The best 4K TVs of 2023, tested and reviewed

Table of Contents

With so many TVs on the market, buying a new one can be a daunting task. The decision almost always comes down to price and the features you value most. One feature you’ll find on most modern TVs is support for 4K resolution, which has become the predominant resolution in recent years – even best tvs under $500 suggest it.

What are the best 4K TVs for all budgets?

The best 4K TVs include a wide variety of models at budget and premium prices. One of our favorite affordable models is the TCL 4-Series, which starts at less than $300 for the 43-inch model. For a more premium choice, we love LG OLED C2 – just be aware that it can get expensive.

4K resolution it just means that the TV has a certain number of pixels, 3840×2160 to be exact, along with the ability to display 4K TV shows, movies and games from streaming servicesdevices and game consoles like Xbox Series X and PS5. Picture quality is about much more than resolution, so you can’t overlook things like contrast, dynamic range, HDR performance, and peak brightness. The the best performing TVs in our reviews excellence in these areas. Also, if you are looking for a gaming televisionyou’ll also want to consider factors like input lag.

The list below features the best 4K TVs (which, let’s face it, are the best TVspoint) which I reviewed in CNET’s test labwhere I compare them side by side.

Read more: Change these TV settings for optimal picture

The best 4K TVs

David Katzmeier/CNET

Dimensions

55-, 65-, 75- 85-in

Television technology

QLED with Mini-LED

Smart TV

Yes (Roku TV)

Resolution

HDMI ports

For the past five years, the TCL 6-Series has been our favorite TV for the money, and the latest version – also known as the R655 series – is no exception. This TV has an excellent picture thanks to the mini-LED technology and well-implemented full-array local dimming, which helps it run circles around almost any other TV at this price. It improves upon the previous R635 series with new gaming goodies and a center stand that you can lift to make room for a soundbar, although the new 85-inch size has standard legs. Finally, its Roku TV operating system is our absolute favorite.

Note that in addition to the R635 that this TV replaces, other versions of the 6-Series were previously released and remain on sale. The R646 series uses the Google TV operating system, but otherwise has similar specifications to the R655 models reviewed here. The R648 series has 8K resolution and is significantly more expensive.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our TCL 6-Series (Roku TV) review.

Get notified about TCL 6-Series Roku TV prices

David Katzmeier/CNET

The C2 represents the pinnacle of picture quality at a price that’s really high, but not too ridiculous. It beats every non-OLED TV on this list, including the Samsung QN90B below, with its perfect black levels, unbeatable contrast and superb off-angle viewing. It also has superior gaming features, making it a perfect companion to Xbox Series X or S, PlayStation 5, or both. The C2 also comes in a variety of sizes, although the larger models are expensive.

Improvements over last year’s C1 include carbon fiber construction for up to 47 percent lighter weight—the 65-inch version we reviewed weighed just 37 pounds with its stand, compared to 72 pounds for the 65-inch C1—as well as some additional game mode tweaks and a new “always ready” feature.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our LG C2 series OLED TV review.

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Bobby Oliver/CNET

Looking for a high-end TV with incredible picture quality, but don’t want OLED? The Samsung QN90B is your best bet. This TV uses QLED TV technology enhanced with mini-LED for a brighter image than any OLED TV. OLED’s incredible contrast still wins in our side-by-side tests, but the QN90B QLED screen is closer than ever.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our Samsung QN90B review.

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David Katzmeier

The TCL 4-Series Roku TV’s picture quality was a step behind the Vizio V-Series in our budget TV test, but the differences between the two are small enough that you’ll really have to set them up side-by-side to notice anything at all. The 4-Series lacks Dolby Vision, Bluetooth connectivity, and variable refresh rate AMD FreeSync, all of which Vizio offers.

The 4-Series’ advantage over the Vizio is that it comes with the excellent Roku Smart TV system built-in. This makes it a great choice for those looking for a one-stop smart TV without having to add an external streaming device.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Receive price alerts for TCL 4-Series

David Katzmeier/CNET

Dimensions

50-, 65-, 75-in

Television technology

LED with local dimming

Smart TV

Yes (SmartCast)

Resolution

HDMI ports

The Vizio MQX is one of the cheapest TVs with a full range of local dimming, allowing it to reproduce TV shows, movies and games with enough contrast and sharpness to do HDR justice. The MQX has fewer dimming zones than more expensive TVs like the TCL 6-Series and Hisense U8H, but offers 16 zones on the 50-inch, 30 on the 65-inch and 42 on the 75-inch, which is more than enough for excellent overall picture quality, with bright highlights, deep black levels, strong contrast and accurate color.

