Phones and tablets are fast becoming our go-to media devices, but nothing quite beats sitting down to watch a film or TV show on a proper TV. However, when there are so many different sizes, not to mention the question of whether you should go for a 4K set or stick with Full HD, finding the right model for you and your budget isn't always easy.
We're here to help. On this page, you'll find all of our recommended models, as well as links to each individual review for more in-depth analysis. On the next page, you'll find our buying guide, which takes you through everything you need to know about finding the right TV for you. If you're not quite sure where to start, this guide is an invaluable primer.
It's worth pointing out, though, that we're just at the point in the year where TV manufacturers have launched most of their new models, so if you're looking to save yourself a bit of money, you may be able to get a good deal on some of last year's TVs. These will now have come down in price to make way for the newer models, making them bigger bargains overall. If you want one of this year's TVs for a lower price, you'll probably have to wait until the end of the year for the Christmas sales.
If you're in the market for a new TV, it's also worth having a quick gander at our Best Soundbars Guide, in case you want to improve your TV's sound, and our guide to Ultra HD and 4K, which tells you everything you need to know about how super-high-resolution TV is set to change everything.
1. Panasonic Viera TX-58DX902B: A stunning flagship TV
The Panasonic Viera TX-58DX902B is the company's flagship TV for 2016, and has both Ultra HD and HDR support. It's certainly not cheap, but for the money you're getting one of the best-looking TVs you'll see this year when it comes to image quality.
This is partly due to how well it controls its backlight, as it has 512 individually controlled zones in a honeycomb grid. This means there's less light leakage between zones allowing for improved contrast. The television has been rated Ultra HD Premium and it displays Ultra HD HDR content wonderfully. Its upscaling is also excellent thanks to its Studio Master HCX+ chip, which makes non-HDR Full HD content look gorgeous.
The Viera TX-58DX8902B isn't a particularly slim TV, but its added thickness does mean its speakers aren't the thin and disappointing affair often seen with flatscreen TVs. Right now, this is the television to beat. For more information, read our Panasonic Viera TX-58DX902B review.
Buy the Panasonic TX-58DX902B now from John Lewis
Screen size: 58in, Native resolution: 3,840x2,160, Video inputs: 4 x HDMI (1 x ARC),Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 1,297 x 804 x 334mm
2. Samsung UE48JS8500: Quantum Dot for less
The Samsung UE48JS8500 is one of Samsung's 2015 TV range, but that doesn't mean it's no longer a brilliant television. If anything, it's become even better as its price has dropped considerably from launch, meaning you can now pick one up for around £999. While still a pretty penny, it originally launched at £1,549. For your money you're getting a Quantum Dot display as well as an Ultra HD resolution and HDR support, but since it launched last year it doesn't meet the Ultra HD Premium standard.
Quantum Dot technology allows for a greater range of colours, better colour accuracy and improved contrast, which in short means the UEJS8500 looks beautiful. Judder is also well controlled by the 120Hz panel, and the Tizen-based smart functionality provides a great selection of catch-up and streaming services in addition to apps. For more information, read our full Samsung UE48JS8500 review.
Buy the Samsung UE48JS8500 now from Crampton and Moore
Screen size: 48in, Native resolution: 3,840 x 2,160, Video inputs: 4x HDMI, component, composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Dimensions: 308 x 1,083 x 689mm
3. Samsung UE55KS9000: Curved brilliance
Samsung's 2015 TVs might not meet the Ultra HD Premium standard, but this year's KS9000 definitely does. It's a fantastic TV, but its curve may not be for everyone. Still, if you're after something to impress the family with, the KS9000 is the TV for you. Its Quantum Dot display has a 10-bit panel, so it's able to display a wider variety of colours, and its HDR support means Ultra HD Blu-rays look fantastic.
At £1,999, it's certainly not cheap, but if does come with a whole host of smart TV apps, including Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, so you can stream content in 4K as well – provided you have a good enough internet connection, that is. It also works seamlessly with Samsung's UBD-K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player.
