The best 8K TVs in 2021

The best 8K TVs push the boundaries of TV technology, with the best TV brands all offering models with ultra-high-resolution alongside the best features and technologies available. With 8K displays boasting an incredible 7680 x 4320 pixel resolution, translating into more than 33 million pixels, the move to 8K is a definite visual upgrade. But which are the best? And how can you choose the one that’s right for you?

We’ve been following the development of 8K TVs since they were first announced, and have scrutinized every model we could get our eyes on in reviews, product demos, and even floor models at our local tech retailers. We’ve pored over the test results and product specs, and compared the numbers to help you know which 8K TVs are best.

Black Friday 8K TV deals

Black Friday deals are in full swing, bringing the best TV prices of the year. With major discounts from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart, you can score discounts even on the premium 8K TVs on this list. Be sure to check out our Black Friday TV deals page for all the latest sales to make sure you get a great TV in time for the holiday season. 

What are the best 8K TVs?

Since their introduction with the first Samsung 8K QLED models a few years ago, 8K TVs have wowed in demos and set a new bar for premium TV prices. But it’s still a new segment of the TV market, and relatively few 8K TVs are even being sold, let alone finding homes in people’s living rooms.

At the present, the best 8K TVs are made by the leading TV brands: Samsung, LG and Sony, with Samsung’s several 8K models offering the widest selection of prices and features – the Samsung QN900A Neo QLED 8K TV is the top-of-the-line model, with the Samsung QN800A Neo QLED model offering a more budget-friendly alternative.

LG’s well-earned reputation for making excellent OLED sets makes the LG ZX 8K OLED a stand out product, not only for the overall quality – and 8K OLED is truly stunning – but also for the expense. OLED is more expensive than LCD panel technology as a rule, and 8K panels magnify this price difference.

The Sony Z8H 8K Android TV is an LCD smart TV that shows Sony still knows how to make a premium product. From smart speaker capability to tweeters embedded into the frame of the TV – creating sound that seems to come right from the screen – Sony’s 8K TV sounds just as good as it looks.

But the most attractive 8K TV might be the TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648), which offers 8K quality in 65 and 75-inch sizes at prices that are lower than competitors and even undercut many premium 4K TVs.

The best 8K TVs you can buy

The Samsung QN900A is on the top of the line 8K model from Samsung, offering every premium technology and design flourish in Samsung’s arsenal. As part of Samsung’s new Neo QLED line, the QN900A uses both quantum-dot enhancement for better color and brightness and mini-LED backlighting for tighter contrast control and superb HDR performance. It’s also paired with Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound Pro technology, which uses an array of frame-mounted speakers to track audio with the position of actors and objects on screen, providing a more immersive experience.

Beyond picture and sound, the QN900A features Samsung’s Infinity Screen technology, which slims down the bezel around the screen to 0.8-millimeter thick – so slim you can barely see it at recommended viewing distances.

Inside is the new Neo Quantum Processor, which drives features like AI upscaling, Quantum HDR 64x tone-mapping technology and AI audio optimizationSpaceFit Sound. The new sets are the first to be certified for Wi-Fi 6e, and feature Samsung’s OneConnect box for a truly seamless setup.

Read more about the Samsung 2021 TV lineup.

The LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series 8K TV boasts an awesome features et, from the inclusion of mini-LED backlight to the union of NanoCell and QLED technologies. We were impressed by the brightness and great color accuracy, and the screen size options are ideal for the higher resolution. With webOS 6.0 offering the best smart features available for LG TVs and 8K upscaling allowing 4K and even 1080p content to be enjoyed on the ultra HD screen, it’s one of the first 8K TVs we’ve seen that we recommend… sort of.

For everything the LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series 8K TV offers, it’s still a tough sell, largely because 8K content is still pretty much non-existent. That, more than anything else – like the sluggish controls or inconsistencies in upscaling quality – gives us pause in recommending the set, even if it’s one of the most affordable 8K sets we’ve seen.

Read our full LG QNED MiniLED 99 Series 8K TV review.

When it comes to 8K TVs, there are plenty of ultra-premium sets you can choose from, but TCL has stepped things up by bringing the price down. The TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648) is the most affordable 8K TV on the market, and it’s even more affordable than some of the 4K sets we recommend. Plus, it’s got everything we love about Roku TVs, along with excellent performance and short lag times for gaming.

By offering next-gen resolution at current-gen prices, it’s the most affordable way to jump into 8K. And with models available in 65 and 75-inch sizes, it’s pretty reasonable on screen sizes, too. Our only issues with the TV’s performance were the 8K panel’s limited viewing angles and the mediocrity of the audio, which can be solved with a simple soundbar.

Editor’s Note: 11/16/2021 – TCL’s 8K sets just got better! TCL has announced the first 8K streaming service, exclusive to TCL’s 8K Roku TVs. It’s an important step forward for 8K, and one that we hope signals a change in the 8K landscape

Read our full TCL 6-Series 8K Roku TV (R648) review.

