When shopping for a new TV, screen size is one of the first decisions you'll need to make. Bigger displays are more popular than ever, but they can be expensive and take up a ton of space. If you want something more practical without sacrificing picture quality, a 55-inch model is a good compromise. It's large enough to show off the benefits of 4K, yet compact enough to fit comfortably in most living rooms and bedrooms. To help you narrow down your options, I've rounded up the best 55-inch TVs you can buy.
My top pick is the Samsung S90F, an OLED that delivers outstanding image quality with deep black levels, high contrast, and wide viewing angles. If you're trying to keep costs down, the TCL QM6K is a strong budget-friendly option. It's not as advanced as the S90F, but its QLED panel, smooth Google TV interface, and overall performance make it a great value.
Below are all five of my picks for the best 55-inch TVs, with models geared toward casual buyers and enthusiasts alike. My recommendations are informed by more than 10 years of experience testing home entertainment products.
Our top picks for the best 55-inch TVs
Best overall: Samsung S90F OLED 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best on a budget: TCL QM6K QLED 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best premium option: LG G5 OLED 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best for sports: Samsung S95F OLED 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best entry-level model: TCL S5 LED 4K TV - See at Amazon
Best overall
The S90F is Samsung's midrange OLED for 2025 and one of our favorite TVs of the year. It delivers an impressive combination of pixel-perfect contrast and rich, vibrant colors.
- QD-OLED panel delivers great peak brightness and vivid colors
- Good gaming performance with up to 144Hz refresh rate and VRR support
- Wide viewing angles
- Interface is a bit clumsy to navigate
- Doesn't support Dolby Vision
- Black levels lift slightly in bright rooms
Competition for the best 55-inch TV is fierce, but the Samsung S90F stands out as the winner. It delivers the most impressive balance between performance and value of any TV in its class.
The S90F's QD-OLED panel combines the infinite contrast ratio of OLED with the advanced color capabilities of quantum dots. The result is a vibrant picture with deep black levels that disappear into a dark room. Black levels do lift slightly when hit with ambient light, but never to the point of distraction. And unlike LG's OLED models, Samsung's use of quantum dots gives this TV a slightly wider range of colors.
Brightness is another standout for this class. Our reviewer measured a peak of roughly 1,460 nits, which is excellent for a midrange OLED. HDR movies and shows pop with intense highlights and crisp detail, coming remarkably close to what you'd get from premium TVs that cost more. Even lower-resolution cable channels and HD YouTube streams appear impressively clean.
The S90F also features wide viewing angles, ensuring consistent color and contrast no matter where you sit. It's among the best gaming TVs, too, thanks to its low input lag and smooth 120Hz refresh rate (up to 144Hz with a PC). Plus, Samsung's smart platform includes the Xbox app, letting Game Pass members stream games directly to the TV without a console.
Although our reviewer had issues with Samsung's smart TV interface on older models, they found the S90F to be more responsive and consistent, with reduced lag and fewer hiccups. However, the system's organization is somewhat clumsy compared to more user-friendly offerings, such as Google TV or the Roku OS.
But where it counts most, the 55-inch S90F is an absolutely fantastic TV. People who want a midsize display that doesn't skimp on image quality and features should consider this model first.
Read our full Samsung S90F TV review.
Check out our guide to all of the best Samsung TVs.
Best on a budget
TCL's QM6K is the brand's new entry-level Mini LED model. It offers great performance for its class, making it one of the best values out there for people who want a budget TV that doesn't sacrifice image quality.
- Good HDR contrast for a budget-friendly Mini LED TV
- Local dimming works well with minimal blooming
- Google TV interface is easy to use and snappy
- Can't get as bright as pricier QLEDs
- Viewing angles are better than past models but still mediocre
TCL's QM6K is the best 55-inch TV for budget-conscious shoppers. Despite its affordable price, the QM6K boasts advanced picture quality features that many similarly priced models lack.
Notably, the QM6K features a QLED panel with a Mini LED backlight. Most TVs in this price range cut those features to keep costs down, resulting in low contrast, dim images, and a washed-out picture. The QM6K, however, has solid performance across the board.
The QLED panel produces a wide range of vivid colors, and the Mini LED backlight has local dimming to control contrast across multiple zones. This leads to good black levels with minimal signs of blooming (halos around bright objects). In fact, the QM6K is better at handling blooming than many pricier QLED TVs I've reviewed.
