What’s the best TV in 2020?
Best TV 2020: There’s an enormous amount of TVs available. Which one deserves your hard-earned cash?
There are some fabulous options available across the market, whether it’s budget tellies to highly-rated premium TVs, there’s never been so much choice.
But there are plenty of factors to consider. Size is one. This list goes from 43-inch sets that are perfect for the bedroom to 88-inch 8K behemoths. How much space you have dictates what size you’ll go for, and our reviews will always talk about the design and list through the various features so you always know what you’re getting.
Newer TVs tend to support the latest technologies, but these features aren’t universally applied. If you’ve heard about the values of Dolby Vision and HDR10+, LG and Sony firmly back Dolby Vision, while Samsung sits on the side of HDR10+. Panasonic and Philips support both, which means they’re the best options for comprehensive HDR support.
And in the age of streaming which TV has which apps is important. Samsung and LG have Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video and Apple TV+. Panasonic doesn’t have Disney Plus yet, and we’re still waiting for Apple TV to appear on Sony televisions.
Some TVs focus on the home cinema enthusiast in mind, while others consider themselves to be all-rounder. Cheaper sets don’t often have advanced features like Dolby Vision IQ or HDMI 2.1. What if you watch HD content? A TV that’s good at upscaling, removing as much artifacts and noise as possible, will make for a much more enjoyable experience.
We always mention sound. While some TVs are capable of a satisfactory performance, if you’re a home cinema fan, consider an investment in a soundbar too. And with next-generation gaming consoles on the way, you’ll need to know which sets support the tech that makes them a perfect fit for the Xbox Series X and PS5.
What follows are the best TVs we’ve tested so far. If you need more info, scroll down for a summary and click through to our full reviews.
- Best OLED TV: LG CX
- Best TV upscaling: Samsung Q90T
- Best gaming TV: Samsung Q80T
- Best Ambilight TV: Philips OLED805
- Best home cinema TV: Panasonic GZ2000
- Best value OLED: LG C9
- Best HDR TV: Panasonic GZ1500
- Best stylish TV: LG E9
- Best mid-range TV: Panasonic GX800B
- Best 8K TV: Samsung Q50TS
- Best 8K OLED: LG Z9
- Best 8K HDR TV: Sony ZG9
- Best small budget TV: Samsung UE43RU7020
- Best value budget TV: Hisense Roku TV
LG CX
Superb visuals
Pros:
- Excellent picture quality
- Great design
- Plenty of smarts, features and customisation
- Excellent upscaling
Cons:
- Still no UK catch-up apps
- Just a small leap over the C9
The CX brings LG’s mid-range OLED series further down in price while also bringing in a number of refinements and new features. The performance isn’t a huge leap of the C9, but it’s nonetheless a terrific TV.
New features include Dolby Vision IQ, which adapts Dolby Vision content to room lighting conditions for better performance. There’s also the brand new Filmmaker Mode that disables processing for a more authentic film experience. The CX proves to be great with whatever content you feed, producing a rich and detailed 4K image, especially with Dolby Vision.
Sound quality is fine, but you may want to factor in a soundbar. Gaming latency is sub 13ms and there’s plenty of apps (Apple TV, Disney+) and smart features available through the slick webOS interface. The lack of Freeview Play and UK catch-up apps for the time being will annoy some, especially as the C9 can be had for slightly less and has the catch-up apps.
Samsung QE55Q90T
A high-performance TV
Pros:
- Corking picture quality from any standard of content
- Excellent for gamers
- Class-leading user interface
Cons:
- Expensive
- Sound is nothing special
- No Dolby Vision
The Samsung Q90T has the same specification as the flagship Q95T, but drops the external One Connect box to make it a bit more affordable.
Whatever you fire at this TV, it’s capable of producing excellent pictures. Upscaling has always been a big strength for Samsung and it continues to be so here, while viewing angles for an LED are terrific. Colours and contrast levels are rendered with a great sense of fidelity, while detail levels are and motion control are all well handled. Gamers will be pleased with the industry-leading low input lag.
Philips 55OLED805
AI improvements take this OLED series even further
Pros:
- Multi-HDR support with HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG
- Freeview Play
- Ambilight
- Play-Fi compatibility
Cons:
- No support for 4K/120fps
- No Dolby Vision IQ
The OLED805 is Philips first OLED of 2020 and it doesn’t disappoint. Despite looking similar to last year’s OLED804, Philips has made a few changes under the hood and brought in some new features.
One major feature being the new P5 chip that comes with AI technology, which adapts picture quality according to type of content, and it works well. 4K exhibits an almost three-dimensional look, while HDR is impressively done, while near-black levels are breathtakingly fine. The lack of HDMI 2.1 features may put some off, the quality on show, including Ambilight, make the OLED805 a sure winner.
