Category: Business

• The H5N1 bird flu virus has infected a third person in the US, this time with respiratory symptoms.
• The new patient's cough and sore throat could help the virus get better at infecting humans.
• Experts fear the US is missing critical opportunities to check the virus's DNA for new mutations.

The H5N1 bird flu virus has once again infected a human. But this time, the unlucky patient had a cough and a sore throat, which is a new milestone for the virus's spread in the US.

The H5N1 virus has become a pandemic among animals, raging through worldwide bird populations and now through US cattle herds.

This latest human case, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Thursday, is the third known human case in the US, following one in Texas and another in Michigan.

All three people are dairy farm workers who were exposed to infected cows, according to the CDC.

The first two cases, however, only involved eye symptoms, including conjunctivitis or pink eye. That means the infection was probably limited to their eyes. Now it has hit someone's lungs.

The risk to the general public is still low, the CDC says, but these new symptoms suggest the virus may have entered a new phase of its flirtation with human infection.

Lungs give the virus more opportunity to adapt to humans

St. Jude virologist Richard Webby is a leading researcher on an H5 group of influenza viruses, which have been circulating in bird populations for about 25 years.

Since 2021, the H5N1 virus has branched out to new frontiers of sustained spread, infecting dolphins and porpoises, migrating to the Americas, culling sea lions and seals, and now spreading through US cattle herds.

"This virus keeps on turning up surprises," Webby, who directs the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds, told Business Insider. "Had you asked me, beginning of the year, what the chances are of H5 turning up in cows, I would have said exceedingly low."

Still, he said, H5N1 is still more of a bird virus than a mammalian virus. That's mainly because of the receptors it binds to in order to enter its hosts' cells and replicate itself.

"Avian viruses bind to one form of this receptor on the host cell. Mammalian viruses bind to a different form," Webby said.

The mucus lining the human eye (where the first farmworker got conjunctivitis) is rich in the receptors that avian viruses grab, he said. There, the H5N1 virus can continue operating as an avian virus grabbing avian receptors, with no need to adapt to human receptors.

But our respiratory tracts are full of both forms of this receptor — the form preferred by avian viruses and the one preferred by mammalian viruses. Therefore, being in the lungs gives H5N1 more exposure to the receptors that mammalian viruses use, according to Webby.

That gives H5N1 more opportunity to sustain a mutation that would allow it to bind to those mammalian receptors, adapting better to human bodies.

That's the concern, but it's not clear if that has actually happened inside this patient's lungs. For such a mutation to be significant, it would then have to spread to other people as well. So far, based on all known cases, the virus has been unable to spread from one person to another.

Sequencing the virus tests for mutations

In a New York Times opinion piece on Sunday, virologist Rick Bright argued that the emergence of respiratory symptoms indicates "a dangerous inflection point" for the virus.

After all, he wrote, "Coughing can spread viruses more easily than eye irritation can."

But for Webby, the Michigan patient's cough "doesn't change a whole lot."

Two previous one-off human cases of H5N1 — one in Chile and one in Ecuador — featured respiratory symptoms.

The virus didn't necessarily have to mutate to infect the Michigan farmworker's respiratory system, according to Webby. The person could have simply encountered a large amount of virus, maybe an especially ill cow.

"That's me sort of looking at the crystal ball a little," he said, adding that it's "the most likely explanation for what we're seeing, rather than the other one, which is of course much more scary, that this virus has already changed."

Either way, scientists won't know if any scary mutations have occurred until they can examine the virus's DNA sequence from this new case. The patient carried such small amounts of the virus, though, that it's possible the CDC won't have enough to get the sequence, Webby said.

DNA sequences are critical. By checking the virus's genes in each new human case, no matter how mild the symptoms, scientists can identify any fresh mutations that help it adapt to humans. If H5N1 becomes a bona fide mammalian virus, they could watch its transformation in real-time.

"The very first signals we're going to get that this virus is changing are probably going to come from human infections," Webby said.

So far, though, the government's monitoring may not be robust enough to spot those mutations early.

Experts call for more testing so they won't miss mutations

The FDA has detected fragments of the virus in commercial milk and beef. Though it's unlikely that food could infect you, public-health experts have told BI, caution-minded people can cook their eggs and meats all the way. Nobody should drink unpasteurized milk, aka raw milk, they say.

The real risk is to people who work directly with sick animals, especially farmworkers like the three who have been infected so far.

Nationwide, the government is monitoring about 350 people who may have been exposed to H5N1, most of them in Michigan, CDC Deputy Director Nirav Shah told the press in a briefing on Thursday. However, only about 40 farmworkers have been tested for the virus, The New York Times reported.

"We would like to be doing more testing," Shah said, according to STAT News.

Bright argues that the government's weak testing regime could be allowing farmworker infections to fly under the radar.

However, undetected cases are not the same thing as undetected spread.

Bright's essay rings alarm bells about unknown human-to-human transmission, but Webby finds that unlikely. Even with its current monitoring, the CDC would probably detect sustained human spread, he said.

Rather, the problem with undetected cases is that nobody can sequence their samples. Those are windows into the virus's DNA (and possible mutations) that nobody is peeking through.

Webby and Bright agree that scientists need more sequences of the virus, more quickly. Despite the ongoing herd spread, for example, the USDA hasn't shared a new sequence from a cow infection sample in weeks, according to Bright.

"Bottom line is we need to have more information from exactly what this virus is doing," Webby said. "The more we can understand about it, I do believe we can properly control it, or at least control it way better than we are."

• Keith Gill may face an E*Trade ban, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
• Gill posted a screenshot on Sunday that appeared to show he had a $116 million position in GameStop.
• E*Trade, owned by Morgan Stanley, is worried about potential stock manipulation, the Journal reported.

Trader Keith Gill, also known on social media as "Roaring Kitty" or "DeepFuckingValue," could get barred from E*Trade after a screenshot he posted that appeared to show a huge stake in GameStop caused the stock price to soar.

That's according to a Monday report in The Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation at E*Trade, a trading platform owned by Morgan Stanley.

The unnamed sources said the prominent meme-stock trader sparked concern about potential stock manipulation after he bought a bunch of GameStop options shortly before breaking his three-year social media silence last month.

Prior to last month, Gill had not posted to his social media accounts since 2021. Then, on May 12, he began making cryptic posts on X. After he reemerged, GameStop surged yet again.

Then, on Sunday night, he shared a screenshot of an E*Trade account that appeared to show he had a $116 million position in GameStop, triggering another frenzy that caused the meme stock to soar.

The Journal also reported that the Massachusetts securities division is examining Gill's actions. The Massachusetts securities division did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

The Journal reported no decision had been made yet on whether to stop Gill from trading on the platform. People familiar with internal discussions told the outlet they are still weighing if Gill engaged in manipulation and that the platform is concerned about losing customers — and the potential reaction of Gill's fans — if he were barred.

Morgan Stanley declined to comment when reached by Business Insider. Gill did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Shortly after the Journal reported on his potential barring from E*Trade, Gill posted another screenshot that appeared to show he maintained his position in GameStop on Monday, even as the value of his stake seemingly jumped from $116 million to $140 million in less than a day.

• Tech, consulting, and finance jobs are harder to secure due to hiring cuts and more competition.
• Students are stacking internships and expanding their job search — including to the government.
• Plagued by layoffs, hiring at tech seems to have taken the biggest hit — by nearly every measure.

Management consulting, Big Tech, and finance are the go-to industries for many college students because they pay big money and look great on a résumé.

But those jobs at the entry level are harder to come by now, data shows and experts say. It's upending the job search for young people trying to find their footing in a fast-shifting workforce.

According to one survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 21% of companies at large said they expect to decrease hiring this academic year. In the 2023 and 2022 versions of the survey, only 6% and 3.5% of employers, respectively, said that they expected hiring to drop.

Economists, career experts, and students who spoke to Business Insider all agree on one thing: If you're fixated on a career in one of these three industries, it's going to be a tough ride that won't get easier for future classes, especially as artificial intelligence starts to affect white-collar jobs.

Last month, people at Wall Street banks, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, told The New York Times that their firms are considering cutting back on fresh graduate hiring by up to two-thirds. Analysts who make it in may be offered lower salaries because their work can be assisted by AI.

Those in tech fear a similar fate.

Students "are scared that engineering roles will be replaced in the future," said Austin Wang, a class of 2025 computer science major at Yale University.

Management consulting

Known for $200,000 straight-out-of-business-school pay packages and work across industries, consulting giants like McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company have long been the dream for fresh graduates.

Now, less client work is forcing these firms to tighten their belts.

In March, professional services firm Accenture pushed back start dates. McKinsey went one step further and offered UK employees nine months' worth of pay and career-coaching services as an incentive to leave the firm. The tactics came after the firm said it would slash 1,400 jobs globally last year.

Industry woes are showing up in hiring numbers, too.

Jobs posted for fresh graduates under the category "professional services" — a proxy for consulting — fell over 14% from 2023 to 2024, according to data from Handshake, a job platform for college graduates.

"Consulting has been very difficult in particular because these companies who hired interns to work for them have asked them to delay their start date," Beth Hendler-Grunt, the president of Next Great Step, a career counseling service for college graduates, told BI.

Some consultancies pushed entry-level start dates back eight to 11 months, she said: "That is a lot to ask of somebody to wait around and hope that the job is still there."

Given the market's pessimism, students are applying to more companies, hoping to improve their odds of success. Business students from this year's graduating class are less likely to apply to consulting roles and more likely to seek positions in customer relations, marketing, and analytics, according to a Handshake survey. Handshake polled about 2,700 undergraduate students who are graduating this year from 616 US colleges.

Matthew Park, who just graduated from Yale after serving as the president of the university's undergraduate consulting group, said the market has changed since he applied to internships in 2022. He said those who applied with him had a much easier time landing offers than this year's cohort — but his peers, on the whole, want to stick with consulting.

"I don't really think there's been a marked shift in student interests," Park said about the demand for these roles. "If there has been a shift, I'd say it's a shift more out of necessity than intrinsic interest."

Tech

Plagued by layoffs and budget cuts, hiring in tech seems to have taken the biggest hit of all three industries examined in the story.

Tech job postings geared toward fresh graduates fell by 30% compared with last year, according to data compiled by Handshake, a job platform for college graduates. Companies are cutting workforces that swelled during zero-interest-rate, pandemic-era boom times.

Career consultants are seeing a change in the job market.

"We have students who come in from excellent schools and Ivy League schools with STEM experience and are still struggling to land interviews," said Hendler-Grunt, the career advisor.

To improve their chances, some students are branching out.

Yale's Wang, who leads a computer science club at the university, has seen his peers apply to more jobs and more diverse roles, including engineering jobs in finance.

"There is overall a lot more stress going around this year due to the recruitment cycles being tougher than usual," Wang said.

Anika Nair, a computer science student who graduated from Rutgers University last month, said she expected her résumé — including cloud certification and a software engineering internship at JPMorgan — would make her search straightforward.

"I started job searching in December of last year and continued to do so through 2024 — I sent out around 200 applications, received 20 interview invitations, and experienced numerous ghostings and rejections," she told BI. "I didn't expect it to be this hard."

Investment banking

The first quarter of the year has been one of mixed signals for Wall Street's mightiest investment banks — and their head counts.

Citigroup began the year saying it would lay off as many as 20,000 employees in the next two years. Around the same time, JPMorgan said it would spend $2.8 billion in 2024, primarily on hiring. Within a month of those announcements, Deutsche Bank announced it would cut 3,500 jobs.

