Tag: Television

When Samsung recently unveiled its 2025 TV range, it introduced several models that use its new Wireless One Connect Box. A wireless version of the Samsung One Connect Box – an external box that houses all connections such as HDMI and USB with one cable connecting to the TV – that was featured in some of the best TVs of 2024 such as the Samsung S95D, the Wireless One Connect Box adds a wireless connection to the TV, doing away with cables entirely. LG also has a wireless connection box, called Zero Connect, that will be included with its LG M5 OLED TV, which could be the weirdly perfect TV for PC gamers. Samsung’s version is set to be included with its Frame Pro and Samsung QN990F 8K mini-LED TVs. Samsung claims its box can work up to a distance of 10m even with obstacles in its path, which would make it a dream for those wanting to wall-mount the Frame Pro and QN990F. That group would include gamers looking for a way to tidy up their space and keep it clear of cables. These models on paper have many of the features gamers look for: 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM and four HDMI 2.1 ports. But, what about input lag? Is the signal being transmitted wirelessly from the Wireless One Connect Box to the TV affected by latency? Well, I found out the answer to that question. You may like Less than optimal Samsung’s Frame Pro introduces more gaming features and mini-LED to the Frame series for the first time, which has been mainly known for its Art Mode. (Image credit: Future) When TechRadar tests input lag on the best gaming TVs, we’re looking for a number below 15ms at 4K 60Hz. This is a level of latency that professional gamers consider to be acceptable and it will suit most gamers at home. And you don’t have to spend a fortune to get this; even the Hisense U6N, one of the best mini-LED TVs and a budget bargain, clocked in at 13.2ms at 4K 60Hz when I measured it. That measurement was made with a direct cable connection between the TV and our Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester. What happens when you perform the same test on a TV connected to a wireless transmission system such as Samsung’s Wireless One Connect Box? I recently got to test out the new Samsung Frame Pro, and when I used the same device to measure its input lag, it clocked in at roughly 35-37ms at 4K 60Hz, a significantly higher level than some of the best 120Hz TVs. The Samsung QN990F (pictured), Samsung’s flagship 8K TV for 2025, also features the Wireless One Connect Box. (Image credit: Future) Is that to say that it’s a disastrous result for Samsung? Not exactly, since many people wouldn’t notice the difference. We’re talking an extra 20 milliseconds. But, it’s still worth pointing out to the more seasoned gamer. Samsung does claim, however, that the Frame Pro (with the Wireless One Connect Box) will hit sub-10ms at 4K 120Hz, though I unfortunately had no way of testing that. (Many games featured on PS5 and Xbox Series X are played at 60Hz rather than 120Hz.) Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. As I said, this isn’t a disaster for Samsung, as 35ms is roughly in line with the input lag on some gaming projectors. But still, it’s worth noting for those who take their FPS or racing gaming seriously. You might also like

QD-EL promises super brightness with OLED contrast Samsung, Sharp, TCL and others have shown off prototypes already Likely to make its way to compact monitors first The alphabet soup of TV technology continues to grow, with Samsung turning greater attention to QD-EL. That’s short for Quantum Dot Electroluminescent, although the tech is also variously known as NanoLED, QD-LED, EL-QLED and QDEL because life isn’t confusing enough. But whatever you call it, it’s quite exciting and Samsung is investing heavily in it. According to new reports in the Korean business press, as spotted by FlatpanelsHD, Samsung is accelerating development for QD-EL displays in order to fend off Chinese competitors. BusinessKorea says that “Samsung has set an internal target to commercialize EL-QD within a few years and is fully committed to its technological development.” Some reports are suggesting that QD-EL could be the future of TV, and they might be right. But I think Samsung is likely to be thinking more about monitors than big TVs for the time being. And that’s still pretty exciting. You may like What is QD-EL and why are people excited about it? At the moment there are two rival TV technologies: backlit LED TVs, and OLED TVs. The former are generally brighter but the latter have better darkness and contrast because OLEDs aren’t backlit. QD-EL promises to give you the best of both. Like OLED it’s self-emissive, so there’s no backlight. But because it uses quantum dot LEDs rather than organic LEDs, it promises longer life, more efficient energy usage and no burn-in. Samsung, and firms including Sharp and TCL, have shown off QD-EL prototypes at trade shows, and attendees have been really impressed. But those prototypes have been pretty small – Samsung’s one was an 18-inch display, and is at the end of the video below – and the tech is not yet ready for prime time: BusinessKorea says that Samsung is facing issues with the quantum dots’ stability and energy efficiency. Presumably rivals face similar challenges too. Samsung Display at Displayweek 2024 – YouTube Watch On So my money’s on this tech moving into monitors first, rather than larger TV screens. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. There are two reasons why I think that. The first is that if QD-EL were close to being ready for really big displays, manufacturers would likely be showing them off already. And the second is that big displays are a big risk when you’re talking new technologies. It’s common for new emission tech to start small and only scale as manufacturers find ways to reduce the often massive wastage that comes with large panels in the early days of manufacturing something new. You lose a lot less money on material wasted from an imperfect result if your screen is 21 inches than if it’s 65 inches. Here’s a great example of that: inkjet-printed OLEDs. TCL started mass producing their panels in late 2024, and those panels are for 21.6-inch monitors. TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Entertainment, Matt Bolton, has been told that inkjet-printed OLED won’t come to TVs for years for this exact reason – it just won’t be cost efficient in the short term to risk it on big screens. I think QD-EL is really exciting, but I think it’ll be a while before it moves off the desktop and into your home theater. Although I’d be happily surprised if I’m wrong: after all, Samsung skipped the monitor stage when it launched its QD-OLED panels in 2022 and launched a range of TVs directly, and then brought the tech to monitors later. You might also like

