Technology

The best TVs for Netflix, gaming and beyond

By Robert Leedham, Simon Lucas and Owen Gough

30 May 2023

Want to upgrade your telly? These are the best TVs for Netflix, Prime Video and all your televisual needs

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

If you fancy a nice new television, you’ve come to the right place. You don’t have to waste your precious free time in a series of showrooms while the store assistant tries to steer you towards the most profitable product and insists you need an extended warranty, because we’ve hand-picked a selection of the best tellies around on your behalf. No matter if you fancy OLED or MiniLED technology, there’s a screen here to suit you from the biggest, most credible brands around. But just before you place your order, check out our editors' must-have options.

What are the best TVs of 2023?

Best OLED TV: LG OLED65C3

LG OLED65C3

£2,699

John Lewis

It's been called the “king of OLED” and for good reason, LG's C3 is the best that Korea has to offer, and there isn't a single telly that comes close to it. Black tones, colour reproduction and a nan-proof UI make for a top-tier TV that more than justifies the high price tag.

Best QLED TV: Samsung QE65QN95A

Samsung QE65QN95A

£1,499

Samsung

Samsung's quantum-dot OLED range might usually come with immense costs, but this one is less than £1,500 and offers similar visual feasting to TVs that are double the price. The display is superbly punchy and bright, treating those expansive colours from Disney and Marvel with the utmost respect.

Best QD-OLED TV: Sony XR-55A95K

Sony XR-55A95K

£2,199

John Lewis

£2,199

Amazon

Costs have tumbled in recent months on Sony's flagship Bravia XR series, so now is the best time to pick one up if you're upgrading with a slight budget in mind. Built to be mounted on the wall for supreme viewing, it's as good as having an Odeon super screen in your living room.

What are the best TVs in 2023?

Best OLED TV: LG OLED65C3, £2,699 at johnlewis.com
Best TV QLED: Samsung QE65QN95A, £1,499 at samsung.com
Best TV for most people: Sony XR-55A95K, £2,199 at johnlewis.com
Best wall-mounted TV: LG OLED65G3, £3,299 at johnlewis.com
Best ambient-light TV: Philips 65OLED+937, £2,899 at richersounds.com

How we test 4K TVs

Of course, you want to buy a TV that we’ve actually used, right? Our favourite models below have been selected based on their ability to produce incredible visuals because we’ve actually seen them, watched them, and played around with the menus. It’s a tough job, but we’re ready for the task. In all cases, we’ve either been to review them in person or have taken them on in our homes to play next-gen console games, watch hi-fidelity sports throughout the weekends, and spent more than enough time engaging in Netflix’s growing list of top-spec shows to watch. In most cases, we spent roughly two weeks watching as much content as our eyes could handle, selecting the very best that our money has to offer.

Is a 4K HDR TV worth it?

The age of Full HD is long gone - virtually every new television these days has a native 4K resolution. And depending on your budget, most of the TVs on your shortlist will support High Dynamic Range (HDR) as well. Not heard of HDR? It’s a pictorial standard that expands the colour gamut a television can produce, and the contrast between light and dark on-screen areas too. It’s been embraced by the BBC, Netflix, Disney+ and all the rest, so you should make sure your new screen supports it - with the HLG standard for live TV broadcasts, and either Dolby Vision or HDR10+ ‘dynamic metadata' standards (or, ideally, both).

LCD vs OLED vs MiniLED

The two dominant panel technologies (LCD and OLED) have lately been joined by a third: MiniLED. OLED (organic light-emitting diode) remains the technology that’s perceived to be the most impressive and glamorous, since the self-illuminating pixels allow for amazing fidelity and contrast, with truly deep black levels. OLED sets from the likes of LG, Sony and Panasonic have finally started to become more affordable - and lately, Samsung has decided to get on board with the technology too, so the choice is wider than ever.

