6 Best Smart TV Brands To Invest In, According To Consumer Reports

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Not too long ago, making your house a smart home seemed like something reserved for fictional stories toying with the idea of what the future might look like. While we might not have easy access to flying cars or instant food rehydrators (looking at you, "Back to the Future"), smart TVs have become a reality, very quickly eclipsing the popularity of other, non-connected models. The only difference between a smart TV and a regular TV is the device's ability to connect to the internet, and with streaming dominating cable as the primary way people consume content, it logically follows that we'd need devices that can readily access platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max without fuss.

With that being said, however, purchasing a smart TV can be a bit more complicated than buying a regular model. Rather than just having to think about the screen's size and resolution, you also have to consider the device's connectivity, ease of use, and quality of sound to avoid making mistakes that everyone makes when buying TVs. This can be a lot to weigh, especially if you're not someone who is particularly tech-minded, but thankfully, professional reviewers are willing to do much of the heavy lifting for you. According to Consumer Reports' Best TVs of 2025 roundup, brands like Samsung, LG, and Sony took the top spots as the most reliable and high-quality picks. For those on a budget, Hisense, Roku, and TCL also scored high marks, albeit slightly lower than some of the more expensive models that topped the list.

Samsung has been making appliances since the '70s, so it follows that it would know a thing or two about how to produce a quality smart TV. Of the 18 televisions listed on Consumer Reports' top TVs roundup, seven were produced by Samsung, making it by far the most mentioned brand. Options range from the almost $2,300 Samsung QN65S95F to the $899 Samsung QN65S84FA, both coming in at 65 inches. Samsung also earned high marks when it comes to reliability and customer satisfaction as a brand.

Across the board, TVs from this brand earned high ratings for their picture quality, sound quality, and lack of lag. The more expensive models, like the aforementioned QN65S95F, the $1,600 QN65S90F, the $1,400 QN65S90D, the $2,000 QN65S95D, and the $1,500 QN65QN90F, obviously have more premium features, like solar charging remotes, AI processors, and variable refresh rates, making them great picks if you're a cinephile or gamer who wants the absolute best quality on the market — or you're willing to scope out the best TV Black Friday deals to snag a lower price.

If you're just a casual movie enjoyer or binge watcher, however, the more affordable and previously mentioned QN65S84FA or $1,000 QN65Q80DD are also great quality for the price. Both models provide solid overall picture quality and sound, though the least expensive option actually comes out with a bit higher score out of the two more affordable picks, making it one of the best deals across the board.

LG was also a frequently mentioned brand in Consumer Reports' roundup. Of the 18 televisions, four LG models made the cut: three in the over $1,000 category, and one in the under $1,000 category. This comes as no surprise, as LG is one of the biggest names in technology — it's been producing TVs and other tech, like fans, radios, and phones, since the late '50s, and was ranked the #2 most reliable TV brand by Consumer Reports users.

The LG OLED65G4SUB earned the highest overall score on the list, with reports mentioning the model's high-quality sound and unique Brightness Booster Max technology that makes it one of the brightest options on the market. This quality doesn't come cheap, however — for the 65-inch, you can expect to pay almost $1,900. It's not quite as expensive as some of Samsung's options, meaning it's a great deal if you're looking for the best quality on the market, but it's not exactly affordable, either. Another option that made the cut is the less expensive LG OLED65C4PUA — a more mid-range choice (around $1,300) that still impresses when it comes to image quality and performance.

If you're not looking for such a splurge, the LG 65QNED90TUA also made the cut as a more affordable option. This pick is available for under $900 and is generally solid when it comes to usability and quality. With that said, however, it is a bit lacking when it comes to color accuracy. If you're someone who needs top-quality visuals, this might be a deterrent, but it likely won't matter all that much to the casual viewer.

Sony's offerings weren't as frequently recommended as Samsung's or LG's in Consumer Reports' roundup, but it did still manage to have three models mentioned: the Sony XR-65A95L, the Sony K65XR80M2, and the Sony XR-65X90L. The first two are certainly more premium options, coming in at $2,000 and $2,300, respectively. Sony's offerings rank near the bottom of the top 10 picks from Consumer Reports, which could be a bit of a deterrent, especially considering their price, but it's important to note that these are the top 10 out of over 400 rated televisions. They're still going to impress when it comes to resolution, sound quality, and usability, and Sony, as a brand, ranks #3 for reliability. Negative marks are for very minor things, like a limited viewing angle, if anything.

