With Multi-View, you can stream several video sources at once, which is perfect for fantasy football fans, news junkies, and stock market nerds to keep up with multiple streams of information. The higher-end models from Samsung have top-tier features like variable refresh rate support for smoother video playback while gaming and object tracking sound for room-filling, 3D virtual surround sound without the need for extra speakers or sound bars. Samsung also offers more stripped-back, budget-friendly models that provide key smart features you’ve come to expect for home entertainment at prices that won’t drain your savings. So whether you’re looking to buy a TV with all the bells and whistles to future-proof your home theater or just want a reliable smart TV so you can keep up with the hottest Netflix originals, Samsung has a model to suit your needs. Check out our top picks below to see which is right for you.
The Neo QLED 4K line of televisions is the latest from Samsung, offering picture quality that rivals OLED models. With all-new mini LED panels with individually lit pixels and HDR10+ support, you’ll get incredible detailing, color, and contrast. The integrated speakers use object tracking sound and Dolby Digital Plus technology to create rich, room-filling audio for a more immersive experience without the hassle of setting up external soundbars. Bluetooth connectivity lets you share your smartphone or tablet screen while simultaneously streaming your favorite movies and shows, and if you have a Samsung smartphone, you can just tap it against the TV to instantly share media. You can also take advantage of the HDMI ARC connection for near-perfect audio and video syncing when using soundbars, and the variable refresh rate support to get ultra-smooth playback no matter the source. Console gamers will love the game bar feature which allows you to adjust input response times, refresh rates, and screen ratio on-the-fly.
Best Overall
Samsung QN85QN90AAFXZA 85-Inch Neo QLED 4K TV
Excellent picture
Object tracking sound
Game Bar feature
Pricey
No Chromecast or AirPlay support
While curved televisions didn’t become as popular as manufacturers had hoped, Samsung still offers the TU8300 for fans of the concept. The curved screen is designed to reduce glare from ambient lighting and provide better viewing at extreme angles. With an AI-enhanced processor, you’ll get clean upscaling of non-4K content and excellent native 4K picture. It has Samsung’s Bixby and Alexa built in, and it is compatible with Google Assistant for hands-free voice controls over your new TV and connected devices. You can instantly share media from your mobile devices with AirPlay 2 support for iOS and Tap View for Samsung smartphones and tablets. You can use this TV as a computer monitor via remote PC access, letting you work or game from the comfort of your couch. With the SamsungTV+ app, you’ll get access to free live news, sports, and entertainment without a cable or satellite subscription. The back of the TV features integrated cable management channels and clips to help keep your home theater looking neat and organized.
Best Curved TV
Samsung TU-8300 Curved 65-inch 4K TV
Remote PC access
Tap View
Free live TV
Needs special wall-mounting bracket
No HDMI ARC support
If you’re a Samsung brand loyalist working with a budget, or just want a reliable smart TV that won’t drain your savings, the TU8000 from Samsung is an excellent option. This entry-level 4K TV offers everything you’ve come to expect for home entertainment like HDR support, preloaded apps like Netflix and Prime Video, voice controls, and Bluetooth connectivity. With Bluetooth, you can share media from your mobile devices or set up wireless sound bars and subwoofers for enhanced home audio. The 43-inch screen features an ultra-narrow bezel for an edge-to-edge picture and more immersive viewing experience. With the automatic game mode, the TV detects when your consoles turn on and adjust input lag and picture settings for a better gaming session. The updated Tizen operating system offers customization options for picture and sound as well as faster loading times for your favorite apps. The back of the TV has integrated cable management channels and apps for better organization and to protect cords from tangling and damage.
Best Budget
Samsung UN43TU8000FXZA 43-Inch Crystal UHD
4K HDR
Bluetooth
Voice controls
Limited HDMI inputs
No Dolby Atmos support
For customers looking to invest more money into a high-end smart TV to get all of the features they want, the 75-inch Q80T is the best choice. This QLED TV is one of Samsung’s flagship models, offering an AI-enhanced processor for better native 4K UHD resolution and cleaner upscaling of non-4K content for a consistently beautiful picture. It also uses object tracking sound to create virtual 3D surround sound audio without needing to set up extra equipment, and with eco sensors, the TV automatically monitors ambient lighting and sound to adjust picture and volume settings to give you the best viewing and listening experience in almost any environment. The updated Tizen operating system offers built-in voice controls via Bixby, Alexa, or Google Assistant, variable refresh rate technology support for AMD FreeSync for smoother gaming, the multi-view simultaneous streaming feature, and compatibility with the SmartThings app to connect all of your smart Samsung devices together for a more efficient smart home.
