These Are The 10 Best TVs Of 2025: From High-End OLEDs To Budget 4K Screens

When it comes to TVs, life, as Ferris Bueller once observed, moves pretty fast. There are constant innovations in picture and sound, which on the plus side means there's more choice than ever in 2025 – but that doesn't make it easy to keep up, or to find the right TV for you. Today's TVs are sharper, brighter, and smarter than ever, with stunning QLED and OLED displays available at nearly every price point. But with so many options available – QLED, OLED, Mini-LED, 4K, 8K – the decision can feel impossible. Each new model looks suspiciously like the last, and yet all claim to change the way you watch.

Generally speaking, we think that the best TVs on the market today are smart TVs with at least 4K display quality. 4K should be your baseline resolution when shopping online – anything lower (like Full or standard HD) is last-gen and will do you no favours at all when you sit down to watch today's ultra-high-definition series and blockbusters. Whether it's the bleached Lumon walls of Severance, the vibrant Thai foliage of The White Lotus, or cordyceps-riddled clickers tearing jugulars out in a fountain of (high dynamic range) claret in The Last of Us, you want your picture to look as good as it possibly can. And with a smart TV, streaming is easier than ever, bringing all your platforms together in one place. It's an unequivocal must in today's best TV market. So, as you browse our selection, rest assured that we've chosen TVs which all meet the standard for what we believe the best TV should include – 4K resolution and smart capabilities.

Likewise, we've considered film fans and gamers, highlighting models that deliver on processing power, response time, colour depth, brightness, and gamut range – all selected from top TV brands like Samsung, Sony, LG, and Hisense.

So whether you're diving into a high-octane thriller, bingeing a new Netflix series, settling in for a gaming session, or soaking up the crisp smoothness of live sports, there's a TV here for everyone.

How we chose the best TVs

To determine this year's best TVs, we compared trusted brands, researched genuine user feedback, and considered the overall value for money for every price range. Where possible, we base our recommendations on hands-on testing experience. The models we have selected prioritise display quality, resolution, sound, build, design, connectivity options, and access to popular smart TV apps. Retailers were chosen based on price, availability and reputation as reliable and trusted sites and sellers.

Please note: All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

Best TVs of 2025

Expert's choice: Best TVs of 2025

Our choice for best overall TV is the Samsung QE55S90D. It boasts a fantastically crisp display, snappy performance, and outstanding value for what it offers. The perfect balance between quality and affordability. We also rate the quality of both the TCL 43RC650K and the Sony Bravia 8 which we rigorously tested. The former of the two is a particularly great budget option.

Other products to consider

How to choose the right TV for you

Streaming

One of the perks of having a smart TV is that a selection of on-demand catch-up apps, such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, and ITV Hub, come pre-installed. However, the selection of apps or those available for download may differ between manufacturers and models. It's worth double-checking that the model you're looking at can support the streaming and subscription services you need. If you're a fan of streaming music via your TV, for example, make sure your choice of model supports your provider, whether that be Spotify or Apple Music.

Set you budget and spend wisely

A given to most, but with a purchase this important your money should go where you need it and not on fancy extras that turn out to make no difference to your viewing experience. If you're all about image quality, forgoing the likes of gaming modes and VRRs (variable refresh rates) might be the logical way forward. Equally, if you're a gamer and want the techie extras, you may find a smaller screen offers a bigger bang for your buck. But, of course, one of the biggest aspects that'll govern your purchase is screen size. Get the right screen size, and the rest should pretty much fall into place.

Size and viewing distance

Here's the thing: bigger is only better if your space allows it. A 65-inch screen in a small living room is about as cinematic as watching from the front row of an IMAX. Exciting for about five minutes, then exhausting. A TV should disappear when it needs to, pulling you into the movie, the game or the world on screen. And then when it's off, it should fade into the background. Not stand there, demanding attention. The last thing you want is to find yourself settling in for an evening of reading, only to feel the monolith you snagged half-price last Black Friday looming large over your shoulder.

To choose the right TV size, considering your space and what seating position will allow you to get the most out of your screen. Samsung suggests multiplying your screen size by 1.2 to find the ideal viewing distance. For a 55-inch TV, this would mean placing your TV about 66 inches (1.7 metres) from where you'll be seated. However, you can also use this formula in reverse. Measure the distance from your seating area to where you want your TV, then divide by 1.2 to work out a rough estimate of the screen size appropriate to your available space. It's a simple way to narrow your search, avoid buyer's remorse and ensure you're not overspending on a TV you don't need.

TV terminology

4K UHD

Boasting roughly 4,000 pixels, 4K UHD offers about four times the resolution of standard full HD. This means sharper images, finer details, and more immersion when watching your favourite films. It's the difference between watching Dune: Part Two at your local cinema and paying that little bit extra to experience it as written in IMAX.

HDMI

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is your essential connection point. It's the standard for transferring high-definition audio and video from devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles – such as your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X – and PCs to your TV.

Contrast

Contrast is the ratio between the lightest and darkest tones a screen can produce. A higher contrast ratio means deeper blacks and brighter whites, resulting in a more dynamic and realistic image. In film noir or Robert Eggers' Nosferatu, strong contrast is crucial for creating atmosphere and suspense, highlighting shadows and emphasising Count Orlock's outrageous tash.

HDR

HDR (High Dynamic Range) significantly boosts the contrast between light and dark tones, as well as colour, to create picture quality with extra depth and realism. It expands the range of colours and luminance levels, making images more vibrant and lifelike.

Refresh rate

Refresh rate is the measure of how many times per second a screen can create a new image, measured in Hertz (Hz). A screen with a high refresh rate creates a much smoother picture, especially noticeable during fast-paced action sequences or gaming sessions.

OLED vs QLED

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLED) don't need a backlight to create light. Instead, they produce their own light, resulting in incredibly deep black, exceptional contrast, and wide viewing angles. QLED (Quantum-Dot Light Emitting Diodes) uses phosphorescent nanocrystals to dramatically enhance the colour produced by an LED backlight. QLED displays often have the best colour range, providing over a billion shades. But that's not to say OLED screens won't fit the bill.

Harvey Isitt is a Tech Writer and Reviewer for Empire, What's The Best, and other brands. He specialises in soundbars, speakers, TVs, cameras, and home cinema setups – if it makes your movies look or sound better, he's tested it. From Dolby Atmos sound systems to multiroom audio, he's all about finding the best setups for film lovers.

Besides reviewing tech, Harvey is a devoted cinephile with an ever-growing movie collection and a borderline reckless number of streaming subscriptions. He runs @filmsyoushouldbewatching on Instagram, where he shares his love of film with over half a million followers.