It’s hard to deny the eye-crushing illumination of that giant TV that’s smack-dab in the middle of Best Buy’s home theater department. Chances are the set in question is a QLED TV made by the likes of Samsung, Sony, TCL, Hisense, or a handful of other manufacturers. Using the same LED lighting systems that LED-LCD TVs have been using for years, the “Q” in QLED refers to quantum dots, a layer of sub-pixels that chemically responds to LED activity, with the end result being vibrant and enhanced colors.
QLED TVs come in all shapes and sizes. Some models (like Samsung’s The Frame QLED Series) are even designed to look like pieces of artwork hanging on your living room wall. With no shortage of options, picking a new QLED can be quite the battle, which is why we’ve put together this list of favorites. Here’s several of the best QLED TVs for 2024 you can order right now.
The best overall QLED you can buy
Sony Bravia 9
- Super-clean picture
- Deep blacks, minimal blooming
- Excellent contrast
- Searing HDR highlights
- Excellent motion handling
- Backlight fluctuations visible in dark rooms
- Very expensive
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 65, 75, and 85 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Google TV |
| Connectivity | 2 x HDMI 2.1, 4 x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, optical, 2 x USB-A |
Every once in a while, a TV comes along that just blows us away, and that is precisely what happened in August when we reviewed Sony's much-hyped Bravia 9 mini-LED TV.
The Sony Bravia 9 is a simply gorgeous TV that excels in bright rooms thanks to Sony's new IC processing chip that Digital Trends' editor-at-large (and TV reviewer supreme) also praised as being responsible for some of the most accurate colors, contrast, and brightness levels he's ever seen on a mini-LED, so you can rest assured that this set will be excellent for all your movie and TV viewing. Additionally, the Bravia 9 also supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR formats, ensuring excellent contrast.
With two of its four HDMI ports being HDMI 2.1 that support 4K/120Hz and VRR (variable refresh rate), the Bravia 9 is not only excellent for fast-moving action movies but gamers will be smiling ear-to-ear, too. The other two HDMI ports aren't slacking either, with support for 4K/60Hz — all four ports support ALLM (auto low latency mode) that automatically adjusts the picture quality modes depending on the source input.
As Denison points out in his review, the Bravia 9 could do better at off-angle viewing, but it's not likely to be a deterrent unless that's a specific concern to you. The Bravia 9 also features a big and bold sounding 70-watt, 2.2.2 audio system built-in, which means you might not need to add a soundbar or an AV receiver and additional speakers.
Best budget QLED TV
Hisense U7N ULED
- High brightness
- Great contrast
- Vivid color
- Surprising accuracy
- Great for gaming
- Poor off-angle viewing
- Risk of dirty screen effect
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Google TV |
| Connectivity | 4 x HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, optical, 3.5mm analog audio out, 2 x USB-A |
The Hisense U7N doesn’t bring as much brightness and picture processing to the table as the U8N Series (another pick on this list), but it’s still a phenomenal QLED TV. Rocking Hisense’s Hi-View Engine PRO CPU, the U7N carefully optimizes whatever content you’re watching. This CPU enhances the picture quality by reducing artifacts and enhancing sharpness, providing a result that’s as sharp-looking and artifact-free as possible. And thanks to those lovely quantum dots, the U7N is able to kick things into high gear when it comes time to watch HDR movies and shows.
Available in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, the Hisense U7N supports 4K/144Hz and VRR. This is great news for gamers who plan on connecting PlayStation and Xbox consoles to the TV. Expect next to no input lag and fast response times, along with an automatic Game/PC Mode that calibrates picture settings to suit best the hardware you’re plugging in. We’re particularly impressed by how well the U7N performs in a brightly lit room, a testament to its adaptability to different lighting conditions. It even holds its own in a darker setting.
Off-angle viewing is one of the only troubles with the U7N so that the TV may work best in smaller to medium-sized viewing spaces. While it doesn’t get quite as bright or colorful as the U8N, the Hisense U7N is still quite the QLED to be reckoned with. At times, this TV even manages to deliver the kind of picture reserved for the best OLED TVs of the year.
