The 5 best 65-inch TVs of 2026, tested by experts

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A 65-inch TV is the sweet-spot size for a lot of people. It’s big enough to feel immersive for movies, sports, and gaming, but not so massive that it overwhelms a typical living room. The tricky part? Not all models deliver the same picture quality or value. That’s why my team and I spent weeks reviewing top contenders to find the best 65-inch TVs you can buy right now.

After extensive hands-on testing, the Samsung S90F 4K TV earns my highest recommendation. Its OLED panel delivers deep blacks and excellent contrast, while quantum dot technology enhances the vibrancy of colors. If you’re looking to save some cash, the TCL QM6K 4K TV is my favorite budget option. It doesn’t reach the same brightness levels as higher-end sets, but it still punches well above its price.

I’ve been reviewing home entertainment gear for over a decade, and that experience has helped guide my testing process. The best 65-inch TVs were all evaluated based on picture quality, smart features, usability, and overall value. Whether you’re all-in on OLED or leaning toward QLED, there’s a standout 65-inch TV here that should fit both your space and your budget.

Our top picks for the best 65-inch TVs

Best overall: Samsung S90F – See at Amazon

Best on a budget: TCL QM6K – See at Amazon

Best premium display: LG G5 – See at Amazon

Best midrange model: TCL QM7K – See at Amazon

Best anti-glare screen: Samsung S95F – See at Amazon

Best overall

Balancing performance and price, the Samsung S90F is the best 65-inch TV — and my pick for the best TV overall — currently available. It offers excellent picture quality and a packed set of smart features for a typical sale price of under $1,500. That’s an incredible value for a display of this caliber.

Part of what makes the 65-inch S90F so impressive is the TV’s use of an OLED panel with quantum dots — a combination that lets it achieve richer, more vibrant colors than similarly priced LG OLEDs that lack this tech. The S90F also offers impressive brightness for a TV of this type. In testing, our reviewer measured a peak brightness at about 1,460 nits, roughly 200 nits higher than last year’s S90D.

Combined with the panel’s deep black levels and infinite contrast ratio, HDR movies look wonderfully detailed and dynamic. That said, the TV’s black levels do rise slightly when the panel is exposed to light, but the effect isn’t particularly noticeable when watching most types of content. And in a dark room, black levels are essentially perfect.

On the downside, Samsung still doesn’t support Dolby Vision, which is considered the best format for accurate HDR playback. However, the S90F’s performance using other HDR formats, such as HDR10 and HDR10+, is so strong that I don’t consider this a significant issue. You can learn more about different HDR formats in our HDR TV guide. Upscaling from HD or lower-resolution sources also looks great, though Samsung’s processing is still slightly behind Sony’s premium TVs.

From dark-room movie nights to daytime sports viewing, the S90F shines in every scenario. It offers wide viewing angles, so picture quality remains consistent even when viewed off-center, and Samsung’s latest Tizen smart TV platform feels faster and smoother than ever. The interface still isn’t as intuitive as Google TV or Roku, but it gets the job done.

Gamers also receive great perks, including built-in access to Xbox Game Pass streaming and support for up to a 144Hz refresh rate when connected to a PC. These extras make the S90F not just a stellar all-around display but also one of the best gaming TVs you can buy.

Read our full Samsung S90F TV review.

Check out our full guide to the best Samsung TVs.

Best on a budget

The QM6K is proof that budget-friendly TVs don’t have to sacrifice performance. This QLED set is one of the most affordable displays available with a Mini LED backlight, which helps it stand out from similarly priced competitors.

Many 65-inch TVs in this tier have low contrast, dim images, and limited color capabilities. But the QM6K offers a wide range of vivid colors and is capable of solid contrast and brightness for its class. Picture quality still isn’t at the level of pricier TVs, but TCL has managed to pack in several advanced features while maintaining an attractive price.

During my review, the TV hit a peak of 557 nits using a 10% HDR test pattern and about 736 nits on a 50% test pattern. Those are respectable numbers for a budget TV, and they’re good enough for a solid entry-level HDR experience. That said, the TV isn’t the best fit for rooms with lots of ambient light. For a brighter image, I recommend stepping up to the QM7K, which offers more than double the peak brightness.

The QM6K’s Mini LED local dimming enables good contrast control, allowing dark portions of the image to remain relatively dark. However, black levels appear slightly lighter than those on midrange and high-end QLED models, and they’re not as precise as those of an OLED. This is most evident when watching TV with the lights off. Although viewing angles are slightly wider than those of last year’s Q65 model, the QM6K’s image still becomes washed out when viewed from off-center.

But while most TVs in this price range are limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, the QM6K can reach a maximum of 144Hz, making it an excellent budget gaming TV. This means you receive full support for 120Hz modes on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, enabling smoother motion in compatible games.

I was also impressed by how quick the QM6K’s Google TV operating system is. It offers access to all the most popular streaming apps, and I didn’t encounter any notable glitches.

Read our TCL QM6K TV review.

Check out our guides to all the best budget TVs and best TVs under $500.