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. LG C5 OLED TV review: Two minute review The LG C5 is a feature-packed, mid-range OLED TV that continues the LG C-series legacy of offering real bang for your buck. Launching at $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,299, the 65-inch model I tested is priced exactly the same as its predecessor, the LG C4, one of the best TVs of 2024. The LG C5 comes with a host of new AI features and an Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI Processor that leads to a modest picture brightness boost over its predecessor. LG’s C-series continues to lead the way when it comes to features in a mid-range OLED, and while there are not many new additions, it carries over what made the C4 great. Picture quality is superb on the LG C5. Its vibrant, accurate color, strong contrast, and lifelike textures all combine to rival what you see on the best OLED TVs. Motion handling is good overall, but I did find some scenes where the C5 stumbled. (This was fixed with a quick trip to the picture settings.) One area where the C5 struggles is screen reflections in well-lit environments, which can impact darker images. It looks brilliant when viewed in dimmed conditions, however. You may like Sound quality has never been a strong point of LG C-series OLED TVs, and while the C5’s built-in 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system sounds punchy and well-balanced, it won’t beat one of the best soundbars, which I’d recommend for the C5. The C5 is easily going to be one of the best gaming TVs of 2025. It has a full suite of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming, smooth and responsive performance, and a ton of cloud gaming options for those without a console. LG’s webOS 25 is the C5’s smart TV platform and alongside the previously mentioned new AI features, it continues to be one of the better interfaces on the market. Quick Cards in webOS 25 is a useful feature and LG’s Quick Menu continues to be excellent for those who like to regularly adjust picture settings. The C5’s design is basic and safe, though a faux-marbled rear panel, solid aluminum stand, and trim profile help to give it a premium appearance. LG’s new AI Magic Remote is sleeker and more modern looking than previous Magic Remote versions but is only available in select regions. LG C-series OLEDs are regularly among the best TVs when it comes to value for money. While pricey at launch, they will become more affordable over time as prices drop. It’s hard to ignore, however, that the still-available LG C4 is the better value option after numerous price drops as the C5 is only an incremental upgrade. Still, for anyone looking for a new TV, the C5 is a fantastic option. LG C5 OLED TV review: Prices & release date The LG C5 shows accurate colors (Image credit: Future) Release date: March 2025 42-inch: $1,399.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,199 48-inch: $1,599.99 / £1,499.99 / AU$2,499 55-inch: $1,999.99 / £1,899.99 / AU$3,299 65-inch: $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,299 77-inch: $3,699.99 / £3,699.99 / AU$5,999 83-inch: $5,399.99 / £5,799.99 / AU$7,999 The LG C5 was released in March 2025. It is the mid-range series in LG’s 2025 OLED TV range, sitting above the LG B5 and below the flagship LG G5 and LG M5 series. It is available in 42 to 83-inch screen sizes. Launch pricing for the LG C5 is nearly identical to that of its predecessor, the LG C4, except for the 42-inch model, which is $100 cheaper in the US. All other sizes in the US, UK and Australia have exactly the same launch price as the C4. LG C5 OLED TV review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Screen type: OLED Refresh rate: 144Hz HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG Audio support: Dolby Atmos, DTS Smart TV: webOS 25 HDMI ports: 4x HDMI 2.1 Built-in tuner: ATSC 1.0 (US) LG C5 OLED TV review: Benchmark results LG C5 OLED TV review: Features The LG C5’s connections include 4 HDMI 2.1 ports (Image credit: Future) Alpha a9 Gen 8 AI Processor New AI features including AI Sound Wizard Four HDMI 2.1 ports with up to 144Hz support The LG C5 uses the same OLED Evo (EX) panel as its predecessor, the LG C4. It features LG’s upgraded Alpha a9 Gen 8 AI processor, which introduces new AI capabilities (more on those below) as well as a Brightness Booster that is not supported in the smaller 42- and 48-inch models. The C4 supports the Dolby Vision high dynamic range format, but not HDR10+. It also supports the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound formats. For audio, the C5 features the same 2.2-channel, 40W Dolby Atmos built-in speaker system as the previous C4. Its range of sound modes includes Standard, Cinema and AI Sound Pro, as well as a new AI Sound Wizard (more on that below). LG TVs are typically well-equipped for gaming and the C5 is no exception. While there are no upgrades from its predecessor, it still carries a full-suite of gaming features including 4K 144Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync), HGiG, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM. It also features a Game Optimizer mode where settings can be adjusted, including a boost mode to reduce input lag. The LG C5 comes with a number of AI features, such as AI Search, AI Concierge and more. (Image credit: Future) The LG C5 uses the latest iteration of LG’s smart TV platform, webOS 25. This offers a plethora of AI capabilities including AI Search, an advanced search feature that looks for content based on the user’s criteria and questions; AI Concierge, where content is recommended based on a user’s viewing history; and an AI Art feature where users can create AI artworks (creating artworks cost credits that can be bought, but 100 credits are provided to start with). Alongside AI Picture Wizard, a feature that lets users create a personalized picture mode based on visual prompts, LG has introduced AI Sound Wizard, a similar feature where users react to audio clips to establish a personal sound profile. For the home screen, Quick Cards (a feature introduced in webOS 24 that lets users organize apps based on categories such as Sports, Games, etc.) has been further streamlined. Features score: 5/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Picture quality The LG C5 delivers bold, vibrant and dynamic colors, as shown on Disney’s Elemental. (Image credit: Future) Vibrant color and strong contrast Superb detail Reflections in brighter environments The LG C5’s peak HDR brightness (measured on a 10% white window) was 1,180 nits in Filmmaker Mode and 1,198 nits in Standard mode. Those results are an increase over the LG C4, which hit 1,065 nits and 925 nits in Filmmaker and Standard modes, respectively. Fullscreen HDR brightness (measured on a 100% white pattern) was between 195-200 nits, a slight drop from its C4 predecessor. The LG C5’s upscaling of lower-resolution sources