Sony Bravia 8 II is our current reigning TV champion, scooping the Product of the Year gong in this category thanks to its exceptionally bright, vibrant and three-dimensional picture, excellent shadow detail and cinematically authentic presets. We’ve been singing its praises for some time, so this discount is the perfect time to see what all the fuss is about.

MORE:

These are the best projectors out there

Check out the best TVs we have reviewed

And here are the three best OLED TVs

Roku has announced its first-ever OLED TVs: the Roku Pro Series OLED TV and Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV.

However, rather than just the panel tech, it's the aggressive pricing that has caught our attention.

Prices start at $999 (around £740/ AU$1389) for the 55-inch Pro Series OLED and $1299 (around £962/ AU$180) for the Pro Series LX OLED.

The Roku Pro Series OLED is available in 55- and 65-inch sizes, and comes with a 120Hz panel with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG. Gaming features include ALLM, VRR, and FreeSync Premium, and it also supports Dolby Atmos.

The step-up Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV adds a 144Hz refresh rate, a Roku Voice Remote Pro, an advanced polariser to cut reflections and "a brighter picture and even wider range of colors".

Both TVs will run on the popular Roku platform. We've found the operating system to be simple to use but a little basic, but the use of adverts, such as automatic startup ads, has proved controversial before.

“OLED technology has been locked behind premium price tags, forcing many customers to choose between the display they want or a price that works for them,” said Chris Larson, Vice President, Retail Strategy, Roku. “We see a clear opportunity to change that equation. With the new Roku Pro Series OLED and LX OLED TVs, we’re removing that cost barrier and making a top-tier viewing experience genuinely accessible.”

Cheap, good OLED TVs have long been elusive. The only other 55-inch OLED TV we've tested around this price was the three-star Toshiba XF9F at £799. If the Pro Series OLED can deliver, it could be the closest thing to an "affordable" OLED around at this size – even the aggressively priced LG B6 is sitting at £899 right now.

The Roku Pro Series OLED is available now in the US at Amazon, with the Pro Series LX releasing in October.

We've reached out to Roku about UK availability and will update this page if we hear back.

MORE:

Check out our list of the best streaming devices

As well as the best streaming services for movies and TV

And the best OLED TVs

When we reviewed Sony's first RGB Mini LED TVs (which it refers to as "True RGB"), we found them to be among the best backlit TVs we had ever tested.

Our main issue was the price, with the Sony Bravia 7 II model competing with new mid-range OLEDs at its £1999 launch price. Now, however, the price is much more palatable thanks to a beefy £721 discount, which sees the TV now available for £1279 at Argos.

Use the code RED20 to get this price, and you'll be rewarded with a bright, vibrant picture with excellent depth. You can also claim triple Nectar points on this purchase, too!

RGB Mini LED, for the uninitiated, is next-gen TV panel technology that uses independent red, green and blue LEDs rather than filtering a blue LCD layer.

And after extensive testing of the Sony, the benefits over traditional Mini LED were clear.

"When this TV is in its element, it becomes possible to forget that this is a backlit TV, as the RGB Mini LED system doesn’t distract or detract from the experience," our Sony Bravia 7 II review reads,

"This extends to general blooming control, which is extremely impressive by prevailing standards.

In a shot from Oppenheimer in which the nuclear bomb testing site is lit up at night by a series of spotlights, we find that the halos of light that we’ve seen time and time again on other backlit TVs have been strictly confined."

Sony's typically excellent picture tuning is also on display here, with balance and subtlety applied to the punchy colours so they don't appear overblown.

Motion handling is also particularly impressive, but it's the solidity and depth that really blew us away. Sony's Bravia XR Processor is renowned for its ability to capture three-dimensional depth, with a screening of No Time To Die giving a tangible sense of solidity that we rarely see.

The Bravia 7 II is stacked with features too – fittingly from the makers of the PlayStation, there's plenty for gamers to enjoy. Four HDMI sockets with ALLM are on offer, two of which have full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets with 4K/120Hz gameplay and VRR support.

The built-in Google TV operating system has all the major domestic and international streaming services, while the Bravia 7 II supports the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR formats, with only HDR10+ missing.

Sony's usually impressive built-in audio has faltered slightly here, however. There's a good sense of clarity and detail, but the system struggles dynamically. Once again, we'd recommend a good soundbar or sound system if you want to make the most of this package.

While the Bravia 7 II is a fair bit cheaper now, you can still get a good OLED for a similar price. We'd recommend looking at the LG C5 for better contrast, black levels and viewing angles.

But, if you are happy with a high-tech backlit set, then the Sony Bravia 7 II is one of the best we've tested. It gets plenty right on the picture front, and is as appealing as ever now it's £721 off at Argos.

MORE:

Fancy an OLED? Check out our LG C6 review

And read the verdict of our TCL C8K review

Our pick of the best TVs across a range of prices

RGB Mini LED: all you need to know about the TV panel tech that could defeat OLED

Ah, a good, affordable OLED TV. The white whale for many a cinephile, finding a TV that does the technology justice without breaking the bank has long been something of a pipe dream.

However, Samsung's latest entry-level model makes a solid case. The S85H is a neat entry point to the world of OLED, and is also one of the cheapest new options – especially now the 55-inch model is down to £1199 at Richer Sounds.

This is the lowest price we've seen so far, dropping from the previous low of £1259 we spotted only three weeks ago.

Make sure to use the code TRADE100, and you can save an extra £100 on one of the brightest entry-level OLEDs available.

The S85H sits in the same family as the S99H, which we declared to be the best OLED Samsung has ever produced. A very fine pedigree indeed.

However, with the S99H costing over a £1000 more at the time of writing, the S85H has a much more palatable price and is a good entry point if you're upgrading to OLED for the first time.

Brightness is particularly good for an entry-level OLED, which will be a boon if you're watching in a room with lots of ambient light.

"Switching to Pan, our standard peak brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6," our Samsung S85H review reads. "The setting sun offers a wider range of reds and oranges that show up as pure white on its rival."

Upon further comparison with the B6, we found that the colours of the S85H were a tad bombastic, but it was the TV we were drawn to during a screening of F1: The Movie thanks to the picture’s solidity and three-dimensionality.

The specification is also impressive for the price, with Samsung's ever-reliable Tizen platform packed with apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more. The latest-gen version is easy to navigate too, with a content bar that automatically curates based on your watching habits.

There's plenty of gaming features too, with four full-spec HDMI 2.1 inputs (even some OLED flagships only have two), each capable of carrying a 4K/120Hz signal, as well as VRR and ALLM.

HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG are all supported on the HDR front, with only Dolby Vision missing. That's hardly surprising, however – the format is absent from all Samsung TVs, including pricier flagships such as the S99H.

The audio, however, lets the S85H down. The 2.0 channel, 20W, Dolby Atmos system offers a reasonable sense of direction and separation, but the lack of bass is immediately apparent. You'll want to invest in a soundbar or sound system for movie watching, but for normal daytime viewing the Samsung should suffice on its own.

If you've got a bit more of a budget, we'd recommend looking at mid-range OLED options such as the LG C6 and Samsung S90F for a little more nuance, extra finesse, and a more natural picture overall.

But if you're very much looking at entry-level, the Samsung S85H is one of the top options right now. It's a brand-new 2026 OLED that's a cut above most similarly-priced rivals, and is now 20 per cent off at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Bravia 7 II review

And our full Samsung S90F review

Our pick of the best TVs for every budget, including awesome OLED models

An Award-winning TV hitting a new lowest price is a cause for celebration, right?

And not just any Award-winning TV, but our Product of the Year and go-to reference TV, the Sony Bravia 8 II, is now £1949 at Richer Sounds (for the 65-inch model).

So what's not to like? Well, a recent Bravia TV software update has caused problems on several Sony TV models, including our very own TV & AV Editor's Bravia 8 II.

If you purchase the Bravia 8 II, we recommend not updating the system software until the issues are resolved, especially if you plan to use external sources and a sound system connected via eARC. Issues range from audio dropout to lip-sync to Dolby Vision content refusing to play.

However, if you're not planning on connecting any HDMI-equipped sources or you're fine with holding fire on that update, you'll have a wonderfully cinematic TV on your hands.

Use the code TRADE250 to save £250 and get this new low price.

The Bravia 8 II is one of the best TVs money can buy, and delivers an epic cinematic picture, backed up by great sound quality.

"A truly exceptional TV" is how we describe it in our Sony Bravia 8 II review. "Its combination of sizzling brightness, vibrant colours through all degrees of light, terrific shadow detail and razor-like sharpness combine to produce an image with regularly astonishing dynamism, depth and realism."

The Sony Bravia 8 II has been our reference TV since its release for several reasons.