Best premium display

The LG G5 is the high-end TV to beat. This premium OLED dethrones my previous pick in this category, the Sony A95L. The A95L is still an incredible TV, but the G5 bests it in overall image performance.

The G5’s biggest benefit over other top OLED TVs is its amazing brightness. Though OLEDs used to struggle with brightness, the G5 can actually outperform several flagship QLED sets. On an industry-standard 10% test pattern, I measured a peak of 2,410 nits using the set’s most accurate picture mode. That’s a whopping 900 nits more than last year’s G4 OLED and the highest measurement I’ve ever recorded on an OLED.

This high luminance provides bright HDR highlights, such as explosions and shimmering reflections, with a noticeable boost in overall impact. At the same time, the G5’s OLED screen maintains perfect black levels and pixel-level contrast control, so there’s none of the blooming or backlight patchiness that you might see on even the most expensive QLED TVs. Check out our QLED vs. OLED comparison for more details.

The G5 also features wide viewing angles, ensuring the image doesn’t fade or wash out when you sit to the side of the TV. Gaming capabilities are strong, thanks to a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz with a PC or 120Hz with a current-gen console, such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. LG also now supports the Xbox app, which allows Game Pass members to stream games without an Xbox system.

Of course, the G5 isn’t perfect. The TV had some issues with posterization (blocky rather than smooth gradations of colors and shadows), but LG released firmware updates to address this. During my testing, I found this flaw to be so rare that I don’t consider it to be a notable drawback.

Like all LG TVs, the G5 utilizes the webOS smart TV system, which is sufficient for most people’s streaming needs. However, I don’t love how much the interface emphasizes shopping recommendations, and its content curation isn’t the best. The G5’s fantastic image quality far outweighs any of these software hiccups; however, you can achieve a more reliable smart TV experience with other platforms, such as Roku and Google TV.

From a design perspective, the G5 boasts a premium aesthetic, high-quality materials, and a flush wall mount that enables seamless installation with no visible gaps. On the downside, unlike last year’s G4, this model does not include a pedestal stand. If wall mounting isn’t possible in your space, you’ll need to buy a stand separately.

While the G5 is my top pick for the best high-end TV overall, there are alternatives that surpass it in some areas. Sony’s flagship 65-inch Bravia 8 II OLED handles processing a bit better. However, it can’t get as bright, and its black levels aren’t as deep when watching TV with the lights on. You can learn more in our guide to the best Sony TVs. There’s also Panasonic’s recently released Z95B OLED to consider, which uses the same panel technology as the G5. I’ll be testing the Z95B soon to see how it stacks up. But for now, the G5 is the reigning champ.

Read our LG G5 4K TV review.

Check out our guide to the best LG TVs.

Best midrange model

The QM7K is one of the best midrange 65-inch TVs available. Like TCL’s more affordable QM6K, the QM7K features a QLED panel with a Mini LED backlight, a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, and support for the Google TV operating system. But the QM7K sets itself apart with much higher brightness.

I measured a peak of around 1,800 nits, which is impressive for this price range. Such high brightness lends HDR content sparkling intensity and gives you plenty of headroom to boost SDR (standard dynamic range) luminance to combat glare. This is especially useful when watching sports in a room with lots of windows. 

The QM7K also features local dimming, enabling contrast control across multiple zones. This model has more zones than the QM6K, and its dimming system has been upgraded over the older QM7. During my testing, the TV produced excellent contrast without any notable blooming or halos. I encountered some patchiness in dark scenes when reviewing the QM7, which caused an uneven look in shadows, but the QM7K is able to handle these sequences without any issues.

However, the QM7K’s black levels are slightly lighter than those of some higher-end QLED models. Though still deep, they don’t entirely disappear in a dark room, and they still lack the pixel-level precision of an OLED. Likewise, the TV’s viewing angles aren’t as wide as those of an OLED, but TCL has made improvements in this regard. The image still washes out a bit from an off-center position, but not nearly as much as it did on the QM7.

Though its initial list price was a bit high, the 65-inch QM7K is often on sale for around $900. At that price, this is easily one of the best 65-inch TVs you can get for under $1,000.

Check out our guides to the best TCL TVs and best sports TVs.

Best anti-glare screen

Dealing with glare can be a major headache if your living room gets a lot of sunlight. Most TVs use glossy panels that deliver great contrast but are prone to mirror-like reflections. The Samsung S95F tackles this issue head-on with a unique matte screen coating that dramatically reduces glare.

The results are impressive. During my testing, the S95F nearly eliminated direct reflections while watching TV in a brightly lit room. This kind of matte screen could be a genuine game changer for spaces with big windows. Additionally, the S95F can get exceptionally bright for an OLED TV, hitting around 2,170 nits in HDR and 1,000 nits in SDR. Combined with the matte screen, these specs make the S95F one of the best 65-inch TVs for daytime viewing.

