Tuesday 3 January 2023

Best TVs at CES 2023: next-gen OLED from Samsung and LG, and what to expect

TVs are always one of the biggest parts of CES, and CES 2023 will be no different. Most of the biggest TV makers announce their major launches for the year at the event, and we'll be updating this guide to the best TVs of CES 2023 with all the most significant news as it's announced.

These are the TVs that will dominate our guide to the best TVs this year, so anyone thinking of buying a set in the next 12 months should pay attention to what's coming here… especially since in some cases, you might decide that picking up current-gen models for cheap would be smarter, depending on how impressive you find the upgrades.

LG was first out of the gate with news of its new OLED models, with other companies due to reveal all in the coming days. Meanwhile, Samsung Display (the part of Samsung that manufactures screens) has already unveiled its new next-gen QD-OLED panels that will almost certainly be used in sets from Samsung itself and Sony (and perhaps more). It's going to be another big year for the best OLED TVs.

LG TVs at CES 2023

LG SC95 soundbar lifestyle image

LG's 2023 TVs will feature even hair on your surf-charging horse videos. (Image credit: LG)

LG has unveiled its new OLED range for 2023, which includes four models: the high-end LG Z3 8K model; the LG G3 high-end 4K model, which offers the company's brightest-ever OLED performance; the LG C3, which will be the mid-range blockbuster to replace the best-selling LG C2; and the LG B3, which is the most affordable model.

Every model will have 4K 120Hz and VRR support over HDMI 2.1 for gamers, and will include a new image processor for improved picture quality generally. The Z3, G3 and C3 will all feature the a9 Gen6 processor, with fancy new tricks such as applying HDR tone mapping and sharpness processing on individual objects within the frame, so everything gets handled correctly. The B3 will include a slightly less advanced processor: the a7 Gen6.

There's no LG A3 this year – the LG A2 was the last of LG's super-cheap OLED line-up (unless the company reverses course). We'll have to wait and see what this means for the price of the LG B2 – it'd be great if that came down to the A2's price.

The really flashy model here is the LG G3, which promises to be up to 70% brighter than conventional OLED models (which appears to refer to the likes of the B3, rather than the C3, which also has some brightness boosting tech… just not as much as the G3 does).

Read our in-depth look at the new LG OLED 2023 range here.

Samsung TVs at CES 2023

The Samsung S95B OLED TV on a TV stand.

Next-gen QD-OLED could push Samsung's OLED TVs to the top of the pile. (Image credit: Samsung)

At the time of writing, Samsung Electronics hasn't unveiled its new TVs yet (expect news in the next day or so). However, Samsung Display (a separate part of the company) has unveiled its next-gen QD-OLED panels, which tell us something about what to expect from one Samsung model, at least.

The new panels will be available in 55-inch, 65-inch and 77-inch sizes for TVs, and Samsung Display is claiming that they could reach 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is far, far beyond what any previous OLED TV is capable of. 

That said, we should note that Samsung Display made lofty claims about the brightness of its previous QD-OLED panels (used in the Samsung S95B) that the actual TVs never lived up to. In that previous case, it said those panels could reach around 1500 nits, but the actual TVs reached around 1,000 nits when measured. 

Color us sceptical, therefore, about whether anyone will see that 2,000-nit brightness in practice. However, if Samsung Display is right that the increase in brightness will be around 33%, that could still make the new TVs brighter than any OLED on the market so far.

Sony TVs at CES 2023

Sony Bravia XR Master Series A95K 4K OLED Smart TV

Can Sony's high-end TVs really get even better? The technology is there… (Image credit: Sony)

Sony's news on its new TVs is expected on January 4th, but the QD-OLED panel news mentioned above applies here as well. Sony used the previous panel in its flagship Sony A95K TV in 2022, which we crowned as the best of the year when it comes to image quality alone. So we have to assume that the new QD-OLED screen will make it into the successor.

Panasonic TVs at CES 2023

With Panasonic's TV announcements due on Jan 4th, we'll see if the Japanese company has any plans to adopt the latest-gen OLED tech from either Samsung or LG. The company has always been very comfortable with standard OLED tech, thanks to its use of heatsink technology, so it can boost brightness beyond what other screens manage without damaging the panels. 

Last year, the company focused on introducing smart new speaker features too – we expect more of the same from its 2023 range. The big question will be whether Panasonic will start selling its OLED TVs in the US (but we wouldn't recommend holding your breath).

TCL TVs at CES 2023

TCL CF630K QLED illustration

Expect TCL to focus on bringing even more explosive colors to your living room. (Image credit: TCL)

Again, news is due on Jan 4th on TCL's range, but you should expect the company to keep getting aggressive in bringing higher-end tech, such as mini-LED, down to mid-range prices. 

The big question is whether the company will go harder on OLED as well as its LCD ranges. In 2022, it also focused on bringing much (MUCH) bigger TVs to market, using a range of tech. We'll probably see more giant QLED models, but we also saw a micro-LED TV from it in 2022, so we'll be hoping to see more support from this burgeoning tech from TCL.

Hisense TVs at CES 2023

The news from Hisense should arrive on, yes, Jan 4th. Much like TCL, a big focus will likely be on more advanced mini-LED screens for affordable prices. TCL does make OLED models too, but the price of OLED panels currently cooled the company on the tech in 2022, so we'd expect its big pushes to be in bringing mini-LED and QLED to even lower prices.

  • Check out our CES 2023 hub for all the latest news from the show as it happens. We'll be covering everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets, so stick with us for the big stories.
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