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Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Tom's Guide Awards 2025: Our favorite TVs for design, size, picture quality and more
Whether you're looking for an OLED for deeper blacks, a QLED for a brighter picture or even Mini LED for improved local dimming, the right TV can bring your favorite movies and shows to life and we've tried the best ones out there. From massive big-screen TVs, to incredibly thin ones that mount completely flush on your wall to projectors bright enough to use during the day, there's no shortage of options when it comes to finding the right display for your home and budget. Our team of experts has tested and reviewed all of the latest TVs and projectors for the Tom's Guide Awards 2025. Below, we highlight our favorite OLEDs, QLEDs, Mini LEDs and the rest of the best TVs from the last 12 months that managed to breathe new life into our favorite films, TV shows, documentaries and even games. To be named Tom's Guide's best TV in any given year is a massive achievement. It requires a careful blend of price and performance. And that's exactly what the LG C5 delivers. See, the LG G5 OLED can deliver better brightness and higher color accuracy out of the box, but it's a TV that costs $1,000 more in most sizes. The unassuming C5 delivers 95% of that same performance for around two-thirds the price. To make a TV this good for such a reasonable price was difficult for LG, and for that reason, it's walking away with the title of best TV in 2025. While LG has mastered WOLED technology with the new LG G5 OLED, the Samsung S95F proves that its QD-OLED technology is just as powerful. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The latest flagship QD-OLED from Samsung offers enhanced brightness (2,286 nits this year versus 1,777 last year) for better specular highlights and covers a groundbreaking 90.47% of the Rec.2020 color gamut — more than any other TV we tested. Its AI-powered upscaling may not be to everyone's liking nor will its matte screen with anti-glare coating, but these controversial design decisions aside, this is still the best OLED TV we'll see in 2025. Hisense has always been the go-to brand for value-packed TVs with excellent performance, but the new U8QG elevates the brand to another level. The Hisense U8QG takes what made its predecessor — the 2024 Tom's Guide TV of the Year Hisense U8N — and upgrades it. It's brighter. Its contrast is better. Upscaling and motion processing look better now than they did last year. Color accuracy and volume are better and higher than last year, too. And the U8QG is just as cheap as the U8N was. If the LG C5 didn't deliver such a pristine picture, the Hisense U8QG would've stolen the crown but, not for nothing, the U8QG is the best QLED TV in 2025. While Samsung The Frame Pro puts up a tough fight in the design department, the LG G5 OLED is beautiful both inside and out. You'll spend all of your time looking at the 1-inch thick display, but you'll know that, under the hood, it's driven by LG's most powerful processor yet. Thanks to the Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 2 — and the new four-stack OLED design from LG Display — the G5 is capable of a higher peak brightness than its peers. In our labs, we measured it to be 1,879 nits in a 10% window, which is 200 nits more than the brand-new Sony Bravia 8 II OLED. Motion processing and HD upscaling also got a boost with the new processor, so any and all content looks as good as it possibly can. To quote Indiana Jones, 'It belongs in a museum.' Innovating in the TV space isn't easy — unless you've got billions to spend upgrading the panel factory, you've got to be really creative. The Panasonic Z95B OLED is exactly that. The new game-changing technology on the Z95B is its proprietary cooling system. Like GPUs, CPUs and all other electronics, really, TVs get hot with extended use. With LED TVs extended use might lead to some uneven backlighting, but on OLED TVs it can cause extreme pixel degradation. Panasonic has developed a new way to combat this with a chimney-like design that pushes air through to more effectively cool the internal components. In layman's terms, the novel cooling tech enables improved picture quality and a longer lifespan for OLEDs — and for that, it deserves a spot on this list. These days, new 8K TVs are few and far between. LG makes between one and two models a year, but otherwise it's only Samsung who's still in the running. Despite the lack of competition, however, the QN990F is still a fantastic TV. In our review, we heralded