LED TVs have been around for a long time, but in recent years, a new technology called Mini LED has emerged. Mini LED isn't actually a technical term; it's mainly marketing, but most people understand it to refer to smaller, more numerous LEDs than traditional backlights. This should result in better contrast, as the higher number of LEDs and greater number of zones allows the backlight to more finely dim darker areas of the screen. Mini LED TVs have evolved in 2026, with the release of new RGB Mini LED models as well. These models replace the traditional blue or white LEDs with separate red, green, and blue-light-emitting diodes. However, just because a TV is marketed as Mini LED doesn't necessarily mean it performs well, or even that it has local dimming at all. Want to learn more? Check out our guide on what Mini LED is. If you're also considering an OLED TV, take a look at our article on Mini LED vs. OLED to see which technology is better for your needs.
Below are our recommendations for the best Mini LED TVs you can buy. For more options, see our picks for the best OLED TVs, the best gaming TVs, and the best sports TVs. You can also vote on which ones you want us to buy and test, and you can read our 2026 TV lineup article to learn about the new Mini LED models being released later this year.
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 Mini LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Dimming Zone Count Of The Tested TV:See all our test resultsSizes:65" 75" 85" 115"The Sony BRAVIA 9 II is the best Mini LED TV that we've tested. This 2026 model actually uses an RGB Mini LED backlight, which features separate red, green, and blue LEDs instead of a single light per zone. This allows the TV to display much brighter, more vibrant colors than the cheaper models on this list that use single LEDs. It looks great in a dark room thanks to its very high contrast ratio and excellent local dimming feature. It's also an incredibly good TV for a bright room, as it's bright enough to easily overcome glare and its matte anti-reflective coating effectively eliminates direct reflections.
It also has a great selection of features. It's powered by the Google TV smart interface and ships with the Gemini AI smart assistant. It has a great selection of streaming apps, and it can be used in an offline basic TV mode if you're concerned about data privacy. It's also good for gaming, with two HDMI 2.1 bandwidth inputs and support for 4k @ 120Hz gaming with the latest consoles. It doesn't support a higher refresh rate for PC gamers, though, which may disappoint some gamers.
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Best Mid-Range Mini LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Dimming Zone Count Of The Tested TV:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 100"If you want something cheaper than the Sony BRAVIA 9 II, the Hisense U7SG is the best mid-range LED TV we've tested. It's a great TV overall, with very high peak brightness and very good colors. Its local dimming feature isn't quite as good as the Sony's, so blacks look slightly more gray in a dark room, and there's more light bleeding around bright spots on a dark background. While that's one of the most noticeable trade-offs of going with a cheaper model, the Hisense is also considerably less accurate, but many people won't even notice. On the other hand, the Hisense has a matte anti-reflective coating, making it a far better choice for a bright room, as reflections are nearly a thing of the past.
It also has a fantastic selection of gaming features, including a higher 165Hz refresh rate, and you can even boost it to 330Hz with a lower 1080p resolution. With its low input lag and VRR support to reduce tearing, it's a fantastic choice for PC esports gaming. It runs the Google TV smart interface, including access to the Gemini AI smart assistant, so there's no real difference between them.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Mini LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Dimming Zone Count Of The Tested TV:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"If the Hisense U7SG is out of your price range but you still want a Mini LED TV that offers solid image quality and a ton of features, you can go with the TCL QM7K instead. There are some noticeable trade-offs to going with a cheaper model. It's not nearly as bright as the Hisense, so bright details don't stand out as well, but it actually has better contrast, so dark details are deeper and inkier in a dark room. It's also not as good in a bright room, as it has worse reflection handling.
On the other hand, it offers very similar gaming features to the more expensive Hisense, including support for 4k @ 144Hz, 1080p @ 288Hz, and VRR, so it's a great choice for both console and PC gamers. It runs the Google TV smart interface, which has a massive selection of streaming apps and gaming services built in, plus it integrates easily with your other smart devices. This TV has been replaced in 2026 by the TCL QM7L, which is actually a noticeably better TV than the QM7K, but it's very expensive at launch, so within the same price range, you're better off getting the Hisense U7SG instead.
