Best 55-Inch TVs of 2024

If you're looking for the best TV for the money and the 65-inch TCL QM8 is just too big, the Hisense U8N should be your go-to. We compared the two TVs side-by-side, and while we liked the QM8 just a bit better, the U8N has one medium-size advantage: a 55-inch screen option. If 65 inches is too large for your room, your budget or your tastes, the choice between the two is simple: Get the 55-inch Hisense U8N.

Both offer excellent image quality and affordable prices thanks to mini-LED backlights and full-array local dimming, as well as similar gaming features and the Google TV operating system. Both cost hundreds less than you'd have to pay to get similar image quality from a better-known brand.

Note that while we tested the 65-inch size in the U8K series, the prices shown here are for the 55-inch size.

The C4 represents better picture quality than any non-OLED TV on this list at a higher price but is still not outrageously expensive. Its perfect black levels, unbeatable contrast and superb off-angle viewing kept it a notch above the mini-LED models in my comparison tests, and while its overall brightness isn't quite as impressive, it's still an incredible performer in all kinds of room lighting.

You can read our C4 review here, and while we previously recommended the earlier C3 the two TVs cost the same right now. Not much changed between the C3 and C4, however, so just get whichever model is cheaper.

In 2023 we awarded the G3 the title of the best TV for picture quality, and this year's version, the G4, is even better. In our side-by-side comparisons it beat its predecessor in brightness and overall image quality with the kind of jaw-dropping images you can only get from a topflight OLED TV.

In a bright room, the G4 fell short of the performance of its direct competitor, the Samsung S95D, which is the best TV for picture quality that we've seen this year. The Samsung uses an all-new matte screen finish, which in our tests did a better job fighting reflections than the more typical glossy screen of the LG. The S95D's matte finish has its downside, namely a reduction in contrast, but overall we preferred its bright-room image quality over the G4's.

The major caveat here is that both TVs performed well (and practically identically) in a dark room. So unless you routinely have a bright viewing environment, the G4 performs just as well as the S95D. The G4 also comes in significantly more sizes than the S95D, making it a more versatile option.

Glare-free or not, here's where we mention that most TV viewers will be perfectly satisfied with something less expensive but still excellent, like the step-down LG C4 or a mini-LED model. The G4 is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a high-performance television and is willing to pay for it.

The Samsung S95D's matte finish does more than reduce reflections, it nearly eliminates them, improving image quality in bright rooms more than any OLED TV we've tested. Some non-OLED models have matte screens, but this is the first time they've been available in an OLED TV, a display technology that has always delivered the best picture available. That matte finish really works, reducing windows and other glare to dimmer blobs instead of super-bright, mirror-like distractions. The S95D also has an external box, allowing for a cleaner look with the option to store HDMI connections and the power cord out of sight.

Between its versatile matte screen and awesome picture overall, the Samsung S95D delivers the best image quality of any TV we've tested, beating both the G4 and last year's winner, the G3, as well as any other non-OLED TV. It also costs a ton, and most people -- even those with bright rooms -- will be perfectly happy with a less expensive TV.

The price shown below is for the 55-inch TV.

The picture quality of the TCL 4-Series Roku TV was a step behind the Vizio V-Series in our 2022 budget TV test, but the differences between the two were slight enough that you'd really have to have them set up side by side to notice anything at all. The Roku 4-Series lacks Dolby Vision, Bluetooth connectivity and AMD FreeSync with a variable refresh rate, all of which the Vizio offers. 

The 4-Series' advantage over the Vizio is that it comes with the excellent Roku Smart TV system built in. That makes it a great choice for those looking for a one-stop smart TV solution, without having to add an external streaming device.

Note that TCL has been selling the 4-Series for the last few years with little to no change in image quality although it has recently added some larger screen sizes, including an 85-inch option, plus Google TV in the 2024 version.

Competition among TVs in the middle pricing band is heating up and the Plus Series is the latest entrant, which came out in 2023. It adds a couple of step-up extras, including QLED and full-array local dimming, which help deliver a better picture than the TCL 4-Series, for example. It's not as impressive as the Vizio MQX, since it lacks 120Hz for gaming and has worse picture quality overall. If you value those extras, the Vizio is worth saving for, but if not the Roku Plus Series is a very good value.

This is the first TV Roku has produced under its own brand, as opposed to partnering with a brand like TCL, Sharp, Pioneer or Hisense. The company also released a version with fewer features and no local dimming, called the Roku Select Series.