is impressive. An HD stream of Fight Club that I watched on Disney Plus got both a brightness and sharpness boost, giving the picture a 4K-like makeover. For standard-definition content (480p and below), the C5’s upscaling also managed to clean up textures, though they were still understandably on the fuzzy side. Color on the LG C5 is superb. Watching a Dolby Vision stream of Elemental on Disney Plus, colors looked vibrant and dynamic, particularly in the scenes where Ember demonstrates her glass-making abilities and dances across the shimmering minerals. Another Dolby Vision stream, of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, showcased an abundance of reds in the throne room fight scene, which were displayed with real clarity and punch. When I measured the C5’s HDR color gamut coverage, it hit 99.4% of the UHDA-P3 color space and 75.1% of BT.2020. These are both superb results and explain the C5’s excellent color. The LG C5 has superb contrast between bright and dark tones, as shown here in The Batman. (Image credit: Future) Shadow detail and contrast were also brilliant on the C5. Watching the opening crime scene investigation sequence on a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman, detail in clothing was maintained in even the darkest of scenes without compromising deep blacks. In the same sequence, the bright lamps and torches contrasted well with the dark surroundings, with an accurate balance between bright and dark tones. Also, aerial shots of Gotham displayed punchy highlights in street lamps and neon signs while still maintaining the murky, dark tones in the surrounding buildings. In the black and white scenes in Oppenheimer, shadows and highlights looked refined and authentic, with a wide range of gray tones in between. For these scenes, I turned Dynamic Tone Mapping on (it’s off by default in Filmmaker Mode), which gave white highlights a bolder, brighter look without sacrificing the balance of the gray and black tones. I found that textures and details were refined and lifelike in pretty much all my viewing on the C5. Facial features and skin tones looked accurate, particularly in close-up shots in movies such as The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick. Textures in objects and clothing were also realistic and gave pictures a real sense of depth. The LG C5’s textures and details are refined and natural. (Image credit: Future) Motion is well handled on the C5. The intense flight sequences and long panning shots in Top Gun: Maverick looked smooth with only minimal blurring. I did find that the C5 struggled in some scenes, such as a panning shot of a rocky landscape in No Time To Die, but turning on Cinematic Movement in the TruMotion picture settings helped with this. For viewing sports, I generally found Standard picture mode with TruMotion set to Natural to be the best option. With these settings active, back-and-forth action during a football game was accurately displayed. Those wanting a ‘smoother’ look can choose their own de-blur and de-judder settings, though I found it was best to keep these numbers low (around 3). One area where the LG C5 does struggle is with reflections. With overhead lights on in our testing room, screen glare was very obvious compared to the best mini-LED TVs and more premium OLEDs such as the LG G4 and Samsung S95D, and resulted in a loss of black depth and shadow detail in darker scenes. Picture quality score: 4.5/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Sound quality The new Personalized Sound Wizard is a useful tool, but doesn’t quite beat the built-in sound presets. (Image credit: Future) 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system Clear, detailed sound but limited bass New AI Sound Wizard is hit-and-miss The LG C5’s built-in 2.2-channel, 40W speaker array supports the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (via pass-through) sound formats, and its AI Sound Pro mode upmixes soundtracks to 11.1.2 channels – a step-up from the C4’s 9.1.2-channel upmixing. My default choice for sound modes on TVs is usually the Movie/Cinema preset. With this active, placement of screeching tires and swerving traffic during the Batmobile chase in The Batman was accurate and well connected to the action on screen. There was a decent level of bass and good rumble to the Batmobile’s engine, but it still felt restrained compared to some of the best TVs for sound, such as the Sony Bravia 8. Dolby Atmos height effects were also limited and the soundstage could have been wider. Interestingly, I found myself drawn to the TV’s AI Sound Pro mode. When activating this in the same scene of The Batman, everything was enhanced: the soundstage became wider and deeper, and bass, while still limited, was more tightly controlled. The overall sound was brighter, which some people may not like, but it felt more immersive. Still, the C5 could benefit from one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to complement its picture. One of the new AI features in webOS 25 is AI Sound Wizard (the audio equivalent of the AI Picture Wizard). This lets you create a personal sound mode, which is done by listening to different audio clips to select your preferred sound profile. I tested three different profiles: Balanced, Natural and Rich, and Rich and Vivid but found they were all a little flat-sounding and still preferred the AI Sound Pro and Movie presets. Still, having that level of customization available is appreciated. Sound quality score: 4/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Design Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Sleek, premium design Solid, decent stand New AI Magic Remote, but only for some regions The LG C5’s design is what you’d expect from a mid-range OLED TV. Its slim frame gives it a sleek look, with a trim profile and bezel-less screen that allows the picture to take center stage. The connections, including four HDMI 2.1 ports, are all easily accessible on the side of the screen – something you don’t always find in TVs from other brands. The C5 doesn’t beat the premium design of flagship OLEDs such as the Samsung S95D or the Philips OLED909, but it has a solid aluminium pedestal stand and a new AI Magic Remote (only available in select regions, including the US) that’s sleeker, with a matte finish, a less cluttered layout and new AI Home Hub and Accessibility buttons. UK users will have to settle for a slightly updated version of the old Magic Remote which looks the same (even the numbered buttons are still present) but does come with the new buttons. Design score: 4.5/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Smart TV & menus LG’s webOS continues to be one of the best smart TV platforms on the market. (Image credit: Future) webOS 25 smart TV platform Quick Cards in home menu Extensive AI features The C5 uses LG’s webOS smart TV platform. The latest