4K TV Reviews
Packed with features and boasting four times as many pixels as regular HD Televisions, 4K TVs have become the new go-to option for those who want the ultimate viewing experience. However, buyers now have more considerations than ever when choosing a 4K TV, which can make researching the different options on the market overwhelming, to say the least.
We have researched each product and ranked the best TVs out there in several categories to make sure you find the option that works for you. We even developed a buying guide that will help walk you through the 4K TV buying process so you can find a product that truly meets your needs.
Best Overall 4K TV
- Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately).
- Dimensions (W x H x D): TV without stand: 48.4" x 28" x 3.5", TV with stand: 48.4" x 28" x 13.4"
- Smart functionality gives you access to your favorite apps and content using Sony’s Android TV.
- Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color, and detail of High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the most lifelike picture.
- The OLED panel’s native 120Hz refresh rate is enhanced by Motionflow XR gives you the fast moving action scenes with no motion blur.
The Sony BRAVIA A1E OLED is our number one rated 4K TV. This television is what 4K is all about with high performance, crystal clear images, and a pencil-thin design. This television gives you access to Android TV’s large app selection and features coveted OLED technology. The detailed, deep-contrast, colorful images in this television must be seen to be believed, and the innovative and excellent sound is truly top-notch.
Best Value 4K TV – TCL Roku LED TV
- Dimensions: TV without stand: 38.3" W x 22.2" H x 2.9" D. TV with stand: 38.3" W x 24.4"H x 7.5" D. Stand separation distance: 30.0". Product weight: 16.6 lbs
- Smart functionality offers access to over 4,000 streaming channels featuring more than 450,000 movies and TV episodes via Roku TV
- Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color and detail of High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the most lifelike picture
- 120Hz refresh rate allows fast moving action scenes to be seen with virtually no motion blur. Audio Power (Watts): 2 Channel x 8W
- As TCL Roku TVs use advanced backlight scanning to ensure clear viewing of fast action, there is no processing that could result in the soap opera effect.
The TCL Roku Smart LED TV takes the prize for Best Value, as it delivers a 43-inch screen, 4K technology, and smart TV features all for the price of most standard HD TVs. In addition to its user-friendly interface, you can also manage the television from a coordinating mobile app, meaning all of your favorite programs and online access is only a click away.
Best 3D 4K TV – LG OLED 65E6P Flat 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart 3D TV
This 3D 4K TV from LG really makes use of the 4K clarity to help its 3D images pop. With the OLED technology, the TV is faster, while the 4K pixels mean the image is sharper. This particular television features passive 3D technology and comes with two pairs of 3D glasses along with smart technology that allows you to stream your favorite apps and programs right from the device.
Best Smart 4K TV – Samsung MU9000 4K Ultra HD 9 Series Smart TV
- See extreme contrast between the darkest darks and lightest lights, plus expanded color and depth.
- An extreme step up in color with a billion more shades than standard 4K UHD.
- Triple Black Extreme brings out extreme detail even in the darkest scenes.
- Enjoy smooth, crisp action even in the fastest scenes. Motion Rate 240 brings sports and fast moving content to life.
The Samsung UN55MU9000 Flat 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD 9 Series Smart TV was designed to act as the heart of your entire home, making it easy for you to control every smart home device right from your main screen. With the help of Samsung Smart Things, you can adjust the lights, door, locks, and thermostat right from your TV remote. All of these features are paired with 4K crystal-clear images and a sleek, modern design suitable for any home.
Best Curved 4K TV – Samsung KS9800 Curve 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
- The Ultimate Curved 4K SUHD Picture powered by the Quantum Dot Color Drive. Fires off a billion more colors than HD TVs for a lifelike picture unlike anything else
- More than just pitch black, get the best shades of black with Triple Black Technology. Never miss a detail in the dark.
- Experience the full vibrancy of your favorite TV Shows and entertainment with superior Full Array Backlighting
- Peak Illuminator Ultimate and HDR 1000 mirrors the high contrast and vividness the way movie makers intended
- Smart 2016 - Use one universal remote to switch from Live TV to streaming seamlessly. Easily access everything you want to watch.
The Samsung KS9800 Curve 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV is the best buy when looking for curved 4K TVs. The curved television design has become one of the biggest innovations in televisions over the past few years as it delivers more of a movie theater-type viewing experience. This curved television from Samsung can deliver 1 billion more colors than HD TVs and features smart technology that allows you to flip from live TV to streaming with the press of a button.