Thanks to its QD-OLED panel, Sony's processing and a custom heatsink, its brightness is a real highlight and makes colourful content such as the Spider-Verse movies dazzle, while still delivering a supremely authentic picture.

The Bravia 8 II also looks stunningly cinematic straight out of the box, as Sony's presets are just that good and don't require any tinkering – we recommend Dolby Vision Dark for Dolby Vision content, or Professional for everything else.

All of these elements also work well with Sony's new AI processing helping to make the image exceptionally three-dimensional.

The Bravia 8 II is also one of the best TVs we've ever heard, thanks to Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio+ setup.

It's balanced, weighty, dynamic, and even manages to sound impressively spacious too.

We'd still recommend a dedicated audio system if possible to do that amazing picture justice, but by flatscreen TV standards, the Sony is very impressive.

As a flagship OLED, the Bravia 8 II is also packed out feature-wise. There's support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats, as well as Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced certification.

For gamers, there's support for 4K/20Hz, VRR and ALLM, as well as a Dolby Vision Game mode. There are only two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, however, one of which doubles as an eARC port, so you may have to switch cables if you have several high-speed gaming consoles.

The Sony Bravia 8 II is a phenomenal TV now at a phenomenal price of £1949 at Richer Sounds. We'd just caution against updating your software for the time being.

MORE:

Read our full 55-inch Sony Bravia 8 II review

Also consider reading our Samsung S99H review

We rate the best gaming TVs available right now for all budgets

I recently wrote about problems I’m having with my Sony system since the latest software update, and I’ve been inundated with emails and messages from fellow sufferers ever since.

The offending software is 114.602.080.1, which was released to various Sony TV models towards the end of June.

The issues reported range from audio dropout (which is what I’m experiencing) and lip-sync issues to Dolby Vision content refusing to play, and it appears to be related to the way the TVs handle HDMI sources and passthrough.

Needless to say, affected owners are pretty frustrated, but I do have some good news – at least for some of them.

Sony has just released a new update, 114.602.170.1, and, according to some owners, including reader David Simmonds, who alerted me to the release of the new software, the Dolby Vision issue, which caused some users to see a black screen instead of their content, has seemingly been fixed.

[Edit to add: I've since been informed that a secondary Dolby Vision issue, which involves scan lines being visible in content, has not been resolved]

I wasn’t experiencing this problem, so I only have the reports of others to go on regarding the fix.

However, having now installed and done some testing of the new software, I can confirm that it unfortunately doesn’t fix the audio dropout issues for me, and David has confirmed it’s the same for him.

In fairness, this latest software update specifically mentions that it “resolves an issue where a black screen could be observed when starting playback of specific content from external HDMI devices”, but makes no mention of fixing any audio issues – it seems it was always intended to fix one problem but not the other.

I have contacted Sony with these findings and a request for information on a fix for the audio issues, and will report back with any information I get.

MORE:

Even brighter OLED TVs could be on the way thanks to a new “dream” panel technology – and super-large models might get cheaper

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

Thought we had finally hit the upper limit of OLED? Think again!

LG Display, which produces the OLED panels used in all OLED TVs sold by LG Electronics and in many TVs sold by brands such as Samsung, Sony and Panasonic, has just announced a new “dream” panel technology called ‘FLiPP’.

That funky name stands for the decidedly less funky ‘FMM-Less innovative Pixel Patterning’, which actually explains how this new technology works.

For the past decade or so, OLEDs have been manufactured using fine metal masks (FMMs). These are essentially sheets covered with microscopic holes, through which the red, green and blue OLED materials are placed.

The problem with these FMMs is that they add cost and they are hard to manufacture, particularly at very large screen sizes.

Now, “after a year of concentrated R&D”, LG Display says it has managed to develop a manufacturing method that eradicates the need for these FMMs.

More affordable super-sized OLED TVs?

Why should you care? First up, LG Display claims that because FLiPP improves the aperture ratio of OLED, it can “increase display brightness by 1.6 times, extend lifespan by 2.4 times, and reduce power consumption by 13 per cent”.

But I think there is potentially a more interesting point here. FLiPP apparently reduces material costs and significantly improves the efficiency of using large OLED sheets to produce panels for different products, and that means that manufacturing costs should decrease, potentially resulting in cheaper OLED TVs.

This could be particularly beneficial where very large OLED TVs are concerned. Big OLED panels are difficult and expensive to produce, so very large OLED TVs tend to be disproportionately expensive. FLiPP could change that.

LG Display flags that FLiPP is “free from panel size and resolution constraints”, and can be used for producing panels from 1-inch in size (for AR/VR headsets, for example) right up to 100 inches.

But when will we start to see FLiPP-based OLED TVs in shops? Not for a while, it seems: the tech is being officially unveiled at the International Meeting on Information Display (IMID) this week, and LG Display says it will first be used in “IT applications such as tablets and monitors”.

Rollout for “ultra-large TVs” is explicitly promised in the press release, though.

We have contacted LG Display for more information, and have reached out to TV manufacturers for their thoughts on the announcement.

We’ll follow up with more on FLiPP as we get it. In the meantime, those who want more of an explanation of how it works should check out LG Display’s own video explainer:

MORE:

Here are the best OLED TVs you can buy right now

Check out our LG C6 review and LG G6 review

Starting your student journey this September? Or is someone you know about to fly the nest for the first time?

Leaving home does indeed mean ensuring you have the essentials, which, at least in our eyes, includes a TV.

We're well aware that a student budget and lifestyle don't quite align with a premium OLED, but we can recommend a model at a fraction of the price that still delivers a surprisingly capable 4K picture: the Samsung U8000F.

The 43-inch model will be big enough to satisfy a student living room or dorm but still small enough to slot into a family car, and is a great value all-rounder for nights off and move nights.

The Samsung U8000F is one of the most affordable TVs we currently recommend, but that doesn't mean it skimps on any of the key areas.

The 4K LCD panel boasts three forms of HDR, with HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ all supported. Dolby Vision is missing, but not even the premium Samsung sets support this format.

All the usual streaming and catch-up TV apps are included on Samsung's Tizen smart platform, so there'll be no shortage of options for downtime from studying.

For gamers, there's Samsung's dedicated Gaming Hub screen, as well as support for ALLM and VRR.

There's also a nice matte-black bezel design, and while the set is a bit chunky at the back, the U8000F has an overall understated and modern look.

And the all-important picture quality? Impressive, considering the low price.

"Pictures enjoy a relatively balanced look, where colours all seem to exist in exactly the same tonal universe for whatever movie or TV show you’re watching," our Samsung U8000F review reads.

"In other words, no tones look either unduly exaggerated or relatively washed out versus the rest. This sort of consistency is crucial to delivering an immersive and compelling picture – and, happily, it holds up well across all three of the main picture presets we recommend: Standard, Movie and Filmmaker Mode."

Motion handling is impressive at this level too, with panning shots, action and general motion looking as good as we’ve ever seen from a budget TV.

However, as a budget LCD set, there's the occasional backlight clouding in and a lack of three-dimensional "pop" compared to pricier, more advanced sets. The picture is far more balanced and immersive than that of your average budget TV, though, and more than up to the task as a university dorm-room companion.

The 43-inch Samsung U8000F isn’t the most dynamic picture performer, but it's a top choice and great value at this price of £229 at AO.com. It's an impressive all-rounder that punches above its weight and likely the right price level if you're after a TV that will have to withstand a student house.

MORE:

Read our review of the TCL 43P7K

Also consider the Sharp 43GM6345K

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

There are plenty of reasons you might want to connect your phone to your TV.

Perhaps you’re watching something on your handset and want to transfer it to the bigger screen in your living room; maybe you want a big display to show off the snaps from your latest holiday; or you might want to play some music via your TV.

Whatever you’re trying to achieve, there’s generally a way to do it. Allow us to show you how.

Cast video from your phone

If you want to watch a video from your phone on the big screen, casting is usually the easiest and best way to do it.

Rather than sending everything on your phone's screen to the TV, casting tells the TV to play the content itself, with your phone essentially acting like a remote control. That means you can usually carry on using your phone without interrupting playback, and in many cases you can even turn its screen off while the video continues playing.

Google's technology is now called Google Cast, although you might still see it referred to as Chromecast.

Google Cast is built into Chromecast devices, the Google TV Streamer and TVs running Google TV or Android TV. In the UK, that includes compatible TVs from brands such as Sony, Philips and TCL.

Other manufacturers have also added Google Cast to some models: newer LG TVs support it, for example, while compatible Panasonic Android TVs do, too.

But don't assume that every TV from a particular brand supports Google Cast: Samsung’s Tizen TVs, Hisense's VIDAA TVs and Panasonic's Fire TV models, for example, use different systems.