While industry hiring sentiment remains mixed, job platforms are seeing a drop in finance postings. The number of early-career postings for financial services, which include more than just investment banking roles, dropped over 13% for the Class of 2024, according to Handshake. Finance-related roles made up more than one-fifth of total applications, the survey found.

In Singapore, undergraduates are stacking investment banking internships with the ultimate prize: a full-time job. Some Singaporean students take off a semester for off-cycle internships to bolster their résumés.

"There's so much stress seeing friends taking a whole semester off to do an internship. If you are not taking the semester off, you'll be like, 'Oh, am I doing something wrong?'" one National University of Singapore student previously told BI.

Students are hedging their bets

The government looks like the biggest winner of the drop in tech and professional services hiring.

According to Handshake, about 7.4% of job applications from 2024 graduates have been submitted to government roles, compared to 5.5% last year.

After hearing about so many layoffs and hiring freezes, some students are prioritizing working in industries that feel more stable, like government work, said Christine Cruzvergara, the chief education strategy officer at Handshake.

Career counselors at top schools are also noticing that students are less likely to stick to a short list of companies.

Richard Carruthers, the deputy director of careers service at Imperial College London, said more students this year have backup plans and that the process is taking longer for students who get offers.

"We're seeing more students waiting longer for decisions about offers, across many sectors," he said. "Students with good prior experiences and strong CVs are included within this."

Work visa restrictions

A tougher job market means more clampdowns on work visas.

Over the past month, KPMG, Deloitte, and HSBC rescinded offers for foreign graduates who no longer meet sponsorship requirements due to UK visa rule changes. Employers must now pay skilled workers nearly 50% more than the previous minimum threshold to be able to sponsor work visas.

An international student at the National University of Singapore who graduated with internships at Amazon Web Services and Deloitte said she started her job hunt in August and has applied to over 400 roles. She spoke anonymously because of her ongoing job search; her identity is known to BI.

"It's quite bad for entry-level jobs in general but even worse for international students," she said. "I've reached out for referrals to seniors, only to learn that their company has stopped sponsoring visas."

"I saw my friends struggle to get interviews in 2023, and with the way layoffs continued, I knew it would be harder in 2024," she said.

She has yet to receive a full-time offer.

Do you have a career story to share? Get in touch with this reporter by email.

• A Google leak exposed thousands of privacy incidents, according to a 404 Media report.
• The information obtained from an anonymous tipster details incidents flagged by employees.
• It's the second Google leak in the last week, and it highlights how the giant manages data.

A leaked copy of an internal Google database revealed thousands of privacy-related incidents from 2013 to 2018, according to a report from 404 Media published Monday.

The leaked information, sent to 404 Media by an anonymous tipster, reveals flagged instances where Google's privacy guardrails may have failed. Business Insider has not been able to view the leaked information.

The incidents were reported by employees between six and nine years ago, a Google spokesperson said. All the incidents have been reviewed and resolved, meaning any private information has been deleted, a Google spokesperson told Business Insider.

Some of the instances listed in the leaked information included a blurring mishap on YouTube that exposed the uncensored versions of images and a Waze Carpool incident that shared users' home addresses.

In one incident, a Google speech service logged audio of an estimated 1,000 children for about an hour, the report said. Another situation involved Google's Street View saving license plates due to an algorithm that detected text in images, according to the 404 Media report citing the leaked information.

According to Google, several flags detailed in the 404 Media report and shared with the tech giant were not incidents at all, or they involved issues from third-party platforms.

For example, some were internal security team simulations aimed at enhancing product protections or false alarms on product bugs, according to Google. The company said others were third-party issues from a vendor Google used for employee travel and a WiFi network scam attempt at an industry conference.

The list of incidents is the second internal leak in the last week; 2,500 documents were released on May 27, appearing to reveal secrets to how Google organizes the web. The leak sent SEO experts into a fury, with some claiming that Google hadn't always been honest about how it ranks sites.

While the previous incident resulted in distrust from website owners and SEO experts, this leak threatens Google's reputation with everyday users. The leak also comes during a time when Google's reliability is already in question after inaccurate responses from AI Overviews forced them to scale back the feature.

The latest leak also sheds light on how Google deals with these incidents. Few of the documented incidents were publicly reported, according to 404 Media. Rather, they entailed an employee flagging them and giving them priority rating before the relevant response team investigated them.

Since Google prioritizes improving products, it encourages employees to file internal incident reports, and they're taken seriously, according to the company. But Google said this often results in reports labeled as high priority not matching the ratings determined by the security response team.

Google told Business Insider it implemented hundreds of new and additional protections over the last six years to ensure user security and privacy. For example, it updated YouTube's policy around kids and data protection in 2019, limiting data collection on videos made for kids to only what is needed to support the service.

Google said its products also regularly undergo independent verification of security, privacy, and compliance controls to achieve global standards.

• The Epoch Times, a media company linked to China's Falun Gong movement, has grown massively.
• It says its pro-Trump, conspiracy theory-heavy editorial content has won donations and subscriptions.
• But federal prosecutors say its growth was fueled largely by its CFO's pandemic-era cybercrime spree.

The Epoch Times, a US media company linked to Chinese dissidents that seemingly shot to success by embracing Donald Trump and conspiracy theories, significantly funded its growth with proceeds of cybercrime, according to federal prosecutors.

The Justice Department said the company's CFO, Weidong "Bill" Guan, was arrested on June 2 and charged with money laundering in New York. The DOJ indictment claims that he and others "used cryptocurrency to knowingly purchase tens of millions of dollars in crime proceeds" and plowed it into the Epoch Times starting in 2020.

The Epoch Times wasn't named in court records, and the Justice Department said the case had nothing to do with its editorial slant. The indictment only mentioned a "multinational media company headquartered in Manhattan." However, the outlet could be identified because Guan is listed online as its CFO and because the financial numbers in the complaint come close to what the Epoch Times has reported to the IRS.

According to the indictment, most of Guan's criminal activity mentioned in the indictment took place in 2020, 2021, and 2022, but prosecutors say that up until last month, Guan helped launder "at least $67 million."

The time period overlaps with a period of major growth for Epoch Times, whose revenue grew from $15.5 million in 2019 to more than $70 million in 2020 and over $120 million a year in 2021 and 2022, according to its nonprofit tax returns.

According to prosecutors, Guan and the Epoch Times' offshore "Make Money Online" team, or MMO team, used cryptocurrency to buy prepaid debit cards loaded with proceeds of fraud, like unemployment insurance fraud, starting in April 2020. They used the prepaid cards and financial accounts that were opened with stolen personal information to plow millions of dollars into the Epoch Times' bank accounts, prosecutors say.

"When banks raised questions about the funds, Guan allegedly lied repeatedly and falsely claimed that the funds came from legitimate donations to the media company," US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a press release.

The Epoch Times didn't respond to a comment request.

NBC News reported last year that the Epoch Times, which is linked to members of the Falun Gong group that has been repressed by China's government, grew by sending out free physical copies of its newspaper to hundreds of thousands of people and that it has focused on conservatives over age 60. The publication claims it's the fourth-largest newspaper in the US by subscriber count, but unlike other media outlets, its circulation figures aren't audited.

Other outlets have noted the Epoch Times' willingness to play up stories about vaccine injuries and to traffic in conspiracy theories, like the idea that the Biden administration is trying to reduce food production and force Americans to eat bugs

• Microsoft on Monday cut hundreds Azure jobs to focus on AI investments, Business Insider reported.
• An internal memo said a focus to "define the AI wave" was behind the changes.
• The company is also increasing investments in quantum computing and other science projects.

Quantum computing is a gnarly technical challenge that tech giants have been hacking away at for more than a decade.

Microsoft isn't giving up, according to an internal memo detailing cuts in other parts of the company's operations.

Business Insider broke the news on Monday that Microsoft is cutting hundreds of jobs from its Azure cloud business. Executive Jason Zander blamed the cuts on Microsoft's need to purse AI investments, according to an internal memo obtained by BI.

In that memo, Zander also discussed other areas where Microsoft is doubling down, although he still described this as part of the company's broader AI efforts.

"Looking ahead, we will increase investments in Quantum and Science, demonstrating the exciting possibilities of AI and cloud computing," Zander wrote in the memo.

He highlighted Microsoft breakthroughs, such as the discovery of a new battery electrolyte that he said uses 70% less lithium, as well as the first demonstration of "reliable logical qubits."

Traditional computers rely on bits representing ones and zeros to complete tasks. In contrast, a quantum bit, or "qubit," represents a one and a zero at the same time. Many qubits working together could in theory create a computer that performs some calculations exponentially faster.

"We have more innovations like this already under way and are seeing an acceleration of discovery with our customers as well," Zander also wrote in the memo. "Going forward we will accelerate the product roadmap and build up this next generation business, building on the foundation we established with Azure Quantum Elements and infrastructure components built in AFO."

AFO is Microsoft's Azure for Operators, a team from which Microsoft on Monday cut as many as 1,500 employees, according to an estimate from one of the people familiar with the cuts.

Are you a Microsoft employee or someone else with insight to share?

Contact Ashley Stewart via email (astewart@businessinsider.com), or send a secure message from a non-work device via Signal (+1-425-344-8242).

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If you're shopping for a new TV, Samsung should be among the top brands you look at. The company is one of the most popular display manufacturers, and the best Samsung TVs deliver an excellent balance between picture quality and smart features.

To help narrow your search, we've rounded up the best Samsung TVs you can buy right now. Our top pick is the Samsung S90C, which uses an OLED panel with quantum dots to deliver high contrast and bright colors. Meanwhile, shoppers looking for a budget-friendly display should consider the Samsung CU7000. It can't match the image quality of Samsung's pricier sets, but it offers a reliable smart TV experience without breaking the bank. 

We selected the best Samsung TVs based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by more than a decade's worth of experience covering home entertainment products. Our picks also include QLED models, an 8K display, and an OLED built with a unique anti-reflective screen. 

Note: Samsung TVs are available in multiple sizes. Most stores let you select different sizes from each model's listing page. Performance may vary slightly depending on the size you choose.

Our top picks for the best Samsung TVs

Best overall: Samsung S90C OLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best high-end QLED: Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best budget model: Samsung CU7000 Crystal LED 4K TV – See at Samsung

Best 8K display: Samsung QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV – See at Amazon

Best for reducing glare: Samsung S95D OLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best for your wall: Samsung LS03D Frame QLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best overall

The S90C is the best Samsung TV you can buy for the money. In fact, we think it's the best TV you can snag right now from any brand. The display uses an OLED panel with an infinite contrast ratio and quantum dots. That latter feature enables the TV to deliver better color performance than similarly priced OLEDs from LG and Sony. It also boasts a high 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC to enable smooth gameplay. 

Like all Samsung TVs, the display supports the HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and it looks stunning when playing compatible movies and TV shows. Highlights sparkle from the screen, and the S90C produces deeper, more precise black levels than any of Samsung's QLED models. It also has better viewing angles than a QLED, so you can sit to the side of the TV without seeing any major loss in image quality.

But while the S90C is fairly bright for an OLED, at a peak of about 1,000 nits, it can't match the 2,000-nit peak of Samsung's top QLEDs, like the QN90 series. However, since the S90C's pixel-level dimming enables much better contrast control than a QLED's backlight, we think this dip in brightness is a more than acceptable tradeoff.

