The Best Smart TVs to Get Right Now

A thousand bucks can get you a lot these days, from a trip across the country to that designer bag you’ve been seeing around town, but if you’re going to spend that grand on something really worthwhile, consider using it on a new TV for your home or apartment.

While a top-of-the-line television used to run you well into the four figures, a number of well-known brands are now releasing comparable sets that deliver the same picture quality, immersive sound and smart TV functions for less than $1000.

Look for a television with features that will support your viewing habits and preferences, whether you’re an avid gamer, a sports fan, or a casual viewer who just needs a reliable TV to catch up on your favorite shows and movies.

Whether you’re outfitting your man cave or looking for a slimmer unit to replace that big box TV in your family room, we’ve found five well-reviewed options that combine the latest audio visual technology with thoughtful, forward-thinking design to upgrade your space — and your TV viewing experience.

1. TCL 65″ Class 6-Series 4K UHD Smart TV

This is one of the best deals you’ll find online right now for a reliable 4K high-definition TV. For under $800, you get a bright, 65-inch screen with QLED color technology (which delivers a full palette of colors), with optimized settings for light and dark tones. Dolby Vision delivers cinema-like HDR, which means more detailed, accurate images and less blurring.

I’ve tested this TV and it sets up in minutes. The TV is fast, intuitive and comes with enhanced smart TV functions, which let you control your channels and settings using the included remote, or with your voice.

People are always impressed when they come over to my house with TV’s large viewing screen (thanks to the edge-to-edge glass display) and its life-like images, which doesn’t feel over-saturated or “glossy” like other TVs with artificial boosting.

This is also a solid pick for gamers, who like that they can make out minute details, even in low light. An “auto game” mode enhances performance even more by automatically smoothing out images and reducing latency.

This model comes with Roku TV built-in, giving you access to thousands of streaming channels and on-demand content.

TCL 6-Series 65″ 4K Smart TV, $749.99, available on Amazon.com

2. VIZIO M-Series Quantum 65″ Class 4K HDR Smart TV

With an expansive 65-inch screen and a ton of streaming solutions, VIZIO’s M-Series Smart TV is the perfect entertainment centerpiece for any home. Using cutting-edge “Quantum Dot Technology,” the M-Series Quantum delivers cinematic color intensity, with more than one billion shades of colors that jump to life in every frame. VIZIO says its color technology produces up to 65% more color than a standard 4K HDR TV and three times the brightness.

With Chromecast built-in, you can stream and share content with ease. The M-Series Quantum is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. You can also use Apple AirPlay to cast and stream your shows, music and presentations from your device to the screen.

Users say the VIZIO is responsive, versatile and reliable, whether as a second TV in your bedroom or as the focal point in your living space or den.

VIZO M-Series 65″ 4K HDR Smart TV, $699.99, available on Target.com

3. Samsung 65″ Class Q60T QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV

Samsung has really stepped up its game in recent years with its premium TV offerings and this 2020 model is no exception. For under $1000 you get a crystal clear QLED display with four times the resolution of full HD, plus more than a billion shades of deep, rich color. Pictures pop on screen and images are consistent from edge to edge, with no washing out.

Samsung’s “Quantum HDR” optimizes every scene with a wider range of brightness and contrasts. Dark backgrounds are darker and bright colors are more vivid, so images really pop out of the screen. It’s especially great for gaming, where every tiny detail needs to stand out.

Sports fans will appreciate the TV’s minimal lag time and ultra fast refresh rates, making it a no-brainer for fast-moving action. The TV also features Bixby, Samsung’s intelligent voice assistant, which recognizes your voice to let you search for content, change channels, or check the weather on command. It’ll learn your habits to suggest things you might want to watch too.

This is one of the best-reviewed units in the marketplace, with users praising the slim profile, powerful processing and theater-quality projection and audio.

Samsung 65″ Class Q60T QLED 4K Smart TV, $899.99, available on Samsung.com

4. LG 70″ 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV

A 70-inch smart TV for under $1000? Believe it. This model came out in 2019 but still holds up, with a ton of pumped up features, like a quad-core processor, dynamic contrasts and an “ultra” surround sound experience, which amplifies every whisper and rumble in multiple directions.

LG’s “tone-mapping” technology actively works to minimize any distortion, while optimizing the color settings of your picture, frame by frame. The result: smoother, more consistent images, that map out a scene the way it was meant to be seen.

What we like: the unit’s AI “ThinQ” turns your TV into a smart home hub. Amazon’s Alexa assistant is built-in so you can use your voice to control the screen, turn off the lights, check the weather and more. Built-in AirPlay 2 lets you easily cast from your iPhone and Apple devices too. Everything is packed into a super thin metal frame that blends seamlessly into existing decor.

LG 70″ 4K Smart TV, $846.00, available on Amazon.com.

5. Sony X900F 49″ 4K Ultra HD Smart TV

This top of the line TV just taps the top of our budget, coming in at $998. Great for fans of live sports, fast-paced gaming and movies, the X900F gets you a ton of premium features, including Sony’s “X1 Extreme” Processor, “X-Tended Dynamic Range PRO” and “X-Motion Clarity” technology. Combined, they deliver six times the contrast range of similar models, with greater depth of color, incredible detail and clarity, and smoother images with no fuzziness or blurring.

Your favorite action sequences are rendered crisp and clear, even in high motion, so you can see every twist and turn without squinting. The image quality remains consistent throughout, with Sony’s HDR processor upscaling everything to near 4K HDR quality. A full array backlight with local dimming creates an even more precise and dynamic picture.

The X900F is compatible with Google Home and Alexa for easy, hands-free access. It’s also enabled for live TV streaming through PlayStation Vue.

Sony 49″ 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, $998.00, available on Amazon.com

Featured via: Rollingstone