All new 4k TVs have a smart platform that includes features and apps. Some manufacturers use proprietary platforms, such as Samsung with its Tizen OS and LG with its webOS, while others prefer to integrate third-party options like Google TV or Roku. No matter the smart platform, it's going to have all the major streaming apps, so you'll be sure to find apps for services like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video on any modern TV. Most smart platforms also support casting from your phone, USB playback, and voice control, but some do offer unique features. Most TVs offer a very similar selection of smart features, so you shouldn't really choose a TV based solely on its smart features. Instead, this list mainly looks at a TV's overall quality, considering things like brightness, contrast, and colors.
Below are our recommendations for the best smart televisions. Also, see our picks for the best movie TVs, the best 4k TVs, and the best-sounding TVs. If you need a soundbar to pair with your new smart TV, check out our best soundbars article. You can also vote on which TVs you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the 2026 TV landscape, check out our 2026 TV lineup page.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
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Best Smart TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 77" 83"The Samsung S95H OLED is the best smart TV we've tested. This TV delivers exceptionally good picture quality, with deep, inky blacks in a dark room and vibrant colors. It gets incredibly bright, and combined with its matte anti-reflective coating, glare isn't an issue during the day as reflections are barely visible. This screen coating comes with a slight downside, though, as it adds a slightly hazy look to the screen. It's also an extremely versatile TV, with a wide selection of gaming features like a high refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four inputs.
It's a feature-packed smart TV, running Samsung's proprietary Tizen OS smart interface. This easy-to-use platform has a huge selection of streaming apps, including many game streaming services that let you play the latest games directly on the TV. Samsung also promises up to eight years of platform updates for it, so you'll continue to receive system updates that may even add new features down the line.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Smart TV
Exclusive member deal: RTINGS members save $250 on the LG C6 55" ($1,549.99), $200 on the 65" ($2,499.99), or $400 on the 77" ($3,299.99) at our partner retailer. Join now to unlock the deal.Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:42" 48" 55" 65"If you want something a bit cheaper, you can step down to the LG C6 OLED 2026 instead. This incredible TV delivers nearly identical dark room performance to the Samsung S95H OLED above, with deep, inky blacks that give the TV an almost 3D-look. It's not as bright, though, and it has a glossy coating, so glare is a bit more distracting during the day, and bright scenes aren't quite as impactful. As for colors, it's a bit more complicated. The 42-, 55-, and 65-inch versions of the C6 use an older panel type, and colors aren't as vivid as the S95H. The 48-inch C6, as well as the 77- and 83-inch LG C6H OLED, use a newer panel that delivers more vibrant colors, so the difference isn't as noticeable between the S95H and those sizes.
As for smart features, the C6 doesn't disappoint. While it uses a different smart platform than the S95H, known as webOS, it has an equally great selection of streaming apps, so you can quickly find your favorite content. It also supports user profiles, so you can keep your viewing habits separate from your spouse or kids. Finally, it has fantastic support for smart home integrations, including support for the latest Matter devices, so you can easily control your existing smart devices straight from the TV.
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Best Mid-Range Smart TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 100"You can save a lot of money by stepping down to a mid-range model like the Hisense U7SG, but there are some noticeable trade-offs. While it looks good in a dark room, blacks are nowhere near as deep as they are on the two OLED models above. This means you'll see some haloing around bright objects in a dark room, and the image doesn't pop out the same way. It still delivers a great experience overall, though, with very high peak brightness and vibrant colors, and it has great accuracy out of the box.
As for smart features, this model runs the Google TV smart interface, which supports most of the same features as the proprietary options above. It's a great choice if you have other Google-powered devices, like a smartphone, and many of your content purchases carry over seamlessly. Like the LG C6 OLED 2026 above, it also has great smart home support, so you can quickly integrate it into your existing network and control your other smart devices seamlessly.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Smart TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"The TCL QM7K is the best lower mid-range smart TV. Like the Hisense U7SG above, it runs the Google TV smart interface and has nearly identical features. Stepping down to a cheaper model brings a few trade-offs, most notably when it comes to picture quality, as the QM7K isn't quite as bright or vibrant as the U7SG. It's actually a bit better in a few ways, though, as you'll see slightly less haloing around bright objects when you're watching TV in a dark room, and motion is slightly clearer.