If your TV doesn't support Google Cast, don't worry: you may still be able to send content to it using AirPlay or the manufacturer's own casting/mirroring system.

How to cast a video

First, make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same wi-fi network. Then open the app containing the video you want to watch and look for the Cast icon – it's a little rectangle with three curved lines in the corner.

Tap it, select your TV from the list of available devices, and the video should start playing on the TV.

Once you're connected, your phone becomes a convenient remote control: you can pause, skip and adjust playback from the app, while the TV does the actual streaming.

The catch is that the app needs to support casting. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, YouTube, BBC iPlayer and many other popular streaming services do, but you won't necessarily find a Cast button in every app.

If there isn't one, you might be able to use screen mirroring instead, but some apps restrict this, too. Sky Go, for example, doesn't support casting of any kind, so you can't simply send its live football or other content from your phone to a Cast-equipped TV.

What about iPhone?

iPhone users can also use Google Cast with compatible apps and TVs, but Apple's own AirPlay system is also an option if you have an AirPlay-compatible TV or an Apple TV 4K streamer.

The principle is much the same: start playing a video, tap the AirPlay button (a rectangle with a triangle pointing into it) and select your TV. Your iPhone and TV generally need to be on the same wi-fi network.

So, as a rule of thumb: if the app has a Cast or AirPlay button, use it. It's generally a better option for watching video on your TV than mirroring your entire phone screen.

Mirror your phone screen

If the app you want to use doesn't support casting, or you simply want to show something that's on your phone rather than stream a particular video, screen mirroring is the next option.

As the name suggests, mirroring shows what's happening on your phone's screen on your TV. Open a website, look through your photos or start an app on your phone, and you'll see the same thing on the big screen. It's particularly useful for things that don't have a dedicated TV app or don't offer a Cast button.

The exact method depends on your phone and TV. iPhone uses Apple's AirPlay system, while Android phones can use different systems depending on the manufacturer. Samsung calls its version Smart View, for example, while LG uses Screen Share on compatible models.

How to mirror your phone

On an iPhone, make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same wi-fi network, then open Control Centre, tap Screen Mirroring (the icon with two rectangles, one in front of the other) and select your AirPlay-compatible TV or Apple TV 4K. If a passcode appears on the TV, enter it on your phone.

On Android, look for a screen-mirroring option in your phone's quick settings. The name varies: Samsung phones use Smart View, while other manufacturers may call it Screen Share, Cast, Wireless Display or something similar. Select your TV from the list of available devices and accept the connection on the TV if prompted.

You'll generally need the phone and TV to be connected to the same wi-fi network, although the exact requirements vary between devices.

Mirroring generally isn't the best option for video

There's a reason we recommend casting where possible. With mirroring, everything on your phone is replicated on the TV, so a notification, incoming call or change of app can appear on the big screen.

And some streaming services restrict mirroring of protected video content, so don't assume that an app without a Cast button will necessarily work when mirrored.

For watching Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer and other supported services, casting or using the app directly on your TV is generally the better solution. Use mirroring when you want to show something that's actually on your phone, such as your photos or a presentation.

Play music through your TV

If you're listening to music, you're generally better off sending it directly to a wireless speaker, soundbar or AV system than using your TV. But there can be good reasons to put your music on the big screen, particularly when you're listening with other people.

The simplest option is to use your music service's TV app, if it has one.

Spotify, for example, has apps for many smart TVs, and you can use Spotify Connect on your phone to control what's playing. The TV can then display album artwork, track information and the playback queue, while everyone can see what's playing and take part in choosing the music.

But you don't necessarily need a TV app. Services including Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz can send music from their phone apps to compatible TVs using Google Cast, while AirPlay provides a similar option for iPhone users with a compatible TV.

So if your TV doesn't have a native app for the music service you use, check whether its phone app supports Google Cast or AirPlay before assuming you're out of luck. You may still be able to get your music onto the big screen.

Connect your phone with a cable

If a wireless connection isn’t an option, you can always connect your phone to your TV with a cable.

It's not as convenient as casting or mirroring, but a wired connection can be useful if you want a direct connection between your phone and TV, particularly if low latency is important – for example, when playing games.

Most modern phones use USB-C, so you'll generally need a USB-C-to-HDMI adaptor or cable, with the HDMI end connected to an HDMI input on your TV. Older iPhones with a Lightning connector require a suitable Lightning-to-HDMI adaptor instead.

Just bear in mind that not every USB-C phone supports video output, so check your phone's specifications before buying an adaptor.

Once connected, your phone will usually mirror its display on the TV, although the exact behaviour depends on the phone and adaptor.

And while a cable removes some of the potential complications of a wireless connection, it doesn't necessarily get around content restrictions: some streaming services can still block video output, or require the adaptor and TV to support the appropriate copy-protection standards (which they often don’t).

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

How far away should you sit from your TV?

In many ways, software updates are a blessing of modern technology.

They can add features, fix bugs and even improve the performance of a product that's weeks, months or even years old. At their best, they can breathe new life into a device that you've owned for ages.

But they can also go wrong.

It's why many TV owners, particularly those who've been stung by unwanted changes or problems after previous updates, have long promoted a 'turn off automatic updates' mantra.

I wish I had listened.

My philosophy has always been that software updates do far more good than harm, and that the frequency with which they create problems is overblown. Honestly, that's probably still the case. But now that I've been stung by a dodgy update myself, I'm feeling far less philosophical about the whole thing.

For the last few weeks, I've been experiencing audio dropouts from my Sony system. After hours of research and experimentation with different settings and cables, I've finally established that the blame lies with the most recent update to my Bravia 8 II OLED TV.

The problem is frustratingly specific. When I'm watching something through an external source connected to the TV, such as my Apple TV 4K or Sky Stream puck, I can no longer use my external sound system without suffering audio dropouts.

The TV's internal apps work perfectly, but that has only reminded me how much higher the quality is from the Apple TV 4K than from Google TV.

Sony is aware of the issue, and my contacts assure me that a fix is in the works. There's no date for it yet, though, and it's already been almost two months since the problematic software was released.

That's a long time to have a significant part of an expensive home cinema system effectively out of action.

And this is where I've changed my mind about automatic updates.

I've now turned them off on my TV and several of my other devices. From now on, when one tells me that a software update is available, unless it's flagged as a critical security update, I'm going to wait a week or so before installing it.

I'll then search for the release number online, see whether other owners have reported problems, and only if all looks safe will I then download and apply it manually.

I'm not saying that software updates are bad. They're not. I've benefited from plenty of them over the years, and I'd still much rather have a TV that receives regular updates than one that's abandoned by its manufacturer.

But there's very little downside to waiting a few days before installing one. If an update is working perfectly for everyone else, I'll happily install it. If it turns out to be causing problems, I'll be very glad that I wasn't one of the first to find out.

So I'm now firmly in the 'turn automatic updates off' camp. Not because I'm suddenly convinced that every software update is a ticking time bomb, but because I've learned the hard way that there's no need to be an early adopter of firmware.

A few days of caution could save you weeks of frustration.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

If you're a fan of home cinema, you'll likely have heard a thing or two about Dolby Vision 2.

The tech was unveiled roughly a year ago and is the latest iteration of Dolby's dynamic HDR format. After a long wait, it is now finally rolling out across Europe, America and Asia-Pacific.

You'll need a supported TV from launch partner Hisense to access Dolby Vision 2, however – and we know just the one. Our TV experts put the Hisense UR9 through its paces earlier this year, and were highly impressed by the controlled backlight performance and rich cinematic HDR picture on the RGB Mini LED TV.

But we were even more impressed by the recent price cut – you can now pick up the 65-inch UR9 for £2099 at Sevenoaks with the code GDTV200, saving you a whopping £900 off the price we tested it at only three months ago.

Dolby Vision 2 comes with several perks over its predecessor, including a new image engine to enhance new and existing content, a new content recognition system for a more authentic image, and an intensity slider. We haven't tested the new format yet, but our TV experts will be looking at it soon.

The Hisense UR9 will even support the premium Dolby Vision 2 Max, which adds an extra layer of picture enhancements for home cinema enthusiasts. Be aware that iQIYI is the only current Dolby Vision 2 content partner operating in the UK, though we expect more services to join as the format grows.

The other big draw of the Hisense UR9 is its RGB Mini LED display, new technology which uses red, green and blue Mini LEDs in the backlight for greater brightness and more precise colour reproduction.

While we felt it fell short of OLED in several categories, the result was one of the best backlight TVs we have tested, with none of the flickering or shifting that we sometimes see in Mini LED sets.

“Black depth is consistently strong, shadow detail is excellent and subtle blooming is tightly controlled,” our Hisense UR9 review reads. “There’s also impressive richness and stability to colours, especially reds, which look wonderfully pure and saturated without drifting into pink or magenta tones.”

