Home > Tech > TVs

The best 4K TVs for movies, gamers, sports — and everyone else

Enjoy Oscar nominees in 4K.
By Leah Stodart , Chloe Bryan , and Cecily Mauran  on 
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Overview

Best for bright rooms

Samsung Q90B

Jump to Details
Best gaming TV

LG C2 OLED Evo

Jump to Details
Best for watching movies in dark rooms

Sony A95K

Jump to Details
Best mid-range gaming TV

Hisense U8H

Jump to Details
Best budget option

TCL 6-Series QLED

Jump to Details
Best Fire TV value

Amazon Fire TV Omni

Jump to Details
See 1 More

Best deals on TVs this week


4K TVs are more of a mainstay buy than a luxury purchase these days. They're so much the norm, in fact, that it's unlikely to find more than a few non-4K options in stock at any given store. If you're looking to buy a 4K TV to catch up on all those Oscar nominees, you're in the right place.

With more options than ever, it's important to understand the features you will want to focus on in order to narrow down the best TVs for you.

Wait, I thought 4K TVs were super expensive

They used to be, but not anymore. The saturated 4K TV market that we now find ourselves in has led to a more palatable price range, with most brands focusing on their budget-friendly lines just as much as they are on premium ones. $1,000 is hardly an accurate marker for the level of affordability that 4K has reached — at this point, it's easy to find a decent 4K TV under $500.

There is still some variation in price within the category, of course, depending on whether you're outfitting a full-on home theater or just looking for an affordable mid-sized option for your apartment. Things like size and the TV's lighting panel (LED versus QLED versus OLED) will be the biggest determining factors of a price point. If you're lost on the lighting thing, we're diving into the basics below.

What does 4K actually mean?

The term "4K" refers to the screen's resolution: Televisions that support 4K will have a horizontal resolution of 4,096 pixels. Most retailers use the terms "4K" and "UHD" (ultra high definition) interchangeably, but UHD TVs are technically a little different — they generally have a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160.

The difference comes down to the terms' separate origins. "4K" originated with the Digital Cinema Initiatives, which establishes content and spec requirements for major film studios, and was intended to describe films that would be screened in a theater. "UHD" originated as a term for consumer TVs. (If you'd like to learn more about the terms' history, ExtremeTech has a very detailed explainer on the subject.)

If you simply want a good TV and aren't about to get finicky over that difference, however, you'll be fine with anything labeled "4K," "UHD," or "4K UHD." Yes, "4K UHD" is technically an impossibility, but we imagine you'll be too busy watching movies to get caught up in semantics.

What's the difference between LED, QLED, and OLED?

The jargon around 4K TVs gets more confusing when you get to the LED, QLED, or OLED part of the title. These refer to the TV's backlighting, which ultimately determines things like color saturation, the intensity of contrast, and whether the content is legible in both dark and bright rooms. Each of these displays is 4K compatible, so there's nothing mutually exclusive about 4K and the LED categorization.

Read on for a super basic breakdown of a TV shopper's most frequently-encountered terms:

Here's what LED means

An "LED TV" is an LCD TV with LED (light-emitting diode) backlights, which illuminate the screen and help you see the picture. These TVs are extremely commonplace and the most affordable kind. Some LED TVs are better than others, mostly depending on whether they utilize full-array local dimming — a collection of zones that adjust independently across the entire screen — rather than less-powerful edge-lit dimming.

Mini LEDs, which are about half the size of regular LEDs, allow manufacturers to pack more LEDs into the same size panel, allowing for more local dimming zones and more precise tweaking of brightness in each area.

A quick QLED explainer

"QLED" is a twist on LED that was actually developed by Samsung to describe its own TVs. The "Q" stands for "quantum," which refers to an extra layer of quantum dots in between the LED panel and the screen to accommodate a wider range of colors, enhance brightness, and make each hue juicier and more precise. (This doesn't mean that Samsung's TVs are the only ones that use this color-boosting technology. TCL makes QLEDs, and brands like Sony and Hisense use similar technology marketed under different names.)

