The best OLED TVs for your family movie nights in 2024
When it comes to premium picture performance, buyers after the best TVs are increasingly turning to the top OLED TVs, because the technology offers a number of key benefits over the rival LED screen tech.
A high-end screen technology, OLED (which stands for “Organic Light Emitting Diode”) boasts better black levels and contrast, something that’s important when it comes to watching films and TV shows in 4K HDR (aka “High Dynamic Range”). They also have a wider colour range for enhanced vibrancy.
The best OLED TVs also tend to be much thinner than their rivals and have style to spare, making them an attractive addition to any home decor, especially if you’re looking to wall-mount your TV. We’ve tested the best OLED TVs on the market for this roundup, covering a range of prices and screen sizes. Read on to discover which one is your next TV.
How we test TVs
To help you buy the best OLED TV for your needs, we put all models through a series of stringent tests to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Unsurprisingly, picture quality is our top priority. OLED screens are particularly well suited for movie nights, so we consider their black level and shadow detail performance when watching films and cinematic TV shows. To assess picture quality, we use test footage able to showcase a TV’s ability to shine, with high brightness, and deep, nuanced black levels.
One key element that distinguishes the best OLED TVs is their ability to present HDR (High Dynamic Range) content, from perfect blacks through to bright specular highlights. We measure peak brightness using industry-standard patterns, comparing each model against others in their class.
Of course, we don’t all tend to watch the TV in dark or dimly lit rooms, so we also consider each set’s bright room performance.
OLED TVs aren’t just for movies and sports. Many gamers will want to connect their gaming consoles to them. So, we look at how accommodating they are for good gameplay and measure input lag. Some OLED TVs are better than others when it comes to offering inputs that handle 4K 120Hz gameplay (something gamers using the newest generation consoles will want), for example.
We also take sound very seriously. While the best OLED TVs are astonishingly thin, manufacturers have still managed to build in some quite impressive sound systems, from stereo to full Dolby Atmos. However, if you need to budget for a soundbar, we’ll let you know before you buy.
Panasonic TV-55Z95A 4K OLED TV
Score: 98/100
This 2024 flagship OLED TV from Panasonic offers arguably the best combination of sound and vision in its class. If you’re looking for the ultimate home cinema package, here it is. Boasting a brand new Master OLED Ultimate panel, with brightness-boosting “Micro Lens Array” technology coupled with a sophisticated HCX Pro AI Processor MK II processor, it delivers scintillating 4K pictures with inky blacks, nuanced shadow detail and bright, eye-catching highlights. Its HDR support is extensive and covers Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive. The result is images with tangible depth and believability.
You get an excellent cinematic sound too, thanks to a Technics-tuned 360 Soundscape Pro Dolby Atmos system. You won’t notice them with a cursory glance, but this TV has multiple speakers which fire forwards, to the side and upwards for height information, plus a subwoofer. In total there’s a total of 150W amplification available. Watching a film is a genuinely immersive experience.
This is also the first high-end telly we’ve seen to use the Amazon Fire TV smart platform (normally it’s on cheaper models), so there’s no shortage of streaming apps. It even has a Freely tuner, meaning you can get all the mainstream channels (BBC, ITV etc) via wifi, without any need for an aerial or dish.
Gamers will appreciate the set’s Game Mode Extreme dashboard, which groups all the relevant info into one place, and the input lag is low. However, only two HDMI inputs support 4K 120HZ gameplay. While it’s certainly an expensive telly, it’s not overpriced given its level of performance.
Sony 65-inch XR-65A80L 4K OLED TV
Score: 95/100
Oozing minimalist Sony style, and bristling with advanced picture processing technologies, this Sony OLED is a head turner both on and off. Sony is able to call on the experience of its movie studio engineers to fine-tune the performance, to ensure its “Cinema” image presets accurately reflect the intent of filmmakers. In practice, this means images have believable levels of shadow detail, texture and colour depth.
It also offers better-than-average motion handling. Sony’s “MotionFlow” interpolation system seamlessly removes picture judder while keeping processing artefacts at bay, a trait that’s really beneficial with fast-moving sports, be it football or Formula 1. There’s minimal blur, and everything looks sharp and crisp.
Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is the sound system. A cursory glance might fool you into thinking there is nothing happening here, but in fact the set boasts a 50W Acoustic Surface Audio sound system, which uses actuators behind the OLED panel to generate clean, clear and involving audio.
The smart platform of choice here is Google TV, which has all the top streaming services onboard, while catch-up TV players are supplied via YouView. It’s worth noting that only two of the set’s four HDMI ports support 4K 120Hz gameplay, but that should be enough to keep the PlayStation 5 faithful happy.
Philips 55OLED909 4K OLED TV
Score: 95/100
Philips puts on the style with the 55-inch OLED909. As with other OLED TVs from the Philips stable, this 4K set boasts “Ambilight” mood lighting, which delivers customisable colours and effects. It can make the screen feel bigger by emitting ambient light from the scene onscreen from the back of the TV – and, even when it’s not being watched, you can use it as part of your interior lighting design.
