4K TVs - Rate the Best Brands

[Mike V]

I am about go purchase a 4K LED TV, and I have found it difficult to research the brands and models. When I go to the stores, they never have the brand/model they advertise. At least partly, this is because there are so many models and versions!

If any video experts here can list their favorite/best brands, in order, that would be helpful. I am familiar with Sony and Samsung, but it appears some of the old "familiars" have dropped out - Panasonic, Sharp, etc. I am not familiar with LG or Vizio, nor am I familiar with their quality/reliability.

Things have really changed since the last time I made a TV purchase!

 

[panteragstk]

Have fun. http://www.rtings.com/tv

 

[Norm Lazure]

Sony seems to have consistently good ratings. I just bought a 940E It was expensive but WOW They have the most lumunosity(brightness) and HDR is unbelievable. So one big vote for Sony

 

[pewternhrata]

Aside from most likely a few exceptions, my opinion puts LG and Samsung at the top. Choice usually comes down to brand loyalty. I have an LG 65uh6150 and no regrets on it. I looked at a few sonys was about to pull the trigger then realized it was a Samsung panel. Looked into a few Samsungs, turned out they were LG panels. My vote goes to LG aside from a few shotty years, they are a step ahead in the game in manufacturing. Sony is using oled from lg. Samsung is continuing to utilize more LG panels moving forward. If I remember correctly, LG is the only company to manufacture their own panel.

 

[panteragstk]

Aside from most likely a few exceptions, my opinion puts LG and Samsung at the top. Choice usually comes down to brand loyalty. I have an LG 65uh6150 and no regrets on it. I looked at a few sonys was about to pull the trigger then realized it was a Samsung panel. Looked into a few Samsungs, turned out they were LG panels. My vote goes to LG aside from a few shotty years, they are a step ahead in the game in manufacturing. Sony is using oled from lg. Samsung is continuing to utilize more LG panels moving forward. If I remember correctly, LG is the only company to manufacture their own panel.

Game has changed. Samsung used to make their own, but it appears that they are using Sakai for their high end panels (joint venture between foxconn and Sharp) and they are using LG panels for the lower end sets.

I got a Sony due to their picture processing. It is pretty fantastic even in their lower end sets. Samsung and LG lcds just don't look all that great to my eye. Even after calibration. OLED is another story. They all look great, but without a clue as to longevity I won't get one until they work out all the issues around OLED.

 

[little wing]

I purchased a Sony 4k UHD TV a year ago and am still very happy with it. The picture is great. I went to my local BB the other day to check out Sony's OLED. Very good picture, but one thing I noticed was that it didn't seem very bright, which I hear can be a trait common to OLEDs. That probably wouldn't be the best choice for me, since my viewing room is typically pretty bright to begin with. I don't think you can go wrong with a Sony model though.

 

[2channel lover]

Aside from most likely a few exceptions, my opinion puts LG and Samsung at the top. Choice usually comes down to brand loyalty. I have an LG 65uh6150 and no regrets on it. I looked at a few sonys was about to pull the trigger then realized it was a Samsung panel. Looked into a few Samsungs, turned out they were LG panels. My vote goes to LG aside from a few shotty years, they are a step ahead in the game in manufacturing. Sony is using oled from lg. Samsung is continuing to utilize more LG panels moving forward. If I remember correctly, LG is the only company to manufacture their own panel.

Interesting you would say LG and Samung.

Sony and LG both have more natural pictures...Samsung goes for really rich, intense color.

 

[everettT]

Rating Displays by brand isn't going to yeild good results. Maybe try by price range. No display out of the box will give accuracy relative to ISF spec.

 

[Mike V]

I ended up buying a 75" Sony XBR 900E - could not get myself to pay almost double for the 940E. I am very happy with my selection - the 900E seems awfully bright to me, and incredible colors and detail.

 

[2channel lover]

I ended up buying a 75" Sony XBR 900E - could not get myself to pay almost double for the 940E. I am very happy with my selection - the 900E seems awfully bright to me, and incredible colors and detail.

Congrats.

The 940 is not double the TV...I would have gotten the 900 as well.

 

[Masher59]

Sony is where it's at. Bought a 65" X850E a while back and it's been incredible. Just moved it to the bedroom and moved the 75" X900E into the theater setup. Sony and LG crush that Samsung color blast.