the QN990F as one of the most technically advanced TVs the company's ever made. Not only does it have the 8K resolution going for it, but it also comes with that anti-glare coating we loved on the S95F OLED and an all-new wireless version of the OneConnect Box. That new wireless OneConnect Box did introduce a bit of latency — hence why this is the best 8K TV and not the best TV for gaming — but the convenience outweighed the issues. When looking at 8K screens 85 inches or higher, the QN990F is at the top of its class. When you think about buying a new 4K TV, one of the first questions that comes to mind is, 'Well, how expensive is it going to be?' For most TVs on this list, the answer to that question ranges from $1,200 to $8,000 in the case of the 85-inch Samsung QN990F Neo QLED TV. But the TCL QM6K? You can buy one brand-new for just over $500 — and it's one of the best TVs for gaming on the market. While its input latency is slightly higher than we'd like (we measured it at 13.1ms) it comes with multiple HDMI 2.1 ports with support up to 144Hz with VRR. It can handle Dolby Vision content with aplomb, and can even reach 240Hz if you don't mind downgrading to 1080p. If the purchase of a PS5 or Xbox Series X drained your bank account, the TCL QM6K delivers great gaming performance without tacking on an extra $1,200 to your tab. Any TV on this list could earn a spot as the best big-screen TV of 2025 — however, the Samsung S90D from the tail-end of last year is probably the only big-screen OLED with a reasonable sticker price. The 77-inch model is often available for under $2,000. That's no drop in the bucket, but compared to the 77-inch S95F and LG G5 that retail for $4,500 and $4,400, respectively, it's one heck of a deal. Why didn't we opt for a cheaper Mini-LED TV in this spot? OLED TVs offer significantly better off-axis viewing. At 77 inches, it's going to be hard to sit directly in front, so having it be an OLED instead of a Mini-LED means that colors won't desaturate for the person sitting off to the side of the room. If you've got the $4,500 to pony up for the more expensive OLEDs on this list, that's great, but folks looking to get big-screen OLED performance at Mini-LED prices will find lots to love about the Samsung S90D. There's a lot of noise in the projector space, but the Hisense C2 Ultra expertly cuts through by offering fantastic performance that stands up to the increasing competition from the myriad newcomers springing out of China. (Hisense, too, is Chinese, but it's existed in the market for more than a decade at this point.) It's as expensive as some OLED TVs, but the Hisense C2 Ultra can deliver a 300-inch picture that will, according to our reviewer, 'blow your mind.' In terms of pure performance metrics, the C2 Ultra delivered 3,231 lumens (a big upgrade over the original) and covered 93% of the BT.2020 color space. There's support for Dolby Vision and HLG here, but it would've been nice to see support for HDR10+, too. Even without the latter, however, this is the strongest-performing projector we saw in 2025, and so far nothing else has come along to unseat it. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
I'm a TV reviewer — here are 5 amazing Mini-LED TV deals you don't want to miss
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Mini-LED TVs offer you the best bang for your buck when buying a new TV. While OLEDs might get all the hype for their rich blacks and improved contrast, there's no denying that Mini-LED TVs are up there in terms of picture performance. What Mini-LED TVs offer over OLEDs is cheaper prices at higher configurations. Who doesn't want a new 98-inch Mini-LED TV for less than $2,000? Models like the Panasonic W95A and TCL QM7K Mini-LED TVs give you that big screen kick without the exorbitant price tag. Below I've listed my favorite Mini-LEDs in terms of general pricing and performance, but there's no real order to the list. In fact, the Sony Bravia 9 is probably one of the best TVs you can buy bar none, but I personally recommend the Hisense U8QG for its current sticker price of just under $1,000. Quick List Smart TV sale on Amazon: deals from $69 @ Amazon Hisense 65" U8QG 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,499 now $997 @ Amazon TCL 65" QM7K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,499 now $799 @ Amazon Panasonic 65" W95A 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,799 now $597 @ Amazon Sony 65" Bravia 9 4K Mini-LED TV: was $2,999 now $2,798 @ Amazon Samsung 65" QN900D 8K Mini-LED TV: was $4,999 now $4,799 @ Samsung Best Mini-LED TVs Hisense U8QG Mini-LED