Of course, there are areas where the QM6K falls short. Its brightness is decent for a TV in this class, but not as high as midrange models. I measured a max of around 550 to 730 nits across different test patterns, which is better than most competing TVs in this price range. That said, high-brightness HDR content doesn't have the luster and pop that I've seen on more expensive TVs.
The QM6K's viewing angles are also a bit limited. Colors and contrast fade and distort if you sit off to the side of the screen. That said, the effect isn't as severe as it is on most budget TVs of this kind.
TCL also earns points for including a backlit remote, which other brands, such as LG and Samsung, don't offer. The remote supports Google Assistant, and you can use hands-free voice control. The QM6K's Google TV interface is smooth, and I encountered only minor hiccups while navigating menus.
The QM6K is also one of the most affordable TVs with a high 144Hz refresh rate. This enables smooth gaming when paired with a high-end PC that can handle high frame rates, and it allows for full 120Hz support with a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
The 55-inch QM6K is regularly priced at $550 and occasionally goes on sale for as low as $448. Those are excellent prices for a TV in this class, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option for the money.
Read our TCL QM6K 4K TV review.
Check out our guides to the best TCL TVs, best budget TVs, and best TVs under $500.
Best premium option
The G5 is LG's latest top-of-the-line TV. It's the brightest OLED display we've measured, offering premium picture performance and a handsome build with a flush wall mount.
- Brightest OLED available
- Pixel-level contrast
- Wide off-axis viewing angles
- High price
- Doesn't include a stand
- Isolated issues with some HDR10 gradients
LG's G5 is the high-end TV to beat. This premium OLED edges out my previous pick in this spot, the Sony A95L. Sony's TV is still an excellent option, but the G5 surpasses it in a few areas.
Most notably, the G5 is the brightest OLED TV I've ever tested. I measured a peak luminance of 2,410 nits using a 10% test pattern with the TV set in Filmmaker Mode. That's a big leap over the A95L and last year's LG G4, which maxed out at around 1,240 and 1,500 nits, respectively.
Such high luminance allows the G5 to deliver more impactful HDR images. When paired with high-brightness HDR movies, like "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Aquaman," the TV simply stuns, delivering an unrivaled combination of bold highlights, rich colors, and deep black levels. This is the kind of image quality that TV nerds like myself geek out over.
Like all OLED TVs, the G5's viewing angles are wide, so the picture doesn't degrade much when you sit off-center from the screen. This is great for rooms with seating on the side of the TV. The G5 is also equipped with advanced gaming features, including a high 165Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC, which enables smooth motion. This is notably faster than the 120Hz rate used by Sony's A95L.
However, as impressive as the G5's image capabilities are, the TV isn't quite perfect. When watching a small selection of HDR videos, I did see some false contouring (also called posterization). This flaw caused some colors and shadows to appear blocky rather than smooth. But LG has since released firmware updates to address this, so I don't consider it a notable drawback.
The G5 uses LG's webOS interface for smart TV functions, and this platform works just fine. It offers access to lots of streaming apps and has some cool features like Voice ID, which automatically switches user profiles based on who speaks to the TV. On the downside, webOS tends to emphasize sponsored content and shopping recommendations more than I'd like, but most of these ads can be deactivated by navigating through some hidden menu options.
The TV's design complements its premium picture quality, featuring a sturdy build, a thin profile, and a flush wall mount included in the box. But people who'd prefer to attach the G5 to a traditional TV stand have to buy one separately, as the set doesn't include one at all.
Though the G5 is my current pick in this spot, Panasonic recently released a new TV, the Z95B, that could surpass it in certain areas. I'll be testing the Z95B soon, but for now, this LG set is my top recommendation for enthusiasts willing to spend top dollar for their home theaters.
Check out our guide to the best LG TVs.
Best for sports
The S95F is one of the brightest OLEDs we’ve ever measured, and it has a unique matte screen that nearly eliminates reflections. However, the anti-glare display causes black levels to lift when hit with light.
- Impressive brightness and color volume
- Pixel-level contrast and wide viewing angles
- Glare-free screen minimizes reflections
- The matte panel causes black levels to look hazy in a bright room
- Lacks Dolby Vision support
Samsung's high-end S95F OLED stands out from most other 55-inch TVs with a unique feature: a matte screen. While most competing displays use glossy or semi-glossy panels, the S95F's matte finish significantly reduces glare and reflections, which is particularly useful when watching sports in a bright room.