iteration, webOS 25, mainly adds a ton of AI features, including AI Search, AI Concierge, AI Art and AI Sound Wizard. There are also upgrades and improvements to the AI Chatbot introduced in webOS 24. When I posed questions to the Chatbot about improving picture brightness or sound, it provided advice on how to make those improvements. It struggled with more in-depth questions, but is still undeniably a good tool for some users. LG has taken customization and personalization a step further with the new Voice ID, which is a very useful feature for families. The C5 supports multiple profiles to make sure content recommendations and settings are personal for each user, and if Voice ID is enabled, webOs will automatically recognise who is talking and adjust to that user accordingly. Quick Cards, such as the Game one shown here, are still a great way to organise apps based on certain categories. (Image credit: Future) Elsewhere, webOS 25 retains the Quick Cards feature, which provides useful hubs for categories such as Sports, Game and Accessibility. Choosing your favorite teams in Sports will link to any live or upcoming games, scores, and related content from YouTube and other streaming sites. The home screen’s layout looks very similar to webOS 24 and while the large banner image at top is annoying, the overall layout is user-friendly. LG stands tall above the competition primarily through its Quick Menu, where settings can be quickly adjusted without moving away from the action on screen. There are plenty of picture and sound settings for those who like to experiment, and they are organized in a way that’s not too overwhelming for more casual users. Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Gaming The LG C5 is a brilliant TV for gaming with responsive performance and handling with games such as Battlefield V (pictured). (Image credit: Future) Full suite of gaming features Game Optimizer menu 9.2ms input lag time The LG C5 is an excellent gaming TV. Its full suite of features include 4K 144Hz, VRR (both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync), HGiG, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM support, all across four HDMI 2.1 ports. There is also a Game Optimizer mode where gaming settings can be adjusted, and the home menu’s Game Quick Card houses cloud-based gaming apps such as Amazon Luna and Nvidia GeForce Now as well as other gaming features and settings. Gaming performance on the C5 is superb. Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, intense battle sequences that required fast movement and targeting felt smooth, resulting in a seamless gaming experience with no screen tearing or blur. The C5’s picture quality added an extra layer to the game, displaying gorgeous visuals filled with vibrant color, stunning contrast and refined detail. Gaming score: 5/5 LG C5 OLED TV review: Value Image 1 of 2 The latest LG AI Magic Remote has a design change from previous generations. But it’s only available in certain regions including the US. (Image credit: Future) UK users will have to settle for the original Magic Remote with a new AI button instead. (Image credit: Future) Feature-packed for the price Premium performance LG C4 still available for significantly cheaper LG’s C-series OLED is always tough to judge on value. On the one hand, it’s a feature-packed TV with nearly everything you could need for movies and gaming and an excellent set of smart features to match. Although we have no 2025 model prices yet for the C5’s usual mid-range Samsung, Sony and Panasonic OLED competitors, the C5 is most likely to deliver the best bang for your buck of the lot. On the other hand, while boasting a slight brightness boost and a new set of AI features, the C5 is very similar to its C4 predecessor. At the time of writing, the 65-inch C5 I tested will set you back $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 (at launch), whereas a 65-inch C4 now costs $1,499.99 / £1,499.99 – a very significant price difference. The price gap between the C4 and its C3 predecessor was easier to justify as the new model was such a step-up, but the same can’t be said for the C5. However, the C5 is undeniably an excellent TV that justifies its price. Prices are also sure to drop over the coming months, but while the C4 is still available, that’s the model we’d recommend. Once it’s gone, though, the C5 is a worthy replacement. Value score: 4/5 Should I buy the LG C5 OLED TV? (Image credit: Future) Swipe to scroll horizontally LG C5 OLED Attributes Notes Rating Features A new processor that introduces new AI features, plus all the smart and gaming features you’d need 5/5 Picture quality Excellent picture quality with high brightness for a mid-range OLED 4.5/5 Sound quality Good sound quality with plenty of AI features, but bass is underwhelming 4/5 Design Premium, solid build quality with new AI remote (but only for select regions) 4.5/5 Smart TV and menus webOS 25 comes with new AI features but maintains the great, streamlined look of webOS 24 4.5/5 Gaming Full suite of gaming features including 4K 144Hz support and four HDMI 2.1 ports 5/5 Value Delivers what it needs to for the money, but tough to justify price with the LG C4 still around 4.5/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also Consider How I tested the LG C5 OLED TV (Image credit: Future) Tested over a week Tested using SDR and HDR sources Measurements taken using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software I first began testing the LG C5 OLED TV over a couple of days with casual viewing to determine its most accurate picture and sound modes. After this, I moved on to critical viewing, using reference scenes from movies and TV shows. This included SDR sources (broadcast TV, HD streaming, DVD) and HDR (4K streaming and 4K Blu-ray). I used these to test the C5’s picture quality, looking at elements such as color, black levels, contrast, detail, motion and upscaling. I used a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player when playing discs including 4K Blu-ray. I also used an Xbox Series X to test the TV’s gaming features and performance. (Image credit: Future) Moving onto objective testing, I took measurements using a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software to record measurements. I first took measurements of the C5’s brightness using both HDR and SDR white window patterns ranging in size from 1-100%. I also tested the C5’s grayscale and color accuracy, taking an average of the Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on screen), looking for a result below 3. I also tested the C5’s coverage of the UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color spaces. Finally, I used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input lag Tester to test the C5’s input lag in milliseconds. You can read an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link.

