2024-2025 US/Canada TV Buying Guide
2024-2025 US/Canada TV Buying Guide
Updated MARCH 2024 | Written by: u/Bill_Money | Edited & Maintained by u/htmod
This buying guide was designed w/ the 2024 lineup of United States (& 95% of it will translate to Canada) TV’s in mind.
- Pricing & UMRP
Rtings - When To Buy A TV | Rtings' TV Yearly Price Cycle
Samsung, LG, & Sony utilize UMRP (Unilateral Minimum Resale Price) in which the manufacturer sets the price of the TV not the retailer. Avoid websites that are far below the UMRP price as they are typically scam websites.
A lot of the unauthorized dealers on this list are scam sites - LG Authorized Dealers List
- TV Release Cycles (Typically)
Samsung = March-April | LG = April-June | Sony = April-August | TCL = March to May |
- Brands
Avoid no name brands & super cheap 4K TV’s (brands like RCA, Sceptre, Element, Toshiba, Westinghouse, Amazon, Pioneer (Pioneer has licensed its name), Insignia, Onn, etc.)
Just because its a name brand does not make it a good tv either see below.
You should never fully trust any tv/demo in a retail store (due to the fact anyone can change the settings + the tv is in a demo mode & the lighting is completely wrong)
- A note on Rtings:
Rtings Motion Handling & Upsclaing Tests are flawed and should be disregarded, Real world experience differs from rtings testing.
STOP looking at Ritngs scoring, read the actual review! Their scoring system is on a massive curve their lowest scored tv is a 5.6 their highest a 9.8.
TV Models
- Sony 2024 Offerings
"No one ever got fired for buying Sony." - Vincent Teoh (HDTVTest)
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | X | X | X | X | X |
Sony has not yet announced a single TV in their 2024 Lineup yet.
- Sony 2023 Offerings
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XR-X90L | 55, 65, 75, 85, 98 | VA-FALD | 120 | Yes (2) | XR Clear | Rtings HDTVTest |
| XR-X93L | 65, 75, 85 | miniLED VA-FALD | 120 | Yes (2) | XR | Rtings |
| XR-X95L | 85 | miniLED VA-FALD | 120 | Yes (2) | XR Clear | HDTVTest, Rtings |
| XR-A75L ^1 | 55, 65 | W-OLED EX | 120 | Yes (2) | XR Clear | Rtings |
| XR-A80L | 55, 65, 77, 83 | W-OLED EX | 120 | Yes (2) | XR Clear | Rtings |
| XR-A90K (2022) | 42, 48 | W-OLED | 120 | Yes (2) | XR | Rtings |
| XR-A95L | 55, 65, 77 | QD-OLED | 120 | Yes (2) | XR Clear | Rtings |
Why You Shouldn't buy the 2022/2023 Sony X80K or X85K
^1 - A75L is the same TV as the A80L w/ worse Acoustic Surface Audio, A more Basic Stand, & no Hey Google recognition. Panel & Processor ARE the same.
