When you're buying a TV, we always say go big if you have the space for it. A 65-inch TV might seem large at first, but I consider it the "sweet spot" for most living rooms. It's not too big to crowd or dominate the space, and it offers an immersive watching and gaming experience. Plus, it's one of the most common and popular TV sizes out there, so you've got plenty of options to choose from. To help you find the best 65-inch TV for your living room and your budget, I've rounded up the best models I have reviewed in the CNET lab. Plus, as 2025 TVs are available now, many of their 2024 versions are on sale at a heavy discount-- and have most of the same features.
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What is the best 65-inch TV right now?
After testing many of the best TVs for the money, my favorite 65-inch TV for most people this year is the TCL QM8 series (2024). The QM8 offers superb picture quality overall, all the features you need in a modern television -- including 4K/120Hz input and variable refresh rate that can get the most out of consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X -- and an affordable price tag. The QM8 is the best way to get a great picture for the least amount of money.
Although the QM8 is my current favorite for most people, it might not be right for your preferences or budget. If you want the best TV under $500, the Samsung DU7200 series is the best we've tested.
Best 65-inch TVs in 2025
Best 65-inch TV
Samsung S95D
Pros
- Best overall image quality we've tested
- Best-in-class glare reduction in a bright rooms
- Superior contrast and off-angle viewing
- Ultrathin panel with external input box
Cons
- Expensive compared to other OLED TVs
- Slightly diminished contrast in bright rooms
Who is it best for: If you're looking for the best possible picture and don't mind paying for it, the Samsung S95D stands out in the 4K OLED TV market. It's great for home theater fans, but is also suited for use in shared living areas due to its great performance in lit rooms.
Performance: The picture quality of the S95D is among the best you can get right now with saturated colors, excellent contrast and ultra-fine detail. Part of its success is due to its matte finish which nearly eliminates reflections, making it the best OLED TV for 4K viewing in brightly-lit rooms. While matte screens are common in non-OLED models, the S95D is the first time they've been available in an OLED TV, a display technology that has always delivered the best picture available for 4K viewing.
Overview: The Samsung S95D offers unparalleled 4K image quality, beating both the G4 and 2023's winner, the G3, as well as any other non-OLED TV. But it still costs a ton, and most people -- even those with bright rooms -- will be perfectly happy with a less expensive TV.
Pros
- The best picture quality for the price
- The QM8 demonstrates excellent overall image quality
- Best-in-class brightness and contrast
- The Google TV system is very capable
Cons
- Occasional grey-blue blacks spoil black levels
Who is it best for: The TCL QM851 offers performance that approaches OLED but at a significant discount, making it suited to people want a great picture for the least amount of money.
Performance: TCL has topped our list of the best TVs for the last few years, but the latest 2024 TCL QM8 raises the bar even higher, especially for fans of 4K resolution. In my comparison tests, the QM8 distinguished itself with superior brightness and impact without sacrificing the deep contrast that is crucial for 4K viewing. This performance is largely thanks to its advanced mini-LED technology and effective full-array local dimming.
Overview: The TCL is great in a lot of ways, performance and affordability are at the top of the list, but if you're a gamer this may not be the best TV for you as it's a little slower than less-processing hungry TVs like the Roku Pro or Samsung DU7200.
Best high-end 65-inch TV
LG OLED C4
Pros
- Better picture quality than any non-OLED TV we've tested
- Superior contrast and off-angle image
- Best-in-class gaming features
- Sleek styling with ultralight, thin panel
Cons
- Not as bright as higher-end OLED TVs
- No major improvements over the C3
Who is it best for: The LG C4 series stands out as an excellent choice for 4K TV enthusiasts and home theater fans. It's suited to a host of different uses including streaming, gaming and sports, thanks to its ultra-clear picture.
Performance: The C4 represents better picture quality than any non-OLED TV on this list at a price that's definitely higher, but still not stratospheric. Its perfect black levels, unbeatable contrast and superb off-angle viewing kept it a notch above the mini-LED models in my comparison tests, and while its overall brightness isn't quite as impressive, it's still an incredible performer in all kinds of room lighting. The C4 is also one of the lightest TVs we've ever reviewed thanks to its carbon-fiber construction; the 65-inch version weighs just 37 pounds with its stand.
Overview:While the C4 has been replaced by the C5 in 2025, the two televisions are very similar, and the C4 is half of the price of the new version. Save some money and skip the C5 for now.
Best budget 65-inch TV
Samsung DU7200
Pros
- One of the best pictures you'll get under $500
- Excellent response times for gaming
- This TV boasts excellent black levels and shadow detail
Cons
- Reds are slightly desaturated
- Interface is less user-friendly than a Roku TV
Who is it best for: Whether you're a gamer or just want a TV that will fit in the bedroom the Samsung DU7200 is a really good choice. It's got a pretty punchy picture for the money and plenty of streaming options.
Performance: The Samsung DU7200 is a TV that delivers a really good picture for an affordable price. The black levels and shadow detail are excellent for the money, and while my test unit looked a little desaturated out of the box that was easily fixed by adjusting the Color control. The TV has onboard streaming and the sound quality isn't too bad either.
Overview:In terms of the best bang-for-buck, one of the most impressive models has been the Samsung DU7200 If you're looking for a bedroom unit or a smaller gaming TV then the Samsung DU7200 is the model I would choose. Don't buy it if you're a stickler for image quality but for the price it's pretty great.