The panel is far from the only impressive feature, however, with three gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports that support a whopping 4K/170Hz (including 4K/120Hz for consoles), VRR and ALLM. There is also a DisplayPort connection for PC gamers, a rarity in modern TVs.

All four current HDR formats are supported too, namely HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG.

All the major apps are included on Hisense's fast and responsive VIDAA platform, though do note that the Apple TV app lacks access to the Apple TV store.

There's also a lot to enjoy about the Devialet-tuned 4.1.2-channel speaker system, with a surprisingly expansive and full-bodied presentation. There are built-in up-firing drivers too, with support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

If you're keen to see some of the latest developments in home cinema, the Hisense UR9 may well be the TV for you. With a remarkably watchable RGB Mini LED display, incoming Dolby Vision 2 support and now a £900 discount at Sevenoaks, there's a lot going for the Hisense UR9.

MORE:

Also consider the Sony Bravia 8 II, LG G6 and Sony Bravia 9

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

Sony's OLED TVs have been among the best you can buy for years, and its first QD-OLED model, the stellar A95L, knocked our socks clean off when it launched in 2023. Its successor, the Bravia 8 II, won an Award last year, too, so clearly Sony still knows how to make a great OLED TV.

It has since turned its hand to RGB Mini LED tech, in the form of the Bravia 9 II. While this nascent tech, which Sony refers to as 'True RGB ', is less proven than the granddaddy that is OLED, Sony has still managed to squeeze some pretty impressive results out of it.

So which TV should you go for: the safe bet of the Bravia 8 II, or the exciting new thing that is the Bravia 9 II? Let's find out.

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: price

As the older of the two TVs, the Bravia 8 II is inevitably cheaper. But that's also partly because it comes in a 55-inch variant, whereas the Bravia 9 II starts at 65 inches.

The Bravia 9 II starts at £3499 / $3600 / AU$5999, which is £500 more than the same size Bravia 8 II at launch. Like other sizes, that price has since dropped, in this case by around £600.

The 55-inch Bravia 8 II currently costs around £2000, which is £1500 cheaper than the entry-level Bravia 9 II. A clear win for the older model.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: design

Here you have a choice to make: do you want your TV to sink into its surroundings, or stand out?

The Bravia 8 II is very much the former – its chassis looks very familiar. There's nothing wrong with that – it's smart and premium in equal measures – but it's nothing we haven't seen before.

The blade-style feet can raise to accommodate a soundbar, but have to be positioned at the extremities of the TV's screen, which means you'll need a fairly wide cabinet on which to place it.

The remote is also a step backwards – it takes AAA batteries and doesn't light up. Whereas previous models had rechargeable remotes that were backlit. Disappointing.

The Bravia 9 II, however, is a real step forward in terms of TV design.

Its crowning glory is the Mirage Stand, which makes it look as if the TV is floating above the TV cabinet. It lets you see the wall behind the stand while somehow managing to conceal the cables from view, which is very clever indeed.

But it can't be adjusted. While its sole position will fit a regular-sized soundbar, there's no option to lower the TV if you're using the built-in sound system.

The look is a lot more striking than the Bravia 8 II's and won't appeal to everyone. But we're big fans.

The Bravia 9 II also features a more advanced anti-reflective coating. While effective at minimising distractions, it does make the screen look a little greyer in a well-lit room than the Bravia 8 II, which features a less intense coating.

The remote control that comes with the Bravia 9 II is backlit, too, making it easier to operate in the optimum movie viewing conditions of a dark room.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 9 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: features

The main difference between these two TVs is the screen panel technology: the Bravia 8 II uses a QD-OLED panel, while the Bravia 9 II has an RGB Mini LED display.

OLED has been around for years, and Sony certainly knows its way around it. Because it's not backlit, the tech has previously struggled with peak brightness, but great strides have been made in recent years – the Bravia 8 II goes 25 per cent brighter than its predecessor, helped in no small part by its custom heatsink.

OLEDs also have perfect blacks, which help the contrast ratio and add depth and perceived detail.

RGB Mini LED is backlit. But unlike your standard Mini LED TV, which uses a white backlight beamed through a colour filter, Sony's tech uses independently controlled red, green and blue Mini LEDs to generate colour directly. These are controlled by Sony's Backlight Master Drive system.

Sony makes some bold claims for RGB Mini LED, among them that it's akin to watching on one of its own mastering monitors used in professional studios. In other words, your viewing experience should be as the director intended. We'll see if these claims stack up in the next section.

Both TVs are powered by Sony's XR processor, complete with AI modes and Studio Calibrated Modes for the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and, of course, Sony Pictures Core. The Bravia 9 II adds a new My Cinema interface to the mix, but this has also now been added to the Bravia 8 II via a software update.

My Cinema aims to simplify the settings for picture and sound without depriving enthusiasts of control. You get three viewing profiles – Director's Cut, Daytime and Dialogue – each of which limit the available picture adjustments in order to deliver what it thinks is the best quality image.

Dolby Vision and Atmos are supported, and both sets are certified IMAX Enhanced. The HDR10 and HLG formats of HDR are also supported, but not HDR10+ (which is no surprise).

For gamers too, these TVs are tied, with 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM, Dolby Vision Game mode and ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ functionality.

But both have just two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which serves as the eARC port and so will be taken up by a soundbar or surround sound system, should you add one. That will leave you with just one port to get the full experience from your games machine.

Both TVs run Google TV, which is slowly but surely gaining on LG's webOS, and runs all the usual apps (including UK terrestrial catch-up apps, which can be missing from the platform).

** Winner: draw **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: picture quality

And now what we really came here for. Which TV has the better picture quality?

As an Award winner, the Bravia 8 II is the TV to beat in this regard. And it's a doddle to set up to look its best thanks to its excellent presets.

Peak highlights are, well, a highlight, but overall colours have plenty of vibrancy which they maintain even in low light. Shadow detail is excellent, and the image looks convincingly solid and three-dimensional.

In our Sony Bravia 8 II review, we concluded: "The key to the Bravia 8 II’s success is balance. The colours are so vibrant, highlights so bright and edges so sharp, but nothing feels exaggerated or incorrect, which means you never feel as though you’re getting anything other than the very best versions of your movies and TV shows."

As Sony's first foray into RGB Mini LED tech, the Bravia 9 II was very eagerly awaited. And largely, it's a success: for most of our time viewing, we stopped noticing how it was doing what it was doing, and just enjoyed the picture. Speaking as reviewers, that's a very good sign indeed.

A large part of this is down to the colours, which we described in our Sony Bravia 9 II review as "the finest colours we've ever seen from any TV."

We went on: "Richly saturated scenes burst with vibrancy, but never at the expense of authenticity. Sony has combined extraordinary colour volume with its traditional restraint, so even the boldest hues remain beautifully balanced and believable. It's a wonderfully cinematic presentation that constantly impresses without ever shouting for attention."

High praise. Brightness too is exceptional, with the Bravia 9 II proving to be one of the brightest TVs ever to grace our testing rooms. Thanks to its backlight system, whole-screen brightness is possible, whereas an OLED will have to drop it down to focus on highlights.

A perfect example of this comes during the white room scenes in The Matrix. As the bright white light fills the screen, the Bravia 8 II reduces its luminance, whereas the Bravia 9 II maintains its dazzling brightness. It makes it a very versatile TV, that's ideal for viewing in brighter conditions (like daytime viewing).

The local dimming is also excellent, with virtually no blooming around highlights, while skin tones remain natural throughout. It's the best picture we've ever seen from a backlit TV.

There's a 'but' coming.

And that 'but' is the Bravia 8 II's OLED screen, which remains better than RGB Mini LED in certain key areas, such as its pixel-level precision. The Bravia 9 II's picture looks a touch flat by comparison, and it can't reproduce small highlights against very dark backgrounds with the same brightness as the OLED, for fear of creating blooming.

And the Bravia 8 II has practically perfect viewing angles, too – another strength of OLED – whereas the Bravia 9 II, while good in this regard for a backlit TV, loses contrast and vibrancy, and reveals some blooming, when viewed off-axis.

There's also some slight smearing to fast-moving action on the Bravia 9 II – though this is only a significant issue when playing 60Hz games.

The result? A four-star picture to the Bravia 8 II's five. But we can't wait to see what a second-generation Sony RGB Mini LED panel can do.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: sound quality

Sony makes some of the best-sounding TVs around, and these two are no exception. But which sounds better?

The Bravia 8 II houses Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio+ set-up, while the Bravia 9 II features a so-called Acoustic Multi-Audio+ system. The former comprises two actuators that vibrate the screen to produce most of the sound, plus two subwoofers for added bass, while the latter features two full-range drivers, twin subwoofers, two tweeters and a pair of Beam Tweeters built into the rear, top and sides of the chassis.

