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In recent years, 55-inch TVs have become a sweet spot when it comes to the television market. A TV of this size can comfortably fit in a variety of spaces, from large living rooms to compact dorm rooms. It’s one of the most common sizes across manufacturers’ offerings, so this class offers just about any configuration you could want. Whether you’re looking for a TV with the best OLED picture quality like our top pick Samsung’s S95D, or are more concerned about gaming, we’ve researched and selected the best 55-inch TVs for every occasion.
- Best overall: Samsung S95D
- Best for gaming: Samsung QN90D
- Best OLED TV: Sony A95L
- Best 4K TV: Roku Pro Series
- Best outdoor TV: Sunbrite Veranda
How we chose the best 55-inch TVs
I’ve been reviewing gadgets for over a decade for sites like TechnoBuffalo, XDA Developers, iMore, and Android Central. During that time I’ve tested many products, and that includes TVs. When I’m not writing about technology, I’m probably watching a movie or gaming, so finding the right TV is something I care deeply about. The PopSci staff also has extensive experience testing and reviewing TVs.
When rounding up my picks, I made sure to find TVs that offer a healthy balance between features, price, and technology. Now that we’re into a new era of gaming, I paid special attention to whether these TVs support the latest HDMI 2.1 features, which will be crucial for futureproofing your purchase. There’s a lot to go over, so without further ado.
The best 55-inch TVs: Reviews & Recommendations
A TV is often the centerpiece of our homes—we gather around them to watch movies, special events, and more. This is why it’s so important to find one that fits your needs. That means it has the features you want at the price you want.
Best overall: Samsung S95D
Why it made the cut: You get one of the latest OLED displays on the market paired with all the right features.
Specs
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI 2.1, RF, 2 USB 2.0, Ethernet, optical audio, headphone out
- Size: 10.5″D x 48.2″W x 30.4″H
- Weight: 52.70 pounds
Pros
Cons
Best for gaming: Samsung QN90D
Samsung
Why it made the cut: The Samsung QN90D is a showcase for QLED technology while offering support for next-gen gaming features.
Specs
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Ports: HDMI 2.1 x 3, HDMI 2.0 x 1, USB 2.0 x 2, Ethernet, headphone jack
- Size: 9.3″D x 48.3″W x 30.2″H
- Weight: 45.4 pounds
Pros
- Thin, gorgeous design
- 144Hz refresh rate for gaming mode
- Advanced Dolby Atmos audio system
Cons
- No Dolby Vision HDR
OLED TVs typically get all the accolades due to their excellent picture quality, but the Samsung QN90D proves there are legitimate alternatives that don’t require big sacrifices.
The Mini-LED TV is powered by Samsung’s NQ4 AI GEN2 processor, which is used to optimize its picture quality, upscale HD content to look good on a 4K set, and powers its Dolby Atmos sound system. Most impressively, Samsung says this TV can “remaster” non-HDR video in real time to improve highlights and details. If you play HD games released in the pre-HDR era, this boost in fidelity will come in handy. Samsung still doesn’t support Dolby Vision HDR, opting for its own HDR10+, which may be contentious for some based on how certain games were mastered.
The QN90D’s display typically refreshes at 120Hz, which is fine for watching movies and TV shows, but not ideal for playing the latest cutting-edge titles where every frame counts. Samsung understood this and designed its gaming mode to boost the TV’s refresh rate to a gamer-friendly 144Hz thanks to a feature called Motion Xcelerator. All four of this TV’s HDMI ports support 144Hz, so you won’t have to worry about swapping out cables if you’ve got multiple current-generation consoles and a gaming PC.
If you don’t have room for a traditional home theater system, the QN90D will simulate the experience of having one courtesy of a feature called Object Tracking Sound+. This allows the television to pinpoint particular items on your screen and play audio from the closest corresponding speaker. This won’t fully replace a traditional multi-speaker home theater system, but it’s still nicer to have than a pair of integrated stereo speakers.
