The 6 Best 55 Inch 4k TVs - Summer 2020
Reviews

The best 55 inch TV we've tested so far is the LG OLED55CXPUA. With OLED's emissive technology, this TV doesn't have a backlight, which means that the pixels can turn off completely to produce perfect blacks. And since it doesn't rely on local dimming, there aren't any issues with blooming around bright objects or subtitles. It gets decently bright, enough for a moderately-lit room, and it handles reflections exceptionally well. Viewing angles are great, so the image doesn't degrade if you're seated off to the side.

The response time on OLED TVs is near-instantaneous, which results in clear motion in fast-moving scenes. It also has an optional black frame insertion feature to further improve motion clarity, and it can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 120fps for fans of the soap opera effect. Unfortunately, its fast response time does come at a cost, as lower frame rate content can appear to stutter. Gamers will surely appreciate the high refresh rate, low input lag, and VRR support, which includes FreeSync, HDMI Forum's VRR, and NVIDIA's G-SYNC.

Unfortunately, like all OLEDs, there's the possibility of permanent burn-in, which is the result of cumulative exposure to static content, such as a channel logo or the user interface of a game. That said, it shouldn't be an issue if you watch varied content, and there are features built in to mitigate the risks. It runs on LG's WebOS, which is a user-friendly platform with tons of streaming services available. All in all, this is a full-featured TV that should satisfy most people.

The best 55 inch 4k TV for color accuracy is the Sony XBR55X950G. Its out-of-the-box color accuracy is one of the best we've seen on a TV so far, and most people won't need to pay extra to get it calibrated. It's a high-end TV in Sony's LED lineup, so it has all the features and great performance you expect.

It should please most people for any type of use. It has a VA panel, so naturally, it has an excellent contrast ratio, producing deep blacks. Black uniformity is great and it has a local dimming feature to further deepen any blacks. In bright rooms, it gets really bright, enough to combat glare, and it has impressive reflection handling. If you want to watch HDR content, it supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, it displays a wide color gamut, and it gets bright enough to make highlights pop. Gamers should also appreciate the fast response time and low input lag, but it doesn't support any VRR to reduce screen tearing.

Unfortunately, it has poor viewing angles and you quickly lose image accuracy when viewing from the side. It also has some uniformity issues as the edges of the screen appear darker, but this could vary from unit to unit. On the upside, it uses Android TV as its OS, and the Google Play Store has a ton of apps available. Overall, this is the best 55 inch TV for color accuracy we've seen so far.

The best budget 55 inch TV we've tested so far is the Hisense 55H9F. For its price, it delivers great picture quality and impressive gaming performance, enough to compete with some higher-end TVs. It has a VA panel with an outstanding contrast ratio, and it has a full-array local dimming feature, allowing it to produce deep and inky blacks. It performs equally well in bright rooms thanks to its excellent peak brightness and superb reflection handling so that you can place it even in rooms with direct sunlight. Unfortunately, as is the case with most VA panels, the viewing angles are poor, so you quickly lose image accuracy when viewing from the side.

This TV can display a wide color gamut and it can get bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR content. It has a 120Hz refresh rate to make motion look buttery smooth, and its fast response time keeps the image looking clear in fast-moving scenes. For gamers, it has a very low input lag, but sadly, it doesn't support any VRR technologies to reduce screen tearing. It can display chroma 4:4:4 properly, which is great if you want to use it as a PC monitor.

The screen has some uniformity issues, as the edges are darker, and there's some dirty screen effect, which can be distracting when watching sports. That said, uniformity issues can vary per unit, so your experience may vary. It runs on Android TV, which gives you access to the immense Google Play Store and voice control through the Google Assistant. Overall, this is an impressive TV for its price, and a great option regardless of the content that you watch.