Because the Bravia 8 II's screen literally makes most of the sound, the audio is tied to the visuals in a way that other TVs (apart from other Sony OLEDs) can't match.

The presentation is nice and direct, but spacious at the same time. Detail is excellent, with enough dynamic nuance to do a scene justice. It copes well with bigger dynamic shifts too, though bass depth is a bit lacking.

The Bravia 9 II has plenty of scale, with those Beam Tweeters really adding a sense of height (these are rare for a TV's built-in sound system). Effects are placed with precision within the soundstage, and there's plenty of subtle detail to get your teeth – and your ears – into.

Its sound has more weight than the Bravia 8 II's, but this extra bass lacks the same tautness of its older sibling.

It also doesn't sound as refined. As we wrote in our Bravia 9 II review: "Dialogue remains consistently clear, but voices aren't projected with quite the same focus or solidity as they are by Sony's flagship OLED. There's also a slight hardness to the presentation that occasionally makes speech sound a touch brash, softening some of the subtle emotional nuances in performances."

Higher frequencies suffer from a similar problem. Which makes it not quite as refined a listen as the Bravia 8 II.

But if you're partnering your TV with a soundbar or surround sound system – which you really should – this round is by the by.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: verdict

While the Bravia 9 II excels in terms of brightness and vibrancy, and delivers the best picture of any backlit TV we've ever tested, it still can't quite match its OLED sibling in certain key areas.

The Bravia 8 II is more consistent, three-dimensional and responsive in its picture delivery, and it boasts more direct and refined sound. It's more affordable, too – that's of course partly down to it having been on sale longer, but the launch pricing suggests the Bravia 9 II may never be discounted to quite the same level.

There are circumstances in which the Bravia 9 II will make more sense, most notably if you want a TV larger than 65 inches, or one for a super-bright room, but for most people and most settings, the Bravia 8 II is the better buy.

We can't wait to see what Sony can achieve with its second-generation RGB Mini LED TVs, though...

** Overall winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

MORE:

Read our Sony Bravia 9 II review

And our Sony Bravia 8 II review

Sony 2026 TV lineup: everything you need to know about the new Bravia range

After several months of anticipation and speculation, RGB Mini LED TVs are starting to hit the market.

The panel technology promises better colour accuracy, improved brightness and better contrast than a regular Mini LED display – and now one of the more affordable RGB Mini LED options, the Sony Bravia 7 II, just got another price cut.

The 55-inch model is now down to £1699 at Smart Home Sounds with the code SONYRGB15.

We put Sony's spin on RGB Mini LED to the test only last month and found the Bravia 7 II to be indeed one of the best backlit TVs we've ever tested, with excellent depth and vibrant natural colours.

RGB Mini LED, or True RGB as Sony markets it, is next-gen panel technology that uses independent red, green and blue LEDs rather than filtering a blue LCD layer, to try to counteract some of the shortcomings of backlit TVs.

And after some rigorous testing, our TV experts did find the Bravia 7 II rectified many of the weaknesses that come with traditional Mini LED.

"The general sense of nuance and sophistication extends to how the Bravia 7 II manages its backlight, our Sony Bravia 7 II review reads. "When this TV is in its element, it becomes possible to forget that this is a backlit TV, as the RGB Mini LED system doesn’t distract or detract from the experience.

"This extends to general blooming control, which is extremely impressive by prevailing standards. In a shot from Oppenheimer in which the nuclear bomb testing site is lit up at night by a series of spotlights, we find that the halos of light that we’ve seen time and time again on other backlit TVs have been strictly confined. There is still a very faint amount of blooming, but this is leagues ahead of other LCD TVs that we’ve recently tested."

Colours are presented with punch and saturation without veering into overblown territory, while Sony's usual excellent picture processing results in impressive motion handling and a tangible sense of three-dimensional solidity.

However, the Bravia 7 II is still a backlit TV, and still falls behind OLED when it comes to contrast, black levels and viewing angles. So we'd also recommend looking at similarly-priced OLED rivals such as the LG C6 or Sony's own excellent Bravia 8 II.

The Bravia 7 II can go toe-to-toe when it comes to features, however. Gamers can enjoy four HDMI sockets with ALLM, two of which have full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets with 4K/120Hz gameplay and VRR.

The Bravia 7 II also supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision – though HDR10+ is missing – and the built-in Google TV has all the major domestic and international streaming services.

Sony's usually impressive built-in audio is also lacking this time around – there's a good sense of clarity and detail, but the sound system seems to struggle dynamically. Nothing a good soundbar can't fix, however.

We'd still recommend considering an OLED TV, but if you're after a backlit set, then the Sony Bravia 7 II is one of the best we've tested. It's also one of the more affordable ways to get your hands on brand new RGB Mini LED technology, especially with 15 per cent off at Smart Home Sounds.

MORE:

Read our review of the LG C6

Read our TCL C8K review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Are reflections overpowering your TV? Is daytime viewing washing out the picture?

Then we have a solution. Traditionally, brightness is an area where OLEDs struggle, but not the LG G5.

Thanks to a Primary RGB Tandem panel, the G5 offers a truly striking brightness that was a generational leap forward for OLEDs on release.

And it's now available with a rather hefty discount – the code LG200JL brings the price down to £1799 at John Lewis. You can then claim a further 10 per cent cashback from LG, which brings the final total to £1619. Full Ts&Cs can be found here.

The reason for the LG G5's incredible brightness is a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, which stacks four OLED layers to boost brightness and colour volume.

And after testing with Top Gun: Maverick, the difference is pretty much night and day.

"What is immediately striking is how bright the new Primary RGB Tandem TV looks next to a conventional OLED," our LG G5 review reads. "We’re talking levels that, in cases where peak-brightness highlights are on show, such as when Maverick engages the scramjet of the Darkstar hypersonic aircraft, we are compelled to shield our eyes from the blazing brightness.

"Feed it some content that is specifically mastered to target a higher brightness, such as the 4K Blu-ray release of The Matrix or Pan, and it becomes apparent that the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED is truly a technical marvel."

Brightness isn't the only strength of the G5, however. Colour volume is indeed impressive, with stunning colour graduations during a viewing of Pan, while the LG set refused to stutter or judder during Top Gun dogfights.

As is customary with most LG OLEDs, the G5 features a pretty much flawless gaming specification. Four HDMI 2.1 sockets are on board, all with ALLM, VRR and Dolby Vision Gaming. Refresh rates even go all the way up to 4K/165Hz if you have a powerful enough PC, while the more console-friendly 4K/120Hz is also supported.

Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 are just some of the services available on the rather all-encompassing WebOS, while game streaming is also possible over the Xbox app.

We preferred the Cinema audio preset over the Standard setting due to its wider, louder and punchier sound. However, you'll want a good soundbar or sound system to truly do your movies justice.

It's worth noting that the G5's successor, the aptly named LG G6, is now available and can go even brighter. We'd also recommend considering the Sony Bravia 8 II, which offers a more considered and cinematically authentic picture. Both TVs are hanging around the £2400 mark for the 65-inch models at the time of writing, however, so the G5 offers the best value right now.

If you want spectacle and dazzling brightness, the LG G5 may well be the flagship OLED for you. It's got a stacked feature set and is now available with quite the discount for £1619 at John Lewis.

MORE:

Also consider the Samsung S95F

And the best TVs for any budget

Or why not splash out on the best OLED TVs?

Let's face it, 2026 has been a bit of an underwhelming year for TVs so far. The good news is that might be about to change.

We don't want to sound too down, as we've tested a few truly impressive 2026 TVs. Take the Samsung S99H and LG C6 as examples. Both delivered stunning picture performances during our testing. But the two TVs are refinements on their five-star predecessors, so that isn't a huge surprise.

Elsewhere, the hot new panel technology of 2026, RGB Mini LED – and all its accompanying names from various manufacturers – has shown promise, but it hasn't blown our socks off quite yet.

Sony's duo of True RGB TVs, the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II, impressed us in many ways but fell short in some crucial aspects of picture performance. Then Hisense's flagship UR9 produced impressive local dimming results, but at the expense of viewing angles.

However, all is not lost, and RGB Mini LED can certainly make a comeback, which is where the Samsung R95H steps in. It's the latest TV to be hauled out of its box and onto our testing benches, with testing commencing first thing next week.

Samsung's approach differs slightly from Sony's and Hisense's, as the Korean tech titan has created its own version called Micro RGB.

Not to be confused with the company's self-emissive Micro LED display technology, Micro RGB follows the same principles as RGB Mini LED, in that it trades a white backlight and colour filter for dedicated red, blue and green LEDs, but Samsung's managed to shrink said LEDs down even further.