Buyers should be aware that Samsung now sells a new 2024 version of this TV, called the S90D. We'll be testing the S90D soon, but upgrades are expected to be subtle. Since the new model is significantly more expensive, we think the cheaper S90C remains a better value while supplies last. 

Read our Samsung S90C 4K TV review. 

Note: Samsung's 83-inch S90C does not feature quantum dots, so its screen can't match the color performance of smaller sizes.

Best high-end QLED

Though we favor Samsung's OLED TVs for their superior contrast, the brand's QN90C QLED TV is still an impressive display, especially if you need an extra-bright screen in your living room. 

Part of Samsung's "Neo QLED" series, the QN90C uses quantum dots for expanded color and a Mini LED backlight. In conjunction with full-array local dimming, the TV's Mini LEDs enable it to produce deep black levels with better contrast and brightness control than a typical QLED TV. 

However, the QN90C's dimming still isn't as precise as an OLED, so some minor blooming (small halos around bright objects) could appear in certain scenes, particularly sequences with objects like candles. But, compared to cheaper QLEDs, the QN90C gets remarkably close to OLED-level contrast while delivering around 2,000 nits of peak brightness, nearly double what the S90C offers.

If you don't want one of Samsung's OLED TVs, the QN90C is an excellent premium display option. It's best for people who want an especially bright display and never want to think twice about burn-in.

Buyers should note that Samsung does sell a 2024 edition of this TV, called the QN90D. This model delivered similarly impressive performance during our testing. But it costs a lot more, and its improvements are minimal, so the cheaper QN90C remains a better buy.    

Best budget model

Samsung excels at high-end TVs, but its entry-level offerings tend to be a bit overpriced for what you get. At least compared to value-friendly options from TCL, Hisense, and Vizio. Though you can get more bang for your buck from one of those companies, the CU7000 is a solid budget pick for anyone set on sticking with the Samsung brand.

The CU7000 uses a regular LCD panel with an edge-lit LED backlight, and it's missing all the step-up picture quality features you'd find on QLED and OLED models. This means the TV can't produce a wide color gamut, and black levels won't be as deep or uniform across the screen. The display is also one of the dimmest options in Samsung's lineup. It technically supports HDR10 and HDR10+ processing, but it's incapable of showing off the true benefits of those formats.

On the plus side, the TV does support full 4K resolution for a sharp, clean image, and it plays standard dynamic range content in high definition just fine, so HD cable channels and all of the best live TV streaming services will look exactly like they're supposed to. Viewing angles are mediocre, however, so you'll want to sit at the center of the screen to get the best image. 

This is a fine entry-level display for casual viewers who just want a capable smart TV and don't care about paying extra for better picture quality. But keep in mind, if you're willing to venture outside Samsung's lineup, you can find TVs with better contrast and color performance, like the Hisense U6K, for around the same amount of money.

Best 8K display

The QN900 series is the pinnacle of Samsung's QLED TV lineup. It's an 8K TV, which means it boasts four times the total number of pixels as a 4K display, and it uses the company's most advanced Mini LED backlight system. The results are undeniably impressive, even if we still think 8K resolution is unnecessary for most people.

During our testing, the QN900C peaked at nearly 2,300 nits in Filmmaker Mode, making it one of Samsung's brightest TVs. High dynamic range highlights sparkle, allowing HDR content that's graded with peaks beyond 1,000 nits to come through with extra punch. 

The TV's local dimming also works exceptionally well to keep black levels deep with minimal blooming. Samsung's OLED models still have an edge here, but the QN900C comes closer to OLED quality in a dark room than any of Samsung's other QLED TVs. Viewing angles are also great for an LCD-based display, with only small shifts in color and contrast when viewing from the side.   

But while the TV's 8K resolution means it has the potential to provide a sharper image than even the best 4K TVs, there really isn't any 8K content to play. Outside a few YouTube videos, any movies or shows you can watch right now are limited to 4K or HD resolution. This means the TV will simply upscale these videos to 8K. The QN900's upscaling looks good, but we don't think the resolution bump is worth the extra money to most people.

The perks of 8K resolution are particularly hard to see on displays that are 65 inches or smaller. Instead, 8K benefits are more noticeable on sizes 75 inches and up since 8K's higher pixel density can give images a cleaner appearance on larger screens. 

The QN900C is one of the best-looking QLED TVs that Samsung offers, but it's not a huge leap over much cheaper 4K QLEDs like the QN90C. And despite having a lower resolution, we think Samsung's OLED TVs provide better overall picture quality thanks to their superior contrast. However, if you're set on purchasing an 8K TV, this is the Samsung model to get.

A new 2024 edition of this TV, the QN900D, is also available. It performed great during our tests but didn't provide a big step up from the QN900C. Since the QN900C costs much less than the newer model, we recommend it as the better buy. 

Best for reducing glare

Samsung's S95D OLED boasts a new matte screen that significantly reduces glare and reflections in rooms with ambient light. The only other notable TVs with matte screens are Samsung's Frame and Hisense's upcoming Canvas TV, but neither of those models can match the S95D's high-end picture performance. 

During our testing, the screen filter lived up to its claims, nearly eliminating glare. This makes the S95D uniquely suited for bright rooms where distracting reflections can be problematic.

However, the glare-free coating does cause black levels to look a bit elevated in a bright room, causing the image to lose some of the inkiness that OLEDs are known for. Black levels are still perfect in a dark room, but perceived contrast does take a hit when watching dim scenes with the lights on. 

In addition to its impressive reflection handling, the S95D is the brightest OLED TV we've ever tested. We measured a peak of around 1,700 nits, about 700 nits more than the cheaper S90C. That's a notable increase, and it can make specular highlights and colors pop with a bit more intensity. However, we think the cheaper S90C's brightness capabilities are still great for most use cases.

Like the S90C, the S95D supports up to a 144Hz refresh to get incredibly smooth gameplay when hooked to a PC. The S95D has a slightly more high-end design than the cheaper S90 series, using a separate One Connect Box to house all its HDMI ports. This gives it a uniformly thin profile of just 0.4 inches all the way down.

Buyers should note that you can still buy the 2023 version of this TV, called the S95C, for a lot less money. But that model can't get as bright and doesn't have the S95D's matte screen. If you're specifically looking for a high-end, glare-free experience, the S95D is the best Samsung TV to get.  

Read our Samsung S95D 4K TV review and our S95D vs. S95C comparison.

Best for your wall

Samsung's Frame TV is an excellent choice for anyone planning to wall mount their display. The unique display is built to look like a piece of art hanging in your living room.

The Frame has a black border by default, but you can pay extra to get different bezel colors for the exact picture-frame look you want. Options include white, brown, teak, red, beige, and more. The add-on bezels magnetically snap onto the display for simple installation. 

Like Samsung's S95 series OLEDs, the Frame TV uses an external One Connect Box to house its video ports, which enables the panel to maintain a one-inch profile from top to bottom. When paired with the included slim-fit wall mount, the TV can be hung flush on your wall, just like a framed work of art.

The display uses a matte finish that's similar but not identical to the one used on the S95D. This finish helps prevent reflections and gives the screen a more canvas-like appearance. When you're not watching TV, you can have it enter "Art Mode," which will cycle through various paintings and photographs you can pull from Samsung's Art Store (subscription required) or a USB drive. A built-in motion sensor can even toggle the Art Mode to activate when people are in the room.

While the Frame's unique design is its main selling point, the TV also benefits from using a QLED panel, albeit without all the bells and whistles that Samsung's best QLEDs have. The Frame can't hit the same peak brightness levels as our high-end picks, and it lacks local dimming for precise contrast control. 

We don't recommend this TV for anyone focused on picture quality, but it still delivers a nice enough image for casual viewing. The Frame is really geared toward people who want the best Samsung TV that can double as an attractive design piece to hang in a living room, and in that sense, it excels.

This new 2024 version of the Frame isn't a major upgrade over the previous model, but it's sold for around the same price as the older set. If you can find the 2022 Frame model on sale for less money, it's still a good buy, but when they're around the same price, we recommend snagging this latest edition. 

Note: The 32-inch Frame TV features a Full-HD 1080p screen rather than a 4K panel.

How we test Samsung TVs

Our picks for the best Samsung TVs are based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by a decade's worth of expertise covering the home entertainment market. Testing consists of several key evaluation points that we use to judge a TV's overall performance and value, including high dynamic range (HDR) quality, brightness, color gamut coverage, contrast, local dimming performance (if applicable), viewing angles, navigation speed, design, and price. 

When measuring a TV's brightness and evaluating other technical picture quality attributes, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

However, test patterns only show one part of the equation, so we rely on real-world content to see how a TV looks when watching typical programs in bright and dark rooms. Our demo material is selected to feature scenes that show off black levels, highlights, color fidelity, and fine details with 4K Ultra HD, high definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) material. We also use various sources, including streaming services, cable channels, and a 4K Blu-ray player. 

General usability and design are also considered. We get a feel for living with a TV for a few weeks while using its basic functions and smart TV features. If a TV has slow navigation or is missing key functions, that impacts our assessment, but we place expectations for each model within the context of its price range. 

Samsung TV FAQs

Are Samsung's 2024 TVs worth it?

Samsung's new line of 2024 TV models is now available to purchase. However, the company's 2023 TVs will remain available as long as stock lasts.

In many cases, Samsung's 2024 TVs only offer minor performance improvements, and most new sets cost much more than their 2023 counterparts. With that in mind, many 2023 TV models still offer the best value for your dollar. 

However, there are two notable exceptions. The first is the 2024 Frame TV, which is already selling for the same price as the older Frame TV. If you can find the older model on sale for less, it remains a good buy, but when they're the same price, grab the 2024 edition. 

The other exception is the new 2024 S95D OLED, our pick for the best Samsung TV with a glare-free screen. Out of all of Samsung's 2024 TVs, the S95D offers the biggest upgrade over its 2023 counterpart, with a 30% increase in brightness and a new matte screen that nearly eliminates reflections. That said, the S95D costs about $1,000 more than the 2023 S95C, which is a big price difference. So, if the anti-glare feature isn't a key selling point for you, the S95C remains the better value. 

What kind of TVs does Samsung make?

Samsung's TV lineup can be best divided into three categories: OLED, QLED, and Crystal UHD.

Samsung's OLED TVs use organic light-emitting diode panels capable of self-illuminating pixels. This means they don't need a backlight and can produce perfect black levels and an infinite contrast ratio. Most Samsung OLEDs also use quantum dots, which gives them an expanded color range. On the downside, in extreme cases, OLED TVs are technically susceptible to burn-in, and even the best models can't get quite as bright as top QLED TVs.

Samsung's QLED TVs use LCD (liquid crystal display) panels with LED backlights and quantum dots. They can't produce the pixel-level contrast and deep black levels of an OLED, but the best models can get brighter, and there's no risk of burn-in. Top Samsung QLEDs, branded as Neo QLED, also incorporate Mini LEDs with full-array local dimming, which enables them to get a lot closer to the contrast performance of an OLED. 

For more details on how OLED and QLED TVs stack up, check out our full QLED vs. OLED comparison. 

Finally, Samsung's Crystal UHD TVs use entry-level LCD panels with LED backlights. These displays lack the color, brightness, and contrast capabilities of Samsung's OLED and QLED sets. This series is meant for casual buyers who just want a basic smart TV and don't care about advanced picture quality.