Sonically, the set offers a forward-facing 3.1 Bowers & Wilkins speaker array, powered by 85W of amplification. This sound system doesn’t deliver cinema-style audio, but it does sound remarkably good.
There’s no compromise when it comes to picture quality either. This is a stunning performer. It uses a next-generation META Micro Lens Array OLED panel, coupled with the brand’s latest P5 AI processor. The image quality is colour-rich and dynamic and the OLED909 is also one of the best HDR performers on the market, capable of dazzling peak HDR highlights. Its picture really pops!
Keep an eye on the motion settings though. Our advice is to select “Pure Cinema” for films and TV dramas. The only catch is the set’s gaming performance. We found its 60Hz input lag to be poor compared to rivals. You’ll get the best results when playing games at 4K 120Hz, but only two of the four HDMI inputs support this.
The set runs on the Google TV smart platform and has a full library of streaming service apps. At the time of writing, the available UK catch-up TV players are limited to ITVx and My5. All things considered, though, we rate this as a gorgeous designer 4K screen, just not the first choice for gamers.
Samsung QE65S95D QD-OLED 4K TV
Score: 93/100
OLED TVs are generally awesome but can lose their punch in brightly lit rooms. Not so with this Samsung. A third-generation QD-OLED model, this set employs a Quantum Dot colour filter to improve its colour performance and is one of the brightest screens we’ve seen. You’ll notice the added intensity. Colours are rich, blacks are fabulously dark, and fine detail is high.
It also helps that the TV has an unusual matte screen that’s glare-free. This reduces unwanted screen reflections, be it daylight streaming through a window, or bright table lamps that reflect in a darkened room.HDR coverage doesn’t extend to Dolby Vision, which will be a disappointment for movie lovers, but regular HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+ are covered.
Streaming services come via Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform, which offers all the big names (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+), as well as mainstream catch-up TV players (BBC iPlayer, ITVx, etc).
One possible snag, though, is the One Connect Box. It’s a separate unit into which you have to plug your HDMI gadgets (four ports are provided), and TV aerial. This box connects to the screen using a single lead, which also delivers power. This system is very helpful when wall mounting, as it cuts down on cable spaghetti, but you will need to find somewhere to store the One Connect Box.
A dedicated Game Hub groups together all the popular gaming functions. Helpfully, all four HDMI inputs support 4K 120Hz gameplay from consoles, and there’s also a 144Hz frame rate mode for PC gamers.
The audio is well above average for a TV this slim too. Samsung’s “Object Tracking Sound” system directs audio around the set’s various speakers, creating a sense of movement. The S95D can also be coupled to a “Q Symphony-capable” Samsung soundbar, wherein all available speakers are used together. The result is very impressive.
LG 65-inch OLED65C4 4K TV
Score: 88/100
Offering outstanding picture quality and a rich feature set, the LG C4 is a tempting option for movie lovers and gamers. All four of the HDMI ports are capable of 4K 120Hz playback, and there’s NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync compatibility for smooth PC gaming. A Game Optimiser with Dashboard simplifies access to gaming settings, and input lag is low, making the screen a good choice for any competitive gamers out there.
The smart TV functionality comes via LG’s webOS platform, so there’s a wide selection of streaming apps and catch-up TV services available. And, when it comes to picture quality, the OLED panel here benefits from effective brightness-boosting picture processing and delivers an admirable HDR performance. The peak HDR highlights add depth and detail, while colours are bright, yet never overcooked.
Audio from the C4 is pretty straightforward. The set delivers 20W of stereo sound, but you’ll get better results if you partner it with a compatible LG soundbar, and unlock so-called “Wow Orchestra” functionality. This means both the soundbar and the set’s loudspeakers work together, creating a much bigger wall of sound.
Overall, we rate the LG C4 as an ideal pick for movie lovers and demanding gamers.
LG 42-inch 42OLEDC3 4K OLED TV
Score: 87/100
Currently going for a song, as stores clear stockroom space for 2024’s C4 model, this OLED represents excellent value for money, particularly if you favour a smaller screen size.
A brilliant buy for PlayStation 5 and Xbox console owners, the set supports high frame rate gaming on all four HDMI inputs, alongside game-specific HDR. We like the overall look of the set, with its thin bezel and dark metal finish.
Pictures exhibit high levels of clarity, with lush colour and striking contrast. The HDR support includes HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision, but there’s no support for HDR10+, which is favoured by Amazon Prime Video. That’s not such a big problem on a relatively small telly like this, though. The audio is a bit thin, though, so we’d recommend you plan to add a soundbar.
The smart credentials are impressive and there’s a full complement of streaming services on LG’s webOS smart platform, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Rakuten TV, and LG Channels, as well as catch-up TV service via Freeview Play.
