TL;DR - Three 2026 sets cover most buyers: the Sony Bravia 7 II (RGB LED, Google TV) for bright rooms, the LG C6 (OLED, webOS 26) for dark-room picture quality and gaming, and the Samsung S95H (OLED, Tizen) if you want RTINGS' top-tested set and Samsung's SmartThings. Check the software-support window before the spec sheet, because that decides how the TV ages.
Scope note: This is the hub for the smart-TV cluster, general best picks scored across picture, sound, gaming and streaming. For streaming-specific deep dives (app launch times, WiFi throughput, codec support) see best smart TV for streaming. For sets at or below 500 GBP see best budget TVs under 500 GBP, and for US dollar pricing see best budget smart TVs under $500. For picking between Tizen / webOS / Google TV themselves see smart TV OS comparison.
Updated October 2026: The earlier version ranked 2024 and 2025 models (Bravia 7, LG C4, Samsung QN90D, Hisense U7N). The 2026 generation has replaced them, so the premium picks were swapped for the current sets, checked against LG's and Samsung's UK pages and review coverage. Unsourced claims (boot times, RAM thresholds, "90% of the performance at 60% of the price") were removed, and the mid-range and budget lists were cut back to what we could verify.
"Best smart TV" rankings change less year-to-year than the marketing suggests, but the model names change every spring. My take: spend on panel quality and software longevity, and ignore the AI buzzwords until they show up in actual feature lists.
Which smart TVs came out on top?
The best smart TV in 2026 depends on your room and your primary use: the Sony Bravia 7 II (Google TV) for bright living rooms, the LG C6 (webOS 26) for dark-room picture quality and gaming, and the Samsung S95H (Tizen) for an OLED that RTINGS currently rates as the best 4K TV it has tested this year. If streaming is your primary use, there's a focused streaming-only comparison covering app support across Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+.
This guide compares three sets on things that decide how a TV ages: panel type, app support, update commitments and what each platform does well. Those come from manufacturer pages and published review data, not from a living room. The most expensive mistake buyers make in this category is choosing on screen size first.
Top picks: premium tier
1. Sony Bravia 7 II - Best for bright rooms
The Bravia 7 II is Sony's first mainstream True RGB set: its backlight uses red, green and blue LEDs instead of white ones behind a colour filter, which is where the gain in brightness and colour accuracy comes from. Reviewers measured about 2,100 nits of peak brightness on the 55-inch model in Professional mode. Google TV gives it the widest app library of the three platforms, including the UK catch-up apps.
It reached the UK in July 2026 at 1,999 GBP for the 55-inch and 2,299 GBP for the 65-inch, and review coverage already showed street prices around 1,700 and 1,900 GBP. Check current listings, because new-generation prices move fast.
Key specs: True RGB LED, Google TV, 50 to 98 inch sizes. Best for: Bright living rooms, streaming-heavy households.
2. LG C6 OLED - Best for dark rooms and gaming
The C6's OLED evo panel delivers per-pixel black that no LED backlight can match. LG's UK page lists webOS 26, an alpha 11 AI Processor Gen3, Dolby Vision, 4K at up to 165 Hz with G-SYNC compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium, and "up to 5 years" of free upgrades through webOS Re:New. Independent coverage lists four HDMI 2.1 ports. The 65-inch launched at 2,599 GBP in the UK, and price trackers show it from about 1,800 GBP at some retailers. Our LG OLED C6 2026 review goes deeper.
Key specs: 4K OLED evo, 165 Hz, webOS 26, Dolby Vision. Best for: Movie enthusiasts, dark-room home cinema setups, console gamers.
3. Samsung S95H OLED - Best for the Samsung ecosystem
Samsung's flagship OLED has four HDMI ports that all take 4K at 165 Hz, a Glare-Free screen, and Tizen with Samsung TV Plus, Gaming Hub and SmartThings. The 65-inch model on Samsung UK was 2,399 GBP, down from 2,799 GBP, and the page promises security updates through 31 December 2031. If you already run SmartThings for a connected smart fridge or washer, it slots right in.
Key specs: 4K OLED, up to 165 Hz, Tizen, 4 HDMI ports at 4K/165. Best for: Samsung households, bright-ish rooms where OLED is still the goal.
Mid-range and budget
The mid-range changes faster than anyone can track. Large mini-LED sets from Hisense and TCL now undercut OLED at 65 inches and up, and RTINGS lists the TCL QM8L and Hisense U7SG among its large-screen values. We haven't re-verified their 2026 specs, so we don't rank them here. Our Hisense 65U8N MiniLED review covers the previous-generation U8N in detail, and the budget guide linked above covers sets at or below 500 GBP.
Quick comparison: top picks at a glance
| Model | Panel type | OS | Budget | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Bravia 7 II | True RGB LED | Google TV | Premium | Bright rooms, streaming |
| LG C6 OLED | OLED evo | webOS 26 | Premium | Dark rooms, gaming |
| Samsung S95H | OLED | Tizen | Premium | Samsung ecosystem |
What should you check before buying?
Which spec actually predicts how the TV will feel three years in? Software-update support, then panel type.
Software-update commitments come first. Samsung has pledged 7 years of OS updates for models from 2024 onwards, and its UK S95H page lists security updates through 31 December 2031. LG offers up to 5 years of webOS upgrades through Re:New. Google TV has no single promise, because each TV maker sets its own update length, so check the brand. A set with no stated support window will run outdated apps and miss security patches sooner than you'd like, and that's a real problem when your TV is a web-connected device sitting on your home network 24 hours a day.
RAM and storage are worth asking about, but rarely published. Slow menus are the usual sign of a weak processor. Read independent lag tests instead of trusting a number on a retailer page.
HDMI 2.1 is only necessary if you game at 4K/120 Hz or higher. For streaming, HDMI 2.0 is fine.
Panel type determines contrast. OLED = deepest blacks, risk of burn-in with static content. RGB and mini-LED = brighter, suits living rooms. "QLED" is LED + quantum dot, not a separate panel technology.
Ignore fake refresh rate numbers. "Motion rate 240" means nothing. Look only for the native refresh rate: 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or the 165 Hz the newest OLEDs now advertise.
For the full OS breakdown, read our smart TV OS comparison, Google TV has the broadest apps, Tizen the most features, webOS the cleanest interface. If you're looking for a 32-inch option that doubles as decor when idle, the Samsung The Frame 32 (2026) is worth a look before you commit to a standard panel.