Best 4K TV for 2021 – Just like every television set with a screen size that’s at least 32 inches is available in 4K resolution. Prices for 4K TVs are basically equivalent to older, lower-resolution 1080p TVs, so 4K is no longer an expensive step-up feature. If you’re shopping for a 50-inch screen or bigger, it’s hard to find any model that isn’t 4K.
The best 4K TV screen can be more affordable than you think. The popular TCL 4-Series, which I like a lot as an entry-level option, starts at a budget TV price of $250 for the 43-inch model.
Best 4K TV for 2021
As you might expect at those prices, 4K resolution on a screen doesn’t necessarily mean great picture quality. All those millions of pixels — 8,294,440 to be exact — don’t have much of an impact on how good the image looks. The best-performing TVs in our reviews and the best TVs for the money excel in other areas of picture quality, such as contrast, dynamic range, and HDR performance. They have 4K resolution, too, but that’s basically table stakes these days.
The list below represents the best 4K televisions (which are, let’s face it, the best TVs, full stop) I’ve reviewed in the sunrise test lab, where I compare them side by side to see which ones are most worth buying. I considered factors like picture quality, design, smart TV functionality, connectivity, and more. Here are my latest recommendations, with the following notes to keep in mind:
- Unless noted otherwise, all of the prices you’ll see are for 65-inch models.
- Looking for a specific screen size? Check out: 32-inch TVs, 43-inch TVs, 55-inch TVs, 65-inch TVs and 75-inch TVs.
- If you’re worried that upcoming TVs announced at CES will have some great feature or picture quality enhancement you’ll miss out on if you buy a TV now, relax. TVs are generally a mature technology and our advice is that if you need a new TV now, you should get one.
- Most of the TVs mentioned below came out in 2020. The new 2021 models will start becoming available in the next few months. Where applicable I’ve included a “2021 outlook” section with everything I know so far about these TVs’ replacements. I’ll update it when more information, particularly pricing, is revealed.
Best 4K TV for 2021 include the following below.
- Best 4k tv for the money: TCL 6-Series
- Best high-end 4k TV: LG OLEDCXP series
- Second-best 4k TV for the money: Vizio M-Series Quantum
- Best 4k TV value with next-gen connectivity: Sony XBR-X900H series
- Best budget 4k TV: TCL 4-Series
- Best 4k picture quality in a non-OLED: TCL 8Series
- Best design in a non-OLED 4K TV: Samsung Q8OT series