Philips 55OLED809 4K OLED TV
Score: 83/100
Currently the best value OLED TV with “Ambilight” that you can buy, as prices drop to make way for the 55OLED909. This high-spec model offers three-sided Ambilight, advanced picture processing and a Game Bar interface, which supports up to ten gamer profiles and provides quick access to gameplay-enhancing features like “Shadow Enhancer”, “Edge Enhancer”, and a customisable crosshair.
As you’d expect of Philips, the build quality and design standards are high. The screen is wrapped in a premium metal frame which sits on a central pedestal stand with a handy swivel mechanism. This allows for easy adjustment of the viewing angle.
The Philips P5 processing engine does a great job of boosting colour and detail, without sacrificing black levels and shadow nuances. There’s support for a wide range of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and IMAX Enhanced HDR.
The stereo sound system is good too, with 70W of amplification (30W of which goes to a built-in subwoofer). Connectivity includes four HDMI inputs, two of which can handle high frame rate 4K 120Hz gameplay from next-generation gaming consoles.
The smart TV comes via the Google TV platform, and this means you’ll get all the big-name streaming services built-in, but UK catch-up support is patchy, so you’ll need to source them from another device.
Do OLED TVs suffer from burn-in?
The short answer is yes, occasionally. But, it’s far less of an issue today than it once was. Burn-in occurs when a static image remains etched like a shadow on the screen, even when the picture content changes. Such image retention could be caused by high-contrast images, like an onscreen TV logo, or the ticker on a news channel.
Burn-in is a consequence of the self-emissive nature of the OLED pixel itself. The good news is that TV manufacturers offer various tools and functions to combat this.
You can also avoid burn-in by knowing and avoiding the cause of it in the first place: don’t pause a news channel and then go off to cook the Sunday roast, and avoid static video game menus during protracted gaming sessions.
If your OLED TV (or source component) offers a screen-saver mode, engage it. Automatic screen savers activate after a period of inactivity or when they detect a static image for too long. These screensavers may contain a rotating image or a logo on a black background.
Most OLED TVs also offer a pixel shift or “pixel orbiting” function. This slightly moves the on-screen image by a few pixels at intervals so slight that you won’t notice when watching. This prevents any one area of the screen from suffering localised image retention.
Increasingly, AI picture processors can also identify where there’s a static element in the picture and decrease brightness appropriately; a dimmer image is far less likely to produce screen burn-in.
Remember, the latest OLED panel technologies are far less prone to burn-in than their predecessors because they use more durable organic materials to maximise longevity.
Advancements in panel technology, coupled with protective features, have significantly reduced the likelihood of burn-in. If you’re planning to buy an OLED TV for mixed content and gaming, you can look forward to a worry-free viewing experience.
Things to consider when buying an OLED TV
OLED TVs may offer stunning picture quality, with deep blacks and vibrant colours, but choosing an OLED TV model can be daunting, thanks to a preponderance of jargon and tech specs.
But you don’t need to be a tech expert to understand common OLED jargon and master the key details including resolution, HDR, refresh rates, and smart features.
Resolution
Every current OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV offers 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution (also known as ultra-high-definition), so their pictures are far sharper than old-school high-definition models.
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
Similarly, HDR offers better peak brightness and more nuanced shadow detail. HDR enhances contrast and colour and comes in various flavours. HDR10 is the basic version, while Dolby Vision, favoured by film fans, is more advanced because it’s able to optimise images on a scene-by-scene basis. HDR10+ is similar to Dolby Vision and is favoured by Prime Video.
Screen size
When it comes to screen size, pick a model that suits your living space, and then go one size up. Remember that there’s a relationship between screen size and picture resolution. Simply put, the bigger the screen, the more detail you’ll see in its images. 55 to 65 inches is the norm, but increasingly buyers are gravitating to super-large 77-inch models. The bigger your OLED telly, the better it’ll look.
Refresh rates
Refresh rates only become important when you’re buying a set for gaming. 120Hz is optimum for fast-moving games on the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. Some OLED TVs have two such High Frame Rate capable HDMI inputs, while others have four. If you see eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) listed, that’s the connection you’ll use to connect a soundbar.
Sound performance
The biggest difference between various OLED TVs is often their sound system. High-end models offer some sort of cinema-style Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Others have basic stereo.
Smart features
All OLED TVs come equipped with a smart operating system, making it easy to access streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+, and they’ll often be able to control smart home devices too.
Popular platforms include LG webOS, Google TV and Android TV, Samsung Tizen and Amazon Fire TV. There’s not a great deal between them, although you may have a preference if you’ve used one particular interface previously.
Port selection
Planning on connecting a streaming stick, a Sky box, gaming console, external speakers, an internet cable or a pair of wired headphones? You’re going to need to check what ports are on the TV. All models on our list have four HDMI ports, but you may want to keep an eye out for ethernet, USB, optical audio output and a headphone jack, too.
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