Sony XR X95L mini-LED
One of the brightest mini-LEDs
Sony has plenty of representation in this best TV roundup, but there was no way we were going to pass up the amazing Sony XR X95L mini-LED set. Now, side by side with the also-quite- amazing Sony XR X93L (which is our next featured pick), the X95L really isn’t too different. What really separates both models is not much more than local dimming capabilities and brightness levels, but if you’re a nose-to-the-screen videophile with grand expectations, the X95L is probably the set to go with.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen mini-LED lighting implemented on more and more TVs, and the results never get old. But what starts to grind our gears is picture maladies like haloing and light bloom. Unless you’re dealing with an OLED set, you’re pretty much always going to have to contend with some level of blooming on an LED-driven set, and the X95L is no exception. However, what you’ll get with this Sony flagship is the most minimal amount of haloing and bloom there could possibly be.
Thanks to features like XR Backlight Master Drive and XR Triluminos Pro, the X95L’s picture performance is fine-tuned within an inch of its life, delivering some of the brightest and boldest picture quality we’ve ever seen. And whether you’re watching 4K HDR content, or something relatively low-res, the X95L is going to ensure that your source is as visually rich as possible. That’s on top of features like HDMI 2.1, an immersive gaming dashboard for PS5 and Xbox optimizations, as well as one of our favorite smart TV platforms, Google TV.
As of right now, the only X95L size that seems to be available is the 85-inch model. When quantities improve, you should also be able to grab this set in 65 and 75-inch sizes, but there was no way we were going to miss the opportunity to dish about it. For now though, if you’re looking for some slightly smaller big-screen options, the Sony XR X93L is just as good as the X95L, save for those extra local dimming zones and higher nit numbers.
Sony XR X93L mini-LED
Premium performance without the Sony tax
Depending on how nerdy you are in the TV space, you may or may not notice that Sony’s 2023 X93L mini-LED TV looks exactly the same as last year’s flagship mini-LED, the X95K. Well, actually, apart from what Sony says is some software improvements, it is exactly the same. And that’s not a bad thing, because the X95K was (and still is) an excellently bright, colorful, and contrast-capable
TV backed by Sony’s powerful Cognitive Processor XR. So what’s the fuss, then? Sony’s TVs tend to go for a premium (don’t get us started on the “Sony tax”), so the big takeaway here is that the X93L is a great way for you to get in on all the premium performance of the X95K and save your wallet in the process.
For a comparison, the 65-inch X95K was $2,800 at launch. The 65-inch X93L was $2,200 at launch. Boom, you just saved $600 for a sweet TV. But let’s talk specs, shall we? In our review, Caleb Denison’s assessment of the X93L’s picture performance out of the box was “excellent,” with how brightness tests revealing an impressive peak of 1,800 nits. Color and contrast are killer, too, and the TV supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. There are also some presets for movie lovers in the form of an IMAX Enhanced mode and a Netflix calibrated mode, too.
Denison praised the X93L’s “stellar motion processing and low-resolution content upscaling, excellent tone-mapping, and color accuracy,” all calling-cards of Sony. And all that new software stuff we mentioned includes a new Eco Dashboard for managing eco settings, some additional black level adjustments for seeing darker scenes better, and a new gaming dashboard that lets you toggle VRR on and off between 60Hz and 120Hz, which gamers will rejoice over.
One of the only downfalls Denison could find with the X93L is the inclusion of only two HDMI 2.1 inputs, whereas most new TVs have four. Available in 65, 75, and 85-inch models, Sony’s new mini-LED ranges on price from $2,200 to $4,400.
Sony 65-inch X90L LED
Best value Sony LCD TV
When it comes to mid-tier TVs, Sony is a little quieter these days than it used to be. But that doesn’t mean the Bravia stalwart is only focusing on flagship sets, because the 2023 X90L is hard proof that Sony always means business, even at lower prices. What we’ve got here is a bold and brilliant full-array LED set that delivers exceptional HDR performance, next-level gaming specs, and the algorithmic king of smart TV platforms, Google TV. Available in 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, and 98-inch sizes, whatever viewing space you’re working with, there’s an X90L to match the room.
Our own editor-at-large Caleb Denison took a hard look at the Sony X90L, and was more than prepared to start issuing demerits for the TV’s relative lack of dimming zones when compared to the TCL QM8 and Hisense U8K. There’s also the fact that both of the latter are equipped with mini-LED lighting systems, which basically guarantees excellent brightness and colors with minimal light blooming. But even though the Sony X90L uses a less advanced LED setup, the TV still delivers a phenomenal picture. In fact, when it comes to color accuracy, our X90L test results came out on top (with the TCL QM8 and Hisense U8K trailing after).