TV So far, the Hisense U8QG has proven its mettle as one of the best Mini-LED TVs for under $1,000 in 2025. I reviewed the Hisense U8QG earlier this year and loved its slew of gaming features, especially its higher 165Hz refresh rate. It's also a unicorn in terms of its speaker configuration, offering one of the most bombastic sound systems I've tested on a TV this year. It's mostly held back by its minimal glare mitigation and blooming, which is easy to look past when you're paying just under $1,000 for a 65-inch TV released in 2025. You'll also have to contend with just three HDMI 2.1 ports, but if you're a PC gamer you'll love the USB-C connection. It's not everyday you see a brand new 2025 model getting a major discount on the heels of its release, but the U8QG is an icon in this regard (and many more). It's bound to be among our favorite gaming TVs this year thanks to its slew of gaming features and its 165Hz refresh rate. 55" @ $84875" @ $1,69985" @ $2,197100" @ $4,497View Deal TCL QM7K Mini-LED TV The TCL QM7K is yet another Mini-LED that benefits from budget pricing. Like most Mini-LED TVs on this list, you'll find it comes resplendent with tons of luminance, which we tested at 1,734 nits in HDR. It's also equipped with a low Delta-E of just 1.4 (the lower the better), making it incredibly color-accurate. Like the Hisense U8QG, we also gave the TCL QM7K four stars in our official review. It struggles at handling off-angled viewing and is built with a middling speaker system, but that's nothing one of the best soundbars can't fix. Take Filmmaker mode out for a test drive on the all-new TCL QM7K, the brand's budget-friendly, mid-range Mini-LED TV for 2025. The QM7K cracks an impressive 1,700 nits of brightness in HDR, pairing these searing highlights with impressive backlight control. When you're done with movie night, switch over to the QM7K's dedicated game mode for smooth gameplay up to 4K/144Hz. 55" @ $59975" @ $99785" @ $1,79798" @ $2,797View Deal Panasonic W95A Mini-LED TV The Panasonic W95A Mini-LED TV was an exciting model to test and review last year, coming from a renowned TV maker that only just returned to the US market after an eight-year hiatus. While it has superb color accuracy, HDR performance, and anti-glare mitigation, the biggest downside was its price: The W95A launched at $3,000 last year, making it no match against similarly-specced TVs from TCL and Hisense. Since release, its price has dropped dramatically and you'd be hard-pressed to find as good a screen at such a low price. The only major issue is its Fire TV smart platform. This is an easy fix, though, as you can easily replace the interface using one of the best streaming devices. The Panasonic W95A is a real looker. It leverages a 144Hz refresh rate on a design that features two HDMI 2.1 ports and AMD FreeSync compatibility. It also comes equipped with the range of HDR certifications and it even has an ATSC 3.0 tuner so you're NextGenTV ready. 55" @ $46975" @ $797View Deal Sony Bravia 9 Mini-LED TV One of the things that sets the Sony Bravia 9 apart from other Mini-LED TVs is its picture quality, which we noted as being "(almost) as good as an OLED" in our Bravia 9 review. This is owed largely to its serious color accuracy and high brightness metrics. We measured its HDR performance at 2,713 nits, which is the ultimate sweet spot. Most HDR content is mastered between 1,000 and 4,000 nits, which means the Bravia 9 will net you the best possible detail when streaming or viewing HDR content. Still, while it might be one of the best screens in terms of picture performance, its high asking price of $2,798 might make you wince. It's also not the best gaming display, given its high input latency of 17ms in tandem with just two HDMI 2.1 ports. If you're ready to splash out on a truly special TV, the Bravia 9 is worth the cost. It's one of the brightest TVs we've tested this year, making it a great pick for folks who watch their fair share of daytime sports. While not as robust a gaming TV, you're still getting a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming at 120Hz. 75" @ $2,99885" @ $4,498View Deal Samsung Q900D Mini-LED TV Let's face it, 8K TVs are all but dead in 2025. One of the only companies still making them is Samsung and its QN900D from last year still remains the highest-rated 8K models we've ever tested. That's because, while totally expensive, it sports one of the best upscaling engines in the market. In our review of the Samsung QN900D 8K TV, we gave it a perfect score. That's very rare, especially for a Mini-LED TV, which can have all kinds