Buying guide for Best 4K TVs
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4K TVs are standard in today’s television market — you can find them in just about any size and price range you wish. They’re so ubiquitous, in fact, that you may not even realize you’ve gotten a 4K TV until you’re watching your favorite streaming show and realize it’s sharper than you remembered. That’s how common 4K TVs have become.
The term 4K, also known as Ultra HD or UHD, refers to screen resolution. TVs with 4K displays have around twice as many individual pixels as the former TV screen standard, 1080p (Full HD). They have four times as many pixels as 720p (HD) TVs. The 4K technology entered the market in 2013, and it’s the top choice if you like streaming services such as Netflix and HBO that release popular shows in 4K.
Since all 4K TVs share the same resolution, picking one that’s right for you depends on other factors. The picture quality of a TV, which refers to its contrast, brightness, color and degree of high dynamic range (HDR) support, is what many consumers list as their top concern. Size is also important; the best TV size for you depends on the dimensions of your room and what kind of viewing experience you want. And because flat-screen TVs generally don’t have the best built-in speakers, it’s good to check whether the one you want supports surround sound and standards such as Dolby Atmos.
Our pick for the best 4K TV is the Hisense 75-Inch U6 Pro Series Mini‑LED ULED 4K TV. We love its superior picture quality and vibrant colors, which come courtesy of its high-QLED technology.
Expert Tip
Make sure the TV you’re buying has enough HDMI ports for your devices. Most mid- and high-end models have at least four, but cheaper TVs might only have one or two.
STAFF
BestReviews
Editors' picks
Hisense 75-Inch U6 Pro Series Mini‑LED ULED 4K UHD HDR Smart Fire TV
Editors’ Favorite
Display Type: Mini-LED | Refresh Rate: 144Hz | AMD FreeSync: Premium Pro | Smart OS: Fire OS | Voice Remote: Alexa
For dads who enjoy gaming, watching sports or relaxing with their favorite shows and movies, the Hisense U7SG MiniLED TV is a great addition to any home. As the Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Hisense designed the U7SG with sports fans in mind.
It delivers bright, vibrant colors and a native 165-hertz refresh rate, which helps fast-moving action look smooth and lifelike. Whether you're watching World Cup matches, the NBA Finals or blockbuster films, you’ll get an immersive experience every time that makes you feel like you’re right where the action is. Gamers will appreciate the responsive, low-latency performance for a smoother gaming experience, and Dolby Atmos adds a deep, rich sound that makes every movie, TV show or live sports broadcast sound exciting.
With its sleek design, the U7SG fits seamlessly into any space while delivering a premium viewing experience the whole family can enjoy — making it an excellent Father's Day gift for upcoming World Cup watch parties.
Insignia 50-Inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV
Great Value
Display Type: LED | Refresh Rate: 60Hz | AMD FreeSync: No | Smart OS: Fire OS | Voice Remote: Alexa
There is perhaps no other 50-inch TV than the Insignia 50-Inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with this kind of display quality at such a low price, making it the best option if you want something for a bigger room without overspending. LED technology produces vibrant colors and lifelike visuals, while 4K resolution makes everything pop as if you’re actually seeing it with your own eyes.
It’s a Fire TV, so you’ll have access to thousands of paid apps, including Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+, as well as plenty of free TV apps such as Tubi, Plex and Pluto. Its audio technology produces 3D sound for an immersive experience, and the Smart Home hub lets you sync compatible smart devices on your network to manage them, including doorbell cameras and Alexa-enabled speakers.
The affordable price is the main reason you’ll want to consider this TV if you’re working with a budget. However, the picture quality is surprisingly good, and the smart features are comparable to those of high-end models. A great choice for budget-conscious shoppers.
Westinghouse 43-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV
Budget Pick
Display Type: LED | Refresh Rate: 60Hz | AMD FreeSync: No | Smart OS: Roku OS | Voice Remote: Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri
If you’re looking for a quality TV but don’t want to spend more than $300, the Westinghouse 43-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV is a fantastic value pick. Despite its lower price tag, this TV delivers impressive visuals and smart TV capabilities so that you can watch your favorite shows and movies.
