Let's face it. You're sick of having to squint at your laptop screen on movie night. The "almost-great" image on your five-year-old TV is beginning to look, well, less than great. You want a movie experience at home—luscious colors, rich blacks, and a screen large enough to lose yourself in—but you don't want to refinance your house.
Good news: you don't need to. The sub-$1000 TV market is a war, and we, the consumers, are the beneficiaries. I've reviewed, fiddled, and binge-watched on the biggest players to bring you the very best smart TVs available for under a thousand dollars. Bore with me; this is your no-nonsense guide to a fantastic upgrade.
First, The Key Features to Look For
Before we get started, just a brief rundown on what makes a TV at this price point "great." When you're comparing, watch for these specs:
Display Technology: QLED (Quantum Dot) for lots of bright, poppy colors, or OLED for perfect blacks and limitless contrast. At this price point, you'll get great QLEDs and Mini-LEDs, but actual OLED is a stretch.
Resolution: It's 2024. 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) is the minimum. Don't go below.
Refresh Rate: 60Hz is fine for most movies and shows. 120Hz is better for fast-moving sports and serious gaming.
Smart TV Platform: Roku TV, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV are the most user-friendly. Samsung's Tizen and LG's webOS are also excellent but more proprietary.
HDR Format Support: Look for TVs that support HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. This is key for getting the best picture quality from streaming services.
The Top 5 Smart TVs Under $1000: Tested
1. TCL 6-Series (R655) – The Best All-Rounder
TCL has been dominating the value segment for years, and the 6-Series is its magnum opus. It loads up with tech that competes with TVs hundreds of dollars more expensive.
Screen Sizes Tested: 55", 65"
Key Tech: Mini-LED QLED Panel, Full Array Local Dimming (FALD), 120Hz Native Refresh Rate, Dolby Vision IQ & HDR10+
Smart Platform: Google TV
Design & Build Quality: A slender, minimalist TV with skinny bezels and a robust, central base. It feels expensive, not bargain-basement, and has a premium look that outshines its price tag.
Performance & Usability: Here is where the 6-Series excels. The Mini-LED backlight with many local dimming zones produces breathtaking contrast. Blacks are inky and deep, and highlights shine with breathtaking brightness. I saw the neon-soaked shots of Blade Runner 2049 and the depth in the shadows was stunning. For game players, the native 120Hz VRR support ensures everything is silky smooth. Google TV is easy to use and filled to the brim with content. The only small complaint is the viewing angles are not the greatest, so sit fairly front and center for the best picture.
Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
Fantastic contrast and blacks Viewing angles are merely average
Incredibly HDR-y for HDR material
Google TV feels a tad ad-heavy
A gaming monster with 120Hz/VRR
Remote is a bit underwhelming
Fantastic value for money
Target Audience: Excellent for virtually everyone, particularly movie enthusiasts and gamers who want the very best picture quality for their money.
2. Hisense U8K – The King of Brightness
If your TV room is a sunroom, the Hisense U8K is your friend. It competes directly with the TCL 6-Series, frequently outshining it in raw brightness.
Screen Sizes Tested: 55", 65"
Key Tech: Mini-LED QLED, Quantum Dot Color, Full Array Local Dimming, 144Hz Native Refresh Rate, Dolby Vision & IMAX Enhanced
Smart Platform: Google TV
Design & Build Quality: The same sleek, contemporary design as the TCL. Build quality is robust, and the stand supplied is functional, although some may find it slightly too wide.
Performance & Usability: The U8K is dazzlingly bright. I tested it during a sunny afternoon with no curtains open, and the picture stayed vibrant and wash-out free. The color gamut is gigantic, so animated movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse are pure bliss. Its 144Hz refresh rate is even more forward-looking for PC gamers. The local dimming is aggressive, and that's fantastic for contrast, but I did spot occasional, very slight blooming on some very bright subtitles on a black background. It's no problem on most material.
Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
Unrivaled brightness in this price range Aggressive local dimming can lead to slight blooming
Vivid, wide color gamut Sound quality is merely adequate (an external soundbar is a good idea)
Great for light rooms A bit more complicated picture settings to achieve "just right"
Super-smooth 144Hz for gaming
Target Audience: Perfect for consumers with light living rooms, sports enthusiasts, and gamers that value high frame rates.
3. Sony X90L – The Picture Processing Pro
Sony doesn't always try to compete on price, but the X90L is a break from that rule. You're paying for their picture processing magic, which makes pictures look natural and clean.
