Only a few years ago, the most popular TV size was the 55-inch TV, but 65-inch TVs have become more common. Still, a 55-inch TV is good if you need something for a smaller room, and finding the best 55-inch television for your needs depends on your usage, viewing conditions, and budget. Through our testing process, we discovered which TVs have the brightness and reflection handling needed to fight glare in a bright room, which ones have the contrast needed to look good in a dark room, and which ones display the wide range of colors required for impactful HDR. We also figure out which models pair well with modern consoles and gaming PCs by testing whether or not a TV has modern gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. High-end TVs tend to be great for a variety of uses, while budget TVs are better suited if you want something simple and don't need premium performance.
Below are our recommendations for the best 55-inch televisions. You can also see our picks for the best TVs, the best smart TVs, and the best 60-inch TVs, or you can vote on which models you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the 2025 models, check out our 2025 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 are done with 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.
-
Best 55-Inch TV
Mixed Usage8.9Home Theater9.0Bright Room8.8Sports8.8Gaming9.3Brightness8.7Black Level10Color9.1Processing (In Development)8.3Game Mode Responsiveness9.4Motion Handling (Broken)7.7Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:MatteType:OLEDSub-Type:QD-OLEDDolby Vision:NoSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 77" 83"The Samsung QN55S95FAFXZA is the best 55-inch TV you can buy. It's an incredibly versatile model with top-tier image quality, making it an excellent choice whether you need a TV for gaming, for your home theater, or for watching sports on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Thanks to its matte screen coating and strong SDR brightness, reflections on the screen are a thing of the past, so this TV performs exceptionally well in bright rooms. It also delivers impressive performance in dark environments by combining inky blacks with highlights that truly pop, making HDR content look excellent in dark rooms. Colors are rich, accurate, and bright, resulting in a vivid and immersive viewing experience in both SDR and HDR. It's also a solid choice for larger spaces with wide seating, since the picture remains consistent even when viewed from the sides of the screen.
Gaming performance is just as strong. The TV's four HDMI 2.1 ports can handle up to 4k @ 165Hz, making it an excellent choice for both the latest consoles and powerful gaming PCs. It also supports all three major types of VRR technology, ensuring gameplay stays smooth and almost entirely free of screen tearing. Motion clarity is exceptional, thanks to the nearly instantaneous pixel transitions that OLED panels provide. This TV doesn't offer Dolby Vision support, but its high brightness and HDR10+ support mean you still get a top-tier HDR experience. The TV includes Samsung's external Slim One Connect Box, which helps simplify cable management and provides flexible options for connecting your devices.
-
Best Upper Mid-Range 55-Inch TV
Mixed Usage8.6Home Theater8.8Bright Room7.6Sports8.1Gaming9.1Brightness8.0Black Level10Color8.8Processing (In Development)8.4Game Mode Responsiveness9.4Motion Handling (Broken)7.9Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyType:OLEDSub-Type:QD-OLEDDolby Vision:NoSee all our test resultsSizes:42" 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"If you like what our top pick offers in terms of image quality, but you want to spend less on a new TV, the Samsung QN55S90FAFXZA is a very solid option. You have to make a few concessions with this model, as it doesn't utilize a matte screen coating, support 165Hz, or come with Samsung's Slim One Connect Box. However, if you can live without those things, you get a TV with similarly impressive image quality overall. This model uses a traditional glossy screen finish and doesn't get quite as bright in SDR, so it isn't as effective at reducing reflections in well-lit rooms. Still, its overall reflection handling is very good, and it's bright enough for viewing in moderately lit spaces without distracting reflections on the screen. In HDR, the TV offers strong brightness levels that help highlights pop. Paired with its vivid colors and perfect black levels, it delivers excellent image quality in darker settings, making it a solid choice for home theater setups.
It also features the same wide viewing angle as the Samsung S95F OLED, which is a plus for larger living rooms where people are watching from different positions. Although this TV doesn't come with a Slim One Connect Box, it still includes four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4k @ 144Hz with VRR. Fast motion looks exceptionally clear thanks to the nearly instantaneous pixel transitions that OLEDs are known for. Like the S95F and other Samsung TVs, it doesn't support Dolby Vision, but it does include HDR10+, which provides a comparable and impressive HDR experience.