With a 43-inch screen, it’s perfect for bedrooms or small living rooms. Its Roku operating system is one of the most user-friendly platforms for smart TVs, with easy-to-navigate menus and access to free TV. HDR technology produces lifelike visuals, and mobile app casting lets you watch whatever is on your phone on the big screen. Plus, it works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant-enabled and Apple HomeKit devices.
Although it’s a cheaper TV, we’re big fans of how comprehensive it is. You’ll get many of the same features as more expensive models, including access to more than 350 streaming apps.
Amazon Fire TV 65-Inch Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV
Premium Amazon
Display Type: LED | Refresh Rate: 60Hz | AMD FreeSync: No | Smart OS: Fire TV OS | Voice Remote: Alexa,
The Amazon Fire TV 65-Inch Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV is Amazon’s midrange Fire TV line, and we tested one in our lab. While its LED display can’t quite match an OLED or QLED panel, it does deliver solid picture quality at an affordable price across all size classes.
Amazon’s Fire TVs make the most of its deep Alexa integration, and with the TVs in the Omni Series, you can accomplish a slew of functions and commands using just your voice. If you’ve got an Amazon Prime account and are used to the Alexa ecosystem, we think you’d be highly pleased with the Omni Series.
You can output sound from an Omni Series TV to your Echo speakers wirelessly, and you’re not restricted to Amazon content: The Omni Series supports Apple AirPlay and all the popular streaming services, not just Prime Video.
Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV
Work of Art
Display Type: QLED | Refresh Rate: 144 Variable | AMD FreeSync: No | Smart OS: Tizen OS | Voice Remote: Alexa
Samsung's The Frame is much more than your everyday TV. It doubles as your personal art gallery, where you can display works such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Rembrandt’s Storm on the Sea of Galilee.
It’s a 65-inch TV with a crisp 4K display and an ultra-slim design that lets it blend into your wall, so you won’t even notice it when it’s in Art mode. A 120-hertz refresh rate means sports and live TV look super smooth, and a variable refresh rate of 144-hertz at 4K makes it suitable for gaming. AI-enhanced sound and picture create an immersive viewing experience when watching your favorite movies and TV shows.
It requires a subscription to enjoy the full capacity of Art mode, which includes 30 refreshed artworks per month throughout the year. If you want a TV that can add a bit of ambience to your home, this is the right choice.
How we tested
We researched the latest models of 4K TVs to come up with our top seven above and tested the 50-inch class Amazon Fire TV Omni Series in our testing lab to see how it did in the following areas.
Ease of use
- Setup: We looked at how easy it was for a single person to set up, from taking it out of the box and assembling it to personalizing its streaming OS and installing apps.
- User interface: As most 4K TVs available are smart TVs, we rated how intuitive or confusing it was to navigate the user interface, especially the streaming menus and apps.
- Remote and voice assistant: We tested how easy it was to use the TV’s remote control and, if applicable, how it responded to various voice assistants like Alexa for both basic and advanced functions.
Quality
- Picture: We tested picture quality by watching multiple TV programs and videos with a variety of lighting, including news and sports, and we compared the TV's performance to that of non-4K TVs.
- Audio: We listened to the TV’s built-in speakers and studied its speaker settings as well as how it connected and performed with external speakers.
Advanced features
- Screen mirroring: We tested how easy it was to connect to devices like smartphones, tablets and computers via wireless connections for casting and screen mirroring.
- Gaming: We evaluated how fast the TV reacted to action (input lag) and how well it worked with a game console.
- Accessibility features: We tested the screen reader, screen magnification and closed captioning. We also evaluated how easy those were to activate.
What to know before you buy a 4K TV
OLED, QLED and LED: What’s the difference?
OLED, QLED, LED and other acronyms refer to the type of display used by a 4K TV. QLED, LED and variants like QNED and XLED are all branches of the LCD family. LED panels have an LED backlight to illuminate the LCD layer, while QLED displays have both an LED backlight and a layer of “quantum dots” that create color.
OLED is different. OLED displays need no backlight, as each pixel of an OLED display shines on its own. Where other screens need to add dark and black areas in front of their backlight, OLED panels actually turn pixels off. OLEDs are expensive, however, and heat and burn-in issues prevent them from getting as bright as the maximum brightness of QLED displays. You may have an OLED display in a high-end smartphone, such as the iPhone and Galaxy S, or in a premium tablet.