Buy the Samsung UE55KS9000 now from Currys
Screen size: 55in, Native resolution: 3,840 x 2,160, Video inputs: 4x HDMI 2.0, Tuner: Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Dimensions: 1,745 x 1,113 x 435mm
4. Panasonic Viera TX-40DX700B: 4K HDR for £630
As far as £630 TVs go, this Panasonic must surely be up there with the best. During testing we were blown away with its 4K image quality and Full HD upscaling abilities. Accurate and natural colours, superb judder reduction and a huge array of image-adjustment options ticked all our boxes as far as image quality goes.
It also comes with a decent selection of catch-up TV apps, as well as an easy pinning system that lets you pin apps, sources and TV channels to your homescreen for very quick access. You also get Freeview Play, a good EPG system that lets you open programmes in the relevant catch-up TV app without any faff. For more information, read our Panasonic Viera TX-40DX700B review
Buy the Panasonic TX-40DX700B now from John Lewis
Screen size: 40in, Native resolution: 3,840 x 2,160, Video inputs: 3x HDMI, Component, Composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 895 x 559 x 203mm
5. Samsung UE32J6300: Premium price, compact size
Samsung's J6300 series consists of high-end sets, but we were particularly happy with the 32in UE32J6300. While its £349 asking price is steep for a 32in TV, you're rewarded with a wonderful, curved design, fabulous image quality a great set of smart TV and catch-up services.
Our favourite thing about this TV was its default image quality; you need to make almost no adjustments to the picture to do justice to your favourite films and TV shows. If you don't have room for a big TV and don't want 4K, it's a great buy. Read our full Samsung UE32J6300 review.
Screen size: 32in, Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080, Video inputs: 4 x HDMI, component, composite, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 428 x 370 x 91mm
6. Philips 6500 series - 55PFT6510/12: Android TV and AmbiLight for £800
Philips tries to make it easy to set up this TV with the simplest set of image- and audio-adjustment options possible, but we'd strongly recommend delving into its more advanced features in order to nail its image quality. Out of the box, we weren't hugely impressed, but once we'd done some tinkering, things improved a lot on this Full HD TV.
You get Android TV, and while we couldn't get it to run games smoothly, it has a good selection of apps for catching up on TV and streaming Netflix, and the user interface is smooth and easy to use.
You also get Philips AmbiLight, and while this isn't something that makes or breaks the TV, its soft glow that matches the content that's on screen is certainly something you'll want to keep once you get used to it. It's suitable for gaming, too, with a 38ms input lag time with Game Mode switched on. It's a decent set, and the 55in model we tested is well worth the £800 asking price. Read our full review now.
Screen size: 55in, Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080, Video inputs: 4 x HDMI, SCART, Component, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 726 x 1,239 x 279mm
7. LG 55EF950V - stunning 4K HDR quality
The LG EF950V range of TVs benefits from HDR compatibility. Simply put, HDR takes advantage of a wider colour space combined with deeper blacks and incredibly bright TV backlighting to produce the best-quality footage you've ever seen from a consumer TV. It doesn't come cheap, as the £3,999 price on the 65in version of this TV will testify. What's more, HDR 4K content is thin on the ground right now although Amazon and Netflix are both committed to adopting the standard. For now, it's a rather expensive exercise in future-proofing, but boy will you appreciate it when HDR content becomes more widespread.
The rest of the TV is great, too, with a decent operating system with fast and colourful menus. It is missing both All4 and ITV Player at present, which may be a source of frustration for some buyers. Overall, though, this is a quality piece of kit for high-end buyers. Read our full LG EF950V review.