All of Samsung's different displays are available in multiple sizes, often ranging from as small as 32 inches to as large as 98 inches. For recommendations at various screen sizes, check out our size-specific guides:

• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs

Does Samsung still sell HDTVs?  

You can still find some older Samsung HDTVs in stock at several retailers, particularly in smaller screen sizes, but the company only has one notable HDTV model in its current lineup: the 32-inch Frame TV.

HDTVs in 32-inch screen sizes and smaller can still offer decent value for buyers who just want a cheap, compact TV for casual viewing. However, given how affordable entry-level 4K TVs have become, we recommend avoiding HDTV models larger than 32 inches. 

Are Samsung TVs better than LG TVs?

Samsung and LG both make some of our favorite TVs, and it's difficult to say that one brand is better than the other. Instead, they both have pros and cons depending on your needs and which specific TV models you're looking at.

Regarding LCD-based models, the best Samsung TVs are branded as QLED, while LG's are branded as QNED. There are some differences in the panel technology each uses, but they're similar in overall capabilities. Samsung's high-end QLEDs, however, have traditionally had an edge over LG's best QNEDs thanks to their higher brightness and better local dimming performance. But that could change with the release of LG's 2024 QNED 90T, which impressed us with its improvements in contrast control during an early hands-on look. 

Both companies also sell some of the best OLED TVs, and it's here where the competition gets tougher. Most of Samsung's OLEDs use quantum dots, which gives them an edge in color performance over LG's OLEDs. But LG's top OLEDs, the G3 and G4, use Micro Lens Array technology to boost peak brightness. LG also has more OLED models and sizes, with options for more budgets. 

And no matter what type of TV you get, it's important to remember that LG's mid- and high-end TVs support Dolby Vision, while Samsung's support the competing HDR10+ format. Both high dynamic range formats offer similar capabilities, with scene-by-scene guidance for displaying contrast and color, but Dolby Vision is used on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs. 

What smart TV interface does Samsung use?

Samsung uses a proprietary smart TV interface built using the Tizen operating system (OS). Unlike other interfaces such as Roku OS, Android TV, Fire TV, or Google TV, you won't find Samsung's Tizen platform on other smart TV models or streaming devices. 

For many years, Samsung's Tizen OS featured a pop-up screen that displayed apps across a horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen, but Samsung updated its interface in 2022. Now, Samsung smart TVs use a full-screen homepage that organizes your favorite services and presents you with content recommendations. There's also a Gaming Hub section that lets you access cloud services like Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna. 

Samsung's smart TV interface works well across its lineup of TVs and offers access to all of the best streaming services, but it's not the smoothest OS we've used. Even high-end models, like the QN90C and S90C, are prone to hiccups and slight lag when navigating menus and content libraries. 

Most buyers should be satisfied with Samsung's smart TV performance, and no major services or features are missing. But if you prefer a different interface with slightly snappier navigation, we recommend checking out our guide to the best streaming devices for other options. 

Are Samsung TVs prone to burn-in?

Samsung's QLED and Crystal UHD TVs are not susceptible to burn-in, but the company's OLED models can experience this issue in extreme cases. Burn-in occurs if a static image is left on an OLED screen for hours on end — the CNN or ESPN logo in the corner, for example — which can cause a faint, ghostly image to get stuck on the screen.

Though Samsung OLED buyers should be aware of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to prevent burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel-refreshers. Publications like Rtings have done long-term tests with many OLED TVs, including Samsung's models, and while results do show that burn-in is possible, the tests show that people with regular viewing habits don't need to worry about it. 

As long as you don't plan on watching CNN all day long, burn-in shouldn't be a factor when deciding whether to buy an OLED TV. But if you tend to watch just one cable channel for several hours daily, you're better off getting one of Samsung's QLED or Crystal UHD models so you don't have to think twice about burn-in. 

Do Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision?

Even the best Samsung TVs are missing Dolby Vision support. However, Samsung TVs do support a similar format called HDR10+. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are both dynamic metadata high dynamic range formats. This means that compatible movies and shows can include specific instructions for how your TV should handle HDR contrast and color on a scene-by-scene basis. 

This is in contrast to the standard HDR10 format, a static metadata format that can only include one set of instructions for an entire video rather than scene-by-scene details. In practice, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ can deliver a more refined HDR experience with video quality that better matches the specific capabilities of your TV. However, these benefits over standard HDR10 are often very subtle. 

Though Dolby Vision and HDR10+ both offer similar capabilities, Dolby Vision is supported on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs, which makes it the more desirable of the two formats. 

Check out our HDR guide for more information about how these formats stack up. 

Best overall: Samsung S90C

Pros: OLED with quantum dots for rich colors and infinite contrast ratio, wide viewing angles, 144Hz refresh rate for PC gaming

Cons: Not as bright as QLED TVs, risk of burn-in in extreme cases

The S90C is the best Samsung TV you can buy for the money. In fact, we think it's the best TV value you can snag right now from any brand. The display uses an OLED panel with an infinite contrast ratio and quantum dots for better color performance than direct competitors from LG and Sony. It also boasts a high 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC. 

Like all Samsung 4K TVs, the display supports the HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and it looks stunning when playing compatible movies and TV shows. Highlights sparkle from the screen, and the S90C produces deeper, more precise black levels than any of Samsung's QLED TVs. 

And though Samsung's high-end QLEDs also have solid viewing angles, the S90C's OLED screen is even better. You can sit far off to the side of the TV without seeing any major loss in image quality. But while the S90C is bright for an OLED, at a peak of about 1,000 nits, it still can't match the 2,000-nit peak of Samsung's top QLEDs, like the QN90C. 

However, since the S90C's pixel-level dimming enables much better contrast control than a QLED's backlight, we think this dip in brightness is a more than acceptable tradeoff. 

Read our Samsung S90C 4K TV review. 

*Samsung's 83-inch S90C does not feature quantum dots, so its screen is not expected to match the color performance of smaller sizes.

Best budget: Samsung CU7000

Pros: Affordable, tons of screen size options

Cons: Lacks wide color support, contrast suffers without local dimming, mediocre viewing angles, 60Hz screen can't support high frame gaming modes

Samsung excels at high-end TVs, but its entry-level offerings tend to be a bit overpriced for what you get. At least compared to value-friendly options from TCL, Hisense, and Vizio. Though you can get more bang for your buck from one of those companies, the CU7000 is a solid budget pick for anyone who's set on sticking with the Samsung brand.

The CU7000 uses a regular LCD panel with an edge-lit LED backlight, and it's missing all the step-up picture quality features you'd find on QLED and OLED models. This means the TV isn't capable of a wide color gamut, and black levels won't be as deep or uniform across the screen. The display is also one of the dimmest options in Samsung's lineup. It technically supports HDR10 and HDR10+ processing, but it's just not capable of showing off the true benefits of those formats.

On the plus side, the TV does support full 4K resolution for a sharp, clean image, and it plays standard dynamic range content in high definition just fine, so HD cable channels and all of the best live TV streaming services will look exactly like they're supposed to. Viewing angles are mediocre, however, so you'll want to sit at the center of the screen to get the best image. 

This is a fine entry-level display for casual viewers who just want a capable smart TV and don't care about paying extra for better picture quality. But keep in mind, if you're willing to venture outside Samsung's lineup, you can find TVs with better contrast and color performance, like the Hisense U6K, for just a bit more money.

Best midrange QLED: Samsung QN85C

Pros: Good HDR performance, Mini LED backlight for great contrast, solid viewing angles for a QLED, no risk for burn-in

Cons: Not as bright as Samsung's top TVs, contrast not as precise as an OLED

The QN85C is an excellent QLED TV for anyone who wants to spend less than $1,500 on a 65-inch set. Though brightness and color volume aren't quite as impressive as Samsung's more expensive QN90C, the QN85C is still part of the company's "Neo QLED" lineup. The Neo QLED branding means that the TV boasts quantum dots for expanded colors and a Mini LED backlight for better contrast control than a typical QLED. 

This upper-midrange set is ideal for buyers who want to save a little cash without sacrificing HDR quality. Samsung's S95C and QN90C can both get brighter, but make no mistake, this model is no slouch. You still get about 1,000 nits of peak brightness, which is the standard that a lot of HDR content is designed for, and is enough to deliver a punchy image in a living room that lets in a lot of light. 

Contrast and black levels are strong, but the TV's local dimming performance can't match the pixel-level precision of an OLED TV. On the plus side, the TV has solid viewing angles, which isn't something you see in a lot of QLED models from other brands. 

However, if you don't mind a narrower viewing angle, you can get more bang for your buck with cheaper Mini LED TVs from other companies, like the Hisense U7K. But the QN85C is the most affordable Mini LED TV that Samsung sells. The next step down in Samsung's lineup, the Q80C, uses a regular LED backlight and has far fewer dimming zones, which leads to less impressive contrast and lower brightness. When it comes to midrange QLEDs, the QN85C is the Samsung model to get. 

Best high-end QLED: Samsung QN90C

Pros: Brighter than OLED models, Mini LED panel with full-array local dimming, no burn-in risk

Cons: Contrast can't match an OLED, some blooming visible

Though we favor OLED TV tech for its superior contrast, QLEDs are still great TVs, especially if you need a bright screen in your living room. Samsung's QN90C is easily one of the best QLED TVs on the market, and it offers a solid step up from the QN85C.

Part of Samsung's "Neo QLED" series, the QN90C uses quantum dots for expanded color and a Mini LED backlight. In conjunction with full-array local dimming, the TV's Mini LEDs enable it to produce deep black levels with better contrast and brightness control than regular QLED TVs. 

The QN90C's dimming still isn't as precise as an OLED like the S90C, so you might see some minor blooming (small halos around bright objects) in certain scenes. But, compared to cheaper QLEDs, the QN90C gets remarkably close to OLED-level contrast while delivering nearly double the peak brightness of the S90C and QN85C.

The TV's high brightness capabilities make it an especially good choice for living rooms that let in a lot of ambient light. It also handles glare well, and unlike last year's QN90B, this model isn't prone to streaking rainbow reflections when light hits the screen at certain angles. And the QN90C has some of the best off-axis image quality you'll find on a TV of this type. 

If you don't want one of Samsung's OLED TVs, the QN90C is an excellent QLED alternative for people who need an extra-bright display and never want to think twice about burn-in. 

Best high-end OLED: Samsung S95C

Pros: Samsung's brightest OLED, 144Hz panel for high frame rate PC gaming, thin design with One Connect Box

Cons: Pricey compared to the similar S90C, risk of burn-in in extreme cases

When it comes to the best image performance you can buy, the S95C is the current king of Samsung's 4K TV lineup. It takes everything we love about the S90C, pumps up the brightness, and packs it all in a thin, flat design. But given its high-end performance, it also comes at an equally high price. 

Using Samsung's second-gen QD-OLED panel, the S95C manages to deliver a 30% increase in peak brightness over the S90C, with a max of about 1,360 nits. This can make specular highlights and colors pop with a bit more intensity while still offering perfect black levels. 

Like the S90c, the TV also supports a 144Hz refresh rate versus the 120Hz rate you'll find on typical high-end displays from other brands. This means you can connect a computer to get incredibly smooth gameplay, so long as your PC is powerful enough to output 144 frames per second. 

But unlike the S90C, the S95C has a uniformly slim profile. Though the S90C is technically slimmer at its thinnest point, that TV protrudes toward the bottom to accommodate all its video ports. The S95C, however, uses a separate One Connect Box to house all of its HDMI ports so that the panel can maintain a profile of just 0.4 inches all the way down. 