 

[everettT]

Sony is where it's at. Bought a 65" X850E a while back and it's been incredible. Just moved it to the bedroom and moved the 75" X900E into the theater setup. Sony and LG crush that Samsung color blast.

Very generalized.

 

[BMXTRIX]

There is simply no display technology on the market which bests OLED and anyone who has a OLED display out is using LG glass. I would stick with LG if that was the direction I was going. I'm not sure that any manufacturer really has a monopoly on quality vs. issues these days. Some products from any brand can be lemons, while others are great. There are also always some units which just fail.

All that said, I still lean towards Sony for reliability in a product. This is based on nothing more than my own experiences over the years. I think they have continually delivered product which is just a bit better than most everyone else, except, maybe, Panasonic. Since Panasonic is (mostly) out of the TV game, that leaves Sony as a solid consumer product.

Then I turn towards Samsung, Vizio, and LG. I think LG had a few really lousy years that they have come back from and that we similar reliability from all three brands. In terms of quality, OLED rules the roost, and then the LCD products from Samsung and Vizio must be evaluated and reviewed individually for image quality (just as Sony displays need to be).

Give me a 90" OLED and call me very happy for at least 2 or 3 years.

 

[panteragstk]

There is simply no display technology on the market which bests OLED and anyone who has a OLED display out is using LG glass. I would stick with LG if that was the direction I was going. I'm not sure that any manufacturer really has a monopoly on quality vs. issues these days. Some products from any brand can be lemons, while others are great. There are also always some units which just fail.

All that said, I still lean towards Sony for reliability in a product. This is based on nothing more than my own experiences over the years. I think they have continually delivered product which is just a bit better than most everyone else, except, maybe, Panasonic. Since Panasonic is (mostly) out of the TV game, that leaves Sony as a solid consumer product.

Then I turn towards Samsung, Vizio, and LG. I think LG had a few really lousy years that they have come back from and that we similar reliability from all three brands. In terms of quality, OLED rules the roost, and then the LCD products from Samsung and Vizio must be evaluated and reviewed individually for image quality (just as Sony displays need to be).

Give me a 90" OLED and call me very happy for at least 2 or 3 years.

Ha. 2 or 3 years.

I do agree, OLED is where it's at. I think the only real question is panel longevity. They simply haven't existed in large displays long enough to know how long they'll really last.

I may be outside the norm, but I keep my TVs until they die or are just so out of date I can't use them. I have a 10 year old Panasonic that still works as well as the day I bought it. Poor thing spent many years as a computer monitor too which I thought would be it's end. Nope.

Panasonic has their OLED set that is pretty much supposed to be the best TV on the market. I'd love to have one, but I think they are limited to the UK.

 

[Masher59]

Ha. 2 or 3 years.

I do agree, OLED is where it's at. I think the only real question is panel longevity. They simply haven't existed in large displays long enough to know how long they'll really last.

I may be outside the norm, but I keep my TVs until they die or are just so out of date I can't use them. I have a 10 year old Panasonic that still works as well as the day I bought it. Poor thing spent many years as a computer monitor too which I thought would be it's end. Nope.

Panasonic has their OLED set that is pretty much supposed to be the best TV on the market. I'd love to have one, but I think they are limited to the UK.

I have a 55" Panasonic Plasma from 2007 and it's still looks great. I moved it to my oldest sons room after moving the 65" Sony to my bedroom to make room for the 75. It's heavy as all get out but it still looks like new.

 

[sholling]

Ha. 2 or 3 years.

I do agree, OLED is where it's at. I think the only real question is panel longevity. They simply haven't existed in large displays long enough to know how long they'll really last.

I may be outside the norm, but I keep my TVs until they die or are just so out of date I can't use them. I have a 10 year old Panasonic that still works as well as the day I bought it. Poor thing spent many years as a computer monitor too which I thought would be it's end. Nope.

I'm with you which is why I skipped plasma and went with a pre LED Samsung LN52A850 LCD 8-9 years ago. Longevity questions and burn-in worries kept me with the safe choice. It was a really good TV with a great picture and after changing out the now worn out and noisy cooling fans it should be good TV for years to come for a cash poor friend of mine just getting a fresh start in his new, but empty house.

