Buying a new TV isn't like buying a new phone. This is a piece of home cinema equipment you're going to be using for years to come, so finding the right one for you and your budget is crucial. To make it easy for you, we've listed our top picks from this year's sets, including Full HD and 4K TVs from all the major TV manufacturers.
While new TVs get announced every January at CES, the range of 2014 TVs we saw last year are some of the best yet. There will be some great savings to be had over the next few months, too, as shops prepare for this year's intake of new models. If you're looking to buy a new TV, now has never been a better time to do so.
Each TV we've reviewed here is a specific size, but each model is available in a variety of screen sizes which we've detailed below. All sizes have identical specifications except for their dimensions and power usage and we're confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range. If you need a little more help deciding which one is right for you, head to our in-depth buying guide on page two.
LG 60UF850V - a versatile 4K TV with the ultimate Smart TV lineup
The LG 60UF850V has all the content, connectivity and features you could possibly expect from a flagship 4K TV. It may not have the picture qualit of one of LG's top OLED sets, but it only takes a little tweaking to get an excellent picture.
Likewise, its ultra stylish design will demand pride of place in your living room. At less than 30mm at its thickest point, the UF850V is an undeniably sleek TV and we particularly like how the brushed metal stand matches the remote.
Price when reviewed: £2,099. For the latest prices, see our full LG 60UF850V review
Screen size: 55in, Native resolution: 3,840x2,160, Video inputs: 4x HDMI, SCART, component, SDXC card reader, Tuner: Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Dimensions: 741x1,238x283mm
Panasonic TX-50AX902B - the best 4K TV you can buy today
4K still has a long way to go in our opinion - for starters, there's not a lot out there that will play in 4K apart from a couple of shows on Netflix - but if you want to buy a TV that will be future-proof for years to come, then the Panasonic TX-50AX902B is the best 4K TV you can buy today.
Not only does it have excellent picture quality, but its black levels are incredibly deep for an LCD TV. Panasonic's upscaling technology is also excellent and another bonus is that you get both Freeview HD and Freetime built-in, letting you scroll back through the TV Guide without the need for a satellite.
Price when reviewed: £1,999. For the latest prices, see our full Panasonic TX-50AX902B review
Screen size: 55in, Native resolution: 3,840x2,160, Video inputs: 4x HDMI, SCART, component, SDXC card reader, Tuner: Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Dimensions: 741x1,238x283mm
LG 47LB730V - superb picture quality and a super slick interface
Our Expert Opinion LG's LB730V was the best TV we saw in 2014, and now that this year's TVs are starting to arrive, the LB730V is a huge bargain for would-be TV hunters. With its excellent picture quality, superb smart services and an intuitive interface, the LB730V is a pleasure to use.
We're big fans of LG's webOS interface, too, which uses a series of colourful cards to display its wide range of smart services along the bottom of the TV screen. Along with Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, you also get Now TV, BlinkBox and Plex.
Price when reviewed: £749 for the 47in model. For the latest prices, see our full LG 47LB730V review
Screen size: 47in, Native resolution: 1,920x1,080, Video inputs: 3x HDMI, SCART, component, composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 1,061x666x227mm
Samsung UE40H5500 - excellent smart TV apps and a great picture
Our Expert Opinion If your budget doesn't stretch to the LG LB730V, Samsung's H5500 series is the next best thing. As well as the full range of TV catch-up services from BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5, you also get Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Wuaki.tv, Digital Theatre and BFI Player.
The TV's picture quality is good, too. Its default settings aren't quite as good as LG's, but we were still pleased with the vibrancy of its colours. Its plain design may not be quite front room material, but if you're after a small TV for streaming Netflix in your bedroom, look no further.
Price when reviewed: £369 for the 40in model. For the latest prices, see our full Samsung UE40H5500 review
Screen size: 40in, Native resolution: 1,920x1,080, Video inputs: 3x HDMI, SCART, component, composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 906x578x196mm
Finlux 48FT3E242S-T - a simple, but great value 48in TV
The Finlux 48FT3E242S-T is an absolute bargain if you're looking for a simple large screen TV. It can produce a fantastic picture as long as you adjust the settings, and it has a much more attractive design than the equivalent size of Samsung's H5500 TV. It doesn't have many ports or Smart TV apps, but this is easily one of the best value 48in TVs you're likely to find this year.