Not only does this model have solid image quality, but it also offers a ton of modern gaming features. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports and supports 4k @ 144Hz, 1080p @ 288Hz, and VRR, so it's a great option for console and PC gamers alike. It even supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so you're covered no matter what HDR format your content is being shown in. It has been replaced in 2026 by the TCL QM7L, and it's a noticeable improvement that competes directly with the U7SG, but it's also significantly more expensive at launch.
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Best Budget Smart TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"If you like the features found on the TCL QM7K but need something more affordable, the TCL QM6K is the best budget smart TV that we've tested. While it doesn't match the higher-end model's image quality, it still produces a pleasing image that will impress most people. Colors are more muted but are punchy enough that they don't appear washed out. Blacks aren't as bold, but they're still deep enough to give the image solid depth, especially for a budget option.
It includes the same core features as its more expensive sibling, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, support for 4k @ 144Hz, 1080p @ 288Hz, VRR, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, so even though you don't get the same level of image quality, you get the same features. It even runs the same version of Google TV, so you get voice control and access to a massive library of apps and games. Similar models from more established brands like Sony, LG, and Samsung are typically more expensive and are a lot lighter on features, so this TV truly stands out in the budget category.
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Best Cheap Smart TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Smart OS:See all our test resultsSizes:43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"If you just want a feature-rich TV and don't care as much about picture quality, the Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K is the best cheap smart TV we've tested. Despite its extremely cheap price, it delivers okay picture quality, with incredibly high peak brightness and pretty good colors. The main trade-off between it and the TCL QM6K above is dark room performance. The Vizio has a local dimming feature, but it's nowhere near as good as the TCL's, so you'll see a lot more haloing around bright parts of the screen when you're watching TV at night, and blacks just aren't as deep.
As for smart features, it's an alright TV overall. It runs Vizio's proprietary VIZIO OS smart interface. It's a fairly quick and easy-to-use smart platform that actually looks a lot like Google TV, but it has a more limited selection of apps, and it's a bit buggy at times. You'll still find all the big players in the streaming industry, but some niche services that are only available in select markets are less likely to be available. You also have to sign in with a Walmart account to use the TV's smart features, but all of the higher-end models have sign-in requirements, too.
Notable Mentions
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LG G6 OLED:
The LG G6 OLED is a fantastic TV overall and a direct competitor to the Samsung S95H OLED. Colors are brighter and more vibrant on the Samsung, though, and the LG has had a bit of a rocky launch, with a few noticeable software issues that result in a less enjoyable experience overall.
See our review -
Samsung S90H OLED:
The Samsung S90H OLED is a fantastic alternative to the LG C6 OLED 2026, especially if you're in a bright room, as it has much better reflection handling. It's not as bright as the C6, though, so that one's the better choice for most users.
See our review -
TCL QM8L:
The TCL QM8L is a fantastic TV that actually delivers slightly better performance than the Hisense U7SG. At double the price, though, it's simply not worth the extra expense.
See our review
Recent Updates
Jun 22, 2026:
As prices have started to drop from their launch windows, we updated the article with our 2026 picks, adding the Samsung S95H OLED, the LG C6 OLED 2026, the Hisense U7SG, and the Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K.
May 28, 2026:
We replaced the Samsung S90F OLED with the LG C5 OLED in the 'Best Upper Mid-Range' category to offer more variety in our picks. We also moved the S90F to the Notable Mentions and revised text throughout the article for clarity.
May 08, 2026:
We added mentions of the Samsung S95H OLED in the 'Best Smart TV' category and the Samsung S90H OLED in the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Smart TV' category.
Mar 27, 2026:
We revised the introduction and updated some text throughout the article for clarity.
Feb 04, 2026:
We confirmed the availability and accuracy of our current picks.
What Is A Smart TV?
A smart TV is a television connected to the internet that provides web-related features. It has built-in apps for streaming and usually an app store where you can download your favorite apps. Built-in smart platforms are similar to streaming boxes from Apple and Roku, and while smart TVs were once much slower, they've gotten a lot better over the past few years.
Not only does almost every TV include smart features, but most of them are also pretty good. Most shoppers will be pleased by the features of any of the smart platforms. Don't fret too much about features if you're shopping for the best TV for streaming, because the picture quality is still more important. Instead, focus on picture quality or other features that complement your usage, and you'll get much closer to finding your perfect TV.
Learn more about smart platforms.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best TVs for streaming currently available with smart features. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range, so this article will help you find the best smart TV for the money in your budget. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is a list of all our recent reviews of smart TVs. 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.