Pros
- Good picture quality thanks to local dimming
- One of the best smart TV systems out there
- Excellent gaming response times
Cons
- Not as bright and punchy as some similarly priced TVs
Who is it best for: If you're looking for a gaming TV and don't want to spend the money on an OLED model, the Roku Pro is a solid choice.It also will do 4K HDR and Dolby Vision. It has Roku on board so you know that it has one of the most comprehensive suites of streaming apps on the planet.
Performance: It boasts a quick response time, and is decently accurate in terms of color and shadow detail. Of course, any TV on this list is a gaming TV. Almost every unit I've reviewed recently has a gaming mode and undetectable pixel response times (under 15ms). The reason why this matters is that the Roku doesn't have the best picture I've seen for less than $1,000, but the TCL QM6K, for example, does.
Overview: The Roku Pro is the best Roku-branded TV yet, and its currently on sale for a few hundred dollars less -- so it's great for people who want to save some money on a gaming TV with a great smart TV system. Look out for the updated Pro Series in the next few months, though, which Roku says is even better.
TVs I Also Tested
Hisense U8N
Hisense U8N: If you're looking for the best TV for the money, and the TCL QM8 is significantly more expensive at the time you read this, the Hisense U8N should be your go-to. I compared the two TVs side-by-side, and while I liked the QM8 just a bit better, the U8K is an excellent choice as well. Read CNET's review of the Hisense U8N.
LG C5: The LG C5 is a great TV with all of the shadow detail, contrast and color accuracy you could want for, but... The availability of the C4 (half the price) and the G5 (even better for a few hundred more) means that you can currently skip the C5. Read CNET's review of the LG C5.
Panasonic Z95A: The Panasonic Z95A is an excellent TV and it has one advantage over most at the price because of its dedicated speaker system, giving it decent sound quality. The inclusion of Amazon Fire TV is also unusual for the price but I still prefer Google TV. Read CNET's hands-on of the Panasonic Z95A.
Samsung S90D: The S90D performed well in our measurement tests but it suffered some contrast loss compared to the C4. Any differences between the C4 and S90D were subtle. Read CNET's full review of the Samsung S90D.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a 65-inch TV
With all of the TVs available today, and all of the technical terms and jargon associated with television technology, it can be tough to figure out what's important. Here's a quick guide to help cut through the confusion.
Picture quality: Broadly speaking, the type of display technology helps dictate how good a TV's picture quality is, but OLED is typically the best display technology, and this is followed by LCD (including QLED, and Mini LED). OLED tends to look the best because it doesn't need a backlight, and every pixel can be either on or off, leading to great black levels. In comparison, each LED in a backlight illuminates multiple pixels at a time so it isn't as precise -- it's not yet 1:1. Even so, look for full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in my experience. Additionally, if a TV uses Quantum Dots it often leads to better color performance, whether it's an OLED or an LCD.
Price: TVs range in price from $100 to more than $2,000. Smaller screens are cheaper, well-known brands are more expensive and spending more money can also get you better image quality. Most entry-level TVs have a good enough picture for most people, but TVs last a long time, so it might be worth spending more to get a better picture. It's also best to shop for a TV in the fall when prices are lower.
Screen size: Bigger is better in our book. We recommend a size of at least 43 inches for a bedroom TV and at least 55 inches for a living room or main TV and 65 inches or larger is best. Stepping up in TV screen size is a better use of your money than any feature. One of the most common complaints we've heard is from people who regret that they didn't go big enough when they bought a TV. We almost never hear people complain that their TV is too large.
Brightness: One of the biggest variables when buying a TV is how bright it can get. In general, LCD and LED tend to be the brightest types with up to 3,000 nits of brightness in my testing, which is very bright. As a comparison, HDR streaming on Netflix is usually capped at 1,000 nits, and this is enough for most people. Paying more for a TV usually means you're paying for a brighter picture, and 4K Blu-rays and consoles can make the most of this extra brightness.
Features: Among entry-level TVs the most important feature is what kind of smart TV system the TV uses. Among midrange models, look for a feature including full-array local dimming, mini-LED and 120Hz refresh rate, which (unlike some other extras) do help improve the picture in our experience. Among high-end TVs, OLED technology is your best bet.
How CNET tests TVs
In every CNET TV review, I compare three or more similar TVs side by side in a dedicated, light-controlled test lab. With each review I employ a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process that has been honed in more than two decades of TV reviews. I test TVs with a combination of scientific measurements and real-world evaluations of TV, movies and gaming content.
To ensure I can evaluate the picture quality of every TV I employ the use of an AVPro Connect 8x8 4K HDR splitter so each one receives the same signal. I test the TVs using various lighting conditions playing different media, including 4K HDR movies and console games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR.
In order to measure each TV, I use specialized equipment to grade according to light output and color. My hardware includes a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer and a Murideo Six-G 4K HDR signal generator. I use Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate every TV I review according to their brightness, black levels and color.
My reviews also account for such things as features, design, smart TV performance, connectivity including HDMI inputs and gaming compatibility.
TV brightness according to CNET's testing
One important aspect of image quality I test is overall brightness using the CS-2000 spectroradiometer. Here's how brightness compares in nits across select TVs listed above.
Check out how we test TVs for more details.
For more TV advice, check out our guide to buying a TV.
