42 inch lcd panel for tv brands

The best budget 42-43 inch TV we"ve tested is the TCL 43S455. It"s a decent TV, and while you"re losing out on features and performance compared to the higher-end models, it still provides good value for a low-cost model. It comes with the Roku TV smart platform built-in, which has a user-friendly interface that"s easy to learn, and there are many apps you can download through the app store. Its remote doesn"t have a built-in mic, but you can still access voice assistant features through the Roku app on your phone, and it even has a unique private listening feature that lets you transfer the audio to your phone or headphones.

It upscales lower-resolution content well, which is great for watching cable TV or DVDs, and it uses a flicker-free backlight at most backlight settings, which helps reduce eye strain during long viewing sessions. It looks best in dark rooms as it displays deep blacks with remarkable black uniformity, but as expected for an entry-level TV, it doesn"t get very bright, so it"s best to avoid placing it in a bright room.

Modern TVs are more complicated than ever before. If you’ve found yourself browsing one of our guides and felt stumped by some of the acronyms or tech specs, we’ve summarized the most common terms below:

LCD: LCD stands for liquid crystal display, and it’s the most common kind of television besides OLED (defined below). LCD TVs shine an LED backlight through a panel of liquid crystal, a malleable substance that reacts to electricity, opening or closing when jolted. In LCD TVs, the liquid crystal opens to allow the backlight through or closes to block it. The specific details of the opening/closing are dependent upon the arrangement of the pixels: The most common LCD arrangements are Vertical Alignment (VA) and In-Plane Switching (IPS), with the former tending to produce higher contrast and the latter tending to produce wider viewing angles. All so-called “LED” TVs are really LCD TVs, as are all current QLED and ULED TVs.

OLED: An organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, TV creates light inside each individual pixel without using a backlight and can dim each pixel individually all the way down to black, which LCD TVs can’t do. This tech gives an OLED TV an infinite contrast ratio and other benefits to help create an overall better-looking image, although at considerable additional cost. You can read more about OLED technology in this article.

Mini-LEDs: Every LCD TV made today currently uses LEDs to produce the light that shines through the LCD panel. Most TVs use LED lights that pass through a diffuser to light up the entire LCD screen. Mini-LEDs, which some TVs use, are much smaller than traditional LEDs, so TV makers can install more of them and thus create more zones of local dimming, which means less blooming or halos around bright objects. Mini-LEDs are completely different from micro-LEDs, an available (though very expensive) technology that employs individual red, green, and blue LEDs to produce an image without needing an LCD panel at all.

Nits: Also called candelas per square meter (cd/m²), this unit of luminance measures how much light a TV can produce. Previously, TVs could output 200 to 300 nits, and standard dynamic range (SDR) content was graded and mastered with 100 nits as the standard. With high dynamic range (HDR), content is mastered with 1,000, 4,000, or 10,000 nits as the standard; so, the more nits an HDR TV can display, the more accurately it can display the highlights in HDR material without having to reduce the brightness of the highlights or clip them.

Wide color gamut: Ultra HD content has a wider color gamut than standard HDTV content; right now, most UHD content is mastered with the same DCI/P3 color gamut used in theatrical cinema (the ultimate goal is the even larger Rec. 2020 color gamut). This expanded color gamut allows a TV to display richer reds, blues, and greens than ever before. Some TVs use quantum-dot technology to produce this wider color gamut.

Quantum dots: Quantum dots are a color-enhancing technology primarily found in LCD TVs (though some 2022 OLED TVs now have them as well). Chiefly employed as a filter that’s painted onto a substrate, quantum dots are microscopic nano-crystals that, when struck with blue light, produce very vivid red or green light (depending upon the size of the crystal). Quantum dots are the primary technology that allows LCD TVs to produce the wide color gamut required to display HDR content properly, as they greatly increase the color saturation of red and green.

Refresh rate: All digital displays (including TVs) have what’s called a refresh rate, measured in hertz (Hz), shorthand for cycles per second. A TV’s refresh rate refers to how quickly it displays new incoming video information on a nanosecond-to-nanosecond basis. While there are many possible refresh rates, most TVs come with either a 60 Hz refresh rate (meaning 60 screen refreshes per second) or a 120 Hz refresh rate (120 screen refreshes per second). Ideally, a TV will have the highest refresh rate possible, but there are diminishing returns for higher refresh rates during many types of content. A 120 Hz TV has advantages when watching 24p content or mitigating judder (definitions below), and tends to produce less input lag when playing video games, but it won’t provide advantages for most forms of cable TV or streaming content. In 2022, some manufacturers introduced 144 Hz TVs meant to appeal specifically to gamers, but the majority of TVs still have 60 or 120 Hz refresh rates.

Judder: This term refers to a slightly jerky motion that can occur when 24p film content appears on a TV with a 60 Hz refresh rate. In such situations, to make 24 frames match up to the 60 Hz display, half of the frames appear two times and the other half appear three times. This display technique causes judder, which is most noticeable on panning shots. Some 120 Hz displays avoid this effect by repeating each film frame five times, while some 60 Hz panels run at 48 Hz to show each frame twice.

Motion smoothing: Motion smoothing, sometimes called MEMC (Motion Estimation/Motion Compensation), refers to a TV’s ability to intelligently create new frames to create smoother-looking or less juddery motion. Most modern TVs can artificially increase their refresh rates to smooth out fast or difficult sequences, but the efficacy of this motion smoothing is often dependent upon the TV’s native refresh rate. Motion smoothing is also the cause of the “soap opera effect,” where cinematic/24p content looks more like a daytime soap opera due to the insertion of unnecessary frames. The best TVs come with multiple motion smoothing presets, and some even allow the user to fine-tune the degree of judder reduction and frame interpolation employed. When used correctly, motion smoothing can make content like sports and nature documentaries look more realistic, but we prefer it be turned off for content like premium TV, movies, and video games.

