All about Technology: Buying Guide: The 10 best 4K TVs of 2016

Best 4K UHD TVs of 2016

In a few short years 4K TVs have gone from incredibly niche high-end technology to more or less mainstream. At the budget end of the spectrum 1080p panels still rule the roost, but even at mid-range prices the 4K options are affordable.

We're also finally seeing native 4K content become available. Both Netflix and Amazon have updated their services to stream in 4K, and the first Ultra HD Blu-ray players are starting to hit the market. Completely native 4K content continues to be the exception rather than the rule however, with many of the first batch of 4K titles having been upconverted from 2K masters.

Best TV shows you can stream right now.

However it's still not the case that every 4K TV is made equal, and you'll need to be a savvy consumer to ensure your set is as future-proofed as possible.

As in the early days of HD, when consumers had to deal with the confusion of 'HD Ready' versus 'Full HD', the Ultra-HD 4K market currently suffers from a similar collection of interrelated terms.

The solution to this problem, a universal standard for everyone to adhere to, has just arrived in the form of Ultra HD Premium (which you can read more about in our dedicated 4K TV Hub), but the specification is still new and not every manufacturer is currently supporting it – we're looking in your direction Sony.

Thankfully, although the market remains complicated, at least the prices of UHD sets are no longer guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye.

Until things settle down, 4K will remain the domain of the clued-up early adopter, and if that sounds like you then read on for our pick of the best 4K TVs available today.

Best 4K UHD TV

1. Panasonic TX-65DX902B

Astoundingly vibrant 4K HDR TV

Fantastic HDR

Firefox Smart OS

Local dimming isn't perfect

Still expensive

At over £3,000 the Panasonic TX-65DC902B's price is still firmly in enthusiast territory, but a Ultra HD Premium specification combined with a simple yet effective Smart TV interface means this set is a solid choice for more than just the initiated.

Panasonic's Honeycomb local dimming technology might not be perfect, but it's the best we're going to get until OLED panels become mainstream over the coming years – and when the technology is capable of creating highlights this bright it's hard to complain, especially when the resulting image is so vibrant.

Read the full review: Panasonic TX-65DX902B

LG 65EF950V

2. LG 65EF950V

"OLED screen technology is quite simply the future of television."

Extraordinary contrast

webOS is brilliant

Shadowing down the sides

Limited brightness

Despite a couple of strange lighting flaws, there are times - lots of them, in fact - where the 65EF950V's pictures look pretty much perfect. Certainly the amount of contrast and shadow detail on show will be a dream come true to home cinema fans still mourning the death of plasma TVs. The set is gorgeously designed too, and LG's webOS interface is on hand to make sure it's never hard to find something to watch.

The fact that all the 65EF950V's, in some cases unique, attractions are available here in a flat screen at a more affordable price than expected is just the icing on the cake.

Read the full review: LG 65EF950V

Best 4K TV

3. Samsung UE55KS9000

"This Samsung dazzler shoots for the HDR stars"

Truly spectacular HDR pictures

Stunning curved design

Curved screen is divisive

No 3D support

After some pretty premium pricing in 2015, it's good to see Samsung being reasonably aggressive with the £2,100 cost of UE55KS9000. This doesn't seem an awful lot to ask for the level of specification, design, performance and smart TV capabilities the UE55KS9000 brings to the table, and puts it in the same ball park as the Sony 55XD9305 that's probably its closest rival.

With its sleek lines and 360-degree design the UE55KS9000 looks every inch a premium TV - a design statement it backs up with a new LCD panel created from the ground up to get the maximum impact from the new killer picture quality combination of UHD resolution and HDR. Add in a much-improved smart interface and reasonable price for what's on offer, and it looks like Samsung may be the brand to beat again at the high end of the TV market.

Read the full review: Samsung UE55KS9000

LG 65EC970V

4. LG 65EC970V

"The first 4K OLED TV is finally here."

Jaw-dropping design

webOS works brilliantly

Limited HDR options

Needs accurate set up

For many home cinema fans the LG 65EC970V is a dream come true. There are many, many occasions where its combination of a native 4K UHD resolution and OLED screen technology delivers pictures more beautiful and natural than any we've ever seen before on any television.

Its webOS operating system, moreover, ensures that the 65EC970V is still easy to use despite its cutting edge nature, and its design is gorgeous.

If you're lucky enough to have six grand to spare you're faced with a stark TV choice between the LG 65EC970V and the Samsung UE65JS9500. The bottom line though is that it's another ground-breaking moment for TV picture quality.