Players looking for a 55-inch TV that can deliver world-class gaming in their living room or home theater should consider Samsung’s QN90D before any other set.
Best OLED TV: Sony A95L
Sony
Why it made the cut: Powerful image and sound processing technology make the Sony A95L a cut above the competition.
Specs
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, RF, Headphone jack, 2 USB 2.0
- Size: 13″D x 48.38″W x 29.13″H
- Weight: 38.3 pounds
Pros
- Fantastic picture quality
- PlayStation 5-specific features
- Dolby Atmos audio built in
- Sony BRAVIA Core support
Cons
- Price
If you’re dead-set on having an OLED TV, and price is no object, Sony’s A95L is a premium choice designed for gamers and serious movie watchers alike. Its OLED panel ensures perfect contrast, while Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR handles image upscaling and optimization. Sony says the -panel it’s using with this TV offers its widest color palette ever, so you should be able to see subtle differences between similar-looking objects in films and games that wouldn’t have been visible before.
The A95L is a solid set for gaming on any platform, but it’s an especially good choice if you play on a PlayStation 5. The console and TV can communicate with one another to enable features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode, which change the way your games look in real time based on what you’re playing. The TV’s 120Hz refresh rate is respectable for games of all genres, though it can’t hit the 144Hz speeds of some other TVs we’re recommending. Although its ultra thin, Sony managed to fit a Dolby Atmos-compatible speaker system inside the A95L’s frame.
A Sony exclusive feature only available on its highest-end TVs is support for BRAVIA Core, its luxe streaming service, which allows you to watch select movies in 4K at the highest-possible bitrate. Bravia Core offers the closest experience to connecting a 4K Blu Ray player to the TV and popping in a physical disc. Be mindful that while watching films on BRAVIA Core will be a lot more true to life than Netflix it’ll require a fast Internet connection to keep up with the necessary bandwidth.
Best 4K TV: Roku Pro Series
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Why it made the cut: Roku’s Pro Series is a great QLED TV with Mini-LED, and comes with a host of great gaming features.
Specs
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: HDMI 2.1 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, USB-C x 1, Ethernet, Optical, Headphone jack
- Size: 1.91″D x 48.6″W x 31.14″H
- Weight: 60.9 pounds
Pros
- Easy to use interface
- Great picture quality for the price
- Support for 4K 120Hz
- Updated remote
Cons
- Inconsistent results when watching sports
Roku introduced its first TV hardware in 2023, but it’s upped its game substantially in 2024 with the release of the Pro Series. It’s easily best-sounding TV we’ve ever heard in its price range, and it’s competitive on the video front too.
The biggest strength the Roku Pro Series TV has out of the box is that it runs on the company’s intuitive operating system, and comes bundled with its simple to use remote. The new second-generation Roku Voice Remote Pro has been updated this time around with USB-C charging (finally) and backlit keys. New buttons allow you to bring up the Roku Channel Guide or automatically take you to a particular app, or toggle a setting. The Roku Voice Remote Pro remains the easiest-to-use controller for any TV we’ve tested, and the improvements Roku made this time around are welcome.
We watched an assortment of HD and 4K video from Netflix, YouTube, and broadcast television during our tests, and the Pro provided a consistent viewing experience throughout. There was some muddiness when watching soccer on broadcast television even on sports mode, but even that was variable on a game by game basis. We were pleased at how good video looked on the set overall, with impressive contrast and accurate colors. Switching between the television’s picture modes did yield substantial differences, and we recommend playing around with these settings if you’re persnickety. The default auto mode is a happy medium for most people as it handles all the heavy lifting for you and typically did a good job adjusting to the proper settings.
The biggest welcome surprise we found when testing this TV was its side-firing speakers. This may be the only television we’ve tried in recent memory that didn’t have us immediately running to recommend a sound bar. Again, Roku offers some different sound modes, but we found the default was perfect for watching any type of movie or TV show. We didn’t even feel the need to choose the dialogue mode to boost the sound of voices outside of doing some AB testing. Roku’s engineers should be proud of the work they’ve done, and it goes to show what can happen when you allow a TV to be on the thicker side.
