The Best LED TV in 2024

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Reviewed By

Evan Shephard

(ISF Certified)

True Score Methodology

v1.5

718,470

Reviews Analyzed + 24 TV Experts

Updated Mar 11, 2024 2:15 PM
best led tv guide that shows the top best tv model

You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy premium picture quality with the best LED TV. Opting for LED means sidestepping the hefty OLED price tag and the potential for burn-in issues, offering you both savings and peace of mind. The market is filled with affordable options, notably from brands like HiSense and TCL, that leverage MiniLED and QLED technology.

This means even with a budget under $1000, you can access excellent TVs that provide vibrant colors, deep blacks, and sharp details. So, whether it’s binge-watching your favorite series or enjoying the big game, a great LED TV ensures you won’t miss out on quality, all while keeping your wallet intact.

How Did We Rank the Best LED TV?

To assess how high or low quality an LED TV actually is, one must evaluate specific testing criteria against reference industry standards. Using our thorough TV Testing Methodology, we determined there are 1 minimum specs and 6 criteria below (3 required, 3 nice to have) that ensure your LED TV looks as good as the creator intended it.

🛠️ Minimum Specifications

  • LED Panel Type: IPS, LCD, LED, Mini LED, Mini-LED QLED, NanoCell LED, Neo QLED, QLED, Quantum LED, Quantum ULED, Standard LED, or VA.

🧪 Test Criteria

  • SDR Brightness: Equal to or greater than 600 nits for optimal clarity in standard dynamic range viewing.
  • HDR Brightness: Equal to or greater than 1100 nits to showcase the full range of colors and details in high dynamic range content.
  • Color Accuracy: Achieving a minimum of 90% DCI P3 xy color gamut coverage for rich and accurate colors.

👍 “Nice To Haves”

  • Contrast Ratio: Aiming for a contrast ratio of at least 10,000:1 to deliver striking visual depth with deep blacks and bright highlights.
  • EOTF Accuracy: Ensuring that the EOTF (600 nit delta) is less than or equal to 0.018 for precise brightness and contrast control.
  • Fast Response Time: Ideally, response time should be equal to or less than 10ms to minimize motion blur and maintain smooth transitions during fast-paced scenes.

We’ve redefined TV buying guides, setting us apart from any other site on the planet. Our unique approach combines in-house verification with a comprehensive dataset from over 200+ trusted sites, focusing on key testing metrics to rank the top rated LED TVs. Testing data (and specs) include brightness (600 nits and 1100 nits), color accuracy, and a set that is LED. We aggregate and analyze this data from 158+ TVs, ensuring our recommendations meet your specific needs. In this case, it’s for LED TVs, delivering superior brightness, color accuracy, and technology for an immersive viewing experience. Discover our data-driven methodology for precise, reliable TV recommendations. Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. Commissions fund this mission. No bias. No BS.

Latest Updates

  • 03/05/2024: Completely and thoroughly overhauled the guide to include the best and latest LED TVs.
  • 11/30/2023: Republished the list to include TVs based on our True Score system.

Top LED TVs For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

To snag a spot on our list, a LED TV needs to have an LED Panel, capable of battling glare from direct or indirect light, a solid color gamut and EOFT. If it doesn’t hit these points, we’re not including it!

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series

    • Best For Bright Room

    The Samsung QN90C excels in bright rooms and home theater setups with stellar EOTF accuracy, strong HDR brightness, and minimal reflections, making it perfect for varied lighting conditions and cinematic content.

    Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series Review →

    True Score

    86
    84
    9

    Experts

    90
    1k

    Customers

    SAVE $1,310
    $2,797.99
    $1,487.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Hisense U7K

    The Hisense U7K combines strong value with impressive color coverage and response time, making it a great budget pick for home theater enthusiasts and sports fans in moderately lit rooms.

