The best QLED TV screens are some of the very best TVs you can get your hands on these days. These stunning screens offer unbeatable colours that even surpass OLEDs, superb bright room viewing characteristics, and immunity from screen burn. If you've got a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series console then a QLED is a great choice for bringing out the best in your new hardware.
But what makes a QLED screen one of the best gaming TVs? While the terms 'QLED' and 'OLED' may sound alike, they have next to nothing in common: OLED is a self-emissive display technology, while QLED relies on a backlight, which can come in the form of edge-bulbs, a full backlit array, or Mini-LEDs. The top QLED TVs are best thought of as evolutions of the LED-LCD televisions we’re all so familiar with. The key difference is the application of a quantum dot filter (the ‘Q’ in QLED), which sits between said backlight and the glass you stare at.
Samsung is the best-known champion of QLED TV technology, but other brands have their own hot takes, including Hisense, TCL, and Vizio. But let’s unpick QLED a little more, to better explain why you might want to jump onto the best QLED TV bandwagon. Quantum dots emit coloured light when illuminated by a backlight. On a QLED TV, these quantum dots sit on a film positioned between the backlight and the LCD panel. The range of colours they cover, and their purity, is what makes QLED TVs look so damn lush.
The best QLED TVs 2023
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Samsung has elevated QLED with the introduction of this Mini-LED-powered 4K flagship. With deep blacks, excellent picture quality and levels, and enviably precise HDR management, the QN95A is a real rival to the best that OLED can offer.
Image quality is superb, thanks to an advanced AI-powered Neo Quantum 4K processor. An Intelligent Mode optimises all sources, making this is an easy screen to live with, whatever you watch.
The TV comes with a One Connect Box which connects to the set via a fibre optic cable. This is home to four HDMIs, all of which provide 4K 120Hz support - good news if you have both a PS5 and Xbox Series X, or a gaming PC plugged in too. Smart connectivity is provided by Tizen, Samsung’s smart TV platform and there’s a wide range of apps available, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, and Now, plus all the usual catch-up TV services.
New on the QN95A is the Game Bar, a dedicated interface for tweaks and adjustments. Latency is very good. We measured input lag at 10.1ms (1080/60), in standard Game mode. When it comes to HDR, HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ Adaptive are all supported, but there’s no Dolby Vision compatibility.
Even the TV sound system is a cut above, thanks to Samsung’s OTS+ sound system. Overall, a stunning high-end TV option, and if you want the absolute best 4K QLED screen Samsung makes, then the Neo QLED QN95A is it. File under expensive, but ridiculously good.
For information, this television is referred to as the QN90A in the US, while in the UK and Europe is called the QN95A.
The Hisense H8G is a US model of mid-range 4K QLED TV that is hard to beat if you're searching for pure bang-to-buck value.
This range of QLED has some excellent HDR performance, and Quantum Dot colour tech, and you'll get a great picture straight away after setup. The HDR performance and peak of 650 nits is solid for a QLED TV of this class and pictures look vibrant and full of life. The addition of Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and broadcast HLG support is welcome, alongside a Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) backlight.
It's not a flashy TV in terms of design and build but it'll safely melt into any home or gaming setup. The lack of HDMI 2.1 is to be expected at this price range really but there are four HDMI ports that do support 4K at 60Hz so multi-console owners who aren't chasing the frame rates should be sated. And throw in a Game Mode where latency is around the 11 or 12ms mark, and this is no bad result. The onboard Vidaa U4 OS is Hisense's own system and is easy to use, but can be a bit light on the streaming apps, with no Disney+ or Apple TV, for example. All in, the H8G series is a quality QLED TV and nails a sweet spot of offering QLED quality without a lofty price tag.
The 5-series from TCL is a wonderful entry-to-mid-range QLED TV. It's another example of the manufacturer really hitting the sweet spot of offering quality televisions for great value prices, but without having to compromise too much on features and tech.
