Our experts choose the best 55-inch TVs of 2025

Without a doubt, we think this is one of the most technologically advanced televisions in recent years. Samsung has managed to pull off what once seemed impossible – blending the rich, vivid colours of top-tier QLED displays with the deep blacks and striking contrast of OLED.

The result is a viewing experience that feels truly next-level. The visuals are nothing short of spectacular, delivering intense detail that sets a new benchmark for 55-inch TVs. Samsung’s OLED Glare Free technology minimizes reflections, ensuring clarity even in brightly lit rooms. Whether you're diving into the latest blockbuster, exploring cutting-edge games, or getting lost in an emotional TV drama, the S95D makes every frame shine.

Sound quality is just as impressive. With Dolby Atmos and DTS support, alongside Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+), audio feels more immersive than ever. OTS+ intelligently positions sound to match on-screen action, while Adaptive Sound Pro and Active Voice Amplifier ensure that dialogue remains crisp and clear against background noise.

The absence of Freeview Play support may be a drawback for some, but in terms of having a wide range of uses and high-end features, we think the S95D is one of the best 55-inch OLED TVs on the market.

Hisense is known for its incredibly reasonably priced televisions, even its high-end QLED models are considerably more affordable than other competing brands. But to hit this incredibly low price point, the Hisense 55E6NTUK uses an LED panel but with some excellent technical extras. For us, this is perhaps one of the best-priced televisions on the market. 

It comes equipped with everything you've come to expect from a modern smart television – full smart app access, HDR10+, Bluetooth, and more. But they've thrown in the king of HDR colour palette performance, Dolby Vision, too. That means ever more colours for a vibrant, more natural picture. This is supported by full array local dimming, an essential component of high-quality HDR displays which means you'll get fuller, deeper blacks. Despite having DTS Virtual X sound, some users did mention that the sound can be tinny at times, but that's easily solved with a soundbar.

The Hisense 55E6NTUK is the perfect budget television that, other than not having the 120Hz refresh rate preferred by some gamers, doesn't have any major drawbacks. It even comes with the latest development in free-to-air TV – Freely. Freely puts all of your favourite content from channels like ITV, BBC and more all under one umbrella. So, no more having to switch between different apps. All in all, budget brilliance.

This Amazon Fire TV 55-inch Omni QLED is a brilliant option for a few reasons. You're getting a really capable and vibrant screen and it runs Amazon's Fire TV OS – that makes for easy connection to Prime Video and other Amazon services. Fire TV is an excellent TV platform, offering support for all the major streaming services you might expect – Netflix, Disney Plus, and Apple TV as well as Now TV and Discovery+.

The standout feature has to be that QLED screen – rich colours, vibrant pictures and really impressive sound thanks to Dolby Digital audio. It utilises a full-array LED setup to deliver the best possible contrast with local dimming to push those blacks down even deeper

It's a 60Hz panel rather than the 120Hz, but it supports variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode – great for gamers and fans of high speed, high frame-rate content like sports in 4K. And, as you'd expect from an Amazon product, you also get Alexa built-in for fast and easy voice control. Some users do report that the menus and guide for Freeview can be sluggish at times, but other than that we think it's really is impressive for a smart television at this price point and a real plus for Amazon subscribers.

In fact, we think this also qualifies as one of the best 55-inch TVs un der £1000.

It wouldn't be a true roundup of the best televisions of the year without mentioning the Hisense QLED Smart Gaming TV 55E7NQTUK PRO, a 2024 model brimming with features. With the legendary near-infinite blacks you get with QLED, we think that this is the ultimate 55-inch television for gaming as well as rich realistic cinema experiences. 

A breathtakingly slim bezel surrounds the gorgeous QLED panel that has full array local dimming for excellent control over contrast and deeper blacks – great for immersion in those games that need realistic shadows and depth. Audio comes courtesy of with some formidable 40W speakers twinned with Dolby Atmos. Colour realism is delivered by HDR and Dolby Vision IQ – giving a more accurate and super-wide colour palette. Some users do report that the viewing angles aren't as wide as some others, but as most gamers will sit facing the TV we don't think that this is an issue.

