VerdictAI

Buying guide · 2026

Best Smart TVs

Smart TVs in 2025 are dominated by a tight cluster of OLEDs from LG, Sony, and Samsung, with budget LED/QLED options trailing well behind in expert assessments. The synthesis below is drawn from RTINGS measurements, Wirecutter/TechRadar/Tom's Guide editorial verdicts, Wired commentary, and long-running threads on r/LGOLED, r/bravia, r/OLED_Gaming, and r/4kTV. Where high-trust sources disagree with mainstream tech press, we surface the disagreement rather than smooth it over.

Sources behind this synthesis

35 reviewers read. Weighted by trust.

We don’t review products. We read what other reviewers wrote, score each source for trustworthiness, and synthesize the consensus.

How sources are scored →

Trust mix

No flagged sources

Trusted3trustedMixed28mixed

Trusted contributors

r/hometheater
Show all 12 other sources →
TechRadarr/LGOLEDr/PS5pror/TVReviewLoungeYouTube · YouTubeYouTube · LG C5 OLED 65" 4K TV Reviewr/LG_UserHubr/braviar/4kTVr/OLED_Gamingr/HTBuyingGuidesr/OLED

By source type

Expert
1
Retailer
0
Community
30
Video
4

At a glance

Our top pick

#1 of 5
Top pick · #1LG 65-Inch Class OLED evo AI 4K C5 Series Smart TV w/Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR10, AI Super Upscaling 4K…
Best overall

LG 65-Inch Class OLED evo AI 4K C5 Series Smart TV w/Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR10, AI Super Upscaling 4K…

★★★★★4.6(1,178)92Excellent

Across the reviewers we read, the LG C5 is the most-recommended 2025 OLED at its price tier. RTINGS measured perfect black levels, vivid colors, and 'excellent' mixed-usage performance, and TechRadar's five-star review highlighted the Alpha 9 Gen8 processor as a meaningful upgrade.

The rest of the rankings

#2–5

Frequently asked

5 questions
Is an OLED TV worth the extra money over a QLED in 2025?
For dark-room movie watching and gaming, the high-trust consensus is yes — RTINGS, Wirecutter, and TechRadar all rank 2025 OLEDs (LG C5, LG G5, Sony BRAVIA 8 II, Samsung S90F) well above same-priced QLEDs for contrast, motion, and HDR. For a very bright room or a budget under ~$500, a mid-tier QLED can make more sense, though RTINGS rated several 2025 entry QLEDs (Samsung Q7F, Q8F, Hisense QD6/E6) as 'mediocre' to 'subpar.'
LG C5 vs LG G5 — which should I buy?
RTINGS rates both 'excellent for mixed usage,' but the G5 is meaningfully brighter and rated stronger for bright-room viewing, while the C5 hits most of the same picture-quality marks for roughly half the price. r/LGOLED users and Tom's Guide tend to call the C5 the better value; the G5 is the pick if peak HDR brightness or a bright living room is the priority.
Is the Samsung S90F really the same as an LG OLED?
No — RTINGS notes the 65-inch S90F uses a QD-OLED panel, which delivers wider color volume than LG's WOLED in the C5/B5. RTINGS and r/OLED_Gaming praise the S90F's color and 144Hz gaming support, but RTINGS and r/HTBuyingGuides flag weaker black levels in bright rooms compared to LG OLEDs.
What's the cheapest OLED worth buying in 2025?
Across RTINGS, Wired, and r/LGOLED, the LG B5 is the consensus entry-level OLED. It loses brightness and processing polish versus the C5, but reviewers agree the core OLED picture quality (perfect blacks, infinite contrast) is largely intact. RTINGS calls dark-room performance excellent; r/LGOLED users note the software experience feels more 'budget' than the C5.
Are budget Samsung Crystal UHD and Hisense E6 TVs any good?
High-trust sources are lukewarm. RTINGS called the Samsung U8000F 'about as basic a TV as you can get in 2025' and the Hisense QD6/E6 'disappointing' for home theater. r/SamsungTV and r/Hisense threads also flag long-term panel reliability concerns. They're acceptable secondary-room TVs but not picture-quality recommendations.