Unlike the 2021 M7, the MQX has a true 120Hz refresh rate, which allows compatibility with 4K/120Hz signals from gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, and performed well in our tests. Vizio supports both of the main HDR formats, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, in the M-series. If you can’t save up for a TCL or Hisense, but want a better picture than the TCL 4-Series or Vizio V-Series, the Vizio MQX is an excellent happy medium.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our Vizio MQX review.

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David Katzmeier/CNET

Among the mid-priced models, we liked the TCL 6-Series only slightly better in our side-by-side comparison, but this Hisense is a strong contender. Its excellent image quality is based on best-in-class brightness, which improves picture quality in a bright room and makes HDR TV movies, shows and games really pop. It’s actually brighter than the TCL with better contrast, but the TCL’s slightly sharper image gives it the edge overall. Hisense uses Google TV instead of Roku, and unlike TCL, the U8H includes an ATSC 3.0 tuner. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our Hisense U8H review.

Get price alerts for Hisense U8H

James Martin/CNET

Samsung is the brand that sells more TVs than any other, and one of the most popular is the Q60 series. Its sleek QLED screen design stands out compared to the other TVs on this list – although the ultra-slim OLED models are sleeker – and offers better specs, picture quality and more size than models like the TCL 4-Series and Sony X80K . All of the TVs listed in this article are great values, but if you want a Samsung TV and can’t afford the QN90B, this is a great choice.

The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.

Read our Samsung Q60B review.

Get notified about Samsung Q60B prices

David Katzmeier

When we compared the best budget TVs side-by-side, the picture quality of Vizio’s V-series clearly emerged as the leader of the pack. The Vizio offered the most balanced and accurate picture during our comparisons, and it comes with some useful extras like Dolby Vision support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth compatibility, and variable refresh rate for potentially smoother gaming. Vizio’s biggest flaw is its smart TV platform, the Vizio SmartCast. It’s crowded, slow, and full of ads for platforms like Tubi and Kidoodle TV. Even when you factor in the cost of adding a new streaming device, however, the V-Series remains the best overall base TV we’ve tested.

The prices shown below are for the 50 inch size.

Get Vizio V-Series price alerts

How CNET Tests 4K TVs

Our TV reviews follow a rigorous, unbiased rating process honed over nearly two decades of TV reviews. Our main TV testing laboratory has specialist light and color measuring equipment including a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer, Murideo Sig-G 4K HDR signal generator and AVPro Connect 8×8 4K HDR distribution matrix. We use CalMan Ultimate software for portrait displays to rate every TV we review. In each CNET TV review, three or more similar TVs are compared side-by-side in various lighting conditions playing a variety of media, including movies, TV shows and games, in a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR. Our reviews also consider the smart TV’s design, features, performance, HDMI input and gaming compatibility, among other factors.

Read more: How we test TVs

4K TV FAQ

I will post answers to frequently asked TV questions below. If you have others, feel free to reach out on Twitter (@dkatzmaier), or by clicking the small envelope icon on my CNET profile page. This will allow you to send a message straight to my inbox.

How big a TV should I get?

In my opinion, bigger is better, and your money is better spent on large screen sizes than a slight upgrade in image quality. The answer also depends on room size and seating distance: If you have a large room and sit further away, you’ll want a larger TV. The answer also depends on the size of the room and the seating distance.

Burn-in is when part of an image – such as a channel logo, news ticker or TV scoreboard – persists as a ghostly background, no matter what else appears on the screen. Burn-in is possible with any OLED TV, but not likely in normal use. The best way to prevent burnout is to vary what you watch.

What is the best smart TV system for streaming?

At CNET, our favorite is the Roku for its simplicity, but different systems like Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung, and LG have different advantages, particularly for voice commands. In any case, we don’t consider the built-in smart TV system that important, because you can always connect a streaming device to any TV.

How do I get the best TV sound?

Most TVs sound terrible because their slim cases don’t have room for decent-sized speakers or bass. If you want to get good sound, you need to buy an external audio system. Even an inexpensive soundbar will provide much better sound quality than the TV’s built-in speakers.