The best Hisense QLED
Hisense U8N ULED
- Intense brightness
- Deep blacks/contrast
- Vibrant, accurate color
- Great sound
- Overly bright HDR
- Poor off-angle viewing
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 55, 65, 75, 85, and 100 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Google TV |
| Connectivity | 2 x HDMI 2.1, 4 x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, optical, 3.5mm analog audio out, 2 x USB-A |
Hisense's U8 QLED TV for 2024 is the U8N, and it's a diamond in the rough just like its predecessor, the U8K (also on this list). Impossibly bright, sharp, and colorful for the price has been Hisense's (and TCL's for that matter) calling card for years now, making them attractive QLEDs for the value-conscious. They range in size from 55 to 100 inches and in price from around $1,000 to $5,000.
Like its predecessor, the Hisense U8N's picture is crazily close to that of an OLED. It's technically considered a mini-LED backlit, quantum-dot-infused LCD TV that Hisense calls ULED, but it competes directly with QLED, which is why it's on this list. Thousands of local dimming zones make for some excellent peak brightness levels as well as some deep, inky blacks. Plus, the quantum dots make for some vivid and accurate colors.
All the best picture support features are here too, including HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision, and for gamers it's also got a refresh rate of 144Hz and features variable refresh rate (VRR) and is FreeSync Pro certified. Our reviewer Caleb Denison loved the picture quality on the TV, praising its brightness and backlight control as being close to the LG G4 OLED, which is high praise.
The U8N runs on the Google TV operating system, so you have access to all your streaming services and other apps form the Play Store. Google Assistant, YouTube, and YouTube TV are pretty well weaved into the TV, for those who like those sorts of things.
Denison's final word on the Hisense U8N: "It’s freaking awesome to behold. It’s easily one of the best buys of 2024. Maybe even the best buy of the year."
The best TCL QLED
TCL QM8 Series (2024)
- Astonishing peak brightness levels
- Rich colors and inky blacks
- Plenty of gaming optimizations
- Competitively priced
- Not the best off-angle viewing
- Minimal light bloom during darker scenes
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 65, 75, 85, and 98 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Google TV |
| Connectivity | 2 x HDMI 2.1, 4 x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, optical, 3.5mm analog audio out, 3 x USB-A |
We were up in arms over the first-gen version of the TCL QM8 Series, and the second version of this long-awaited flagship has finally arrived. Rocking TCL’s latest AIPQ Engine Gen 3 processor, this advanced CPU is capable of delivering twice the brightness of the original QM8. The new QM8 also supports up to 5,000 local dimming zones, allowing for optimal illumination levels regardless of the source. And while there’s still a little trouble with haloing during dark scenes (it’s an LED, after all), these instances are few and far between.
The latest QM8 Series delivers exceptional HDR performance. Supporting both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, the QM8’s quantum dots provide astonishing highlights when watching HDR content. Each of the four HDMI ports are also 2.1 certified, ensuring you’ll get the best response time and lag reduction. This is particularly great for gaming, and the QM8 even has a built-in Game Mode with VRR support. The TV also supports 4K/144Hz and 1080p/240Hz.
When it comes to smart TV content, the QM8 uses Google TV OS for apps, games, screen mirroring, and smart controls. While we do wish we could say more about the QM8’s viewing angle (this is a TV you’ll want to sit as centered with as possible), some sizes actually cost less than $1,000.
The best 8K QLED
Samsung QN900C Neo QLED TV
- Delivers up to 8K resolution
- Excellent local dimming capabilities
- Intuitive smart TV platform
- Expensive
- Not a lot of 8K content out there
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 65, 75, and 85 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Tizen OS |
| Connectivity | 4 x HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, optical, 3 x USB-A |
Many consumer tech companies put the cart before the horse, and the world of TVs may be one of the biggest offenders when it comes to horse-less transportation. In the case of a TV like the Samsung QN900C, our equestrian analogy is best represented by a hardware versus software comparison. Quite simply, the QN900C is an amazing 8K TV, but we’re still living in a world that is primarily dominated by 4K and 1080p content.