Read the full review: LG 65EC970V

Sony KD-75X9405C

5. Sony KD-75X9405C

"This Sony delivers arguably the most 4K picture I've ever seen on a 4K TV"

Sensational picture quality

Equally sensational sound quality

Space-consuming chassis design

Upscaling can cause noise

The 75X9405C certainly isn't shy about coming forward.

Its already vast 75-inch screen is further expanded by two chunky side panels and an unusually deep rear end. But there's a good excuse for this bulk, as it enables Sony's set to deliver the best speakers I've ever heard on a TV.

The 75X9405C also carries the new Android TV smart platform - even though this hasn't convinced us it's the future of TV - and best of all it combines a 4K resolution with a direct LED panel design and Sony's latest picture processing to produce pictures that are, for the most part, deliriously good.

Read the full review: Sony KD-75X9405C

Hisense 50K321

6. Hisense LTDN50K321UWT

"Hisense's UK debut is far better than you've any right to expect for the money."

Great value

Good picture quality overall

Basic smart system

Limited viewing angles

Hisense is clearly keen to arrive on the UK TV scene with a bang. At £499 the 50K321 is groundbreakingly cheap for a 50-inch 4K TV, yet despite its extreme affordability it offers a pretty impressive set of features.

The breadth of multimedia playback support, strong connectivity, a smart TV system, and some promising picture specifications are all as welcome as they are unexpected.

It has, at the first time of asking, established itself as a brand capable of operating at the budget end of the market while serving up a markedly better-than-budget level of performance and features. All of which makes it potentially the stuff of nightmares for the more established TV brands.

Read the full review: Hisense LTDN50K321UWT

Panasonic TX-50CX802B

7. Panasonic TX-50CX802B

"Far and away Panasonic's best LCD TV to date."

Superbly detailed, natural pictures

Exceptional colour rendition

Slight motion blur

Calibrated pictures lack brightness

While there's room for improvement with its backlight and motion handling, the 50CX802 is far and away Panasonic's best LCD TV to date.

Its pictures benefit from a unique focus on colour and greyscale nuances that give it a genuine USP, and it backs this up with an appealingly friendly new Firefox smart TV interface and - following imminent firmware updates - both HDR and Freeview Play functionality.

All at what is, all things considered, an attractive price.

Read the full review: Panasonic TX-50CX802B

Best 4K UHD TV

8. Sony KD-XD9305

4K UHD streaming backed by Sony's X1 processor

Ultra-thin minimalist design

Good number of ports

Blacks can look milky

Poor remote control

Whichever way you look at it, Sony's KD-XD9305 is a fantastic-looking telly. The frame is sleek, minimalist and thin, and the cable management options are great for reducing clutter. More importantly, picture quality is impressive across both HD and UHD content.

Which is why it's such a shame that this set is saddled with an annoyingly busy OS and clunky remote. However, if you're someone who relies on an external box for your Smart TV functionality then the XD93's downsides start disappearing rapidly.

Read the full review: Sony KD-XD9305

Samsung UE48JS8500

9. Samsung UE48JS8500

"Superb colour, awesome 4K detail and sublime depth make this one special TV."

Superb colour

Smooth motion

Black crush

Lacks processing speed

If you're in the market for a Samsung SUHD, the 48-inch model is well worth a long, lingering look. It's considerably cheaper than the step-up UE48JS9000 and UE65JS9500T models and has great image quality to boot.

The UE48JS8500's superb colour, awesome 4K detail and sublime depth make this one special TV, though some black crush does take the edge off. Excellent usability features – from second-screening a TV channel and hosting all UK catch-up TV apps to supporting Netflix/Amazon 4K and playing-back 4K video files – are welcome but slightly under-powered in terms of processing speed.

The UE48JS8500 though still remains a good value way to sample Samsung's impressive SUHD TVs.

Read the full review: Samsung UE48JS8500

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Best 4K TV

10. Panasonic TX-40DX600

Firefox stars on this great value 4K TV

Clean, colourful 4K

4K digital file support

Too small for 4K

Tight viewing angle

A follow-up to last year's excellent 40CX680B, the 40DX600 is Panasonic's best value 4K TV. Four pegs down from Panasonic's flagship DX900 range –five, if you count its OLED – the DX600 series claims a 4K Edge LED-backlit panel with adaptive backlight dimming, 800Hz scanning and Quad Core PRO processor for super-quick smart TV navigation.

It also has both a Firefox OS and a Freeview Play catch-up TV app, as do all Panasonic TVs for 2016, which lend it a smart, usable interface to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Read the full review: Panasonic TX-40DX600

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All about Technology

Tuesday 24 May 2016

Buying Guide: The 10 best 4K TVs of 2016