- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Best TV
- Mid-Range TV
- Budget TV
- All Reviews
- Discussions
The 7 Best 4k HDR TVs - September 2018
Reviews
- Store-bought TVs; no cherry-picked units
- Retest after major updates
- Easily comparable results
- No ads; unbiased reviews
Almost every new TV launched comes with basic support of HDR. Unfortunately, basic support simply means that the TV can accept HDR metadata and not necessarily that it will display the HDR content as intended. To reproduce HDR content accurately, TVs must be able to get brighter and display more saturated colors than before (check out our HDR vs SDR article to find out more about the differences with HDR).
We've tested 71 TVs that can display HDR content, and below are our recommendations for the best ones you can buy in 2018.
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Best HDR TV: LG B8
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2✕Test Benches: test
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2015
- 0.9: Winter 2014
- 0.8: Winter 2013
9.0HDR Movies✕What it is HDR Movies and TV shows. The TV will be used to watch 4k UHD HDR content, with a wide color gamut and a high peak brightness. Either via UHD Blu-rays or HDR streaming.Score components:- 22% Contrast
- 13% Local Dimming
- 12% 4k Input
- 11% Black Uniformity
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Color Gamut
- 6% Color Volume
- 5% Gray Uniformity
- 4% Stutter
- 4% 24p Judder
- 2% HDR ABL
- 2% Motion Interpolation
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 2% Gradient
- 1% Post Calibration
- <1% HDR10
- <1% Dolby Vision
Score distribution:Sub-Type: WRGB✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 55" 65"The best HDR TV we’ve tested so far is the LG B8. The LG B8 has an excellent picture quality (it is the same as the more expensive model LG C8) with true blacks due to its emissive OLED technology. When displaying HDR content, the B8 can display rich and saturated colors with highlights that pop due to its wide color gamut and decent brightness. It is also a TV with excellent motion handling and a low input lag that makes it very responsive for most gamers. Just like all OLED TVs, the B8 is also suitable for wide seating arrangements as it has great viewing angles, just as good as the previous model, the LG B7A (if you can still find it, you should get this one).
However, displaying static images for a prolonged period runs the risk of causing temporary image retention or permanent burn-in, although we don't expect most people to experience this issue.
Overall, the LG B8 is a great TV that makes HDR movies in a dark room a great experience.
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Larger Alternative: Sony X940E
Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 75"If you want a larger TV size than the LG B8 to watch HDR, then get the Sony X940E. The X940E does not have the perfect blacks or the wide viewing angles of the LG B8. However, it can get brighter and when displaying HDR, colors are saturated, highlights pop, and blacks are deep. The X940E is a large 75" TV that performs very well in most usages and it is a great pick for watching HDR content in a dark room.
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Cheaper Alternative: Vizio P Series Quantum
Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 65"If you find the LG B8 expensive and want a cheaper and brighter TV, then get the Vizio P series Quantum. The PQ65-F1 does not have the excellent picture quality of the LG B8 and the image deteriorates when viewed at an angle. On the other hand, the P Series Quantum is among the TVs with the highest levels of brightness we've measured so far and due to its wide color gamut, great local dimming and native contrast ratio, it delivers a remarkable performance in HDR.
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Best Mid-Range HDR TV: Sony X900F
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2✕Test Benches: test
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2015
- 0.9: Winter 2014
- 0.8: Winter 2013
8.4HDR Movies✕What it is HDR Movies and TV shows. The TV will be used to watch 4k UHD HDR content, with a wide color gamut and a high peak brightness. Either via UHD Blu-rays or HDR streaming.Score components:- 22% Contrast
- 13% Local Dimming
- 12% 4k Input
- 11% Black Uniformity
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Color Gamut
- 6% Color Volume
- 5% Gray Uniformity
- 4% Stutter
- 4% 24p Judder
- 2% HDR ABL
- 2% Motion Interpolation
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 2% Gradient
- 1% Post Calibration
- <1% HDR10
- <1% Dolby Vision
Score distribution:Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 49" 55" 65" 75" 85"If the LG B8 is too expensive, the best HDR TV we’ve tested in the mid-range category is the Sony X900F. The X900F, just like last years' X900E (which you should get if you can still find it), lacks the wide viewing angles of the LG B8 and blacks are not perfect.
