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We’re in the process of reviewing 2018’s new TVs, and so far we’ve been seriously impressed by the Samsung Q9FN QLED, which is the first TV in years to get the full 10/10 score from Trusted Reviews. Hot on its heels is the LG E8 OLED. Right now you’ll struggle to find better TVs, in terms of performance.
Samsung Q9FN QLED – the best TV of 2018?
Pros:
- Gorgeous brightness and colours
- Impressively deep blacks
- Full-array local dimming
- Lovely finish
Cons:
- Not quite OLED levels of shadow detail
The Samsung Q9FN is the first TV in years to receive a full 10/10 score from Trusted Reviews. That’s because it’s a truly brilliant telly. This is the best performance we’ve ever seen from an LED LCD, thanks to the use of a direct backlight with full-array local dimming, plus some very effective dimming algorithms. Samsung made a lot of its QLED TVs (Quantum Dot LED) in 2017, but 2018 is the year it really shines.
Usually in TV land you choose to prioritise light performance (LCDs) or low-light performance (OLEDs). There are LCDs that offer decent shadow detail, or OLEDs that offer great highlights, but there just hasn’t been a TV that excels in both extremes. Until now, that is.
The Samsung Q9FN offers astonishing levels of brightness and colour, but it also has properly deep blacks that generally have no business on an LCD TV. The result is a hugely versatile picture: whether you want to watch films in a darkened room or put on the football with the lights blazing, this will do nicely.
The biggest surprise is the reasonable price tag – this flagship telly costs £3799 at 65 inches, which puts it in direct competition with some of LG’s more affordable OLEDs, costing less than the £4000 LG C8 that we’ll be reviewing very soon. Meanwhile…
LG E8 OLED
Pros:
- Stunning picture quality
- Unique and attractive design
- Excellent smart TV system
Cons:
- It’s expensive
- Sound is a little disappointing
- No HDR10+ support
The LG E8 OLED is the first LG TV we’ve reviewed this year, and if it’s anything to go by, LG is going to have another great year. Panel technology hasn’t changed much, but LG has really upped their game on the processing front. The new Alppha 9 processor has a bunch of neat tricks up its sleeve, improving on 2017’s performance a little on every front. As a result, HDR looks far brighter than it ever has before on an OLED TV – all the while maintaining the perfectly inky blacks that the format is known for. It’s still not as bright a Samsung’s QLED LCD TVs, but for most people it will be plenty.
The only potential problem is the LG C8, which is supposed to offer the same picture, with less premium body – but it will cost less.
LG B7 OLED
Pros:
- Unrivalled blacks and contrast
- Improved shadow detailing
- Vibrant yet accurate colours
- Supremely low input lag
Cons:
- Imperfect motion processing for interlaced broadcast
- Peak brightness insufficient for impactful HDR
If you’ve been looking to buy a 2017 OLED but have been waiting for prices to drop, this is your chance. The LG 55OLEDB7 is the least expensive in the range, and it’s now even cheaper thanks to some fairly sizeable price drops.
It’s as big a bargain as £1699 can ever get you, because the picture performance is almost identical to its £4000 sibling, the LG OLED65E7V, save for the lack of built-in soundbar. And most people buying a TV at this level would likely be considering a separate sound system anyway.
Picture quality is nothing short of stunning, and makes it one of the best performing sets this year, not to mention one of the best value. Contrast is outstanding, detail levels are high, and colours are vibrant but believable. It was a great TV at its review price – now, it’s a steal.
Buy now: LG B7 OLED for £1,499 / $1,597 from Amazon
Samsung MU7000
Pros:
- Good brightness and contrast
- Strong shadow detail
- Intuitive smart TV interface
Cons:
- Limited viewing angles
- Black levels could be deeper
The UE49MU7000T is a 49-inch 4K LCD TV from just above the middle of Samsung’s 2017 range. It doesn’t get Samsung’s new QLED technology, with its ground-breaking brightness and colour properties, but it does feature Dynamic Crystal Colour technology based on Samsung’s 2016 flagship TVs, along with a claimed peak brightness of 1000 nits.
Having dropped in price since its release to well under the £1000 mark, it’s a compelling option for those wanting 4K HDR on a budget. It’s well built, easy to set up and has a great smart TV system with all the services you could want.
Its picture performance is where it really shows off what it’s made of though, and we like what we see. It’ll go bright for a mid-range TV, which means it can give HDR a good go, though blacks don’t go quite as deep as further up the range.
Colours look natural and subtly blended, and both 4K and 1080p images are sharp and detailed. For the money, it’s one of the most appealing TVs Samsung has released this year.
Buy now: Samsung MU7000 for £640 from Amazon
Sony A1 (KD65A1)
Pros:
- Outstanding picture quality
- An innovative sound system that works
- Gorgeous design
Cons:
- Expensive
- Uninspiring remote
If we had a prize for most unusual TV design, this would win it.
The Sony A1 isn’t just an OLED TV – Sony’s ‘Acoustic Surface’ technology does away with speakers entirely and shakes the screen to make sound. And it totally works.
Crazy sound systems aside, Sony’s first commercial 4K OLED TV is a huge success, with bags of fine detail, lovely colours and class-leading motion handling. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but if you want something that can show off what TVs are all about in 2017, this will do nicely.
This here is the 65-inch version, but it also comes in 55 inches.
If you’re not keen on that leaning design, check out the Sony AF8 OLED, which is the same TV in most respects, except for a more conventional design.
Buy now: Sony KD65A1 for £3,599 from John Lewis