That’s what we found in our analysis of more than three years of Consumer Reports’ TV ratings. Our crack team of statisticians looked at prices and CR’s test results from March 1, 2019, through March 1, 2022, for a number of leading TV brands sold in the U.S. The results are shown in the charts below, broken out by screen size, which is the first factor people usually consider when shopping for a television.

As you can see, TVs from LG, Samsung, and Sony earned top scores in our testing across just about every size range. And generally, sets from these companies cost more than their competitors’ TVs.

Prices and average brand scores tend to drop off in step with each other, according to our analysis. One major change this year is that some secondary brands, including Element, Philips, and Westinghouse, no longer appearin our list. Sharp is no longer in our listing; it stopped selling TVs in the U.S. for several years but began selling them again in 2022. RCA is represented in just two screen sizes, where it has the lowest Overall Score, and in one instance the lowest price by a large margin.

In their place, we now have more models from up-and-coming brands such as Hisense and TCL, as well as from a few retailer-specific brands such as Insignia (Best Buy’s house brand) and Toshiba (sold through Amazon and Best Buy). TVs from these brands have been gaining market share at the expense of other lesser-known brands that were once regularly included in our analysis.

Although we’ve tested a few TVs from Onn, Walmart’s house brand, we didn’t test enough sets in any one screen size for it to appear. We hope to include it in next year’s evaluation.

The takeaway, however, remains the same: Though it’s sometimes tempting to buy a much cheaper TV, especially during big sales events, you could be accepting a trade-off in quality. And you might not have to pay much more—or even any more—to get a better television.

This information should be useful if you choose a TV largely based on brand. However, it’s smart to use this analysis as just one factor when you’re shopping. The charts below are average prices and scores. Performance can vary by series and even by model within a single brand. That means that some brands with a lower average Overall Score might have a model or two that did very well in our tests. If they’re priced lower than comparable sets from bigger brands, they might be worth considering.

Also, companies evolve over time. Our testing shows that certain models from somewhat newer brands, such as Hisense and TCL, have been improving in quality. But typically, we see that better performance only in the upper-tier models from these brands; often models in their entry-level series earn significantly lower scores.

Last, you don’t always need to settle for poor performance just because you’re on a budget. In some size categories, there aren’t big price differences between the highest- and lowest-performing brands.

Major brands dominate the top of this slice of our TV ratings, which include 70-, 75-, 77-, 82-, and 85-inch TVs. That list now includes TCL, which has become one of the three top-selling brands in the U.S.

The average price figures we show are a bit higher than the average for all big TVs on the market. That’s both because the largest sets carry a premium and because CR tends to purchase a lot of expensive, high-end sets. That allows us to test the latest features, such as Mini LED backlights in LCD/LED TVs, which can help boost contrast and reduce halos, and high dynamic range (HDR), which can produce brighter, more vibrant images.

We test these flagship models from all the brands, but with major brands there is a much greater difference in pricing between the least and most expensive sets they offer. For example, for TCL there’s a $600 difference between the cheapest ($700) and priciest ($1,300) 75-inch TVs in our current ratings. With Samsung, that difference is dramatic: $1,900. (See the best big-screen TV bargains for sets 70 inches and larger.)

You’ll see that Sony, Samsung, and LG top the list in terms of average Overall Score and average price. Given their high average scores, sets from any of these TV brands might be worth considering. Sony TVs tend to be expensive in part because the company, like LG, now offers OLED TVs, which tend to cost more, but also because it exited the budget TV market. The takeaway for shoppers is that a premium set from Sony might not be more expensive than a premium set from a competitor—the company just doesn’t compete in lower performance tiers.

TCL, Vizio, and Hisense are additional brands to consider, especially if you’re on a budget. With TCL and Hisense, higher-end sets (the 6- and 8-series TVs from TCL, and 8-series sets from Hisense) have done very well in our tests, offering a lot of bang for the buck in terms of both picture quality and high dynamic range (HDR) experience. TCL’s higher average price is due to its top-tier sets having newer technologies (Mini LED, 8K resolution), plus a push into very large screen sizes. The company also offers many low-priced sets that haven’t done as well, lowering the brand’s Overall Score. Vizio sets have done well for overall picture quality across the board, though they generally fall behind a bit when it comes to HDR.

This has become a popular screen size for people looking for a large TV. And you’ll see that LG, Samsung, and Sony top the list in average Overall Score and average price here, as well. One reason for the fine showing by both LG and Sony is they offer OLED TVs that have consistently been at the top of our ratings. Samsung’s top QLED (and Neo QLED) TVs have also done very well in our ratings, and the best of those sets now rival OLED TVs in performance. All these sets tend to be pricy.

In this size category, we again see much greater differences in pricing between the least and most expensive sets from major brands than from smaller players. For example, there’s a $600 difference between the cheapest ($400) and priciest ($1,000) 65-inch Hisense TVs in our current ratings. With Samsung and Sony, that difference is a whopping $2,400. One reason for Samsung’s large spread is the debut of itsfirst QD OLED TV ($3,000), which is now in our ratings (though it arrived too late this year for our statistical analysis). Sony TVs tend to be expensive in part because the company offers several OLED TVs, which tend to cost more, and because it stopped making lower-end LED/LCD sets. (See the best 65-inch TVs under $1,000.)

As in the 70-inch size category, Hisense, TCL, and Vizio appear to be good options for those on tighter budgets. Their better-performing sets tend to be pricier but still less expensive than comparable TVs from LG, Samsung, and Sony. Hisense has the best balance of price and performance of the group. But given the wide differences in performance and price between the best- and worst-performing models within these brands, you should look at specific models to determine the best value.

If you’re shopping for a 55- to 60-inch set, you’ll see a particularly wide range of prices and brands. That’s because some TVs this size are relatively bare-bones when it comes to features, while others come loaded with lots of features. These can include 120Hz refresh rates, full-array LED backlights with local dimming, more effective HDR performance, and special gaming features, such as low-latency modes and variable refresh rates.