-
Best Mid-Range 55-inch TV
Mixed Usage8.2Home Theater8.4Bright Room6.7Sports7.1Gaming8.5Brightness7.0Black Level10Color8.3Processing (In Development)8.3Game Mode Responsiveness9.0Motion Handling (Broken)7.6Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:120HzScreen Finish:GlossyType:OLEDSub-Type:WOLEDDolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:48" 55" 65" 77" 83"If you want something cheaper, but still want an OLED with high-end features and great performance, the LG OLED55B5PUA is a great entry point into the OLED market. This TV shares many of the same features as the more expensive Samsung S90F OLED, but it's dimmer and limited to a 120Hz refresh rate. Even so, it's bright enough in SDR to handle glare in rooms with moderate lighting. It doesn't reduce the impact of direct reflections very well, so it's best to avoid placing it directly across from windows or other light sources. The TV displays the inky blacks OLEDs are known for, and it offers enough brightness in HDR to make highlights stand out. While its colors aren't quite as vivid as those found on QD-OLED models, they still appear vibrant and are highly accurate right out of the box. Whether you're watching SDR or HDR content, the overall picture quality is very satisfying.
As with most OLEDs, it has a very wide viewing angle, allowing people to watch from different spots in the room without any major loss in quality. It's also a strong performer for gaming, offering HDMI 2.1 support on all four ports, 4k @ 120Hz, compatibility with all major VRR formats, and nearly instantaneous pixel transitions. The B5 is an impressive all-around TV and a great entry-level option for anyone looking to get an affordable OLED.
-
Best Lower Mid-Range 55-Inch TV
Mixed Usage7.8Home Theater7.9Bright Room8.0Sports7.9Gaming7.8Brightness7.8Black Level8.4Color7.5Processing (In Development)7.7Game Mode Responsiveness8.0Motion Handling (Broken)7.5Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyType:LEDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"The TCL 55QM7K is a Mini LED TV that offers an impressive combination of great image quality and a host of modern gaming features. While choosing a non-OLED TV comes with a few trade-offs, this model still delivers strong image quality that will satisfy most viewers. It doesn't offer the perfect black levels found in OLEDs, but its full-array local dimming does a great job of producing deep, bold blacks. There is some minor haloing around bright objects like subtitles or small highlights, but it's not overly distracting. Colors are bright and vibrant, and HDR content looks impressive with highlights that stand out well. The TV is also very bright in SDR and handles reflections effectively, making it a good choice for bright rooms. That said, it's still best to avoid placing it directly across from windows or lamps, since direct reflections are noticeable on the screen during most scenes.
In addition to its solid picture quality, this TV is packed with modern gaming features. It includes two HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to 4k @ 144Hz and 1080p @ 288Hz, giving gamers plenty of flexibility. It also supports VRR to minimize screen tearing. Compared to OLEDs, the main drawback is that pixel transitions are slower, which leads to some motion blur during fast-paced scenes. However, it's still quite responsive for an LED TV, and the blur remains fairly minimal. One limitation to keep in mind is the narrow viewing angle, which causes the image to degrade when viewed from the sides of the screen. This makes the TV less ideal for rooms with wide seating arrangements.
-
Best Budget 55-Inch TV
Mixed Usage7.1Home Theater7.2Bright Room7.0Sports7.1Gaming7.2Brightness6.5Black Level7.6Color7.2Processing (In Development)7.0Game Mode Responsiveness7.9Motion Handling (Broken)7.6Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyType:LEDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"The TCL 55QM6K is the best 55-inch smart TV for those on a budget who want the modern gaming features the TCL QM7K offers, but at a lower price point. This model offers the same feature set as the more expensive option, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, support for 4k @ 144Hz and 1080p @ 288Hz, VRR, and relatively fast pixel transitions. Like the QM7K, it has a narrow viewing angle, so for the best image quality, you'll want to sit directly in front of the screen.
While it doesn't match the higher-end model's image quality, it still performs well. Colors are a bit more muted but not washed out, so they remain fairly vibrant and pleasing. Blacks aren't quite as deep, but they still provide good depth for a budget-friendly TV due to its full-array local dimming. The TV is noticeably dimmer in HDR, so highlights don't pop as much, but it still provides a decent HDR experience overall. On the other hand, the TV is bright enough in SDR for use in well-lit rooms, as long as you avoid placing light sources directly opposite the screen. If you're searching for an affordable TV that packs plenty of features and delivers solid image quality, this budget model is a great choice.
-
Best Cheap 55-Inch TV
Mixed Usage6.0Home Theater5.8Bright Room6.3Sports6.0Gaming6.2Brightness5.6Black Level4.9Color6.8Processing (In Development)6.3Game Mode Responsiveness6.7Motion Handling (Broken)7.0Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:60HzScreen Finish:GlossyType:LEDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85" 100"If you just want something cheap that gets the job done, the Hisense 55QD6QF is a decent option. You won't find many gaming features on this model, since it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and is limited to 4k @ 60Hz. However, it does support VRR to help reduce screen tearing. This model gives you the option of gaming in 1440p @ 120Hz, but its input lag is quite high when you do this, which negates one of the main benefits of gaming at a higher refresh rate. Fortunately, it supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so compatibility with streaming services isn't an issue at all. Like most other LED models, its viewing angle is narrow, so it's best viewed from directly in front of the screen.