Samsung QE65Q80T
A great set for gaming
Pros:
- Corking picture quality from any standard of content
- Excellent for gamers
- Class-leading user interface
Cons:
- Expensive
- Sound is nothing special
- No Dolby Vision
The Q80T offers an ambitious feature set, with full-array local dimming, Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound and super-fast gaming performance. If the flagship Q95T TV is too dear for your wallet, the Q80T is an excellent step down.
Like the Q90T/Q95T, it’s a dab hand at upscaling SD/HD content, and its brightness means HDR content is brought to life in a gorgeous and punchy manner. No Dolby Vision support will annoy home cinema enthusiasts, but like with the rest of Samsung’s 2020 TV range, gamers will be pleased with the 8.7ms latency, which is the best of the field.
Panasonic GZ2000
The best home cinema TV
Pros:
- Superior OLED panel brightness
- Excellent peak HDR and near-black performance
- Dolby Atmos implementation
Cons:
- Heavy price premium
- Over-specified for AV enthusiasts
Panasonic’s 2019 flagship OLED takes top spot on this list with arguably the most complete performance.
It’s the best all-round OLED TV, extracting a higher brightness compared to rivals, and covering all the bases for HDR support. Picture quality is fantastic, with excellent near-black levels, exquisite contrast and colour and fine detail levels. Add in the rear Atmos upfiring speakers and the GZ2000 is a superb AV package, although it doesn’t full support the HDMI 2.1 spec. We can’t wait to see what the HZ2000 takes OLEDs next.
LG C9
An impressive mid-range OLED
Pros:
- Impressive image accuracy
- Amazing blacks and contrast
- AI-enhanced smart platform
- Dolby Vision and Atmos
- Incredibly low input lag
Cons:
- Limited HDR brightness
- No HDR10+ support
The 2019 C9 boasts an AI-enhanced picture, producing impressively accurate image out-of-the-box. SDR images are stunning: clean, free of artifacts and with stunning black levels. It’s even better with HDR content, with colours rendered excellently.
The design is elegant, and the comprehensive smart platform and range of features make it a comprehensive home entertainment hub. With the price coming down to near £1000 as the CX range rolls out, it’s a great value option, especially as it still has Freeview Play, with updates granting it the same features the new CX range has.
Panasonic GZ1500
A stellar television
Pros:
- Beautifully refined and detailed picture quality
- Strong sound from the Blade speaker
- Easy-to-use smart system
Cons:
- Slight banding in HDR colour blends
- Occasional motion stutter
- Smart system is less sophisticated than those of some rivals
Panasonic’s 2019 OLEDs showed the company operating at the peak of its powers. The GZ1500 sits below the flagship GZ2000, but it’s more than a match for any premium-specc’d TV on this list.
As we’ve come to expect from Panasonic, picture quality is superb; boasting some of the best near-black light management we’ve seen on an OLED panel. It’s a rich, textured image, and the way it handles the mix bright and dark content makes for a spectacularly beautiful-looking image. The Blade speakers give sound a boost; creating a wide soundfield that gives Atmos content more space to breathe in a convincing fashion.
LG E9
An outstanding and (nearly) complete package
Pros:
- Terrific image quality
- Comprehensive feature set webOS functionality
- Very good audio performance
- Low input lag
Cons
- No HDR10+
- Settings and modes can be challenging to navigate
While the E-series OLEDs has taken a break for 2020, the 2019 E9 remains a great mesh of OLED design, picture quality and sound.
Switch on its AI sound mode and the E9 offers a big, room-filling presence. The E9’s tone-mapping means HDR content looks great, despite the panel’s limited brightness, while the features are exhaustive and forward-looking with HDMI 2.1, alongside ALLM and VRR, all of which will come in handy with the next-gen consoles. A gorgeous OLED, prices for the 55-inch model are now close to £1500.
Panasonic TX-50GX800B
A mid-range 4K TV that won’t break the bank
Pros:
- Cinematic picture performance
- Multi HDR support – HDR10, HLG, HLG Photo, Dolby Vision and HDR10+
- Classic good looks
Cons:
- Limited black level performance
- Brightest HDR performance requires Dynamic image preset
The TX-50GX800 was Panasonic’s mid-range star for 2019 (it’s subsequently been replaced by the HX800). It’s a great meld of price and performance, with premium features such as Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos compatibility included for just under £600.
It’s a polished performer in the picture department, extracting good performance from SD, HD and 4K HDR sources. The smart interface is easy-to-use, and the design is both accomplished and minimalist in its styling. It’s still available, and well worth considering for those who want very good performance without pushing the boat out in terms of spend.