4K TV Buying Guide
A new 4K TV can be a great investment for all of your entertainment needs. This new technology is being hailed as the future of TVs and it promises to deliver a viewing experience, unlike any other device on the market. However, before buying any 4K television, it is important to know what it is you are shopping for and what you should look for when making a decision about your television. The following key considerations are essential for determining which TV is the best TV for you.
Size
The first and most noticeable thing many people look for when buying any television is the size of the screen. This is also one of the biggest factors that can change the price. One of the many great things about 4K televisions is that the advanced pixilation features mean you are getting a crystal-clear image, no matter how big the screen is. With other technologies, such as 1080p, when you have a bigger screen, the image can look more and more pixilated, the closer you sit to your television.
LED vs OLED
One of the biggest differences in 4K TVs that buyers will notice is that these products either come in LED or OLED format. There is no one best type of 4K television, it does come down to preference.
A 4K LED TV will use light-emitting diode panels or LED panels. They are the most popular for HDTVs and allow for the television to be very thin. They are actually a type of LCD TV that utilizes edge light backlighting. Overall, thanks to the 4K technology, they are doing to deliver overall clearer picture quality than standard TVs but do not have as much of a focus on color accuracy as OLED televisions.
A 4K OLED on the other hand is going to offer more color accuracy. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. With this type of 4K television, there is more of a focus on producing a wider range of colors, such as brighter whites and darker blacks. These TVs are more similar to plasma televisions and are popular with those who want to view sports or action movies.
Curved Vs. Flat Screen
The curved screen design has become extremely popular in recent years and is meant to enhance viewing to create a more “theater-like” experience. However, with 4K televisions, the curved design may come at a higher price tag without offering any specific advantage such as a clearer or more colorful image. Another thing to consider with curved TVs is that they do reduce the viewing angle, meaning it may limit the number of people who can watch the television with the best view. This is something that is completely up to the preference of the buyer as it doesn’t change the quality of the image.
Hz Connection Rates
The refresh rate of a television is depicted in Hertz (Hz). This basically means how many times the picture is refreshed every second. The industry standard for Hz rates is 60, which means the screen refreshes 60 times per second. However, sometimes this can result in the image looking blurry. The faster the Hz rate, the more clear the image and the better you are able to take advantage of the 4K technology. When buying 4K TVs always look for 120 Hz or higher.
Best Overall 4K Television
Televisions have come a long way since they first came on the market and with the introduction of the 4K TV, they have once again made a major stride forward. By using four times the number of pixels and hundreds of millions more colors than other televisions on the market, 4K TVs can create a more lifelike television viewing experience for those who want more detail in sports, movies, and gaming.
Top Choice: Sony BRAVIA A1E OLED
- Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately).
- Dimensions (W x H x D): TV without stand: 48.4" x 28" x 3.5", TV with stand: 48.4" x 28" x 13.4"
- Smart functionality gives you access to your favorite apps and content using Sony’s Android TV.
- Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color, and detail of High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the most lifelike picture.
- The OLED panel’s native 120Hz refresh rate is enhanced by Motionflow XR gives you the fast moving action scenes with no motion blur.
The Sony BRAVIA wins our top choice for best 4K TV thanks to its thin design and OLED technology. It is the full package for those who want a TV that can really impress. It has numerous connectivity options so you can easily connect all of your favorite devices to this TV. You can even command your television with your voice for a truly hands-free viewing experience.
What We Liked
- OLED pixels – As an OLED 4K TV, each and every pixel on this device is individually lit. This means more colors and a deeper contrast that helps deliver a truly lifelike viewing experience.
- Android TV Interface – Navigating this television from the home screen is simple, thanks to the built-in Android TV interface. It is easy to navigate and makes taking advantage of the TV’s features a breeze.
- Excellent Sound System – This Sony TV uses a display panel speaker and a rear-facing subwoofer inside the stand. In short, there is no need for a sound bar with this TV. Plus, the A1E plays FLAC files, which Is an uncommon feature in most home televisions.
- Accurate Color and Clear Images – In addition to the dark blacks from the OLED TV design, you will enjoy accurate color depiction and wide viewing angles along with a great bright-room picture for a picture quality that is unlike any other in the market.