Samsung's Micro LEDs, once again, not to be confused with Micro LED technology – blame Samsung's confusing naming convention for that one – reportedly measure in at under 100 microns. For reference, that's the size of a typical grain of table salt.

This has allowed the company to pack even more LEDs in, with the increased density expected to deliver enhanced contrast and light control.

Samsung could be the saving grace of the RGB Mini LED TV tech, and it really impressed us when we saw it during a Samsung hands-on event earlier this year. You can read our early Samsung R95H impressions here.

However, one of Samsung's biggest adversaries also shared some news this week, and we have an inbound TV that is special for a different reason.

Hisense, in partnership with Dolby, announced that its range of 2026 TVs will be the first to support Dolby Vision 2, with the higher-tier Dolby Vision 2 Max version being supported on all four of the premium models announced.

This includes the new UR8, the step-down model to the UR9 that we reviewed recently. It's also an RGB Mini LED, but unlike the Samsung we're about to review, it will support Dolby Vision 2 Max.

This technically makes it the first Dolby Vision 2-enabled TV to enter our AV testing room, which is certainly a milestone.

There is, however, one issue. Dolby Vision 2 content is, at the time of writing, slim to non-existent, especially here in the UK. Out of the three services announced – those being Canal+, Peacock, and iQIYI (a streaming service dedicated to Asian TV and movies) – only the last member of that trio is accessible here in the UK.

However, Dolby claims that "Hisense TV owners will immediately notice a difference across all Dolby Vision content", which means we should see the benefit of the new format even with existing Dolby Vision content. We'll be testing Dolby Vision streams and 4K Blu-rays to thoroughly test Dolby's claims.

With RGB LED panel technology and Dolby Vision 2 being the two headlining TV features of 2026, we're excited for the week of testing ahead, as we're hoping to put both to the test in the coming weeks.

MORE:

Dolby Vision 2 vs Dolby Vision 2 Max

RGB Mini LED: everything you need to know

Check out our picks for the best Mini LED TVs

Looking for one of the best TVs? Then chances are Samsung’s on your short list. And rightly so. The Korean tech giant knows a thing or two about top notch screens, after all.

This year is no different, with its biggest TV shake-up in years. There’s new flagship display tech, for a start, joined by refreshed OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and lifestyle ranges.

There’s quite a bit to cover, so without any further ado, let’s dive into all the 2026 Samsung TVs worth knowing about. Oh, and just so we’re covering all the bases, feel free to check out Sony’s 2026 TV lineup and LG’s 2026 TV lineup as well.

The Samsung tech headlines for 2026

Before we dive into the 2026 Samsung TV range, here are the headlines across the board:

Micro RGB

Micro RGB is stealing the headlines this year – a new premium LCD technology that sits above Neo QLED in the company's range.The backlight is formed from individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs, which Samsung says can deliver more accurate colours and finer light control

Game on

Samsung is continuing to push gaming performance across its TV range. The flagship models now support refresh rates of up to 165Hz, while features such as VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro and Samsung Gaming Hub are available across much of the lineup.

Format wars

Samsung's 2026 TVs introduce support for HDR10+ Advanced and Eclipsa Audio while, unsurprisingly, continuing to omit Dolby Vision. Whether either format becomes a meaningful selling point will depend on wider industry support, but both represent Samsung's latest attempt to strengthen its own ecosystem rather than adopt Dolby's tech.

Samsung 2026 TV range breakdown

Samsung makes a lot of TV’s. Below, we’ve covered the latest H-series models, though you’ll still find some older F-series TVs available at some retailers.

Samsung R95H

The R95H introduces Samsung's new Micro RGB technology and sits at the top of the company's 4K LCD range for 2026. Rather than using a conventional LED backlight, it employs micro-sized red, green and blue LEDs, which Samsung says deliver its widest-ever TV colour spectrum. The new Micro RGB AI Engine Pro is designed to optimise colour, depth and motion in real time, while Micro RGB Precision Colour aims to make the most of the panel's expanded colour capabilities.

On paper, it promises to produce a vibrant, richly coloured picture with impressive brightness, though we'll reserve our final judgement until we've been able to test it in our dedicated viewing rooms.

Elsewhere, the R95H receives Samsung's premium feature set, including Wireless One Connect for a cleaner installation, Motion Xcelerator 165Hz for PC gaming, and Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud gaming services.

Samsung R95H specs

• Sizes: 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Micro RGB
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Micro RGB AI Engine Pro
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung R95H price:

• 65-inch: $3200 / £3299 / AU$6094
• 75-inch: $4500 / £4199 / AU$9199
• 85-inch: $6500 / £6099 / AU$11,499

Samsung R85H

The R85H uses the same new Micro RGB display technology as the flagship R95H, but trims back some of the supporting hardware, keeping many of the same headline tech, including Micro RGB HDR+, Motion Xcelerator 144Hz, Dolby Atmos, Samsung Gaming Hub and AI Gaming Optimiser.

It also supports Samsung's Vision AI Companion platform and ships with One UI Tizen, which Samsung says will receive up to seven years of software updates. The biggest differences compared with the R95H lie in the supporting hardware rather than the core display technology.

The R85H uses Samsung's standard Micro RGB AI Engine instead of the Pro version, steps down to a 144Hz refresh rate, while skipping premium features like Wireless One Connect. Even so, it looks set to be the most accessible way to experience Samsung's new Micro RGB platform.

Samsung R85H specs

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 100-inch
• Display type: Micro RGB
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Micro RGB AI Engine
• Sound: 2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung R85H price:

• 55-inch: $1600 / £1599 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2100 / £2399 / AU$3794
• 75-inch: $2800 / £3099 / AU$4944
• 85-inch: $4000 / £3699 / AU$5749
• 100-inch: $13000 / £N/A / AU$14,949

Samsung S99H (UK) / S95H (US & Australia)

Samsung's flagship OLED for 2026 introduces an all-new FloatLayer design inspired by The Frame, giving the TV the appearance of a floating display when wall-mounted. It also adds Wireless One Connect, allowing source devices to connect to a separate box that transmits audio and video wirelessly to the TV for a cleaner installation.

Under the striking new design sits Samsung's latest OLED technology, powered by the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor and capable of refresh rates up to 165Hz. In fact, we've already reviewed the S99H and awarded it five stars, praising its exceptional brightness, refined picture processing, improved built-in sound, and distinctive design. It currently stands as the best TV Samsung has produced to date, though Dolby Vision remains unsurprisingly absent.

Read our Samsung S99H review

Samsung S99H / S95H specs

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S99H price:

• 55-inch: $2500 / £2399 / AU$N/A
• 65-inch: $3400 / £3199 / AU$6094
• 77-inch: $4500 / £4299 / AU$9199
• 83-inch: $6500 / £5899 / AU$11499

Samsung S95H (UK & Europe)

Just to confuse things a little bit more, Samsung is selling a TV called the S95H in the UK and Europe. We've quizzed the Korean AV titan on how it differs from the S99H, and it said that the S99H and S95H are essentially the same televisions, just with different designs.

The S95H here in the UK and Europe sports a One Connect box, and looks almost identical to last year's S95F, meaning customers can choose which design they prefer without compromising on performance. Interestingly, Samsung also removes the 83-inch size option, and swaps it for a compact 48-inch model.

Samsung S95H specs

• Sizes: 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S95H price

• 48-inch: £1699
• 55-inch: £2299
• 65-inch: £3099
• 77-inch: £4199

Samsung S90H

The S90H sits below Samsung's flagship OLED models but keeps many of the company’s headline tech. That includes the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor with Glare Free technology, OLED HDR+ and Samsung's LaserSlim design, making it one of the company's most fully featured 4K OLED TVs outside the flagship range.

Gaming remains a major focus, too. The S90H supports refresh rates of up to 165Hz for compatible PC games, alongside VRR, ALLM, NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Samsung Gaming Hub. AI Gaming Optimiser is also onboard, automatically adjusting picture settings based on the genre you're playing.

Either way, the S90H looks set to continue Samsung's tradition of offering much of its flagship OLED performance at a more attainable price point.

Samsung S90H specs:

• Sizes: 42-inch, 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED (panel type varies by size)
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 2.1-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S90H price:

• 42-inch: $1400 / £1299 / AU$2299
• 48-inch: $1600 / £1399 / AU$2759
• 55-inch: $2000 / £1699 / AU$3449
• 65-inch: $2700 / £2299 / AU$4599
• 77-inch: $3700 / £3499 / AU$6324
• 83-inch: $5300 / £4799 / AU$8624

Samsung S85H

The S85H is Samsung's entry point into its 2026 OLED range, bringing many of the benefits of OLED technology to a more affordable price. While it steps down from the S90H in a few key areas, it still combines the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor with OLED HDR, Samsung's LaserSlim design and the latest version of One UI Tizen.