Now in terms of light blooming and haloing, we’re not totally in the clear. In our testing of the X90L, we noted a bit of both image maladies when viewing certain content; and when it comes to the X90L’s sound, you should definitely be thinking about a soundbar to go with your new TV purchase (re: not great). But these are small grievances that are easy to forgive when observing the bigger picture (TV pun intended). The Sony X90L isn’t a perfect LED TV, but it does an admirable job at handling everything from HDR films to high frame-rate PS5 gaming, and it’s a pretty good price.
Hisense 65-inch U8K
One of our favorite budget-friendly sets
Ah yes, the Hisense U8K ULED. For those unaware, Hisense used to be the budget-friendly brand displayed on a single end cap at Best Buy. You’d say “what is Hisense?”, watch the little demo video on the TV, and walk away. Nowadays, big box stores have entire display walls dedicated to one of the world’s reigning LED and QLED (well, Hisense calls it “ULED”) champs, and the amazing U8K ULED is one of our favorite TVs for 2023, bar-none. Why, you may ask? It can get super-bright without disturbing color accuracy, its HDR performance is excellent (for the price), and the black levels are some of the best we’ve seen for a 2023 mid-tier set.
Motion handling is pretty solid on this guy, too; and when it comes time to stream some Better Call Saul and Barry on Max, Google TV is the captain of this smart TV ship. Not only will you have access to all kinds of apps, Google Assistant, and Chromecast, but Google will takes your viewing choices and populates your Home Screen with recommended movies and shows based on what you love to watch.
As for upscaling, we’re impressed by what the U8K can deliver, especially when it comes to color gradient processing. In non-tech terms, when you’re watching broadcast cable or even a YouTube video, even if the source claims you’re receiving a full 4K signal, you’re still dealing with a good amount of compression and signal distortion (especially with cable TV). That means it’s up to your TV to use all of its onboard enhancement tools to give you the best final picture possible, regardless of whatever interference you’re dealing with. And if you ask us, the Hisense U8K pulls this off better than most of its competition.
Samsung 65-inch QN90C
A killer Samsung QLED
The Samsung QN90C is a stunning 4K TV, and if you’re looking to get a premium set without dipping your toes into the $3,000-plus flagship pool, Samsung’s latest Neo QLED dazzles for more reasons than one. For starters, it’s hard to beat the kind of punchy HDR performance you’ll get here. Without having to dial in ultra-bright picture settings, we found that the QN90C delivered incredible peak brightness levels when using filmmaker mode.
Now although the real peak brightness laurels (the QN90C peaks at around 2,000 nits for SDR and HDR viewing) are reserved for this year’s amazing Samsung S95C, the QN90C is no straggler. In fact, when compared to TCL’s QM8 and Hisense’s U8K, this Samsung has the better overall picture quality.
In our testing of the QN90C, we used a number of low-resolution and low bit-depth content to see just how efficiently the TV could handle 4K upscaling (which is no easy feat). Compared to the aforementioned TCL QM8 and Hisense U8K, we found that the QN90C was better at reducing color banding, pixelization, and posterization; so if you’re looking for the kind of TV that can enhance whatever low quality streams or super-old DVDs you’re tossing at it, the QN90C more than delivers. We’re also glad to report that you’ll have your pick of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs, each of which supports refresh rates up to 144Hz.
And if you’re really on the fence about this Neo QLED, we’ll happily push you over with some other good news: Samsung’s switchover to ADS panels proved to be a solid move for off-angle viewing, and thanks to mini-LED backlighting, the black levels on this bad boy are awesome, too. Sure, it may not be on par with an LG OLED (or the S95C), but the QN90C still screams “premium,” but without getting into absolutely-need-to-finance-this territory.
LG C2 Evo OLED
Another great LG OLED
When LG rolled out its new OLED Evo panels on a handful of 2021 models, we were beyond impressed with what the new hardware meant for TV-watching, especially certain types of movies. With promises of OLED-flavored contrast linking hands with the type of brightness only seen on the most powerful QLED sets, the Evo engineering delivered an all-immersive, at-home cinema experience that looks fantastic in even the most brightly-lit rooms.
2022 brought us the much-loved LG C2 OLED Evo. While not considered a flagship set, the C2 builds upon a number of the amazing picture features and other add-ons that we loved about its predecessor, the LG C1.
Available in sizes from 55 inches up to 83 inches, the 65-inch C2 is the perfect middle-ground size for most homes. And in terms of design and tech, LG really notched things up last. The C2 features a totally reworked WRGB screen with chart-topping peak brightness marks, four HDMI 2.1 inputs for all our next-gen entertainment sources, and an improved Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor that delivers breathtaking colors, adaptive brightness control, and incredible upscaling.
Gamers will appreciate the inclusion of Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, with both technologies banding together to create the ideal TV for high-bandwidth, action-oriented gameplay from today’s leading consoles and PCs.
While the sound isn’t something we’d sing the praises of, LG made good on its promise of a revamped and reimagined C series TV, and we couldn’t recommend the LG C2 OLED Evo more.
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