Since they were first introduced over a decade ago, TVs with LED backlights have dominated the market. While they don't have the same perfect inky blacks as OLEDs do, they have a few advantages over them, including higher peak brightness and no risk of permanent burn-in. LED TVs are also sometimes called LCDs instead. LED refers to the technology used in the backlight, whereas LCD refers to the technology used to produce different colors and shades. As all LCD models currently on the market use LED backlights, the two terms are often used interchangeably. Check out this guide to learn more about LED TVs and how they work.
Below are our recommendations for the best LED televisions you can buy. See also our picks for the best Mini LED TVs, the best gaming TVs, and the best QLED TVs, or vote on which ones you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the new models available for purchase later this year, 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 LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:120HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:65" 75" 85"The Sony BRAVIA 9 is not only the best LED TV on the market, but it's also the best non-OLED TV you can buy. Its superb peak brightness means it easily overcomes glare in a bright room. As impressive as this TV is in a bright room, it's equally spectacular in a dark one. Its black levels aren't quite as good as an OLED, but it still has exceptional contrast that delivers incredibly deep, bold blacks for an LED TV, with barely any light glow around bright parts of the screen. It's also a great option for 4k Blu-ray collectors or those looking to get the most out of high-quality streaming services, thanks to its support for Dolby Vision and DTS audio formats.
The TV's image processing is excellent, and it's also very accurate, delivering an image that respects the content creator's intent. It's a versatile TV that's also a great choice for gaming, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, 4k @ 120Hz support, and VRR, but there's noticeable motion blur in fast-paced games, and it has higher input lag than competing models from other brands. It was replaced in 2026 by the Sony BRAVIA 9 II, but we haven't tested the new model yet, so we don't know how it compares.
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Best Mid-Range LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:165HzScreen Finish:MattePanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 100"If you want to save a bit of money, you can step down to the Hisense U7SG for the best mid-range LED TV instead. While it's substantially cheaper, there are some trade-offs to going with a cheaper model. Colors aren't nearly as accurate as the Sony out of the box, and it's not as good at cleaning up low-quality streams like cable TV channels or streaming services. It's not bad at either of those things, either, but there is a noticeable difference.
On the other hand, it's better than the Sony in a bright room. Thanks to its matte anti-reflective coating, direct reflections are barely noticeable, which is great if you have a lot of windows or overhead lights. It's also a very capable gaming TV, with features like VRR to reduce tearing and a high refresh rate. You can even double the refresh rate by dropping the resolution down to 1080p, great for esports gamers on a PC.
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Best Lower Mid-Range LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"If you want something a bit cheaper than the Hisense U7SG, the TCL QM7K is a great alternative. While it's noticeably dimmer than the Hisense, it's still bright enough to deliver a good viewing experience during the day. It also has fantastic contrast, with very deep blacks, but slightly worse uniformity, with slightly more light bleed around bright parts of the scene. Colors are very bright and vibrant with most content, but again, it's slightly worse than the Hisense.
It offers a fantastic selection of gaming features, with minimal motion blur, two HDMI 2.1 ports, support for 4k @ 144Hz, 1080p @ 288Hz, and VRR, making it a great choice for both console and PC gamers. It also supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so physical media collectors don't have to worry about format support at all. It runs the Google TV smart interface, which has a fantastic selection of streaming apps and integrates easily into your existing smart home.
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Best Budget LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:144HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"If you're looking for something more budget-oriented but want modern gaming features and a TV with still pretty good picture quality, the TCL QM6K is a great choice. It's not as bright as the TCL QM7K, but it still handles glare from indirect light sources well. What really makes this TV stand out in the sea of budget models is its local dimming, which helps the TV display deep blacks. However, there's more noticeable light bleed around highlights and subtitles than there is on the more expensive TCL model. Colors aren't as vivid as that TV, and they lack some punch, but it's still colorful enough that the image doesn't look dull. Unfortunately, the TV's image processing isn't nearly as good, so low-resolution content looks a bit soft, and low-bitrate content has visible artifacts.
Even though this model is much more affordable than the QM7K, you still get the exact same core gaming features, so you get support for 4k @ 144Hz, 1080p @ 288Hz, and VRR. It even has similarly fast pixel transitions, keeping motion blur to a minimum. Furthermore, you still get the same low input lag, which is great. It even supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and DTS audio passthrough. The TV's viewing angle is just as narrow as its more expensive sibling's, so it looks its best when viewed from the front.
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Best Cheap LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Resolution:4kNative Refresh Rate:60HzScreen Finish:GlossyPanel Type:LCDSub-Type:VADolby Vision:YesSee all our test resultsSizes:43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85" 100"You're not going to get the best image quality or a big set of features from a cheap TV, but you can still get an okay model like the Hisense QD6QF. Unlike every other LED model on this list, it doesn't have local dimming, so blacks look gray during most scenes and bright details don't stand out. Fortunately, it's bright enough to handle glare in a room with moderate lighting. It does a poor job of removing artifacts from heavily compressed content like low-quality cable channels or streaming services.
The TV is light on gaming features, but you can still game in 4k @ 60Hz with VRR, so screen tearing is kept to a minimum. It does give you the option of gaming in 1440p @ 120Hz, but that mode is hampered by unusually high input lag. Pixel response times are also slightly slow on this model, leading to visible blur behind fast motion. Despite its low price, it offers Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and DTS audio passthrough, so it has excellent compatibility.
Notable Mentions
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TCL X11L:
The TCL X11L competes with the Sony BRAVIA 9 and has the highest peak brightness of any TV we've tested. However, the Sony is already bright enough for most well-lit rooms, and a lot of the TCL's extra brightness goes to waste in HDR, since most content doesn't reach those levels. Since the Sony is cheaper and has superior processing, motion handling, and accuracy, it's the better option for most people.
See our review -
Hisense U75QG:
The Hisense U75QG is similar to the TCL QM7K, but it offers higher peak brightness. Unfortunately, the Hisense makes HDR content look much brighter than intended and has more apparent motion blur. Since the TCL offers clearer motion and has superior contrast, it's the better TV overall.
See our review -
Hisense U65QF:
The Hisense U65QF competes with the TCL QM6K but offers more brightness. However, the Hisense overbrightens HDR content, so it doesn't stay true to the filmmaker's intent. The TCL provides a more well-rounded experience, with better black levels, superior accuracy, 1080p @ 288Hz, and lower input lag.
See our review
Recent Updates
Jun 10, 2026:
We replaced the TCL QM8K with the Hisense U7SG because it's a newer model that offers better overall value. We checked the rest of the article for accuracy and refreshed the text.
Apr 10, 2026:
We added the TCL X11L to the Notable Mentions.
Feb 13, 2026:
We added a new 'Best Lower Mid-Range LED TV' category to give more options, and made the TCL QM7K our pick for that spot. We also added the Hisense U75QG to the Notable Mentions and revised some text throughout for accuracy.
Nov 13, 2025:
Replaced the TCL Q651G with the Hisense QD6QF in the 'Best Cheap LED TV' category, and added the TCL S551G to the Notable Mentions.
Aug 21, 2025:
We replaced the Hisense U8N with the TCL QM8K, the Hisense U6N with the TCL QM6K, and the Hisense A7N with the TCL Q651G. We also refreshed the Notable Mentions and updated some text throughout the article for accuracy.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best LCD TVs to buy for most people in each price range. 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'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's a list of all our recent LED TV reviews. 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.