It also supports refresh rates of up to 120Hz, alongside VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium and Samsung Gaming Hub. Vision AI features are also included, although some advanced picture and gaming functions remain reserved for Samsung's more expensive OLEDs.

As with previous generations, the S85H looks set to be Samsung's value-focused OLED. It may lack some of the flagship range's premium features, but on paper it retains the core ingredients that have made Samsung's more affordable OLEDs such strong performers in recent years. We'll reserve our final judgement until we've put it through our full testing process.

Samsung S85H specs:

• Sizes: 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM

Samsung S85H price:

• 48-inch: $1200 / £1299 / AU$2299
• 55-inch: $1500 / £1499 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2000 / £2299 / AU$3794
• 77-inch: $2800 / £2999 / AU$N/A
• 83-inch: $4500 / £3599 / AU$7474

Samsung QN990H

The QN990H remains Samsung's flagship 8K Neo QLED for 2026. While Micro RGB has now taken over as the company's premium LCD technology, the QN990H continues to lead its 8K range, combining an 8K Mini LED panel with Samsung's latest NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor and Quantum Matrix Technology Pro. Samsung is once again betting on AI-powered upscaling to make the most of today's 4K and HD content while native 8K material remains scarce.

As you'd expect from Samsung's flagship 8K TV, the QN990H also receives the company's most advanced feature set. That includes Glare Free technology, Wireless One Connect for a cleaner installation, Motion Xcelerator 240Hz, AI Gaming Optimiser and Samsung Gaming Hub.

Whether 8K is worth paying a premium for is still open to debate, but if you're determined to own Samsung's most capable Neo QLED TV, the QN990H remains the flagship choice.

Samsung QN990H specs:

• Sizes: 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 8K
• Processor: NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 6.2.4-channel (90W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: 8K/120Hz, 4K/240Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub, AI Gaming Optimiser

Samsung QN990H price:

• 85-inch: $8500 / £N/A / AU$N/A

Samsung QN80H

For many buyers, the QN80H is likely to be the most interesting Neo QLED in Samsung's 2026 range. Sitting below the new Micro RGB models, it retains Quantum Mini LED backlighting and the company's NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor, making it a more conventional – and likely more affordable – premium LCD option.

It doesn't have the headline-grabbing new display technology of the R95H or R85H, but it doesn't feel stripped back either. Samsung has carried over much of what makes its higher-end TVs appealing, including a Mini LED backlight, support for refresh rates of up to 144Hz, Samsung Gaming Hub and AI Gaming Optimiser.

If Micro RGB proves too expensive, the QN80H could end up being the TV many people actually buy. On paper, it looks to offer the strongest balance of performance, features and value in Samsung's premium LCD lineup, though we'll need to review it before drawing any firm conclusions.

Samsung QN80H specs:

• Sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 100-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung QN80H price:

• 50-inch: $N/A / £999 / AU$1839
• 55-inch: $1300 / £999 / AU$2069
• 65-inch: $1600 / £1299 / AU$2529
• 75-inch: $2000 / £1599 / AU$3449
• 85-inch: $3000 / £2299 / AU$4599
• 100-inch: $5500 / £2999 / AU$8049

Samsung QN70H

The QN70H continues Samsung's Neo QLED lineup with Quantum Mini LED backlighting and the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor. While it loses some of the higher-end features found on the QN80H and above, it still benefits from the improved contrast and backlight control that Mini LED technology can offer over a conventional LED TV.

Samsung's latest Tizen platform is onboard, alongside Gaming Hub and support for a range of cloud gaming services, making it a well-equipped option for buyers who don't need every flagship extra.

Samsung QN70H specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: No
• Gaming features: VRR, ALLM, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung QN70H price:

• 43-inch: $600 / £599 / AU$N/A
• 50-inch: $750 / £799 / AU$1494
• 55-inch: $900 / £899 / AU$N/A
• 65-inch: $1200 / £1099 / AU$N/A
• 75-inch: $1500 / £1699 / AU$N/A
• 85-inch: $2300 / £2299 / AU$N/A

Samsung M80H

New for 2026, the M80H introduces Samsung's M-series Mini LED range. Rather than replacing Neo QLED, it creates a new tier below it, combining Mini LED backlighting with the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor and the latest version of Tizen.

It doesn't match the loftier specs of Samsung's premium Mini LED sets, but it does expand the company's Mini LED portfolio into a more affordable part of the market while retaining features like the Gaming Hub.

Samsung M80H specs:

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung M80H price:

• 55-inch: $650 / £799 / AU$XX
• 65-inch: $800 / £999 / AU$N/A
• 75-inch: $1200 / £1399 / AU$N/A
• 85-inch: $1800 / £1899 / AU$N/A

Samsung M70H

Like the M80H, the M70H forms part of Samsung's new Mini LED family, pairing Mini LED backlighting with the company's smart TV platform while stepping down further in specs. It rounds out Samsung's expanded Mini LED lineup and gives buyers another option below the Neo QLED range.

Samsung M70H specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch
• Display type: Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Mini LED Processor 4K
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: No
• Gaming features: VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung M70H price:

• 43-inch: $350 / £429 / AU$861
• 50-inch: $380 / £529 / AU$1034
• 55-inch: $400 / £649 / AU$1149
• 65-inch: $530 / £999 / AU$1494
• 75-inch: $730 / £799 / AU$1954
• 85-inch: $1200 / £1099 / AU$2874

Samsung The Frame Pro

Samsung has given its lifestyle TV its biggest hardware upgrade in years. The Frame Pro combines the familiar picture frame-inspired design with Quantum Mini LED backlighting, bringing display technology previously reserved for the company's premium TVs into the Frame range. It also adds Wireless One Connect to simplify wall mounting, while Art Mode, the Art Store and interchangeable bezels remain at the heart of the experience.

Samsung The Frame Pro specs:

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 2.2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung The Frame Pro price:

• 55-inch: $1500 / £1699 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2000 / £2099 / AU$3679
• 75-inch: $2800 / £2999 / AU$4599
• 85-inch: $4000 / £3999 / AU$5749

Samsung The Frame

The standard Frame returns for another year, continuing to focus on design rather than outright picture performance. It keeps the familiar Art Mode experience, customisable bezels and matte display that have helped distinguish it from conventional TVs, while also benefiting from Samsung's latest smart TV platform. Buyers looking for improved display hardware will need to step up to The Frame Pro, but the standard model remains the more affordable way into Samsung's lifestyle range.

Samsung The Frame specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
• Display type: QLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung The Frame price:

• 43-inch: $1200 / £999 / AU$1494
• 55-inch: $1200 / £1499 / AU$2069
• 65-inch: $1500 / £1899 / AU$2529
• 75-inch: $2000 / £1899 / AU$3449
• 85-inch: $3000 / £N/A / AU$4599
• 98-inch: $4500 / £N/A / AU$8049

MORE:

Read our full Samsung S99H/S95H review

Check out our picks for the best Samsung TVs

As well as the best OLED TVs

Samsung's next-gen HDR standard arrives this month, but you'll need a very specific set-up to be able to watch.

HDR10+ Advanced will only initially be available on certain 2026 models of Samsung TVs, and only through the Prime Video streaming service. It's also only available on select Prime Video content at the moment – though Amazon hasn't said what that includes.

Its rival technology, Dolby Vision 2, also launched this week, but only on select Hisense TVs.

HDR10+ Advanced promises a "brighter, more immersive picture quality", and has been developed with RGB Mini LED TVs in mind, like the R95H (pictured). Confusingly, Samsung refers to its RGB Mini LED TVs as 'Micro RGB TVs'.

HDR10+ Advanced builds on the HDR10+ standard, with the addition of two key features: Enhanced Overall Brightness and Intelligent Motion Smoothing.

These are pretty Ronseal: the former uses statistical metadata to deliver "brighter, more precise HDR across the full tonal range", while AI-driven tone mapping preserves shadow detail without compromising peak brightness.

Intelligent Motion Smoothing, meanwhile, uses scene-by-scene metadata to dynamically adjust motion processing, "preserving the cinematic feel of film content while delivering smooth, natural motion for sports, action and other fast-moving scenes."

We first saw HDR10+ Advanced back in October during a trip to Samsung's Korean HQ, and we concluded that it looks "very promising".

Samsung and Amazon have been in bed together for a long time now. Prime Video was also the first streaming service to offer the original HDR10+ format back in 2017.

