The best 4K TVs for every budget

A TV is made to be looked at. And it seems that every year, Samsung’s updated flagship model looks very good indeed. The latest iteration is the Samsung QN95C, a Neo QLED 4K smart TV with the kind of visual power to compete with the best OLED. Indeed, packed with Neo Quantum HDR+, Mini LEDs, and an anti-reflection display, the picture is punchy, bold, and detailed — seriously eye-popping. Plus, it’s subtle and naturalistic when upscaling.

The QN95C uses Samsung’s standard Quantum dot (QLED) technology — tiny nano-sized particles that are energised by UV light and produce different colours. But being a Neo QLED, it ditches the usual LEDs and uses tens of thousands of Mini LEDs instead to light the Quantum dots. That means a finer, more nuanced control of light and colour across the entire display, producing – most importantly – superior images.

It sounds great too thanks to Object Tracking Sound+. This uses eight speakers, which follow movement and action across the screen and create a true three-dimensional audio experience. If you spending at this level, however, an additional sound system or soundbar is a must. Samsung has a great range of soundbars that sync to this TV with Q-Symphony technology.

If you’re a gamer, you’ll enjoy gaming-specific features, including a gaming hub that gives you quick access to your games and gaming options — plus a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. There are downsides. Samsung still hasn’t bitten the bullet and included Dolby Vision, preferring other HDR formats. And you can forget buying this one if you have a small living room. The smallest screen size for this model is 55 inches.

LG is often cited as the best-of-best when it comes to OLED. This year’s upgrade — the LG G3 — is another stunning model, packing features and tech that make improvements to whatever minor flaws its predecessors had.

While OLED is generally considered to be the best screen technology (Samsung’s Neo QLED would disagree), brightness has been a common criticism. The G3 tackles that with Micro-Lens Array (MLA) technology. This adds 40 billion microscopic lenses that focus light rays onto the screen, creating more immersive colours and finer detail reproduction.

That combines with evo screen technology, the AI-controlled Light Boosting Algorithm, and Light Control Architecture. You’ll get the full whack of its brightness with the G3’s Vivid mode. There’s also Dolby Vision for a truly cinematic experience. The picture is so brilliant its picturesque — a great TV for mounting on the wall. Which is handy, because it doesn’t come with a stand. You can buy one separately but that means extra cost, of course.

No all-singing, all-dancing 4K is complete without top-of-line gaming specs. The G3 is no exception. And that’s little surprise. LG TVs are already highly rated for gamers. The LG has four HDMI 2.1 ports — supporting VRR, ALLM, and a refresh rate of 120Hz — plus access to a vast gaming library via GeForce now and settings in the gaming hub.

We also like the options to fully personalise. Set up your own profile and the TV will give you recommendations based on your search history, plus alerts for your favourite sports and teams. It even uses AI to determine your preferred contrast, sharpness, and chroma.

The Sony A90K is a technical evolution: one of Sony’s “cognitive intelligence” TVs. The Cognitive Processor XR analyses images much like our brains do. It divides the picture into different zones and recognises objects within those zones. This cross-analysis balances every aspect and hones in on focal points — like the human eye does. 

In other words, it’s a sensational picture — deep, rich, nuanced, and realistic — with class-leading motion processing. The same goes for this TV’s sound, which comes via Acoustic Surface Audio+ tech. This uses actuators to turn the screen display itself into a speaker. Sound emits from where the action is on-screen. 

The main reason we’ve included this TV is that while most top-of-the-like 4K sets go big — the standard tends to be 55-inch and upwards — the A90K comes in more modest screen sizes. Just because it’s smaller, it’s still packing the spec you find on bigger TVs, particularly when it comes to gaming. The A90K boasts HDMI 2.1 , VRR, and ALLM. Sony has made it to sync with its very own PS5. In fact, let’s make it clear: If you’re a PS5 player, it’s a great option.

It's powered by Google TV, which you’ll find a breeze to use. UK-specific catch-up apps are missing, but the TV makes up for it with Bravia Core, an exclusive app for Sony movies. And for the TV this size, the picture is exceptional. We’re big fans of the remote control too, which has a backlight — handy for finding those buttons when you’ve got the lights off.