    Hisense U7K Review →

    True Score

    84
    85
    9

    Experts

    86
    1k

    Customers

    $748.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    TCL QM8/QM850G QLED TV

    • Best For Gaming

    With unmatched brightness and solid HDR performance, the TCL QM8 shines in brightly lit spaces, offering vibrant colors and fluid motion for sports, despite its casual gaming limitations.

    TCL QM8/QM850G QLED TV Review →

    True Score

    83
    82
    7

    Experts

    87
    770

    Customers

    $998.00

    DID YOU KNOW 87% OF TV REVIEWERS ARE UNTRUSTWORTHY?

    Our research found 28 of 210 TV reviewers can be trusted, and shockingly 1 out of 3 on Google Page 1 were fake reviews showing no proof of test claims. See our Expose and Trust List. This is why Gadget Review is committed calculating the most accurate product scores on the web.

    To do this, we give every TV review site a Trust Score, which measures how trustworthy the site and their testing claims are. We then leverage AI & a machine learning model to combine and calculate the Trust Score with data from experts and consumers to deliver the True Score, the web’s most accurate product quality rating.

    718,470

    TV Reviews Analyzed

    156

    Total Products Analyzed

    Read the TV Testing Methodology

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Hisense U8K TV

    • Best For Home Theater

    A versatile LED TV excelling in color accuracy and bright room performance, the Hisense U8K offers a solid all-around viewing experience without the worry of burn-in, ideal for diverse content and environments.

    Hisense U8K TV Review →

    True Score

    83
    82
    6

    Experts

    87
    2k

    Customers

    $998.00

    DON’T SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?

    Make sure to explore our guide on the top TV brands, or if you prefer the best picture possible, check out our selections of the finest OLED TVs. Don’t overlook the importance of resolution in your decision-making process. To equip yourself with a cutting-edge setup, consider our guide on premium 8k TVs and understand the diffferences between 4K vs 8K resolutions.

    For a versatile display, our roundup of the best TV monitors provides options perfect for both productivity and relaxation. Additionally, if you’ve invested in a soundbar, our tutorial on connecting a soundbar to your TV will ensure you get the best sound quality possible.

Our Approach to Testing LED TVs

Evan Shepard/Gadget Review

We’ve redefined TV buying guides, setting us apart from any other site on the planet. Our unique approach combines in-house verification with a comprehensive dataset from trusted sites, focusing on key testing metrics like brightness (SDR and HDR), EOTF, response time, contrast ratio and color gamut.

You can enjoy premium picture quality without breaking the bank by opting for the best LED TV. LED TVs offer savings and peace of mind compared to OLED, with affordable options from brands like HiSense and TCL utilizing MiniLED and QLED technology. Even with a budget under $1000, you can access TVs that provide vibrant colors, deep blacks, and sharp details, ensuring quality viewing experiences while keeping your wallet intact. What’s the next step?

You may notice some of our graphs contain “Source: RTings”. This is to indicate that the data we’re showing off in a graph has come from a single source – because it’s the only source that actually tested the criteria and had data for it! Normally, our data is an average out of all of the various publications that test and provide data to give you a good idea of how a product is going to perform on average.

Which Criteria Matters for Testing LED TVs?

By focusing on these criteria (3 required, 3 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these TVs and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a LED TV.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
SDR Brightness600+ nitsYesAssess the luminance of your display when operating in Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) mode.
HDR Brightness1100+ nitsYesDetermine the luminance of your display in High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode.
Color Gamut (DCI P3 xy)>= 90%YesEvaluate the extent to which a TV can reproduce a specified spectrum of colors.
EOTF0.018No (nice to have)Standard that governs how a display interprets and renders brightness and color.
Response Time<=10msNo (nice to have)Time required for a pixel to transition from one color to another and then return to its original color.
Contrast Ratio>= 10,000No (nice to have)The ratio between the brightest white and darkest black that the screen can display.

