- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Best OLED
- Best For Movies
- Best Sound
- All Reviews
- Discussions
- Store-bought TVs; no cherry-picked units
- Easily comparable results
- No ads; unbiased reviews
- Supported directly by you via insider access and when you purchase through our affiliate links
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TVs have been growing in popularity and have become more affordable since hitting the consumer market in 2013. They're different from the traditional LED-backlit LCD TV because instead of using a backlight, each pixel is self-emissive. This means that they can turn on and off on their own, producing perfect black levels with no blooming around bright objects, and the picture quality in dark rooms is fantastic. The best OLED TVs generally get less bright than their LED counterparts, and they have the risk of permanent burn-in with constant exposure to static elements, but we don't expect this to be an issue for those who watch varied content. If you want the best picture quality possible, you can't go wrong with an OLED.
We've tested more than 10 OLEDs under the latest test bench, and below are our recommendations for the best OLED TVs to buy. See our picks for the best TVs, the best TVs for Xbox One Series X, and the best TVs for PS5.
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Best OLED TV: LG C1 OLED
Type OLEDSub-TypeWRGBResolution 4kSizes : 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"The LG C1 OLED is the best OLED TV for all-around performance that we've tested. Although all OLEDs deliver similar fantastic picture quality, this one stands out for its value because it has many gaming-oriented features that should please most people. It delivers the same stunning picture quality in dark rooms with perfect blacks and no blooming around bright objects.
The TV has a 120Hz panel with four HDMI 2.1 inputs, meaning you can take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X's capabilities with 4k @ 120 fps gaming. In terms of its variable refresh rate (VRR) support, it has native FreeSync and HDMI Forum VRR, as well as G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. Its built-in operating system is LG's webOS, which has a user-friendly interface and a ton of apps available to download. It comes with the newest version of the Magic Remote, whose point-and-press feature can be used as a Wii remote, making menu navigation even easier.
Sadly, besides the risk of permanent burn-in, there are a few other issues with the TV. It doesn't get extremely bright, especially in HDR, so some highlights don't pop the way they should. OLEDs are known to not get bright, but this one is worse than others. The out-of-the-box accuracy is also bad, and even though this can vary between units, you may need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest. If this doesn't bother you, it's the best OLED we've tested.
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Cheaper Alternative: LG A1 OLED
Type OLEDSub-TypeWRGBResolution 4kSizes : 48" 55" 65" 77"If you want to save a bit of money, then look into the LG A1 OLED. It's a no-frills OLED that lacks any gaming features like VRR support and a 120Hz panel that the LG C1 OLED has, but it still delivers the same fantastic picture quality for nearly any type of usage. It has a near-infinite contrast ratio with perfect black uniformity, and like any OLED, it has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate no matter where you sit. Its HDR brightness is worse, so most highlights aren't as vivid and don't pop the way they should, but it's still excellent for watching HDR movies because of its perfect black levels. However, you still get the great webOS smart interface, making it easy to stream your favorite content.
If you want the best OLED TV, you can't go wrong with the C1, but if you don't need those extra gaming features, then check out the A1.
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Best OLED TV For Movies: Sony A90J OLED
Type OLEDSub-TypeWRGBResolution 4kSizes : 55" 65" 83"The Sony A90J OLED is the best OLED TV we've tested for watching movies. Even though all OLEDs deliver the same exceptional picture quality when watching movies in dark rooms, this one stands out just a bit more than the competition. It uses the new evo panel, which the LG C1 OLED doesn't have, allowing it to get brighter.
As mentioned, what makes this TV better than other OLEDs for watching movies in SDR or HDR is its decent HDR peak brightness, so really small highlights pop. However, like other OLEDs, it has an aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter, so large scenes of bright colors are more dim, so it performs best in dark scenes with small objects, like a starfield. It also has exceptional gradient handling, meaning you won't see much banding in scenes with areas of similar color, like a sunset. Also, Sony TVs are known for their exceptional out-of-the-box accuracy, and this one is no exception.
Sadly, while it's the best OLED TV for watching movies, it still lacks gaming features. It has HDMI 2.1 inputs and a 120Hz panel, but Sony has yet to implement the much-promised VRR update that should come in the future. However, its input lag is higher than the LG, so if you want to also game, the LG remains the best choice. Besides that, this is the best OLED TV for movies.
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Best Sounding OLED TV: LG G1 OLED
Type OLEDSub-TypeWRGBResolution 4kSizes : 55" 65" 77"The LG G1 OLED is the best sounding OLED that we've tested, which is great if you don't plan on buying a soundbar. It has a unique thin design meant to sit flush against a wall using its dedicated slim wall mount, and it's very well-built. It features LG's new evo panel that allows it to get brighter in HDR than other OLEDs like the LG C1 OLED, so combined with its wide color gamut, it delivers an excellent HDR experience.
Its speakers are better than most TVs we've tested as they produce a decent bass, but you'll need a dedicated subwoofer if you want the best bass possible. It has a well-balanced sound profile that gets loud, and even though there's some compression at its max volume, not everyone may hear it. If you want, it has eARC support so that you can connect a compatible receiver through HDMI, and it passes Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio formats, but not DTS:X or DTS.
Sadly, it has an aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL), typical of OLEDs, so large areas of bright colors are less bright. This means it's not ideal for watching sports with bright colors, like hockey. Also, its SDR brightness isn't much of an improvement over the C1, but luckily it has outstanding reflection handling if you want to use it in a well-lit room. Overall, it's the best OLED TV with good built-in speakers that we've tested.
Notable Mentions
- LG B1 OLED: The LG B1 is meant to be a slightly cheaper alternative to the LG C1 with the same features like HDMI 2.1 inputs and VRR support, but it's also not available at as many retailers. See our review
- Sony A80J OLED: The Sony A80J is a cheaper version of the Sony A90J that doesn't get as bright, but it still delivers fantastic movie performance. See our review
- LG CX OLED: The LG CX OLED is the predecessor to the LG C1 OLED, and our unit gets slightly brighter than our C1, but the CX may be harder to find now. Still, you should get whichever you prefer. See our review
- Sony A8H OLED: The Sony A8H is even cheaper than the Sony A90J and performs similarly overall, but it's an older model that may be harder to find. See our review
- Vizio OLED 2020: The Vizio OLED 2020 is meant to be a cheap OLED, but it's not that much cheaper than other models like the LG A1, and there are a ton of bugs with its smart system. See our review
- LG GX OLED: The LG GX is an older version of the LG G1 with good speakers. It doesn't have the evo panel, but you can probably find it for cheaper. See our review
Recent Updates
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Dec 10, 2021: Updated text for clarity and verified picks for availability.
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Oct 15, 2021: Updated text for clarity; moved the Vizio OLED to Notable Mentions because its all-around performance isn't as good as the others; added the LG B1 to Notable Mentions.
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Aug 18, 2021: Replaced the Sony A80J with the Sony A90J for consistency; updated text for clarity.
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Jul 19, 2021: Replaced the LG BX with the LG A1 because it's newer and cheaper; replaced the LG GX with the newer LG G1.
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Jun 25, 2021: Updated text for clarity; added the LG A1 to Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best OLED TVs to buy for most people. 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 would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our reviews of OLED 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.
