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How to choose a TV in 2026

The Mars Score for TVs weights picture quality (35%), gaming features (22%), smart platform (18%) and audio + ports (25%). Picture quality is a composite of panel type, peak brightness, contrast, and HDR support — and the gap between panel technologies in 2026 is wider than it has been in five years.

Panel type is the single biggest decision

QD-OLED (Samsung S95F, Sony Bravia 8 II) delivers perfect blacks plus 1,500–2,100-nit highlights — the new reference for HDR. WOLED (LG G5, C5) is similar but slightly dimmer. Mini-LED (Sony Bravia 9, TCL QM8K, Hisense U8N) hits 4,000+ nits and is the right choice in bright rooms but has visible blooming on starfields and credits. Standard QLED and LED are now value-tier. Match the panel to your room before the model.

Refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports

For PS5 Pro / Xbox Series X / RTX 5090 gaming, you want 120 Hz minimum (refresh_rate_hz), VRR, ALLM, and at least two real HDMI 2.1 ports (hdmi_2_1_count). Many cheaper "4K 120 Hz" TVs cap HDMI 2.1 at one or two ports and downgrade the others. Read our Mars Labs reviews for measured port behavior.

Peak brightness and HDR

A TV that hits 1,000 nits sustained on a 10% window is the practical floor for satisfying HDR. 1,500–2,000 nits separates "good HDR" from "reference HDR." Dolby Vision (has_dolby_vision) carries dynamic metadata frame-by-frame and is the dominant HDR format on Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix top-tier, and most 4K Blu-ray. HDR10+ (has_hdr10_plus) is Samsung's competing format, used by Prime Video and Apple TV+ on Samsung sets. Either is fine; both is best.

Smart OS: webOS, Tizen, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV

The smart OS shapes daily use more than buyers expect. Google TV (Sony, Hisense, TCL) has the best app catalog and Chromecast built in. webOS (LG) is fast and clean. Tizen (Samsung) is fast but ad-heavy. Roku is the simplest and best for non-technical users. Fire TV is the most Amazon-prime aligned. None is bad; pick the one that fits your habits.

Audio: most TVs still need a soundbar

Even premium TVs ship with 20–40W of downward-firing speakers. Dolby Atmos (has_atmos) on a flat panel means height information is simulated, not delivered. If you care about sound, budget for a soundbar — see our soundbar category and the best soundbars leaderboard.

How vsMars scores TVs

Picture quality and gaming features are weighted highest because they age slowest — a great panel is still great in five years. See the full formula on the methodology page and the leaderboard on best TVs.