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 successful budget TV that shows you can get more than just a basic screen for not much money. It doesn't match pricier Mini LEDs or OLEDs, but in its class it has a lot to offer. The VA panel delivers decent black levels and contrast, so during evening viewing the picture doesn't look as flat as on many cheap IPS models. Colors also perform well after calibration. For watching mov...

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:

Sony Bravia 2 II is a TV that performs best in simple, everyday use. And we suspect many people will choose it mainly because of Google TV. The system provides 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 capabilities there’s little to complain abou...

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 that quickly reveals 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 substantial. After all, Sony fixed one of the biggest complaints about its TVs: having only two full HDMI 2.1 ports. Here there are four, and that alone makes the Bravia 3 II a much more convenient choice fo...

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 most popular OLEDs on the market. The TV itself hasn't changed dramatically 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. It's hard to fault that, since the C5 was already a very complete device in that regard. The most import...

Rating

8.3/10

Available screen sizes: 43”, 55”

Technology: LCD VA, PFS LED

Brand: DREAME

Verdict:

The Dreame Q100 is the manufacturer's entry-level model, and its price alone hints at what to expect. It’s not a TV that tries to win on picture quality. Its strengths lie elsewhere: it has Google TV, surprisingly many features for gamers, and costs relatively little. In terms of picture, the Q100 performs similarly to many other TVs in this price range. The VA panel provides decent contrast, and ...

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

Technology: WRGB OLED

Brand: SAMSUNG

Verdict:

Samsung S90H is a TV that simply makes a spectacular impression. The combination of OLED's absolute blacks, high brightness, and excellent motion sharpness delivers a picture that's hard to look away from. And that's exactly what we expect from a good OLED TV. The matte anti-reflective coating also works very well. Reflections on a sunny day stop being a major problem, and thanks to the presence o...

Rating

8.4/10

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

Technology: LCD VA, Mini-LED PFS LED

Brand: TCL

Verdict:

The 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 regard 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. It's the first TV of this ...

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 inexpensive television that primarily has two huge advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an enticing option for many people. During testing, we also found other fantastic uses for it, such as working with a computer. Thanks to the exemplary readability of fonts and good viewing angles of...

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 additions, we are dealing with practically the same design that we have known for years. Thanks to the nanofilter, the TV is capable of displaying better, cleaner colors than standard budget TVs, and the IPS pa...