The best TVs in Australia are always changing, so our frequently updated guide will help steer you to the top locally available options. After all, we wouldn't want to waste your time by recommending TVs that you can't even buy.
Our goal it to help you make an informed decision on which TV to purchase without tripping into TL;DR territory — that means relaying our expert advice on picture and sound quality, display technologies, available smart features, the UI experience and more.
And, if a particular telly in our list does take your fancy, we also want to make it as easy as possible for you to buy it at a great price.
So without further ado, here is Tom's Guide's definitive list of the best TVs in Australia for 2023.
Hello! I'm Stephen (a.k.a. Slams) and I'm the Managing Editor of Tom's Guide (APAC). Based in Sydney, Australia, I've written about TV and AV for the better part of a decade, having previously worked as a Senior Journalist over at our sister website, TechRadar. My goal is to help you cut through the slogans and marketing phrases to find the best TV for your needs.
The quick list
Here's a quick overview of the best TVs you can buy in Australia right now based on our extensive testing and reviews. Alternatively, you can keep on scrolling to see our in-depth analysis of all the top TVs on our list.
The brightest TV on the market
Samsung's Mini LED-sporting QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV boasts the highest peak brightness of any TV we've tested in recent memory, and it offers outstanding colour, exceptional black levels and a wealth of gaming features.
This is the OLED TV you want to own
The LG C2 OLED TV is this year’s set to beat. Not only is it the best OLED TV thanks to an impressive display panel, but its premium design, great gaming features and smart TV platform hit all the high marks, too.
The brightest OLED TV
Samsung has knocked it out of the park with the S95C, its second QD-OLED TV attempt. Upgrades compared to the previous-gen model show Samsung is taking OLED seriously, delivering one of the brightest sets this technology has seen yet.
Still an excellent TV
It may have been superseded by this year's top pick, the Samsung QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV, but last year's QN900B is almost as good and can probably be found at cheaper prices these days.
One of the best 4K TVs
While the QN90A is now a couple of years old, it continues to be one of the best 4K TVs on the market. Not only is it still available to buy in Australia, it can often be found at very affordable prices online.
One of the best 4K TVs
LG's C1 OLED TV continues to be one of the finest TVs you can buy, and thankfully, its price has come down significantly since its launch two years ago. If you want those unrivalled OLED black levels at a reasonable price, look no further.
A great OLED alternative
Sony's known for the brilliant picture quality and colour reproduction found on its televisions, and the A90J OLED delivers both of those things in spades. While it's admittedly pricey, we can't imagine anyone faulting this stunning TV.
The most stylish TV
If you hate the idea of big black rectangle being the centrepiece of your living room, Samsung's The Frame might be for you. Tastefully designed to look like a framed work of art, you can make it look as such when you aren't watching it.
Excellent for gaming
Hate having to choose between Dolby Vision and HDR10+? Well, now you don't have to, because the ultra-bright Hisense U8G Android TV offers both! Best of all, you can pick one up at the moment for (sometimes well under) AU$1,000.
The Full List: Best TVs in detail
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
Best TV overall
Samsung's QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV is so stacked with features, some may see it as bordering on overkill. In terms of functionality, the QN900C delivers pretty much everything you could ask for in a high-end TV (with the exception of Dolby Vision support).
It reminds us why Samsung resisted OLED technology for so long, with the QN900C's Mini LED-backed LCD display achieving comparable black levels and stunning colors without sacrificing peak brightness. It also boasts incredible picture quality and upscaling.
While the appearance of black crush in darker scenes is a little disappointing, it's far outweighed by everything the QN900C does right, making it one of the best 8K TVs you can buy right now in Australia.
Read our full Samsung QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV review
Best OLED TV
While LG's G2 Gallery Series OLED is technically its most advanced model, the C2 OLED is sure to be the TV that most people will gravitate towards. For one, its price is far more appealing, often coming it a couple thousand dollars less than the G2. It also helps that this year's C2 iteration has seen a number of improvements over the LG C1 OLED.
The LG C2 OLED TV sports a new Alpha a9 Gen 5 processor, which is said to deliver dynamic HDR tone mapping, along with improved object enhancement. Additionally, the LG C2 OLED is able to upscale 2-channel stereo audio into ‘virtual surround sound’, essentially delivering it as 7.1.2-channel sound.
Just like its predecessor, every HDMI port on the C2 OLED gives us full 2.1 support, meaning you won't have to worry about compatibility issues down the line. It also means you can play next gen consoles at their full capabilities, which include 4K/120fps gameplay, VRR and ALLG.
That said, the LG C2 OLED isn't perfect — there's not much in the way of cable management compared to some other televisions on the market, and while Dolby Vision support is appreciated, neither the IMAX Enhanced or HDR10+ formats are supported. But these are relatively minor quibbles — when it comes to bang for buck, LG's C2 OLED is the best 4K TV you can buy right now.