There's a 144Hz refresh rate too with ALLM and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro compatibility – those features will give you a variable refresh rate and smoother, more detailed images – ideal for any fast on-screen motion. There's also auto low latency mode to put you on course for a win. All in all, we think this is a comprehensive yet affordable package designed to give gamers the best possible experience.

If you're looking for a premium TV with a mid-range price tag, the Panasonic TV-55W80AEY W80 may be the screen for you. Whereas many of our favourite TVs utilise QLED, this screen does use a more standard LED panel – but it uses a Quantum Dot Layer to deliver outstanding colour accuracy and authentic tones. Naturally, this also supports HDR in the form of the superior HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision IQ formats.

On paper, this isn't that different from many other smart TVs out there, but we've always been impressed by Panasonic's commitment to delivering more natural-looking pictures than most brands can. Here, that comes via the HCX processor that does a fantastic job of fine-tuning the image on the fly. 

The only nitpick we found in our research is the fact that this is indeed an LED panel – so if you're looking for superior black levels and contrast you should look for a QLED set. That said, the overall user opinion on the picture quality on offer is very positive, so we think this is a minor quibble.

Elsewhere, Panasonic has incorporated Dolby Atmos for superior sound, and it's also one for the newer TVs to incorporate Freely for an easy one-stop-shop for the UK's terrestrial channels. It's running the Fire TV operating system which is fast and reliable, as well as a usability boost for Amazon subscribers.

When it comes to watching TV, films, or playing games, the Philips 55OLED759 television takes things to a different level. This TV offers superb picture quality, a dedicated speaker array to deliver improved audio without using a soundbar or speakers, all in an incredibly sleek package. And Philips' Ambilight feature is the cherry on top of an already impressive cake. 

Ambilight is designed to project ambient lighting onto the wall around the television. When it's set to 'vivid', the colours will change to match whatever is on the screen. It's impressive technology which helps to create a more immersive experience, and it's virtually unique to Philips televisions. Philips also claims that by minimising the contrast between a bright screen and dark surroundings, Ambilight can help reduce eye strain. 

This particular TV isn't just about gimmicks, though. As well as Ambilight, this OLED display delivers stunning picture quality. It supports HDR content, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. It's also got plenty for gamers, with a 120Hz refresh rate, Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and Dolby Vision gaming support. We particularly love the inclusion of both Alexa and Google voice assistants for easy integration with your smart home.

It's a slightly thicker television than some rivals, but that's expected due to the Ambilight feature. The lighting effect does need some space to be effective, so anyone who wants their TV to sit as flush to the wall as possible might need to look elsewhere. Users report that the Dolby Atmos audio is impressive, too. This is our favourite TV for truly immersive entertainment.

Experience next-generation viewing with a 55-inch Sky Glass TV, which we think is something of a marvel in home entertainment thanks to its seamlessly integrated Sky streaming service. Here, there's no need for a satellite dish as everything streams directly through a Wi-Fi connection, making setup and daily use remarkably straightforward.

With its simple operation, this TV ticks all the boxes for anyone seeking power and simplicity in a smart TV. The vibrant, 4K QLED display brings your favourite shows and films to life in stunning clarity, with superior colour and contrast. As a TV aimed at Sky subscribers, it offers tailored content recommendations and quick access to all of your favourite shows and movies.

In his full Sky Glass TV review, Jack Barrell was also impressed by its grand total of six internal speakers and Dolby Atmos support, giving this TV a realism boost when it comes to immersive audio. There's no Alexa or Google voice assistants, but it can be voice controlled using the "Hello Sky" command. It's also only 60Hz, so if you want a higher refresh rate for gaming and so on you might want to look at others in our list. There are limited customisation options for anyone who isn't a Sky subscriber, but we think this is reasonable given who this set it aimed at.