Though we think the cheaper S90C is still a better overall value, the S95C is the best pick for buyers who want high-end OLED performance and a premium design but don't mind paying top dollar to get them.

Read our Samsung S95C 4K TV review. 

Best for your wall: Samsung Frame

Pros: Unique art-frame design with matte-finish screen, hangs flush on wall, quantum dots for wide color support, customizable bezel options

Cons: Brightness and contrast can't match Neo QLED and OLED TVs

Samsung's Frame TV is an excellent choice for anyone planning to wall mount their display. The unique TV is built to look like a piece of art hanging in your living room.

The Frame comes with a black border by default, but you can pay extra to get different bezel colors for the exact picture-frame look you want. Options include white, brown, teak, red, beige, and more. The add-on bezels magnetically snap onto the display for simple installation. 

Like Samsung's S95C OLED, the Frame TV uses an external One Connect Box to house its video ports, which enables the panel to maintain a 1-inch profile from top to bottom. When paired with the included slim-fit wall mount, the TV can be hung flush on your wall, just like a framed work of art.

The display itself uses a matte finish, which prevents reflections and helps give the screen a more canvas-like appearance. When you're not watching TV, you can have it enter "Art Mode," which will cycle through various paintings and photographs that you can pull from Samsung's Art Store (subscription required) or from a USB drive. A built-in motion sensor can even toggle the Art Mode only to activate when people are in the room.

While the Frame's unique design is its main selling point, the TV also benefits from using a QLED panel, albeit without all the bells and whistles that Samsung's best QLEDs have. The Frame can't hit the same peak brightness levels as our high-end picks, and it lacks local dimming for precise contrast control, but it does have wide color support. 

We don't recommend this TV for anyone focused on the best picture quality, but it still delivers a nice enough image for casual HDR viewing. The Frame is really geared toward people who want the best Samsung TV that can double as an attractive design piece hanging in their living room, and in that sense, it excels. 

*The 32-inch Frame TV features a Full-HD 1080p screen rather than a 4K panel.

Best 8K: Samsung QN900C

Pros: 8K resolution provides high pixel density for large screens, one of Samsung's brightest TVs, great local dimming performance with Mini LEDs

Cons: 8K content is virtually nonexistent, the benefits of 8K versus 4K are subtle 

The QN900C is the absolute cream of the crop of Samsung's QLED TV lineup. It's an 8K TV, which means it boasts four times the total number of pixels as a 4K display, and it uses the company's most advanced Mini LED backlight system. The results are undeniably impressive, even if we still think 8K resolution is unnecessary for most people.

During our testing, the QN900C peaked at nearly 2,300 nits in Filmmaker Mode, making it one of the brightest TVs on the market from any brand. High dynamic range highlights really sparkle, allowing HDR content that's graded with peaks beyond 1,000 nits to come through with extra punch. 

The TV's local dimming also works exceptionally well to keep black levels deep with minimal blooming. Samsung's OLED models still have an edge here, but the QN900C comes closer to OLED quality in a dark room than any of Samsung's other QLED TVs. Viewing angles are also great for an LCD-based display, with only small shifts in color and contrast when viewing from the side.   

But while the TV's 8K resolution means it has the potential to provide a sharper image than even the best 4K TVs, there really isn't any 8K content to play. Outside a few YouTube videos, any movies or shows you can watch right now are limited to 4K or HD resolution. This means the TV will simply upscale these videos to 8K. The QN900's upscaling does look good, but we just don't think the resolution bump is worth the extra money to most people.

The perks of 8K resolution are particularly hard to see on a 65-inch model, which is why we don't recommend any 8K TVs in our guides to the best 65-inch TVs or best 55-inch TVs. 8K benefits are more noticeable on sizes 75 inches and up since 8K's higher pixel density can give images a cleaner appearance on larger screens.  

The QN900C is the best-looking QLED TV that Samsung has on offer right now, but it's not a huge leap over much cheaper 4K models like the QN90C. And despite having 4K resolution, we think Samsung's OLED TVs provide better overall picture quality thanks to their superior contrast. However, if you're really set on buying an 8K TV, this is the Samsung model to get.

How we test Samsung TVs

Our picks for the best Samsung TVs are based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by a decade's worth of expertise covering the home entertainment market. Testing consists of several key evaluation points that we use to judge a TV's overall performance and value, including high dynamic range (HDR) quality, brightness, color gamut coverage, contrast, local dimming performance (if applicable), viewing angles, navigation speed, design, and price. 

When measuring a TV's brightness and evaluating other technical picture quality attributes, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

However, test patterns only show one part of the equation, so we rely on real-world content to see how a TV looks when watching typical programs. Our demo material is selected to feature scenes that show off black levels, highlights, color fidelity, and fine details with 4K Ultra HD, high definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) material. We also use a mix of sources, including streaming services, cable channels, and a 4K Blu-ray player. 

General usability and design are also considered so we get a feel for what it's like to live with a TV for a few weeks while using all of its basic functions and smart TV features. If a TV has slow navigation or is missing key functions, that impacts our assessment, but we place expectations for each model within the context of its price range. 

Samsung TV FAQs

When will Samsung's 2024 TVs be released?

Samsung revealed its 2024 TV models at the CES trade show in January. However, the company has not confirmed the exact pricing or release dates of each model just yet. But new TVs typically start rolling out to stores in the late spring of every year, so that's when we expect 2024 Samsung TVs to launch.

Samsung's 2023 TV models will also remain available throughout the year as long as stock lasts. Though the 2024 models will offer some performance improvements, they will likely cost quite a bit more than what Samsung's 2023 TVs are currently selling for. With that in mind, we still recommend picking up a 2023 TV to get the best value for your dollar. 

What kind of TVs does Samsung make?

Samsung's TV lineup can be best broken down into three categories: OLED, QLED, and Crystal UHD.

Samsung's OLED TVs use organic light-emitting diode panels that are capable of self-illuminating pixels. This means that they don't need a backlight and can produce perfect black levels and an infinite contrast ratio. Most Samsung OLEDs also use quantum dots, which gives them an expanded color range. On the downside, in extreme cases, OLED TVs are technically susceptible to burn-in, and even the best models can't get quite as bright as top QLED TVs.

Samsung's QLED TVs use LCD (liquid crystal display) panels with LED backlights and quantum dots. They can't produce the pixel-level contrast and deep black levels of an OLED, but the best models can get brighter, and there's no risk of burn-in. Top Samsung QLEDs, branded as Neo QLED, also incorporate Mini LEDs with full-array local dimming, which enables them to get a lot closer to the contrast performance of an OLED. 

Finally, Samsung's Crystal UHD TVs use entry-level LCD panels with LED backlights. These displays lack the color, brightness, and contrast capabilities found on Samsung's OLED and QLED sets. This series is meant for casual buyers who just want a basic smart TV and don't care about advanced picture quality.

Does Samsung still sell HDTVs?  

You can still find some older Samsung HDTVs in stock at several retailers, particularly in smaller screen sizes, but the company only has one notable HDTV model in its current lineup: the 32-inch Frame TV.

HDTVs in 32-inch screen sizes and smaller can still offer decent value for buyers who just want a cheap, compact TV for casual viewing. However, given how affordable entry-level 4K TVs have become, we recommend avoiding HDTV models larger than 32 inches. 

Are Samsung TVs better than LG TVs?

Samsung and LG both make some of our favorite TVs, and it's difficult to say that one brand is actually better than the other. Instead, they both have key pros and cons depending on your needs and which specific TV models you're looking at.

When it comes to LCD-based models, the best Samsung TVs are branded as QLED, while LG's are branded as QNED. There are some differences in the panel technology each uses, but they're similar in overall capabilities. Samsung's high-end QLEDs, however, have an edge over LG's best QNEDs thanks to their higher brightness and better local dimming performance. 

Both companies also sell some of the best OLED TV models, and it's here where the competition gets tougher. Most of Samsung's OLEDs use quantum dots, which gives them an edge in color performance over LG's OLEDs. But LG's top OLED, the G3, uses Micro Lens Array technology to boost peak brightness. LG also has more OLED models and sizes to choose from, with options for more budgets. 

And no matter what type of TV you get, it's important to remember that LG's mid- and high-end TVs support Dolby Vision, while Samsung's support the competing HDR10+ format. Both high dynamic range formats offer similar capabilities, with scene-by-scene control over contrast and color, but Dolby Vision is used on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs. 

What smart TV interface does Samsung use?

Samsung uses a proprietary smart TV interface that's built using the Tizen operating system (OS). Unlike other interfaces such as Roku OS, Android TV, Fire TV, or Google TV, you won't find Samsung's Tizen platform on any other smart TV models or streaming devices. 

For many years, Samsung's Tizen OS featured a pop-up screen that displayed apps across a horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen, but Samsung updated its interface in 2022. Now, Samsung smart TVs use a full-screen homepage that organizes your favorite services and presents you with content recommendations. There's also a Gaming Hub section that lets you access cloud services like Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna. 

Samsung's smart TV interface works well across its lineup of TVs and offers access to all of the best streaming services, but it's not the smoothest OS we've used. Even high-end models, like the QN90C and S90C, are prone to some hiccups and slight lag here and there when navigating through menus and content libraries. 

Most buyers should be satisfied with Samsung's smart TV performance, and there are no major services or features missing. But if you prefer a different interface with slightly snappier navigation, we recommend checking out our guide to the best streaming devices for other options. 

Are Samsung TVs prone to burn-in?

Samsung's QLED and Crystal UHD TVs are not susceptible to burn-in, but the company's OLED models can experience this issue in extreme cases. Burn-in occurs if a static image is left on an OLED screen for hours on end — the CNN or ESPN logo in the corner, for example — which can cause a faint, ghostly image to get stuck on the screen.

Though Samsung OLED buyers should be aware of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to prevent burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel-refreshers. Publications like Rtings have done long-term tests with many OLED TVs, including Samsung's models, and while results do show that burn-in is possible, the tests show that people with regular viewing habits don't need to worry about it. 

As long as you don't plan on watching CNN all day long, burn-in shouldn't be a factor when deciding whether to buy an OLED TV. But if you're someone who tends to watch just one cable channel for several hours every day, you're better off getting one of Samsung's QLED or Crystal UHD models so you don't have to think twice about burn-in. 

Do Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision?

Even the best Samsung TVs are missing Dolby Vision support. However, Samsung TVs do support a similar format called HDR10+. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are both dynamic metadata high dynamic range formats. This means that compatible movies and shows can include specific instructions for how your TV should handle HDR contrast and color on a scene-by-scene basis. 

This is in contrast to the standard HDR10 format, which is a static metadata format that can only include one set of instructions for an entire video rather than scene-by-scene details. In practice, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ can deliver a more refined HDR experience with video quality that better matches the specific capabilities of your TV.

Though Dolby Vision and HDR10+ both offer similar capabilities, Dolby Vision is supported on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs, which makes it the more desirable of the two formats. 

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The best OLED TVs offer the most impressive picture quality you can buy. Though pricier than other displays, there's no substitute for an OLED if you want high-end image performance with true black levels, an infinite contrast ratio, and wide viewing angles.

Based on a combination of hands-on testing and over a decade's experience covering home entertainment products, we've selected the best OLED TVs you can buy. We recommend the Samsung S90C as our top pick. It's the most affordable OLED with quantum dots, which enables it to deliver impressive color performance. But if you're willing to pay top dollar, the Sony A95L offers a more accurate image with a brighter picture and better upscaling. 