Average prices go from a low of $342 (for Toshiba, which makes Fire TV Edition sets sold at Amazon and Best Buy) to a high of $1,034 (Sony’s average). As we note above, Sony focuses on higher-priced sets, and both Sony and LG’s average prices are pulled up by their OLED sets—these TVs can look great, but they tend to cost more than all but the very best LED/LCD models.

Two years ago, Vizio began offering OLED TVs, but that hasn’t yet had a big impact on its average price, because the majority of its sales are still less expensive LED/LCD TVs.

In term of Overall Score, there’s a bit of drop-off after LG. Some models from Hisense, Insignia (Best Buy’s house brand), TCL, Toshiba, and Vizio might be worth considering for less finicky viewers who are on an even tighter budget. As we mentioned earlier, some higher-end Hisense and TCL sets deliver very satisfying overall picture quality and enjoyable HDR. Many sets from the other brands do well for overall picture quality, but the trade-off is a less satisfying HDR experience. Insignia seems to be a decent choice for budget-minded consumers, earning a higher average Overall Score than Toshiba despite having a lower average price.

For those shopping for a TV in this size range, CR’s analysis shows that Samsung, Sony, and LG again tend to have the highest-performing TVs—along with the most expensive ones.

Of these three brands, LG sets seem particularly attractive, with a high Overall Score and an average price below these two other brands’ average prices. In last year’s analysis, however, LG’s average price was much closer to the lower-tier brands’. This could be in part because of LG offering 48-inch OLED TVs. This year, there’s a bigger price spread between the major and secondary brands. That could be because major brands tend to adopt the newest technologies first.

In fact, the price range is fairly narrow in this size category once you get past those top three brands. Hisense and TCL emerge as good possible options for those on the tightest TV budgets because their average price is actually lower than a few brands’, such as Vizio and Toshiba, that have lower average scores.

There’s also a pretty big spread in both price and performance in this screen size, with prices ranging from $226 (Hisense) to more than $568 (Sony). One reason is that in this size category, you’ll find a mix of both 4K and more basic HD sets.

There aren’t a lot of surprises—Sony, Samsung, and LG offer the best performance. The least expensive of these brands is LG, but Insignia also emerges as an especially attractive option, given its average price and an Overall Score just a point away from LG’s. In Insignia’s case, the average price is actually below several brands’ that have lower Overall Scores.

Remember, though, that the price and performance averages are for entire brands, not specific models. The best way to see how individual TV models perform is to check our ratings, which are based on extensive testing and evaluation.

These days, 32-inch TVs have largely been commoditized; most are either 720p or 1080p regular high-definition TVs rather than 4K models, and there are even some low-priced basic models that lack a smart TV feature.

You may notice that Samsung is missing from this size category; there weren’t enough tested models in our analysis this year for it to be included. It’s the only brand in our current ratings that offers 32-inch 4K TVs with HDR, but those sets are more expensive, and consumers don’t seem to want to pay for the higher resolution in sets this small. Samsung does offer a number of less expensive HD sets, which are in our ratings. Shoppers seem to buying based on price rather than brand.

As you can see in the chart, with Samsung absent, along with Sony, LG becomes the clear top brand based on performance, and its average price isn’t all that much higher than prices on other brands.

Apart from LG, there’s not much of a difference among the other brands in either average price or performance, but Hisense has the lowest overall average price, while Vizio has the highest.

With both price and performance averages so closely packed among the brands, smart shoppers are likely to look to other criteria in our TV ratings, such as screen resolution, sound quality, or reliability, or features such as built-in access to streaming content, to help make a buying decision.

In addition to TV performance, there are a few more things to consider when choosing among brands. One is how easy it is to get the TV repaired in a timely manner. Major brands typically invest in parts and service networks, so you’re more likely to find an authorized repair center nearby.

Reliability problems appear to be less of an issue, based on our surveys, because TVs are among the more reliable products Consumer Reports analyzes. But not all brands do as well as others, which is why you should check a brand’s reliability in our TV ratings.

Because most sets are now smart TVs that connect to the internet, we’ve added privacy and security scores to our ratings. We evaluate the various ways TV brands collect, use, and share consumer data; how well they protect it; and how transparent they are about their data practices.

Last, consider the manufacturer’s warranty, which could be shorter with an off-brand TV. Most of the TVs in our ratings carry 1-year parts and labor warranties, but that can vary, so check before you buy.

@consumerreports An inexpensive TV is no bargain if the picture quality disappoints you. See ratings and reviews at cr.org/tv #techtok #tv #shoppingtips #tvtech ♬ original sound - Consumer Reports

I"ve been a tech journalist for more years than I"m willing to admit. My specialties at CR are TVs, streaming media, audio, and TV and broadband services. In my spare time I build and play guitars and bass, ride motorcycles, and like to sail—hobbies I"ve not yet figured out how to safely combine.

Manufacturers have been so desperate over the last few years for you to buy one of their biggest and most expensive TVs that they"ve dedicated almost no effort to promote their smaller and more affordable sets.

But for many people, a 65-inch TV is too big and even 50-inch is a stretch. That"s where the 40-, 42- or 43-inch TV comes in. Lest we forget, just a few years ago this was considered large for a television, and a TV in one of these sizes can still be fairly cinematic without turning your lounge into an Odeon.

Thankfully, 2022 has seen something of a shift in focus for some manufacturers, with the first 42-inch OLED TVs hitting shops. Meanwhile, Samsung, which doesn"t have a small OLED in its range, has for a little while offered its premium QLED TVs in a 43-inch size. That"s great news if you want a flagship TV experience at a compact size. There are, of course, still plenty of cheap TVs available at the size, too, though finding a good one can be hard.

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Without a doubt, OLED has become the premium TV technology of choice, thanks to its perfect blacks, extraordinary contrast and exceptional viewing angles.

Standard LCD TVs (often, confusingly, sold as "LED" TVs on account of their LED backlights) are more variable in overall quality but, if you shop carefully, can offer excellent bang for your buck.