When it came time to spend $2000-3000 this time I just could not get myself to invest in a Sony XBR. Yes they have great pictures, they have always had great pictures, but my first XBR 30+ years ago lasted less than two years before the power supply died and the expensive out of pocket factory replacement power supply didn't last much longer longer. The power supply on my next XBR lasted two years and the expensive out of pocket factory replacement power supply lasted about the same. I went back to Sony in the early 2000s and that XBR's power supply lasted 3 years before I junked the TV. Sony makes a beautiful TV but I just don't trust them.

This time, with only a short track record (about the same as an LCD 8-9 years ago) I went with a $2400 OLED but did something I never do - I bought a $129 Sam's Club extended warranty which takes me out to 4 years and my premium memberships adds a 5th year to the warranty plus 24x365 tech support. I never buy extended warranties but I've learned my lesson with cutting edge TVs. If it dies in the first 5 years I get it repaired or replaced for free. If it dies after that I'll buy the next big 75" thing (the upcoming generation of ultra black LED TVs?) which at my age will likely be my last TV. I will admit (and I'm probably just being paranoid) that it's a pain avoiding programming with corner "bugs" and breaking news banners but I'm just amazed by my OLED's picture.

 

[panteragstk]

I'm with you which is why I skipped plasma and went with a pre LED Samsung LN52A850 LCD 8-9 years ago. Longevity questions and burn-in worries kept me with the safe choice. It was a really good TV with a great picture and after changing out the now worn out and noisy cooling fans it should be good TV for years to come for a cash poor friend of mine just getting a fresh start in his new, but empty house.

When it came time to spend $2000-3000 this time I just could not get myself to invest in a Sony XBR. Yes they have great pictures, they have always had great pictures, but my first XBR 30+ years ago lasted less than two years before the power supply died and the expensive out of pocket factory replacement power supply didn't last much longer longer. The power supply on my next XBR lasted two years and the expensive out of pocket factory replacement power supply lasted about the same. I went back to Sony in the early 2000s and that XBR's power supply lasted 3 years before I junked the TV. Sony makes a beautiful TV but I just don't trust them.

This time, with only a short track record (about the same as an LCD 8-9 years ago) I went with a $2400 OLED but did something I never do - I bought a $129 Sam's Club extended warranty which takes me out to 4 years and my premium memberships adds a 5th year to the warranty plus 24x365 tech support. I never buy extended warranties but I've learned my lesson with cutting edge TVs. If it dies in the first 5 years I get it repaired or replaced for free. If it dies after that I'll buy the next big 75" thing (the upcoming generation of ultra black LED TVs?) which at my age will likely be my last TV. I will admit (and I'm probably just being paranoid) that it's a pain avoiding programming with corner "bugs" and breaking news banners but I'm just amazed by my OLED's picture.

Funny, I went the opposite route. I can't stand the way 90% of LCDs look due to the ghosting, motion blur issues. I was exclusively Plasma till I got my 55" Sony (Still has those issues, but it's not near as bad as it used to be).

I'm with you on the warranties. I think the price you paid is worth it considering OLED supposedly has a 5yr life at least.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Panasonic has their OLED set that is pretty much supposed to be the best TV on the market. I'd love to have one, but I think they are limited to the UK.

Unfortunately, like everyone else, Panasonic is using LG glass for their OLED. Just like every 98" display on the market uses LG glass. They have really become one of the world's suppliers for large format and OLED glass.

Still, LG glass in a Panasonic package is likely going to have some of the best electronics backing it up, which is a real plus.

In the USA, it seems Panasonic is locked into the commercial world only and no longer works with consumer products. We use their LCD displays constantly at all sizes. I have a project coming up with about a dozen Panasonic LCD displays in it. Love their design.

I guess I will find out this year if they are going to bring OLED to the USA as a commercial product.

 

[panteragstk]

Unfortunately, like everyone else, Panasonic is using LG glass for their OLED. Just like every 98" display on the market uses LG glass. They have really become one of the world's suppliers for large format and OLED glass.

Still, LG glass in a Panasonic package is likely going to have some of the best electronics backing it up, which is a real plus.

In the USA, it seems Panasonic is locked into the commercial world only and no longer works with consumer products. We use their LCD displays constantly at all sizes. I have a project coming up with about a dozen Panasonic LCD displays in it. Love their design.

I guess I will find out this year if they are going to bring OLED to the USA as a commercial product.

I hope they do. I'm wondering if Samsung will ever do large format OLED. Reports lean toward no, but time will tell.

 

[Masher59]

OLED will be out in 5 years and we will be on to the next great technology.