Below, you can find all our picks for the best OLED TVs, including a model geared toward budget shoppers and a high-end option with an anti-reflective screen. All our recommendations are available in multiple screen sizes, so be sure to select the size that fits your needs from each retailer's site.

Our top picks for the best OLED TVs 

Best overall: Samsung S90C 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best high-end: Sony A95L 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best on a budget: LG B3 4K TV – See at Samsung

Best midrange: LG C3 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best for your wall: LG G3 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best anti-glare screen: Samsung S95D 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best overall

Samsung's S90C is the best OLED TV there is for the money. In fact, it's our pick for the best TV overall. Thanks to its quantum dot technology, the S90C can produce a brighter image with better color performance than typical OLEDs. And it costs less than direct competitors from LG and Sony.

Like all OLED TVs, the S90C has deep black levels, wide viewing angles, and an infinite contrast ratio. But this model stands out in its price range thanks to its exceptional brightness, color range, and color volume. The S90C's peak brightness is around 1,000 nits, a nice step up from the 800-nit max of other similarly priced OLEDs. 

The TV also maintains vivid colors across high brightness levels better than LG's OLEDs. This means that high dynamic range (HDR) content really pops. HDR10 and HDR10+ videos look stunning through streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs. On the downside, it's disappointing that Samsung still doesn't support Dolby Vision, a popular HDR format. However, we don't consider that a dealbreaker. Check out our HDR TV guide for details on how Dolby Vision stacks up to other HDR formats.

Smart TV capabilities are also solid but not the smoothest we've seen. A cool Gaming Hub lets you use services like Xbox Game Pass to stream games without a console, a feature you won't find on Sony and LG TVs. And you can game at up to 144Hz when paired with a computer. These perks help cement the S90C as the best OLED TV for gaming, in addition to being our top pick overall. 

Samsung does sell a 2024 version of this set, called the S90D, that can get a little brighter. However, the S90D is much more expensive, so we think this 2023 model is the better buy. Likewise, though there are better-looking OLED TVs on the market, they all cost considerably more than the S90C, and their upgrades in picture performance are subtle. When it comes to overall bang for your buck, the S90C is simply unmatched. 

Read our Samsung S90C OLED 4K TV review.

Check out our guide to the best Samsung TVs.

Note: The 83-inch S90C does not use quantum dots, so that size can't offer the same color performance as smaller models.

Best high-end

Sony's OLED TVs are known for their high-end picture processing, which enables them to deliver the most accurate image on the market. The A95L is the company's latest and greatest model, and it's the best OLED TV you can buy for a premium home theater experience.  

Like most of Samsung's competing OLED TVs, the A95L uses quantum dots to achieve a brighter, more colorful image than a typical OLED screen. And the A95L is one of the brightest OLEDs we've tested. We measured a max of about 1,500 nits. That's 500 nits higher than this model's predecessor, the A95K 4K TV, and about even with LG's G series TVs. This leads to more realistic contrast and details in specular highlights when watching HDR content graded for peaks over 1,000 nits. 

However, Samsung's brand-new S95D OLED can get even brighter, with a peak of about 1,700 nits. But unlike Samsung's OLEDs, the A95L supports Dolby Vision, so it can more precisely render HDR images on a scene-by-scene basis. On top of all that, the A95L uses Sony's proprietary image processing to better optimize its picture and upscale lower-quality content. This means you'll get a cleaner, smoother image with fewer artifacts. So, while the S95D is the new OLED champ for brightness, the A95L's overall image quality is still better. 

The A95L also features a premium design with a slim screen and convenient stand that can be set up in one of two modes: high or low profile. High profile gives you enough space to fit a soundbar in front, while low profile allows the display to sit flush on your entertainment console. A backlit Google Assistant voice remote is also included, and the A95L even comes with a webcam for video calls and gesture controls. 

On the downside, the TV only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, which max out at 120Hz instead of the 144Hz support you get on Samsung OLEDs. But as far as high-end TVs go, they really don't get any better than the A95L. If budget isn't a concern and you want the absolute best image quality you can get, the A95L is the best OLED TV to buy.

Best on a budget

The LG B3 is one of the most affordable OLED TVs available. Though it lacks the brightness capabilities and improved processing of LG's more expensive C- and G-Series TVs, it still provides all of the contrast, black level, and viewing angle benefits that OLEDs are known for.

At a max of about 600-700 nits, the B3 can deliver solid but not fantastic brightness. Though extreme highlights won't pop with the same intensity you'd see on pricier sets, the TV's pixel-level contrast still delivers better overall HDR performance than any QLED display. However, the B3's dimmer image does make this model less ideal for living rooms that let in a lot of light.

Despite its lower price, the B3 still packs in HDMI 2.1 support and a 120Hz panel. This means it can support advanced gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and a 120 frames-per-second mode on compatible titles. 

LG does sell a new 2024 version of this TV, called the B4, but its launch price is much higher than the B3 sells for. We expect the B4 to come down in price as the year goes on, but for now, the B3 remains the best OLED TV to buy on a budget.

Best midrange

The LG C3 is an excellent all-around 4K display. It isn't the absolute best OLED TV on the market, but it provides impressive performance in its class. It's also available in more screen sizes than most OLEDs, so buyers with different space and budget needs have plenty of options.  

Picture quality is on par with similar midrange OLEDs, but at a peak of about 800 nits, the C3 lacks the extra brightness that LG's premium G-Series TVs provide. It also can't match the color volume of OLED TVs with quantum dots, like the Samsung S90 and S95 series or the Sony A95L. 

But while HDR highlights might not shine quite as intensely, image performance is still exceptional. And unlike Samsung OLEDs, the C3 supports the Dolby Vision format, which can provide the TV with more guidance on properly displaying high-dynamic-range videos.

The C3 uses LG's webOS smart TV platform, and the interface works well. The Magic Remote lets you navigate using traditional directional buttons or by pointing the remote at the screen to move a cursor. The TV also supports 120Hz gaming with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC, but it doesn't support 144Hz. 

We still recommend our top pick, the Samsung S90C, over the C3 for most people since Samsung's TV is brighter and delivers better color for about the same price. But the C3 is a fantastic midrange OLED alternative for anyone who prefers LG's smart TV platform, wants Dolby Vision support, or is shopping for a smaller size screen.

It should also be noted that a 2024 version of this TV, called the LG C4, is now available. We got a hands-on look at the TV, and while it delivers a bump in brightness, it currently costs much more than the C3. As long as the C3 remains available for less money, we consider it the better buy.

Best for your wall

LG's G3 is an excellent TV for anyone who wants a high-end OLED that looks particularly great hanging on your wall. This is one of LG's flagship models, and it delivers image quality that's nearly on par with Sony's A95L, along with an elegant "Gallery" design.

The TV's build enables it to hang on your wall with virtually no gap, and it includes a flush wall mount to handle the job. It also manages to keep all of its ports within its panel, so there's no need for a separate box as you get with Samsung's S95 sr.

Thanks to its LG OLED Evo panel, the G3 offers high-end picture performance. It's the first OLED to use MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology to help boost its maximum brightness, and the results are impressive. During our tests, we measured a peak of about 1,470 nits using the TV's most accurate HDR mode, which puts it nearly neck-and-neck with Sony's A95L.

However, the G3 doesn't use quantum dots, so its color volume isn't as high as that of a QD-OLED panel, like those used on the A95L and most Samsung OLED TVs. Its picture processing isn't quite as accurate as Sony's either, but the differences are subtle.

Though we think the A95L edges out the G3 in overall picture performance, the G3 is a close runner-up and is often on sale for a lot less than Sony's TV. Coupled with its stylish "Gallery" design, this makes the G3 a great high-end OLED alternative, especially if you're wall-mounting your set.

But while the G3 looks fantastic on a wall, it's less suited for placing on an entertainment console. The G3 doesn't include a traditional stand, so you must purchase one separately, which adds to the cost. The display also leans back slightly when attached to LG's official stand, which gives it a somewhat awkward look. 

If you're willing to spend more money, there's also the new 2024 LG G4 to consider. Unlike the G3, the 65- and 55-inch G4s come with a stand, and the display does not lean back. However, the G4 only offers a minor upgrade in color and brightness performance, so the G3 is still the better buy for wall mounting. 

Best anti-glare screen

Many OLED TVs claim to have anti-reflective screen filters, but the Samsung S95D's glare-free coating is in a class of its own. The S95D is the only OLED you can buy that uses a matte screen instead of a glossy screen. This feature enables it to nearly eliminate glare and reflections, which can be problematic in rooms with many windows and indoor lights. 

Every other OLED on the market can cause a mirror-like effect when hit with light from certain angles, but the S95D is free from this issue. During our testing in a bright room, we saw no troublesome reflections, making this set a game changer for buyers who want an OLED free from glare. 

However, the S95D's anti-glare screen has a drawback: it hurts black-level performance in a bright room. So, while you no longer have to deal with reflections, the S95D's black levels take on a more gray and hazy look instead of the deep and inky quality you'd see on other OLEDs. Thankfully, this isn't an issue when viewing the TV with the lights off, so the S95D still offers all the black-level benefits OLEDs are known for in a dark home theater setting. 

In addition to its anti-glare screen, the S95D is the brightest OLED we've ever tested, with a peak of around 1,700 nits. This helps the display deliver exceptional HDR performance. That said, we think Sony's A95L still has an edge in overall image quality thanks to its superior picture processing. 

The S95D has all the other bells and whistles we expect from a flagship Samsung TV, including support for a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth PC gaming. And unlike the cheaper S90 series, the S95D has a uniformly thin design with a One Connect Box to house all its video ports. 

Buyers should note that Samsung still sells the 2023 version of this TV, called the S95C, for significantly less money. That model offers a virtually identical design and similar picture quality, but it does not have the S95D's glare-free screen. 

Ultimately, the S95D's matte screen is a divisive feature with clear pros and cons. For most buyers, we recommend sticking with a traditional glossy TV since you get better black levels. But if you need an OLED uniquely suited for combating glare and reflections, this is the model to get. 

Read our Samsung S95D 4K TV review and our S95D vs. S95C comparison.

How we test OLED TVs

To test the best OLED TVs, we evaluate several factors, including peak brightness, high dynamic range (HDR) performance, smart TV features, navigation speed, and value. 

To measure the brightness of a TV's panel, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter with the Spears & UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray's test patterns. We also use this disc's patterns to evaluate other objective display qualities.

However, test patterns can only reveal so much, so we also use real-world content to get a better sense of how an OLED actually looks when watching regular TV. We use the same assortment of demo movies and shows on each display to help test each OLED's overall image performance, with a specific focus on scenes that showcase shadow detail, specular highlights, color fidelity, and sharpness with native 4K, high-definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) content through Blu-ray players, cable TV, and all the best streaming services. We also evaluate TVs in various lighting conditions to see how an OLED performs in bright and dark rooms. 

OLED TV FAQs

Should you buy a 2024 OLED TV?

LG, Sony, and Samsung have started to release their new 2024 OLED TV lineups. However, 2023 TV models will remain available throughout the year until stock runs out.

Though some exceptions exist, performance improvements are subtle for most OLED models that received updated iterations this year. Likewise, 2023 models remain cheaper than their 2024 counterparts. In most cases, we think 2023 OLED TVs continue to offer the best value. 

What is an OLED TV?