Are you planning to combine your new TV with a dedicated sound system? You probably should, because most TVs sound passable at best, even the flagship models. Smaller TVs tend to sound weaker than larger ones, too, thanks to the even greater space limitations for speakers. If you"re really determined to keep things neat and rely on the in-built speakers, check our reviews to make sure that they are at least decent – there"s no point in a great picture if the accompanying sound is rubbish.

If you are a gamer, it"s also worth considering the next-gen gaming features of your prospective new TV. Xbox Series X and PS5 gamers can gain a competitive advantage on certain games if their TV supports 4K 120Hz, while VRR support can result in a smoother gameplay experience. ALLM, meanwhile, simply ensures that you automatically get the best visual experience from both games and movies / TV shows. If you are a more casual gamer or not a gamer at all, you can pretty much disregard these features, and it"s likely that doing so will save you a lot of cash.

It"s now common to find 4K on 40, 42 and 43-inch sets, even at the budget end, and support for HDR formats (including HDR10+ and even Dolby Vision in some cases) is usually included, too. Peak brightness and colour depth are often a bit limited with cheaper models, though, so it"s generally best not to expect a dazzling HDR performance unless you"re prepared to spend quite a lot of money.

One last note before we get to the specific TV recommendations: not every TV on this page has been tested at this particular size, but we feel comfortable making the recommendation based on the performance of a larger model. We"ve noted below where this is the case. Broadly speaking, OLED technology scales up and down very consistently, although the latest, largest models can now often go a bit brighter than their smaller siblings. With LCD-based sets (including QLEDs) it"s more of a lottery, with different-sized models in a range often featuring different panel types.

For years now, those with modestly proportioned rooms have been barred from owning the best TVs. It took until 2020 for the first 48-inch OLED TV to hit shops, and even 48 inches is far too big for many living rooms. You’d have thought that manufacturers would have released flagship LCD sets to fill the obvious void but, broadly speaking, the quality of non-OLEDs smaller than 55 inches has until very recently been disappointing.

2022, though, is the year that true flagship performance hits the TV small time, because 42-inch OLEDs are finally available, starting with LG’s OLED42C2. To cut a long story short, it’s the best 42-inch TV there’s ever been.

While there have been brighter TVs at this size, there’s never been one with this kind of contrast. The combination of inky blacks and pure whites is intoxicating, and there’s no raising or lowering of brightness as the ratio of light to dark ebbs and flows from shot to shot – there’s instead a consistency that means you’re never distracted from the action by the way in which it’s interpreted by the display.

There"s no better TV for gaming, either, with all four HDMIs supporting 4K/120Hz signals (even with Dolby Vision), VRR and ALLM, to the extent that it"s well worth considering as a dedicated gaming monitor.

Look up ‘unassuming’ in the dictionary and you will probably find a picture of the Samsung UE43AU7100. This 43-inch LCD TV doesn’t flaunt a particularly flamboyant design, doesn’t sell for a particularly outrageous price – either high or low – and its features list is certainly no Lord Of The Rings-style epic.

You don’t have to spend long in the UE43AU7100’s company, though, to realise that a TV doesn’t have to be an extrovert to stand out from the crowd. Solid processing and a thoughtful, balanced picture that actually seems to have had some care and attention lavished on it can be more than enough.

While inevitably for its money it is not without its limitations, the UE43AU7100 delivers an impressively balanced, consistent and immersive picture. Particularly great to see at this price point is how deep its blacks are. Dark elements of mixed light and dark images enjoy rich and deep black tones, while full-on dark scenes appear with startlingly little of that grey or blue wash over them that so often blights such scenes on relatively affordable LCD TVs.

The UE43AU7100 even proves a little more tolerant of wide viewing angles than most budget LCD TVs, wrapping up a picture performance that trades showiness and aggression for immersiveness and consistency in a way we wholeheartedly endorse.

The AU7100"s sound is only passable, with a lack of volume and projection that makes for a presentation without much impact. That said, while it"s hardly cinematic, the presentation is certainly good enough for everyday TV-viewing – just don"t expect a rousing rendition of action movie soundtracks.

Hot on the heels of LG"s first 42-inch OLED TV is the 42-inch Sony A90K, which uses the same panel. We haven"t fully reviewed this model at this size but we have seen it in action and it appears to be every bit as excellent as the 48-inch version, which we have reviewed.

The A90K offers a true flagship picture performance that majors on authenticity and accuracy, particularly in regard to colours, which are rich and vibrant when required, but also subtle and nuanced. Skin tones are particularly natural and lifelike. It"s not quite as outright punchy and bright as the LG C2, but it maintains impressive colour volume in its highlights.

This is a brilliantly detailed and sharp performance, too, and Sony"s processing includes a feature that automatically enhances the depth of the image, resulting in excellent solidity and three-dimensionality. On the subject of processing, Sony"s motion-handling is still peerless, smoothing panning shots and fast action without introducing an unnaturalism.

Like Sony"s other OLED TVs, the A90K uses actuators that imperceptibly vibrate the screen in order to create sound, and the result is very clear, detailed, direct audio that"s tied to the on-screen action in a way that other TVs can"t match. Unfortunately, it also sounds a bit thin and bass-light, as is common with "small" TVs. We recommend adding a soundbar if you can.

While LCD is no longer Samsung’s only TV technology, the brand clearly still puts it at the heart of its TV world. So much so that Samsung’s 2022 flagship LCD TVs are positioned higher in the brand’s range than its new QD-OLED model.

Also, more usefully for the mainstream TV market, Samsung’s ongoing LED backlighting focus sees it prepared to extend its uncompromising LCD approach down to even relatively small screen sizes, such as the 43-inch QN90B.

While a certain type of AV fan will always be drawn to the better blacks, greater light stability and pixel-level light control you get with OLED TVs, the QN90B"s awesomely bright, punchy and sharp picture makes it a very worthy alternative.

It"s a great option for gaming, too, thanks to that superb picture punch and a feature set that includes support for 4K 120Hz, VRR and ALLM, and an HGiG mode for excellent HDR accuracy.

As a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 Amazon Fire TV.