It’s hard to find any significant fault with the Roku Pro Series TV, especially in its price range. If anything, it underscores the company’s genuine enthusiasm in its own hardware, and that we should expect more from TV manufactures concerning ease of use and audio quality.
Best outdoor TV: Sunbrite Veranda
Why it made the cut: There aren’t many exciting outdoor TV options out there, but the Sunbrite Veranda is one of the best.
Specs
- Resolution: 4K
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
- Ports: 3 HDMI (HDMI 1.4 / 2.0 with HDCP 1.4 / 2.2), USB
Pros
- Weather-resistant design
- Media bay for streaming devices
- 4K display
Cons
- Expensive
- No HDMI 2.1
Not all viewing parties happen indoors, but there are very few good options available that can compete with what sits in your living room. Enter the Sunbrite Veranda, which pairs 4K resolution and HDR support into an impressive weatherproof package.
Let’s be clear: Outdoor TVs can’t match the fidelity and picture quality you’d get from the other 55-inch TVs mentioned above. But the Sunbrite Veranda is still no slouch and will offer an enjoyable viewing experience. The TV features an LED backlight that cranks up the brightness to compete with the ambient light bouncing around outdoors. And although it can’t match the same contrast and vibrancy as what’s in your living room, an outdoor setting makes them less relevant anyway.
Of course, the big sell here is the fact that the Sunbrite Veranda is built to withstand the elements, including rain, dust, extreme temperatures, and other outdoor nuisances. That kind of build quality will ensure it makes it a great option for outdoor use, and a centerpiece the next time you grill some hotdogs.
What to consider before buying a 55-inch TV
What’s great about 55-inch TVs is their size is flexible enough to fit in spaces that are large and small. I live in a small one-bedroom apartment and a 55-inch inch TV fits perfectly in our living room. It’s big enough for me to absorb what I’m watching without feeling like I need to squint to enjoy the details.
It’s recommended you sit about 7-and-a-half feet away from a 55-inch TV for the optimal viewing experience. That recommendation isn’t an exact science since everyone’s eyesight is different, but this calculator goes into much more detail into the data behind the optimal viewing distance for the size TV you buy. Resolution used to be an issue when buying a large TV because sitting too close would make the pixels visible. With 4K resolution as the norm, however, that isn’t much of a problem anymore.
Picking the right size TV for your space is only the first step. You’ll want to be mindful of screen technology (OLED or QLED), price, and a wide array of specs. From display resolution to refresh rate to connectivity, there are a wide variety of things to consider.
OLED vs QLED
LCD, LED, OLED, QLED, ACDC (kidding), these acronyms can get confusing, especially in the TV space where technology has progressed rapidly. Most TVs available today either offer OLED or QLED displays and, despite their similar-sounding names, they offer important differences you need to know about.
OLED stands for “organic light-emitting diode,” and is distinctly different from LCD. OLED is emissive, which means the pixels emit their own light. TVs equipped with OLED technology can turn these pixels on an individual basis, which means the picture can produce “true blacks” and better highlights. Best of all, when shadows and highlights rub shoulders, you won’t get any light bleed from an OLED panel, which traditional LCD technology struggles with.
Meanwhile, QLED stands for “quantum dot light-emitting diodes,” and is a transmissive layer that complements traditional backlit LCD panels. The quantum dot layer enhances the screen’s color, brightness, and contrast, resulting in improved picture quality compared to older LCD and LED sets. There are some TVs that feature QLED displays with Mini-LED backlighting, which is a separate display technology that enables “local dimming.” This makes it possible for your TV to enhance or reduce its brightness in specific areas for improved contrast.
The main thing to know is QLED TVs tend to be more affordable than OLEDs because the technology has been around longer and is more established. QLED displays can also get noticeably brighter than OLED TVs, which can make a big difference if your space gets a lot of natural light.
If you want even more information, we’ve rounded up the best OLED TVs and best QLED TVs.