And now there’s MiniLED, too. This is a refinement of the venerable LCD technology – it uses many more, and much smaller, LEDs to backlight the LCD panel. So backlighting is more controlled, better targeted and, consequently, more effective - and the result is by far the most convincing picture quality from LCD tech to date. MiniLED can get much closer to OLED where black tones are concerned than traditional LCD panels and can be considerably brighter too. But, as with any exciting new(ish) technology, MiniLED currently doesn’t come especially cheap.

What about 8K?

We're not saying that 8K TVs like the Samsung QN900B or the LG Z2 wouldn't make a fine addition to your smart home collection — there's no doubt that 8K content on both sets looks stunning, and they can both upscale 4K content to look superb too. But with the Samsung model starting at £3,299 for the 65in version and the LG a chunky £11,999 for the smallest (77in) model, you're better off waiting for 8K to hit the mainstream. Currently, the main source of 8K content for most people will be the footage they take on their smartphones and those odd YouTube channels that tend to concentrate on drone footage.

And while new game consoles like the Xbox Series X have teased gaming features like 8K, the reality is that high refresh rates, 4K HDR resolution and impressive viewing angles remain the main features for gamers right now. Unless you're desperate to be an early adopter, you should enjoy the best 4K TVs around for now - and maybe start thinking about an upgrade when 8K content starts cropping up on streaming services like Netflix.

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Shop GQ's pick of the best TVs you can own:

1/10
LG OLED65G3
What we liked: Designed for wall-mounting | Supreme visuals and unparalleled colour reproduction
What we didn't like: Very expensive | Sound is lacklustre (must have a soundbar)
Screen size: 65in
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K, HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision IQ
Operating system: webOS
HDMI ports: 4 x HDMI 2.1
Another day, another new TV technology - but in the case of ‘Micro Lens Array’ (or ‘MLA’) technology as fitted to this LG OLED panel, its benefits are both obvious and welcome. ‘MLA’ means literally billions of microscopic lenses are arranged above the OLED panel to focus the light they emit. This allows the screen to be brighter – up to 50 per cent brighter, in fact – than the outgoing G2 model, without creating any more heat.
And it works a treat. The G3 is bright, for sure, but gives nothing away where fine detail or nuance of white tones is concerned. And elsewhere, it’s LG OLED business as usual: epic picture quality, with colour fidelity a particular highlight, superbly responsive with games consoles, and a super-slim form factor that makes it look almost flush when hung on the wall. Chalk another one up to the Korean masters of OLED technology. £3,499. At lg.com, johnlewis.com & currys.co.uk
Read GQ's LG G3 review
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2/10
LG OLED65C3
What we liked: Exceptional visual prowess | Simple UI | Super fun LG want remote | Great for gaming
What we didn't like: Often out of stock | Expensive
Screen size: 65in
Resolution & HDR formats: HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision IQ
Operating system: webOS
HDMI ports: 4 x HDMI 2.1
When it comes to striking a balance between price and performance, LG knows exactly what it’s doing – and its C3 OLED TV range is positioned perfectly between the two. In every way it’s nothing short of admirable: it’s a lovely item that’s slim enough to look good when hung on the wall. It’s got a great operating system – LG’s webOS is slick, simple and absolutely filled with useful apps and features. It’s got Amazon Alexa built-in, works with Siri and Google Assistant, and has a brilliant ‘point and click’ remote control handset too.
It’s able to exploit all the clever features of your current games console through any of its four HDMI inputs. It can use its 2.2-channel audio system in conjunction with an LG soundbar thanks to the ‘WOW Orchestra feature’. And best of all, its picture quality is outstanding: lustrous blacks, bright whites, wide contrasts and a huge range of completely convincing colours means images just pop from the screen. £2,799. At johnlewis.com, LG.com, currys.co.uk & amazon.co.uk
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3/10
Philips 65OLED+937
What we liked: Built-in ambient lighting | Bowers & Wilkins built-in speaker
What we didn't like: Only one screen size available
Screen size: 55in
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K, HLG, MDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, Dolby Vision
Operating system: Android TV
HDMI ports: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x HDMI 2.0
It’s not all that easy to find a television with a unique selling point, but Philips TVs have one: Ambilight. If you’re familiar with it, you know how much more immersive, how much more relaxing, and how much bigger it can make the screen seem – and if you’re not, well, once you get an idea of what four rows of LEDs on the rear of the TV beaming light onto the wall behind it can do for your viewing experience, you’ll be convinced.
But the 55OLED+907 is no one-trick pony, it has tremendous across-the-board image quality, great peak brightness (thanks to its LG-sourced ‘Royal EX’ OLED panel), a well-stocked Android-powered smart TV offering, and all major HDR standards too. Add in a very accomplished 3.1-channel audio system courtesy of UK hi-fi savant Bowers & Wilkins and you’re looking at the real sound-and-vision deal. £2,899. At philips.co.uk, richersounds.com & currys.co.uk
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4/10
Samsung QE65QN95A
What we liked: Well priced | Reduced picture noise | Accurate colour reproduction
What we didn't like: Only one screen size option
Screen size: 65in
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K, HLG, HDR10, HDR10+
Operating system: Tizen
HDMI ports: 4 x HDMI 2.1
This brilliant MiniLED TV is last year’s model, it’s true - but rather than making it an inferior TV, it just makes it a great TV at a more affordable price. You’ve never seen LCD-derived images look as good as this - the backlighting accuracy is incredible, black tones are way deeper than you’d imagine, and its colour fidelity is absolute. On top of this, there’s the great motion control, the superb depth of field and the complete lack of picture noise we all expect from a top-of-the-line Samsung television.
Add in a great operating system, a lovely slim chassis and a box that takes all connectivity requirements off-board, and you’re looking at a bit of a bargain. Sometimes it pays to consider a television that may be just a little longer in the tooth - if it was great 12 months ago, you can be pretty sure it’s still great now. £1599. At samsung.com
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5/10
Sony XR 55A95K
What we liked: Quantum-dot OLED offers brighter images | Exceptional audio | Surprisingly good audio
What we didn't like: Pricey | Last year's model
Screen size: 55in
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K, HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision IQ
Operating system: Google TV
HDMI ports: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x HDMI 2.0
Here’s an interesting variation on a theme: QD-OLED. This technology puts a panel of blue OLED beneath a layer of red and green quantum dots – the idea being that the tendency for blue OLED to decay before the red or green equivalent is negated, and the screen is capable of greater peak brightness and colour fidelity than it otherwise would be. And this being Sony, of course, it’s implemented beautifully: picture quality is across-the-board impeccable, with the depth and variation in both black and white tones being a particular highlight.
It’s a smooth and responsive gaming monitor, and it has a Google TV smart interface that’s about as accomplished as these things ever get. Sony’s ‘Acoustic Surface Audio+’ technology puts in an appearance too, turning the entirety of the screen into a loudspeaker and then backing it up with a couple of subwoofers. It’s not cheap by the standards of 55in TVs, but then the best things seldom are. £2,299. At amazon.co.uk, richersounds.com, johnlewis.com & currys.co.uk