Price when reviewed: £399 for the 48in model. For the latest prices, see our full Finlux 48FT3E242S-T review
Screen size: 48in, Native resolution: 1,920x1,080, Video inputs: 3x HDMI, SCART, VGA, composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 1,084x220x720mm
TV Buying Guide
A new TV can do much more than just tune into BBC One. With internet connectivity, streaming content and home networking, there’s never been a better time to upgrade. As well as outstanding picture quality and support for 3D video, most modern TVs have built-in Wi-Fi that brings more content in to your living room than ever before. Now you can watch films and catch up on television you’ve missed without having to reach for a PC or Blu-ray player.
Most TV models come in multiple sizes. As each model has identical specifications, excluding dimensions and power usage, we're confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range. This means you can use our reviews to make a buying decision for any TV in the range, not just the model we’ve reviewed. Our reviews list the screen size and part number of every TV available in each range.
The size of your room is likely to dictate the size of the TV you buy, but choosing a new set isn’t as easy as picking a size and setting a budget. Our guide will show you what to look out for before you reach for your credit card.
Resolution - Full HD vs UHD vs 4K
High definition TVs currently fall in to two categories: Full HD, otherwise known as 1,080p (1,920x1,080) and Ultra HD, which is often referred to as 4K (3,840x2,160). In the same way that you could say 1080p is twice the resolution of 720p, 4K is four times the resolution of 1080p. There's also cinematic 4K (4,096x2,160), which is what you see in the cinema, but most of the time a 4K TV refers to the UHD resolution rather than the cinematic one.
However, as it stands right now, streaming services Netflix and Amazon Instant Video are the only places to get any meaningful 4K video. The Blu-Ray Disc Association has only just finalised a specification for 4K Blu-ray discs, and it's unlikely we'll see any 4K films or indeed 4K Blu-ray players on sale until Christmas 2015. 4K TV broadcasts are also still in the early testing stages.
As a result, you'll need a fairly fast broadband internet connection to stream 4K content. Netflix, for instance, can deliver 4K video at a maximum birate of 15.6Mbit/s and frame rates up to 60fps. By way of comparison, 1,080p Netflix content is currently delivered at a maximum of 5.8Mbit/s. However, while most modern 4K TVs come with a built-in Netflix app, only some support Amazon Instant Video, so you'll need to check which Smart TV apps are available before you buy (see our Smart TV section below for more details). There are currently no set-top boxes which support 4K Netflix or 4K Amazon, so you'll need a compatible TV to access their respective 4K shows.
With so little to watch in 4K at the moment, buying a 4K TV can seem a little premature - especially when they're so expensive. However, if you do want to buy a 4K set, another important thing to pay attention to is how well a TV upscales lower resolution content. After all, you don't want to spend over £2,000 on a 4K TV only to find it makes your existing Blu-ray and DVD collection look terrible. In our reviews, we discuss how well a TV copes with both standard and high definition TV channels as well as multiple Blu-ray discs to give you a definitive verdict.
Display Technology - LED vs OLED
Flat-screen TVs use two types of panel technology: LCD and OLED. LCD used to be split into two further categories: those with LED backlight and those with cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlights. However, almost all LCD TVs now use LED backlights, which are less power-hungry and tend to produce a more vibrant, brighter picture.
With LED TVs, manufacturers improve the contrast ratio of their displays by using a dynamic backlight that dims the screen when displaying dark scenes. This produces a darker picture with more pronounced blacks, but a side-effect is that highlights and details are lost. In other words, you can have bright whites and dark blacks, but not both together.
Awkwardly, LED TVs can be further separated in to two categories: those that are edge-lit and those that are back-lit. Edge-lit models have LEDs at the edge of the screen, while back-lit sets have an array of LEDs spread behind the entire panel (also known as local dimming). Back-lighting lets the TV control picture brightness with greater accuracy.
OLED TVs work differently. Despite sharing a similar name, OLED (or Organic Light Emitting Diode) panels use an organic material which emits light when an electric current is passed through it. This means each pixel can generate its own light source, so it doesn't need to use a bulky backlight to illuminate the screen.
This has several advantages, as it not only creates truly deep blacks, but they're even more energy efficient than LED TVs and have superior viewing angles. Even when sat at almost 90 degrees, there's rarely any visible colour shift. Equally, OLED panels are thinner, lighter and more flexible than LCD displays, so they can be bent and curved more easily.