Despite some frustrating colour issues that essentially mean some colours are a little boosted while others are a bit muted, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price.

Contrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for the low outlay.

So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money.

Testing a TV is a long and complex process because a modern TV simply does so much. Not only does it need to handle a variety of content resolutions – standard-def, 1080p, 4K and sometimes 8K – and both standard dynamic range and high dynamic range (the latter in a number of formats), all of which need to be specifically tested, it also has a sound system with various advanced settings and a full smart platform. A TV is an all-in-one device in the best sense, but that also makes it a challenging review proposition.

As part of our testing process we manually check that every major app – from Netflix to All 4, Prime Video to Spotify – is not only present, but also outputting in the video and sound formats that it should. Just because there"s a Disney+ app doesn"t necessarily mean it"s working in Dolby Vision and/or Dolby Atmos. In fact, in many recent cases it hasn"t been.

We also connect both a PS5 and Xbox Series X in order to establish which advanced gaming features are and aren"t supported, and on which of the TV"s HDMI ports. Is 4K 120Hz supported? How about VRR? Is there a Dolby Vision game mode? Is there an HGiG preset for more accurate HDR tone mapping? We check all of these things, and measure input lag using a Leo Bodnar device.

We then test the TV"s picture quality using a huge variety of content, from old DVDs to the latest 4K Blu-rays and plenty of streamed movies and TV shows in between. Every TV is tested against the best model at its price and size – we have a stockroom packed full of Award-winners for this very purpose.

We don"t accept the out-of-the-box settings that a TV comes in either. While we intentionally don"t go down the route of professional calibration (you shouldn"t have to have your TV professionally calibrated in order to get the best out of it), we do spend hours adjusting settings using a mixture of test patterns and real-world content until we are sure we"re getting the most out of a TV so that it has the best chance to shine.

While we almost always advise that a new TV is combined with a dedicated sound system such as a soundbar or AV amplifier, many people still prefer to stick with their flatscreen"s built-in speakers, so we thoroughly test these too, using a wide variety of movie and music content and with great attention spent to the TV"s many processing modes and individual settings.

How to choose a TVShould you buy a 4K or Full HD TV?This question is pretty much moot now, as the vast majority of TVs are now 4K. It"s actually rather hard to find Full HD (1080p) models, even at this sort of size.

If you"re buying a TV below 32 inches and can save a lot of money on a Full HD model, by all means go for it (4K won"t be a huge benefit at that sort of size anyway), but otherwise 4K is both worthwhile and, in all likelihood, your only option.Should you buy an HDR TV?High Dynamic Range is a huge deal, and certainly something you should consider before buying your next TV.

There are various types of HDR out there, and with different TV brands backing different variants, it can be a minefield trying to find the best option. Allow us to explain.

HDR10 is a static HDR format that applies the HDR values on a scene-by-scene basis (i.e. whenever the camera cuts to a new scene). Dolby Vision, on the other hand, applies this image information (called metadata) on a frame-by-frame basis. This dynamic form of HDR, when implemented properly, has the potential to improve upon the standard HDR10 presentation.

HDR10+ is a rival format to Dolby Vision. Created by Samsung, it also uses dynamic metadata but, whereas Dolby Vision is licensed, HDR10+ is a free, open format that any company can deploy as it sees fit.

Of these two "dynamic" HDR formats, Dolby Vision is by far the most prevalent, both in terms of TVs and content, and if you have to choose between one and the other, that"s the one we"d recommend. That said, you can now buy TVs from the likes of Philips and Panasonic that support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

Finally in our rundown of HDR formats is HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), which was developed specifically for broadcasting by the BBC and Japan"s NHK. It"s used to deliver all of the HDR content offered by the BBC and Sky, so can be considered very important. Luckily, it"s now almost as common as standard HDR10 in TV spec lists, so you should have little problem finding a model that supports it.What inputs and outputs does your TV need?These days, HDMI is used to connect pretty much everything, from set-top boxes to video streamers, Blu-ray players to games consoles. Thanks to ARC/eARC (Audio Return Channel / Enhanced Audio Return Channel), a single HDMI connection can even be used to output sound to an AV receiver or soundbar at the same time as it receives a video signal.

The specification of the HDMI connections tends to differ depending on the price of the TV, too, with premium models now commonly getting at least one or two HDMI 2.1 sockets. These have greater bandwidth than their HDMI 2.0 counterparts and can support advanced formats such as 4K at 120Hz. Fancy gaming features such as Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate are often supported via HDMI 2.1 sockets, too, though not always. It"s sensible to check the specs thoroughly if there are particular features you"re after.

Lastly, while some TVs feature composite inputs (often via an adapter), most – even at the budget end – have phased out legacy connections such as SCART. So those clinging on to old video cassette recorders, for example, should be aware of that.Which TV smart features and streaming apps do you need?As with 4K, it"s now hard to buy a TV that doesn"t have a smart platform packed with streaming apps. Almost every TV will have Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ on board, and Apple TV (which is great for pay-as-you-go movies as well as the Apple TV+ subscription service) is becoming increasingly common, too.

It"s always worth checking that the TV you"re looking at does definitely have the apps you use (or want to use), but if it comes to it any gaps can be plugged pretty inexpensively by a streaming stick or dongle.Should you buy an OLED, QLED or LCD TV?LCD TVs, which require a backlight usually made up of white LEDs to show a picture on the LCD panel, are available in a wide variety of screen sizes and, thanks in part to the technology"s low cost of production, at affordable prices.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) is a panel technology that uses self-emissive particles – so there"s no need for a backlight. This allows OLED TVs to be unbelievably slim, while also offering convincing pitch-dark blacks, strong contrast and superb viewing angles. LG, Sony, Panasonic and Philips are the big brands with OLED TVs in their line-ups and, broadly speaking, they"re excellent.