What We Didn’t Like
- Non-Removable Stand – The Sony BRAVIA A1E OLED is nearly perfect, however, there is one design flaw that may have consumers thinking twice about this product. The kickstand is unique and a great feature if you are displaying it on a table. While the screen itself is very thin, there is a non-detachable stand that makes the entire piece quite thick, if you were planning on mounting it.
Best Value 4K TV
As with any high-end piece of technology, a new 4K TV can be a big investment. However, there are some brands that have managed to harness the power of 4K technology and put it into a more budget-friendly package. While these televisions may not have all of the extra bells and whistles that other higher-end 4K TVs do, they will offer the clarity and precision that 4K TVs are known for.
Top Choice: TCL Roku LED TV
- Dimensions: TV without stand: 38.3" W x 22.2" H x 2.9" D. TV with stand: 38.3" W x 24.4"H x 7.5" D. Stand separation distance: 30.0". Product weight: 16.6 lbs
- Smart functionality offers access to over 4,000 streaming channels featuring more than 450,000 movies and TV episodes via Roku TV
- Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color and detail of High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the most lifelike picture
- 120Hz refresh rate allows fast moving action scenes to be seen with virtually no motion blur. Audio Power (Watts): 2 Channel x 8W
- As TCL Roku TVs use advanced backlight scanning to ensure clear viewing of fast action, there is no processing that could result in the soap opera effect.
The TCL ROKU LED TV offers a simple smart-TV experience and 4K pixel features. It is one of the most inexpensive smart TVs out there, and it has 4K imaging. While some consumers may not be familiar with the brand, it offers all of the apps that you would want from your smart TV, in fact, there is even a Netflix button on the remote. It isn’t a perfect television, but if you want a 4K TV without breaking the bank, it is worth a look.
What We Liked
- LED 4K Without the Price – This 4K TV is LED, not OLED, but it still features all of the colors and pixels of 4K technology. For the price, you just can’t beat the image quality you are getting with this piece, as similar products are going to cost thousands of dollars not hundreds.
- Three HDMI Ports – Sometimes, the lower price range TVs cut back on HDMI ports as a way to keep costs down—not this Roku TV. There are three ports so you can connect all of your devices.
- Search Features – Roku has built-in search features that are super easy to use so you can utilize the Smart TV functions to search for your favorite program with a few clicks of your (user-friendly) remote.
- High Hz Refresh – This is another feature that some “budget” TVs will cut back on. There is a 120Hz refresh rate on this TV so you can watch sports and fast action scenes with no motion blur.
What We Didn’t Like
- Poor Sound Quality – If you are someone who doesn’t want to hook their TV up to a sound bar and who values sound quality, then this may not be the television for you. This TV will work for your everyday programs, but if you really want to hear the base in those action movies, you will need additional speakers.
Best 3D 4K Television
While years ago, 3D technology was only available in public theaters, today, consumers are able to bring 3D technology right into their living rooms. With 3D 4K technology, users can enjoy 3D capabilities when they choose and 4K imaging when they desire—delivering the best of both worlds, no matter what type of media you may be watching.
Top Choice: LG OLED 65E6P 4K TVThe LG OLED 65E6P 4K
TV combines OLED technology and HDR together for an amazing viewing experience that is unlike any other TV in its class. It is a new technology, which means it comes with a pretty high price tag. It comes with 3D viewing glasses so you can view programs in 3D when you want, r you can take them off and enjoy the OLED color and clarity that comes with this TV.
What We Liked
- OLED and HDR – With the OLED feature, every pixel emits its own color, so no backlighting, which translates into super rich and high-contrast colors. When you want to watch HRD content, you will also notice that the colors look the way they should, and your image-viewing experience isn’t wasted on non-HDR content.
- Super Thin Design – When OLEDs first came on the market, many of these products were quite thick by flat-screen TV standards. This OLED screen is on a thin sheet of glass that has an ultra-slim profile.
- Quality Sound – If you aren’t interested in hooking up a new sound system to your OLED TV, this is the television for you. While it won’t compare to your external surround sound system, but it does have more volume and clarity capabilities than your average TV with its 2.2 channel, 40-watt audio system.
- Superior 3D Quality – At home 3D can be difficult, but because this television emits higher resolution and a brighter image, the 3D you see when you put the glasses on is way better than the standard 1080p 3D quality.
