Best OLED TV 2024 – top picks from LG and Sony

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the above mentions, the Sony Bravia XR A75L could be exactly what you’re looking for. While this lower-end OLED TV sits underneath the A80L in Sony’s TV hierarchy, don’t let that put you off. This TV still ticks all the right boxes for both gamers and everyday consumers – it even boasts the same panel and processor as the 80 model.

As we’ve come to expect from Sony, color accuracy for this particular panel is excellent right out of the box. Furthermore, 4K upscaling looks fantastic on this TV – turning lower-quality DVDs or Blu-rays into near 4K quality. Best of all, thanks to its motion interpolation feature, low frame-rate movies and TV shows can be experienced judder-free.

When looking at the differences between the Sony A75L and A80L, we can see that the 70 model compromises on the audio quality due to only featuring two actuators, two bass reflex speakers and the more basic Acoustic Surface Audio. However, with the price difference between these two, you can always get a good quality soundbar to make up for it. The A75L also lacks some features such as a built-in microphone (to voice control Google TV) or multiple stand positions. Lastly, the A75L comes in just 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, whereas the A80L has 77″ and 83″ models as well.

What is OLED?

OLED, or organic light emitting diode, is a display technology introduced in 2013 to increase the image performance of traditional LCD panels. Unlike LCD – which utilizes large backlights – an OLED TV can adjust its luminance and color on a pixel level. Each of the pixels on an OLED TV is self-illuminating, meaning content can be viewed at a much higher standard and without annoying screen artifacts such as blooming. Again, as OLED pixels are self-illuminating, they can turn off completely to create perfect black levels and huge contrast ratios, alongside wide viewing angles. This enables OLED technology to deliver stunning HDR performance that far outperforms alternative technologies.

Is it worth buying OLED?

If you’re the sort of person who prioritizes high-end image quality, OLED is absolutely worth investing in. Granted, they are more expensive than other display technologies, however, the pros of OLED technology far outweigh the price negatives. As we’ve just stated above, the self-illuminating pixels found in OLED panels often produce exceptional image quality that is rarely surpassed.

Having said that, there are some areas where OLED technology falls short. Peak luminance is one of those areas – with traditional LCD TVs offering greater peak brightness. That said, due to the pixel-level illumination, OLED TVs are completely void of blooming and backlight bleed – something LCD alternatives can’t boast.

How much do OLED TVs cost?

On average, OLED TVs do cost more than LCD panels. That said, over time, OLED pricing has become more affordable – with today’s market featuring options that are actually considered very good value for money.

As technology continues to advance, the price of OLED technology will naturally drop with it. Furthermore, with both LG and Samsung working on OLED-enhancing technologies, we’ll likely see the bog-standard technology become even more affordable.

Of course, panel technology is just one factor that goes into the price of a TV. Smart features, motion handling, VRR support, and build quality are all factors that contribute to the price of a TV.

What about QLED?

There are a few differences that separate OLED vs QLED technologies, most revolving around the illumination of the pixels. However, while on paper OLED seems the better choice, Samsung’s QLED are becoming much more enhanced – closing the gap considerably.

Let’s not forget, QLED technology does offer greater levels of peak brightness and, thanks to the arrival of mini LED backlight technology, is now closing the gap on contrast as well. Of course, it’s still a fairly tight race and it’s good to see that each technology provides its own features and benefits. However, you must look past panel technology alone to determine whether a QLED TV is better than an OLED one (or vice versa). Features, specifications, processors, dimming, and VRR all stack up to make or break a TV’s pedigree.

To tack onto QLEDs, Samsung have been pushing their QD-OLED panel tech for a while now, while LG stick to WOLED. This mixes the Quantum Dots of QLED with OLED to form a higher peak luminance. If you’re wondering about contrast and color accuracy, you may want to read up on our HDR10 vs Dolby Vision guide.

OLED TV or gaming monitor?

With modern consoles now featuring 4K gameplay at 120Hz via HDMI 2.1 inputs, many are starting to query whether they should buy an OLED TV or a gaming monitor. To add to the confusion, there are plenty of OLED gaming monitor available in today’s market that seems to feature more advanced features when compared to TV alternatives. That being said, these features are normally geared towards the highly competitive players out there. If you’re the sort of person who prioritizes image quality, a TV with gaming features could be the better options.

Some of the best HDMI 2.1 TVs are also OLED panels, another reason why they’re so great for gaming. You can even find relatively cheap HDMI 2.1 TVs these days.

How we test OLED TVs

Whether it’s a best-of guide or a single product review, we ensure every TV we recommend has been through a strict testing process. We don’t just search Amazon for the top sellers, we hand-pick the market’s best televisions, and each one is tested with the same meticulous care and attention as the last. This ensures that we can present you with the best products the market has to offer and gives our readers confidence that they can trust any gaming TV we do recommend as having been through the same impartial review process.

As part of the TV review process, we like to test each for color accuracy, responsiveness, panel uniformity, build quality, and overall gaming performance. We use a number of specifically designed tools to capture the data for each TV, ensuring only the highest levels of accuracy are recorded during testing. This process allows us to hand-select the best TVs from both a performance and value standpoint, whilst also enabling us to compare the latest models with last season’s best sellers.

Click here if you want to see our in-depth explanation of how we test our gaming monitors.

Best OLED TV FAQs

Final word

So, there you have it, our comprehensive guide to the best OLED TVs the market has to offer. Hopefully, this guide has made choosing your next OLED TV that little bit easier, shedding some light on the frequently asked questions that surround modern OLED technology.

For me, the LG C3 is the best OLED TV on the market, offering exceptional performance in everything from gaming to content consumption. As you’ve probably heard, the LG C4 is on its way shortly, so we’ll likely be updating this list after putting that through its paces. The LG C-Series will likely remain a favorite unless a new kid on the block can topple it.