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6/10
Sony XR-55A90J
What we liked: Gamers will feel right at home | Superb picture quality |
What we didn't like: The menus can be complete | Hard to customise the right image
Screen size: 55-inch
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Operating systems: Google TV
HDMI ports: HDMI 2.1 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 2
Finally, Sony manages to back up the unarguable quality of its OLED picture quality with smart features and usability that can compete with the best around – and the result is the best OLED TV you can buy. If it’s within your budget, of course. It’s probably quickest to just tick off all the specs and functionality the A90J gets right. The new Google TV smart interface is a big improvement on the Android TV equivalent it replaces, while offering major streaming apps like Disney+ and Google Assistant voice control functionality too.
Next-gen gamers are far better catered for than previously, too. Sound quality, unlike virtually every rival, is genuinely decent. And most important of all, picture quality is flat-out superb: vivid, naturalistic, loaded with detail, confident with on-screen motion… you name it, the Sony can do it, and in style. It’s the best TV you can currently buy. At a price, though, naturally. £2,699. At johnlewis.com
Read our full Sony XR-55A90J review
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7/10
LG OLED65G1
What we liked: Still holds up as a quality TV | Prepped for 4K next-gen gaming | Still expensive
What we didn't like: Long in the tooth these days
Screen size: 65-inch
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG Pro
Operating systems: WebOS
HDMI ports: HDMI 2.1 x 4
In which LG – the company that’s the source of the OLED panel used by every company that makes these TVs – delivers a cutting-edge OLED that’s so perfect for hanging on the wall that it doesn’t even come supplied with any feet. In performance terms, it’s high-end LG business as usual: cracking picture quality in every respect, with low-light detail, black tones in general, and subtlety of shade and tone where colours are concerned. The smart TV interface is outstanding too, as are ergonomics. Even sound is inoffensive. And the new ‘evo’ panel means it’s brighter than any OLED screen that came before it which, combined with its 120Hz refresh rate, Gsync and Freesync capabilities, make it a killer gaming TV too. But it’s the physical depth of the screen that really elevates this LG OLED. Most OLED TVs are extremely slim right until the part where they keep all their electronics, but the LG G1 is a mere 2cm deep — a new wall-mount king which looks great whether it’s working or not. £2,199. At johnlewis.com
Read our full LG OLED65G1 review
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8/10
Samsung 43AU7100
What we liked: Super affordable | Surprisingly good quality for the price
What we didn't like: Not particularly bright | It's probably worth spending more for a modern TV
Screen size: 43-inch
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Operating systems: Tizen
HDMI ports: HDMI 2.0 x 3
Not every TV brand pays proper attention to the mainstream – it’s not glamorous and the profit margins aren’t what you’d call ‘impressive’. But Samsung isn’t every TV brand – and with the AU7100 range it’s catered to the mainstream good and proper. Here’s a screen that’s available in loads of sizes, from 43in to a whopping 85in, and all at very realistic prices. Its Tizen operating system is the same as that fitted to Samsung screens costing ten times as much as the AU7100. And its 4K picture quality is outstanding – no, these aren’t the brightest images you’ve ever seen but they’re detailed, colourful and convincing. If you want to be impressed by your new TV but not stressed by how much it cost, Samsung has you covered. £379. At richersounds.com
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9/10
LG OLED65C14LB
What we liked: Includes Dolby Atmos and Vision | Great for gamers | LG's rock-solid UI
What we didn't like: Still expensive for its age | Speaker is poor
Screen size: 65-inch
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), HDR10, HDR10 Pro, HLG
Operating systems: WebOS
HDMI ports: HDMI 2.1 x 4
The LG C1 is the everyman OLED, retaining the superb picture quality of its predecessor while offering a host of minor tweaks and improvements that make it one of the best TVs money can buy. For starters, the full set of catch-up apps are back, along with support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10, in addition to the latest webOS 6.0 which sports a sleeker and cleaner layout. Gamers will be happy too, thanks to its incredibly low input lag and dedicated Game Mode, with VRR (variable refresh rate) thrown in to boot. As with most other TVs on this list you'll want to enhance it with a soundbar for maximum effect, and when you do, you'll have a corker of a TV on your hands. £1,699. At johnlewis.com
Read our full LG OLED65C14LB review
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10/10
Philips 48OLED806
What we liked: One of the best TVs under £1,000 | Built-in ambilight
What we didn't like: Only available in a small size
Screen size: 43-inch
Resolution & HDR formats: 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160), Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Operating systems: Android TV
HDMI ports: HDMI 2.1 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 2
There aren't many smaller TVs that serve up a no-compromise flagship experience, but this 48-incher from Philips is one of them. With the latest connectivity options like HDMI 2.1 (for making the most of your next-gen PS5 or Xbox One console) and the company's fabled four-way Ambilight system, there's a lot to love crammed into this diminutive package. Featuring Philips' second generation P5 AI Perfect Picture engine, its image processing tech works wonders with its sharpening, noise filtering, contrast, motion, upscaling and HDR magic. Coupled with the inky blacks and punchy colours of an OLED display this makes for a cracking TV that'll easily slip into any space you see fit. £999. At currys.co.uk
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