What is the best TV of 2021? It's a hard question right now, with a host of new 2021 best smart TV contenders having been announced, but not yet released or reviewed.
There are, however, a number of excellent TVs from last year that are still on sale, and – in some cases – vastly cheaper than their original launch price. They're still the best TVs on the market, then, and now might be the absolute best time to buy outside of Black Friday sales.
The best smart TVs below may be knocked off their perch soon, as newer iterative models – or brand new technologies altogether – arrive on the scene. A massive number of displays enter the market each year, all of them vying for your attention, and your money – and the biggest TV brands are always looking to outdo each other in a big way.
But what makes the best TV? The most impressive screens out there offer up the best picture processing tech, connectivity, format support, build and design. You'll see the likes of OLED and QLED, and there's a mix of new Samsung TVs and sets from LG, Sony and Panasonic. The arrival of Mini LED backlights for LG's new QNED range, as well as Samsung's Neo QLED models, could spell some changes though.
We know that combing through spec sheets can be pretty mind-numbing work too: that's why we've brought together our pick of the best smart TVs in this guide, to help you choose the right one for you between them.
You can also check out our best 4K TVs guide, the cheapest 4K TV prices, or our list of the best gaming TVs (if that's your main reason for buying). But, if you're looking for the best-of-the-best TV out there today, this is the place for you.
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Best TVs
What is the best TV of 2021? Panasonic released a number of new OLEDs last year, including the HZ1000, HZ1500, and an entry-level HZ980 model – but its the HZ2000 that shows the capabilities of today's high-end smart TVs at their best, even into the start of 2021.
The HZ2000 has a custom OLED panel that elevates the already-incredible picture to new heights, putting Panasonic's experience in the world of master monitors to brilliant use.
Handling much of the heavy lifting is the brand’s HCX Pro Intelligent processor, first seen on last year’s GZ2000 flagship. It’s distinguished by an ability to deliver bright, saturated colours and huge contrast, even in brightly-lit scenes.
Pictures on the HZ2000 are never less than cinematic, and the sound won't let you down, either. Here you'll find 140W Dolby Atmos speakers and upward-firing drivers – tuned by Technics – bringing you the closest you can get to the cinema in your own living room.
Prices start at £3,299 for the 55-inch model, but if you can afford it, you won't be disappointed. Note that this model isn't coming to the US, or Australia – but that UK shoppers can invest in this triumph of a television today.
Keep an eye out for the new JZ2000 model that's been announced for 2021, though, which packs in side-firing speakers alongside the range's trademark custom OLED panel.
Read the full review: Panasonic HZ2000 4K OLED TV
The LG CX OLED is certainly the best OLED TV you can buy right now, and fully deserves to scrape the top of this list to the best TVs available today – even if the incoming LG C1 OLED won't be quite the flagship that its predecessor was.
By continuing the same mesmerizing picture quality and standout webOS operating system – making it one of the best smart TVs available today – with a few modern-day updates like HDMI 2.1 and an a9 Gen 3 processor, LG has managed to make a truly landmark OLED television with a very competitive price.
With a new 48-inch OLED TV size now available too, the CX is an even more flexible proposition for a wider variety of wallets and homes. With a slimline design and support for Dolby Vision and Atmos – along with bellowing built-in audio – it's a fantastic choice at any size.
LG is really looking to entice gamers these days too, with rock-bottom input lag, support for Nvidia G-Sync, and compatibility with 4K/120HZ gameplay for next-gen consoles.
You won't get HDR10+ here, sadly, and UK viewers will have to go without all of their fave catch-up apps, but make no mistake – this is one of the best TVs in 2021, at least until the new LG C1 OLED launches later this year.
Read the full review: LG CX OLED
The Samsung QN900A Neo QLED 8K TV ushers in a new era of television technology. Packing in the new Mini LED backlights Samsung has used in its new 'Neo QLED' range, it marks a notable evolution for the QLED range, with truly stunning picture quality, exceptional color and brightness, terrific sound and outstanding blacks. And this screen is quite the looker on the outside, too.