Unfortunately, one thing to be sacrificed is the lack of HDMI 2.1 support so if you're on the hunt for something for your PS5 or Xbox Series X then you may have to seek something else further up the budget spectrum to ensure that feature is present. Otherwise, it has USB ports, an optical audio output, and an av mini-jack input so you're well covered when it comes to making this the main screen for the home or an entertainment setup. Despite this, its gaming credentials do hold steady when factoring in its limitations to 4K/60Hz: the Game Mode is solid and input lag is pleasingly low.
Overall picture quality is still excellent and is the best representation of the value for money you'll get from investing in the TCL 5-series: HDR peak brightness of around 400 nits, combined with Dolby Vision means you're getting excellent colours, contrasts, and crispness however bright your room is. As a great value 4K panel and worthy of discussion at the best QLED TV table.
It may lack the Full Array Local dimming backlight found higher up Samsung’s 2020 QLED TV range, but the edge-lit Q70T is still, on balance, probably the best QLED TV you can buy in terms of bang for buck value.
Available in 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch screen sizes, it’s one of the cheapest 4K TVs to offer 120fps High Frame Rate (HFR) support, and its picture performance is powered by the cutting leading-edge AI processing used on Samsung’s more expensive models. As it turns out, that lack of local dimming isn’t quite the compromise you might imagine. While the Q70T doesn’t match the absolute image quality of Samsung’s priciest QLEDs, the set is still wonderfully contrasty, and with fast-moving action content, you’ll not notice its lack of HDR precision.
Design-wise, the set’s also winner, with an ultra-thin bezel and on-trend central T stand. There are four HDMI inputs but only one is 4K 120fps ready; all the rest are 4K 60fps capable.
Instead of a full backlight array, the set employs a novel Dual LED arrangement which enhances contrast and black level performance. Watch a movie and the letterbox bars are close to proper black. It’s also a decent HDR performer. We measured peak brightness at 600 nits. The caveat is that Samsung doesn’t offer Dolby Vision HDR, instead limiting dynamic metadata support to HDR10+. In terms of apps, while the Q70T comes without Freeview Play, Samsung’s smart Tizen compensates with a full complement of catch-up TV channels, plus all key streaming apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Rakuten TV, Apple TV, and YouTube.
Overall, the Q70T is a terrific buy, particularly for those looking for one of the best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X and best 120Hz 4K TVs too.
If you really are on the hunt for the best QLED TV that can keep you future-proofed then you can't go wrong with Samsung's 2021 flagship model, the QN900A. Behind the glass is the brand’s powerful Quantum Matrix processor, able to upscale 4K to something very close to 8K resolution.
The set looks the business, thanks to its ultra-slim Infinity Design, with an ‘invisible’ bezel - basically, the panel is all picture. One consequence of this is the use of a One Connect box; you’ll connect all your consoles, TV boxes, and whatnot, into the One Connect box, which then, in turn, uses a single cable to feed the TV. Neat.
This Neo QLED set also uses an advanced Mini LED backlight, capable of greater precision than a conventional full-array backlight. HDR support covers regular HDR10 and HLG, along with HDR10+. However, there’s no room for Dolby Vision though, which will disappoint both film fans (it’s the standard HDR offering on Netflix and Disney+) and Xbox owners. The TV's audio is above average, courtesy of Object Tracking Sound Pro. The QN900 actually has ten speakers built into its slim frame. There’s no OTS support for Dolby Atmos though. And while it may have been 'replaced' by 2022's B models, the QN900A is still an absolute beauty - and will likely become cheaper given the B's arrival.
With universal HDR support, surprisingly effective HDR performance, and juicy Quantum Dot colour - this mid-range Hisense entry into the best QLED TV market is quite the proposition.
Build quality and design are largely anonymous for the U7QF but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The look will blend in pretty much anywhere. Connectivity includes four HDMI inputs, all of which support 4k 60fps. There are also two USB ports, a digital optical audio output, and a composite AV input (in case you’ve got a legacy or one of the best retro game consoles you want to hook up).
The smart platform is Hisense’s own Vidaa U4 OS. This is clean and easy to use, but it’s a little light when it comes to streaming apps. There’s no Disney+, Apple TV or Now TV. In the UK, a Freeview Play tuner adds a full portfolio of streaming catch-Up TV services to the mix.