Resolution
If you’re buying a TV, chances are it features 4K resolution, which has more or less become the norm. These days 4K content is widely available, whether through a streaming service or gaming, so there’s ample opportunity to take advantage of the higher resolution.
There are 8K TVs out there, but they aren’t worth the extra cost right now since there is a dearth of content to watch. Technically, next-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 support 8K gaming but, currently, there are no native 8K games. By the time 8K content does become more widely available, we’ll probably see TVs that are more advanced than what you can buy today, so upgrading to a higher resolution isn’t really worth it.
Refresh rate
If you plan to play a lot of video games and watch a lot of sports, you’ll want a TV with a higher refresh rate. Why? Refresh rate refers to how many times your TV can redraw the on-screen image each second. TVs with a refresh rate of 120Hz or above—as opposed to the standard 60Hz—will provide viewers with smoother on-screen motion. That’s exactly what you want because it means smoother animation in modern video games and a more fluid picture when watching sports. Unless it’s curling, a 60Hz TV should be fine for that.
Connectivity
While we’re on the topic of next-gen gaming, the next TV you buy should come equipped with HDMI 2.1, which is the newest version of the familiar port. HDMI 2.1 increases the bandwidth that can pass through the connection, and is necessary to play games at 4K 120Hz when using the right cable. If anything, choosing a TV with at least one HDMI 2.1 port will ensure you’re more prepared for the future when higher resolutions, including the aforementioned 8K, and fast frame rates are more widely supported. And don’t forget the HDMI cables!
FAQs
With so many TV brands to choose from, finding the most reliable brand can be tough. Some companies—Samsung, LG, Sony—have been making TVs for years. Others—TCL, Vizio, Hisense—are newer to the scene. There’s no school like old school, as they say, and for that we think TV brands like Samsung, LG, and Sony are the most reliable, simply because they’re responsible for either creating or perfecting much of the modern TV technology that’s available. There’s nothing wrong with choosing a brand you’re familiar with. But most brands that offer high-end TVs are reliable, so you should rest easy knowing you’re getting a quality product.
I’ve owned a 55-inch TV for nearly 10 years and I’ve never considered it to be too small. Would I mind something bigger? Certainly not, and I even have thoughts on the best 65-inch TVs, but I have no complaints about my TV’s size. I sit at the recommended distance from the TV, so I’m able to see details without squinting. The size also doesn’t feel like it’s dominating my living room, allowing me to admire its picture when it’s on and ignore it when it’s off. It strikes a good balance and is a good size for spaces large and small.
You don’t need to spend a lot to get a good TV. But you generally get more features the more money you spend. A few of our picks—the Sony A90J and LG C1—are on the expensive side. But they offer fantastic OLED displays, a plethora of features, and gorgeous designs. Is an expensive TV worth it? Yes, it’s worth it. The question really becomes whether or not you need every single feature an expensive TV offers. If you don’t need four HDMI 2.1 ports, there’s no point in paying for a TV that offers them.
None of our picks weigh the same, but on average they are around 50 pounds.
Final thoughts on the best 55-inch TVs
A 55-inch TV is a good jumping-off point for most people, whether you’ve moved into your first apartment or are going off to college. As we’ve said, it’s a nice in-between size that’s flexible enough to fit spaces large and small.
The good news is a TV in this size range features all the bells and whistles you could ever want, from high resolution to displays to support for next-gen gaming. As we said in our roundup of the best 65-inch TVs, it comes down to the details: How many HDMI 2.1 ports do you need? Do you want OLED or QLED? Whatever you decide, our picks above are among the best.
More TV roundups to help you find the perfect set
- Best 8K TVs
- Best TVs for gaming
- Best TVs for PS5
- Best OLED TVs
- Best QLED TVs
- Best Roku TVs
- Best TVs under $300
- Best TVs under $1,000
- Best 40-inch TVs
- Best 65-inch TVs
- Best 70-inch TVs
- Best 75-inch TVs
- Best outdoor TVs