On the upside, the Sony X900F is a very good TV that has an impressive picture quality. It can display deep blacks in a dark room due to the high native contrast ratio and full array local dimming support, much better than more expensive models like the LG SK9500. It has excellent HDR performance as it has a wide color gamut and can produce bright and vivid highlights. Motion handling is also remarkable due to the fast response time and its ability to add flicker and reduce persistence blur, and the low input lag will satisfy gamers.
Overall, the X900F will offer you a great HDR watching experience.
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Cheaper Alternative: Vizio P Series 2018
Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 55" 65" 75"If you want to spend less than the cost of the Sony X900F, get the Vizio P Series 2018. It does not get as bright as the Sony and does not have the great uniformity of the X900F. On the upside, it has a very good picture quality, deep blacks due to effective local dimming, wide color gamut and when displaying HDR content, colors are rich and highlights pop.
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Best Budget HDR TV: TCL R617
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2✕Test Benches: test
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2015
- 0.9: Winter 2014
- 0.8: Winter 2013
8.1HDR Movies✕What it is HDR Movies and TV shows. The TV will be used to watch 4k UHD HDR content, with a wide color gamut and a high peak brightness. Either via UHD Blu-rays or HDR streaming.Score components:- 22% Contrast
- 13% Local Dimming
- 12% 4k Input
- 11% Black Uniformity
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Color Gamut
- 6% Color Volume
- 5% Gray Uniformity
- 4% Stutter
- 4% 24p Judder
- 2% HDR ABL
- 2% Motion Interpolation
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 2% Gradient
- 1% Post Calibration
- <1% HDR10
- <1% Dolby Vision
Score distribution:Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 55" 65"If you find the Sony X900F too expensive, the best budget HDR TV we've tested is the TCL 6 Series 2018 R617. You will not get the perfect blacks or the wide viewing angles of the OLEDs.
On the other hand, the TCL R617 is a very good TV for almost every usage. It has a good picture quality and an effective local dimming that helps display deep blacks that look great in dark rooms. The TV has a wide color gamut and can get brighter than more expensive models like the LG B7A, and this is great for HDR watching as colors are rich and highlights pop. It also has a low input lag that will please gamers and very good motion handling to please sports fans.
Overall, the TCL R617 is a very good TV that will please most of those who wish to use it for watching HDR content.
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Cheaper Alternative: TCL S517
Sub-Type: VA✕What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different usesGood value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.Sizes : 43" 49" 55" 65"If the TCL R617 is still above your budget and you want a TV that will do well in HDR, then get the TCL 5 Series 2018 S517. You will not have features like local dimming and the motion handling is not as good as the R617. On the upside, the TCL S517 supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It has a high native contrast ratio and a wide color gamut and can produce great vivid colors, but the highlights are not as bright. Finally, it has a very low input lag that will please gamers.
Notable Mentions
- Sony A8F. Excellent HDR performance, but the LG B8 is even better for less money. See our review
- Sony A1E. Exceptional HDR TV, but the LG B8 offers very similar HDR performance for cheaper. See our review
- Sony Z9D. Excellent LED TV for HDR, but the OLED LG B8 is both better and cheaper. See our review
- Samsung Q9FN. The Q9FN performs very well with HDR movies, but the Vizio P Series Quantum is brighter. See our review
- Samsung Q8FN. Very good QLED TV with impressive HDR performance, but the Vizio P Series Quantum performs better. See our review
- Sony X930E. Excellent LED TV for HDR, but the Sony X900F isn't much more. See our review
- Samsung Q7FN. The Q7FN performs very well with HDR movies, but the Sony X900F offers better value. See our review
- LG SK9500. Decent HDR TV, but unless you need a wide viewing angle, the Sony X900F is better. See our review
- LG C7. Great OLED TV, but almost identical to the similarly priced B7. See our review
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best HDR TVs to buy for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper TV wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors and availability (no TVs that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our reviews of 4k TVs that support HDR. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