QLED (Quantum-dot Light-Emitting Diode), meanwhile, is Samsung’s response to OLED. A QLED TV is an LCD TV but with a quantum dot coating over the backlight. However, the quantum dots (tiny semiconductor particles) in current QLEDs do not emit their own light. So QLED TVs, like conventional LCDs, rely on a backlight. The advantages of a QLED TV? You tend to get brilliantly vibrant colours, plus bright, sharp and crisply detailed images. Samsung"s QLEDs have got better and better over the years, existing as a fine alternative to OLED TVs. Interestingly, though, Samsung has now launched its own range of OLED (QD-OLED) TVs.

Thanks to hitting its lowest-ever price, the LG C2 remains our pick as the best 40- to 43-inch TV, despite competition from Samsung"s smaller mini-LED TVs. Its mix of high-end features and elite image quality for a reasonable price is just unmatched.

There are great cheaper options too, and Samsung especially tends to offer a good balance of price, image quality and usability from its smart TV software.

The best 40 inch TVs are not to be underestimated. They might not have the gargantuan screen heft of the best 65-inch TVs but there are still some excellent screens hovering around the 40-inch mark. Not only that but they’re exceptionally affordable at this size. Whether you just don’t fancy a panel dominating your entire living room or you’re looking for a smaller TV for the bedroom, the best 40-inch TVs below will happily deliver 4K content directly into your eyes.

And don’t be fooled by their small form factor. The best 40-inch TVs don’t compromise on functionality. 4K resolution and HDR - or high dynamic range - mean that whatever you’re watching, they"ll deliver ultra-crisp visuals and bright colours. Plus, just like their bigger siblings, you’ll get the same smart TV interfaces with streaming services built in for all your regular Netflix and Disney+ binges. You’ll even find one of the best gaming TVs below. If you want to plug in a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, LG"s 43-inch C2 comes with HDMI 2.1 functionality for variable refresh rate and gaming in 4K at 120fps.

One downside of a smaller screen is that there are very few of the best OLED TVs in the list below. 40-inch OLED panels are significantly rarer due to manufacturing techniques but LG has seemingly cracked it with the still affordable 42-inch C2. You’ll also find that some of the big brands flagship screens with the latest tech just don’t come in a smaller package but there are still plenty to choose from.

Here’s our breakdown of the best 40-inch TVs and our favourite 42 and 43-inch TVs too. And don’t miss our tips below on the best ways to choose the right TV for you.

The LG C2 is the first OLED 4K TV to come in a 42-inch size, finally bringing this premium screen technology to compact TVs. If you"re a hardcore movie lover looking for the most cinematic images possible from this size of TV, this is it. The search is over, stop now.

Because each individual pixel generates its own light, you get perfect precision in scenes that contrast light and dark, with true black right next to bright lights. You also get very impressive nuance in dark scenes, bringing out more detail in these moment than LED TVs can manage.

And it"s also packed with all of LG"s latest and greatest image tech. You get its highest-end image processing, so everything looks totally sharp and natural on the 4K screen, and it also supports HDMI 2.1 on all of its HDMI ports, so there"s 4K 120Hz and VRR support for next-gen gaming – this is 100% future-proofed. It"s the best small TV for gaming right now, no question.

The sound system isn"t as rich as the visuals, so we"d suggest adding a small soundbar, and it"s not as bright as the Samsung 43-inch QN90A mini-LED TV… but it"s still brighter than the vast majority of the competition. It"s expensive, but if you want truly the most advanced 42-inch TV going, this is it. In addition to our overall LG C2 review (below), we"ve also specifically tested the LG C2 42-inch model for comparison.

The V- in the Vizio V-Series TVs has always stood for ‘value’, but you could easily argue that it should stand for ‘versatile’ instead, as this is one of the most feature-rich TVs in the budget category. With support for HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG) plus Chromecast and AirPlay built-in, the V-Series is a veritable swiss army knife of budget TVs.

Unfortunately, despite all these technologies the V-Series is still a pretty budget-oriented set. We"d describe the picture quality as "fair" because its contrast isn’t off-the-charts and its color saturation could use some work too. Its biggest issue is that of awful off-axis viewing (more than 45 degrees) that quickly turns what is a fine and acceptable picture to a really desaturated mess.

With the BU8500 Samsung has set out to deliver a superb all-rounder for a very affordable price, and we think it"s achieved exactly that. For a relatively small price you"re getting 4K HDR (albeit without Dolby Vision), three HDMIs, voice control, two remote controls and all the apps you might want. It"s not up there with the very best TVs that cost many times more, but it delivers much better picture quality than you"d expect at this price. The only real downside is that its speakers are very weedy, but at this price you can afford to add a decent soundbar.

The main corners that have been cut are in processing: the upscaling here isn"t as good on lower-resolution sources as Samsung"s higher-spec models, and while we didn"t find input lag to be a problem the fact that Samsung hadn"t published the figures suggests it"s going to be a bit more laggy than the best gaming TVs. You’ll also lose out on some multi-HDR support, so while you will get HLG, HDR10, and HDR10+ dynamic metadata you’ll miss out on Dolby Vision (though this is true of all Samsung TVs). None of the issues are significant enough to be a deal-breaker at this price (and the TV still performs incredibly well) but you might notice a steep picture improvement on larger and more expensive models.

This is the smallest TV with Samsung"s high-end Neo QLED TV tech, which combines the colors and brightness that QLED is famous for with a next-gen mini-LED backlight, which means even more lights are squeezed into a thinner panel.

In our testing, its peak HDR brightness blasted well over 1,000 nits, and in some modes it can reach nearly 2,000 nits. Compared to the 700 nits of brightness from the LG C2, you can see this TV is the exception when it comes to punchy, dazzling HDR. And with the localized dimming of its tiny LED lights, its contrast between light and dark is better than the other LCD TVs here, by a huge margin – though the OLED TV still has the edge.

The TCL 4-Series isn"t as exciting as the company"s 6-Series QLED with Mini LED, but it"s surprisingly good value at around $200, and a solid choice in our best TCL TV guide.

The 4-Series is available in two different variations based on its smart platform – either Roku TV or Android TV – but we strongly recommend opting for the Roku model for its smoother performance, usability and security.

