OLED tech means these elite TVs offer incredible contrast and no light bleed. Here are our top picks
(Image credit: Future)
The self-lighting pixels that characterise this technology allow the greatest OLED TVs available today to produce stunning image quality. LED or mini-LED TVs just cannot equal the dazzlingly deep black tones and remarkably accurate contrast between light and dark areas that these pixels provide. Learn more about why OLED technology is so popular and such a significant advancement by reading our ‘What is OLED?’ guide.
Many models from the largest TV brands, like LG and Sony, are among the greatest OLED TVs and are ranked among the best TVs in general. Even Samsung, a television manufacturer that had long disapproved of OLED, has joined the party and is now producing our top-ranked OLED! That’s quite an entrance.
Since long before the first 4K OLEDs were available on the market, we have been testing TVs and have seen the technology advance, gain popularity, and become more reasonably priced over time. Our own testing and evaluations of these items, as well as comparisons between standard LED and the best mini-LED TVs available at comparable prices, form the basis of this guide. We’re evaluating them not only on the basis of picture quality but also on the features they provide and how well they balance the cost.
Today’s best OLED TVs, as chosen by our reviewers
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1. Samsung S90C
- SAMSUNG OLED TECHNOLOGY: See movies, games, and more in a whole new light thanks to the mesmerizing picture quality across a full range of gorgeous colors; Only a brand like Samsung can provide incredible detail and unbelievable screen brightness
- NEURAL QUANTUM PROCESSOR W/ 4K UPSCALING: If you’re streaming an HD movie, watching sports, or looking at home videos, experience it all transformed into sharp 4K resolution with our high-performance, AI powered processor
- QUANTUM HDR OLED: With fine-tuned brightness and optimized contrast made possible by self-illuminating pixels, your picture is instantly enhanced as Quantum HDR OLED analyzes each scene so you can enjoy rich and accurate colors
- PANTONE VALIDATED: Enjoy color validated by industry leading experts at Pantone, so that images on the screen look as incredible as they do in real life
- DOLBY ATMOS and OBJECT TRACKING SOUND LITE: Keep your ears on the action with Dolby Atmos and virtual top speakers that follow the story; When a dragon swoops across the screen, 3D sound moves along with it thanks to Object Tracking Sound Lite
I’ve had the opportunity to compare the most expensive TVs in the world side by side in our testing rooms, and last year’s Samsung S90C still competes with them in terms of features and picture quality. However, it’s now about half as expensive as it was previously, making it possibly the best deal available on a TV today. Its QD-OLED technology produces detail and deep, nuanced black tones that are on par with everything else I’ve seen so far, and it’s brighter than comparable OLED TVs at the same price. It has excellent gaming features, such as support for 4K 120Hz on all four HDMI connections and excellent game-friendly settings.Even at the same price, it sounds better than the competition, and I believe you can get by without a soundbar—though a decent one will still enhance its capabilities. Basically, this device is amazing for gaming, a dream for movies, sounds amazing, and is a wonderful deal for its pricing in 2024. Because of this, it continues to be our top choice despite the advent of newer models.
Pros
- Stunningly bright, contrast-rich pictures
- Excellent gaming support
- Great value for QD-OLED
Cons
- No Dolby Vision support
- The S95C and LG G3 are brighter
- The S95C sounds better
2. LG B4
- SELF-LIT PIXELS: LG’s signature OLED technology creates an incredible watching experience and stellar picture quality illuminated with over 8 million self-lit pixels. Take in rich and accurate colors from the brightest to darkest parts of the scene thanks to 100% Color Volume* and with 100% Color Fidelity.
- DOLBY VISION, FILMMAKER AND DOLBY ATMOS: Experience the magic of the big screen right from your couch. Every LG OLED comes loaded with Dolby Vision for extraordinary color, contrast and brightness, plus Dolby Atmos* for sound you can feel all around you. Land in the center of the action with FILMMAKER MODE, allowing you to see films just as the director intended.
- a8 AI PROCESSOR: No more fiddling with picture settings. The α8 AI Processor 4K with AI Picture Pro identifies the type of content you’re watching to automatically select the ideal setting and fine-tune the picture for the best watching experience and with Multi View with 2 screens lets you split your screen into two unique views so you can watch even more than before.
- WEBOS 24 & LG CHANNELS: No matter which TV you choose, your LG TV makes it easier than ever to find what you need and more. Browse all your favorite streaming apps and let LG Channels connects you to 300+ free channels of sports, fitness, cooking and more.