The set’s QLED picture performance is impressive right out of the box, with a high average picture level that looks sparky even with regular SDR content. The TV’s HDR performance is good for its class. We measured peak HDR peak at over 650 nits. There’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and broadcast HLG. A Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) backlight does a decent job enforcing contrast and minimising bloom.
Elsewhere, gaming credentials are solid: in Game Mode we measured latency at an entirely competitive 11.4ms (1080/60), and on-board audio is reasonably strident. The set has Dolby Atmos decoding, which you wouldn’t expect would do much on a TV with a basic speaker complement, but it definitely does sound better engaged.
Overall, the 7QF is a stonking performer for the price. If you’ve never considered a Hisense TV before, this would be a good place to start.
The price tag may be low, but there’s no shortage of high tech on TCL’s entry into the best QLED TV marketplace. Notably, Dolby Vision HDR and Freeview Play give this model an edge over rival Samsung QLED screens.
All three HDMI inputs are 4K 60Hz ports so if you’re looking for high frame rate support you’ll need to step up the budge to one of the models above. There’s also a pair of USB ports, plus a digital optical audio output, and an av mini-jack input.
Picture quality is hugely impressive given the price tag. Images have dynamic snap, and Dolby Vision really helps with 4K content from Netflix. HDR peak brightness is higher than is typical at this price point - we measured 400 nits - which makes the set look good in both dark and brightly lit rooms. There’s also a rather decent Smart HDR mode to make the most of non-HDR content.
While this isn’t the slimmest of TVs, watched square on it looks dandy. Two pedestal feet can be positioned centrally or spaced wider apart, to suit different AV furniture. The smart platform employed here is Android. Working in conjunction with Freeview Play, there’s no shortage of gratis catch-up TV, augmented by top streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Rakuten TV, and Disney Plus.
The C715’s sound system does a fair job, but we advise you to plan in a soundbar or one of the best surround sound systems at some point. Until then, stick with the Game or Movie audio presets, which widen the stereo soundstage.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is just how effective the set’s Game mode is. We measured image lag at an impressively low 9ms (1080/60), making this a great low-cost games screen.
Best QLED TV: FAQs
Are QLED TVs better than OLED TVs?
Well, that's a million dollar question. And we have to take a bit of a fence-sitting position on it, unfortunately. Generally speaking a QLED TV will give you brighter images, colours, and contrasts, than an OLED TV - but the latter will also have lots of benefits.
It comes down to personal preference, naturally. If you're able to see both sorts of TVs 'in the flesh' then this will help any purchasing decisions, but both are exquisite in their own rights, and we've never heard of anyone regretting buying either.
Is a QLED TV really worth it?
From personal experience here at GamesRadar+: absolutely, yes it is. If you're after the best in colour, contrasts, and beautiful image quality then stretching to a QLED TV is most definitely worth it.
For example, on a practical, 'what do you particularly enjoy looking at' angle, some of us at GamesRadar+ are really keen on films and games that utilise present landscapes, environments, and the natural world - we think that QLEDs have the edge here because if you're interested in those aspects most, you're unlikely to be keen on the extra deep blacks, say, you can get in OLED TVs.
If your budget allows you to stretch to QLED TVs then you'll never go back to anything else ever again.
What is the best QLED TV brand?
Well, everyone may well have their favourite brands of course, but some genuinely do QLED TVs better than others, consistently. At the top of the pile is, rather predictably, Samsung. If you want one of the best QLED TVs going, then you may have already narrowed down your search already because within Samsung's ranges, there's almost certainly one for you.
While Samsung does make the best QLED TVs, other brands are coming forward with their own take on the tech too, so don't discount the likes of TCL and Hisense who, as you can see from their inclusion on this page, are producing the goods.
Want to check out some of the latest TV deals at the best retailers? These stores often have some excellent sales running:
USA: Amazon | Dell | Best Buy | Walmart | Newegg
UK: Amazon | Currys | Very | Argos | AO
If you prefer your screens enormously big, then check out the best 4K projector and best projector for PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Or, if you are on the hunt for savings for the rest of 2022, then be sure to prepare for the incoming Black Friday Samsung TV deals, Black Friday QD-OLED deals, and Black Friday 75-inch TV deals.