Samsung QE75Q950TS
Sensational picture and sound
Pros:
- Spectacular picture quality with a wide range of resolutions
- Beautiful, cutting edge design
- Innovative and effective object tracking sound system
Cons:
- One or two very rare backlight glitches
- It will be too expensive for most households
- No Dolby Vision support
Samsung is flexing its muscles with its 8K range. The Q950TS is a third-gen 8K TV and easily its best. Meeting the definition of a ‘real 8K TV’, picture quality is superb even without any native 8K content available as the 8K Quantum Processor works its socks off to upscale sub-8K content. Black levels are impressive, blooming is pretty much removed from equation, and the TV’s scorching brightness means HDR content fizzes off the screen while also remaining nuanced and natural.
The Q950TS also boasts Samsung’s innovative OTS+ system, which has speakers in the top, sides and bottom of the screen. In many ways it works brilliantly, conveying size and accurately positioning effects on-screen. While the Q950TS is nowhere near cheap, it’s one of the best LCD TVs we’ve ever tested.
LG OLED88Z9
Heavenly performance, high cost
Pros:
- Stunning picture quality with 8K and good 4K sources
- Gorgeous design
- Strong smart TV system
Cons:
- It isn’t cheap
- Needs an external decoder box for non-HDMI 8K sources
- Some streamed sources can look noisy
At an eye-watering £30k, LG’s Z9 8K TV is not for mere mortals. However, the picture quality is among the best of any TV we’ve encountered.
The Z9 gets past the thorny issue of 8K content (or lack thereof) by focusing on upscaling. While it arguably bested last year’s Samsung 8K TVs, the new Q950TS regains its place in this game of tit-for-tat. Picture quality is sublime, with incredible levels of detail and stunning colour reproduction to go along with OLED’s inherent black levels and contrast. The audio system also proves to be very robust. The Z9 is a stunner of a TV truly.
Sony ZG9
A stunning next-generation TV
Pros:
- Sensational 8K HDR picture quality
- Very good, immersive upscaling
- Excellent video processing and backlight management
Cons:
- Super-expensive
- Occasional limited backlight blooming issues
- Voices can get lost in action movie audio mixes
Sony has been rather quiet compared to LG and Samsung with regards to 8K TVs. But its entrance into the market proves Sony is just as capable.
The ZG9 rewards its owners with stunningly bright, clear and detailed images. Itss colour management is excellent, as is the upscaling of sub-8K source material. With its huge number of local dimming zones, it can deliver some of the most impressively dynamic and dramatic HDR pictures. The first 8K TV from Sony is a genuinely thrilling effort.
Samsung UE43RU7020
The best budget small TV
Pros:
- Good spec
- Brilliant OS
- Impressive upscaling
- Rapid response time
- Great overall picture performance
Cons:
- Eco mode should be avoided
- Nasty sound
- Poor remote control
Though the RU7020 sits at the bottom of Samsung’s 2019 TV range, don’t let its status as the smallest and most affordable set fool you. It boasts decent features; build quality is superior to most cheap TVs and the performance is excellent.
It looks great with native 4K content, producing a convincing, natural tone, and Samsung’s prowess with upscaling means SD and HD content receives a decent uptick. HDR10+ is available for dynamic HDR performance, and gaming is a speedy 10ms. The audio is rather weak, so factor in a soundbar if you have designs on watching high-quality 4K content or gaming.
Hisense Roku TV B7120
A super budget TV
Pros:
- Satisfying 4K and HD picture
- Decent sound
- Speedy Game Mode
- Lots of apps/channels
Cons:
- Limited HDR performance
- SD performance not great
- Limited viewing angles
Roku’s first stab at the UK market is a resounding success. Bringing their affordable sensibility over from the US, the Hisense Roku TV features plenty of streaming options, as well as satisfying 4K picture quality for its £379 price. Its upscaling performance is good with HD, though less so with SD content. Despite cheap TVs reputation for disappointing sound, the Hisense Roku is a qualified success with its big and clear performance.
For those who want a simple plug-and-go TV that supports the major streaming apps, this is a strong effort and one of the best budget TVs available.
How we test TVs
Every TV that passes through our doors gets put through a series of tests and naked eye checks to gauge its overall picture quality and optimal settings. Key things we look out for are screen uniformity, black level, maximum brightness and colour vibrancy/accuracy. We also check input lag to make sure gamers won’t lose their edge when playing online.
A variety of test footage is used to cover every type of scene, so we can assess a 4K TV’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as how it performs against the competition.
Sound quality isn’t forgotten, either – we give the built-in speakers a thorough listen to determine whether you’ll need to invest in a soundbar or speaker system to beef things up.
If you’re interested in checking out TVs at different price models, models and brands. Look through our main best ofs below models for everything from cheap 4K HDR TVs to expensive 8K models and everything in-between.