- GAMING: Packed with gaming features, the LG OLED B-Series comes with everything you need to win. Experience crisp, smooth imagery from a 0.1ms response time and native 120Hz refresh rate. All LG OLED TVs have NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR to further improve gaming quality. Four HDMI 2.1 inputs allow you to plug in all the devices you need. Whether you game on consoles or on the cloud,* the LG Game Dashboard and Game Optimizer put all the control at your fingertips.
The LG B4 is the best option if you’re searching for a 2024 OLED TV at a lower cost. It is still less expensive than the step-up LG C4, and more savings are probably on the horizon. In LG’s 2024 lineup, the B4 may be the entry-level OLED, but in my opinion, it performs better than its cost, providing a vivid, detailed, and accurate image. With its four HDMI 2.1 connections that enable several features found in the finest gaming TVs, like VRR, 4K, 144Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, and more, the B4 was an excellent movie and gaming TV when I tried it.The B4 is still a great entry-level set, even if I tested it and discovered that its sound isn’t the best—it has mediocre virtual surround reproduction and little bass—and that its picture brightness isn’t as good as that of more expensive OLED TVs.
Pros
- Anti-reflection screen
- Great gaming features
- New Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode
Cons
- Limited brightness
- No HDR10+ support
- Just-average sound quality
3. Samsung S95D
- OLED TECHNOLOGY: Discover pure blacks, bright whites and Pantone-validated color; Combined with detail and brightness, this pixel-packed screen gives you a dramatic view for everything you watch
- OLED GLARE FREE: Watch everything you love with nearly no glare; Anti-glare technology limits light distraction on your screen; Say goodbye to washed out images and see your TV’s clarity, color and contrast shine through
- OLED HDR PRO: Experience an infinite amount of brightness and dramatic detail across a wide range of Pantone-Validated colors; Your picture is optimized to make bright whites and pure blacks crisp and clear
- MOTION XCELERATOR 144Hz: Play games and content with ultra-smooth motion and virtually no lag or blur; Get uninterrupted action with crisp visuals rendered at top speeds¹
- REAL DEPTH ENHANCER: Experience depth and dimension on screen just the way you see it in real life; Real Depth Enhancer creates an immersive experience by mirroring how the human eye processes depth by increasing foreground contrast
I was most excited to test the Samsung S95D in our testing rooms to see if it lived up to the expectations because of its brighter, anti-reflective QD-OLED screen, and boy did it. The revolutionary OLED Glare Free anti-reflection technology, which addressed OLED’s main reflecting issue, was its most remarkable feature. The picture of the S95D was clear and noticeable even with the overhead lights turned up. Fortunately, it also kept the amazing picture quality that I’ve grown accustomed to from high-end QD-OLEDs, which consists of vibrant brightness, vibrant colour, and deep black levels. With four fully equipped HDMI 2.1 connections and all the gaming goodness you require, it’s also a very good gaming TV.4K, VRR, ALLM, 144Hz. The Game Hub makes it simple to select your settings and offers outstanding performance. It also looks great with connections concealed in a separate box and a floating stand design that gives it a sleek, almost futuristic aspect. All of this is very expensive, but if you have the extra cash, it’s well worth it. For this reason, I believe the S95D will be the standard TV model in 2024.
Pros
- Realistic picture detail
- Loaded with features for gaming
- Beautiful design
Cons
- Some black crush in Filmmaker Mode
- No Dolby Vision
- Pricey
4. LG C4
- SELF-LIT PIXELS: LG’s signature OLED technology creates an incredible watching experience and stellar picture quality illuminated with over 8 million self-lit pixels. Take in rich and accurate colors from the brightest to darkest parts of the scene thanks to 100% Color Volume* and with 100% Color Fidelity.
- BRIGHTNESS BOOSTER: Our Brightness Boosting technology magnifies each individual pixel for luminous quality that shines with every detail.
- DOLBY VISION, FILMMAKER AND DOLBY ATMOS: Experience the magic of the big screen right from your couch. Every LG OLED comes loaded with Dolby Vision for extraordinary color, contrast and brightness, plus Dolby Atmos* for sound you can feel all around you. Land in the center of the action with FILMMAKER MODE, allowing you to see films just as the director intended.
- a9 AI PROCESSOR GEN7: The C4’s exclusive processor is the brains behind a truly unforgettable TV experience. You’ll get smooth, vivid picture no matter what you watch with AI Super Upscaling which automatically enhances picture quality whether you’re watching sports, movies, or a late-night favorite. Multi View with 2 screens lets you split your screen into 2 unique views so you can watch even more than before, everything looks and sounds incredible on a LG OLED TV.
- 144 HZ REFRESH RATE: Enjoy crisp, smooth visuals with a 0.1ms response time and up to 144Hz refresh rate. LG OLED TVs feature NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and VRR for enhanced gaming quality. With four HDMI 2.1 inputs, connect all your devices effortlessly. The LG Game Dashboard and Game Optimizer provide complete control whether you game on consoles or in the cloud.
