When choosing a TV for movie watching you should first consider the lighting conditions of the TV room. You will generally have a better experience if you watch movies in a dark room. You should be looking for a TV that can deliver deep blacks, has rich colors, and has bright highlights, especially in HDR content.

We've tested 80 TVs and below are our recommendations for the best ones you can buy in 2019.

Note: Prices and availability fluctuate a lot at the beginning of the year as last year's models are gradually replaced by newer ones.

1. Best TV for Watching Movies: Sony A8F

   

   Sony A8F

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   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   9.4

   Movies

   What it is: Movies in the dark. The TV will be used for watching movies in a controlled environment, directly in front, in a home theater way. Mostly only high quality content, like Blu-rays, UHD Blu-rays, streaming and a little bit of HDR.

   Score components:

   • 20% Contrast
   • 17% Local Dimming
   • 11% 1080p Input
   • 10% Black Uniformity
   • 8% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 4k Input
   • 6% 24p Judder
   • 5% Motion Interpolation
   • 5% Stutter
   • 3% SDR ABL
   • 3% Pre Calibration
   • 2% Post Calibration
   • 2% 480p Input

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : OLED
   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : WRGB
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 55" 65"

   The best TV for watching movies is the Sony A8F. This OLED TV has excellent overall performance and watching movies in a dark room on the Sony A8F is a remarkable experience. The emissive OLED technology delivers perfect and uniform blacks as each individual pixel can turn off. This infinite contrast ratio helps improve the picture quality with excellent results. It is also a good choice if you have a wide room, since it has great viewing angles and you can watch from the side without losing much in picture quality. It is loaded with nice image processing goodies, like 24p judder removal and motion interpolation that can further enhance your viewing experience.

   However, just like all OLED TVs, the Sony A8F has the risk of temporary image retention or permanent burn-in, although we do not expect most people to experience this with normal, varied usage. Also, due to the nearly instantaneous response time, some people might notice some stutter, which can, however, easily be fixed with the help of motion interpolation.

   Overall, the Sony A8F is an excellent TV that will keep movie enthusiasts very happy.

   See our review

2. Cheaper Alternative: LG B8

   

   LG B8

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   Amazon.com

   Type : OLED

   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : WRGB

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 55" 65"

   If the Sony A8F is too expensive, then get the LG B8. It uses an OLED display very similar to the Sony A8F. The overall performance of the two is nearly identical. The B8 has slightly worse gray uniformity, although this could be due to panel variance. It is a better choice for gaming, as it has less input lag and the smart platform is a bit faster and easier to use.

   See our review

3. Brighter Room Alternative: Samsung Q9FN

   

   Samsung Q9FN

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   Amazon.com

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 65" 75"

   If you find that the Sony A8F or the LG B8 are not bright enough for your bright room, then get the Samsung Q9FN. It does not have the perfect blacks of the OLEDs, but it can get very bright. The Samsung Q9FN can deliver an excellent movie watching experience both in bright and in dark rooms due to the effective local dimming that allows it to display deep blacks. It has excellent reflection handling, can easily fight bright room glare, and has many picture-enhancing features like 24p Judder removal and motion interpolation. 

   See our review

4. Best Mid-range TV for Watching Movies: Sony X900F

   

   Sony X900F

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   8.5

   Movies

   What it is: Movies in the dark. The TV will be used for watching movies in a controlled environment, directly in front, in a home theater way. Mostly only high quality content, like Blu-rays, UHD Blu-rays, streaming and a little bit of HDR.

   Score components:

   • 20% Contrast
   • 17% Local Dimming
   • 11% 1080p Input
   • 10% Black Uniformity
   • 8% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 4k Input
   • 6% 24p Judder
   • 5% Motion Interpolation
   • 5% Stutter
   • 3% SDR ABL
   • 3% Pre Calibration
   • 2% Post Calibration
   • 2% 480p Input

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : LED
   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

   If the Sony A8F is beyond your allocated budget for a TV, the Sony X900F is the best mid-range TV for watching movies in a dark room. It doesn't have the perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratio of the A8F, but it's no slouch either. The X900F has an excellent native contrast ratio and a decent local dimming feature that further improves dark room performance. Motion is smooth and crisp, with less stutter than the A8F or the B8.

   Unfortunately, it doesn't have the wide viewing angles or the perfect black uniformity of the A8F and the B8.

   Overall, it is a great TV for most uses, and it should please most people. If you can still find it, the Sony X900E is an equally good choice for a mid-range TV.

   See our review

5. Cheaper Alternative: Vizio P Series 2018

   

   Vizio P Series 2018

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   B&H

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 55" 65" 75"

   If you find the Sony X900F expensive, then get the Vizio P Series 2018. The Vizio does not have the excellent reflections handling that the Sony X900F has. On the other hand, the P series is a very good TV. It is excellent for watching movies due to its great dark scene performance, excellent motion handling, and a low input lag, which is great for gamers.

   See our review

6. Best Budget TV for Watching Movies: TCL R617

   

   TCL R617

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   8.0

   Movies

   What it is: Movies in the dark. The TV will be used for watching movies in a controlled environment, directly in front, in a home theater way. Mostly only high quality content, like Blu-rays, UHD Blu-rays, streaming and a little bit of HDR.

   Score components:

   • 20% Contrast
   • 17% Local Dimming
   • 11% 1080p Input
   • 10% Black Uniformity
   • 8% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 4k Input
   • 6% 24p Judder
   • 5% Motion Interpolation
   • 5% Stutter
   • 3% SDR ABL
   • 3% Pre Calibration
   • 2% Post Calibration
   • 2% 480p Input

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : LED
   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 55" 65" 75"

   If you find that the Sony X900F is still expensive, the best budget TV for watching movies is the TCL 6 Series R617. You will not get the viewing angles of the Sony A8F or the excellent reflections handling of the X900F.

   On the upside, watching movies on the TCL R617 is a very pleasant experience. The TV has nice deep blacks due to the high contrast ratio and local dimming support that make the picture look very good. The TCL can get very bright (brighter than the more expensive LG SK9500) in both SDR and HDR content, and its wide color gamut displays vivid colors with highlights that pop. It also has an excellent low input lag, which is great for gaming.

   Overall, the R617 is a very good TV for most usages and will perform very well when you decide to watch your favorite movie.

   See our review

7. Cheaper Alternative: TCL S405

   

   TCL S405

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 43" 49" 55" 65"

   If you find that the TCL R617 is still too pricey and want to get a cheaper budget TV, then get the TCL S Series S405. The S425 is the newer version; they are the exact same internally, but there are some slight cosmetic changes. The S405/S425 cannot get as bright as the R617. However, it has a great contrast with deep blacks which looks good in dark rooms, and a low motion blur that keeps fast content clear. It is also equipped with a very low input lag which will keep gamers happy. Overall it is a decent TV for watching movies, considering the price.

   See our review