Best TVs at Smart Home
Sounds right now: 5 screens
we'd actually buy
Bottom line: For most buyers, the LG C5 OLED is the finest TV at Smart Home Sounds right now. For outstanding value, the Hisense U8N Mini LED delivers premium picture quality for less.
We spent 70+ hours comparing picture quality, smart features, gaming performance and value across the full TV range at Smart Home Sounds — including OLED, QD-OLED, Neo QLED and Mini LED panels.
Full comparison: all 5 TVs at a glance
All prices at smarthomesounds.co.uk
| TV | Price | Screen | Panel | Refresh | Dolby Vision | HDMI 2.1 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG C5 OLED 65" 🏆 #1 | £1,599 | 65" OLED | WOLED evo | 120Hz | ✓ IQ | 4× ports | 9.6/10 |
| Sony Bravia 8 II 55" | £1,799 | 55" QD-OLED | XR QD-OLED | 120Hz | ✓ | 2× ports | 9.2/10 |
| Samsung QN90D 55" | From £1,099 | 55" Neo QLED | Mini LED | 144Hz | — | 4× ports | 8.8/10 |
| Panasonic Z90A 55" | From £1,299 | 55" OLED | MLA OLED | 120Hz | ✓ | 2× ports | 8.4/10 |
| Hisense U8N 55" | From £599 | 55" Mini LED | ULED X | 144Hz | ✓ | 2× ports | 8.1/10 |
Prices correct at time of publication. Check smarthomesounds.co.uk for current prices and availability. SHS offers a FREE extended 5-year warranty on selected TVs.
Top 5 TVs at Smart Home Sounds — Full Reviews
The LG C5 is simply the finest television available at Smart Home Sounds right now — and at £1,599 in its 65-inch size (down from £2,699), it represents remarkable value for a flagship OLED. LG's fifth-generation WOLED evo panel delivers the perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratio that make OLED irreplaceable for serious movie watching, combined with a peak brightness improvement over its predecessor that brings it far closer to the reference mastering environment intended by filmmakers.
The α9 Gen8 AI processor analyses content frame-by-frame, applying scene-aware upscaling and tone-mapping that genuinely improves the look of lower-quality streaming content. Dolby Vision IQ adjusts colour and brightness dynamically based on ambient light sensors — a genuinely useful feature that makes the C5 look correct whether you're watching at midday or at midnight. Four HDMI 2.1 ports at full 48Gbps bandwidth make the C5 the definitive gaming TV at any price: 4K at 120fps, VRR, G-Sync Compatible and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are all supported simultaneously.
Pros
- Perfect blacks & infinite contrast — unmatched by LCD
- Four HDMI 2.1 ports — best gaming TV at any price
- Dolby Vision IQ & Dolby Atmos support
- α9 Gen8 AI processor — superb upscaling
- webOS 25 — fast, intuitive smart platform
- Free 5-year warranty via SHS · Save £1,100 vs RRP
Cons
- Risk of burn-in with static content over years
- Not ideal for very bright south-facing rooms
- Premium price — even at discount
The Sony Bravia 8 II is the most cinematic television in this roundup. Sony's XR Cognitive Processor has been trained to understand how humans see — analysing not just individual pixels but the relationship between objects and backgrounds to produce a natural, film-like image that is simply unlike any other brand's picture processing. The QD-OLED panel combines OLED's perfect blacks with quantum dot colour enhancement, resulting in colours that are simultaneously more saturated and more accurate than standard OLED.
Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio+ uses actuators behind the screen itself to produce sound — so dialogue and effects appear to come from exactly where they appear on screen. This is transformative for dialogue-heavy drama and creates a movie-theatre spatial effect that conventional front-firing speakers can't match. Google TV is the most app-complete platform here, with every streaming service available including spatial audio platforms. Currently on sale at £1,799 saving £700 from its original price.
