These Are the Best 65-Inch TVs I’ve Tested for 2026

LG G5: The LG G5 is a fantastic television with the brightest OLED screen I have ever tested. If you want the best of both world’s — OLED’s deep blacks but with the pop of an LCD — then the G5 is the way to go. Read CNET’s review of the LG G5.

TCL QM8K: The TCL QM8K offers performance that approaches OLED but at a significant discount, especially compared to the newer version, making it suited to people who want a great picture for the least amount of money. Read my review of the TCL QM8K.

Hisense U8N: If you’re looking for the best TV for the money, and the TCL QM8 is significantly more expensive at the time you read this, the Hisense U8N should be your go-to. I compared the two TVs side by side, and while I liked the QM8 just a bit better, the U8K is an excellent choice as well. Read CNET’s review of the Hisense U8N.

LG C5: The LG C5 is a great TV with all of the shadow detail, contrast and color accuracy you could want for, but … the availability of the C4 (half the price) and the G5 (even better for a few hundred more) means that you can currently skip the C5. Read CNET’s review of the LG C5.

With all of the TVs available today, and all of the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be tough to figure out what’s important. Here’s a quick guide to help cut through the confusion.

Picture quality: Broadly speaking, the type of display technology helps dictate how good a TV’s picture quality is, but OLED is typically the best display technology, and this is followed by LCD (including QLED, and Mini LED). OLED tends to look the best because it doesn’t need a backlight, and every pixel can be either on or off, leading to great black levels. In comparison, each LED in a backlight illuminates multiple pixels at a time so it isn’t as precise — it’s not yet 1:1. Even so, look for full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in my experience. Additionally, if a TV uses Quantum Dots it often leads to better color performance, whether it’s an OLED or an LCD.

Price: TVs range in price from $100 to more than $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive and spending more money can also get you better image quality. Most entry-level TVs have a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time so it might be worth spending more to get a better picture. It’s also best to shop for a TV in the fall when prices are lower.

Screen size: Bigger is better in our book. We recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room or main TV and 65 inches or larger is best. Stepping up in TV screen size is a better use of your money than any feature. One of the most common complaints we’ve heard is from people who regret that they didn’t go big enough when they bought a TV. We almost never hear people complain that their TV is too large.

Brightness: One of the biggest variables when buying a TV is how bright it can get. In general, LCD and LED tend to be the brightest types with up to 3,000 nits of brightness in my testing, which is very bright. As a comparison, HDR streaming on Netflix is usually capped at 1,000 nits, and this is enough for most people. Paying more for a TV usually means you’re paying for a brighter picture, and 4K Blu-rays and consoles can make the most of this extra brightness.

Features: Among entry-level TVs the most important feature is what kind of smart TV system the TV uses. Among midrange models, look for a feature including full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in our experience. Among high-end TVs, OLED technology is your best bet.

In every CNET TV review, I compare three or more similar TVs side by side in a dedicated, light-controlled test lab. With each review I employ a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process that has been honed in more than two decades of TV reviews. I test TVs with a combination of scientific measurements and real-world evaluations of TV, movies and gaming content.

To ensure I can evaluate the picture quality of every TV I employ the use of an AVPro Connect 8×8 4K HDR splitter so each one receives the same signal. I test the TVs using various lighting conditions playing different media, including 4K HDR movies and console games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR.

To measure each TV, I use specialized equipment to grade according to light output and color. My hardware includes a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer and a Murideo Six-G 4K HDR signal generator. I use Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate every TV I review according to its brightness, black levels and color.

My reviews also account for such things as features, design, smart TV performance, connectivity including HDMI inputs and gaming compatibility.

One important aspect of image quality I test is overall brightness using the CS-2000 spectroradiometer. Here’s how brightness compares in nits across select TVs listed above; you can also read about why TVs are getting brighter.

Check out how we test TVs for more details.

Take a Tour Inside CNET’s TV Test Lab

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For more TV advice, check out our guide to buying a TV.