OLED stands for "organic light-emitting diode." Instead of using a traditional LCD panel with a backlight, like those found on QLED and LED TVs, OLED TVs are self-illuminating. This means that each pixel on an OLED can emit its own light or turn off completely, enabling an infinite contrast ratio. Because of this high contrast performance, OLED displays are among the best 4K TVs you can buy. 

Though there are a few different types of OLED panels, they all share the same key benefits of pixel-level contrast and wide viewing angles. Some OLED subtypes, however, have extra perks that make them even more desirable. 

QD-OLED panels, for instance, have the added benefit of quantum dot technology, which enables them to produce an even wider and brighter range of colors. Sony and Samsung use QD-OLED panels in their top TVs, like the S90C, S95D, and A95L. 

Though LG doesn't use QD-OLED, it does use another advanced OLED panel tech called MLA OLED. MLA stands for Micro Lens Array, and OLEDs with this feature employ a layer of tiny convex lenses to boost their brightness capabilities. The LG G3 is the first consumer OLED to use MLA tech.

You can learn more about how OLEDs stack up against QLEDs in our full QLED vs. OLED comparison. 

Should OLED TV buyers worry about burn-in?

Even the best OLED TVs are technically susceptible to an issue known as burn-in. If you leave a static image on an OLED TV for an extended period — a news station's chyron bar, for example — a faint after-image can get stuck on the screen.

Though it sounds alarming, burn-in is not a new phenomenon. Many past TV technologies, including plasma and CRT displays, have also been prone to this issue. While OLED buyers should be mindful of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to combat burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel-refreshers. 

Publications like Rtings have done long-term tests with many OLED TV models, and while the results do show that burn-in is possible in extreme use cases, the tests show that it shouldn't be a problem for people with regular viewing habits. 

I've owned an LG CX OLED TV for over two years, and the screen shows no burn-in. In my experience, as long as you don't plan on watching the same cable news channel all day, burn-in shouldn't be a deciding factor when choosing whether to get an OLED TV. 

What size OLED TVs can you buy?

OLED TVs are sold in various screen sizes ranging from 42 to 97 inches.

The most commonly available options are 55, 65, and 77 inches. QD-OLED and standard OLED panels are both manufactured at those sizes. 

A few OLED models are also available in larger 83- and even 97-inch options. However, OLED panels with quantum dots are not currently manufactured at those sizes. 

LG, Sony, and Samsung also sell 48- and 42-inch OLED TVs, but only for a limited assortment of their models, and, once again, these options do not include QD-OLED panels. 

Some 4K OLED displays smaller than 42 inches are also available, but these sizes are limited to PC monitors, like the 32-inch Alienware AW3225QF.

For OLED TV recommendations specific to certain screen sizes, check out our size-specific guides:

• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs.
• Best 50-inch TVs

Should you buy a soundbar to pair with an OLED TV?

The best OLED TVs all include built-in speakers, but they typically offer mediocre sound quality and lack bass response. If you're unhappy with your TV's audio performance, we recommend buying a separate soundbar. 

Check out our guides to the best soundbars, best budget soundbars, and best Dolby Atmos soundbars to see our top picks. Dolby Atmos is a spatial audio format that can spread sound effects around your room with simulated overhead audio, so soundbars with this feature tend to offer the most immersive performance. 

Best overall

Samsung's S90C is the best OLED TV there is for the money. In fact, it's our pick for the best TV overall. Thanks to its quantum dot technology, the S90C can produce a brighter image with better color performance than typical OLEDs. And it costs less than its direct competitors from LG and Sony.

Like all OLED TVs, the S90C has deep black levels, wide viewing angles, and an infinite contrast ratio. But this model stands out in its price range thanks to its exceptional brightness, color range, and color volume. The S90C has a peak brightness of around 1,000 nits, which is a nice step up from the 800-nit max of other similarly priced OLEDs. 

Even better, the TV can maintain vivid colors across different brightness levels better than LG OLEDs, including the high-end G3. This means that high dynamic range (HDR) content really pops. HDR10 and HDR10+ videos look stunning through streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs. On the downside, it's disappointing that Samsung still doesn't support Dolby Vision.

Smart TV capabilities are also solid but not the smoothest we've seen. There's also a cool Gaming Hub that lets you use services like Xbox Game Pass to stream games without a console. And you can game at up to 144Hz when paired with a computer. 

Though there are better-looking OLED TVs, they cost a lot more than the S90C. When it comes to overall value, the S90C is simply unmatched. 

Read our Samsung S90C OLED 4K TV review.

*The 83-inch S90C does not use quantum dots, so that size is not expected to offer the same color performance as smaller models.

Best high-end

Sony's OLED TVs are known for their high-end picture processing, which enables them to deliver the most accurate image on the market. The A95L is the company's latest and greatest model, and it's the best OLED TV you can buy for a premium home theater experience.  

Like Samsung's OLED TVs, the A95L uses quantum dots to achieve a brighter, more colorful image than a typical OLED screen. And the A95L is the brightest OLED we've ever tested. We measured a max of about 1,500 nits with the TV in its most accurate HDR preset. That's about 500 nits higher than last year's already impressive A95K 4K TV and ever-so-slightly higher than LG's G3. This leads to more realistic contrast and details in specular highlights when watching HDR content that's graded for peaks over 1,000 nits. 

And unlike Samsung's OLEDs, the A95L also supports Dolby Vision, so it can more precisely render HDR images on a scene-by-scene basis. On top of all that, the A95L makes use of Sony's proprietary image processing to optimize its picture and upscale lower-quality content better than most competing TVs. This means you'll get a cleaner, smoother image with fewer artifacts.

The A95L also features a premium design with a slim screen and convenient stand that can be set up in one of two modes: high or low profile. High profile gives you enough space to fit a soundbar in front, while low profile allows the display to sit flush on your entertainment console. A backlit Google Assistant voice remote is included as well, and the A95L even comes with a webcam for video calls and gesture controls. 

As far as high-end TVs go, they really don't get any better than the A95L. The difference in picture performance between this model and its less expensive direct competitors, like the LG G3 and Samsung S95C, isn't huge, but if budget isn't a concern and you want the absolute best image quality you can get, the A95L is the OLED TV to buy.

Best budget

The LG B3 is one of the most affordable OLED TVs you can buy. Though it lacks the brighter image and better processing you'd get on LG's more expensive C- and G-Series TVs, it still provides all of the contrast, black level, and viewing angle benefits that OLEDs are known for.

At a max of about 600-700 nits, the B3 can deliver solid but not fantastic brightness. Though extreme highlights won't pop with the same intensity you'd see on pricier sets, the TV's pixel-level contrast still delivers better overall HDR performance than any QLED display. However, the B3's dimmer image does make this model less ideal for living rooms that let in a lot of light.

Despite its lower price, the B3 still manages to pack in HDMI 2.1 support and a 120Hz panel. This means it can support advanced gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and a 120 frames-per-second mode on compatible titles. 

However, if you're willing to sacrifice 120Hz support and go with a smaller screen, there is one other OLED TV that you can snag for even less money. Though no longer part of the company's current lineup, you can still occasionally find LG's even cheaper A2 OLED TV in stock at Best Buy. The 48-inch model is usually $550 to $600, which is fantastic. But keep in mind the A2 has a dimmer image than the B3, and it only has a 60Hz screen.

Best midrange

The LG C3 is an excellent all-around 4K display. It isn't the absolute best OLED TV on the market, but it provides impressive performance in its class. It's also available in a lot of screen sizes, so buyers with different space and budget needs have plenty of options to choose from.  

Picture quality is on par with most midrange OLEDs, but at a peak of about 800 nits, the C3 lacks the extra brightness that LG's premium G-Series TVs provide. It also can't match the color volume found on OLED TVs with quantum dots, like the Samsung S90C and S95C or the Sony A95L. 

But while HDR highlights might not shine quite as intensely, image performance is still exceptional. And unlike Samsung OLEDs, the C3 supports Dolby Vision to produce the most accurate high dynamic range image the TV is capable of. 

The C3 uses LG's webOS smart TV platform, and the interface works well enough. The Magic Remote lets you navigate using traditional directional buttons or by pointing the remote at the screen to move a cursor. The TV also supports 120Hz gaming when paired with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC. 

Under most circumstances, we do recommend our top pick, the Samsung S90C, over the C3 for most people since Samsung's TV is brighter and delivers better color for about the same price. But the C3 is still a fantastic midrange OLED alternative for anyone who prefers LG's smart TV platform and wants Dolby Vision support.

Best for your wall

LG's G3 is an excellent TV for anyone who wants a high-end OLED that looks particularly great hanging on your wall. This is LG's current flagship model, and it delivers image quality that's nearly on par with Sony's A95L, along with an elegant "Gallery" design.

The TV's build enables it to hang on your wall with virtually no gap, and it includes a flush wall mount to handle the job. It also manages to keep all of its ports within its panel, so there's no need for a separate box as you get with Samsung's S95C.

Powered by LG's latest OLED Evo screen, the G3 offers high-end picture performance. It's the first OLED to use MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology to help boost its maximum brightness, and the results are impressive. During our tests, we measured a peak of about 1,470 nits using the TV's most accurate HDR preset, which puts it nearly neck-and-neck with Sony's A95L.

However, the G3 doesn't use quantum dots, so its color volume isn't as high as you'd get on the A95L or one of Samsung's OLED TVs. Its picture processing isn't quite as accurate as Sony's either, but the differences are subtle.

Though we think the A95L edges out the G3 when it comes to overall picture performance, the G3 is a close runner-up and is often on sale for a lot less than Sony's TV. Coupled with its stylish "Gallery" design, we think this makes the G3 a great high-end OLED alternative, especially if you're wall-mounting your set.

However, though the G3 looks fantastic on a wall, it's less suited for placing on an entertainment console. The G3 doesn't include a traditional stand, so you have to purchase one separately, which adds to the cost. The display also leans back slightly when attached to LG's official stand, which gives it a somewhat awkward look. 

Best for gaming

The S95C is one of the best Samsung TVs you can buy, and it carries over everything we love about our top overall pick, the S90C, while pumping up the brightness and slimming down its design. To be clear, the cheaper S90C is an exceptional gaming TV in its own right, but the S95C delivers a slightly more premium experience for buyers willing to pay a bit more. 

Like the S90C, the S95C has a QD-OLED panel that can support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and up to a 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a compatible PC. This enables ultra-smooth gameplay if you have a computer that can run games at 144fps. The TV also supports Samsung's Gaming Hub, which includes apps for cloud services like Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now so you can play high-end games without a console or PC. 

On top of that, the S95C delivers a higher peak brightness than the S90C. In our review, we measured around 1,360 nits versus the S90C's 1,000 nits. This results in punchier highlights while playing HDR games or movies and leads to better bright-room performance if you game in a living room that lets in a lot of ambient light. 

The S95C also has a more elegant design with a uniformly thin screen that houses all its ports in a separate One-Connect box. This could make it easier to plug in your gaming consoles and hide cables since you can move the box out of sight.

We still recommend the cheaper S90C for most gamers since it delivers most of the features you'd get on the S95C for less money. But the S95C earns its spot here as a premium alternative for gamers who want a high-end OLED TV that pairs perfectly with consoles, PCs, and cloud services. 

Read our Samsung S95C 4K TV review.

How we test OLED TVs

When we test the best OLED TVs we evaluate several factors, including peak brightness, high dynamic range (HDR) performance, smart TV features, navigation speed, and value. 