of issues from improper glare mitigation to poor off-axis viewing. The QN900D shows none of that, offering outstanding brightness in tandem with an incredible sound system. The big setback for Samsung displays, not just the QN900D, is the absence of Dolby Vision. If you're willing to look past that and live with HDR10+ as your main source for all things HDR, the QN900D will serve as the ultimate viewing experience. Last year's Samsung QN900D is a stellar 8K model. It's equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+, built on one of the most sophisticated 8K upscaling AI processors in the NQ8 Gen3. Plus, the QN900D even has a well-rounded speaker system with 3D surround sound that's made better with Samsung's Clear Dialogue that enhances audio for a richer, more immersive experience. 75-inch for $3,49785-inch for $4,497View Deal More from Tom's Guide What is the Dirty Screen Effect and how can you tell if your TV has it? Help me, Tom's Guide: Which OLED TV should I get for my new home theater? I'm a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs
Tom's Guide
24-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I just tested LG's top-of-the-line Mini-LED TV — and it can't hold a candle to TCL and Hisense
The LG QNED92 swoops in to replace last year's QNED90T, bringing with it a host of major enhancements to set it apart from the ever-growing crowd of QLED TVs with Mini-LED backlighting. While it might at first seem like a great new display, the QNED92 doesn't quite offer the same value — or performance — as the similarly priced LG C5 OLED. On the positive side, the QNED92 does have incredible features built into webOS, plus fantastic motion processing. Color accuracy is also very good compared to the best TVs in its class. And even though this set doesn't have an anti-glare coating, it proved versatile against reflections, which is surprising for a Mini-LED TV. In spite of those highlights, though, the QNED92 doesn't quite surpass the Hisense U8QG. Compared to the U8QG, the QNED92 not only generates low luminance, but also is equipped with slightly worse audio. If it didn't cost $1,699, the QNED92 would stand a better chance, but for now I'd recommend the Hisense U8QG — or the TCL QM8K — over the QNED92. The LG QNED92 Mini-LED TV (also known as the QNED93 in other regions) launched in April 2025 at the top of LG's QLED range. It's available in four main sizes, including 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch, but the 55-inch model is only available outside of the US. As with most Mini-LED TVs, different sizes means differing numbers of dimming zones. Given that we tested on a 75-inch model, we might see enhanced performance in blooming mitigation and contrast support against its lower sizes. That being said, specs and features will remain largely the same across configurations. These prices put the LG QNED92 into contention with other major flagship Mini-LED TVs of the year, including the TCL QM8K and Hisense U8QG (before its massive sales slashing). Still, it does prove cheaper than some alternatives with more premium pricing, like the Samsung QN90F and Sony Bravia 9. When it comes to its outer shell, the LG QNED92 is by no means slim. Like other Mini-LED models (looking at you Hisense U8QG), it's a bit bulky and hefty. The 75-inch model we tested has a width of about 65 inches and weighs 56 lbs, which means you'll definitely want an extra pair of hands to get this set up properly. Bezels can be pretty noticeable too, but they don't detract from the experience. I've reached out to ask if LG added an anti-glare coating to the QNED92, but was told it does not feature one. Still, it provides incredible protection against reflections, something the Hisense U8QG suffered from, despite having an anti-glare coating. It's kitted with pedestal-style feet that are pretty easy to slot into the base, but they do require a screw driver. These feet are sturdy enough, but are a bit wide, measuring just over 15 inches. This means you'll need a particularly wide surface for this TV, as it requires the full width of its triangular sizing to sit properly. You can always forego the stand in favor of a wall mount instead: The QNED92 uses a 400x300 VESA mounting interface on its 65-inch and 75-inch models, while the 85-inch version uses a 600x400 mounting solution. The QNED92 is equipped with tons of connectivity, including a range of four HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is eARC compliant. You'll also find two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, SPDF optical digital audio output, RF input for