Screen Sizes Tested: 55" (frequently drops just below $1000 on sale), 65"
Key Tech: Full Array Local Dimming, Cognitive Processor XR, 120Hz Refresh Rate, Dolby Vision, Acoustic Auto Calibration
Smart Platform: Google TV
Design & Build Quality: It looks sleek and high-end Sony. It has materials that feel slightly better than the competition, and overall fit and finish is top-notch.
Performance & Usability: Though it doesn't match the Hisense for how eye-searingly bright it can become, the Sony's image is generally more polished. Its Cognitive Processor XR performs magic with upscaling, so cable TV and lower-res streaming content appear sharper. Motion handling is best-in-class—football games and action films are smooth without the "soap opera effect" unless you prefer it. The colors are natural, not simply overly saturated. It's a "set it and forget it" TV that simply works gorgeous.
Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
Best-in-class motion handling and upscaling Not as bright as some QLED rivals
Natural, accurate colors straight out of the box More pricey; you pay a slight "Sony tax"
Great performance overall
Stand is slightly less attractive than the screen itself
Great sound quality for speakers built-in
Target Market: Purists who want accurate colors and silky motion. Ideal for film buffs and sports fans who are watching a lot of broadcast material.
4. Samsung Q60C – The Reliable Performer
Samsung's budget QLED is an excellent step up from 4K TVs that are plain. It's a solid, reliable option with an excellent smart platform.
Screen Sizes Tested: 55", 65", 75" (the 75" is an incredible value)
Key Tech: QLED Panel, Dual LED, 60Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+
Smart Platform: Samsung Tizen
Design & Build Quality: Samsung is design-intensive, and the Q60C is thin and stylish with a really thin bezel. It's stunning in any living space.
Performance & Usability: Don't look for the dark blacks of a Mini-LED TV here. The Q60C employs a direct-lit backlight, so blacks are darker gray rather than black. But the Quantum Dot color is great—extremely vivid and colored. It's sufficiently bright for most rooms and performs nicely for daytime viewing. The Tizen OS is snappy, easy to use, and ad-free with no big ads. This is an excellent TV for casual streaming and family viewing, but real gamers need to seek out a 120Hz panel.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Lovely, rich QLED color Doesn't have local dimming, so contrast is just average
Stylish, beautiful design Not for serious gamers, 60Hz refresh rate
Easy-to-use Tizen smart platform Does not support Dolby Vision (HDR10+ used instead)
Available across a wide range of sizes
Target Audience: Casual viewers and families who need an affordable, good-looking TV with excellent colors for viewing Netflix and Disney+.
5. LG B3 Series – The OLED Bargain
If you can pick up a 55" or 55" model discounted (something that occurs regularly), the LG B3 is your ticket to the holy grail of image quality: OLED.
Screen Sizes Tested: 55", 65"
Key Tech: OLED Panel, α7 AI Processor 4K, 120Hz Refresh Rate, Dolby Vision & Atmos, webOS
Smart Platform: LG webOS
Design & Build Quality: OLEDs are phenomenally thin and lightweight. The B3 is no different, with a beautiful, minimalistic shape. It looks premium because it is.
Performance & Usability: OLED is another animal altogether. Since each pixel generates its own light, it can simply be switched off. This equates to infinite contrast and flawless blacks. Watching a space documentary or a black horror film is an eye-opening experience. The B3 is not as bright as LG's pricier C-Series, but in a dark or dimly lit room, the image is unbeatable. webOS is seamless, and the Magic Remote is a joy to navigate. It's also an elite gaming TV with four HDMI 2.1 ports.
Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
Perfect blacks and unlimited contrast Not as bright as QLEDs; best for dimmer rooms
Pixel-perfect picture quality Risk of permanent burn-in with static content (minimal for most users)
Optimal for dark room viewing Quite often right at the $1000 limit
Perfect for gaming and movies
Target Audience: Film aficionados who view in a controlled lighting environment and gamers looking for the ultimate responsive screen.
The Verdict: Which One to Buy?
So which of these superb TVs should receive your hard-earned money?
For Best Overall Picture & Value: The TCL 6-Series is practically unbeatable. It does everything very well for an incredible price.
For a Bright, Sunny Room: The Hisense U8K will overwhelm any ambient light and still provide a bright, colorful image.
For the Most Natural & Refined Image: The Sony X90L provides top-shelf processing that makes whatever you watch look its best.
For A Simple, Durable Family TV: The Samsung Q60C provides excellent colors and an easy-to-use experience in a stunning package.
For the Ultimate Movie Experience (in a dark room): If you can get the LG B3 on sale, you'll receive picture quality comparable to TVs twice as expensive.
The bottom line? You can have an absolutely remarkable 65-inch TV for less than $1000. Don't compromise on a subpar large screen. Define your must-have, choose your hero from this roundup, and be prepared to be blown away.
Happy viewing!
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