Don’t settle for less than the best 55-inch 4K TVs, with great pictures, upscaling, interfaces, and audio all packaged together
The best 55-inch 4K TVs should be your first port of call when you’re shopping for a new television. With 55-inch being the closest thing we have to a ’standard‘ TV size, the best 55-inch 4K TVs are going to be the most representative models for top-notch TV quality today. It does, however, also mean that you have a lot of options to choose between, with TV brands putting out a 55-inch model for almost every 4K TV they produce. And for good reason: 55-inch 4K TVs are a sensible middle child amongst the immense variety of sizes found on TVs today.32-inch TVs seem small by comparison, and won’t support 4K resolution; 75-inch TVs are impactful, but pricey and hard to fit in the average living room. The best 55-inch TVs offer the Goldilocks option, neither too big nor too small. So, if you’re like most TV buyers and you want a happy medium in terms of scale, price and practicality, the best 55-inch 4K TVs are where you should start your hunt for a new screen – whether you’re after QLED tech or an OLED TV. You’ll still get premium features at this size too, with 4K resolution being guaranteed – even if the odd 8K TV at this size probably isn’t a worthwhile investment – as well as HDR (high dynamic range) and built-in smart services and app support. It’s worth noting that 65-inch TVs are quickly growing as a size category, and already proving more popular for those buying OLED TVs. If you don’t have the budget or the space for a larger model, though, then the best 55-inch 4K TVs should do you just fine. All the TVs we’ve listed below have been tried-and-tested by our expert reviewers, and you can click through to read the full reviews for more about the pros and cons of each model in our best 55-inch 4K TV guide. Prime Day 2021 is upon us, landing on June 2021 for a medley of big discounts – and while we don’t know for sure what’s being discounted, some of the best 55-inch 4K TVs are very likely to benefit. 55-inch TVs are the flagship size for most TV ranges, meaning there are a lot of them about, and many of them are usually discounted in sales periods like Prime Day. Larger sizes, like 65-inch 4K TVs or 75-inch 4K TVs, may get more money off for 10% discount, but 55 inches is where the best mix of price and performance is usually had, making any further price cuts very worthwhile checking out.48-inch OLED TVs don’t usually offer much (if any) discount over their 55-inch counterparts either. The Samsung QN95A is the company’s new flagship Neo QLED 4K TV for 2021, and the first to embrace a Mini LED backlight, resulting in a significant increase in dimmable zones and thinner panels. The results speak for themselves, with superb SDR and HDR images that benefit from deep blacks and brighter highlights, all of which are delivered without blooming or loss of shadow detail. The inclusion of quantum dot technology delivers saturated and nuanced colours, and thanks to the Filmmaker Mode these images are also extremely accurate. Unlike last year, Samsung is not short-changing its 4K line-up in an effort to push sales of the 8K ranges. So the QN95A boasts an impressive set of features, which is headlined by a well-designed and comprehensive smart platform that includes every major streaming app. There’s also a host of cutting-edge gaming features that’ll please next-gen console owners. The QN95A doesn’t just look good, it also sounds fantastic thanks to Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+), which somehow manages to cram a powerful 4.2.2-channel sound system into the TV’s ultra-slim chassis. This is another triumph of industrial design from Samsung, with a minimalist but elegant shape, solid metal stand, and nearly bezel-less screen. Just keep in mind that you’ll be making do with HDR10+ support rather than the more prevalent Dolby Vision HDR standard. Read the full review: Samsung QN95A Neo QLED TV For those tempted by the deep blacks and infinite contrast of an OLED TV, the new LG C1 Series is your best bet. This iterative update to the beloved LG CX may not reinvent the wheel, but it does continue its legacy of high-performing picture in an excellent all-round package.
