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TV technology is confusing, from endless jargon like OLED and QLED, to different brands like Samsung, LG and TCL, to a wide range of prices and sizes. It can be tough to find the right TV for you. That’s where this list comes in. At CNET I review TVs side by side in a state-of-the-art testing lab, taking hundreds of measurements with specialized equipment, comparing gaming, home-theater and bright-room image quality. My 20 years experience as a TV reviewer helps me determine not just the best TV overall, but also the best TV in your price range.
Read more: How We Test TVs
What is the best TV?
The TCL 6-Series Roku TV sits at the top of our list of best TVs for a number of reasons. It offers superb picture quality, an affordable price tag and Roku, the best smart TV system. It also includes gaming features like 4K/120Hz input and variable refresh rate that can get the most out of consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. When a friend asks me what TV to buy from 55 to 85 inches, and money is still an object, I tell them to get the TCL 6-Series.
There are plenty of other excellent choices out there, however, so even though the 6-Series is my current favorite for most people, it might not be right for your preferences or budget.
Best TVs in 2023
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For the last five years, the TCL 6-Series has been our favorite TV for the money, and the newest version — also known as the R655 series — is no exception. This TV has an excellent image thanks to mini-LED tech and well-implemented full-array local dimming that helps it run circles around just about any other TV at this price. It improves upon the previous R635 series with improved gaming extras and a new center-mount stand that you can elevate to make room for a soundbar, although the new 85-inch size has standard legs. And finally, the Roku TV operating system is our hands-down favorite.
Note that in addition to the R635, which this TV replaces, other versions of the 6-Series were released in 2021 and remain on sale. The R646 series uses the Google TV operating system but otherwise has similar specifications to the R655 models reviewed here. The R648 series has 8K resolution and is significantly more expensive.
The prices shown below are for the 65-inch size.
Read our TCL 6-Series (2022 Roku TV) review.
The picture quality of the TCL 4-Series Roku TV was a step behind the Vizio V-Series in our budget TV test, but the differences between the two are slight enough that you’d really have to have them set up side by side to notice anything at all. The 4-Series lacks the Dolby Vision, Bluetooth connectivity and AMD FreeSync with a variable refresh rate, all of which the Vizio offers.
The 4-Series’ advantage over the Vizio is that it comes with the excellent Roku Smart TV system built in. That makes it a great choice for those looking for a one-stop smart TV solution, without having to add an external streaming device.
The prices shown below are for the 50-inch size.