That said, the matte finish introduces one notable tradeoff. When light hits the screen, it scatters in such a way that it lifts black levels, giving darker scenes a faintly hazy look. This isn’t a big deal while watching bright or colorful content, but when watching moody, low-light scenes, the image appears a bit flat, and shadow detail gets lost. In a dark room, though, the S95F delivers the deep, inky black levels that all OLED TVs are known for.

Ultimately, whether you prefer the S95F’s matte screen over a typical glossy panel comes down to your setup and viewing habits. If glare is a big frustration, the benefits here far outweigh the cons.

Read our Samsung S95F 4K TV review.

How we test 65-inch TVs

To select the best 65-inch TVs, our reviewers relied on hands-on testing, bolstered by more than a decade of experience covering home entertainment products. To test displays, we evaluate general picture clarity, contrast performance, HDR peak brightness, color, off-axis viewing, smart TV features, gaming capabilities, and value for the money. 

Brightness and other objective display attributes are measured using a meter and test patterns via the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

But while test patterns are important for getting a sense of a display’s capabilities, they only tell part of the story. What’s even more important is how a TV actually looks when displaying real-world content. With that in mind, we use these displays for day-to-day viewing and watch numerous scenes from movies and TV shows, selecting clips specifically to emphasize black levels, highlights, color capabilities, and upscaling. Our demo material includes a mix of 4K, 1080p high-definition (HD), and standard-definition (SD) content from streaming devices, cable TV, and Blu-ray discs. We also watch content in different lighting conditions to evaluate bright-room and dark-room performance. 

The best 65-inch TVs will also feature excellent smart TV capabilities, so we test overall navigation speed, app stability, voice search, digital assistant integration, and additional perks like game streaming support. 

For more info on our review process, visit our page detailing how we test tech products.

65-inch TV FAQs

Is 65 inches a good size for a TV?

Many brands use 65 inches as their flagship size to showcase their best 4K TVs, and this size is ideal for delivering big-screen immersion without occupying too much space. If you’re looking for a media console or mount to use with a 65-inch TV, check out our guides to the best TV stands and best TV wall mounts for our top picks.

Of course, you can still find excellent TV models in smaller sizes if you need something more compact. Likewise, top displays are available in larger sizes for an even more immersive experience.

Check out our other size-specific guides for more display recommendations:

• Best 43-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 100-inch TVs

When will 2026 65-inch TVs be available?

New 65-inch TV models are being demoed at the CES tech show in Las Vegas from January 6 to 9. Several brands are expected to reveal 2026 editions of some of their best 65-inch TVs. Based on typical TV release patterns, most 2026 models will hit stores in the spring.

However, buyers should keep in mind that 2025 65-inch TV models will remain in stock for much of the year. And since they’re likely to get big discounts, these older models will remain a great value while supplies last.

How much should you spend on a 65-inch TV?

How much you should spend on a 65-inch TV really depends on the level of performance you’re after. Prices run the gamut, from about $300 all the way up to more than $3,000. You can snag an entry-level 65-inch model for under $400, but we generally recommend stepping up to one of our picks above for a noticeably better experience.

If you’re shopping in the midrange, plan to spend between $600 and $1,000. This tier features strong 65-inch QLED options with features such as local dimming and solid brightness levels, typically ranging from 600 to 1,800 nits.

Shoppers seeking upper-midrange or high-end performance can expect to pay between $1,000 and $4,000. In the $1,000 to $2,000 range, you’ll see premium QLED models capable of hitting up to 4,000 nits. Meanwhile, the best OLED TVs, with their perfect contrast and incredible picture quality, typically range in price from $1,300 to $4,000.

And good news for deal hunters: the best 65-inch TVs go on sale year-round. The deepest discounts tend to pop up during events like Prime Day and Black Friday, as well as around big sports events like the Super Bowl.

How far should you sit from a 65-inch 4K TV?

The benefits of a 4K screen become most noticeable when you sit at a distance of around one to 1.5 times the size of your TV. At that distance, you’ll be able to see the extra detail that 4K resolution offers compared to a 1080p high-definition screen. The ideal viewing distance for a 65-inch 4K TV is between 5.4 and 8.1 feet from the TV.

You can sit farther away and still enjoy a 65-inch 4K TV, but the optimal viewing distance will yield the best visible detail. Otherwise, you’ll want a larger screen to fully appreciate the benefits of 4K resolution.

Do 65-inch TVs have good sound quality?

Although many of the best 65-inch TVs have better built-in speaker systems than smaller displays, their performance is still limited compared to a separate soundbar or a surround sound setup. Speakers integrated into most TVs use small audio drivers that can lead to weak bass and muddy dialogue.

We recommend purchasing a soundbar to enhance your audio performance. For the most immersive experience, look for models that support Dolby Atmos, a spatial audio format that can spread sound effects around your room.

Check out our speaker and soundbar guides to see our top recommendations:

• Best soundbars
• Best budget soundbars
• Best Dolby Atmos soundbars
• Best soundbars with subwoofers
• Best Bose soundbars
• Best Sonos soundbars
• Best surround sound systems

Source: The 5 best 65-inch TVs of 2026, tested by experts