It’s a great time to buy a new TV. March Madness might be nearing its end, but Formula 1 is finally back for a new season. A plethora of exciting TV shows are coming out right now (Moon Knight, anyone?). We’ve yet to see many 2022 TV models hit the market, which makes these 2021 releases still the top of their line.
Be sure to check out our guides to the Best TVs and Best Soundbars, and read our tips on how to upgrade your home theater audio.
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Best TV Deals
TCL 5-Series
Photograph: TCL
TCL’s 5 Series is great value thanks to quantum dot technology, Google’s Android TV OS built in, and full-array local dimming for better contrast between light and dark scenes. I also like that it comes in this 50-inch size, making it a nice option for smaller rooms like bedrooms and offices.
Hisense also makes some of our favorite affordable TVs, and this 55-inch model has everything we like about the TCL above but in a larger size. It also has full-array local dimming, quantum dots for brighter colors, and Android TV. For $50 extra for 5 more inches, it might be worthwhile.
I’m a huge fan of Sony’s image processing, though the company’s TVs often cost more than its competitors’, despite similar specs. Still, Sony’s image algorithms for video often make it the better-looking option out of the box. This TV features the Google TV interface and is Alexa-compatible. It will also look excellent showing sports, thanks to a native 120-Hz refresh rate.
OK, it’s barely more than $1,000, but this Neo QLED from Samsung is an excellent buy for those who like bright colors, hate TVs with legs on the side, and like to game. This model has AMD FreeSync Premium Pro built in, which makes it a good HDR screen for any gaming PC powered by an AMD graphics card.
Deals on Luxe TVs
Samsung The Frame
Photograph: Walmart
LG’s C1 OLED (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best TV I’ve ever used for gaming. It has a 120-Hz refresh rate, excellent color accuracy, and one of the fastest response times of any screen on the market. That makes it excellent for watching everything from race cars to shooters, and perfect black levels make it gorgeous for watching movies. The 55-inch model is also at an all-time low of $1,197.
If you watch TV in a bright room, or if you have a TV stand that’s narrower than a 65-inch TV, I love this NEO QLED (8/10, WIRED Recommends) from Samsung. It is brighter than LG’s OLED equivalent, which makes it better for watching in rooms without blackout curtains. You’ll also get Samsung’s flagship 2021 image processing, which offers some of the best contrast I’ve ever seen on an LED TV.
Samsung’s Frame models are popular among those with stringent aesthetic requirements. The TVs come loaded with famous artwork and are designed to hang on your wall and look like their namesake, until you want to watch a TV show, movie, or game. They’re a touch spendier than other TVs with similar picture quality, but the design may be worth the extra cost to you.
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