an antenna, and an RS-232C input jack. Unfortunately, LG still hasn't brought back the ATSC 3.0 standard for NetGenTV, so you're stuck with an ATSC 1.0 tuner on the QNED92. In terms of wireless-supported features, you'll also find that it's Bluetooth 5.3-capable and also equipped with Wi-Fi 6E. I put the QNED92 to task with a variety of different movies and shows that could test its color, HDR performance, and luminance. These include 'Interstellar,' 'The Batman,' 'Hereditary,' as well as more colorful experiences, like 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie,' and 'Mob Psycho.' Although not an OLED TV, the LG QNED92 handles these darker movies quite well thanks to a technology called Precision Dimming Pro. Mini-LED TVs and QLEDs in general aren't always the best when it comes to contrast control, but the QNED92 stands out in this regard. It's best exemplified in fast-paced space scenes in 'Interstellar,' with the backdrop of the cosmos looking crisp and full of information. Two of my favorite aspects of the QNED92 were motion control and glare mitigation. The latter was a major sticking point for me on the Hisense U8QG and I'm quite impressed with how LG's flagship QLED handles glare, even when watching movies with more shadows and darker elements. Another highlight is its color accuracy. 'Super Mario Bros. Movie' really popped on this screen, thanks to its low Delta-E of 1.5, which measures color accuracy. While it might miss the mark ever so slightly when it comes to specific color gamuts, particularly in both standard and HDR content, these will largely be imperceptible to most eyes. It's more in the HDR realm where I see the QNED92 falling flat. Specifically, specular highlights take a big hit on this TV, largely due to its limited brightness output. Jumping back to "Interstellar," you can see this take effect on the planet that's full of white clouds of ice, with the QNED92 struggling to hit those vibrant white details in this regard. You'll also find that it can't match up to its C5 OLED counterpart when it comes to upscaling chops. I tried watching some content in lower resolutions, like 'Tenet' and 'The Fighter' in base Blu-ray and noticed a lot of noise and limited detail. We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom's Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set's performance. For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays' Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV's gaming prowess. Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. Let's compare the LG QNED92 to similarly-priced Mini-LED TVs, like the TCL QM8K, Sony Bravia 7, and the Samsung QN80F. (Note that the Bravia 7 launched last year, but is still being sold in 2025.) LG QNED92 Samsung QN80F TCL QM8K Sony Bravia 7 Hisense U8QG SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 692 972 230 445 2,908 Delta-E (lower is better) 1.5 2.7 2.7 1.5 2.4 Rec. 709 Gamut Coverage 97.79% 99.62% 99.03% 99.62% 99.30% HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 1,199 992 4,437 1,507 3,916 UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage 95.57% 94.13% 97.28% 97.09% 97.53% Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage 77.42% 72.13% 80.11% 78.61% 83.98% Input latency (in milliseconds) 13.3 9.8 13 17.1 9.7 There's a lot to unpack when you take a look at the metrics of the LG QNED92, especially when put up against some of its rivals. It might boast some serious vibrancy and color accuracy, but LG falls behind its biggest rivals on brightness and color volume. Hisense and TCL top the charts with blazingly-high brightness when displaying HDR content, with the Hisense U8QG exceeding 3,900 nits and the TCL QM8K hitting over 4,400 nits. Meanwhile, the QNED92 maxes out at just under 1,200 nits. We saw similar results in UHDA-P3 color gamut coverage, which focuses on HDR performance. The QNED92 sits a little over 95%, whereas other QLEDs are topping out over 97%, and the same is true for standard content represented in the Rec709 gamut. At just 97.79%, the QNED92 is actually the odd man out compared to most other TVs in our metrics, which primarily sit at or above 99%. What the LG QNED92 does have going for it is a low Delta E of 1.5, mirroring its Sony Bravia 7 counterpart. While that might seem good on paper, anything below a score of 3 is pretty much imperceptible, but it does show that the QNED92 has incredible color accuracy. The QNED92 is ready to get your game on thanks to a slew of awesome features, like VRR support up to 144Hz, ALLM and AMD FreeSync Premium. Its native 120Hz refresh rate is adequate