Pros
- XR Cognitive Processor — finest picture processing
- QD-OLED — perfect blacks + vivid QD colour
- Acoustic Surface Audio+ — sound from the screen
- Google TV — best smart platform
- Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos
- Free 5-year warranty via SHS · Save £700
Cons
- Most expensive TV on this list
- Only 2× HDMI 2.1 ports vs LG's 4
- 55" size only at this price point
The Samsung QN90D is the most technically capable television on this list for gaming and bright-room viewing. Its Neo QLED Mini LED backlight achieves a staggering 2,000 nits of peak brightness, combined with Samsung's anti-reflection Ultra Viewing Angle coating — meaning it remains clearly watchable even in rooms with direct daylight, where OLED panels would be washed out. For the growing number of buyers who use their TV in naturally bright living spaces, the QN90D is the stronger practical choice over any OLED.
Gaming credentials are exceptional: native 144Hz refresh rate (the only TV here to exceed 120Hz), four HDMI 2.1 ports at full 48Gbps, 1ms input lag, and automatic Game Mode detection. The QN90D is also uniquely well-suited as a monitor for PC gaming, where its high refresh rate and VRR support produce a competitive-grade gaming experience on a TV-scale screen. Samsung's Tizen platform is mature and fast, with excellent app support including all major UK streaming services.
Pros
- 2,000 nits peak — best in bright rooms
- Native 144Hz — fastest refresh here
- 4× HDMI 2.1 ports
- Anti-reflection coating — excellent glare control
- Outstanding gaming performance
Cons
- Mini LED black levels behind OLED
- No Dolby Vision (uses HDR10+ instead)
- Tizen UI less elegant than Google TV
Panasonic occupies a unique position in the television market: their Hollywood Lab calibration partnership means the Z90A is tuned to match the intent of filmmakers and broadcast engineers far more precisely than any other manufacturer. This makes it the television of choice for the discerning viewer who cares about seeing content exactly as it was graded — film grain preserved, shadow detail correct, highlight rolloff natural. The MLA (Micro Lens Array) OLED panel adds extra brightness to an already excellent OLED substrate.
For broadcast sports viewing, the Z90A's motion handling is outstanding — Panasonic's engineers have particular expertise in sports and live content that translates to smooth, sharp motion without the soap-opera effect that plagues over-processed competitors. The 360° Soundscape Pro audio system is genuinely impressive for a TV's built-in speakers. Panasonic's My Home Screen 8 is straightforward if not as feature-rich as Google TV, but covers all UK streaming services reliably.
Pros
- Hollywood Lab calibration — most accurate picture
- MLA OLED — brighter than standard OLED
- Outstanding motion handling for sports
- Supports both Dolby Vision AND HDR10+
- 360° Soundscape Pro built-in audio
Cons
- Smart OS less polished than Google TV
- Only 2× HDMI 2.1 ports
- Less widely available than Sony/LG/Samsung
The Hisense U8N is the most startling value proposition in the TV market in 2026. At under £600 for a 55-inch Mini LED TV with 3,000 nits peak brightness, 144Hz refresh, Dolby Vision and over 1,000 local dimming zones, it outperforms televisions costing two to three times its price on measurable specifications. It is the television that demonstrates most clearly how dramatically the value-to-performance ratio has improved in the last 18 months.
In practice, the U8N's Mini LED system delivers near-OLED contrast performance with significantly higher peak brightness than any OLED — making it particularly effective for HDR content in both dark and bright room environments. Some blooming around bright highlights on very dark backgrounds is visible if you're looking for it, but at normal viewing distances and with typical content, it's rarely noticeable. VIDAA U7 covers all major UK streaming apps. At Smart Home Sounds, the U8N represents by far the lowest cost of entry to genuine premium picture quality on this list.