Unpacking OLED

"OLED" is a completely different technology and the least likely to have a budget-friendly counterpart. Unlike LED and QLED, OLED doesn't require an external backlight. Instead, they use organic light-emitting diodes, or pixels that emit their own light. These pixels are individually controlled by the TV itself based on the content and lighting of the room. OLED is known for dark blacks, stark contrast, and generally better picture quality, but often lose out to QLED on the brightness front. Because OLEDs are self-lit, the dimming conversation doesn't apply to them.

I've heard of 8K, too. Is an 8K TV worth it?

For most people, no. Though 8K TVs have become more prevalent since they originally hit the market, they're mostly as pointless in 2023 as they were in 2018. In most cases, that quadrupled resolution (over 30 million pixels compared to 4K's eight million pixels) is overkill — there's just not enough 8K content out there to make them worth the splurge at this time. They could be soon, but you definitely have time to upgrade to a nice 4K model before they cross into obsolete territory.

Here are our picks for the best 4K TVs:

High glare and flat brightness are the deadly duo that lead to being completely lost when watching sports on TV in the daytime. You'll need a TV with an advanced backlighting panel and lots of LEDs, like the Samsung QN90B, for a sunny room watching experience that's actually decipherable.

The QN90B was the second-fanciest TV in Samsung's 2022 lineup. Its best features for viewing in bright rooms include steep peak brightness of over 3,000 nits, stark contrast and deep blacks, and impressive reflection handling. Its mini LED panel keeps lighting precise through a high count of local dimming zones and keeps color punchy with a quantum dot layer on top. Its brightness also shines in dark rooms, where it actually takes advantage of the detail that HDR can provide without heavy blooming.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Gamers looking to go all out on their setup should heavily consider LG's C2: the successor to the beloved C1 that might just be the best gaming TV available. The C2 excels at low-latency gameplay through compatibility with NVIDIA G-SYNC, support for 1440p at 120 Hz, and a processor upgrade. Support for GeForce Now and Stadia game streaming is also new.

The "Evo" in the title refers to the C2's improved panel. We know that OLEDs aren't as bright as QLEDs in general, but the C2 gets bright enough for most sunlit situations. It also shines in dark rooms with intense black levels and next to no blooming.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

Sony TV with crystal screensaver on gray, blue, and orange background

Sony A95K

Best for watching movies in dark rooms

Sony debuted a handful of groundbreaking products at CES 2023. TVs weren't one of them. But the absence of a new line isn't stopping retailers from following the unspoken January rule of heavily discounting last year's models. Arguably one of the internet's favorite TVs right now, the A95K provides a dynamic watching experience through the Bravia QD-OLED panel, which combines the precise viewing angles of OLED and the color-boosting quantum dot layer of QLED.

The A95K is one of Sony's 2022 flagship models, decked out with Sony's Bravia QD-OLED panel that combines the precise viewing angles of OLED and the color-boosting quantum dot layer of QLED.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Hisense TV with abstract screensaver on gray, blue, and orange background

Hisense U8H

Best mid-range gaming TV

One TV from a non-big three brand (that would be Samsung, Sony, or LG) that shows up in nearly every "best TVs" list on the internet is the Hisense U8H. Ranked the second-most premium in Hisense's ULED collection, the U8H is an unexpectedly stunning TV that's great for anyone — but especially gamers — who want to stay under the $1,500 price point.

Hisense's ULED technology can be thought of as an umbrella term referring to the brand's ultra wide color gamut, ultra local dimming through mini LEDs, and ultra smooth motion rate. These work together to create an intense picture that's legible both in sunny rooms and in the dark when a higher contrast ratio is needed. It also offers multiple features that high-intensity gaming graphics will benefit from, like variable refresh rate support and auto latency mode.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Upgrading from LED to QLED on a budget? TCL continues to improve on its beloved budget QLED, which is especially a steal at the 55- and 65-inch mark — both retail for less than $1,000. Compared to the cheaper 5-Series, the new, snappy 6 Series adds gaming features like HDMI 2.1 inputs, VRR support, and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Watch quality for shows and movies is similarly impressive at this price. The Series 6 packs a quantum layer on top of its backlight to expand the range and intensify the hue of colors, with that panel itself made up of a ton of mini LEDs for better-curated brightness in each scene. If you've never dabbled with HDR before, this is game-changing — even if it's not quite the pop provided by a high-end Samsung QLED.