TV tech in 2025 is evolving rapidly, offering viewers ever more sophisticated ways to experience their favourite films, TV shows, and games with stunning realism and detail. The leading technologies among the best TVs are QLED, OLED, and micro-LED – three distinct display options that promise stunning visuals but differ in their core design, performance, and price points. Quantum Dot LEDs (QLED), a favourite of brands like Samsung, build upon traditional LED-LCD displays, enhancing brightness and colour accuracy via quantum dots. Its strength lies in its ability to perform well in brightly lit environments, making it a versatile option for general-purpose viewing. You may like Meanwhile, Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED), championed by LG, Samsung, and Sony, is known for its self-emissive pixels that deliver perfect blacks and infinite contrast, making the best OLED TVs a dream for cinephiles. The latest player in this arena is micro-LED, an emerging display tech that combines the self-emissive qualities of OLED with the brightness and durability of QLED. Still in its infancy, micro-LED has already begun to make waves with its modular designs and scalability, allowing for displays of unprecedented size and flexibility. All have their pros and cons, and today we’re going to explore them in detail, to help you make the right choice when buying a new TV. Samsung’s S95D OLED TV (Image credit: Future) QLED vs OLED vs micro-LED: What are the technologies? First up, Quantum Dot LED is an advanced display tech that builds on traditional LED-LCD panels, using a layer of quantum dots – microscopic particles that emit precise wavelengths of light – to enhance colour accuracy and brightness. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. These quantum dots are illuminated by an LED backlight, resulting in vibrant colours and a wider colour gamut. In 2025, many QLED TVs also incorporate mini-LED backlighting, which uses thousands of tiny LEDs to improve local dimming and contrast. QLED is particularly well-suited for bright environments, making it a popular choice for living rooms and multi-purpose spaces. Organic Light-Emitting Diode tech, in contrast, relies on self-emissive pixels, where each pixel generates its own light, letting OLED TVs achieve perfect blacks and infinite contrast, as individual pixels can turn off completely. This capability creates stunning visuals with unparalleled depth, especially in darker scenes. OLED panels are also renowned for their excellent viewing angles, maintaining consistent colour and brightness even when viewed off-centre. However, OLED’s organic material can be prone to burn-in over time, where static images leave a ghostly imprint on the screen, though advancements in manufacturing have mitigated this risk. Micro-LED represents the next evolution in display technology, combining the self-emissive properties of OLED with the brightness and durability of QLED. Made up of millions of microscopic LEDs, each acting as its own light source, micro-LED panels deliver exceptional brightness, high contrast, and outstanding energy efficiency. Unlike OLED, micro-LED is not susceptible to burn-in, and its inorganic material ensures a much longer lifespan. Additionally, its modular design enables flexible screen sizes, from compact home displays to massive wall-sized installations. While it remains prohibitively expensive in 2025, micro-LED is expected to become more accessible in the coming years. These three technologies cater to different needs and priorities. QLED is a versatile and cost-effective option for most households, excelling in bright rooms. OLED continues to dominate in picture quality, making it the go-to choice for home theatre enthusiasts. While still in its infancy, micro-LED offers a glimpse of the future, with unmatched scalability and performance. LG’s flagship G4 OLED TV (Image credit: LG Global) QLED vs OLED vs micro-LED: Picture quality and performance When it comes to brightness and contrast, each option excels in different areas. QLED TVs are known for their exceptional brightness, which makes them ideal for well-lit rooms where glare might otherwise be an issue. They can achieve peak brightness levels significantly higher than OLED, making colours appear vivid even under challenging lighting conditions. However, QLED relies on LED backlighting, which can limit its ability to achieve perfect blacks, as some light leakage inevitably occurs in dark areas of the screen. OLED, by contrast, shines in darker environments, with its self-emissive pixels delivering true blacks and an infinite contrast ratio, creating unparalleled depth in dark scenes. Micro-LED strikes a balance, offering brightness levels comparable to QLED while maintaining contrast and black levels close to OLED, thanks to its self-emissive design. Colour accuracy is another area of difference: All three deliver wide colour gamuts and can support advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+, ensuring vibrant and true-to-life colours. However, OLED and micro-LED lead in off-axis viewing, with minimal loss of colour or contrast when viewed from the side. The Samsung QN90D mini-LED TV (Image credit: Future) QLED vs OLED vs micro-LED: Cost and availability Anyone looking for a new TV will have seen that, overall, prices for LED-based TVs are way down from even a few years ago, but high-tech options do cost more. In 2025, QLED TVs remain the most accessible option for consumers, offering a wide range of models at various price points. From budget-friendly models with standard LED backlighting to premium ones featuring mini-LED backlighting technology, QLED caters to different budgets without compromising significantly on quality. OLED, while becoming more affordable in recent years, continues to command a higher price, particularly for larger screen sizes. But that pricing reflects its superior picture quality, especially for home theatre enthusiasts who prioritise contrast, black levels, and color richness and detail. However, there is some good news: increased competition among manufacturers like LG, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, and Philips, as well as improvements in production efficiency, have steadily driven prices down over the years. Micro-LED is the most expensive option, with availability largely limited to high-end custom installations. Its manufacturing process, which involves producing millions