The Best TVs Of 2023

It’s been an incredible year for television technology – we’ve seen a unanimous plunge in the prices of 4K TVs, even with the latest QLED or OLED technology, as well as the surging popularity of 8K televisions, which are steadily becoming more commercially accessible.

The next generation of game consoles releasing alongside new TV technologies has seemingly created the perfect storm for brand competition. Leading television manufacturers are desperately competing for market domination – with prices dropping continually throughout the year, giving us a plethora of incredible televisions to choose from at low prices.

As a result of the TV market’s ferocious competitiveness, this year has undeniably been one of the toughest to discern Empire's top picks. With so many worthwhile options and prices that seem to drop daily, it’s taken a good amount of sheer determination to settle on just a handful of TVs that cannot be beaten.

From some of the best brands in the world right now - think Samsung, LG, Hisense, Philips and Sony - our picks for the best televisions available right now are chosen with the end-user, in mind. Whether you’re a gaming, TV show, or film enthusiast, we’re certain that among these truly cutting-edge televisions sits the perfect TV for you and your home.

When picking our top ten televisions, we’ve carefully considered each and every specification, choosing only the most excellent TVs for each and every budget. Whatever television you may pick – you’re getting great quality.

Our top picks:

• Samsung S95B 65" 4K TV - Best TV of the year
• LG C2 55" OLED55C24LA 4K TV - best gaming TV
• Philips 58PUS9006/12 58" 4K TV - Best TV for sports
• Samsung 50-inch BU8000 UHD Crystal TV - Best budget smart TV
• Samsung QE65QN85BATXXU 65" 4K TV - Best home cinema TV
• Sony BRAVIA XR-55X94KU 55" 4K TV - Best TV for bright rooms
• Samsung QE55QN700BTXXU 55" 8K TV - Best 8K TV
• Samsung Q80B 55" 4K TV - Best TV for sound
• Hisense 43A6EGTUK 43" 4K TV - Best TV for the bedroom
• LG LED UQ80 43" 4K smart TV - Best TV for the kitchen

For some assistance in understanding television tech jargon, find our glossary along with our answers to the most frequently asked questions on televisions below.

Screen size: 65"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 60 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 3
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Additional features: Google Assistant, Alexa, AMD FreeSync, Game Motion Plus, Morion Xcelerator Turbo Pro

Pros:
• QD-OLED technology
• Excellent refresh rate
• Fantastic sound

Cons:
• Expensive

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 40 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 3
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Additional features: Google Assistant, Alexa, AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-Sync, Game Optimiser

Pros:
• 0.1 ms response time
• Unmatched brightness for an OLED TV
• Total console support with G-sync and FreeSync tech

Cons:
• Expensive

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 20 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.0 x 4, USB 2.0 x 2
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Additional features: HDR10+, Google Assistant, Dolby Atmos

Pros:
• Pixel Precise Ultra HD Engine smooths pictures in real-time
• Good value
• Excellent size for the price

Cons:
• Not optimized for gaming

Screen size: 50"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: No
Audio output power: Not specified
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 3, USB 2.0 x 2
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Additional features: Solar Cell remote, Bluetooth, Ultrawide GameView, Adaptive Audio

Pros:
• Terrific value
• Fantastic QLED quality
• Great size

Cons:
• Weaker audio

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 60 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 2
Energy rating: F
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Additional features: Adaptive Sound Plus, Q-Symphony, Active Voice Amplifier, Space Fit

Pros:
• Stunning Neo-QLED screen
• Amazing response times
• Terrific size

Cons:
• Very expensive

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 60 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 2
Energy rating: F
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Additional features: ALLM, HDR game mode, 4K120, Bravia cam compatible, Google Assistant, Alexa, Ambient Optimization

Pros:
• Fantastic Ambient Optimization and Light Sensor feature
• Incredible gaming
• Great 360 spatial sound

Cons:
• Expensive

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 7680 x 4320p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 60 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 3
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Additional features: AMD FreeSync Premium, HDR game mode, Super Ultrawide GameView, GameBar 2.0, Game Motion Plus, Dynamic black equalizer, Minimap zoom, ALLM, HGiG, VRR, HDR10+

Pros:
• The highest resolution display available
• Incredibly bright
• Cutting-edge Neo-QLED panel

Cons:
• Expensive
• Weaker refresh rates

Screen size: 55"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: Yes
Audio output power: 60 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 2
Energy rating: G
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Additional features: Adaptive Sound Plus, Q-Symphony, Active Voice Amplifier, HDR10+, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, HDR game mode, Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus, Super Ultrawide GameView, Game Motion Plus, Dynamic black equalizer, ALLM.

