This utilises a mini-LED backlight, giving it a massive upgrade in terms of how well it can control black levels and HDR highlights compared to other LED TVs, and it pairs that with a truly stunning LCD panel. Right now, our overall pick as the best TV is the Samsung QN900A, Samsung's blow-away Neo QLED 8K TV. And if you need an audio upgrade, look towards our guide to the best soundbars. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg for a great screen, though: we can walk you through the best TVs under £1000 and the best TVs under £500 if you're looking for something cheaper. We'll not sugar-coat it: these may be the best TVs, but they're not necessarily the cheapest or most affordable TVs.
Different panels, different display techniques, they make a noticeable difference – check out our guide to OLED vs QLED if you're baffled as to how to choose between the two leading screen types. But not every 4K HDR TV is the same as the others. Gaming has gone 4K, too: the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X can really take advantage of those extra pixels – and the best gaming TVs have special features that the new consoles can take advantage of.Įven if you're not watching 4K, the best TVs of 2021 can upscale lower resolution content very convincingly, often taking advantage of AI techniques to do so.
K's dominance is no surprise every one of the key streaming services, the likes of YouTube, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video et al, carry huge amounts of 4K video, even if the offerings on broadcast TV are a little slimmer. And thanks to the best smart TV platforms, such as Google TV and Roku TV, it's easy to find anything you want to watch on any 4K TV. Full HD is still around, but it's mainly available in smaller sets like 32-inch TVs. The best TVs take advantage of these new advances, or they move what used to be the top-tier tech into a more affordable model, meaning that 2021 brings noticeable improvements no matter whether you're spending big or looking for something more at the mid-range or budget end.ĤK is effectively the standard for TVs now, though a number of the high-end models go further (see our best 8K TVs guide to check them out).