Smart Televisions in 2026: The 5 Best Models Compared

Welcome to the golden age of entertainment! A smart television in 2026 is no longer just a screen—it’s your entertainment hub, gaming portal, smart assistant, and home décor centerpiece, all rolled into one. Whether you’re streaming your favorite series, browsing YouTube, or controlling your home devices, smart TVs put everything at your fingertips.

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What Are Smart Televisions?

Smart televisions are internet-connected TVs that go beyond traditional broadcasting—offering streaming, voice control, AI content suggestions, and smart home integration. In 2026, the headline upgrades are AI-powered upscaling, mini-LED and QD-OLED displays, full smart-home integration, immersive spatial sound, and cloud gaming support.

Comparison at a Glance

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1. Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN990C

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The QN990C’s “Infinity-One” all-metal chassis is just 0.8″ deep with a practically bezel-less screen, paired with a One Connect box that tucks cables away from the panel. At 8K resolution with Quantum Matrix Technology Pro and mini-LED backlighting, the Neural Quantum Processor 8K uses AI upscaling to make even non-8K content look sharp, with peak HDR brightness around 2,000 nits. All four HDMI 2.1 ports support 8K@60Hz and 4K@120Hz with VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, and FreeSync Premium Pro, and the 120W 6.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos system delivers genuinely spatial built-in sound.

Pros: massive, near-edgeless design, exceptional contrast and brightness, full gaming feature set, immersive built-in sound.
Cons: extremely high price for larger sizes, native 8K content is still scarce so you’re relying on upscaling, some reports of backlight bleeding and dead pixels on early units.

Best for: luxury home theater installs where budget isn’t the deciding factor.

2. LG OLED G4

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At roughly 2.5cm thick, the G4 sits nearly flush when wall-mounted, and 55″/65″ sizes now ship with an optional pedestal stand. The OLED EX panel with Brightness Booster Max and the Alpha 11 AI processor push peak HDR brightness to around 2,200 nits—about 30% brighter than the previous G3—with excellent DCI-P3 color coverage. All four HDMI 2.1 inputs are full 48Gbps, supporting 4K@144Hz, both G-Sync and FreeSync Premium VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming, with input lag around 9.2ms at 4K/60Hz.

Pros: brilliant brightness and contrast for an OLED, precise color and motion with very low input lag, full HDMI 2.1 across all four ports, excellent upscaling of lower-res content.
Cons: some reports of a green tint even after firmware updates, remote feels cheap next to Sony/Samsung, built-in audio is thin without a soundbar.

Best for: gamers and cinephiles who want flagship OLED performance with the most flexible connectivity.

3. Sony Bravia XR A95L QD-OLED

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QD-OLED technology gives the A95L exceptional black levels and rich, wide color, with Sony claiming up to 200% more color brightness than a standard OLED. The Cognitive Processor XR handles contrast and film-like color rendering especially well, and the “Sound-from-Picture” feature turns the screen itself into a speaker using actuators for genuinely cinematic audio. The Google TV platform is polished, and gaming features include a dedicated Game Menu, Black Equalizer, and crosshair overlays, though there are only two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Pros: best-in-class picture with deep blacks and vivid HDR, genuinely excellent built-in sound, polished Google TV smart platform, strong all-round reviews from Rtings, Tom’s Guide, and What Hi-Fi.
Cons: only two HDMI 2.1 ports limits multi-console setups, aggressive automatic brightness limiting during extended HDR scenes, premium pricing.

Best for: buyers who want the single best all-round picture-and-sound package and don’t need more than two next-gen HDMI ports.

4. Hisense ULED X U9N

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Hisense’s flagship mini-LED uses the Hi-View Engine X AI chipset and roughly 5,300 local dimming zones to deliver blistering peak HDR brightness of 3,000-4,600 nits with deep blacks and minimal blooming. Color coverage is near-OLED level at 98.9% P3, and the built-in 4.1.2 or 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker system (up to 82W) means it sounds genuinely good without a soundbar. Dual HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K@144Hz with VRR and Dolby Vision gaming.

Pros: exceptional peak brightness for bright rooms, deep contrast with minimal bloom, powerful built-in Atmos sound, gaming-ready HDMI 2.1.
Cons: input lag around 15ms is fine but not the fastest for competitive gaming, still reflective in strong direct light, bulky bezel and stand need a wide cabinet.

Best for: bright living rooms and sports viewing where you want cinematic sound without buying a separate soundbar.

5. TCL QM8 Mini-LED

The QM8 brings mini-LED backlighting, strong HDR performance, and built-in Google Assistant and Alexa support to a noticeably lower price point than the flagships above, available in 65″ and 75″ sizes.

Pros: excellent value for mini-LED HDR performance, voice assistants built in, solid choice for large-screen viewing on a budget.
Cons: doesn’t match the peak brightness or processing of the Samsung, Sony, or Hisense flagships, smart platform feels a step behind premium rivals.

Best for: buyers who want a genuinely good large mini-LED TV without flagship pricing.

Bonus Features to Look For

• Voice control — Google Assistant, Alexa, or Bixby built in, so you’re not reaching for a separate smart speaker.
• High refresh rate (120Hz+) — matters most for gaming and fast sports.
• HDMI 2.1 ports — check how many you actually get; some flagships only offer two.
• Smart calibration — automatic room-based picture and sound tuning.
• Privacy features — look for a physical camera/mic cutoff or the ability to disable ACR tracking.

Verdict: Which Should You Buy?

If money is genuinely no object and you want the most ambitious display available, the Samsung QN990C delivers. For most people chasing the best all-round OLED experience, the Sony A95L edges out the competition on picture and sound, while the LG G4 is the strongest pick for gamers who need four full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports. If you watch mostly in a bright room and want big built-in sound, the Hisense U9N is hard to beat, and the TCL QM8 is the sensible choice if you want mini-LED quality without flagship pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 8K worth buying in 2026?

Not for most people yet—native 8K content is still rare, so an 8K TV like the QN990C spends most of its time upscaling 4K content. A high-end 4K OLED or mini-LED set will generally look just as good for everyday viewing at a much lower price.

Do I need a soundbar with a smart TV?

Depends on the model. TVs like the Sony A95L and Hisense U9N have genuinely capable built-in sound systems, but most flagship OLEDs, including the LG G4, still benefit noticeably from an external soundbar.

How many HDMI 2.1 ports do I actually need?

If you’re connecting a current-gen console, a PC, and a soundbar with eARC, four full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports (like the LG G4 or Samsung QN990C) avoid compromises; two ports (like the Sony A95L) can mean juggling cables between devices.

See Also: Smart Watches | Smart Speakers

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