The 5 Best 4k TVs Under $1,000 - Summer 2021 Reviews

The Hisense 55U8G is the best TV under $1,000 that you can get. It's an impressive all-around option, and its performance rivals other high-end options that cost more from competing companies. It offers something great for most people, including gaming perks. We tested the 55 inch model, which is in this price range, but the 65 inch model is over $1,000.

It's excellent for watching movies in dark environments, both in SDR and HDR. Its VA panel has a high native contrast ratio to display deep blacks with amazing uniformity, and the great full-array local dimming feature helps improve the picture quality in dark scenes. It displays a wide color gamut, has excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, and gets bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR. It even supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, so you don't have to worry about which format your content is in before watching.

It has gaming features like HDMI 2.1 inputs and variable refresh rate (VRR) support for a nearly tear-free gaming experience. Sadly, there are reports of red ghosting and motion artifacts, particularly in Game Mode with 4k games at 120 fps that could get distracting. It's not always noticeable and it depends on the content, but it's still one of the few downsides to this TV. If that doesn't bother you, it's the best 55 inch TV under $1,000 that we've tested.

The Vizio M55Q7-J01 is the best 4k TV under $1,000 for gaming that we've tested. It's a good overall mid-range option with a few extra gaming features to satisfy most people. You can find the 55 inch model that we tested for well under $1,000, and if you need something bigger and don't mind spending a bit more, the 70 inch model is available for just over $1,000.

Even though it's limited to a 60Hz panel, and you can't take full advantage of the next-gen gaming consoles, it still has FreeSync VRR support to reduce screen tearing. Motion looks good for the most part as it has a good response time, but you may notice some black smearing, which is typical of VA panels. Input lag is also really low for a responsive gaming experience. It has a fantastic native contrast ratio for deep blacks and great black uniformity, but since the local dimming feature is mediocre, it doesn't improve the contrast all that much.

Its reflection handling and SDR peak brightness are both decent for rooms with a few lights around, but it doesn't perform well if you have direct sunlight on it. This TV supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision and displays a wide color gamut, but it doesn't get bright enough to really make highlights stand out. All things considered, it's the best 4k TV under $1,000 for gaming.

The best TV under $1,000 with Roku TV is the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED. It's the flagship TV in TCL's 2020 lineup, and only the 55 inch model that we tested is available in this price range. The Roku smart interface is very smooth and easy to use, with a ton of apps to choose from. It feels well-built and has a sleek design that should satisfy most people.

It has a VA panel with a remarkable contrast ratio, producing deep blacks that look as they should in the dark, which is ideal for watching movies. It also performs well in bright environments, thanks to its excellent peak brightness. Its brightness is also impressive for HDR content, so highlights pop just as creators intended, and it can display vivid, saturated colors thanks to its wide color gamut and QLED technology. Gamers should also be pleased with its fast response time and low input lag. It also supports FreeSync VRR to reduce screen tearing.

Like most VA panels, it has poor viewing angles, making the image look washed out when viewed from the side. That means it's not ideal for watching TV or sports with a large group. Also, its local dimming is mediocre, causing visible blooming around bright objects and crushing highlights in dark scenes. That said, this is still a very good option overall and the best Roku TV that we've tested for under $1,000.

The best 65 inch TV under $1,000 that you can get in terms of value and size is the Hisense 65U6G. It's lower-end than the Hisense U7G, so you don't get as many features like HDMI 2.1 support, but in terms of pure picture quality and its price, it offers better value. We tested the 65 inch model, which is under $1,000, but if you don't mind stretching out your budget a bit, the 75 inch model is a good choice too.

Although it's limited to a 60Hz panel and doesn't support VRR, gamers should still appreciate its quick response time and low input lag. The built-in Android TV interface is user-friendly and offers a ton of apps so you can easily stream your favorite content. It doesn't have any trouble upscaling lower-resolution content, which is great for watching cable TV shows or sports. Visibility shouldn't be an issue in bright rooms either as it gets bright enough to combat glare and has excellent reflection handling.

Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel TV, so the image looks washed out when viewing from the sides. Its HDR brightness is just okay; it should be fine enough for most people, but some highlights may not stand out like the way the creator intended them to. Besides these small problems, it's one of the best TVs under $1,000 that we've tested.