One of the most important things to check in a TV is its display technology. You’ll primarily find OLED and LED-backlit LCD TVs (also called LED TVs) on the market. OLED TVs provide perfect blacks and a near-infinite contrast ratio thanks to their self-emissive pixels, resulting in stunning picture quality. However, OLED TVs are expensive, have relatively lower brightness than LED TVs, and can suffer from burn-in.
In comparison, LED TVs are typically cheaper and have higher brightness, making them great for brightly lit and sunny rooms. That said, they can’t match the contrast ratio or black levels of the OLED TVs. However, technologies like full-array local dimming (FALD) and quantum dot can significantly improve the picture quality of a LED TV.
Another critical thing to consider is the use case. For example, are you into gaming, watching movies, or doing a little bit of everything? Features like HDMI 2.1 support, a higher refresh rate panel, and a variable refresh rate (VRR) are essential for gaming. In contrast, movie lovers may want better HDR support, upscaling capability, and enhanced picture processing.
Lastly, with almost every TV being smart these days, it’s also worth thinking about the smart TV platform used on the set. So if you prefer one platform over the other, it’s better to look for it while deciding on a new TV. That said, you can always buy a streaming device to use a different platform on a TV of your choosing.
Best 65-inch TV Overall: Samsung S95B
Although LG and Sony TVs have traditionally reigned the OLED space, Samsung’s first OLED TV has disrupted the market. Featuring the newer QD-OLED panel, the Samsung S95B offers even more vibrant and brighter colors than the LG C2 and G2. So if you want to buy a 65-inch TV, there is no better option.
But it doesn’t happen in a few hours or a few days. Instead, if you are watching the same channel with its logo at the same place on the screen for an extended period, the pixel used to display the logo will degrade faster than the surrounding pixels.
✓ Fantastic picture quality✓ Four HDMI 2. 1 ports✓ HDR10+ support
✗ No Dolby Vision HDR support✗ Expensive
You get all the benefits of OLED technology with the S95B, such as inky blacks, near-infinite contrast ratio, and great viewing angles. So, watching movies, TV shows, or sports on television is a treat. The TV particularly shines in dark rooms, but even if you are watching it in a room with some ambient light, it won’t disappoint you.
Samsung also targets gaming enthusiasts by giving HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four HDMI ports and adding a native 120Hz refresh rate panel and VRR support. Additionally, the TV has a low input lag and a fast response time. All this results in a fantastic gaming experience.
In other features, the company has also included support for HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. But unfortunately, Dolby Vision HDR is missing, as is the case with every Samsung TV. Otherwise, thanks to the TV’s relatively high peak brightness, it delivers an excellent HDR experience.
Best 65-inch Budget TV: Hisense 65U6H
Part of Hisense’s ULED lineup, the U6H is an incredible value for money, making it a solid purchase for anyone tight on the budget. It features a 4K LCD panel that offers excellent color performance thanks to quantum dot technology. It can also produce deep black as the VA-type panel has a great native contrast ratio, further improved by its full-array local dimming.
✓ Quantum dot tech enables vibrant and lifelike colors✓ VRR support✓ HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support✓ Full-array local dimming
✗ No HDMI 2. 1 ports✗ 60Hz refresh rate
Although the TV’s HDR performance doesn’t match the HDR performance delivered by its more expensive cousin, U8H, it’s pretty respectable for a budget TV. Plus, as Hisense has included support for all popular HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, you don’t have to settle for basic HDR when dynamic is available.
The U6H is also decent for playing games thanks to the TV’s low input lag and VRR support, but as you can expect, there is no 120Hz panel or HDMI 2.1 port. Instead, you get four HDMI 2.0 ports, including one that supports eARC. So you’ll be able to push uncompressed Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio to a connected soundbar or AV receiver.
Hisense also uses the new Google TV operating system, which is easy to use and comes with a great app selection, including all popular streaming services.
If you want a native 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 ports in a relatively affordable TV, Hisense’s U7H is your best option. It sits one step above the U6H in the company’s portfolio.
Best 65-inch 8K TV: Samsung QN900B
You may not find much native 8K content to watch on an 8K TV, but they are still your best option to get the pinnacle of any manufacturer’s TV technology. So if you are ready to upgrade to an 8K TV, Samsung’s QN900B is an excellent choice.
✓ 144Hz native refresh rate✓ Stunning picture quality✓ Elegant design✓ Good viewing angles
✗ Expensive✗ No Dolby Vision HDR support
It offers an impressive picture performance with vibrant colors, high brightness, and deep blacks, thanks to Mini-LED backlighting and full-array local dimming. In addition, the television’s exceptional peak brightness and contrast ratio help it deliver a fantastic HDR performance where even the small highlights in a scene get sufficiently bright.
Gamers will enjoy this 8K TV whether on not they are gaming in 8K resolution. It houses all the bells and whistles to realize your gaming console or PC’s full potential. It’s also one of the first TVs on the market to have a native 144Hz refresh rate for even smoother gaming.
In other highlights, Samsung’s new Neural Quantum Processor 8k shines at upscaling the lower resolution content, and everything from 480p to 4K content is upscaled without issues.
Although the Samsung QN900B is considerably expensive, its price tag shows in the design. The TV looks stylish and premium, and the One Connect box helps keep all the cable clutter out of sight.