For the uninitiated, Samsung's 'Quantum' Mini LEDs are 1/40th the thickness of a regular LED, meaning thousands of smaller LEDs can be packed together in a much tighter fashion, allowing for far more accurate dimming zones and black levels that are practically indistinguishable from an OLED.
As the LEDs are far smaller, they're able to achieve far more precision and less blooming, so the act of seeing bright areas of the screen unnaturally bleed over into darker spots should be greatly reduced or not evident at all.
And because it takes advantage of Samsung's Multi-Intelligence AI upscaling, the QN900A is consistently able to produce images that looked better than their source. You'll get to benefit from a host of gaming features too, with the latest HDMI 2.1 and eARC features, 4K/120fps and 8K/60fps passthrough, as well as Game Motion Plus and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for those connecting to a PC.
To put it simple: it's the flagship 8K TV to beat in 2021.
Read the full review: Samsung QN900A Neo QLED 8K TV
The Q80T isn't the fanciest QLED in last year's range, but it really does offer a lot, as last year's cheapest QLED with a full-array backlight, meaning you don't have to skimp with an edge-lit display (like last year's Q60R).
It's a fantastic choice for gamers, given consistently low input lag to ensure your gaming console of choice – PS5, Xbox Series X, or otherwise – is funnelling video output to your screen with as little delay as possible, at just 8.7ms image lag. The set's dedicated Game Motion Plus setting also reduces judder and blur for smoother gameplay, at a still-respectable 19.7ms lag too.
We found in our tests the odd speck of blooming around bright light sources – but the picture is still pretty exceptional, with bright HDR and AI-enhanced images to make this a great choice for any viewer-gamer buying a new smart TV.
The 65-inch Q80T QLED is currently retailing at $1,799 / £2,299 / AU$3,339. It's technically an update to 2019's Q70R, rather than the higher-end Q80R, so we possibly wouldn't advise upgrading if you have the latter already.
Read the full review: Samsung Q80T QLED TV
Finally, the Sony A9G OLED got knocked off its perch. Sony's new-for-2020 A8/A8H OLED TV takes everything we love about Sony's premium TVs and repackages it at a more reasonable price point.
You're getting premium OLED picture performance, with Sony’s top-line X1 Ultimate processor, Sony’s Pixel Contrast Booster (for more intense image highlights), and a new OLED version of the X-Motion Clarity feature Sony initially developed for its FALD LCD TVs.
The impressive sound system, too, combines a two-subwoofer bass system with screen-shaking Acoustic Surface Audio tech, making for a real treat as a smart TV to watch movies and TV shows. If you can deal with the slightly low brightness, you'll get to experience some of the most refined pictures of any OLED TV to date.
In terms of price, the 55-inch model comes in at $1,899 / £1,799, while the larger 65-inch comes in at $2,799 / £2,799. You'll find similar pricing on the incoming A80J OLED, but we'll be sure to update this guide when that set has come through for review.
Read the full review: Sony A8H OLED TV
The Philips OLED 805 is a winning combination of excellent picture quality, powerful processing, and lovely build quality – but it's the Ambilight feature that's the real star of the show here.
Ambilight projects a cornucopia of colors around the edges of the television, and this 805 model can do so from three sides – not quite the four-sided Ambilight of the flagship OLED+935, but still plenty to create an immersive light show.
But the 805 OLED isn't just for show: thanks to Philips' beefy P5 Picture processor, its able to give real force to OLED images, with enhanced contrast and spectacular colors – even when upscaling from HD/SDR. Philips improves on last year's 804 model too with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, meaning you won't have to choose between a dynamic HDR format.
There isn't Apple TV app support, though – and the Android interface can feel unwieldy at times. The lack of Freeview Play, too, can be frustrating for UK viewers, without catch-up provision for the likes of ITV and BBC. Overall, though, it's a small price to pay for what's on offer in this excellent smart TV.
