Best TVs of 2022
Best TVs of 2022
Consumer Reports tests hundreds of televisions each year. These 4K sets have risen to the top.
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Those in the market for a new TV right now can choose from an interesting mix of 2021 sets and leftover 2020 models, many at their lowest prices ever. Both model years are included in Consumer Reports’ TV ratings.
The list below, of the best TVs you can buy right now, is available to CR members and spotlights sets with screens that are 65 inches or larger. However, most of these models are also available in smaller, less expensive sizes; you can find some of them with even larger screens. The TVs that perform best in CR testing tend to be pricier flagship models. But we’ve also included some great 65-inch 4K sets that cost under $1,000—some much less—plus a few even bigger sets priced under $2,000.
We’ll keep this list updated right through the Super Bowl and beyond, when older models hit their all-time lowest prices and the first 2022 sets start to become available.
CR members can access the best TVs in these categories below: Best TVs Overall • Great TVs That Aren’t Quite as Pricey • Best Supersized TVs That Cost $2,000 or Less • Best 65-Inch TVs for Under $1,000
LCD TVs vs. OLED TVs
Before you dive into the individual models, it pays to understand the two basic technologies used in today’s televisions: LCD TVs, which are also called LED TVs for the LED backlights that illuminate the screen, and OLED TVs, where each pixel generates its own light.
There are far fewer OLED TVs on the market, and they tend to be more expensive, though prices have dropped over the past couple of years. OLED sets do a great job of displaying the blackest parts of an image, so the deepest shadows can really look black, as in real life, rather than gray. OLED TVs also have essentially unlimited viewing angles, so the picture still looks great if you view it from the sides of the screen.
A majority of TVs being sold are LCD sets. While they generally can’t deliver OLED-like black levels, they get better every year, especially models that use full-array backlights, where the LEDs are spread across the entire rear panel instead of just along the edges. These models include a feature called local dimming, which divides the backlights into zones that can be dimmed or illuminated separately, depending on the scene. This can help improve black levels.
Some newer sets have “mini LED” backlights, which use a large number of even smaller LEDs that can be divided into more zones and locally dimmed.
Typically, only the pricier models have full-array backlights with local dimming. Other sets are edge-lit, with the LEDs positioned on the sides of the screen. Some of these sets also include local dimming, but it tends to be less effective than in sets with full-array backlights. The best LCD TVs can create very bright, vivid images.
Best TVs Overall
LG OLED65CXPUA, Sony XBR-65A8H, LG OLED65BXPUA, Sony XR-65A90J, LG OLED65C1PUB, Samsung QN65QN85A, Samsung QN65QN90A
Given the closeness of their Overall Scores, you can’t go wrong with any of these top-performing TVs. Note that the Samsung sets are the only LCD-based TVs in a selection dominated by OLEDs. Some of these models are also available in larger screen sizes, and those tend to perform similarly.
The LG OLED65CXPUA and the Sony XBR-65A8H are both 65-inch 4K smart OLED TVs from 2020 that are at their lowest prices so far. Both are great sets, though the LG does a bit better for HDR. The LG OLED65BXPUA was LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2020. The main difference between this set and the CX model above is its slightly less powerful processor; the two sets perform similarly.
Following right behind these sets are the Sony XR-65A90J, a flagship 2021 OLED TV, and LG’s OLED65C1PUB, the successor to the 65CXPUA model noted above.
Both the Samsung QN65QN85A and the QN65QN90A deliver HDR performance that’s among the very best we’ve tested. Both are top-tier "Neo QLED" TVs that use Mini LED backlights that can boost contrast and minimize haloing around bright objects when they appear against a dark background. The main differences between these sets are that the QN90A gets just a bit brighter, and that it has an ATSC 3.0 tuner, which can receive the new "Next-Gen" over-the-air TV signals in markets where those broadcasts are available.
All these TVs have top-notch overall picture quality, an enjoyable high dynamic range (HDR) experience, and excellent sound.
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