Overall, we think that this is all-in-one media powerhouse, combining superb audio-visual performance with a stylish, frameless silhouette, bringing a sophisticated entertainment hub into your living room.

Wall mounting your TV has become increasingly popular over the years. So, it makes sense to consider getting a TV that's designed specifically for this purpose. Samsung is often at the forefront of innovation, so this latest version of The Frame, the Samsung QE55LS03D, is a real eye-opener.

The display itself is a gorgeous 4K QLED panel that offers exceptional contrast between light and dark. It's also got a variable 120Hz refresh rate, and support for HDR10+ and HLG for an extended colour palette. It's genuinely one of the best designed TVs around. But, our favourite feature of The Frame is just that – it'll also display your favourite works of art. That really transforms the TV into part of your interior décor.

As you'd expect, it’s perfect for wall mounting – designed to leave almost no gap between the TV and the wall. While we think that the addition of such a prominent frame-like bezel won't appeal to those with more minimalistic tastes, we think it's more of a bonus for art fans.

When you are watching movies and TV on it, there's also Dolby Atmos sound support for crystal clear soundscapes. We're impressed to find a couple of upward-firing internal speakers too – brilliant for overhead sound effects.

Some of the best Sony TVs we've seen in recent years really cement the brand's long-standing reputation as a leader in the field. And with the BRAVIA 8 OLED K55XR80, it has produced yet another incredible premium TV that’s perfect for any die-hard cinephiles who are looking for superior image quality.

In terms of picture quality, brightness, motion response, and gaming, this is one of the best around. Whether you're watching sports, movies or box sets, you're going to have a great experience. The K55XR80 is designed to recreate images exactly as the creator's intended, as it works with Netflix Calibrated Mode and Amazon Prime Video Calibrated Mode for total picture accuracy. There's even a IMAX enhanced mode for the ultimate home cinema experience.

All of this audio-visual goodness is aided by Sony's AI features, XR Contrast Booster and Triluminos Pro features, plus amazing Dolby Atmos performance and gaming features aimed at PS5 owners. There's also plenty of support for gamers, as this TV supports 4K/120Hz via two HDMI 2.1 ports, as well as VRR and ALLM. The Bravia cam that comes with it can recognise where you’re sitting and adjust picture and sound settings accordingly. You can also cover the camera if you're concerned about privacy.  It’s also got some of the best built-in speakers currently available. With this TV, you may not need to bother with a separate soundbar. 

Our one complaint is with Sony's decision to put the feet of this TV at the very edges of the bottom of the screen. This means you'll need an extremely wide TV stand for it to fit on, otherwise you're looking at a wall mount.  Other than that, it's a quality premium choice when it comes to 55-inch TVs.

Perhaps the first thing we should mention about the LG 55QNED87T6B is the panel, as it's a QNED. So, what is QNED? Well, it stands for Quantum Nanocell LED, and is a hybrid of the quantum dots you'll find in a QLED TV and the tightly-packed backlight of mini-LED TVs. All in all, that means you're getting the best of both worlds in terms of colour and tone accuracy; not to mention brightness, contrast and vibrancy.

But the panel is just one part if the picture, as it also has AI-enhanced image optimization from the α8 AI Processor. There's Amazon Alexa thrown in for good measure – accessible via the remote, plus a host of smooth motion and gaming features to take advantage of that 120Hz refresh rate.

Plus, it offers a fantastically-wide range of apps thanks to the fast and intuitive award-winning webOS platform. The only drawback we found in our research was that some users report slightly narrower viewing angles than others. Although it's a fully-fledged smart TV, we're happy to see lots of inputs at the back for all of your devices and more – including both a satellite and terrestrial aerial input.

All that said, for us this TV is all about being able to enjoy all of those colour-critical programmes and movies in glorious detail and with superb accuracy. Your nature documentaries, sweeping vistas and landscapes (alien or terrestrial) will never look better.