Read the full review: Philips OLED 805
Budget option
As the 2020 successor to the GX800 – which topped this list the year before – the HX800 continues everything that made us fall in love with Panasonic's mid-range LCD offering in the first place, with a sweet spot of price, performance, and functionality all in one.
Panasonic gets a lot of goodwill by offering multi-HDR support – throwing in HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG in a single set – and is also unique in how this support is implemented across so much of its TV range. As a mid-range LCD, it's incredible that Panasonic ensures it has the same format support as higher-end OLED TVs like the new HZ1000 and HZ1500.
Add to that Panasonic's HCX processor, with filmic images and smooth action far beyond what we'd hope for at this price point, and you have a clear winner for the best 40-inch TV available right now. Despite a bare-bones operating system, there's really very little to complain about.
You'll find the 40-inch model retailing at £699 at the time of writing, with a larger 58-inch model costing just £899 too. Panasonic doesn't ship TVs to the US, unfortunately, but for those of you in the UK, Europe, or Canada, this is a no-brainer choice.
Read our full Panasonic HX800 TV review
FAQ
- What can smart TVs do? Smart TVs are internet-connected televisions that stream shows, films, and programmes over the internet, alongside (or instead of) terrestrial broadcasts.
- What's a 'dumb' TV? A dumb TV is a set without smart capabilities or internet connection, though set-top boxes or streaming sticks can add those things in.
- What channels are on smart TVs? This varies between country, and also your TV manufacturer. On Samsung smart TVs you'll get the Samsung TV Plus app that has over 100 channels, while Vizio TVs come stocked with the Pluto TV-powered WatchFree app that has some 200 channels. Most smart TVs come stocked with at least a few services that offer some free content, however; UK viewers will get 12 HD channels and 60 standard channels through Freeview, with more available through paid-for entertainment packages like Sky Q.
- Do smart TVs have built-in Wi-Fi? No: you'll need a home internet connection, either over ethernet (wired) or Wi-Fi (wireless).
- Do smart TVs have Netflix? All major smart platforms will support Netflix, even those with Amazon's Fire TV interface – while some remotes these days even come with a dedicated Netflix button. You will need to subscribe to Netflix to access the content within the app, though.
- Do you need Wi-Fi for smart TVs? You'll need internet of some description to use internet services on the TV, whether through Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Casting from your phone to the TV, though, is one way around this.
When to buy
Should you wait to buy a new TV? This is a question we're asked a lot. Like most technology, TVs are getting incrementally better all the time – which means, yes, if you wait a year there will probably be a bigger, flashier TV out there for less money.
You should make sure not to wait too long, though, as you might end up depriving yourself of today's advancements on the promise of tomorrow's. Smart TVs now come with operating systems built-in as standard with a number of streaming apps alongside regional broadcast television. Almost every new set – aside from small TVs – will be 4K resolution too, and come with some form of HDR capability, if not support for dynamic HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
The question of annual product ranges always rears its head, though. It can be tempting to splash out on a new TV, and you'll likely get something better for it. But last year's models still aren't far behind – usually at a far lower price, as retailers look to shift older stock – and any improvements for this year are likely to be incremental.
As ever, it's worth looking at the differences between a new model and the version it's replacing. The introduction of Samsung's Ultra Viewing Angle technology was a big boon for its high-end QLEDs – as is the implementation of Mini LED on 2021 new Samsung TVs – but other updates aren't nearly as notable.
If you do want to future-proof against the next wave of hardware specifications, though, the new HDMI 2.1 standard is going to prove crucial for serious gaming setups: allowing support for 8K resolution at 60 frames per second, 4K at 120fps, alongside a range of new gaming features that will be supported over HDMI. So keep an eye out for HDMI 2.1 if that's going to be important for you.
Useful links
- What size TV should I buy?
- Check out the best cheap 4K TV deals going right now
- Best gaming TV: the screens to make that console shine
- Want better audio? Check out our guide to the best soundbars available
- Check out how to set up your TV properly too
- Or find the best universal remote for your new home theater setup
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