Ultra-HD or 4K is still the most popular mainstream display resolution in TVs, and there is a lot of content across major streaming platforms and media formats to take advantage of it. Combined with HDR formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+, this makes for an excellent home viewing experience. Our latest recommendations include our current top pick among premium Ultra-HD TVs, the Samsung Neo QLED Mini LED TV 55QN95B, along with the Xiaomi OLED Vision TV which is among the most affordable OLED TVs available in India.
The television is an essential part of most households in India, and buyers want to make the best choice when making such an important purchase. Most people tend to stick with their TVs for five years or more, and this makes choosing the right option even more critical, particularly if you’re buying a premium television that costs over Rs. 1,00,000. At the same time, prices of affordable TVs are going down, features and specifications are improving, and premium display technologies such as OLED and quantum-dot LED are much more accessible.
Should you spend a bit more and go with a ‘safe’ option from a well-known brand, or grab a deal and try your luck with a newer brand? Regardless of your budget, this buying guide will hopefully make your decision a bit easier. We’ve listed our top picks in the smart TV segment across budgets based on our reviews and experience, to help you choose the best television for your home.
Does it make sense to spend more on a better TV?
With televisions and much of the technology around them becoming more affordable, it’s now possible to buy a well-equipped TV with good features and specifications for less than Rs. 25,000. This begs the question — does it then make sense to spend anything more? Also, are the benefits of buying a premium TV truly commensurate with the increase in price? To put it plainly, that depends entirely on you and your viewing habits.
Many buyers do tend to prefer 32-inch and 43-inch televisions for various reasons, particularly price, space limitations, and viewing habits that are still largely focused around cable and DTH content. If you have the space for a larger TV, a good Internet connection, and access to streaming services such as Netflix, Hotstar, and Amazon Prime Video, you might want to consider a 4K HDR TV, 55 inches or larger. If you’re particular about picture and sound quality, it will make sense to invest in better screen technologies such as QLED or OLED.
Best entry-level TV: Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition
No other brand has made quite an impact on the Indian budget television market, in as short a time as Xiaomi has. The Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition keeps up its tradition of offering a lot more, at very affordable prices. The signature feature of the Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition is its slim bezel, and this television also offers an all-round experience that makes it a very good pick in the entry-level smart TV segment.
Priced at Rs. 23,499 for the 43-inch variant and Rs. 13,999 for the 32-inch one, the Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition series runs on Android TV 9 out of the box, with access to all popular apps and services through the Google Play Store. There’s 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, and like other Xiaomi TVs, it also runs the PatchWall 3.0Â UI. With good picture and reasonable sound quality, this is a worthwhile choice in the entry-level segment. Interestingly, there’s finally fast booting on the TV as well, along with other software-based optimisations and features.
The Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition isn’t without its flaws: slightly sluggish UI performance, dull colours, and a minimalistic remote hold it back a bit. However, these issues are minor in the larger scheme of things. This is still our top pick for a basic smart television, if you’re looking for a small screen and are happy with HD or full-HD capabilities.
Best TV under Rs. 50,000: Xiaomi Mi TV 5X 55
Xiaomi’s focus on affordability and value-for-money continues to pay off for the company, and the Mi TV 5X 55Â is an excellent option at under Rs. 50,000, particularly from the perspective of getting the most bang for your buck. With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, a 55-inch Ultra-HD LED screen, and very good software, the Mi TV 5X is a familiar, reliable experience that gets most things right.
Sound quality is decent on the whole, the picture is about as good as you can expect for the price, and performance is consistent across resolutions. However, there were some performance issues with the TV in our review, and Xiaomi still doesn’t bundle batteries with the remote, which is disappointing.
Core performance is the key here and HDR content, particularly in the Dolby Vision format, looks a lot better than on most televisions in this price segment. Android TV 10 and PatchWall make for a good software experience as well. If you have a a budget of less than Rs. 50,000 and are looking for a big-screen TV, the Mi TV 5X is definitely worth considering.
Best TV under Rs. 60,000: Hisense 55U6G QLED Ultra-HD Android TV
Although quantum-dot LED TVs are typically a bit pricey, there are a handful of options with this tech available under Rs. 60,000, such as the Hisense 55U6G QLED TV. With a 55-inch Ultra-HD QLED screen, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, and Android TV software, this TV delivers decent lower mid-range performance that makes it a worthwhile option to consider if you have the budget.
Although sound quality is ordinary, and we did face issues with motion stuttering artefacts with Ultra-HD content, the picture was sharp, bright, and vibrant for the most part, particularly with Dolby Vision content. This is a well-priced television that is worth the slight price premium over the Mi TV 5X, and is our top pick in its price segment.
Best TV under Rs. 1,00,000: Xiaomi OLED Vision 55-inch Ultra-HD TV
The OLED Vision TVÂ is Xiaomi’s most expensive 55-inch option in India, but its attractive pricing makes it among the most affordable and well-priced OLED TVs you can buy right now. The benefits of OLED, including the deep blacks, good contrast, and decent colours, make this a worthwhile option to consider over similarly-priced quantum-dot LED options from brands such as Samsung and Sony.
While there were some issues with motion interpolation, the overall experience with the Xiaomi OLED Vision TV was favourable, largely because of the reliable software experience of Android TV with Xiaomi’s own PatchWall UI. If you have a budget of around Rs. 1,00,000 and want a value-for-money option, this is our top pick right now.
Best TV under Rs. 1,50,000: Sony 55X90K Ultra-HD Android TV
Sony’s X90 range has, over the years, delivered exactly the kind of reliable upper mid-range performance that you would expect if you were to spend over Rs. 1,00,000 on a television. The X90K television is available in sizes of 55 inches and above, and delivers very good performance on the whole across resolutions and dynamic ranges. With a sharp, detailed quantum-dot LED screen that delivers excellent colours and brightness, along with full-array local dimming that works well, the Sony X90K is our top pick in this price range.
Sound quality on the Sony 55X90K is a bit underwhelming, but there’s little else to complain about with this television. The new Google TV user interface on top of Android TV, support for Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast, and hands-free Google Assistant makes this a feature-filled television that focuses on what’s important, and delivers.
Best Premium TV: Samsung 55QN95B Neo QLED Mini LED TV
If budget is no constraint, the Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TVÂ series is among the best you can buy right now. With a combination of Samsung’s tried-and-tested quantum-dot LED technology and next-generation Mini LED backlighting, this Samsung TV delivers best-in-class brightness and colour levels, excellent local dimming, and a detailed picture with high-quality content.
In addition, there are some other impressive features too such as the solar-charging remote and AirPlay support. The TV has a beautifully slim design thanks to the separation of the display panel from the electrical components and ports, which are on the included One Connect box. The software feels a bit cluttered, and sound quality is average for the price of the TV but overall, this is a flagship television in the true sense and delivers a top-notch experience with Ultra-HD and HDR content.
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