The best QLED TVs are made by the TV brands we love the most, including Samsung, Sony, and TCL. Here are 8 of our favorite models for 2024.
If you’re shopping for a new TV, you’ve undoubtedly encountered different TV technologies to choose from, such as OLED, LED, mini-LED, and the subject of this list, QLED. They all have their merits and, most importantly, price points, but QLED TVs offer excellent brightness, ultra-rich colors, and hard-to-beat contrast levels that are favored by those looking for a TV to put in a bright room.
Like a traditional LED-LCD, QLED TVs employ LED backlighting, on top of a layer of quantum dots. When these sensitive nanocrystals are activated, the result is next-level color saturation, as well as increased brightness.
QLED TVs are made by several TV companies from Samsung and Sony to TCL and Hisense, and we’ve tested many of these bad boys out. But as the 2024 QLEDs have started rolling in (like the excellent Hisense U8N below) and we get our hands on them to test, it might be best to hold off on buying one until the prices start coming down. In the meantime, the 2023 models are still excellent and are priced to move. Here are the best QLED TVs to buy in 2024 so far.
Samsung QN90C Neo QLEDThe best overall QLED TV
It’s hard not to love a Samsung TV. Over the last decade or so, the manufacturer has consistently delivered one amazing set after another, and has been producing some top-notch QLEDS for several years now, and this year’s crop should prove to be no different.
Until we get our hands on the 2024s for ourselves, we’ll still sing the praises of the 2023 Samsung QN90C. Available in sizes ranging from 43 to 85 inches, the QN90C is going to be the best QLED for most folks; although some may be interested in taking things a step further with the flagship performance of the Samsung S95C QD-OLED.
As for those of us who choose to remain with a more traditional QLED, the QN90C has it all. We’re talking near-impeccable HDR performance, chart-topping peak brightness levels, terrific reflection handling, and some of the best gaming features you’ll find in 2023. Many of these features are further enriched by Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor 4K, which optimizes each and every source to give you as much picture detail as possible, whether you’re watching brand-new Netflix 4K HDR releases or your vintage DVD collection.
When it comes to contrast, QLED TVs are also getting better at acting more like OLEDs, which bodes well for those of us who want our movies and TV shows to be packed with rich colors and amazing black levels. The QN90C is an LED-powered TV, and we did notice a bit of light blooming during darker scenes, but that’s a small grievance about an otherwise remarkable picture.
Sony Bravia X93L mini-LEDThe best not-quite QLED alternative
While Sony doesn’t claim to use quantum dots (it call its tech Triluminos Pro) and doesn’t market its TVs as QLEDs, they compete right alongside the TVs on this list that are marketed as QLED. So, if you’re considering a “QLED” TV based on the idea that they are top-tier LED/LCD TV performers, then you should also be considering this Sony option, never mind that it doesn’t have QLED printed on the box.
With that out of the way, we give you the Sony Bravia X93L mini-LED, a 2023 TV that picks up where last year’s excellent flagship Sony X95K mini-LED TV left off, but for a much better price. In fact, the X93L is identical to the X95K but with a handful of software improvements, including better eco settings management, new black level adjustments for better fine-tuning of darker scenes (if you’re a Game of Thrones fan), and a new gaming dashboard that lets you switch between 60Hx and 120Hz VRR. It’s bright (at 1,800 peak nits), has beautiful color reproduction, supports all the HDR contrasty things you need (HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision), and is excellent for gamers, too, with VRR, auto low latency mode, and HDMI 2.1 support.
If you’re a fan of Sony soundbars, too, you can take advantage of the X93L’s ability to sync the TV’s speakers with select soundbars to help with clearer dialog and immersion. It’s also Dolby Atmos capable. The X93L is a new spin on one of Sony’s best TVs for 2023, but without the premium “Sony tax.”
TCL QM8 QLED 4K mini-LEDOne of the brightest TVs we’ve ever seen
New for 2023, TCL is at it again with its lineup of mini-LED QLED TVs that continue to prove that you can have high-end features and quality at prices that are way more reasonable than the marquee TV brands. And the TCL QM8 is literally the brand’s shining example … blindingly shiny with peak brightness levels of 2,500 nits in our tests, making it one of the brightest TVs we’ve ever seen. Our reviewer was so impressed with the QM8, in fact, that he praised it as his “go-to TV recommendation for probably 90% of people this year.”
In-line with QLED’s ability to deliver bright images that are great for those setting up their TV in a light-drenched room, the MQ8 also has it where it counts in the contrast area, too, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HRD10+, and HLG, and excellent local dimming that also make it a good performer in darker rooms with decent black levels. Are they as inky as OLED? No, but not much is, and with OLED still costing a premium, it’s getting harder and harder to make a viable case for spending the extra cash. The QM8’s mini-LED technology delivers excellent color accuracy, too, with 97% coverage of DCI-P3 and about 76% of BT.2020 color gamuts.
The TCL QM8 is a Google TV-based TV, which makes for easy setup and use as well as access to all the streaming services and apps you could ever want via the Google Play Store, plus it’s got Chromecast built-in for easy mirroring and casting from your devices.
With a 120Hz refresh rate, fast-action movies are smooth, and gamers will appreciate the TV’s support for variable refresh rate (VRR) and Game Accelerator that boosts things up to 240Hz and AMD FreeSync Pro for even smoother gameplay.
The TCL QM8 also features a built-in subwoofer for bigger bass sound, but you’re still probably going to want an external soundbar.