More reading: LG C2 vs LG C1 OLED TV: Which one should you buy?
Brightest OLED TV
Samsung's second shot at QD-OLED is an absolute winner, offering a brighter, more vibrant OLED experience thanks to the addition of quantum dots. And though we had some reservations about Samsung’s new TV category the first time around, the S95C has upgrades that move the needle.
It's got a slimmer, more premium design than the previous-gen Samsung S95B OLED TV and is now available in a larger 77-inch model, which makes it easier to recommend to home theatre enthusiasts. The brilliant One Connect Box for cable management also returns, and PC gamers will love its FreeSync support and 144Hz refresh rate. Most importantly, this year's version sees a significant boost to brightness, which has always been one of OLED's major downsides.
Simply put, we have no qualms about recommending the S95C as one of the best TVs you can buy right now.
Read our full Samsung S95C OLED TV review
Next best 8K TV
While we still have some way to go before native 8K content becomes the norm, opting for a future-proofed 8K television can still be considered a wise decision. For one, advancements in upscaling technology have placed the likes of Samsung's QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV at the forefront of television performance.
And, when you take the telly's cutting edge Mini LED backlighting technology (Mini LEDs are 1/40th the thickness of a standard LED, which means far more accurate dimming zones) into consideration and full HDMI 2.1 support across the board, what you get is a TV that excels in any viewing situation.
That means excellent QLED colour that's backed up by near-OLED contrast levels, and is fully capable of next-gen gaming features such as 4K/120fps, variable refresh rates (VRR) and full resolution audio over eARC.
Best of all, Mini LED TVs are less expensive to produce than their OLED equivalents, which means you can often find this top-of-the-line 8K Neo QLED setfor roughly the same price as your average 4K OLED model.
Read our sister site's full review Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV review
Best Samsung 4K TV
The Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV combines Samsung's highly refined quantum dot technology with the tight control of mini-LED backlighting, resulting in one of the best TV displays we've ever tested. To take brightness as an example, the QN90A achieved 1813.83 nits in our testing — more than four times the LG G1's 412.05 nits. Color reproduction, meanwhile, was 99.51% — on a par with other excellent non-OLED sets, though below what you get on the best OLEDs. Samsung pairs that image quality with a bounty of smart TV functions and genuinely intelligent features, like a solar-powered remote control that eliminates the need to swap out batteries — delivering eco-friendly design and unbeaten convenience at the same time.
The whole thing is packed into a gorgeous 1-inch-thick design that contains a huge array of smart features, potent Dolby Atmos sound and some of the best performance we've ever seen. HDMI 2.1 connectivity comes as standard, and it's also a great option for gamers thanks to plenty of dedicated features and an impressive 12.6-millisecond lag time in our testing. One slight negative is that it only supports HD10+ and not Dolby Vision as well, which means it's not quite as versatile as some sets, but overall it's the best TV we've seen in the past 12 months. We look forward to reviewing Samsung's 2022 sets very soon.
Read our full Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV review.
Next best OLED TV
The LG C1 OLED is a fantastic value among premium TVs, offering an amazing OLED display, a full complement of HDMI 2.1 ports, and the best gaming performance and features you can get. The display offers rich picture quality with impeccable contrast and sharpness, superb HDR support and gaming performance that beats everything else we've seen. Color reproduction is incredible: in our testing it reproduced 131.59% of the Rec 709 color gamut, higher than almost any other set bar the more expensive LG G1 and a long way clear of QLED models such as the Samsung QN90A. Color accuracy is similarly superb: it achieved an average Delta-E rating of 1.25, one of the best scores we've seen. It can't compete with a non-OLED set such as the Samsung above on brightness, but that's to be expected. Combine all of that with a stunning design and better-than-average sound, and you've got one of the best TVs you can buy.
LG's webOS faces stiffer competition on app selection and features, but smart options, like your choice of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, AI-driven sports alerts, and gaming features like the game optimizer menu and support for Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Cloud keep it in the mix for the best smart TVs. Just note that some have complained about a Dolby Atmos audio delay with certain devices, like the Xbox Series X, and also that our reviewer needed to adjust the bass settings in the equalizer to get the right balance. But all in all, it delivers incredible quality and solid value for the admittedly premium price, making it one of the best TVs we've tested. We expect our LG C2 review to follow soon for the 2022 model.
Read our full LG C1 OLED TV review.
Best Sony TV
Those looking for an alternative to LG's OLED domination may want to consider Sony's fantastic A90J OLED, which was expensive at launch last year, but can be found for much cheaper these days.
In making the leap from the aging Android TV platform to the fresh new Google TV OS, Sony's TV feels appropriately invigorated, offering snappy performance and terrific app support, along with built-in Google smarts.
Additionally, the A90J's updated XR processor takes full advantage of its vibrant OLED display, delivering stunningly crisp 4K images and excellent upscaling of older content.