of microscopic LEDs and assembling them with extreme precision, remains costly and complex. As a result, micro-LED TVs are primarily targeted at luxury markets and early adopters willing to invest heavily in cutting-edge tech, and while prices are expected to decrease as production scales up, micro-LED is not yet a practical option for the average consumer. A luxury home theater installation using a micro-LED display instead of a projector (Image credit: Samsung) QLED vs OLED vs Micro-LED: Applications and future proofing Each TV display type serves different applications based on viewing environments and user needs, and this should influence your choice. QLED is ideal for bright rooms, where its high brightness combats screen glare, making it a great choice for general-purpose viewing such as live TV and sports, while its affordability and versatility cater to the widest audience. OLED, on the other hand, excels in dark rooms and home cinema setups, where its perfect blacks and infinite contrast create an unparalleled viewing experience for films and TV shows, especially when combined with the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. For those seeking luxury and customisation, Micro-LED stands out with its modular design, making it ideal for large-scale or premium installations. In terms of future-proofing, micro-LED shows the most promise with its durability, resistance to burn-in, and adaptable modular capabilities, ensuring a long-term investment for high-end users, albeit at a high cost right now. OLED continues to improve its panel tech, addressing limitations like burn-in and brightness, while QLED benefits from advancements in mini-LED backlighting and quantum dot technology. Across all three, sustainability and energy efficiency remain priorities, with micro-LED leading in energy savings and OLED offering efficient power use in darker scenes. (Image credit: Al Griffin) QLED vs OLED vs micro-LED: Which is best? Choosing the best TV in 2025 depends on your priorities, budget, and viewing habits. QLED remains the most accessible option for general-purpose use, offering vibrant colours, high brightness, and affordability. However, its reliance on backlighting means it can struggle to achieve the perfect blacks or infinite contrast that OLED and Micro-LED can deliver. OLED is the go-to TV choice for those building a home cinema and who prioritise picture quality above all else. Its higher price point reflects this premium performance, but increasing competition has made smaller OLED models more accessible to mid-range buyers. Meanwhile, micro-LED represents the pinnacle of TV tech, offering the brightness of QLED, the self-emissive qualities of OLED, and unparalleled durability. Its modular design and cutting-edge performance make it ideal for luxury setups, though its cost remains prohibitive in 2025. Ultimately, the best TV tech for you will depend on your specific needs. We hope this guide will help to make your choice.

We’ve seen a couple of price drops for the Sony Bravia XR X90L in the last few months, and one of the models has just dropped to its lowest ever price. The 65-inch X90L is $949.99 (was $1,199), a saving of $250 at Best Buy. That’s the lowest we’ve seen this TV listed for; the previous low was $998. And it’s not the only X90L discount Best Buy is currently offering. The 55-inch is down $300 to $849; the 75-inch drops $400 to $1,299; the 85-inch is down $500 to $1,599; and the massive 98-inch model gets a massive $1,700 off, taking its price down to $4,499. All those deals are available from the same Best Buy product page. But it’s the 65-inch model that I think sits in the sweet spot for most buyers: it’s big but not too big, and it comes in comfortably under the $1,000 mark. I’d say that makes it a very good deal on a very good TV. Today’s best Sony Bravia X90L deal This is Sony’s mid-range QLED TV with full-array local dimming for very impressive HDR performance. In our Sony X90L review, we said that it was “a great choice for movie viewing, [and] with 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision gaming support, it’s also a fine option for gaming.” Picture quality on the X90L is a noticeable step up from its predecessor, the Sony X90K, and it delivers significantly higher brightness and better local dimming. It may from 2023 originally, but it’s still a very high-quality TV with meticulous and natural pictures. The sound system’s pretty good too – and far better than almost any other mid-range TV. It also supports Acoustic Center Sync, so you can use your TV’s speakers as part of a larger sound system with a Sony soundbar. For gamers, there’s 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming support via the two HDMI 2.1 connections – plus Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode, which are special modes for when the TV detects a PS5. That means this TV can proudly proclaim itself ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’. Although the speakers in this TV work great, if I were you I’d use some of the savings here to get one of the best soundbars – it’ll make a huge difference to your experience and it’s the one upgrade I’d recommend for even the best TVs. You don’t need a basic soundbar here in the way that some TVs cry out for one – but a big beefy home theater system is better for such a good-looking TV. I’d also suggest taking a look at our guide to the best TV deals this month. This is quite a crowded part of the market now, with lots of big brands juking it out, and that means it’s very much a buyer’s market. You might also like