Best Splurge
Samsung Q80T 75-Inch QLED 4K UHD TV
Adaptive picture and sound
AMD FreeSync support
SmartThings compatible
No Tap View support
While 8K content may still be a few years away, you can future-proof your home theater now with the QN900A 8K TV from Samsung. It uses an all-new mini LED panel with individual contrast and lighting zones to create a picture that rivals OLED technology and four times the resolution of a 4K television. The updated processor uses a deep-learning neural network to analyze media scene-by-scene to provide better upscaling of non-8K content and a consistently beautiful picture. It also uses object tracking sound technology as well as Samsung’s Space Fit Sound tech to create virtual 3D surround sound that will fill almost any room with clean, clear audio for a more immersive experience.
Best 8K
Samsung QN85QN900AFXZA 85-Inch Neo QLED 8K TV
Excellent picture and audio
Minimalist design
Multi- and Tap View
Expensive
No native 8K content available
The screen is treated with an anti-glare and anti-reflection coating to give you ultra-wide viewing angles even with harsh overhead or environmental lighting. The TV itself has an ultra-sleek, minimalist design and is OneConnect compatible, allowing you to use just one cable to connect all your playback and home audio equipment to your new TV for a super-clean looking home theater. For customers who have multiple mobile devices, you can connect them to your new TV via Bluetooth and share your screen with the Multi-View function or Tap View for Samsung smartphone users. The Multi-View feature has been updated for this TV, allowing you to stream up to four videos simultaneously; this is perfect for keeping up with multiple news feeds, stock market activity, or sports stats and scores.
If you’re looking for a large screen TV to transform your space into the ultimate home theater, look no further than the 75-inch Q60T from Samsung. This television features a dual LED panel that produces warm and cool color simultaneously, creating over 1 billion colors for more true-to-life images and 100 percent color volume even at wide viewing angles. It also has an ultra-narrow bezel to give you an edge-to-edge picture so you don’t miss a single detail of your favorite shows and movies. Built-in eco sensors monitor ambient lighting and sound and automatically adjust screen and volume settings for the best viewing and listening experience in almost any environment.
Best Large Screen
Samsung QN75Q60TAFXZA 75-Inch 4K TV
Adaptive picture and audio
AI upscaling
Dual LED panel
No VRR support
Limited HDMI inputs
The updated Tizen operating system and 4K Lite processor use artificial intelligence and HDR10+ technology to give you the best native 4K picture and better upscaling of non-4K content so everything from classic sitcoms to the hottest blockbuster movies look amazing. You can use the integrated Bixby or Alexa voice controls for hands-free use of your new TV and connected devices or connect your favorite Google Home speaker via Bluetooth. The improved Ambient Mode allows you to choose or upload photos and images to turn your TV into a work of art when not in use or blend into your room’s decor. With the included OneRemote, you don’t need to keep multiple remotes for your home theater; the TV’s remote can control everything from the TV itself to sound bars and Blu-Ray players to help keep your home theater clutter-free.
For customers looking for a small screen TV to use in a dorm, apartment, or as a secondary TV in a bedroom or kids’ playroom, the 32-inch Q50R from Samsung is a great option. This TV may be small, but it’s still big on features. You’ll get great 4K resolution with HDR support for a better picture while streaming or watching broadcast media, and the dual, 10 watt speakers create clean, clear audio with Dolby Digital Plus technology. The included remote is voice-enabled and works with Samsung’s Bixby integrated virtual assistant.
Best for Small Spaces
Samsung QN32Q50RAFXZA Flat 32" QLED 4K
4K HDR
Smart TV
Parental controls
No Alexa or Google Assistant support
The Tizen operating system has a suite of preloaded, popular apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ so you can start streaming your favorite shows and movies right out of the box. For parents, the built-in V-chip lets you set up parental controls, ensuring your little ones aren’t accessing any content that may be inappropriate. With 3 HDMI inputs, 2 USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity, there are plenty of ways to connect all of your playback and home audio devices for a great home theater configuration. If floor space is at a premium, this TV is VESA wall mount compatible, letting you free up space for things like seating, play areas, or to just make your home feel more open.
About Our Trusted Experts
Taylor Clemons has been reviewing and writing about consumer electronics for over three years. She has also worked in e-commerce product management, so she has the knowledge of what makes a solid TV for home entertainment.
The new QN85A from Samsung is one of the best TVs the brand has to offer. It features an updated QLED panel and object tracking audio technology as well as VRR and HDMI ARC support for better gaming and home audio. The TU8000 is a great, budget-friendly choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home theater on the cheap. It features a suite of preloaded apps, an automatic game mode, and integrated voice controls for hands-free use. It also has integrated cable management channels and clips for better cord organization.
What to Look for in a Samsung TV
Samsung has become one of the most trusted brands of smart televisions in recent years. The company offers a wide range of sizes and screen resolutions to suit almost any living room, dorm, or home theater. The variety of screen technologies also give you plenty of choices for picture quality, color range, and contrast. Samsung is one of the few manufacturers that still offers curved televisions alongside their more popular flat screen counterparts. They even have several lines of televisions that double as art pieces to blend into your home decor when they aren’t in use. If you’re a die-hard Samsung customer or just in the market for a decent, affordable new TV, the brand has a lot of options to choose from. We’re going to explain several important factors to consider when shopping for a new Samsung television to help you decide which is right for you.