The most affordable option from Sony that made the list, the XR-65X90L, also lost some points for having a limited viewing angle. It was otherwise impressive when it came to performance, making it a solid option for those not willing to spend over $1,000 for a 65-inch smart TV. While Sony didn't take over the top picks like Samsung, it did still have some solid mentions (two in the top 10) that cement its place as a reliable brand both at the premium and more affordable levels.

Sony, LG, and Samsung have been in the television game for decades, building their names as reliable, high-tech, and cutting-edge brands that are worth the splurge. Hisense, on the other hand, is newer to the game. This brand only began mass producing televisions in 2007, so while it's certainly growing, it doesn't have quite as much brand loyalty to back it up. With that being said, it makes sense that Hisense makes the least expensive television on Consumer Reports' roundup: the Hisense 65U75QG, which retails for about $750.

This television is the only option from this brand to make the list, but it did earn a fairly impressive score with no notable cons. Most of the positives revolve around this television's quality and depth of color, with notes specifically mentioning the fact that skin tones look natural and contrast levels allow on-screen images to pop and appear detailed. It was also a very bright screen, meaning it's a solid pick for those who enjoy watching television during the day.

It is, however, important to note that Hisense hasn't earned the best owner satisfaction score, according to Consumer Reports. Data from members gave this brand an average score of 46 out of 100, meaning less than half would recommend the brand to friends and family. While some of this is likely due to the brand's newness and general lack of recognizability, it's also possible users have faced issues with their products or customer service down the line.

Roku has recently been rising in the ranks, first offering plug-ins that turn regular televisions into smart TVs, and later offering smart TVs themselves. It's not shocking that this brand would have at least one model that made Consumer Reports' list. The Roku 65R8B5, priced at just under $800 for a 65-inch, is one of the more affordable options out there, but the relatively low price doesn't mean poor performance. This TV received solid marks across the board, with specific mentions of high picture quality, a bright screen, and good depth of sound. With that said, reviewers noted some minor loss of detail in areas of the screen that were particularly light and bright, but nothing so severe that it resulted in major marks against this TV.

When it comes to Roku, however, there is one problem: This brand doesn't have a reliability or satisfaction rating on Consumer Reports due to lack of data. This missing score has an impact on Roku's final rating, but it appears that the publication worked to fill this category with a score that wouldn't cause a spike or dip in the brand's ranking. For a better perspective on this brand's reliability, it's a good idea to look to reviews. The Roku 65R8B5 has earned an impressive 4.5 stars on Amazon, with many noting the sharpness and quality of their chosen content. Other models with more reviews, like the Roku 50-inch Select Series 4K HDR TV, also have similarly high ratings, giving the impression that this brand is generally seen as reliable and its products are satisfactory to customers.

Rounding out the list, we have TCL, a brand that's found itself with two products on Consumer Reports' roundup. The top picks were the TCL 65QM851G, which retails for $1,257 on Amazon, and the TCL 65QM7K, which is available for just under $800. Both televisions received high marks in the more affordable category, but the brand didn't have any products place in the overall top 10. With that said, however, it doesn't mean these are bad televisions — both models received great reviews for their video and sound quality, and any negative notes were for incredibly minor problems, like a halo effect around items in dark scenes when viewing the television from an extreme angle or lack of detail in particularly bright parts of the screen.

One of the major problems with TCL is its low reliability and owner satisfaction scores. The brand has earned 58 out of 100 and 55 out of 100 points, respectively, putting it behind pretty much every other brand mentioned on this list. Reviews of individual recommended products, however, don't raise any major red flags. On Amazon, the 65QM851G has earned 4.3 stars, while the 65QM7K has earned 4.2 stars. There are a few negative reviews on each product that mention their television no longer working after a short amount of time or having a difficult time with customer service, but the vast majority seem impressed with their new TV's quality.