enough, especially for more modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. An input latency of 13.3ms might give you pause, and it's definitely something you might want to consider if you're playing more fast-paced FPS games or online experiences that require precision timing, but it's fine for the average gamer. We tend to like the input latency under 10ms, but anything under 16ms works just as well. The big feature that sets the QNED92 apart from other TVs is the LG Gaming Portal, which plays host to some of the best cloud gaming services, namely Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now. While these won't exactly replace your gaming hardware, they're nice to have in the event that a game isn't available on your platform of choice. I played a lot of different games on the LG QNED92 and all looked stunning, but none more so than Death Stranding 2. While it does look stellar when it comes to more color-bound aspects, like hair and skin tones, the game did get a bit wonky with HDR, particularly in more sun-drenched scenarios. LG's game optimizer is a great resource, though, as you can tailor the experience to suit your liking. Where the LG QNED92 falls flat, like most TVs, is in its audio performance. It's not terrible, but it's also not great — rather middling. This is largely due to its 40W 2.2-channel speaker that pales in comparison to the 65-inch Hisense U8QG, which has a 72W output on a 4.1.2-channel system. Without more power, the QNED92 doesn't hold much weight in its soundstage. Of course, you could opt into getting one of the best soundbars for improved audio performance, plus it does help that this Mini-LED TV has a virtual Dolby Atmos 9.1.2 up-mix if you want to play with that. Some additional AI features, like Clear Voice Pro, also help to give some scenes better clarity, but I try to avoid these for fear it will ruin the director's intent for the film or show. The QNED92 is built on LG's webOS interface, which comes with all of the best streaming services baked into it. It's a well-rounded system, if only held back by its use of in-your-face ads that might only multiply in the future. For now, though, it's stacked with everything you would need in a TV interface, plus tons of free channels to enjoy. As already mentioned, you also have access to a variety of different game streaming platforms, which are only available on LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen OS interfaces. Through webOS, you can also connect smart home devices using LG's Google Home integration, which is a nice touch. This might really only matter for users with doorbells or cameras, but having an extra smart home hub built into your entertainment system is a nice get. One of the biggest pitfalls on previous LG TVs was the remote, which is why I'm excited to say it's been redesigned with some excellent changes. It's a lot less bulky and heavy, slimmed down just a bit so it fits better in your palm. It still uses the annoying magic remote feature, but at least you can shut that off pretty easily in the settings. Despite my praise for the design change, I do have one major gripe: Input selection on the new remote is dedicated to LG's Home Hub button, which isn't readily known and might take a while to figure out. Using this button also takes a minute to populate on-screen, which is slightly frustrating but mileage may vary in this regard. I had a great time testing the LG QNED92. It's built on a well-rounded interface with tons of control for all things gaming and entertainment, but I can't deny it is held back by some middling performance metrics. When you put the LG QNED92 up against some of its biggest contenders, it doesn't deliver in the luminance department. It might have vibrant colors and tons of gaming features to enjoy, but its minimal brightness in both standard and HDR holds it back — especially when you're paying $1,699 for its 65-inch model. Overall, it's tough to give a full recommendation to the QNED92 when displays like the Hisense U8QG and TCL QM8K are spitting out nearly 4,000 nits in HDR content. Add to that the fact that the QNED92 is still without an ATSC 3.0 tuner, which comes readily available on the Hisense U8QG, and that's just $997 for its 65-inch model (at the time of writing). I really enjoyed my time with the LG QNED92, but there are simply better Mini-LED TVs at much cheaper prices. Its performance issues coupled with its high asking price makes the QNED92 hard to recommend over rival Mini-LED TVs, like the Hisense U8QG and TCL QM8K, much less the LG C5 OLED that can be had for just $100 more.