Pros:
• Fantastic resolution
• Incredible 3D sound
• Great gaming support

Cons:
• Expensive
• Weaker refresh rates

Screen size: 43"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: No
Audio output power: 14 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 3
Energy rating: F
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Additional features: HDR10+, VIDAA Voice, Hisense RemoteNOW app, AI scene recognition, Alexa, Google Assistant

Pros:
• Affordable
• Decent size
• Good OS

Cons:
• Weak sound
• Weak gaming TV

Screen size: 43"
Resolution: 3840 x 2160p
HDR: Yes
VRR: No
Audio output power: 14 W
HDMI features: HDMI 2.1 x 4, USB 2.0 x 3
Energy rating: F
Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Additional features: HDR10+, VIDAA Voice, Hisense RemoteNOW app, AI scene recognition, Alexa, Google Assistant

Pros:
• Affordable
• Decent size
• Good operating system

Cons:
• Weak sound
• Weak gaming TV

Glossary:

4K UHD- 4K is simply in reference to the resolution of the television itself, which is measured by the number of pixels a screen has, a 4K display typically has 3840 x 2160 pixels.

HDMI - HDMI or High Definition Multimedia Interface is a method of audio and video transfer commonly used in modern televisions. There are three primary forms of standard HDMI that are commonly used - 1.4, 2.0, and 2.1, 1.4.

• HDMI 1.4 - supports 4K resolution up to 30fps
• HDMI 2.0 - supports 4K resolution up to 60fps
• HDMI 2.1 - supports 4K up to 120fps and 8K resolution up to 60 fps

Contrast - Contrast when regarding displays is in reference to the difference between the darkest tones and the lightest tones, greater contrast creates images with greater depth and dynamism.

HDR - HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and aims to boost the onscreen contrast of a smart TV, giving darker and lighter tones even more depth than before.

Refresh rate - Refresh rate is the rate at which a new image is created by your television, the higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image, a typical TV has a refresh rate of around 60Hz, whereas high-end smart TVs have refresh rates upwards of 120Hz.

OLED - OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diode, is an alternative to standard LED television display technology that does not need a backlight to create images. Resultantly, OLED TVs have excellent contrast and precision that is unmatched by any TV technology.

QLED - QLED (Quantum dot LED) uses phosphorescent nanocrystals that are much smaller than standard LEDs and have a much greater colour range and brightness capabilities, giving them a much more vivid appearance.

FAQs:

What size TV do I need?

When selecting the perfect size for your television, you should primarily consider the size of your room - a small television in a large space is going to create viewing difficulties, and an overly large television in a small room is bound to be somewhat overwhelming.

Samsung suggests that a viewing angle of around 40 degrees is optimum for enjoying your TV properly. To calculate the perfect sized television for your room, simply multiply the size of the TV you plan on getting by 1.2 - if, for example, you're interested in a 55-inch TV, 55 x 1.2 = 66-inches or 1.67m which is the distance you need to sit from the television to have the perfect 40-degree viewing angle. If your room is too small, look at the next smallest television, or consider getting a size up if your room is too large.

Which is the best TV brand?

While there isn't a definitive answer to this question, some users may prefer certain television manufacturers due to personal preference, but there are certain brands that unquestionably are at the forefront of new technologies.

With the most global sales and some of the most innovative TV technology available, Samsung is without question a top contender for one of the best TV brands in the world. However, LG is the brand most synonymous with pushing TV tech into new areas.

A number of reputable brands also exist within the budget space, including Hisense and JVC.

When is the best time to buy a TV?

TV prices fluctuate all the time throughout the year, but prices are especially low during autumn and winter. Sales events like Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are particularly excellent times of the year for excellent TV deals, as is Christmas and the post-Christmas period.

Can you watch TV without the internet?

You can certainly enjoy Blu-ray discs and Freeview television on a smart TV without the need for an internet connection, but in order to use streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus or Amazon Prime, you'll need an internet connection.

TV versus PC monitor

If you're particularly short on space, or simply prefer a smaller screen, a monitor may be worth considering for a room setup.

Monitors are considerably cheaper than televisions and are generally a fraction of the price. Refresh rates on monitors are also much higher in general, with some monitors having refresh rates upwards of 144Hz. This is ideal for gaming.

Monitors, however, don't generally have built-in speakers, and if they do, they aren't the best. Then there's the size of the monitor itself, which isn't going to compete with the sheer scale and size of a 4K TV.

All-in-all, if you're looking to save your cash, a smaller monitor may be a great option, but for true spectacle, a TV remains the decisive way to go.

If you're wholeheartedly set on a gaming monitor over a television, our selection of the best gaming monitors is bound to be enlightening.

TV versus projector

Projectors are becoming increasingly popular as a flexible, portable, and stunning alternative to standard televisions, but they also come with an abundance of their own difficulties.

Projectors are affected significantly by sunlight - even a moderate glare will distort the projection, rendering the projection blurry and ruined.

Then there's finding a good wall to project on - having a matte projection surface with enough space is crucial - many homes aren't sufficiently spaced to accommodate a projection with optimal quality, so selecting a projector that will accurately project films and games is difficult.

However, once set up, projectors can be truly excellent, and have incredible refresh rates - upwards of 480Hz.

While the idea of buying of a projector can sound fun and exciting, you'll quickly realise that it's difficult to discern how much money you should spend on one. For the absolute perfect home projectors that are both excellent and affordable, check out our picks for the best home projectors, you will not be disappointed.