Our Trusted Data Sources

(Publication category Score is 80%+)

We looked at 210+ TV reviewers and while 24 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Score), we only use data from the testers that are “very trusted” which means a Trust Score above 70%. The three we have listed below are our most trusted for TVs, along with our own in-house TV expert.

  1. Evan Shepard – Gadget Review
  2. Matthew Lopes – RTings, MuckRack
  3. Will Greenwald – PCMag, MuckRack, Twitter
  4. David Katzmaier – CNET, MuckRack, Twitter

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every TV review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Scores from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Best LED TVs Test Data & Results

1. SDR & HDR Brightness TV Test Results

In well-lit rooms, the brightness level of your LED TV, quantified in nits, is key to a great viewing experience. A TV that doesn’t meet the brightness requirement will struggle against natural and artificial light, resulting in a dim, lackluster image. Essentially, nits measure how well your TV can stand up to light interference, with higher values ensuring a sharper, more vivid display.

For standard viewing on the best LED TV, you should look for at least 600 nits to strike the right balance between clarity and color quality in standard dynamic range (SDR) content. For high dynamic range (HDR) content, which offers richer colors and greater contrast, a minimum of 1100 nits is ideal to truly appreciate the enhanced visuals. These brightness levels are recommended to ensure your TV performs well in bright settings, allowing you to enjoy your shows and movies without any loss in detail or quality. Aim for these minimums: SDR Brightness >= 600 nits; HDR Brightness >= 1100 nits for the optimal experience. The best HDR TVs will not only meet but often surpass these brightness thresholds, ensuring that the full spectrum of HDR content is displayed with unparalleled depth and realism.

Discover the top LED TVs, ranked from brightest to least, all exceeding our brightness criteria.

SDR Brightness (in nits, higher is better)

HDR Brightness (in nits, higher is better)

2. Color Gamut (DCI P3 xy) TV Test Results

Color gamut defines the range of colors a LED TV can reproduce, directly affecting how vibrant and true-to-life the images look. A wide color gamut in a LED TV brings out richer, more vivid colors – from the lush greens of a garden to the bright colors of animated characters, enhancing your viewing experience to closely mimic real life.

This concept is technically measured against standards like the DCI P3 xy, a benchmark for high-quality visuals. A LED TV covering a higher percentage of this color space can display colors more accurately and vividly.

For those who prioritize vibrant and immersive visuals, aiming for a LED TV with a color gamut of 90% or higher on the DCI P3 xy scale is ideal. This ensures that the content you watch is as vibrant and lifelike as possible.

Below are the top LED TVs, ordered by color gamut, all exceeding our testing criteria.

DCI P3 XY Color Gamut (as a %; high is better)

3. EOTF Test Results

The Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) plays a critical role in ensuring the content on your TV looks exactly as the creator intended. This technical feature adjusts your screen’s brightness levels, ensuring every scene, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights, is displayed with true-to-life accuracy.

In rooms flooded with light, a TV that nails EOTF calibration shines by preserving the intended contrast and detail in the picture despite the challenging conditions. It balances the brightness so that images remain vibrant and full of detail, unaffected by the glare of ambient light.

A TV that excels in managing EOTF offers an immersive and authentic viewing experience. It brings creators’ visions to life, accurately rendering every scene with the proper light and dark levels, no matter the lighting in your room. This means you get a consistent, realistic picture that captures the full spectrum of colors and contrasts, from the subtlest hues to the most intense explosions.

Below are all the Best LED TVs on our list, ordered by EOTF, from best to worst.

EOTF (source: rtings.com – 0 = no data exists; lower is better)

4. Response Time TV Test Results

A slow response time on a LED TV during fast-paced scenes is like trying to watch a thrilling movie with a foggy lens. Imagine settling in for an action-packed sequence, only to have the swift movements turn into a blur, robbing you of the crisp, clear detail you crave. This isn’t just a minor annoyance; it’s a major detriment to your viewing experience, leaving you with a picture marred by motion blur and visual artifacts.