Tom's Guide
24-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Holy cow — this TV just became the first to hit 5,000 nits of brightness in our test lab
I've been testing and reviewing TVs for over ten years and I've never seen a TV hit 5,000 nits of brightness. Until now. The Hisense 116UX — a larger-than-life, 116-inch beast of a TV — just crossed the 5,000-nit mark in our test lab. I certainly can't speak for the entire TV-testing community, but for me, this is a first. Take a look at how the 116UX compares to other TVs that are among the brightest in their class: Hisense 116UX Hisense U8QG LG G5 OLED TCL QM6K SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 2,137 2,908 465 695 HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 5,441 3,916 2,296 688 In its most-accurate picture mode (Filmmaker), the 116UX offers devastatingly bright HDR highlights. On a 10% white window, the 116UX is scraping 5,500 nits. To put it in perspective, that's about five times as bright as the LG C5 OLED in HDR. Unveiled at CES 2025 back in January, the 116UX is the first of its kind: a TriChroma LED TV. Like most of Hisense's 2025 TV lineup, the 116UX leverages Mini-LEDs, but they're different from what you'll find on TVs like the Hisense U8QG. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Hisense's TriChroma LED technology taps clusters of tiny lenses, each reacting to red-, green- and blue-colored LEDs. Along with other performance-related benefits, this tech is much more energy efficient than standard Mini-LEDs. With less light lost in this process, we're left with a brighter picture. You'll have to just take my word for it: It's mad bright. If you're wondering what the 116UX looks like in person, you'll have to just take my word for it: It's mad bright. The first time I saw the Hisense 116UX, I stood close enough to the screen for the picture to completely fill my peripheral vision. Then I proceeded to stand there for several minutes as the brightness washed over me. Now, if it was only a super-bright TV, it wouldn't be much of an achievement — I recently delved into the importance of TV brightness, noting how a TV's ability to get dark is a critical part of our perception of its overall brightness. It's all about contrast and, thankfully, while the 116UX isn't capable of perfect black levels like an OLED TV, its TriChroma LED display allows for deep, rich black levels when necessary. Combined with the brightness, the contrast is off the charts. You'll need to track this one down and then pay a hefty price for the privilege. Right now, the Hisense 116UX is listed on Best Buy for a cool $29,999. (No big deal, right?) Unfortunately, at the time of publishing, this giant, expensive TV is also very much out of stock. If you're wondering when this exciting display technology will make its way to smaller-sized models, be prepared to wait. Traditionally, new TV hardware takes a while to shrink down to 55-, 65- and even 75-inch models. The next best thing is very much within reach, however. The Hisense U8QG is one of the brightest TVs we've tested in 2025. It pairs these sizzling highlights with precise backlight control for an immersive, cinematic experience. Gamers will appreciate the U8QG's trio of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs and its support for 4K gaming up to 165Hz. It's one of the most value-forward Mini-LED TVs of the year. The aforementioned Hisense U8QG — one of the brand's top Mini-LED TVs for 2025 — is the second brightest TV we've tested this year. And, while it doesn't eclipse the 5,000-nit mark, it's still as bright as all get out. The U8QG delivers HDR highlight brightness well over 3,500 nits. It's quite cinematic with the lights off, and if you've got a sun-soaked living room, it's well equipped to stand out during the day. Best of all, at around $1,279, the 65-inch U8QG isn't the price of a new car. We'll be keeping our eye on the 116UX and any developments in the Hisense TriChroma LED space — especially when competing models from brands like Samsung and Sony enter the fray.
Tom's Guide
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I'm a TV reviewer — here are 5 amazing Mini-LED TV deals you don't want to miss
Mini-LED TVs offer you the best bang for your buck when buying a new TV. While OLEDs might get all the hype for their rich blacks and improved contrast, there's no denying that Mini-LED TVs are up there in terms of picture performance. What Mini-LED TVs offer over OLEDs is cheaper prices at higher configurations. Who doesn't want a new 98-inch Mini-LED TV for less than $2,000? Models like the Panasonic W95A and TCL QM7K Mini-LED TVs give you that big screen kick without the exorbitant price tag. Below I've listed my favorite Mini-LEDs in terms of general pricing and performance, but there's no real order to the list. In fact, the Sony Bravia 9 is probably one of the best TVs you can buy bar none, but I personally recommend the Hisense U8QG for its current sticker price of just under $1,000. So far, the Hisense U8QG has proven its mettle as one of the best Mini-LED TVs for under $1,000 in 2025. I reviewed the Hisense U8QG earlier this year and loved its slew of