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Best Budget Mini LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Dimming Zone Count Of The Tested TV:See all our test resultsSizes:55" 65" 75" 85" 98"If you're working with a strict budget but you want modern gaming features and a TV that still has pretty good picture quality, the TCL QM6K is the best budget Mini LED TV. What really makes this TV stand out in the sea of budget models is that it has full-array local dimming, which helps the TV display deep blacks in a dark room. However, unlike the more expensive models on this list, there's a more noticeable light glow around highlights, subtitles, and other bright objects on a dark background. It's also not as bright as the TCL QM7K, but it still does a good job handling glare from indirect light sources.
Even though this model is 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 and low input lag, so motion blur is kept to a minimum and games feel responsive. It also runs the same Google TV smart interface, with the same great smart features.
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Best Cheap Mini LED TV
Mixed UsageHome TheaterBright RoomSportsGamingBrightnessBlack LevelColorMotion HandlingGame Mode ResponsivenessProcessing (In Development)Dimming Zone Count Of The Tested TV:See all our test resultsSizes:43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"If you want something even cheaper than the TCL QM6K while still offering Mini LED backlighting, check out the Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K instead. There's no denying it: this is a substantially worse TV than the TCL QM6K, but it's still okay overall. It gets surprisingly bright for the price, easily outclassing all other similarly priced models, making it as good as the TCL for a bright or moderately lit room. Where you'll really notice the difference, though, is in a dark room. While the Vizio offers Mini LED local dimming, it has a very low native contrast ratio, so you'll see a lot more haloing around bright highlights and subtitles on a dark background compared to the TCL, and blacks just aren't nearly as crisp overall.
One area in which it excels compared to the other TVs on this list is its viewing angle. It's remarkably well-suited for a wide seating arrangement, as the image remains far more consistent as you move to the sides. It's also available in a wider range of sizes, as it's the only TV on this list available in a smaller 50- and 43-inch size. One thing to note is that this TV is sold exclusively at Walmart, and it requires a Walmart account to use most of its extra features. This isn't that much different from the other TVs on this list, most of which require a sign-in to use; it's just one more account you'll need to create.
Notable Mentions
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TCL X11L:
The TCL X11L competes with the Sony BRAVIA 9 II and has the highest peak brightness of any TV we've tested. However, the Sony is already bright enough for the vast majority of content and rooms, and a lot of the TCL's extra brightness goes to waste, since most content doesn't reach those levels. Since the Sony has superior processing, motion handling, and accuracy, it's the better option for most people.
See our review -
Sony BRAVIA 7 II:
The Sony BRAVIA 7 II is a fantastic TV that's almost as good as the more expensive Sony BRAVIA 9 II. It's only slightly better than the Hisense U7SG, though, and about double the price, so it's not worth the price difference for most people.
See our review -
Hisense U65QF:
The Hisense U65QF competes with the TCL QM6K but offers more brightness. However, the Hisense really overbrightens content, so it doesn't stay true to the content creator's intent. The TCL offers a more well-rounded experience, with better overall black levels, superior accuracy, 1080p @ 288Hz, and lower input lag.
See our review
Recent Updates
Jul 22, 2026:
We replaced the Sony BRAVIA 9 with the Sony BRAVIA 9 II, as the new model is significantly better than the old one. We also removed the 'Best Small Mini LED TV' category as there are no picks available at the moment, and replaced it with 'Best Cheap Mini LED TV' with the Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K instead.
Jun 10, 2026:
We replaced the TCL QM8K with the Hisense U7SG, as it's a newer model and provides better overall value. Refreshed the rest of the text throughout.
Apr 01, 2026:
We revised the introduction and replaced the TCL QM9K with the TCL X11L in the Notable Mentions.
Jan 29, 2026:
We added a new 'Best Lower Mid-Range Mini 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.
Jan 08, 2026:
We confirmed that our picks are still accurate and available to purchase, and updated the list of TVs at the bottom of the article.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best Mini LED 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 not available in the United States).
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's a list of all our Mini LED TV reviews from the past few years. 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.