TV is getting darker these days.
And we don’t mean in terms of storyline. We mean it in the most literal sense — it’s just so hard to see.
We saw this in last year’s The Batman and again last summer during House of the Dragon‘s run, but a better phrase might be “we didn’t see it.”
Turning off motion smoothing is a good place to start (thanks, Tom Cruise!), but if you have an older, strictly HD television, you’ll probably want to look into replacing it.
Newer TVs are equipped with new screen technology designed to increase dark contrasts into something more visible.
We spoke with John Couling, the SVP of Entertainment at Dolby (who also consulted on our guides to the best soundbars and best wireless earbuds), about this filmmaking phenomenon and the kinds of TVs you can buy to ensure the best picture possible.
What Should I Look For When Shopping For A New TV?
Simply put, Couling suggests a TV that supports high dynamic range, which you’ll find in nearly every 4K television.
“4K and HDR on the TV market are becoming pretty much synonymous,” Couling said.
He went on to explain what HDR is: “Brighter brights, darker darks, a wider set of colors. That is what makes the picture more vibrant; that is what makes the picture have higher contrast and much more like real life.”
TV and film creators are actually leveraging HDR when filming dark scenes, so it makes sense that you’ll need a 4K HDR television to see it as the creator intends. It used to be a format primarily utilized on a large scale, but as TVs have advanced, so has the quality of what we choose to watch at home, to the point where streaming services are making movies and shows available in 4K HDR on a much larger scale.
(Couling noted that to get the best picture quality out of your TV, make sure your favorite streaming services are delivering HDR to your preferred streaming platform – whether that is a connected streaming device or your TV’s built-in apps.)
“Dolby Vision is a really good way to know you are getting a really good HDR television because that is a brand that shows the TV maker is investing in that HDR capability,” Couling adds.
Dolby Vision, created by Dolby, is a specific format of HDR available for TV makers to use when creating their products.
So, step one: Prioritize HDR, and if possible, confirm the TV supports Dolby Vision.
Step two: Figure out which display type works better for you — OLED or QLED.
What’s the Difference Between OLED and QLED?
OLED (organic light-emitting diode) and QLED (quantum light-emitting diode) — which fall under the larger LCD (liquid crystal display) umbrella — are two different display technologies that determine the way your TV’s screen looks. We know those acronyms are a lot, so we’ll break it down even further for you.
OLED TVs are not backlit. Instead, every individual pixel is illuminated on its own, producing the blackest shades of black since the pixels can be turned off entirely. That’s not possible with a backlight.
“It can go all of the way down to black, and that gives it the ability to really display these fine grayscale images, as you say, quite dim scenes,” Couling said.
On the other hand, QLED TVs do utilize an LCD backlight paired with color-emitting quantum dots. The LCD backlight creates much brighter images.
Each panel technology has its own individual benefits and drawbacks, but as TVs advance further, the difference between OLED and QLED gets smaller. Ultimately, both are good, so it’s all about finding the TV that you like best for your space and needs.
Pros and Cons of OLED and QLED:
OLED
- Pros: High dark/light contrast, deeper shades of black, quick pixel response time
- Cons: Risk of burn-in if the TV is paused on an image for an extended period of time
QLED
- Pros: Brighter images, often cheaper than OLED, excellent in rooms with more natural light
- Cons: Less contrast between dark and light, TVs are slightly thicker than OLED, slower pixel response time
The Best OLED and QLED TVs:
All of the TVs below are recommended by Dolby or by experts at Amazon.
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TCL 55-Inch Q6 QLED 4K Smart TV with Fire TV
This smart TV come equipped with the Fire TV interface, so if you love the easy navigation of a Fire TV streaming device, this is the QLED TV for you. It also has an auto game mode, which detects when a gaming console is connected and automatically adjusts the refresh rates, latency, and picture settings.
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LG C2 Series 77″ Class 4K OLED evo Smart TV
LG’s α9 Gen 5 AI Processor 4K automatically adjusts the TV’s settings based on what it detects you’re watching, ensuring you’ll have the best picture quality every time you flip the TV on. It also features a gaming mode and filmmaker mode with Dolby.
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Sony 55″ 4K Ultra HD TV X90K Series: BRAVIA XR Full Array LED Smart TV
This Bravia XR TV is not only recommended by Dolby, but it’s also a Handpicked by Amazon selection. The TV comes with exclusive gaming features for Playstation 5 consoles, like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Switch.
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Hisense 65-Inch Class U6 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV
This Hisense TV is proof that you don’t have to break the bank to get a really good quality big TV. It uses Hisense’s proprietary ULED format, which is essentially QLED as it utilizes quantum dots. Since it is backlit, it has local dimming zones to help with contrast.
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LG B2 Series 55″ Class OLED Smart TV, $1,097
Using an LG-manufactured α7 Gen5 AI Processor 4K, algorithms adapt and adjust the TV’s picture based on what it detects you’re watching. It also has a fast refresh rate, great for gaming and watching sports. Speaking of gaming, it comes with LG Game Optimizer to keep you immersed in the action.
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Sony OLED 65″ BRAVIA XR A80K Series 4K Ultra HD TV, $1,798, original price: $2,300
While the other Bravia TV on our list uses QLED, this is OLED — perfect for those who want the most realistic images with the best contrast. The Cognitive Processor XR “understands how humans see the real world” and adjusts the colors, contrast, and more accordingly. It also has features specifically for PlayStation 5.
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SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class Crystal UHD 4K CU8000 Series Smart TV
This Crystal UHD TV upscales content to 4K, so contrast is greater, and the millions of colors become brighter and more lifelike. The TV’s Object Tracking Sound Lite feature creates immersive 3D surround sound.
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LG G3 Series 77-Inch Class OLED evo 4K Processor Smart Flat Screen TV
This TV’s processor was made exclusively for LG OLED models, and uses AI to adjust the picture quality for whatever’s on screen, including brighter images and deep contrast. It also has Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound built-in.
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SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class QLED 4K The Frame LS03B Series
Samsung’s The Frame TV is a bit of a different take on QLED — this comes with a completely matte, anti-reflective screen so glare isn’t an issue no matter your viewing angle, and once the TV is in art mode, it’ll be even more convincing as just a painting hanging on your wall.
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Amazon Fire TV 65″ Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV
One of Amazon’s in-house Fire TVs is this Omni Series, which has Dolby Vision support on select Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ titles. It comes with the Fire TV streaming interface built in, so you’re always just a few clicks away from your favorite show.
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SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class Neo QLED 4K QN90C Series Smart TV
See brighter brights, darker blacks, and crisp, lifelike contrast between the two with Samsung’s Neo Quantum High Dynamic Range and colors validated by Pantone. Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound+ make you feel like you’re right in the action with surround sound. Not streaming something optimized for 4K? That’s okay, because this TV upscales full HD to 4K thanks to a quantum processor.
For more like this, check out the Decider Shopping section.