And while built-in audio isn't always considered a top priority by TV manufacturers, the A90J's bass-filled sound and upfiring speakers provide an excellent 3D surround experience — so much so, that you may not even need an accompanying soundbar.
Sony 2022 TVs — QD-OLED, Mini LED, Master Series and more
Best Design
As TVs continue to grow in size, it's become increasingly apparent that not everyone wants their television to act as the centrepiece of their home. In fact, many people would rather their telly blend into their home decor, which is what makes Samsung's The Frame so clever.
Featuring a standby mode that displays works of art when you aren't watching actively watching it, and several frame styles which make it perfect for wall mounting, The Frame is the ideal TV for those who value aesthetics above all else.
That's not to say that The Frame is a slouch in the technical department — it still boasts QLED technology for rich, vibrant colours, and, black levels are also impressive thanks to full array local dimming.
While this version of The Frame has since been superseded by a model with a matte display, the 2021 model is still a great option for those looking to save a bit of cash.
Samsung The Frame TV 2021 just got big upgrades — here's what's new
Best Hisense
The Hisense U7G Android TV is being marketed as a TV built for gaming, and the specs make it easy to see why: The Quantum Dot display boasts good color and sharp images, the panel's 120Hz refresh rate will handle the most demanding game console output, and a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports offer the best connectivity you can get for high-frame rate gaming.
And any TV that's good for gamers will usually do pretty well at everything else. Handling both Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus formats, it's got some of the best HDR support available, and Dolby Atmos sound means it has the audio to match. It impressed us in our testing, and it's more affordable than you'd expect given the feature set. Gamer or not, the Hisense U7G Android TV is a solid 4K smart TV.
Read our full Hisense U7G Android TV review.
How to choose the best TV for you
If you're trying to find the right TV for you, there are several factors to consider, from the basics of screen size and resolution, to the specific smart features and ports offered on a given model. We recommend most homes opt for a 55- or 65-inch TV with 4K resolution. We're also big fans of smart TVs, which let you stream all of your favorite shows and use dozens of apps without a second device.
We have extensive shopping advice, like our TV buying guide and figuring out what size TV you should buy. And if you still have questions about smart TV features and capabilities, check out Smart TVs: Everything you need to know.
Performance: Our TV reviews also look at how well each TV performs in key areas, like picture quality and sound, so don't forget to look up the model you're interested in to see our TV reviews.
Ports: We generally recommend opting for more ports, so that you never have to manually unplug and re-plug HDMI cables to switch from your Bl-ray player to your game console or other device. Three ports is common, but nicer TVs usually have 4 HDMI ports. You'll also want make sure at least one is HDMI 2.1; our guide to the best HDMI 2.1 TVs can help here. (Still confused? Check out TV ports explained: What all those HDMI, USB and other connections are for?)
Extra USB ports are also handy for powering antenna amplifiers or streaming sticks, as well as viewing media from USB storage.
HDR: Most TVs offer high dynamic range (HDR) support, with Dolby Vision being the top format and HDR10 the most basic. But more important is the backlight, with OLED TVs and LED sets with local dimming offering the best HDR capabilities.
Smart software: Some of the TVs are among the best Alexa compatible devices and best Google Home compatible devices you can own, so pay attention to which smart home platform the sets offer before choosing.
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.
Best TVs | Best 4K TVs | Best smart TVs for streaming | Best TVs for gaming
Best TV brands | Best Samsung TVs | Best TCL TVs | Best LG TVs | Best Roku TVs | Best Google TVs | Best OLED TVs | Best QLED TVs | Best 8K TVs | Best HDMI 2.1 TV | Best TVs with ATSC 3.0 | Best TVs with Chromecast
The smallest smart TVs | Best 43-inch TVs | Best 50-inch TVs | Best 55-inch TVs | Best 65-inch TVs | Best 70-inch TVs | Best 75-inch TVs | Best 85-inch TVs
And don't forget to watch out for the latest TV reviews.
How we test TVs
Evaluating TVs is about more than just kicking back to watch a movie. We lab test every TV, measuring color gamut, color accuracy and brightness to objectively see which sets are the best for these key indicators. We also test for lag time – a key detail for gaming – measuring to the millisecond how long it takes for content to travel from the original source to the screen. We use these results to make numbers-based comparisons about color and display quality.
We also spend time with each set for real-world evaluation and see how our lab results translate into more subjective performance. We also compare sets side by side and view samples from the latest movies, specialized test patterns that highlight strengths and weaknesses of each display, and a range of content across several sources. With that information, we can tell you which TVs look best, sound best and offer the best viewing experience.
Finally, we evaluate the smart TV functions and apps for each TV, looking at everything from the remote control design to the voice interaction.
Read next: We rundown 5 of the best TV sound upgrades we've tested that will blow you away.