Screen size and viewing distance
It’s tempting to get the biggest size class of TV you can afford, but it’s nicer and more pleasant to get one that fits the scale of your room. You probably don’t want a TV smaller than 50 inches if you have a great room or a large open living area. And, unless you’re outfitting a dedicated home theater, we generally don’t recommend a TV larger than 65 inches for a small room or apartment.
Note: The way you mount your TV — on a wall mount or stand — can also affect how big it feels in a room.
A standard rule of thumb says the recommended distance to sit from a 4K TV is 1.5 times its vertical screen size (not the diagonal screen size). For example, a 65-inch 4K TV usually has a 32-inch vertical screen size. This comes out as 4 feet of recommended distance from the TV to the viewer.
Another way to think about it is that the screen should occupy about 30 degrees of your field of vision so you can see the whole screen at once with minimal distraction.
High dynamic range (HDR) and Dolby Vision
HDR is one of our favorite features on 4K TVs because it dramatically improves colors and overall picture quality. With an HDR TV, both contrast and color improve. Roses look redder, violets look bluer and pitch-blacks are much darker. In short, you get all-around superior image quality.
There are several formats of HDR available, most notably HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Dolby Vision is generally accepted as having the best image quality, but not all TVs support it. HDR10 and its relatives are widely supported. All the major streaming services offer HDR content and support Dolby Vision. Most 4K Blu-ray discs also support HDR.
HDMI ports
Make sure the 4K TV you buy has enough HDMI ports to handle all of your existing devices. Keep an eye out for HDMI 2.1 ports, as they support higher bandwidth, premium HDR support and more fluid gaming.
Accessories
- To mount your TV to a wall, check what size VESA mount it accepts, and get a TV mount that fits.
- Practically all 4K TVs are also smart TVs, but there are reasons to get separate streaming devices, like portability, OS and interface preference, advanced features or more frequent updates.
FAQ
Q. How much does a 4K TV cost?
A. Expect to pay anywhere from $250 for a 50-inch or smaller TV with an LED panel to almost $4,000 for a top-of-the-line 83-inch OLED display. When it comes to 4K TVs, the size class is the biggest factor in how much you pay, followed by the display type.
The most common 4K TV sizes are 55 to 65 inches, and these may cost between $450 and $2,000 with top OLED and QLED models hovering at the $1,500 level.
A good way to save money is by buying last year's 4K TV. While it may not have the latest TV features and technologies, there are some excellent TV deals available if you are willing to buy a slightly older 4K TV.
Q. What should gamers look for in a 4K TV?
A. Gaming TVs should respond as fast as possible to the signals coming from the controller and console, and they should be able to visually keep up with fast-paced action. In 4K TVs, look for a fast refresh rate of 60 hertz or more (120 hertz is common for 65-inch sizes), a low input lag of less than 10 milliseconds and support for variable refresh rate with either NVIDIA’s G-Sync or AMD’s FreeSync protocols.
To take advantage of the top capabilities of the latest gaming consoles, also look for a 4K TV with HDMI 2.1 inputs as well as convenient auto-gaming modes like auto low-latency mode, or ALLM.
Q. Should I update the firmware on my 4K TV?
A. Yes, you should update your 4K TV’s firmware before you do anything else. Just like laptops and smartphones, TV OSes like Roku OS, webOS, Google TV and Amazon FireOS need to be updated regularly to deliver improvements and security fixes. When you first turn on your 4K TV, connect it to your local Wi-Fi network. Then, use the on-screen settings menus to check for firmware updates. If updates are available, download and install them. Firmware updates typically take about 30 minutes to complete.
Q. Where can I find 4K TV shows and movies?
A. Smart televisions support a huge collection of streaming apps. Many of them, including Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video host plenty of crystal-clear 4K content. UltraHD Blu-ray discs also offer 4K content.
Q. Do I need new HDMI cables for a 4K TV?
A. If you’ve bought an HDMI cable in the last few years, it’s likely you won’t have to replace it to watch 4K. To make sure, check if your HDMI cable is labeled Ultra High-Speed HDMI. It’s particularly helpful to have HDMI cables that specifically support the HDMI 2.1 standard to take advantage of advanced features and capabilities.