Fortunately, Samsung’s next-gen QLED has some fantastic picture processing tech under its hood. The QN900C is outfitted with Samsung’s Quantum Matrix Pro, which itself is powered by mini-LED lighting. Translation, please? You got it! Matrix Pro is Samsung’s fancy-pants terminology for local dimming zones (a small block of LED lights), and because the QN900C uses mini LEDs, the QLED has a lot of control zones. At the end of the day, this means you can expect the QN900C to deliver excellent peak brightness and color brightness to the parts of the panel that require said brightness, while the rest of the screen is enshrouded in darkness (that’s a good thing).
And because this is an 8K TV, the QN900C will upscale whatever 4K or regular high-def HDR and SDR sources you feed it. Of course, you won’t be looking at a true 8K image, but it’ll be dang close! This is also an Infinity One Samsung QLED, which means the chassis is extremely thin and there’s essentially no physical frame to speak of. So, when it comes time to plug in your components, you’ll be doing so with the TV’s external One Connect box (because there’s no HDMI ports on the TV itself).
If you’re into future-proofing your consumer tech, the Samsung QN900C is an 8K TV that will rule your home theater setup for years to come.
Best for videophiles on a budget
Sony Bravia 7
- Bright and vivid
- Excellent black levels/contrast
- Extremely accurate HDR/Color
- Top-tier motion/upscaling
- Easy to use
- Limited viewing angle
- Poor reflection handling
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Google TV |
| Connectivity | 2 x HDMI 2.1, 4 x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, optical, 2 x USB-A |
If you had hearts in your eyes for Sony's excellent Bravia 9 at the top of our list but its hefty price tag made you a little queazy, then let us call your attention to an outstanding alternative: Sony's new midrange QLED option, the 2024 Bravia 7 Series.
Available in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, the Bravia 7 combines mini-LED backlighting and local dimming to deliver an exceptionally bright picture with fantastic contrast levels and a wide color gamut. Supporting all HDR formats, the Bravia 7 delivered incredible highlights when watching content in a dark room, but we were just as impressed by the TV’s SDR brightness. What we weren’t thrilled with was the Bravia 7’s lackluster off-angle viewing. Picture details start waning when viewing from the sides, so just make sure you’re watching as centered with the screen as possible.
Console and PC gamers will be thrilled with the Bravia 7’s gaming optimizations, too, with features like low input lag, fast response times, and 4K/120Hz output, ensuring you’ll never miss a frame of the action. And because we’re dealing with a Sony TV, when a PS5 is connected, you’ll gain access to Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode.
If you’re looking for a midrange QLED that doesn’t break the bank, the Sony Bravia 7 Series is a great option. We’re also big fans of Panasonic’s North American homecoming, which brings us 2024 TVs like the Panasonic W95A QLED. It’s a unique alternative to the Bravia 7 Series that’s worth considering.
An excellent QLED for gaming
Samsung QN90D
- Vey bright picture
- Great colors and contrast
- Solid motion handling
- Excellent gaming optimizations
- Some issues with picture processing
- No Dolby Vision or DTS support
- Not the best off-angle viewing
| Specification: | |
| Screen sizes available | 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85, and 98 inches |
| Display type | mini-LED |
| HDR support | HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG |
| Operating system | Tizen OS |
| Connectivity | 4 x HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, optical, 2 x USB-A |
We had the opportunity to test the 98-inch version of the Samsung QN90D 4K QLED, and while we took issue with some of the TV’s picture processing capabilities, we were mostly impressed by this bright, gorgeous-looking Samsung QLED. Running Samsung’s Neo Quantum 4K AI Gen 2 processor with full HDMI 2.1 support, the QN90D does a great job at optimizing picture details in a pinch. While it struggles with smoothing lower-bitrate sources, the TV’s 4K upscaling does a phenomenal job at preserving detail and enhancing higher-res (720p and 1080p) content.