If your space gets a lot of natural light, this TV can be a game changer. Its wide viewing angles also maintain consistent colors and contrast, even when you're sitting off to the side — perfect for group watch parties or big game nights.
There is one tradeoff, though. The same matte coating that helps fight reflections also lifts black levels in bright rooms. That means dark scenes look hazier and flatter when the lights are on. Sports content won't suffer much, but if you often watch movies in daylight, you might notice the difference. It really comes down to whether you value glare reduction over high contrast.
In dark environments, however, the S95F's black levels appear as deep and inky as those of any OLED, and overall picture quality is stellar, right up there with top rivals from Sony and LG. The TV also delivers excellent brightness for an OLED. I measured a peak of around 2,170 nits, which is second only to LG's G5.
The S95F's premium design matches its performance. It's thin with a minimalist profile, and it utilizes Samsung's One Connect Box to neatly manage inputs, eliminating clutter on the back of the screen. Gamers will also appreciate the TV's high 165Hz refresh rate for PC play and built-in Xbox Game Pass support for streaming games.
Read our Samsung S95F 4K TV review.
Check out our guide to the best TV for sports.
Best entry-level
The S5 is one of TCL's upper entry-level TVs. Its contrast capabilities are limited compared to QLED and OLED models, but it offers solid performance for viewers who just want a cheap smart TV for casual viewing.
- Affordable price
- Google TV and Fire TV options
- Supports wide color
- Lacks local dimming which limits contrast and black level performance
- Not as bright as step-up models
- Narrow viewing angles
For a typical sale price of under $300, the TCL S5 is the best 55-inch TV for people who favor affordability over advanced image quality.
This model uses a standard LED panel without local dimming. As a result, its brightness and black-level capabilities are a noticeable step down from QLED TVs like the QM6K and pricier OLED models.
Although the S5 can produce a wide range of colors, its limited contrast prevents the set from displaying HDR content as intended, causing dark scenes to appear more washed out when watching TV in low-light conditions. Colors and contrast also distort if you sit to the side of the screen, and the TV's refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, so it can't support high-frame-rate gaming. To be clear, these drawbacks are common for any TV at this price point, but it's important to keep them in mind.
I recommend paying more for the QM6K if you want a budget-friendly TV with HDR capabilities in mind. However, the S5 is a solid option if you just want basic 4K playback for casual viewing. Integrated support for the Fire TV platform and an Alexa voice remote round out the package, offering playback from all the best streaming services. An edition with the Google TV OS is also available for those who prefer Google's platform.
Check out our guide to all of the best budget TVs.
How we test 55-inch TVs
To select the best 55-inch TVs, our team of reviewers relied on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by more than 10 years of experience covering home entertainment products.
When reviewing TVs, we focus on 65-inch units, as this size is considered the industry's flagship offering. However, a TV model's overall performance is often comparable across sizes 55 inches and above. For instance, the 65-inch LG G5 OLED and the 55-inch G5 have the same specifications and capabilities. The only notable difference is the screen size.
However, some TVs that use local dimming, such as the TCL QM6K, employ fewer zones in smaller screen sizes compared to larger ones. This can lead to small differences in contrast performance when comparing a 55-inch model to another size, but not enough to alter our general impressions of that model. Occasionally, there are bigger differences across sizes, and we note those details when applicable.
To test 55-inch TVs, we look at picture clarity, contrast, peak brightness, color performance, viewing angles, gaming capabilities, smart TV navigation, and overall value. We measure HDR brightness with a colorimeter and use test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc to evaluate other objective display parameters.
However, test patterns can only reveal so much, so we watch numerous actual movies and shows to see how a TV performs with real-world content on a day-to-day basis, both in dark and bright rooms. We revisit various scenes on each TV we test, specifically chosen to examine black levels, shadow details, HDR highlights, and upscaling. Our demo content includes 4K, 1080p high-definition (HD), and standard-definition (SD) material from various sources, such as Blu-ray discs, streaming services, and cable TV. We also test gaming performance using a PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
You can learn more about our review process in our breakdown of how we test tech products.
55-inch TV FAQs
Is a 55-inch TV a good size?
