Best 6 TVs I've Tested for October 2025

So, you want a new TV? Congratulations, that's the easy part.

Buying the best TV to meet your needs is a balancing act of finding the best picture quality, the best price and the size that's right for your room. Here at CNET, I test TVs head-to-head in our dedicated lab, and I want to help you choose the television with the best bang for your buck. Whether you need it for gaming, sports, or streaming shows and movies, there's a model here for you.

I've reviewed a good deal of the latest 2025 TVs, and yet even though there are some great screens here, some of the recommendations below debuted last year. This is because TVs are a stable technology , and year-to-year improvements are usually minor, which means in some cases you can buy a similar TV to a 2025 model, but for half the price. With Amazon's October Prime Day coming fast, there will also be a good many chances to get to save money on TVs, so it's worth checking out for any further savings on these models.

Here are the best TVs you can buy now, from high-end QLED and OLED TVs to midrange mini-LED and cheap 4K smart TVs .

These are the best TVs for 2025

LG OLED G5

While every other OLED TV until now has shown modest increases year-over-year, the LG G5 is a massive improvement on its predecessor. LG says it has a 40% improvement in brightness -- and I verified this through my own testing -- and it's a TV that can take on LCD TVs for its clarity and punch. The G5 has better color than the company's own C5, and it's a lot better for gaming, too. For the right person, the extra $600 or so for the G5 over the C5 is well worth it.

With its high brightness the G5 is also great for use in a lit room, though it's second to the excellent Samsung S95F, in my testing, in terms of reducing glare in a bright room.

With excellent brightness, punchy contrast and bold color, the LG G5 is one of the best TVs if you want the best picture possible from a 2025 T

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Hisense QD7QF

Key to the Hisense QD7QF's success is full-array local dimming -- a display tech you usually only find in more expensive TVs -- and it's something the previous QD7N also lacked. As a result, this Hisense boasts a level of picture quality I've never seen before in a TV this cheap. The enhanced levels of contrast give images a solidity that meant the Hisense was unmatched.

Adding to its superior picture was its higher brightness -- over twice that of other 2025 budget TVs I tested head-to-head (full review soon) -- and this boosts immersion in video games as well.

As I write this, the QD7QF's price is subject to some volatility -- it's currently $309 (for the 50-inch), but was $400 the previous time I checked. If the Hisense is out of stock or becomes more expensive, the 2024 Fire TV 4-series is almost as good, even if it lacks local dimming.

See at Amazon

Recent updates

Oct. 3, 2025:Hisense QD7 replaced Samsung DU7200 as best budget TV.

August 2025:Added TCL QM6K as best TV under $1,000 and TCL QM8K as the best LCD TV.

July 2025:Samsung S95F OLED is now my Editors' Choice for best high-end TV, and added the Samsung S90F and LG C5 to Also tested.

Other TVs I've tested

Samsung S90F : The Samsung S90F is a fantastic TV with great contrast levels and highly saturated colors, and it's great for gaming, too. Yet it's still more expensive than last year's LG C4 and S90D, and not that much different. Get those instead while they're still available. Read my review of the S90F OLED TV

LG C5 : Like the S90F, this is an excellent OLED TV for watching TV or playing games. However, at the moment, it's stuck between the much-cheaper LG C4 and the much better, though more expensive, LG G5. Read my review of the LG C5 TV .

Panasonic Z95A : The Panasonic Z95A is a superb TV and it has one advantage over most at the price because of its dedicated speaker system, giving it decent sound quality. The inclusion of Amazon Fire TV is also unusual for the price but I still prefer Google TV. Read CNET's hands-on of the Panasonic Z95A .

Samsung S90D : The S90D performed well in our measurement tests but it suffered some contrast loss compared to the C4. Any differences between the C4 and S90D were subtle. Read CNET's full review of the Samsung S90D .

Samsung S95D : With a versatile matte screen and awesome picture, the Samsung S95D delivers astounding image quality, and is quite a bit cheaper than the,nbest muscle relaxers albeit better, S95F. Read CNET's full review of the Samsung S95D .

How CNET tests TVs

In every CNET TV review, I compare three or more similar TVs side by side in a dedicated, light-controlled test lab. With each review, I employ a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process that has been honed in more than two decades of TV reviews. I test TVs with a combination of scientific measurements and real-world evaluations of TV, movies and gaming content.