Disappointingly, the 4-Series doesn"t have all the latest specs (no HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, etc...) but it does support HDR10 and HLG forms of HDR, has a built in 802.11ac wireless antenna and has one HDMI port with ARC, which is great for folks who want to cut down on the number of remotes in their house.

It"s not the best TCL TV on the planet, but if you"re limited to a 40-inch TV and want to have hundreds of streaming channels at your fingertips, the TCL 4-Series Roku TV is a smart bet and a very good value.

This is a great value television, and the Roku TV platform is always a joy to use thanks to its sleek interface, well-organised tile icons and broad app support. But as a 4K HDR TV it struggles a little bit with SD or HD; it"s best connected to high-resolution sources. We weren"t impressed by the audio, either: it"s pretty clear where some corners have been cut to keep the price so low.

We"re still putting the finishing touches to our longer term Samsung Q90B review, but having spent quality time with it for our initial hands on review we can confidently say that it"s a refined and impressive set that delivers flagship-level specifications for a lower price tag. This is a quantum dot mini-LED display with excellent color and contrast, and while it"s not quite up there with the best OLED TVs it delivers much better brightness, making it a good option for brightly lit rooms. It struggles a little bit with very dark movies – OLED remains the best choice for that kind of viewing – but for CGI-heavy movies, action movies and colorful TV shows it"s superb. It"s also very good for gaming, with built-in Xbox game streaming, VRR and AMD FreeSync Pro Premium.

TVs of this size tend to fall down when it comes to their sound, but this model has Samsung"s Q Symphony: with compatible Samsung soundbars it becomes part of a wider surround sound system. This smaller model doesn"t have the Object Tracking Sound Plus of the larger models, but it does have the Lite version that delivers positional audio for a more immersive experience.

Best 40-, 42- and 43-inch TV FAQIs a 40-inch TV big enough?It"s worth remembering that 40-inch screens, while once the pinnacle of high-end TV tech, are now considered a small size compared to many other TV displays.

Manufacturers can make bigger screens than ever before and, these days, 55-inch 4K TVs are standard, with 65-inch 4K TVs quickly growing in popularity.

A 40-inch TV should come with 4K resolution, but you"ll be able to see the benefits more clearly on a larger size. We find that a 40-inch TV is a pretty decent size for a single viewer not sitting too far away, but for a family or group of flatmates it"s not ideal.

In this guide, we"ve also included several 42-inch and 43-inch TVs, which might give you a bit of extra screen space if the best 40-inch TVs seem a touch too small.What about 42-inch TVs and 43-inch TVs?For ease, we"ve included 40-inch TVs as well as the best 42-inch TVs and 43-inch TVs in this guide.

Of course, many things affect the size and scale of a TV screen beyond simply the diagonal length of the panel, including the width of the bezel (the black strip around the screen"s edges), built-in speakers, HDMI inputs and connections, as well as the depth of the casing (which often varies in different places). What this means is you may not notice the difference between a 40-inch TV and a 43-inch TV due to all of these factors.

We"ve also seen increased production of 42-inch TVs in recent years, with TV brand LG bringing out 42-inch OLED TVs, like the LG OLED42C2 at the top of this guide.

Many people find 42-inch and 43-inch TVs are perfect for smaller rooms, like studies, kitchens and any other space in your home where you don"t need a huge, cinematic display. Even for smaller living rooms, 43-inch TVs are the perfect sweet spot.

Ultra HD vs Full HD: It"s a common misconception that you can"t see the difference between full HD and Ultra HD/4K on a screen smaller than 55 inches. You can. We recommend picking a TV with 4K Ultra-HD and HDR if you can find one. It makes a big difference.

Operating system: 40-inch, 42-inch and 43-inch TVs didn"t always come with a smart TV operating system in the past but they often do now. What you"re looking for, ideally, is a well-maintained operating system like Roku TV, LG"s webOS or Samsung"s Tizen operating system. If you go with a TV that uses a proprietary operating system (basically an operating system exclusive to that one TV) you might have some serious issues down the road.

Inputs and outputs: Multiple HDMI ports are important if you have many devices to hook up to your TV but you may find less on a TV that"s smaller than 43-inches. We recommend choosing a TV with more one HDMI port. You"ll find yourself swapping cables far too often if you do.Round up of today"s best deals

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Flat-screen televisions didn’t become super functional for a few years after their invention, despite some television companies taking them on. The resolution was relatively low, and the quality was not what you’d expect for a current-day TV, so when was the flat screen tv invented?

Two professors named Donald Bitzer and Gene Slottow and their graduate student, Robert Wilson, came up with the prototype invention for the first flat-screen in 1964. Although a considerable invention for its time, the first flat-screen TV created by these professors was more of a prototype.

The first flat-screen TV invented by Donald, Gene, and Robert consisted of plasma technology.It was cheaper to utilize and was used to try to solve graphics problems with computer monitors at their university. The TV had a monochrome orange glow and had memory and bitmapped graphics.

The first functional flat-screen TV to go on sale came years later, in 1997 by Fujitsu. This TV invention would pave the way for flat-screen TV sales and truly jump-start its popularity in the retail world.

In 1997, technology company Fujitsu released the first-ever flat-screen TV to the public, which had a 42-inch screen, and weighed 40 pounds. For the TV fans of the world, this invention was futuristic and exciting. Being only 3-inches thick, the TV was the thinnest on the market.

The first flat-screen TV to be sold went for a whopping $15,000 due to its innovative design and specialty graphics. It brought on a true challenge to the regular CRT TVs of the time, which were bulky, heavy, and often had poor resolution. Fujitsu’s flat-screen TV was well-waited and appreciated.

Since the majority of people couldn’t afford to purchase the first flat-screen TV, the initial design was not a hit. It was not affordable for the regular American household. It wasn’t until 2005, when Toshiba released a 42-inch flat-screen TV for $4,500, that the flat-screen TV started to decrease in price.