MORE:

Dolby Vision 2 vs Dolby Vision 2 Max: everything you need to know

Read our Samsung R95H hands-on review

I’ve seen Samsung’s 2026 lineup early: there’s one TV I can’t stop thinking about – and it’s not an OLED

After almost a year of anticipation and uncertainty, Dolby Vision 2 is finally launching, although you'll need one of the supported TVs to use it.

Dolby surprised home cinema fans with the announcement of Dolby Vision 2, the latest iteration of its dynamic HDR format, just before IFA 2025. With it came a buzz of excitement, but also many questions, most of which have been periodically answered throughout the year.

Now, Dolby has officially announced which TVs will be the first to access the new HDR format, and they all come from launch partner Hisense. We've also seen Dolby Vision 2 running on TVs from TCL and Philips at past press demos, although this launch is strictly Hisense for now.

Supported models include the UX, UR9 and UR8 RGB Mini LED TVs, and U7 Pro (also known as the U7 in the US) Mini LED TV. Interestingly, these models all support the higher-tier Dolby Vision 2 Max format.

The update is only coming to the Vidaa and Google TV versions of these models. Neither Hisense nor Dolby have confirmed if Dolby Vision 2 will come to older TVs yet.

At its core, Dolby Vision 2 brings three perks. First, "a powerful new image engine" which is set to enhance new and existing content.

Second, a new content recognition system that leverages metadata to deliver a more authentic image closer to the creator's intent.

Third, an intensity slider which allows you to "depth and richness of their Dolby Vision 2 experience" by compensating for contrast lost to viewing angles and reflections.

Dolby Vision 2 Max is reserved for TVs towards the premium end of the spectrum, and it adds an extra layer of picture enhancements aimed at home cinema enthusiasts.

These include the Authentic Motion feature, which aims for a "more cinematic feel while eliminating unwanted judder and soap opera effects", alongside Light Sense 2, which utilises your TV's ambient light sensor to optimise the picture settings based on your viewing conditions.

There is also a selection of pro settings which will allow experienced AV enthusiasts to dig deeper into the experience and customise as needed.

As for Dolby Vision 2 content, Dolby says that "Hisense TV owners will immediately notice a difference across all Dolby Vision content" for everything from TV and movies to gaming and sport. That said, the only current content partners that will support Dolby Vision 2 content specifically are Canal+, Peacock, and iQIYI.

These aren't household streaming names on the same level as Netflix, Disney+ or Apple TV, and two of the three services don't actually operate in the UK yet. That said, we presume that more services will support the new HDR format once it has found its footing.

Likewise, we expect more TV manufacturers to adopt Dolby Vision 2 over time. Sony and LG have yet to confirm whether their next batches of TVs will support the format, and Samsung has already developed its own answer to Dolby Vision 2 in the form of HDR10+ Advanced.

The software update to enable Dolby Vision 2 on the previously mentioned 2026 Hisense TVs is set to roll out in the coming weeks across Europe, America and Asia-Pacific.

We'll be testing out Dolby Vision 2 soon to see if it's the generational step up from the original Dolby Vision that we know and love.

MORE:

Dolby Vision 2 vs Dolby Vision 2 Max: everything you need to know

Read our full Hisense UR9 review

I saw the future of HDR at CES, and things are looking bright and smooth for 2026

OLED TV prices have steadily dropped over time and are becoming increasingly affordable as time goes on.

However, the quest for a truly great, cheap OLED TV for the entry-level market has been ongoing for more than a decade.

Luckily, if you are a movie fan looking for one of the cheapest ways to get a new OLED, we have some good news. We have just reviewed the Samsung S85H, which has a punchy, immersive and nicely three-dimensional picture that our expert testers found to be a cut above most of its entry-level rivals.

And it is already available at a discount: the code SAMS10PERCENT brings the price down to £1259 at Richer Sounds, a good £241 off the price we tested at.

The S85H is from the same range as the Samsung S99H, which we declared to be the finest OLED the Korean conglomerate has produced.

However, if your budget doesn’t stretch to the S99H’s £2000+ price tag and you are dipping your toes into the OLED water for the first time, the S85H is a solid entry point, particularly if you’re keen on brightness.

“Switching to Pan, our standard peak brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6,” our Samsung S85H review reads. “The setting sun offers a wider range of reds and oranges that show up as pure white on its rival.”

Reds are a bit overbaked compared with the more subdued B6, but we still prefer the S85H for the picture’s solidity and three-dimensionality.

Specifications are also very competitive for the price, including Samsung’s app-packed Tizen smart platform. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and all the other usual services are present and running correctly.

Gamers are well catered for too, with four full-spec HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of carrying a 4K/120Hz signal, as well as VRR and ALLM.

The only major omission on that front is Dolby Vision Gaming – but that’s hardly surprising as Samsung has long left out Dolby’s HDR standard. HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG are all supported, however.

The biggest letdown of the S85H comes with the audio. The 2.0 channel, 20W, Dolby Atmos system noticeably lacks bass. The speakers do offer a reasonable sense of direction and separation, but you will probably want a soundbar or sound system for movie watching.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the mid-range, then the Samsung S85H is one of the top options to get a brand-new 2026 OLED. It’s a cut above most entry-level rivals where it matters most – picture quality – and is now available with £241 off at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony Bravia 7 II

Also consider the LG C6

Read our Samsung S90F review

As the resident deals writer of What Hi-Fi?, there’s one question that haunts me more than any other… when is the best time to buy an OLED?

Black Friday? Prime Day? Just after the next model comes out?

Now, those are all valid answers – they are all times we have seen price crashes on various OLED TVs. But which one is actually the cheapest? Obviously TVs become cheaper the longer they are out – but where’s the sweet spot before the TV gets discontinued or just becomes woefully outdated?

To settle things once and for all, I have undertaken a price history on one of the biggest and best TVs out there: the LG C5. The model is perfect for this exercise, as the LG C-series is extremely popular, follows a yearly release cycle, and, if you check our reviews, is a rather impressive OLED TV line.

Having covered many LG C5 deals since it was released in spring 2025, we have a fair bit of data about its price history over time. So let’s get stuck in…

LG C5: a price history

For convenience’s sake, let’s start with one size: the 55-inch LG C5, which is the largest model we reviewed and one of the more popular sizes. We reviewed the 55-inch LG C5 on 12 April 2025 at its launch price of £1900 / $1999 / AU$3299.

It didn’t take long for some serious discounts to arrive. On 21 May 2025, barely two months after release, we reported that the 55-inch C5 was down to £1520 at Richer Sounds. That’s a £380 (20 per cent) saving already – and that highlighted price didn’t even include a cashback offer that was running at the time.

55-inch LG C5 Price History

Price (£)

Date

LG C5 55-inch

Price Data

Timestamp (date)	LG C5 55-inch (£)
0	1900
1	1520
2	1199
3	1199
4	1199
5	1050
6	1099
7	1069
8	965
9	949
10	989
11	977
12	969

The next big price decrease we spotted came on 6th October 2025, when we reported that the C5 was now £1199 at Richer Sounds. The C5 had been out for more than six months at this point, so a big price decrease was not unexpected; with another six months to go until the inevitable release of the C6, the C5 was now reduced by £700 (37 per cent). But all eyes were now turning towards Black Friday...

Curiously, while we did see a good price of £1069 on Black Friday, the 55-inch C5 was actually a tad cheaper a few weeks earlier on 6th November, when we spotted it at £1050.

The C5 saved its best discount for Cyber Monday, however, when it broke through the £1000 barrier and crashed to £965 – a good 49 per cent off.

Here we see the price of the C5 start to stabilise just under the £1000 mark. Even the arrival of the LG C6 in spring 2026 didn’t result in any significant further discounts.

The next round of new lowest prices came around yet another sales event: the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026. This was a period when retailers were dropping new lowest prices on TVs left, right and centre. The LG C5 was not left on the bench – it hit rock bottom on 5th June 2026, officially reaching half price with a £949 price tag, once again at Richer Sounds.

By the time Amazon Prime Day rolled along in June 2026, the World Cup was in full swing and new TV discounts had started to die down a bit. The LG C5 was one of the star products of that sales event, with prices dropping back down to £977, but that wasn’t quite a new low for the 55-inch model.

And now? As of July 2026, the best price we found for the 55-inch LG C5 was £969 at Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks thanks to a £30 voucher code. That’s a fine price for an Award-winning OLED TV, but it’s still a few whiskers off the lowest ever price.

It’s also worth noting that it was often specialist retailers who were offering new lows on the 55-inch C5 – not always Amazon, as some might assume.

How do the other sizes compare?

After an exhaustive look at the 55-inch model, it’s only fitting that we have a quick look at other screen sizes to ensure we weren’t dealing with an outlier. Take a look at the graph below and you will see that all models roughly follow a similar trend: a rather steep drop in the first few months, before levelling out a bit after Black Friday, after which we start seeing more incremental drops.