Best Smart TVs 2021

Smart TVs are any TV that can be connected to the internet to be able to access content via streaming. Realistically, most modern TVs are now smart TVs, you’d have to go deep into the budget range or look for older devices to be able to find a TV set that doesn’t have some level of smart functionality. Not all smart TVs are created equal, however, there are many different operating systems and platforms and with each generation and update, they’ll get more features, apps, and better performance.

It may also be important to note that some platforms offer different features in different regions due to licencing differences. Even if you have a preferred operating system, it’s a good idea to check that the TV that you’re looking at getting, has the services that you want. For example, in 2020, LG failed to renew its Freeview Play licence in the UK. This meant that all LG TVs in the UK lost access to the main UK broadcaster catchup TV apps that were included in that licence. This issue has now been fixed in 2021, but it’s a good reminder to check that you’ll actually be getting access to the features that you want and will use.

To help you find a good Smart TV, we’ve drawn up our list of recommendations for the best Smart TVs in 2021.

The LG C1 OLED is an update to the previous version, the CX OLED. It comes in 5 different sizes: 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83 inches. As the name suggests, it uses an OLED panel which means that it has a near-infinite contrast ratio, perfect blacks, wide viewing angles, low pixel response times, and has a perfect full-array local dimming setup.

The C1 supports the HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG HDR standards, although HDR10+ is not supported. The panel is 4K 120Hz and supports variable refresh rates via VRR, FreeSync Premium, and is G-Sync Compatible. OLED panels can suffer from burn-in though, this can especially be a risk if you primarily watch content that has a constant feature such as a channel logo or a news ticker. It can remove juddering from 24Hz content making it great for streaming movies smoothly.

The Sony X90J is a 4K HDR TV that is available in a 50-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch format. It supports the HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR standards, although HDR10+ support is noticeably missing. It does have Full Array Local Dimming, however, there are only 24 zones, meaning that the dimming effect is not as effective as you’d like and there is noticeable light bloom.

Two HDMI 2.1 ports enable support for 4K120 content although VRR support is notably missing for gamers. When playing some low framerate content, such as movies you can occasionally see some stuttering. The narrow viewing angles from the VA panel mean that this TV doesn’t have wide viewing angles, making it unsuitable for group viewing, especially in some room layouts.

The Samsung Q80A (Q80 in some regions) is another 4K120 TV, this time using an IPS QLED panel. The use of an IPS panel means reduced contrast, but much wider viewing angles making it great for group viewing. HDR content is supported in the HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG formats, as Samsung doesn’t support Dolby Vision. The 90% DCI P3 gamut coverage and the 900 nit peak brightness mean HDR content is especially vibrant.

The Q80A has a single central stand, this is great if you only have a narrow surface on which to place it, but also leaves it much more prone to wobbling compared to corner stands. While it has a full array local dimming feature, Samsung refuses to specify the number of zones and it suffers from very noticeable light bloom issues so some users may prefer to keep the feature disabled.

The Hisense U8G is the replacement for the H9G, it builds upon the strengths of the previous model with even better peak brightness and DCI P3 coverage while addressing some of its shortcomings such as lack of VRR support. Hisense is one of the few TV brands to actively support all four major HDR variants.

The full-array local dimming feature is extremely effective with up to 360 dimming zones in the largest model providing an effective level of granularity. The use of a VA panel does mean that there are narrow viewing angles, so this TV isn’t ideal for group viewing. The backlight level does tend to be brighter than necessary, so you may want to turn it down a little.

The Hisense H8G is a Quantum Dot 4K QLED display that runs at 60Hz and is available in 50-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch formats. It includes support for all major HDR platforms. One of its key selling points for a budget tv, and the reason for the higher price is the full-array local dimming, which has between 32 and 90 zones depending on the screen size you get.

Connectivity-wise it has four HDMI 2.0 ports which are more than powerful enough to drive the 60Hz display. Gamers may find the lack of VRR a problem but the limitation to 60Hz should make that less of an issue.

Those were our recommendations for the best smart TVs in 2021. Have you recently bought a smart tv? Which model did you choose and what made you pick it?