gaming features, especially its higher 165Hz refresh rate. It's also a unicorn in terms of its speaker configuration, offering one of the most bombastic sound systems I've tested on a TV this year. It's mostly held back by its minimal glare mitigation and blooming, which is easy to look past when you're paying just under $1,000 for a 65-inch TV released in 2025. You'll also have to contend with just three HDMI 2.1 ports, but if you're a PC gamer you'll love the USB-C connection. It's not everyday you see a brand new 2025 model getting a major discount on the heels of its release, but the U8QG is an icon in this regard (and many more). It's bound to be among our favorite gaming TVs this year thanks to its slew of gaming features and its 165Hz refresh rate. 55" @ $84875" @ $1,69985" @ $2,197100" @ $4,497 The TCL QM7K is yet another Mini-LED that benefits from budget pricing. Like most Mini-LED TVs on this list, you'll find it comes resplendent with tons of luminance, which we tested at 1,734 nits in HDR. It's also equipped with a low Delta-E of just 1.4 (the lower the better), making it incredibly color-accurate. Like the Hisense U8QG, we also gave the TCL QM7K four stars in our official review. It struggles at handling off-angled viewing and is built with a middling speaker system, but that's nothing one of the best soundbars can't fix. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Take Filmmaker mode out for a test drive on the all-new TCL QM7K, the brand's budget-friendly, mid-range Mini-LED TV for 2025. The QM7K cracks an impressive 1,700 nits of brightness in HDR, pairing these searing highlights with impressive backlight control. When you're done with movie night, switch over to the QM7K's dedicated game mode for smooth gameplay up to 4K/144Hz. 55" @ $59975" @ $99785" @ $1,79798" @ $2,797 The Panasonic W95A Mini-LED TV was an exciting model to test and review last year, coming from a renowned TV maker that only just returned to the US market after an eight-year hiatus. While it has superb color accuracy, HDR performance, and anti-glare mitigation, the biggest downside was its price: The W95A launched at $3,000 last year, making it no match against similarly-specced TVs from TCL and Hisense. Since release, its price has dropped dramatically and you'd be hard-pressed to find as good a screen at such a low price. The only major issue is its Fire TV smart platform. This is an easy fix, though, as you can easily replace the interface using one of the best streaming devices. The Panasonic W95A is a real looker. It leverages a 144Hz refresh rate on a design that features two HDMI 2.1 ports and AMD FreeSync compatibility. It also comes equipped with the range of HDR certifications and it even has an ATSC 3.0 tuner so you're NextGenTV ready. 55" @ $46975" @ $797 One of the things that sets the Sony Bravia 9 apart from other Mini-LED TVs is its picture quality, which we noted as being "(almost) as good as an OLED" in our Bravia 9 review. This is owed largely to its serious color accuracy and high brightness metrics. We measured its HDR performance at 2,713 nits, which is the ultimate sweet spot. Most HDR content is mastered between 1,000 and 4,000 nits, which means the Bravia 9 will net you the best possible detail when streaming or viewing HDR content. Still, while it might be one of the best screens in terms of picture performance, its high asking price of $2,798 might make you wince. It's also not the best gaming display, given its high input latency of 17ms in tandem with just two HDMI 2.1 ports. If you're ready to splash out on a truly special TV, the Bravia 9 is worth the cost. It's one of the brightest TVs we've tested this year, making it a great pick for folks who watch their fair share of daytime sports. While not as robust a gaming TV, you're still getting a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming at 120Hz. 75" @ $2,99885" @ $4,498 Let's face it, 8K TVs are all but dead in 2025. One of the only companies still making them is Samsung and its QN900D from last year still remains the highest-rated 8K models we've ever tested. That's because, while totally expensive, it sports one of the best upscaling engines in the market. In our review of the Samsung QN900D 8K TV, we gave it a perfect score. That's very rare, especially for a Mini-LED TV, which can have all kinds of issues from improper glare mitigation to poor off-axis viewing. The QN900D shows none of that, offering outstanding brightness in tandem with an incredible sound system. The big setback for Samsung displays, not just the QN900D, is the absence of Dolby Vision. If you're willing to look past that and live with HDR10+ as your main source for all things HDR, the QN900D will serve as the ultimate viewing experience. Last year's Samsung QN900D is a stellar 8K model. It's equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+, built on one of the most sophisticated 8K upscaling AI processors in the NQ8 Gen3. Plus, the QN900D even has a well-rounded speaker system with 3D surround sound that's made better with Samsung's Clear Dialogue that enhances audio for a richer, more immersive experience. 75-inch for $3,49785-inch for $4,497