So, what exactly is response time? It measures how quickly a pixel on your TV can change from one color to another. In the context of watching fast-moving content or enjoying dynamic scenes on a LED TV, a low response time is crucial. A response time of 15 ms or lower is good, but if you plan on gaming on this set, aim for a response time of 10 ms or lower. The best gaming TVs prioritize the lowest possible response times to enhance gameplay. At these levels, your LED TV ensures smooth transitions and sharp visuals, making every scene come to life without any distracting blurs or delays.

Below are the top LED TVs, ordered by response time.

Response Time (in milliseconds; lower is better)

5. Contrast Ratio Test Results

For LED TV enthusiasts, a solid contrast ratio is crucial for enjoying your favorite TV shows or movies, especially in darker settings. This feature directly impacts how lifelike and dynamic the picture appears on your screen, ensuring that dark scenes are displayed with clear, crisp blacks instead of murky grays and bright scenes retain their detail without appearing washed out.

Put simply, the contrast ratio is all about the range of luminance a TV can produce, from the deepest blacks to the brightest whites. It’s what brings depth to the image, enhancing the realism of every scene. Watching a movie in the dark, for example, the difference between a TV with a poor contrast ratio and one with a high ratio is stark: the former struggles, blending shadows into a flat gray, while the latter delivers true black, making night scenes more immersive and detailed.

Below are the top LED TVs, ordered by contrast ratio, all exceeding our testing criteria.

Contrast Ratio (higher is better)

Best LED TVs: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Picture Quality: Focusing solely on specifications like resolution or size without considering factors such as contrast ratio, color accuracy, and viewing angles can lead to a disappointing viewing experience. Understanding the difference between backlight and brightness on a TV is crucial, as it impacts the overall picture quality. Backlight determines the illumination of the screen, while brightness affects how vibrant images appear. Additionally, when considering QLED vs LED, it’s important to note that QLED TVs, with their quantum dot technology, can offer better backlight control and brightness levels compared to standard LED TVs, enhancing the viewing experience with more vivid colors and deeper contrasts.

  2. Not Researching Brands and Models: Buying solely based on price or brand popularity without researching specific models can result in missing out on better-performing options within your budget. For instance, the best 55-inch TVs can offer a sweet spot in terms of size and performance for many living spaces, providing an immersive viewing experience without overwhelming the room.

  3. Overlooking Refresh Rate: For smoother motion during fast-paced scenes, it’s essential to consider the TV’s refresh rate. Overlooking this can lead to motion blur or stuttering in action-packed content. If you are a sports enthusiast, the top TVs for sports should have high refresh rates to ensure a smooth picture during fast-paced action.

  4. Not Checking Connectivity Options: Ensure the TV has sufficient HDMI ports, USB ports, and other inputs to accommodate your devices. Overlooking this can cause inconvenience when connecting gaming consoles, streaming devices, or other peripherals.

The Best LED TV’s Tests Compared

Product
True Score
SDR Brightness
HDR Barightness
Color Gamut
EOTF
Response Time
Contrast Ratio

Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series

  • Best for Bright Room

86
  • 1,289 nits

  • 1,923 nits

  • 93.34%

  • 0.0046

  • 10.2 ms

  • 83,200:1

$927.99
$1,198
$270

Hisense U7K

  • Best for 4K

84
  • 603 nits

  • 786.5 nits

  • 96.31%

  • 0.0211

  • 11.3 ms

  • 45,000:1

$548.00
$800
$252
83
  • 2,076 nits

  • 2,005 nits

  • 94.59%

  • 0.037

  • 8.9 ms

  • 114,057:1

$998.00

Hisense U8K TV

  • Best for Home Theater

83
  • 1,549 nits

  • 1,792 nits

  • 97.44%

  • 0.0105

  • 13.3 ms

  • 165,360:1

$748.00
$1,100
$352

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