What We Didn’t Like
- Can’t Handle Sub-1080p Content – If you have older content formats and programming that is below 1080p, it isn’t going to look great on this television.
- The webOS 30 Platform Can be Slow – The Smart TV features aren’t the main selling point of this TV as some of the apps and LG Content Store may be slower than other Smart TVs and require some updates.
Best Smart 4K TV
Smart TVs can instantly connect you to the internet so that you can run all of your favorite apps and programs right from your device. You can stream, browse the internet and even connect your entire smart home, right from the main screen. The following product is our top choice for smart TVs that also feature 4K technology.
Top Choice: Samsung MU9000 4K Ultra HD 9 Series Smart TV
- See extreme contrast between the darkest darks and lightest lights, plus expanded color and depth.
- An extreme step up in color with a billion more shades than standard 4K UHD.
- Triple Black Extreme brings out extreme detail even in the darkest scenes.
- Enjoy smooth, crisp action even in the fastest scenes. Motion Rate 240 brings sports and fast moving content to life.
This Samsung MU900 Smart TV is considered the most elite offering in the current Samsung lineup. With a real focus on image quality, this Samsung model comes with all of the bells and whistles that make pictures really pop.
What We Liked
- Extreme 4K – If there is one term to describe the 4K imaging with this television it would be “extreme.” This TV has a 4K Color Drive Extreme, 4K HDR Extreme, Triple Black Extreme, and a UHD Remastering Engine. Basically, you are getting the highest image quality possible, even with a LED television.
- Great for Gamers – This TV has minimal input lag when you switch it to game mode so that the TV can keep up with even the highest-paced games.
- Quad Core Processor for Smooth Performance – There are many televisions that claim to be smart TVs, but their home interface ends up being quite slow. This TV has a powerful Quad Core processor that makes its home Smart Hub run smooth and fast, plus it’s pre-loaded with tons of apps.
- Smart Remote Voice Function – This TV is so smart you can use a voice function to browse or search programs and it actually works. This is one technology that other TVs have yet to master but that works great with this Samsung.
What We Didn’t Like
- Side Angle Viewing – Color contrast and saturation isn’t as clear from side angles.
- Effects Can Look Unnatural in 2D – For 2D shows and movies, the TV’s Auto Motion Plus feature can actually highlight unnatural effects and take away from the viewing quality.
Best Curved 4K TV
While there is some debate over whether or not curved TVs have anything to offer in terms of picture quality, the curved television design is here to stay. If you prefer the look of a curved TV, you will find there are plenty of high-end options out there and many of them come with a hefty price tag since the technology is so new.
Top Choice: Samsung KS9800 4K UHD 65-Inch Smart TV
- The Ultimate Curved 4K SUHD Picture powered by the Quantum Dot Color Drive. Fires off a billion more colors than HD TVs for a lifelike picture unlike anything else
- More than just pitch black, get the best shades of black with Triple Black Technology. Never miss a detail in the dark.
- Experience the full vibrancy of your favorite TV Shows and entertainment with superior Full Array Backlighting
- Peak Illuminator Ultimate and HDR 1000 mirrors the high contrast and vividness the way movie makers intended
- Smart 2016 - Use one universal remote to switch from Live TV to streaming seamlessly. Easily access everything you want to watch.
What We Liked
- OneConnect + Box – This feature may seem strange at first, but it is really positive. The TV itself has just three ports and they are covered by a removable panel, the rest of the connections, including two USB ports, are on a separate breakout box to allow for a sleeker, thinner design.
- Plenty of HDMI Ports – This TV has four total HDMI ports for all of your important media connections.
- Excellent HDR Imaging – If you are watching HDR material, this TV is sure to impress with deep, saturated colors. It is a LED TV but features quantum dots, local dimming, and full array backlighting that all help deliver the best image possible.
- Can Upscale Lower-Resolution Media – Not everything we watch comes in a high-resolution format? This TV does a great job of upscaling lower-resolution material and making it shine on this curved platform.
What We Didn’t Like
- Backlighting Can Bloom – This TV isn’t OLED, so sometimes the backlight can “bloom” and take away from the clarity and color contrast particularly when light objects are on dark fields.
- High Price Tag – This is one of the more expensive TVs on the market right now, mostly for its curved screen, but without the OLED technology it may not be worth the high price for some buyers.