The size of your TV depends on the size of your room; buy one that’s too large, and it can make your space feel crowded and even cause motion sickness. Buy a TV that’s too small, and it’ll make your living room feel like a cavernous void and make everyone have to crowd around to see. The best way to figure ideal screen size is to measure the distance from your couch to where your TV will be wall-mounted or placed on a dedicated stand, then divide that measurement in half. So a distance of 10 feet (120 inches) means your ideal TV size would be around 60 inches. You can go a bit bigger or smaller depending on your budget or features you want, but you’ll want to stay around that size.
As long as your TV is capable of connecting to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, you’ll be able to download almost any app you can think of. Many new smart TVs come with a preloaded suite of popular apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu so you can get started binge watching your favorite shows and movies right out of the box.
Screen Resolution and Size
The very first thing you should do when looking to purchase a new TV is to determine what size best fits your space. To do this, pick a spot for a dedicated stand or wall mount and measure the distance to where you are most likely to sit; then divide that measurement in half to get the ideal screen size. For example, if your couch is 10 feet from your TV (120 inches), the ideal TV size is 60 inches. You can go a bit larger or smaller depending on what’s available online and in stores, but having a TV that is too large or too small can cause problems. A screen that is too large not only takes up an unnecessary amount of space and may not even fit your room at all, it can cause motion sickness. A screen that is too small makes it difficult to make out details and colors, and forces everyone to crowd around the television, making a watch party or even watching shows and movies with family after dinner uncomfortable.
When you’ve determined the best TV size for your space, it’s time to look at screen resolution. Televisions that provide 4K UHD resolution have become more popular and mainstream in home entertainment. They give you four times the pixels of 1080p full HD, meaning you can get a wider color range and more detailing. Many streaming services offer UHD content so you can take full advantage of your TV’s picture technology. You can still find TV models that use 1080p full HD, and these make excellent secondary TVs in bedrooms, kitchens, or children’s playrooms; especially if you mostly watch broadcast programming and older DVDs. Samsung has also begun to produce a line of 8K televisions. These give you four times the detailing of 4K and 16 times that of 1080p. However, these models are incredibly expensive, and there is a serious lack of 8K content available to stream or watch over broadcast signals. This means that unless you’re looking to future proof your home theater, you’ll be paying a lot of money for a TV that you won’t be able to begin to take advantage of for several years.
HDR Support and Audio
Many of Samsung’s 4K televisions support HDR technology; HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and it is a technology that analyzes shows and movies scene by scene for optimal color, contrast, and picture quality. The newest line of Samsung TVs uses their proprietary Quantum HDR technology, but others use Dolby Vision. There isn’t much of a difference between the two versions, but Quantum HDR is optimized for use with Samsung’s latest televisions, allowing you to take full advantage of the QLED panel and get images that rival OLED quality.
If you’re an audiophile, many of Samsung’s televisions use Dolby Atmos to produce virtual surround sound audio for a more immersive experience. Many TVs also feature Bluetooth connectivity to set up wireless speakers, soundbars, and subwoofers for a custom home theater configuration. With Bluetooth, you can also connect wireless headsets for private listening so you won’t disturb others in your home or dorm while you watch your favorite shows and movies, listen to music, or play video games.
Curved vs Flat
While curved televisions didn’t gain the popularity that Samsung and other manufacturers had hoped for, you can still find great curved TVs at affordable prices. Curved televisions were designed for ultra-wide viewing angles and to reduce glare from natural and overhead lighting, giving you a better movie and show watching experience. The curvature of the screen is meant to give you full color volume at almost any angle, so no matter where you’re sitting in relation to the screen, the picture never looks washed out or dim.
The biggest drawback to a curved television is that they require specialized brackets for wall mounting, which can be quite expensive, and curved TVs often don’t look as great as their flat counterparts when mounted. The curved edges can stick out quite a ways from the wall, creating the danger of breakage from accidental bumps. The anti-glare benefit has been exceeded by their flat cousins as well. Many newer flat screen televisions have panels that have been treated with anti-glare coatings or built with anti-reflective glass, giving them better viewing angles and color volume without a curve. However, a curved TV can still find a home in your living room, dorm, or home theater, if you’re looking for a unique aesthetic.
Voice Controls
Samsung’s Bixby is an excellent option for anyone looking to get their first virtual assistant since it is automatically included in the price of your television and quick to set up; it also doesn’t require the purchase of a separate speaker, saving you a bit of money in the long run. Of course, not everyone needs or wants hands-free controls, so Bixby and the other virtual assistants can be disabled in the TV’s menus, making the remote the sole command input for your television.