Thanks to VRR and ALLM support, the QN90D is smart enough to switch right over to Game Mode when a compatible console or gaming PC is detected. You’ll be able to enjoy 4K at up to 144Hz, too, though Nvidia GPUs will cap resolution and frame rate at 1440p at 120Hz. Those of us connecting sound systems will want to be mindful that the QN90D doesn’t support DTS. There’s also no Dolby Vision support, which isn’t unusual for a Samsung TV.
When you’re ready to start streaming Netflix, the Samsung QN90D uses Tizen OS for all web-connected capabilities and various UI elements. Expect fast load times for apps and media playback, along with smooth and intuitive navigation across Tizen’s many screens.
Frequently Asked Questions
The "Q" in QLED stands for quantum dot, a nanoparticle that emits light when energized. Quantum dots can be tuned to emit specific wavelengths of light, so TV makers add green and red quantum dots in a layer over their blue LED backlights, which creates a much purer white light than a single LED backlight can create on its own. With a pure white backlight, the TV's color filters can produce much more accurate colors, leading to significantly better picture quality than regular LED TVs.
UHD stands for ultra-high definition, also known as 4K. It's a description of resolution, or the number of pixels that make up an on-screen image. It can refer to the resolution of a specific piece of content (many streaming services offer movies in UHD) as well as the native resolution of a TV. QLED refers to the kind of display technology a TV uses (see above). QLED TVs come in various native resolutions, from HD to 8K, including UHD.
It depends. Right now, QLED TVs are capable of getting brighter than OLED TVs, which deliver better black levels and contrast. We feel that OLED TVs still produce a better overall picture quality, but if your viewing area is especially bright, or if you want a really big screen, QLED models might be a better choice for you.
Once again, it depends on your particular situation. For instance, if you want a TV for your patio, where it will experience partial or full sun, an OLED TV simply won't get bright enough to compete with all that daylight, and a QLED TV is definitely superior. On the other hand, if you can darken your media room whenever you want, an OLED TV will still deliver the deepest blacks and highest contrast.
Finding the right QLED TV for you is all about balancing size, picture quality, features, and price. First, figure out your budget, then prioritize the rest of your list. If getting the biggest TV for your money is the top priority, you'll be able to find 75-inch and larger models from brands like TCL, Vizio, Hisense, and LG that are still quite affordable. If picture quality matters more – especially when viewing HDR material – you should choose a model with a very high peak brightness. If gaming is a top consideration, make sure you find a model that's equipped with VRR, ALLM, and 4K at 120Hz for the best possible experience.
Samsung has two flagship QLED models depending on whether you want 8K resolution. The QN900C is the company's top 8K model, and the QN90C is its top 4K model.
Yes, but picking the right model is key. You'll want to look for a TV that has the latest HDMI 2.1 features, like VRR, ALLM, and 4K at 120Hz. Another feature that gamers will appreciate is support for AMD's FreeSync or Nvidia's G-Sync, which are two proprietary VRR technologies used by game consoles like the Xbox Series X and many gaming PCs.
No. Burn-in is a permanent form of image retention caused by leaving the same image on a TV for many hours at a time. In OLED TVs, this can cause individual pixels to age prematurely, leaving the "shadow" of some parts of the image on screen even after the image has changed. Because QLED TVs use a backlight for their brightness, their pixels aren't susceptible to this kind of uneven aging.
Theoretically, a QLED TV will outlast an OLED TV, at least in terms of maximum brightness, because OLED pixels lose their ability to produce brightness at a faster rate than a QLED TV's backlight. But you would likely have to keep your TV on for eight hours a day, seven days a week, for many, many years before this difference became noticeable. That said, a QLED TV should last a decade or more as long as none of its individual components fail -- something that can be hard to predict even for the best TVs.
QLED prices, much like OLED prices, are dropping all the time. A few years ago, you'd need to spend well over $2,000 for a 65-inch QLED TV. Today, you can find them for less than half that price.
Definitely. If you have a choice between a standard LED TV and a QLED TV, the QLED model will deliver brighter, more accurate colors, which should yield a better image overall. And as QLED TVs become the norm for non-OLED models, you won't have to pay much of a price premium to get one.