Buy the LG 55EF950V now from Currys
Screen size: 65in, Native resolution: 3,840 x 2,160, Video inputs: 3 x HDMI, Common Interface, Composite, Conponent, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 883 x 1,450 x 236mm
8. HiSense LTDN50D36TUK: 50 inches for just £333
Yes, this is 2016 and yes, this is a non-smart TV, but hear us out. If you're after the biggest Full HD you can buy with acceptable image quality, the HiSense is a seriously good option. The 50in version we reviewed was just £333 at the time and it'll only get cheaper. Stick a Roku or Chromecast in the back of it and you have a fully fledged smart TV.
Price when reviewed: £333. Read our full HiSense LTDN50D36TUK review
Buy the HiSense LTDN50D36TUK now from Richer Sounds
Screen size: 50in, Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080, Video inputs: 2 x HDMI, USB, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 698 x 1,119 x 245mm
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 into 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 Ultra HD vs 4K
High-definition TVs currently fall into two categories: Full HD, otherwise known as 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) and Ultra HD, which is often referred to as 4K (3,840 x 2,160). 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 (4,096 x 2,160), which is what you see in the cinema, but most of the time a 4K TV refers to the Ultra HD resolution rather than the cinematic one.
It's becoming easier and easier to watch 4K content now, too. Streaming services Netflix and Amazon Instant Video are adding more and more shows to their 4K line-up every month, and now that the Blu-Ray Disc Association has finalised a specification for 4K Blu-ray discs, we're now seeing 4K Blu-rays appear online to buy, alongside 4K Blu-ray players. There's not much choice in terms of players right now, with Samsung's UBD-K8500, Panasonic's DMP-UB900 and the Xbox One S being your only options, but more are sure to follow in the coming months. 4K TV broadcasts, on the other hand, are 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 bit rate of 15.6Mbit/sec and frame rates up to 60fps. By way of comparison, 1,080p Netflix content is currently delivered at a maximum of 5.8Mbit/sec. 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 that support 4K Netflix or 4K Amazon, so you'll need a compatible TV to access their respective 4K shows.
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.
What is UHD Premium?
UHD Premium was unveiled at the CES 2016 tech show. Essentially a certification badge, the UHD Premium specification has been agreed by TV heavyweights including Samsung, LG, Panasonic , Sony and Sony, industry leaders Dolby and Technicolor, and various huge film studios including Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. Contributors to the specification include TP Vision (Philips), Nvidia, Intel, HiSense, Amazon and Toshiba. The list is a who's who of audiovisual industry players, making UHD Premium a badge you should be able to rely upon, although since we've not yet seen any TVs certified in this way we'll hold full judgement until the sets hit the market.
A set of big players is all well and good, but what does UHD Premium actually mean for the TV you buy? The specifications for consumer televisions are actually fairly simple:
- 3,840 x 2,160 resolution with 10-bit colour covering 90% of the DCI P3 colour gamut This is an Ultra HD resolution with more than one billion possible colours. The P3 gamut is a wider colour gamut, meaning you're presented with more realistic colours, with deeper shades now possible. This creates a more visually pleasing image and is also far closer to the way the director inteded you to see their creation. Most high-end cinemas use projection systems that cover the DCI P3 colour gamut, so expect to hear about 'cinema-quality' images in the near future.
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) You'll have probably already heard of HDR, and we've already reviewed a couple of TVs that support it. Now the tech has been given an official label and is integrated into UHD Premium. To be UHD Premium certified a TV needs a max brightness of 1,000cd/m2 (otherwise known as nits) and a black level of less than 0.05cd/m2. Alternatively, if your set can only get to 540cd/m2, then your black levels must be less than 0.0005cd/m2. It's not stated in the briefing information, but it's safe to assume that these figures must be possible simultaneously, giving you incredibly immersive and bright images where punchy blacks and bright colours can co-exist.
- Content can also be UHD Premium-certified
We won't go into it in detail, but content must also be mastered in a way that works with UHD Premium television sets. With the likes of Netflix and Amazon supporting such tech as well as the new UHD Blu-ray standard, expect more UHD Premium-compatible content to start appearing.
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 into 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.