If you want a truly choice TV viewing experience, in the combination of eight care resolution and OLED display technology will be irresistible. It’s also incredibly expensive, but the LG ZX offers with no other 8K TV does, with big 77 and 88-in OLED display panels offering the impeccable quality of OLED, with its per-pixel backlighting, true blacks, and rich color, all of the astonishing detail that only 8K resolution can provide.

The larger 88-inch model comes with it’s own floor stand with integrated speaker system, but the 77-inch model has amore traditional design. Both feature LG’s top-tier Alpha 9 Gen-3 processor and LG’s excellent webOS platform, but the real draw here is the screen. It’s the same OLED panel used on the previous LG Z9 OLED – one of the most impressive ever made.

It’s also super expensive, with the 77-inch model selling for $19,999 and the 88-inch model selling for a whopping $29,999.

Read our LG Z9 88-inch 8K OLED TV review (hands-on).

The Samsung QN800A is a step down from the more premium QN900A series, making it one of the most approachable 8K models on the market, but it drops a couple of features in order to come in at a more affordable price. Samsung uses a very thin (but more visible) bezel around the 8K panel, steps down to Object Tracking Sound+ instead of Pro and uses Quantum HDR 32x. This still uses dynamic tone-mapping for improved HDR performance, but not at the same level as you’d see on the more expensive QN900A Neo QLED sets.

Despite these differences, the QN800A is still a premium 8K TV, complete with Neo QLED combining quantum-dot color with mini-LED backlights, and offering a handful of AI-driven features like upscaling, audio tuning and HDR tone mapping.

Read more about Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs.

Sony’s in the 8K game as well, and the Sony Z8H 8K Android TV is an impressive TV indeed. Coming in 75 and 85-inch sizes, the Sony 8K TV is a fine-tuned LCD display backed with full array backlight and more than 300 local dimming zones, beating Sony’s best 4K TVs.  Sony’s Acoustic Multi-Audio feature turns the Z8H’s entire frame into a tweeter for sound that seems to jump directly out of the display.

And it’s got other conveniences, like built-in, far-field mics that work with the TV’s integrated Google Assistant capabilities, making it a giant smart speaker that you can use as a Google Home to control all of your connected devices.

The only problems? The Z8H only has one HDMI 2.1 port that supports 8K video, and it doesn’t support two of the best features HDMI 2.1 offers – variable refresh rate and auto low-latency mode for gaming. That’s more than a disappointment at this price, especially when other 8K sets do better.

Read our Sony Z8H 8K TV review (hands-on).

What is 8K resolution?

8K resolution is shorthand for 7680 x 4320 resolution. That’s equivalent to four 4K panels, tiled in a 2×2 formation.

But the real magic of 8K is hard to convey in words or pictures online. The jump in resolution from 4K to 8K is magnified by the fact that 8K screens are significantly larger than a standard 4K TV. So you not only get incredible lifelike levels of detail, but often at life-like sizes.

That combination of detail and size does deliver some astonishingly realistic images, and the potential for truly immersive 8K entertainment is undeniable. On top of this, TV manufacturers aren’t pulling their punches when it comes to 8K TVs. Even the less expensive 8K models are packed with premium features, so you can expect 8K TVs to boast the best audio options and smart capabilities available.

How much do 8K TVs cost?

With 8K technology only being a few years old, and requiring giant TVs with ultra high definition resolution that’s four times as high as 4K, it shouldn’t be any surprise that 8K TV’s are very expensive.

The price of 8K TVs is coming down rapidly, especially in screen sizes that will fit in the average home. Affordable 65-inch models can now be found for under $3,000, making them more affordable than some premium 4K sets. But larger sizes cost more, between $3,000 and $5,000, and the higher end models still sell for tens of thousands of dollars for giant OLED displays and other premium features.

Are 8K TVs worth buying?

It’s true that 8K resolution is impressive, but we don’t recommend buying 8K TVs yet. (Though there are some instances where an 8K TV might make sense. Learn more by reading why I don’t recommend 8K TVs, but I just told my dad to buy this one.)

The biggest problem? There’s no 8K content. There are no 8K movies being released, no shows streaming in 8K, there is no 8K version of Blu-ray, and there is very little on the horizon that will use the 8K format because there are still almost no 8K cameras or production tools made to handle the higher resolution.

It’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem, since creating 8K content requires 8K cameras and displays, and that technology is only a couple of years old. It will be a while yet before 8K media is available in any meaningful way. And until it is, there is no good reason to buy an 8K TV.

That said, we’re inching closer to making 8K a reality. The HDMI 2.1 format is the first with the bandwidth to handle 8K content – it used to take four separate HDMI cables to do that – and the latest game consoles are 8K-capable, even if no games take advantage of that capability yet. We’ll be keeping an eye on 8K TVs as things develop, but for now, you’re safe to pass on this new technology.

If you’ve narrowed down your TV shopping by brand, price range or screen size, check out our picks for the best TVs in each.

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