The Good

The Bad

Details

After years of exclusively outsourcing the Fire TV platform to brands like Insignia and Toshiba, Amazon finally began selling its very own smart TV in fall 2021. Though every tier of the in-house Fire TVs is budget-friendly compared to other brands, the best balance of specs, size options, and price comes from the Omni.

The upgrade pick over Amazon's basic 4-Series is brighter and offers slightly more accurate picture. Its color doesn't compare to that of its sibling, the Omni QLED, but it is still remarkable for the price range — especially in the two largest sizes, which both offer Dolby Vision. Fire TV is arguably the easiest to navigate of the smart platforms, and it runs particularly smoothly on the Omni.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

Frequently Asked Questions


Both QLED and OLED TVs are optimal for watching sports and should be considered over a regular LED TV if you refuse to miss a game. Which kind you should get depends on your most common viewing environment.

QLEDs push the light from their LCD panels through a quantum dot filter, which makes colors pop across several different dimming zones on the screen. This allows for the precise peak brightness levels needed for viewing in a bright room and gives HDR content the crispiness that it should. A QLED's glare handling is typically top-tier, too.

OLEDs don't rely on an external backlight, so the conversation around dimming zones doesn't apply to them. Instead, they use organic light-emitting diodes, or pixels, that emit their own light. These pixels are individually controlled by the TV itself based on the content and lighting of the room. OLED is known for dark blacks, stark contrast, and generally better picture quality (especially in dark rooms), but often lose out to QLED on the brightness front. The self-lit pixels also don't suffer from wonky luminance depending on how wide of a viewing angle someone has, so an OLED is the way to go if your football watch party will have an audience spread across the room.


The higher the refresh rate, the less lag you'll notice while watching a fast-paced game.

Refresh rate essentially dictates how fast the screen updates the image to keep up with whatever you're watching. Officially, this is measured in Hertz (Hz), with the number preceding Hz referring to the number of times per second the screen refreshes the image.

60 Hz is the number you'll come across in most budget and mid-range TVs, while premium models usually jump to 120 Hz.

Leah Stodart
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter

Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers essential home tech like vacuums and TVs as well as sustainable swaps and travel. Her ever-growing experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.

Leah graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with dual degrees in Sociology and Media Studies. When she's not writing about shopping (or shopping online for herself), she's almost definitely watching a horror movie, "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "The Office." You can follow her on X at @notleah or email her at [email protected].

Mashable Image
Chloe Bryan

Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.

Mashable Image
Cecily Mauran

Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on Twitter at @cecily_mauran.


Recommended For You
The most streamed TV shows of 2023 may surprise you
Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane, Patrick J. Adams as Michael Ross in a still from 'Suits'.

How to watch the star-studded new show 'Palm Royale'
Kristen Wiig in 'Palm Royale'

Grab a Hisense 55-inch QLED 4K TV for one of the best prices we've seen in a long time
By Jillian Anthony
Hisense 55-inch Class A76K Series QLED 4K TV


Shop today's best Keurig coffee maker deals at Amazon
A Keurig is set up in a kitchen

More in Tech
The best gift ideas for people in long-distance relationships
collage of gifts

The best gifts for your wife: 30 unique picks for your leading lady
Sage green frozen drink maker, blue craft machine, red heart-shaped cast iron dish, dog wearing purple collar and person holding leash, bed with green bed sheets

The best gifts under $50 that won't seem cheap or last-minute
By Mashable Shopping
a collage of gifts under $50

47 unique gift ideas for men who say they have everything
By Mashable Shopping
collage of unique gifts for men on blue background

31 Valentine's Day gifts for him that will make his friends jealous
photo collage of men's valentine's day gifts including shoes, plants, and bathrobe

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 19
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 19
a phone displaying Wordle

NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.
Both Voyager spacecraft have entered interstellar space, billions of miles beyond Earth.

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 18
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

Watch the Elon Musk interview that probably ended Don Lemon's partnership with Twitter/X
A composite of Don Lemon and Elon Musk on "The Don Lemon Show."
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!