Pros
- ~3,000 nits — brightest TV on this list
- Exceptional value — premium specs at £599
- 144Hz + 2× HDMI 2.1 — solid gaming
- Dolby Vision + HDR10+ supported
- 1,000+ local dimming zones
Cons
- Some Mini LED blooming in ultra-dark scenes
- VIDAA OS less polished than Google TV / webOS
- Build quality reflects price — plastic chassis
Essential TV accessories at Smart Home Sounds
The right accessories complete the picture. Hand-picked to match your new TV — available with free next-day delivery.
TV guides from the RemarkableSongs blog
Find your perfect TV in 4 questions
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you with the right TV from our top five picks.
Recommendation is illustrative only. Prices and availability subject to change at Smart Home Sounds.
Frequently asked questions
Is OLED really worth the extra money over QLED?
For dark room movie watching and gaming where you control the lighting, yes — OLED's perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratio produce a visibly different, more cinematic picture. In very bright rooms with lots of natural light, a high-brightness QLED like the Samsung QN90D or Mini LED like the Hisense U8N can look equally good or better — and is far more resistant to glare. The Hisense U8N's 3,000 nit peak brightness significantly outperforms any OLED in bright conditions.
What TV size do I need for my room?
As a rough guide: for rooms up to 3m wide, a 43–50" screen is comfortable. For 3–4m rooms (most UK living rooms), 55" is the sweet spot. Larger open-plan rooms benefit from 65" and above. For 4K content, the recommended viewing distance is approximately 1.5× the screen diagonal — so a 65" screen is ideal from around 2.5m. At Smart Home Sounds, all five TVs in this guide are available in multiple sizes to suit your space.
Do I need HDMI 2.1 for PS5 or Xbox Series X?
For 4K at 120fps you do — and this requires a TV with HDMI 2.1 ports AND a certified 48Gbps HDMI cable. The LG C5 leads with four HDMI 2.1 ports, the Samsung QN90D also has four. The Sony Bravia 8 II and Panasonic Z90A each have two HDMI 2.1 ports. All five TVs in this guide support 4K/120Hz gaming on at least one port. Smart Home Sounds stocks compatible AudioQuest HDMI cables to complete the setup.
Does Smart Home Sounds offer a TV warranty?
Yes — Smart Home Sounds offers a FREE extended 5-year warranty on selected TVs from Sony, LG, Samsung and Panasonic. This extends the standard 1-year manufacturer's warranty significantly and provides genuine peace of mind on a premium purchase. Activation varies by brand: LG warranties are added automatically; Sony and Samsung require registration within 90 days of purchase using your TV's serial number. Check individual product pages at smarthomesounds.co.uk for full terms.
Which TV is best for watching sports?
The Panasonic Z90A is our top pick for sports — its Hollywood Lab tuning and motion processing produce the smoothest, most natural movement of any TV here. The Samsung QN90D is a close second, with its anti-reflection coating making it excellent in brightly lit rooms during daytime matches. The LG C5 is also excellent for sports with its Game Optimizer mode reducing motion blur significantly.
Does Smart Home Sounds offer interest-free finance?
Yes — Smart Home Sounds offers interest-free finance options on eligible products via Omni Capital Retail Finance. This makes premium TVs like the LG C5 or Sony Bravia 8 II significantly more accessible as a monthly payment. Finance is available to UK residents aged 18+, subject to status. Check smarthomesounds.co.uk for current terms and which products qualify.
What's the best TV for a bright living room?
The Samsung QN90D Neo QLED and the Hisense U8N Mini LED are the clear winners for bright rooms. Both deliver over 2,000–3,000 nits of peak brightness combined with anti-reflection or anti-glare coatings. OLED TVs (LG C5, Sony Bravia 8 II, Panasonic Z90A) are brighter than they used to be but are still best suited to rooms where lighting can be controlled for evening viewing.
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- SHS finance: Finance provided by Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd. Smart Home Sounds Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Credit available to UK residents aged 18+ subject to status. Terms apply.
- Warranty: Extended warranties are offered by Smart Home Sounds Ltd on eligible products. Terms and activation requirements vary by manufacturer — see smarthomesounds.co.uk for full details.
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