A 55-inch screen is a solid choice for various needs, and many of the best smart TVs are sold in this size. A 55-inch set is still large enough to feel immersive in smaller living rooms, while offering a more compact alternative to 65-inch models that might be too large for some spaces.
If you're shopping for a media console or mount to pair with a 55-inch TV, consider our guides to the best TV stands and best TV wall mounts for top recommendations.
A 55-inch TV is also a good fit for a bedroom where you might want something smaller than what you've got in your living room, but not so compact that you must sacrifice picture quality features. Most brands' best 4K TVs are available in 55-inch options, but many top displays are not sold in sizes below that. For instance, if you want one of Sony's best OLED TVs, the 55-inch size is the smallest available.
When will new 55-inch TVs be revealed?
New 55-inch TV models are expected to be announced at the CES tech show being held in Las Vegas from January 6 to 9. CES is where brands like LG, Samsung, Hisense, and TCL traditionally unveil their latest display models. That said, new TVs typically don't arrive in stores until the spring.
How much should a 55-inch TV cost?
The best 55-inch TVs vary in price, with entry-level options starting at under $300 and high-end options costing $2,000 or more.
If you want a midrange 55-inch TV, you should plan to spend about $400 to $700. Several great 55-inch QLED models in that price range feature quantum dots, local dimming, and Mini LED backlights, delivering good contrast and peak brightness levels of up to 1,000 nits.
Shoppers who prefer a 55-inch OLED TV over a QLED will have to pay more, with prices starting at around $1,200. Although notably more expensive than their QLED counterparts, OLED TVs offer pixel-level brightness control, providing superior contrast and perfect black levels.
Many 55-inch TVs receive discounts throughout the year, but we typically see the biggest price drops during sales like Prime Day and Black Friday, as well as around major sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness.
How far should you sit from a 55-inch 4K TV?
The smaller a 4K screen is, the closer you'll need to sit to the display to see the full benefits of its resolution. To see the extra detail that 4K offers over 1080p Full HD, you'll want to sit at a distance of about one to 1.5 times the size of your display. For a 55-inch 4K TV, the recommended viewing distance is between 4.6 and 6.9 feet from your TV.
Of course, you can still sit farther away from your TV and enjoy its image quality, but the recommended distance will allow you to see the best level of detail.
If you need to sit even closer to your TV or just have a small room to work with, check out our guides to the best 50-inch TVs and best 43-inch TVs.
For rooms where you need to sit farther from your display, we recommend opting for a larger screen size to fully benefit from 4K resolution. Check out our guides for larger display models:
Do 55-inch TVs have good sound quality?
Even the best 55-inch TVs tend to have mediocre built-in speakers. Audio drivers integrated into most TVs are small and often placed in areas that can result in a muddy sound, lacking range and deep bass. For this reason, we recommend pairing your TV with a soundbar or full surround sound system to get the best audio quality for movies, TV shows, and video games.
For the most immersive experience, we suggest finding a system that supports Dolby Atmos, which can enable sound effects from all directions, even above your head. Performance varies depending on the model you get, but there are entry-level Atmos systems that can still provide a nice upgrade over your TV's built-in speakers.
Check out our various soundbar and speaker guides to see our top recommendations for different needs:
- Best soundbars
- Best Dolby Atmos soundbars
- Best budget soundbars
- Best soundbars with subwoofers
- Best Bose soundbars
- Best Sonos soundbars
- Best surround sound systems
Do you need a 55-inch TV with HDMI 2.1?
Many of the best 55-inch TVs include HDMI 2.1 ports. This feature is most beneficial for gamers who want to enjoy high frame rate modes on a console or PC.
An HDMI 2.1 connection enables a TV to receive 4K video signals with higher refresh rates than the previous standard of 60Hz. High refresh rates enable smoother motion in video games that support them.
Most HDMI 2.1 TVs support a 4K/120Hz signal, and some models can even support higher refresh rates, such as 144Hz or 165Hz. Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X support 4K/120Hz modes, while high-end gaming PCs can support 144Hz and 165Hz output.
In this guide, the Samsung S90F, TCL QM6K, Samsung S95F, and LG G5 all have HDMI 2.1 ports. Only the TCL S5 is limited to HDMI 2.0 with a 60Hz signal.
You'll need a compatible HDMI cable to send and receive an HDMI 2.1 signal from a source device to a TV. For top recommendations, check out our guide to the best HDMI cables.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