While this Samsung TV has a lot to like, it’s not perfect. Local dimming results in some blooming and black crush on the TV, and there is no support for Dolby Vision.
Best 65-inch Gaming TV: LG C2
Thanks to LG’s focus on gaming features, the company’s TVs have always been well-respected in the gaming community. The company continues that tradition with its 2022 lineup, and its latest C-series model—the C2—is a fantastic option for any gamer.
✓ Fantastic picture quality✓ Can play games in 4K and 120fps✓ AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync support✓ Four HDMI 2. 1 ports✓ Dolby Vision IQ support
✗ Can’t pass DTS audio✗ Burn-in is a concern
It has a native 120Hz panel for high refresh rate gaming and supports all popular VRR formats, including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. Games feel responsive and snappy thanks to the TV’s low input lag and fast response time. Plus, there are four HDMI 2.1 ports, so you can connect all your consoles and PCs without falling short on high-bandwidth ports.
It sports a 4K OLED evo panel that gets sufficiently bright for a good HDR experience, whether gaming or watching a movie. You will also be happy to know that there is support for Dolby Vision.
In other highlights, as OLED pixels are self-emissive, the TV produces perfect blacks, and you won’t have to deal with distracting blooming.
LG’s webOS operating system powers the television’s smart functions, and it’s decent, with access to all popular streaming services. It also features a native app for Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service.
Unfortunately, while the LG C2 supports Dolby Atmos and can pass it through to your soundbar or receiver, it can’t do the same for any DTS audio, including DTS:X.
Best 65-inch TV for Movies: Sony A95K
The A95K is Sony’s flagship OLED model and the only TV apart from the Samsung S95B to use the QD-OLED panel. It provides stunning picture quality with top-notch HDR performance and fantastic color accuracy. So if you are primarily looking to buy a TV to watch movies, look no further than the Sony A95K.
✓ Native 120Hz refresh rate✓ Dolby Vision HDR support✓ Excellent color accuracy and tone mapping in HDR✓ Two HDMI 2. 1 ports
✗ Expensive
The only major downside to buying the A95K is its price tag. It’s more expensive than both LG and Samsung’s OLED models. But compared to those models, the A95K has better tone mapping in HDR, superior image processing, and support for DTS audio passthrough. The LG’s OLED models also lack the higher color volume offered by the QD-OLED panel.
In other features, the Sony A95K has four HDMI ports, of which two support HDMI 2.1 class bandwidth. But one of these two ports also functions as the eARC port. Essentially, you only get one spare HDMI 2.1 port if you own a soundbar or receiver.
Like other Sony models, the A95K also runs on the Google TV operating system, which is responsive and relatively easy to use. It also has an excellent app library and gives you access to all popular streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and HBO Max.
Finally, in terms of design, the Sony TV looks premium and has a unique stand that lets the TV sit flush against the table. You can either have the stand in the front or the back, but unfortunately, in both positions, if you place a soundbar in front of the TV, it’ll block the screen.
Best 65-inch Roku TV: TCL 65R635
If you prefer the Roku smart TV platform and want to get it on your next set, the TCL R635 is your best option. It is not only an excellent Roku TV, but it also offers excellent value for money.
✓ Great picture quality✓ Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support✓ VRR and ALLM support✓ Value for money
✗ No HDMI 2. 1 ports for 4K@120fps gaming✗ Blooming around bright objects
The TCL R635 is a 4K LCD TV with Mini-LED backlighting and quantum dot technology, producing vibrant and lifelike colors with high levels of brightness. It also includes support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG formats for HDR content.
The TV also has an incredible contrast ratio because of its Vertical Alignment (VA) panel, further improved by full-array local dimming. However, local dimming results in blooming and black crush on the TV.
In addition, the R635 lacks next-generation gaming features as TCL has not included any HDMI 2.1 ports on the TV, so you won’t be able to game in 4K at 120fps. However, the TV has a low input lag and a great response time, so you’ll still be able to enjoy games in 1440p @120fps on Xbox Series X or 1080p games at 120fps on PS5. VRR and ALLM support is also present.
Best 65-inch LED TV: Hisense 65U8H
The Hisense U8H is our pick for the best 65-inch LED TV in 2022 because it costs significantly less than the competition and comes with all the advanced TV technologies you’ll find elsewhere.
✓ Solid value for money✓ Great HDR performance ✓ Native 120Hz refresh rate, two HDMI 2. 1 ports✓ HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support
✗ Poor viewing angles
It packs a 4K LCD panel with Mini-LED backlighting, quantum dot technology, and full-array local dimming. All these features help the TV deliver a vibrant picture, high peak brightness, and an excellent contrast ratio.
The TV also offers impactful HDR performance and supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats, something not found on LG, Samsung, and Sony TVs.
Plus, the U8H excels at gaming because of its low input lag, support for VRR, and fast response time. You can also take advantage of 4K 120fps gaming as the panel has a native 120Hz refresh rate, and there are two HDMI 2.1 ports on the TV.
Like the Hisense U6H and the Sony A95K TVs, the U8H comes with the Google TV OS. So you get a reliable, easy-to-use, and responsive interface.
Although this LCD TV ticks all the right boxes, it has poor viewing angles. So you often watch TV with family or friends, Samsung’s QN90B is an excellent alternative. It’s more expensive than the Hisense model but has good viewing angles and better picture processing.