To measure the brightness of a TV's panel we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter with the Spears & UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray's test patterns. We also use this disc's patterns to evaluate other objective display qualities.

Test patterns can only reveal so much, however, so we also use real-world content to get a better sense of how an OLED actually looks when watching regular TV. We use the same assortment of demo movies and shows on each display to help test each OLED's overall image performance, with a specific focus on scenes that showcase shadow detail, specular highlights, color fidelity, and sharpness with native 4K, high-definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) content through Blu-ray players, streaming services, and cable TV. 

OLED TV FAQs

When will 2024 OLED TV models be available?

Brands like LG and Samsung revealed their new lineup of 2024 OLED TVs at the CES trade show in January. Pricing and release dates have not been confirmed yet, but we expect new models to start rolling out to stores in late March.

That said, 2023 TV models will still be available throughout the year until stock runs out. Though there are always exceptions, year-to-year performance improvements tend to be subtle for most TVs that get updated iterations. And since 2023 models will likely be cheaper than their new 2024 counterparts, we think 2023 TVs will offer the best value while supplies last. 

What is an OLED TV?

OLED stands for "organic light-emitting diode." Instead of using a traditional LCD panel with a backlight, like those found on QLED and LED TVs, OLED TVs are self-illuminating. This means that each pixel on an OLED can emit its own light or turn off completely, enabling an infinite contrast ratio. Because of this incredible contrast performance, OLED displays are among the best 4K TVs you can buy.

Though there are a few different types of OLED panels, they all share the same key benefits of pixel-level contrast and wide viewing angles. Some OLED subtypes, however, have extra perks that make them even more desirable. 

QD-OLED panels, for instance, have the added benefit of quantum dot technology, which enables them to produce an even wider and brighter range of colors. Sony and Samsung both use QD-OLED panels in their top TVs, like the S90C, S95C, and A95L. 

Though LG doesn't use QD-OLED, it does use another advanced OLED panel tech called MLA OLED. MLA stands for Micro Lens Array, and OLEDs with this tech employ a layer of tiny convex lenses to boost their brightness capabilities. The LG G3 is the first consumer OLED to use MLA tech.

Should OLED TV buyers worry about burn-in?

Even the best OLED TVs are technically susceptible to an issue known as burn-in. If you leave a static image on an OLED TV for an extended period — a news station's chyron bar, for example — a faint after-image can get stuck on the screen.

Though it sounds alarming, burn-in is not a new phenomenon. Many past TV technologies, including plasma and CRT displays, have also been prone to this issue. While OLED buyers should be mindful of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to combat burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel-refreshers. 

Publications like Rtings have done long-term tests with many OLED TV models, and while the results do show that burn-in is possible in extreme use cases, the tests show that it shouldn't be a problem for people with regular viewing habits. 

I've owned an LG CX OLED TV for over two years, and the screen shows no burn-in. In my experience, as long as you don't plan on watching the same cable news channel all day long, burn-in shouldn't be a deciding factor when choosing whether to get an OLED TV. 

What size OLED TVs can you buy?

OLED TVs are available in a variety of screen sizes ranging from 42 inches to 97 inches.

The most commonly available options are 55 and 65 inches. For TV recommendations specific to that size, check out our guides to the best 65-inch TVs and the best 55-inch TVs. High-end OLED models also tend to be available in larger 77-, 83-, and even 97-inch sizes. LG and Sony also sell smaller 48- and 42-inch OLED TVs, but only for select models. 

4K OLED displays smaller than 42 inches are also available, but these sizes are currently limited to PC monitors, like the 32-inch Alienware AW3225QF.

• Ukrainian commanders are having to train new combat troops at the front amid problems with training centers.
• There are advantages among the headaches with this kind of training, war experts say.
• And it's better than Russia's approach, which is pushing poorly trained troops into frontal assaults.

Ukrainian commanders are having to train new combat troops at the front due to training issues, but war experts say that even with the problems, it's better than what the Russians do.

While there's the possibility of a decrease in the overall quality of the Ukrainian forces as new combat troops replace experienced troops at the front, especially as newly mobilized forces come into play, the quality is still likely to be higher, at least for the time being, than that of the Russians, war analysts from the Washington, DC-based Institute for the Study of War said.

Ukrainian military officials recently told The Washington Post that newly recruited soldiers and those brought in from rear areas are learning how to fight on the front lines due to the lack of a "proper training system," according to a Sunday report.

Field commanders told the Post that because the training centers are inadequate, they have to spend several weeks teaching the basic fighting skills, including how to shoot.

Beyond the training center problems, the Ukrainian military is also, more generally, facing a dilemma: either train the new combat troops at the front or rotate out the experienced soldiers to train new ones.

Some partner nations have offered to help train the Ukrainian military, but this option requires sending Ukrainian troops to NATO countries. Doing so risks exacerbating existing delays, pulling commanders away, and limiting the number of soldiers Ukraine can place on the front lines.

With greater NATO support, though, NATO training could provide "further opportunities for Ukraine to improve its basic training mechanisms and improve the quality of newly deployed personnel." That situation, along with the other challenges, will not work itself out overnight.

Ukraine's training problems are likely to persist for some time, ISW analysts said in a Sunday assessment, further noting that "the average overall quality of Ukrainian forces on the frontline will likely decrease as experienced personnel rotate out and newly-deployed personnel reach the" front lines.

The analysts noted, however, that "new soldiers will likely learn rapidly as they fight alongside experienced veterans."

The "decisions to train newly-deployed personnel on the front before committing them to combat indicates that the overall quality of Ukrainian forces will likely remain higher than that of Russian forces in the near- to mid-term," they said, as Russia has problems of its own.

Russia has been building up its infantry quickly with a range of different soldiers from penal convicts to volunteer soldiers. Because Russia has prioritized quantity over quality, the rapid deployment of these soldiers with minimal training has resulted in significant casualties.

"The Russian force generation mechanism has largely met the replacement rate of casualties in Ukraine," ISW said, but it prioritizes "fast redeployments of new personnel for additional 'meat' assaults over effective training."

ISW analysts also pointed to reports indicating that Russia is suffering from a lack of training instructors, which has resulted in continuous training delays.

"Russian milbloggers have consistently complained about ineffective Russian training since partial mobilization in September 2022," ISW reported. "A former Russian Storm-Z instructor recently claimed that Russian 'strategic' reserves are 'doing nothing for months.'"

• I booked the cheapest interior cabin for my four-night cruise on Carnival's new Carnival Firenze.
• It was ugly, dated, and lacked decor, but shockingly spacious. 
• Interior staterooms in Carnival's newest ship start at $90 per person per day in 2024.

One of the best parts about cruising is feeling the open ocean's cool breeze rush around your skin.

So imagine how grumpy I was when I had to book a windowless interior cabin for my most recent sailing — on my first Carnival cruise, no less.

As a travel reporter, I go on several of these vacations at sea every year. I'm usually put up in balcony staterooms, the most popular cabin category.

Yes, I've been spoiled. And yes, that means I've always feared inside cabins.

Cruises can be overstimulating and overwhelming. Private balconies are the only place I've gotten peace, quiet, and fresh air on some ships.

So, unsurprisingly, I was dreading the interior cabin I had booked for my four-night Carnival Firenze cruise in mid-May.

No fresh air? No cool ocean breeze? The horror!

I expected a small, dark, moldy dungeon deprived of life, happiness, and light.

Turns out, I was being a bit too dramatic. Who would've guessed?

I'll admit was pleasantly surprised.

But before I get to the positives (spoiler alert: it's size), I have to address the negatives.

It might've been the ugliest cabin I've ever stayed in. And that's coming from someone who's sailed on a Margaritaville cruise.

To understand the stateroom, you must understand the ship's relatively short history.

Firenze joined Italy-based Costa Cruises' fleet in 2020. The company, owned by Carnival Corp, had planned to launch the ship in China but couldn't because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Firenze's stint with Costa was then shortlived. In 2022, Carnival announced it would acquire Firenze and its sister ship, Venezia, to grow its US footprint amid "strong interest in people wanting to sail with us," a Carnival spokesperson told Business Insider.

The spokesperson said Firenze underwent a two-month refresh to 'install the Carnival Fun Italian Style Concept.'

That would explain the otherwise unnecessary photo of Florence, Italy behind my bed.

The print was both the only decor and the only reference to Italy in my dingy cabin. Unfortunately, it looked both tacky and misplaced.

It did, however, disguise the ominous "pull the cord for assistance" feature.

It's 2024. Why weren't there any bedside outlets?

The ship is less than four years old. The cabin looked quadruple its age, no thanks to the dated furniture that all came pushed against the wall.

The chaise's greyish pattern clashed with the yellow and red eyesore of a rug. And the small wood and faux-marble side table looked cheap and misplaced.

Gripes about aesthetics aside, everything in the joint living room and bedroom was perfectly functional.

On the bright side, the mattress was comfortable. And the large desk and closet could have provided enough storage for more than two travelers.

The room also had motion-sensing lights mounted by the floor, a necessary amenity for a space devoid of natural light.

Plus, the unappealing decor encouraged me to spend more time around the ship's common spaces.

But if you think the bedroom looks old, wait until you see the bathroom.

It was about as glamorous as a gas station restroom.

Most of my cruise cabin bathrooms have had modern, cool-toned decor, like the one pictured on the left. Carnival seems to have avoided the industry trend as much as possible.

The yellow and red tiles were giving vintage McDonald's.

Unbeknownst to me, the cruise line had put me in one of the ship's accessible, wheelchair-friendly accommodations. This meant the shower (as in, a curtain and a few drains on the floor) was one of the most spacious I've had at sea.

However, it only came with a two-in-one body wash and shampoo. Apparently, both Royal Caribbean and Carnival seem to have a BYOHC (bring your own hair conditioner) policy.

Some storage would've been nice, too.

An unnecessary number of stacked tissue boxes and toilet paper rolls occupied the only shelves in the bathroom.

There was no need for these excess paper products. My cabin attendant already cleaned and restocked my stateroom once a day, as is typical with Carnival.

I'm a girlie with an extensive skincare routine and a compulsive need to organize my products. With almost no storage in the bathroom, I needed these shelves.

With all these complaints, you may wonder why I said I was pleasantly surprised by my stateroom.

It's all because of one major feature: Its size. I never felt claustrophobic despite being stuck in a windowless 150-square-foot box.

The bathroom, one of the most spacious I've seen on a cruise ship, was so big that it could comfortably fit a family of four.

Back in the living room, I could've rolled out a yoga mat and worked out without moving anything around.

Heck, I could've comfortably starfished on the floor without hitting any furniture. I don't know if I can say the same for most of my previous cruise accommodations.

Would I have preferred a balcony or window? Yes.

Did it feel more like a hospital room than a floating hotel room? Yes.

However, for the spaciousness, the cost is hard to beat. As a solo traveler, I paid $735 for my cabin, including $64 in optional gratuities.

In 2024, the cheapest interior cabin for two guests on Carnival Firenze starts at about $360 per person, including taxes and fees, for the same four-night itinerary as the one I went on.

That's $90 a night for a cabin, food, onboard amenities, and stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico.

Plus, it's much cheaper than the newest ships of other cruise lines (I'm looking at you, Royal Caribbean).

So, if you are desperate for a dirty and cheap getaway, and Carnival Firenze has been catching your eye, don't be afraid of the interior cabin.

Yes, it isn't lovely. But at least it's completely functional and large.

If I — spoiled — can do it, so can you.