- TCL 2024 Offerings
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QM751G | 55, 65, 75, 85, 98 | VA-miniLED FALD | 144 | Yes (2) | AIPQ Engine | N/A |
| QM851G | 65, 75, 85, 98 | VA-miniLED FALD | 144 | Yes (2) | AIPQ Engine | N/A |
| QM891G | 115 | VA-miniLED FALD | 144 | Yes (2) | AIPQ Engine | N/A |
- TCL 2023 Offerings (May Find Clearance - Your Mileage May Vary on Availability):
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q750G | 55, 65, 75, 85 | VA-FALD | 144 | Yes (2) | AIPQ Engine Gen 3 | Rtings |
| QM850G | 65, 75, 85, 98 | VA-FALD miniLED | 144 | Yes (2) | AIPQ Engine Gen 3 | Rtings |
Why You Shouldn't Buy the 2023 TCL S450G, S550G, Q550G, or Q650G
- LG 2024 Offerings
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QNED89T | 98 | VA-FALD miniLED | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 8 | N/A |
| B4 | 48, 55, 65, 77 | W-OLED | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 8 | N/A |
| C4 | 42, 48, 55, 65, 77 ,83 | W-OLED EX | 144 | Yes (4) | Alpha 9 Gen 7 | N/A |
| G4 ^1 | 55, 65, 77, 83 | W-OLED EX MLA | 144 | Yes (4) | Alpha 11 | N/A |
| 97G4 | 97 | W-OLED EX | 144 | Yes (4) | Alpha 11 | N/A |
^1 - 55 & 65 inch Gallery OLED models include TV stand in 2024 in US/Canada
- LG 2023 Offerings (May Find Clearance - Your Mileage May Vary on Availability):
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OLEDxxB3 | 55, 65, 77 | W-OLED | 120 | Yes (2) | Alpha 7 Gen 6 | Rtings |
| OLEDxxC3 | 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, 83 | W-OLED EX | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 9 Gen 6 | Rtings |
| OLEDxxG2 | 97 | W-OLED EX | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 9 Gen 6 | HDTVTest, Rtings |
| OLEDxxG3 | 55, 65, 77, 83 | 55-77 = W-OLED MLA /83 = W-OLED EX | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 9 Gen 6 | HDTVTest / Rtings |
| Flex (LX3Q) | 42 | W-OLED | 120 | Yes (4) | Alpha 9 Gen 5 | Rtings |
Why You Shouldn't buy the 2023 LG UR7300, UR7500, UR8000, or UR9000O
Why You Shouldn't Buy the 2023 LG QNED75/QNED76, QNED80/QNED81/QNED82, or QNED85/QNED86/QNED87
- Samsung 2024 Offerings
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QN90D ^1 | 43, 50, 98 | VA-miniLED FALD | 144 | Yes (4) | NQ4 AI Gen 2 | N/A |
| QN95D | 55, 65, 75, 85 | VA-miniLED FALD | 144 | Yes (4) | NQ4 AI Gen 2 | N/A |
^1 - Only recommend the 43, 50, & 98 inch sizes which use VA Panels. 55-85 use worse ADS panels.
Awaiting more info on panel lottery before recomending any 2024 Samsung OLED at this time.
- Samsung 2023 Offerings (May Find Clearance - Your Mileage May Vary on Availability):
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QN90C | 43 & 50 ONLY^1 | VA-FALD miniLED | 144 | 4 | NQ4 AI Gen 1 | N/A |
| QN95C | 65, 75, 85 | VA-FALD miniLED | 144 | 4 | NQ4 AI Gen 1 | Rtings |
| S89C | 77 | QD-OLED | 120 | 4 | NQ4 AI Gen 1 | N/A |
| S90C | 55, 65, 77 | QD-OLED | 120 | 4 | NQ4 AI Gen 1 | HDTVTest / Rtings |
| S90C | 83 | W-OLED | 120 | 4 | NQ4 AI Gen 1 | N/A |
S95C = S90C + a one connect. S95c is NOT recommended as one connect cable is NOT in wall rates. One Connect also has a high failure rate.
^1 - 43 & 50 Inch Qn90C uses a VA panel, 55+ uses ADS
Why You Shouldn't buy the Samsung CU7000, CU8000, Q60C, Q70C, Q80C, QN85C or QN90C
Why You Shouldn't buy the Samsung Lifestyle TV's - NO TO The Frame, The Serif, or The Sero!
- Sharp 2023 Offerings
| Model # | Sizes Offered | Panel & Local Dimming | Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Processor | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4T-CxxFV1U | 65, 75 | VA-FALD miniLED | 120 | Yes (2) | N/A | Rtings |
| 4T-CxxFS1UR | 55, 65 | W-OLED | 120 | Yes (2) | N/A | Rtings |
While Sharp has finally re-entered the US market these TV's are beaten by others in price/value.
The FS1 OLED also is reportedly very dim.