This TV might seem pricey for the screen size, but it comes highly recommended — a big contender for smaller rooms.

Hisense is steadily gaining a rep as a go-to brand for high-quality, low-price TVs. Though it’s not all budget: Hisense does make pricier, higher-end TVs too. But if you want a 4K picture for a reasonable price — but you aren’t too worried about having all the extra spec and up-to-date features — the Hisense A6K could be for you.

The TV itself looks classy, with a very thin bezel (often the mark of a respectable 4K set) and the picture is good. It’s very good, in fact — bold, bright, and eye-catching. Even though it can’t quite match the more nuanced touches of superior (i.e. far more expensive) technology out there, it’s equipped with the nice combo of a DLED display and Dolby Vision HDR to refine and boost the picture.

The sound is average but that’s no great surprise at this price. A sound bar is an absolute must-have add-on whatever you’re spending on the set itself.

It has something for gamers, with both VRR and ALLM. It has three HDMI ports, though they’re all HDMI 2.0 so it’s not quite equipped for the best of next-gen gaming. Binge-watchers are well catered for too, with all the apps you need for countless hours of entertainment. The remote is equipped with buttons that take you directly to Netflix and Disney, which is a literal nice touch. It has Alexa and Google Assistant for some extra help with control.

Ultimately, it won’t compete with the big ticket TVs on this list, but for 4K at a reasonable price, there’s lots to like here.

The Philips OLED807 is packed with souped-up display tech from the popular brand, combining an LG-built display with AI-powered picture processing. The result is a stunning image. It has a huge database of image types, which it uses to process the action on screen much like the human brain (that’s something you’ll hear a lot with modern TVs, in fact). What you get, essentially, is Philips’ already-great picture quality now boosted by added realism and refinement. 

High-quality picture aside, the most obvious feature is Philips’ sensational, four-sided Ambilight. Set it to change colour to match the action on-screen, the music, or other themes. It’s strikingly immersive and adds to what can be considered a big screen experience. If you want to get sucked into the atmosphere, this is the way to do it.

There are plenty of apps pre-installed — these include Netflix, Disney, YouTube, Prime, and iPlayer — while gamers are taken care of with HDMI 2.1 and next-gen gaming specs. There are small complaints. The design — with the speaker sat at the base — isn’t for everyone, and there are smoother operating systems than the integrated Android OS. What can we say? You either love Android or you… well, don’t. 

We also have to give a shoutout to its sound system. This is the one instance in which you don’t necessarily need a soundbar. It has a very competitive audio system that sets it apart from other TVs. And it’s designed to work with Dolby Atmos for the best possible sound performance.

The Panasonic MZ980B is at the smaller end (if you can call a top size of 55 inches “small”) but it’s mighty nonetheless. And it has big visual skills.

The picture is powered by Panasonic's trusty Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel plus the HCX Pro AI processor that analyses and adjusts the images and sound automatically. It’s compatible with multiple HDR formats and uses advanced intelligent sensing to detect the ambient room brightness, which then adjusts the picture for a more natural experience.

Talking of sound, this TV has integrated speakers and a built-in subwoofer for creating a dynamic surround sound. That combines with Dolby Atmos. Together, they create incredible soundscapes

Previous gen Panasonic TVs haven’t lived up to the spec of advanced gaming requirements, but the brand has made amends in that area. It has four HDMI 2.1 ports (that’s right four) and other tech — such as VRR, HFR, and brillianty titles Game Mode Extreme — that make this a sound choice for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners. With all those super-fast HDMI ports, you can also connect other top-of-the-line add-ons, such as an eARC-compatible sound bar or 4K Blu-ray player. And without having to switch the cables around every five minutes.

Panasonic’s OS has all the streaming and catch-up apps you need. Previous gen Panasonic TVs were missing Disney Plus — a terrible oversight in this day and age — but rest assured that the Panasonic MZ980B is now equipped with Disney.