The TV doesn't have local dimming, so blacks look gray, and dark colors aren't deep at all. It's also too dim in HDR to really make highlights stand out as they should, so HDR content lacks impact. It's just bright enough in SDR to handle some glare in a room with a few overhead lights on, but it's unsuitable for bright rooms since reflections are quite visible on the screen. Although it can't display deep colors or bright ones, the TV does display a wide range of colors, so the image doesn't look completely muted. In terms of picture quality, this TV is nothing special, but it gets the job done for a low-cost model.
Notable Mentions
-
LG OLED55G5WUA:
The LG G5 OLED ranks among the top OLEDs available and goes head-to-head with the Samsung S95F OLED. However, the LG has subtle issues in darker scenes that will bother some enthusiasts. Because the Samsung is more consistent, offers better colors, and handles bright rooms better, it's the better choice for most people.
See our review -
LG OLED55C5PUA:
The LG C5 OLED serves as an alternative to the Samsung S90F OLED. While the LG handles bright rooms more effectively, the Samsung offers higher brightness in its dedicated gaming mode and produces more vivid colors with less banding, making it the stronger choice overall.
See our review -
Samsung QN55S85FAFXZA:
The Samsung S85F OLED is the cheapest QD-OLED on the market, but only if you're shopping for the 55-inch model in the US. It competes most with the LG B5 OLED, but it has a pretty big advantage over that TV when it comes to colors. However, the LG is brighter in HDR, is more accurate, and uses the same panel in all sizes and countries, so it's the better option for most people.
See our review -
Hisense 55U75QG:
The Hisense U75QG shares similarities with the TCL QM7K but boasts higher peak brightness. However, it makes HDR content appear brighter than intended and suffers from more noticeable motion blur because of the TV's slower pixel transitions. With clearer motion handling, better contrast, and support for 1080p @ 288Hz, the TCL is the stronger overall choice.
See our review -
Hisense 55U65QF:
The Hisense U65QF is a brighter option compared to the TCL QM6K. However, it tends to overbrighten HDR content, which means it doesn't fully respect the content creator's original vision. The TCL provides a more balanced experience with deeper blacks, better color accuracy, support for 1080p @ 288Hz, and lower input lag.
See our review -
TCL 55S551G:
The TCL S551G is an alternative to the Hisense QD6QF. The Hisense offers superior image quality, making it the better option for most people. However, the TCL's 120Hz mode has much lower input lag than the Hisense's, so it's a good option for gamers on a budget who prefer performance over image quality.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 28, 2025:
Replaced the LG B4 OLED with the LG B5 OLED in the 'Best Mid-Range' category. We also swapped the TCL Q651G with the Hisense QD6QF in the 'Best Cheap' category, and added the TCL S551G to the Notable Mentions.
Aug 07, 2025:
We replaced the Samsung S90D OLED with the Samsung S95F OLED as our new top pick. We also replaced the LG C4 OLED with the Samsung S90F OLED in the 'Upper Mid-Range' category, the Hisense U7N with the TCL QM7K in the 'Lower Mid-Range' category, the Hisense U6N with the TCL QM6K in the 'Budget' category, and the Hisense A7N with the TCL Q651G in the 'Best Cheap TV' category. We dropped the 'Best Bright Room' and 'Best Home Theater TV' categories, since the S95F and LG G5 OLED both outperform our old picks that were in those sections, the Sony BRAVIA 9 and Sony A95L OLED. We also added a 'Best Cheap TV' category with the TCL Q651G as our pick, and refreshed the Notable Mentions section with 2025 models that are more widely available.
May 14, 2025:
Removed the TCL QM7/QM751G QLED from the Notable Mentions and mentioned it alongside the Hisense U7N instead. We also replaced the LG G4 OLED with the LG G5 OLED in the Notable Mentions, added a mention of the Samsung S95F OLED alongside the Samsung S90D OLED, and touched on the LG C5 OLED alongside the LG C4 OLED.
Feb 05, 2025:
Added a link to our 2025 TV Lineup article and confirmed the accuracy of our current picks.
Dec 10, 2024:
Rewrote the introduction for clarity and added the Samsung QN90D/QN90DD QLED and the LG G4 OLED to the Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best 55-inch smart TVs currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our 55-inch TV reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most TVs are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault TVs for are often not noticeable unless you really look for them. Also, keep in mind that our scores aren't comparable across different test benches, so the older TVs in the list below score higher than they would in 2025.