LG recently launched its 2025 LG OLED TV lineup, with new LG G5, LG M5, and LG C5 series models that feature everything from expanded wireless connectivity to an innovative four-stack OLED panel said to deliver a 33% peak and 40% fullscreen brightness increase over 2024’s LG G4 OLED. We’ve seen the new G5 in action, and its brightness boost is very real. LG has also introduced a slew of new AI-driven features to optimize picture quality based on movie and TV show genres, create custom picture and sound presets based on your interaction with a Wizard, and automatically switch between homescreen profiles (complete with custom picture and sound settings) when the TV detects a specific user’s voice. LG has clearly gone all-in on AI personalization for its new webOS 25 smart TV interface, but the feature I’m most excited about, and one that I hope to see in more of the best TVs, is decidedly less flashy: Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation. You may like Filmmaker Mode: What is it? LG is a longtime supporter of Filmmaker Mode, a picture preset standard created by the UHD Alliance, an industry group consisting of TV manufacturers, film and television studios, content distributors and tech companies. Filmmaker Mode aims to present movies and TV shows exactly as the director approved them during post-production, something that’s done by eliminating picture enhancements such as motion smoothing and applying accurate color settings (rather than brighter ‘vivid’ settings). While the intent behind Filmmaker Mode is understandable, in reality, most people don’t watch movies in darkened rooms like those used for post-production, and they may find that selecting Filmmaker Mode on their TV makes pictures look flat and lifeless when viewing in a less-than-dungeon-like environment. Filmmaker Mode evolved Fortunately, LG hasn’t left Filmmaker Mode fully alone since it was first released back in 2019. It received a major update in 2024 when the company released new OLED TVs with Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, which applied the benefits of Filmmaker Mode – primarily the elimination of motion processing – to programs with Dolby Vision high dynamic range. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Now, for its 2025 OLED lineup, LG has introduced Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation. Like Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, the new preset was developed with the UHD Alliance, and it addresses the twin evils of motion smoothing and inaccurate color reproduction while adapting pictures for a range of room lighting situations. Accessible in the TV’s advanced picture settings menu, Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation uses its built-in light sensor to monitor the level of room lighting and adjust picture gamma accordingly. That means deep blacks and shadows get boosted to reveal details that would otherwise be obscured in a brighter viewing environment, while mid-tones and highlights take on a more dynamic and punchy look – all without sacrificing picture accuracy. Out of the darkness The LG G4 (shown above at left) is capable of retaining good black depth in bright, challenging environments. The new G5 will have similar capabilities, plus a claimed 30% higher reflection resistance. (Image credit: Future) LG OLED TVs such as the G4 already do a good job maintaining black levels in brighter environments – something I confirmed when I compared premium Samsung and LG OLED TVs side-by-side. And the new LG G5 OLED will not only have a brighter picture than its predecessor, but its screen will have 30% higher reflection resistance, according to the company. Both those factors will make the G5 a better overall performer, and when combined with the new Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation, also a more flexible and living room-friendly TV, one that allows for daytime viewing of both sports and movies. I recently had a chance to view the new G5 in action in a bright room, and its handling of dark movie scenes in that environment was impressive, with shadows looking detailed and deep, and highlights maintaining a sufficient level of pop. The new version of Filmmaker Mode was clearly doing its job, and it was a big improvement on the Filmmaker Mode of old. Filmmaker Mode was a great idea for its time, but TVs have become brighter and people no longer necessarily want to watch movies and TV shows in the dark. The Martin Scorcese-approved picture preset needed to evolve to keep pace with these changes, and Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation appears to be the ticket. It will take more hands-on experience with the G5 to gauge just how good it is at handling a range of viewing environments, but my initial takeaway from LG’s demo is that the new Filmmaker Mode has what it takes to bring movie viewing out of the darkness. You might also like…

Sony has announced a new “next-generation display system” based upon a “high density LED backlight” with individual control over the red, green and blue primary colors. The new display tech is being developed for both consumer TVs and professional displays, and will “begin mass production in 2025,” according to the company. While Sony’s official announcement cites 2025 as the launch date for its new RGB LED tech, the company confirmed it as a “2026 technology” at a recent demonstration I attended at its Tokyo headquarters. That confirmation means we will more realistically see it arrive in new TVs next year, or possibly in 2027. LCD TVs with RGB backlights aren’t exactly new – Sony developed RGB LED models as far back as 2004, and at the recent CES 2025, Samsung and TCL both had prototype mini-LED TVs with RGB backlights on display, while Hisense showed off a real RGB model it plans to release later this year. You may like But Sony’s new version promises to take things to the next level by combining an RGB backlight with the XR Backlight Master Drive tech it developed for the Sony Bravia 9 mini-LED TV, the company’s flagship model and one of the best TVs of 2024. How it differs from regular LED TVs The panel structure of a conventional QLED TV with a mini-LED backlight (see below for RGB backlight structure). (Image credit: Sony) The LED light modules in conventional LED and mini-LED TVs emit blue light that passes through filters to create full-color images. RGB LED tech, in contrast, uses LED modules with individual red, green, and blue elements, with the light funneled directly to the pixels in the LCD panel without passing through additional color filter layers. This method allows for more granular brightness and color modulation: Sony’s specifications cite 4,000 nits peak brightness – around twice what most mini-LED TVs deliver – along with 99% DCI-P3 color space coverage and 90% BT.2020 coverage. The XR Backlight Master Drive tech in Sony’s Bravia 9 TV uses a highly miniaturized 22-bit LED driver that increases the granular level of its dimming control (conventional mini-LED TVs use 10- or 12-bit drivers). For Sony’s new RGB LED tech, the backlight control has been increased to 66 bits (22 each for red, green, and blue). Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. This also enables a boost in color volume (up to four times over a standard QLED, according to Sony) – a benefit that can be seen not just in bright colors but in darker hues. Other RGB LED benefits The structure of Sony’s RGB backlit TV. (Image credit: Sony) Along with the increase in brightness, color space coverage, and color volume, Sony’s new RGB LED tech promises to expand the viewing angle of the display – a traditional limitation with LCD TVs. When viewing from off-center seats, the color filtering process used by typical LED and mini-LED TVs is prone to blooming and color shift, which reduces picture contrast and color saturation. With Sony’s new RGB LED tech, the red, green, and blue components in the backlight are routed to corresponding pixels in the LCD panel with a high-precision level of light control. There is still potential for blooming, but color shift is minimized, enabling colors to retain their purity at both on- and off-axis viewing angles. Screen size is another benefit to Sony’s tech. OLED TVs are available in sizes up to 97 inches, but it currently isn’t cost-effective to produce them in sizes above 83 inches – hence, the steep price jump from around $5,000 for an 83-inch OLED like the LG G4 to around $20,000 for the 97-inch version. Sony claims that LCD TVs using its new RGB LED tech can be scaled up to ultra-large screen sizes more cost-effectively than OLED TVs, which will allow for the development of 100-inch-plus displays that, unlike OLED, can compete price-wise with conventional mini-LED models. RGB LED in action My recent visit to Sony’s Tokyo headquarters included an extensive demonstration session with the new RGB LED tech. A prototype TV was set up on its own, and a second one was displayed next to the company’s flagship Bravia 9 – however, I wasn’t able to take any photos or videos of it, sadly. Sony’s demo largely verified its claims for its new technology. Images had striking color saturation and detail, and there was virtually no visible backlight blooming – the prototype TV was better than the Bravia 9 in this respect. Colors in darker images also maintained good saturation, and the picture contrast had the same “infinite” quality you typically see on the best OLED TVs. Equally impressive was the prototype TV’s off-axis picture quality. Colors looked equally uniform and bright when viewed at extreme angles, and contrast levels were retained. That level of performance is something you normally only see with OLED TVs, and QD-OLED models in particular, so seeing it on a mini-LED TV was an entirely new experience for me. Another aspect of the demo I found impressive was the anti-reflective screen used for Sony’s prototype TV. The Bravia 9’s X-Anti Reflection screen proved to be very effective at reducing glare from overhead lights when I tested it, but the prototype TV sitting next to the Bravia 9 in Sony’s brightly lit demo room even more effectively eliminated it. Checkmate OLED? A Sony visualization showing the color volume benefits of its new RGB LED backlight tech. (Image credit: Sony) While it’s true that the demo I saw of Sony’s new RGB LED TV prototype was the closest I’ve seen LCD tech come to rivalling OLED – something I previously stated about the Bravia 9 – I’m sure OLED still has plenty of life in it yet. The opportunity here for Sony and other companies working on TVs with RGB backlights is to boost mini-LED performance factors – specifically, color space coverage, black uniformity, contrast, and off-axis uniformity – to a level that rivals OLED TVs. If they can do that while maintaining competitive pricing, OLED will have good reason to sweat. You might also like…

LG has announced pricing for LG C5 OLED models Launch prices are exactly the same as last year’s LG C4 Pre-orders are available through LG LG has revealed pricing for select models of the LG C5, the mid-range OLED in its 2025 TV lineup, and prices are stable compared to last year. The successor to the LG C4, one of the best TVs released in 2024, select LG C5 models are available to pre-order directly from LG. The models available for pre-order are the 42, 55, 65 and 77-inch and pricing for each is as follows: LG 42-inch C5 OLED: £1,399.99 LG 55-inch C5 OLED: £1,900 LG 65-inch C5 OLED: £2,699.99 LG 77-inch C5 OLED: £3,799.99 LG seems to have prioritised the most popular sizes in the range, with pre-orders and pricing for the 48 and 83-inch still yet to appear. You may like We’ve also now seen a confirmed release date, with delivery dates on LG’s website labelled as 31st March. You can pre-order the LG C5 in the links below, where there’s a promotion on each available size coming with a free soundbar (models of soundbar vary depending on TV size): The LG C5’s latest features include a new Alpha 9 Gen 8 Processor, which features Brightness Booster tech, and webOS 25, the latest iteration of LG’s smart TV platform. With webOS 25 comes a plethora of new AI features, including AI Concierge (tailored content recommendations), Voice ID and an improved AI Chatbot. There’s also the new AI Sound Wizard, which lets users create their own personal sound mode, and from what we’ve seen of it in action, it’s a fascinating tool that could really be useful for some viewers. The right price (Image credit: Future) Every year when new TVs are announced, we anticipate that the latest models will reflect a £1-200 price rise compared to their predecessors, mainly due to inflation or the addition of some new tech. But after European LG OLED pricing and US LG OLED pricing, both of which showed stable or dropping prices for the C5, were revealed recently, we remained hopeful the same would be true for the UK. For the announced models, that is pretty much the case, and this was a good call by LG. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. LG’s C-series OLEDs are often among the most popular TVs every year, with their jack-of-all-trades versatility making them excellent for movies. They’re also among the best gaming TVs and come in a wide range of sizes, often for the most competitive price compared to rival sets. Looking at the LG C5 on paper, its specs are not all that different from the C4, other than the features we mentioned above. Sadly, there’s no new OLED four-stack panel, which can be found on the LG G5, or even the micro lens array (MLA) panel used on last year’s G4 this time around. So, naturally, we’d expect there to be no compromise on price, and thankfully, that’s what’s happened. We’re currently testing the LG C5, so expect a full review soon. You might also like