How to buy a TV in 2024-2025 for the US/Canada Market
Distance
The first thing we need to figure out is How Far Away you sit form the tv so we can determine what size TV you should have
| Distance From TV | Size Screen You Should Buy |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 Feet | 43 to 55 Inch |
| 6-Less Than 8 Feet | 55 to 65 |
| 8-Less Than 10 Feet | 65 to 75 Inch |
| 10-Less Than 12 Feet | 75/77 to 83/85 Inch |
| 12 - 14 Feet | 83/85 to 97-98 Inch |
| 14+ Feet | 97/98 to 115 Inch |
TV Sizes
Traditional LED Screens come in 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85, 98, & 115 Inch panels.
There are some oddball sizes but all of these are lesser/lower end models and should be avoided: 40, 58, 60, 70, & 86 Inch Panels.
OLED comes in 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, 83, 88, & 97 Inch Panels.
BUDGET
The biggest limiting factor is budget
$500 USD doesn't get you much of anything Quality short of a really good sale.
The BARE MINIMUM Recommendation for 2024-2025 is the TCL Q750G (2023 Model) which the 55 inch starts at $600 USD unless on sale.
TCL tends to offer a decent value
The TCL Q750G is the most basic/entry level model from 2023 we recommend. it doesn't do anything particularly well. It also isn't the worst TV in any category.
We would recommend if possible stepping up and into the Sony X90L or LG B3 over the Q750G.
Bright/Dark TV's
- Room Brightness
If your room is a large open concept room with many windows then you need a bright TV to compensate.
If you are in a dark basement then you don't need to focus on very bright.
If you have DIRECT sunlight on the screen then you should AVOID OLED! Direct sunlight can damage the OLED screen.
TV's that are great in a bright room:
2024 Models: Samsung - QN90D (43/50/98 Inch ONLY), QN95D | TCL - QM851G, & QM891G
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony X95L, X93L, Samsung QN95C, & TCL QM850G
- Dark Room TV's
OLED will be excellent in darker rooms like bedrooms & basements.
Remember the MLA (G3/G4) & QD-OLED (A95L/S89C/S90C/S90D-non W-OLED Models) will get much brighter vs a regular W-OLED or W-OLED EX panel
2024 Models: LG - B4, C4, G4
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony - A75L, A80L, A95L | LG - A2 (2022), B3, C3, G3 | Samsung S89C, S90C
**Content You Consume **
- Sports
You want something that has good motion processing & Upscaling, this is Sony's game
Recommended Models:
2024 Models:
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony - A95L, X93L, X95L, A90K (2022), A75L, A80L or X90L
- Movies
OLED or a miniLED are your best bets here.
If older movies that require upscaling heavily avoid Samsung
Recommended Models:
2024 Models: LG - B4, C4, G4
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony - A95L, X93L, X95L, A90K (2022), A80L or X90L | LG - B3, C3, G3 | Samsung - QN90C (43 & 50 ONLY), QN95C, S89C, S90C
- Gaming
Both LED & OLED can be good options here depending on habits, room, & budget.
Those with a XBSX or PC with HDMI 2.1 Graphics card may not be best served by Sony in this case unless you are more causal/mixed use.
If you play hundreds of hours of the same game over with a static hub then you may not want to consider an OLED TV due to burn in. Yes Burn In protection has gotten better but as always YMMV.
Recommended Models:
2024 Models: LG - B4, C4, G4 | Samsung - QN90D (43/50/98 Inch ONLY), QN95D,
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony - A95L, X95L, X93L A90K, A75L, A80L or X90L | LG - B3, C3, G3 | Samsung - QN90C (43 & 50 ONLY), QN95C, S89C, S90C
- Just Cable/Streaming
Upscaling & Processing are very important here. This is also Sony's game. LG has gotten better.
Recommended Models:
2024 Models: LG - B4, C4, G4
2023 Models (May Find Clearance): Sony - A95L, X93L X95L, A90K, A75L, A80L or X90L | LG - B3, C3, G3
Posted Mar 24, 2024, 8:46 PM UTC · locked