The 6 Best TVs - Summer 2021 Reviews

The LG C1 OLED is the best TV we've tested in 2021 in the OLED category. It's a high-end TV from LG that sits below the LG G1 OLED, which has the new evo panel, but since all OLEDs deliver the same exceptional picture quality, it's worth getting the C1 instead. We even tested the 48 inch model as a monitor, which you can read about here.

This is a well-built TV that comes with a premium stand and should look nice in any setup. The stand-out feature of OLEDs is how they can turn off each pixel. This means that it has a near-infinite contrast ratio for perfect blacks, and there's no blooming around bright objects. Since each pixel emits light in all directions, it has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate at wide angles. Although it doesn't get extremely bright in SDR, it has fantastic reflection handling and visibility shouldn't be an issue in most well-lit rooms.

Unfortunately, our unit has poor out-of-the-box color accuracy, but this can vary between units. Also, OLEDs have the risk of permanent burn-in that can be problematic if you constantly watch the same content with static elements, like if you want to leave it on your favorite news channel all day. On the plus side, it has HDMI 2.1 inputs with variable refresh rate (VRR) support, low input lag, and a quick response time for a fantastic gaming experience. Overall, it's the best TV on the market with an OLED screen.

The best TV we've tested in the LED category is the Samsung QN90A QLED. It's a flagship TV from Samsung's 2021 lineup. It features Mini LED backlighting, allowing it to become extremely bright, and combined with its fantastic reflection handling, visibility shouldn't be an issue even in the brightest of environments.

On top of performing well in bright rooms, it's also an excellent choice for watching movies in dark rooms. Its VA panel has a high native contrast ratio, and the full-array local dimming feature helps further deepen any blacks. If you want to use it for watching HDR content, it displays a wide color gamut and supports HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision. It has a 120Hz panel with an HDMI 2.1 input, so you can easily play 4k games up to 120fps from either the PS5 or Xbox Series X. It has native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing, low input lag, and a very quick response time for smooth motion.

Unfortunately, its local dimming feature is worse in Game Mode than outside of it, so blacks aren't as deep when gaming. It also has some uniformity issues with dirty screen effect in the center, but this can vary between units. If you have a wide seating arrangement, you'll be happy to know it has fairly wide viewing angles thanks to Samsung's 'Ultra Viewing Angle' technology. All in all, if you want the best TV with an LED panel, you should be happy with this one.

The best TV for watching HDR content is the Vizio P Series Quantum X 2020. It's Vizio's flagship 4k LED TV from their 2020 lineup that you can still find available in 2021, and it offers great overall performance. It lags behind the competition in terms of smart features because the SmartCast system can feel buggy at times, but if you're after pure excellent picture quality, this one doesn't disappoint.

It's a slightly better choice for watching HDR content because it supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, so you won't have to worry about which format your content is in before streaming it. It also has a high native contrast ratio because it doesn't use any viewing angle technology, and combined with the great local dimming feature, it displays extremely deep blacks with incredible uniformity. In terms of HDR, it displays a wide color gamut and easily gets bright enough to make highlights stand out how the creator intended.

Unfortunately, our unit seems to have a red tint that stays after calibration, and we don't know if this is a common issue or not, so your experience may vary. Also, if you want to game with it, there are some issues in Game Mode, like skipping frames with 4k @ 120Hz content, and its VRR support in 4k only works up to 60Hz. If you don't plan on gaming and just want to watch HDR content, it's one of the best TVs we've tested.

The best TV to buy in the budget category we've tested is the Hisense U6G. Although it's an entry-level 4k TV that doesn't have as many features as the higher-end Hisense U8G, it delivers great value for its price, and it performs very well for most uses. It comes with Android TV built-in, which has many apps you can download through the Google Play Store, but it's not as easy to use as other smart systems.

This TV has a VA panel with a high native contrast ratio, and it has a decent full-array local dimming feature that helps improve the picture quality in dark scenes. Our unit also has fantastic black uniformity with minimal blooming around bright objects. As for watching HDR movies, it's great because it displays a wide color gamut, and although it doesn't get as bright as more expensive options, it's still alright for making highlights stand out. If you want to use it in a well-lit room, the excellent reflection handling and high peak brightness mean that glare shouldn't be an issue in most bright rooms.

Sadly, as expected from a VA panel, it has narrow viewing angles, so it's not a good choice for wide seating areas. Also, it's limited to a 60Hz panel and doesn't have gaming features like VRR support. Still, if you want to use it for casual gaming, it has a quick response time and low input lag. Overall, if you're on a budget, this is a great choice.