The only problem with OLED is the high manufacturing costs. The number of usable panels from any given production run, otherwise known as a yield, is still incredibly low, although LG is currently optimistic that it will begin mass production of OLED TVs very soon. At the moment, you can only buy curved OLED sets from Samsung and LG here in the UK, but they're still in pretty limited supply. We're pretty sure that OLED will eventually become the new standard for your typical TV, but until they drop significantly in price, it's unlikely we'll be seeing shops full of OLED TVs any time soon.
Freeview HD vs Freesat HD
Every new TV receives Freeview, but majority now include Freeview HD tuners, too. This is the easiest way to watch high definition broadcasts, because you can use your existing digital aerial without having to buy any additional equipment.
Freesat HD is a non-subscription alternative to Freeview HD that’s transmitted by satellites rather than broadcasting towers. If you live in an area with poor broadcast reception and don’t want to pay for Sky TV, this is the best way to get television in to your home. You can use an existing Sky satellite dish or pay to have one installed. You’ll also need to run a coaxial cable from the satellite to your television if no access point is available nearby.
Freesat offers the same free-to-air HD channels as Freeview, with the addition of NHK World, but some minor standard definition channels differ between each platform. Also bear in mind that some TVs have dual tuners for both Freeview and Freesat installations. Be wary of TVs that just have a DVB-S2 satellite tuner. Technically these can be manually tuned to receive Freesat channels, but you won't get the EPG, so they're practically useless in this country.
Freeview vs Freeast vs YouView - where next for free-to-air TV?
Aside from clearer images, another benefit of digital TV is the electronic programme guide (EPG), which can show you what’s on now or later at a glance. All TVs display now and next information in a small pop-up window, but most models also have a more in-depth full-screen mode that shows seven or more days of scheduling.
Our table tells you which TVs have built-in Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners, as well as how many days the EPG covers. Our reviews also tell you how good each EPG is, and whether it includes features such as a preview window that lets you watch one channel while you’re choosing another.
Smart TV apps
Most new TVs are equipped for wired or wireless networking, so you can connect them to your home network and the wider internet. This lets you stream multimedia content from your home computer and access online Smart TV portals.
The quality of these services varies greatly. Some companies have excellent Smart hubs that let you access catch-up services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4, Amazon Instant Video, Now TV, social networking tools and on-demand movies, while others only offer iPlayer, Netflix and YouTube video streaming. Many TVs can also play videos, music and photos directly from a memory card, portable hard disk or USB flash drive. Our reviews tell you what each TV can do, and how well it works.
Ports & Connections
You’re almost definitely going to have at least one other device you want to connect to your TV, so it’s important to choose a model with an appropriate number of inputs for them. Most modern devices, including games consoles, Blu-ray players and digital set-top boxes use HDMI connections, so these should be your top priority. We suggest a minimum of four HDMI inputs, which should cover all the basics and still leave a spare port in case you want to connect a camcorder or digital camera. Look out for an HDMI input with an Audio Return Channel (ARC). This lets you send sound from the TV back down the HDMI cable to a connected amp, so you can get better sound for TV programmes without introducing more cabling.
For future proofing, it's well worth avoiding a 4K TV unless it has HDMI 2.0. The reason for this is simple, HDMI 1.4 only supports frame rates up to 30fps. HDMI 2.0 adds support for frame rates up to 60fps and also greatly increases the maximum audio throughput.
SCART sockets have almost been completely replaced in favour of HDMI, but older devices, such as some games consoles and VCRs, still need them. You’re unlikely to find an S-Video port on a modern TV, so you may have to connect some older devices through the composite or component interface and put up with the inferior image quality.
USB ports are also becoming increasingly common on modern TVs. If you have a spare external flash drive, these can be used to record programmes, eliminating the need for a dedicated set-top box. You'll need to format it for your particular TV, though. Alternatively, you can use them to play your own media files from your PC. Some TVs support a wider range of file formats than others, but our reviews tell you which formats each TV supports. If you want to browse the web, USB ports are also useful for connecting a keyboard and mouse.
3D
Most new mid-range TVs and above support 3D video, but the number of bundled glasses varies between manufacturers. 3D TVs are more likely to use active shutter glasses that are battery powered and recharge over USB than the passive 3D technology found in cinemas, but there are a few exceptions. The smoothness of a 3D image, and whether or not screen flicker is visible, is determined by the effectiveness of a TV’s 3D glasses. We mention how well 3D works in our reviews and if a TV includes 3D glasses or if they have to be bought separately.