With more and more companies taking on the modern innovation of this TV design, more and more households could afford them. Soon after, in 2006, 80-inch flat-screen TVs came to the market, and Panasonic created the first 103-inch prototype flat-screen, which they would later sell on the market.

With time, these companies drifted away from plasma technology and started to aim towards liquid crystal displays (LCD), which were much clearer, and could make TVs lighter and thinner. This design is the type of display utilized by most flat-screen TVs today, although some newer models use LED, QLED, and OLED displays instead.

The style of TVs before the flat-screen was called Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and were bulky, heavy objects with a small display. They started in black and white and later utilized plasma color to bring color TV to the household.

Invented in the 1930s, these TVs were a fantastic invention to most families. They allowed people to “see films” at home, without leaving your sofa. It wasn’t until 1954 that the first color TV was invented. These TVs started at around 20-inches and hit 40-inches in the 1980s.

In the 80s, these TVs started to be used for video gaming and computer monitors as well. In the 90s, Sony released the first HD CRT TV, which was widely more popular than the competing new flat-screen TVs on the market, which cost over ten times the price.

The invention of the TV, and especially the flat-screen, was one of the most advanced inventions of the 20th century. Let’s take a look at some interesting TV facts about the invention of TV as we know it today.Did you know that the average person watches 10 hours of TV per day?

The liquid crystals used to make LCD technology were accidentally discovered by a man named Friedrich Reinitzer in 1888. That’s80 years before the first LCD TV!

TV companies first introduced TV to the public at the World’s Fair in 1939. They broadcast the president across the fairgrounds and used this as the first advertising for the TV products.

Unlike the CRT TV, LCD flat-screens don’t experience burn-out. If you’ve ever owned a CRT, you know that keeping it turned on for an extended period can cause the image to “burn” into the screen. LCD technology doesn’t do this.

If you’ve been thinking about investing in a new flat-screen, the future is now! Some of the specific customizations for flat-screen TVs include:Extra-thin (down to 0.15 inches)

In the 21st century, streaming platforms have become extremely popular, causing more and more flat-screen TVs to offer smart capabilities, such as incorporating Roku, Firestick, and Google Chromecast. These services allow people to continue watching TV outside of the age of cable television.

Flat-screen TVs first became popular in the late 1990s. Although they weren’t fancy HDTV models, they were still a massive hit on the market because they offered better picture quality than CRTs. They were also lighter and thinner, although not very affordable.

By the early 2000s, flat-screen TVs were extremely popular. 2003 and 2004 saw considerable rises in flat-screen TV sales. LCD and plasma TVs became available with more color and had bigger screens. Their cost went down as well. Sales skyrocketed.

Even in the 2020s, people continue to jump into the flat-screen TV craze. Prices don’t seem to intimidate buyers when they compare the differences between their older models and the new modern-day versions. Some new features are available that buyers love, including:Curved monitor designs

As more manufacturers discover new technology, the prices will continue to fall. You can purchase the 30-inch flat-screen plasma or LCD for around $800, and in some sales, as little as $300. On Black Friday sales, prices are probably even lower.

When the first TV brands released the first flat-screen TV models, Samsung and LG were the last to lean into the trend and are now at the top of the market. How interesting is that?

Considering how rapidly technology changes year after year, seeing what new inventions develop in the next decade will be fascinating. In an age of transformation, anything is possible.

Future TVs will be interactive, large, ultra-high-definition, and paper-thin. People will be able to attach them anywhere, including walls, ceilings, and showers. They might even have special features such as touch screen interaction and voice control. If you can imagine it, it’s possible that it could become a reality.

Fujitsu Announces World’s First Commercial 42-inch-diagonal Wide-Screen Color Plasma Display. Retrieved from https://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/1995/Aug/24-e.html.

LED HDTVs (properly known as LED-backlit LCD TVs) use light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a backlight for the LCD. Some of this light is blocked by vertical or horizontal liquid crystals, creating an image. These should not be confused with actual LED or OLED TVs.

Plasma HDTVs create images using phosphors, tiny plasma containers placed between two sheets of glass. These emit ultraviolet light at colored spots of phosphor on the screen, which then glow to create the picture.

Plasma TVs tend to have deeper blacks, and stabler color over the screen"s breadth from a variety of angles, leading to smoother, more natural images than seen on LED-lit LCD screens. Plasma screens also show crisp, fast motion without blur or ghosting.

According to CNET, LED-lit LCD TVs are the brightest available. They are capable of 100 footlamberts, although this is bright enough to cause eye fatigue in a dark room. Plasmas are less bright, so they might be more difficult to see in a bright room, and will dim over time.

Plasma screens normally range from 42 inches to approximately 65 inches. Panasonic also offer some larger models, including a 152 inch TV. Plasma screens also weigh more than LED-lit LCD screens.

Plasma TVs are less energy efficient than LED-lit LCD TVs. According to Which magazine, a 42 inch screen LED-lit LCD TV will use an average of 64 watts, while an average 42 inch Plasma TV uses 195 watts.

HDTVs are generally highly reliable. LED-lit LCD TVs are considered to have a lifespan of 100,000 hours, although they have not been in use long enough to have extensive information on their long-term reliability.

According to PC World, users of Panasonic’s plasma TVs rate them highly reliable, with very few serious problems. In 2010, just 1 in 20 Panasonic users reported a major problem with their TVs. Older plasma TVs have a lifespan of 20,000 hours, although some newer TVs have up to 60,000 hours.

LED-lit LCD TVs are typically more expensive than Plasma TVs. For example, on Amazon.com a Panasonic LED-lit LCD 42 inch TV was listed for $900 while a Panasonic Plasma 42 inch TV costs $600.

LCD screen TVs are the most popular, followed by LED-backlit screens (which are also LCD screens, by the way). Plasma screens are less popular and more commonly available in larger sizes.1,274 LCD TVs

All major TV manufacturers sell LED-lit LCD TVs. Panasonic focuses its TV range on the Plasma TV, while other brands, such as LG and Samsung, only produce a few models, and some, such as Sony and Toshiba, no longer produce Plasma TVs at all.