To ensure I can evaluate the picture quality of every TV I employ the use of an AVPro Connect 8x8 4K HDR splitter so each one receives the same signal. I test the TVs using various lighting conditions playing different media, including 4K HDR movies and console games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR.

In order to measure each TV, I use specialized equipment to grade according to light output and color. My hardware includes a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer and a Murideo Six-G 4K HDR signal generator. I use  Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate every TV I review according to their brightness, black levels and color.

My reviews also account for such things as features, design, smart TV performance, connectivity including HDMI inputs and gaming compatibility.

Check out How CNET Tests TVs for more details.

Factors to consider when choosing a TV

With all of the TVs available today, and all of the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be tough to figure out what's important. Here's a quick guide to help cut through the confusion.

Picture quality:Broadly speaking, the type of display technology helps dictate how good a TV's picture quality is, but OLED is typically the best display technology, and this is followed by LCD (including QLED, and Mini LED). OLED tends to have the best picture quality because it doesn't need a backlight and every pixel can be either on or off, leading to great black levels. In comparison, each LED in a backlight looks after multiple pixels at a time so it isn't as precise -- it's not yet 1:1. Among midrange models, look for a feature including full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in my experience. Additionally, If a TV uses Quantum Dots it often leads to better color performance, whether it's an OLED or an LCD.

Screen size:Bigger is better in my book. I recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room or main TV -- and 65 inches or larger is best. More so than any "feature," stepping up in TV screen size is the best use of your money. One of the most common post-TV-purchase complaints I've heard is from people who didn't go big enough. And I rarely hear people complain that their TV is too large. It's worth adding that while TVs can get really big indeed , 4K resolution is sufficient for even the biggest models, and CNET doesn't recommend any 8K TVs as they represent a poor comparative value.

Price:TVs range in price from $100 to more than $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive and spending more money can also get you better image quality. Most entry-level TVs have a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time, so it might be worth spending more to get a better picture. It's also best to shop for a TV in the fall when prices are lower.

Sound quality:Every TV has some sort of built-in speaker, but in my twenty years of reviewing AV equipment the sound of modern TVs has been routinely terrible. While I do test the audio on each model, if you are serious about sound quality then buying a separate soundbar (from $100) or home theater system will instantly improve vital aspects such as speech and bass reproduction.

Smart TV:Among entry-level TVs the most important feature is what kind of smart TV system the TV uses, and while some are proprietary to each brand (Samsung and LG) some models do offer Roku and Google TV.

For more TV buying advice check out  How to Buy a TV .

TV brightness according to CNET's testing

One important aspect of image quality I test is overall brightness using the CS-2000 spectroradiometer. Here's how brightness compares in nits across select TVs listed above.

FAQ on the best TVs of 2025

How much should I spend on a TV?

Prices vary widely by size and features, from less than $100 for basic 24-inch TVs to more than $2,000 for big OLED models. TVs last a long time, so we think it's worthwhile to spend a little extra beyond the bare minimum to get a bigger screen, better picture quality or better features. With that in mind, here are some ballpark prices that will get you a very good TV in 2025.

• 55-inch: $700

• 65-inch: $1,000

• 75-inch: $1,300

You could pay (much) more or less. The fact is that just about any TV will produce a picture decent enough to satisfy most viewers. Most complaints you read in user reviews aren't about picture quality. Instead, they're about ease of use, smart TV menus or sound (or a broken TV).

What size TV should I buy?

In our opinion bigger is better, and your money is best spent on large screen sizes rather than a slight upgrade in image quality. The  answer also depends on room size and seating distance : If you have a big room and sit farther away, you'll want a bigger TV. 

Which is better, OLED or LED?

In our reviews, OLED TVs, which use organic light-emitting diode technology, have always had better picture quality than LED TVs, which are essentially LCD TVs that use LED backlights. The main reason is that OLED TVs can produce a perfectly dark shade of black with no stray illumination or blooming, which leads to better contrast and pop. LED TVs can get brighter and usually cost less than OLED TVs. 

What is the best smart TV system for streaming?

At CNET, our favorite is Roku for its simplicity, but different systems like Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung and LG have different strengths, particularly for voice commands. In any case, we don't consider the built-in smart TV system that important because you can always connect a streaming device to any TV .

How do I get the best TV sound?

Most TVs sound terrible because their thin cabinets don't have room for decent-size speakers or a bass. If you want to get good sound, you should buy an external audio system. Even an inexpensive soundbar will deliver much better audio quality than a TV's built-in speakers.