42-inch TVs – Test Rankings

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, 85”

Technology: LCD VA, PFS LED

Brand: TCL

Verdict:

The TCL P7L is a solid budget TV that shows you can get more than just a basic screen for a relatively low price. It doesn't match pricier Mini-LEDs or OLEDs, but in its class it has plenty to offer. Its VA panel delivers decent blacks and contrast, so evening viewing doesn't look as flat as on many cheap IPS models. Colours also look good after calibration. For watching movies and TV shows it's a...

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”

Technology: LCD VA, PFS LED

Brand: PHILIPS

Verdict:

The idea behind The One series has remained practically unchanged for years, and with the Philips PQS9001 this is both an advantage and its biggest weakness. Once again, we get a versatile mid-range TV whose main distinguishing feature is Ambilight. The lighting that follows what is happening on the screen can completely change the atmosphere of an evening movie session, and for many people it wil...

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”

Technology: LCD IPS, White LED

Brand: SONY

Verdict:

The Sony Bravia 2 II is a TV that’s best suited to simple, everyday use. And we suspect many people will pick it mainly for Google TV. The system gives access to a huge number of apps and streaming services, and you also get Chromecast, AirPlay and convenient voice search. The TV itself may not run as fast as pricier Sony models, but in terms of functionality there’s little to complain about. Impo...

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, 85”, 100”

Technology: LCD VA, PFS LED

Brand: SONY

Verdict:

The Sony Bravia 3 II is a TV where you can quickly see what the manufacturer had in mind for this model. It’s meant above all to be a sensible Bravia for gaming, and in that respect the changes are quite significant. Sony has finally fixed one of the biggest headaches of its TVs, namely having only two full HDMI 2.1 ports. This one has four, and that alone makes the Bravia 3 II a much more conveni...

Available screen sizes: 42”, 48”, 55”, 65”

Technology: WRGB OLED

Brand: LG

Verdict:

The LG C6 is a very successful evolution of one of the market’s most popular OLEDs. The TV itself hasn’t changed drastically compared with last year’s C5; the look is very similar, webOS offers comparable features, and gamers again get pretty much everything you’d expect from a modern TV. You can’t really complain, since the C5 was already a very complete device in that respect. The most important...

Rating

8.3/10

Available screen sizes: 43”, 55”

Technology: LCD VA, PFS LED

Brand: DREAME

Verdict:

The Dreame Q100 is the entry-level model in the manufacturer's line-up, and its price alone hints at what to expect. It's not a TV that aims to win on picture quality. Its strengths lie elsewhere: it runs Google TV, offers a surprisingly large number of features for gamers, and is fairly inexpensive. In terms of picture, the Q100 performs similarly to many other TVs in this segment. The VA panel d...

Available screen sizes: 42”, 48”, 55”, 65”, 83”

Technology: WRGB OLED

Brand: SAMSUNG

Verdict:

Samsung S90H is a TV that simply makes a brilliant impression. The combination of OLED’s absolute black, high brightness and excellent motion clarity produces a picture that’s hard to look away from. And that’s exactly what you expect from a good OLED TV. The matte anti-reflective coating also works very well. Reflections on a sunny day become less of an issue, and thanks to the standard polariser...

Rating

8.4/10

Available screen sizes: 32”, 43”, 55”, 65”, 75”, 85”, 98”

Technology: LCD VA, Mini-LED PFS LED

Brand: TCL

Verdict:

TCL A400 Pro is one of the most interesting lifestyle TVs we've tested so far. And not because it turns the whole idea of the "TV as a picture" upside down. In that respect it does roughly what the competition does: it should look good, blend into the interior and not be just another black slab in the living room. Its real strength lies elsewhere: in picture quality. This is the first TV of this k...

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”

Technology: LCD IPS, White LED

Brand: BLAUPUNKT

Verdict:

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very cheap television that has primarily two major advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an attractive option for many people. During testing, we also found it has another great use, which is working with a computer. Thanks to exemplary font readability and good viewing angles of the IPS pane...

Available screen sizes: 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, 86”

Technology: LCD IPS, White LED

Brand: LG

Verdict:

LG NANO81A is essentially a continuation of the NanoCell series, which has hardly changed over the past few years. Aside from a new operating system, a refreshed remote, and a few marketing add-ons, we are dealing with practically the same construction that we have known for years. Thanks to the nano-particle filter, the television can display better, cleaner colours than standard budget televisio...