HDTV BUYING TIPS

Sound & Vision’s Top 5 TV Picks

Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 26, 2014  |  First Published: Nov 25, 2014

Wondering if you should step up and buy a new TV this holiday season? Take our 30 second quiz:.
  • Do you have a pre-HD analog set? (If you answered yes, skip ahead—you’re way overdue for a technology makeover.)
  • Is that once-luxurious fill-in-the-blank-inch screen starting to look small? (If it’s 40 inches or less…it is small!)
  • Do you have trouble telling “walkers” from survivors on Walking Dead?
  • Are you a movie maniac who longs for something closer to a true theatrical experience?
  • Do you wish you could watch the latest viral videos on a big screen instead of your puny iPad?
  • Do dream about owning a TV with cutting-edge tech?
If you answered yes to one or more questions, it’s time to find that perfect set—and with Black Friday deals already well underway, there’s no better time than now. The TVs recommended below have been thoroughly vetted by Sound & Vision’s expert reviewers. Want more detail? Just click on the model number to see the full review. (For ideas on what to do with your old TV, see “Old Electronics Get New Life”.)

Happy shopping.

S&V’s TOP TV PICKS AT A GLANCE

Vizio 55-inch E550i-B2 LED/LCD HDTV: $730 (currently selling for $650 or less)


Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

Summary: Impressive performance for the price but you’ll have to forego 3D.
Plus: Backlit local dimming for superior blacks • Good color • Remarkable value
Minus: Wobbly stand • Occasionally buzzy sound


Vizio 60-Inch M602i-B3 LED/LCD HDTV: $1,250 (currently selling for $1,000 or less)


Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

Summary: Excellent performance at a very reasonable price but you’ll have to forego 3D.
Plus: Great black levels and screen uniformity • Mostly accurate color • Good set of streaming options • Low-glare screen
Minus: No gamma presets or adjustments


LG 55EC9300 55-Inch 3D OLED HDTV: $3,500


2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

Summary: Vibrant OLED picture quality at a price that’s finally affordable.
Plus: Blacks, contrast, and shadow detail to die for • Lightweight
Minus: Not 4K • Cinema mode soft in default settings


Sony 55-Inch XBR-55X900B LCD/LED Ultra HD TV: $4,000 (currently selling for $2,800)


2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

Summary: All-around champ that excels in picture quality.
Plus: Exceptional blacks and shadow detail • Excellent color and resolution • Impressive sound with optional subwoofer
Minus: Price • Small screen for 4K


Samsung 55-Inch UN55HU8550F 3D LCD/LED 4K/Ultra HD TV: $4,000 (currently selling for $1,500)


2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

Summary: A superb performer with 1080p and 4K content.
Plus: Excellent color • Top-class detail—in both 4K and Full HD • Great blacks and shadow detail
Minus: Typical LCD image fade when viewed off-center


See our TV Top Picks list for more suggestions.

COMMENTS
thuandavidhong's picture
Submitted by thuandavidhong on November 28, 2014 - 9:29am

If I were to look at this list without knowing much about televisions, I would pick the Samsung because of its ratings. But knowing what I know, I would choose the OLED because of uniformity, brightness and contrast. So my question is this: is the scale relative to other tv's or absolute?
Thanks,

Warrior24_7's picture
Submitted by Warrior24_7 on November 30, 2014 - 4:11am

The fact that the Samsung is the same size, 4K, has better ratings, flat not curved, and selling for $2000 cheaper has to count for something.

thuandavidhong's picture
Submitted by thuandavidhong on December 1, 2014 - 1:50pm

Agreed that the $2K cheaper makes a big difference. At full price, I think it's a different story.

Warrior24_7's picture
Submitted by Warrior24_7 on December 2, 2014 - 12:31pm

You seem to be paying for new tech and a gimmick with the LG. A screen that small doesn't need to be curved. How far off axis will you or guests be sitting? Is the picture prettier? That's subjective I guess, the Samsung seems to more than hold it's own. It has a better resolution , better 3D, and a pretty picture too. If you can't see or hear the differences but have to measure and test for it, you're wasting your money.

hk2000's picture
Submitted by hk2000 on December 13, 2015 - 11:28pm

The panel and the technology on which a TV is made only goes so far, the SW behind the PQ and the reliability by far outweigh any first impressions. The same panel used by 2 different manufacturers can render completely different results- especially in the long run. Nobody knows TVs better than Sony- Nobody. I'll take a Sony HD over any Vizio, LG or even Samsung 4K TV.

hk2000's picture
Submitted by hk2000 on February 19, 2016 - 5:29pm

You summed it up very well, I couldn't agree more.

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