The LG C4 OLED TV offers a noticeable performance improvement over its predecessor, the LG C3, which I have evaluated. The improvement in picture quality is mostly due to a new Alpha 9 AI Gen 7 CPU with a Brightness Booster feature, which produces increased brightness as well as better HDR handling and colour detail. With widths ranging from 42 to 83 inches, the C4 series is a great choice for a variety of applications, including home theatre and desktop gaming. The new Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode picture setting, which enables the viewing experience plug-and-play, was something I really liked about the C4. With four HDMI 2.1 connectors and 4K 120Hz pass-through, it’s also a gaming powerhouse.ALLM and VRR. In addition to becoming the first to receive Nvidia’s 144Hz certification, LG OLED TVs for 2024 are ideal for PC and console gaming. The LG C4 is a fantastic all-purpose TV that is more reasonably priced than high-end OLED models like the LG G4 and Samsung S95D, whether it is being used for gaming, watching films or anything else. Nevertheless, it does not displace the Samsung S90C from its top spot because it is more costly than a more recent model and provides nearly the same brightness levels and features.
Pros
- Better than average OLED brightness
- Great gaming features including 144Hz support
- New Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode
Cons
- No HDR10+ support
- Just-average sound quality
5. Sony A80L
- LIFELIKE OLED PICTURE– The intelligent and powerful Cognitive Processor XR delivers an OLED picture with wide dynamic contrast, detailed blacks, natural colors, and high peak brightness, replicating how we see the real world.
- OLED CONTRAST AND COLOR– Pure black, lifelike brightness, and billions of accurate colors enhanced by XR OLED Contrast Pro and XR Triluminos Pro.
- PREMIUM SMART TV – Get access to all your favorite streaming apps in one place with Google TV, and simply use your voice to search and ask questions with Google Assistant. Supports Apple AirPlay.
- ENHANCED ENTERTAINMENT – Enjoy engaging and immersive cinematic content the way the creators intended, with support for Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced, Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode, and more.
- MOVIES ON US WITH BRAVIA CORE – Enjoy streaming high-bitrate, high-quality 4K UHD movies included with the BRAVIA CORE app. Get 5 credits to redeem on latest release movies and 12 months subscription on hundreds of classics.
When it comes to value for money, Sony TVs can be a little more difficult to sell because they are more expensive than comparable OLED models from Samsung and LG. However, the Sony A80L has an aural secret weapon. A woofer in the back adds depth, and Sony uses technology that shakes the screen panel itself to produce sound. This allows for amazing clarity and precise placement of the music to complement what’s happening on-screen. All of this is an improvement above the competition’s sound quality, including the Samsung S90C’s good audio, so unless you want to go really huge, you don’t need a specialised soundbar.Sony’s image quality is stunningly sophisticated and fascinating, and I consider it a true connoisseur’s pick in a dark room. However, this TV is significantly less bright than the Samsung S90C or LG C4, and it only has two of its four connections compatible with HDMI 2.1 games. Compared to the other TVs here, our reviewers think it’s a less flexible choice for photos and gaming; nonetheless, if you want the greatest built-in sound and still stunning visuals, this is my choice.
Pros
- Beautifully refined picture quality
- Strong, immersive sound quality
- Elegantly minimalist design
Cons
- Only two full HDMI 2.1 ports
- Limited brightness
- No HDR10+ support
Also Consider
We have finished reviewing the LG G4 and LG B4, and we will be adding those new models to this guide soon as we go into the second half of 2024. The company’s flagship model for 2024, the G4, boasts a next-generation MLA (Micro Lens Array) OLED panel with a stated maximum brightness of 3,000 nits. The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED, yet it has picture processing and gaming capabilities that are usually seen in more expensive TVs.Additionally, we are working on a review of Sony’s new Bravia 8 OLED TV, which employs the company’s top-tier XR processor to enhance picture quality and features Acoustic Surface Audio+, which places speakers underneath the TV’s display panel to produce better built-in sound. As its flagship OLED TV, the Sony A95L, a 2023 model, is still available.
Panasonic and Philips will also deliver new OLED TVs in the second half of 2024, but they won’t be accessible in North America. The Panasonic Z90A will come in a 42-inch size with an external soundbar, while the Panasonic Z95A will have a next-generation MLA OLED panel that is similar to the LG G4 and enable 144Hz for gaming and streaming via the Amazon Fire TV smart platform. Additionally, the Philips OLED+959 and OLED+909 will include 144Hz gameplay, 5.1.2ch and 3.1ch speaker systems, and high-brightness MLA OLED displays, respectively.
