As we kick off the new year, it’s about time we settle in on our couches as the temperature drops to watch some movies, shows, and sports on a brand-new smart TV. We’ve broken down which TVs are the best for each situation—whether you want to play video games with the best performance or if you’re trying not to break the bank. So go ahead and get cozy in front of one of these in 2023.
Best Overall Smart TV
65" Class S95B OLED 4K Smart TV (2022) | $1,798 | Samsung
65" Class S95B OLED 4K Smart TV (2022) | $1,800 | Samsung
Samsung’s first OLED TV delivers amazing picture quality with perfect blacks and some of the most vibrant colors you’ll see on a TV. It has an easy-to-use interface for streaming from all your favorite apps like Hulu, Netflix, and HBO Max.
Best 8K Smart TV
Samsung 85" Class Neo QLED 8K QN900B Series | $4,998 | Amazon
Samsung 85" Class Neo QLED 8K QN900B Series | $5,000 | Samsung
If you have the space and budget for it, the Neo QLED 8K is something to behold. While there may not be a ton of 8K context to watch or play right now, there are some major benefits to using an 8K TV. For one, because the LEDs are a fraction of the size of what you’d find in a 4K TV, you get much lower levels of blooming happening when bright objects are against a dark background.
Best Budget Smart TV
Insignia 50" F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV | $210
If you’re not too picky and don’t really notice the slight technical differences across the higher-end brands’ TVs, there’s no sense spending thousands of dollars on them. With this, you’ll get a 4K image and be able to use the integrated Fire TV to watch movies and TV shows from all your favorite apps. Decent color in either dark or bright rooms. It’s also last year’s model so you’ll save a decent chunk of money too.
Best Smart TV for Gamers
LG OLED C2 Series 65” 4K Smart TV | $1,697 | Amazon
HDMI 2.1 unlocks a lot of potential for your TV. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are capable of 120Hz which means gameplay at 120 frames per second. however, it’s only able to reach that level so long as the output is traveling into an HDMI 2.1 port. The LG OLED C2 has four of them, so no need to mess around with cords when switching between consoles to get the best-looking picture. The TV is also working with an auto low-latency mode for minimal input lag and a crisp OLED screen to show rich colors and deep blacks.
Best Smart TV for Outdoors
Samsung 55" Class QLED 4K UHD (Partial Sun) The Terrace Series | $2,998 | Amazon
Samsung 55" Class QLED 4K UHD (Partial Sun) The Terrace Series | $3,000 | Samsung
You shouldn’t just take any TV and set it up outside. You need to pack it all back up inside when you’re done or you may even ruin it with surprise rain showers. you’re also gonna be fighting some major glare because of that big round thing in the sky we call the Sun. Alternatively, you can get a dedicated outdoor TV that has vivid brightness levels which are optimized for viewing in daylight as well as weather-resistant durability to protect against dust and water (IP55).
This story was originally published by Joe Tilleli on 01/16/2023 and updated with new information on 01/26/2023.