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A new TV is one of the biggest holiday buys most homes make, and this fall the prices are all over the place. The same size screen can cost $650 or $2,500 at the same store. This guide sorts the best TVs on sale right now into four budgets, so you can start with what you want to spend and see what that money actually buys.
How this guide was made: TechCity has not tested these TVs in person. This is a research-based guide. We built it from independent lab results published by RTINGS, the makers’ own spec sheets, and live Best Buy listings. Prices checked Oct 29, 2026.
The short version
- Under $400: Hisense 50-inch U6 (2026), $399.99. The cheapest way into a TV with real local dimming and a fast screen.
- $400 to $800: TCL 65-inch QM6K, $647.99. Our best value pick, and the lowest cost per square inch of screen in this guide. The Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro, $599.99, is the smaller alternative.
- $800 to $1,500: LG 65-inch C6 OLED, $1,399.99. The best picture most people need. The TCL 65-inch QM7L, $999.99, is the brighter, cheaper option.
- Splurge: Samsung 65-inch S95H, $2,499.99. RTINGS currently rates it the best TV it has tested.
All prices are Best Buy prices checked Oct 29, 2026. Black Friday is Nov 27, 2026, and TV prices often move in the weeks before it. More on timing below.
Who this guide is for
This is for anyone buying a main TV for a living room, family room or bedroom this holiday season, whether it is a gift or an upgrade. It is also for anyone who walks into a store, sees a wall of screens that all look bright, and has no idea why one costs four times more than the one next to it.
Skip this guide if you need a small TV for a kitchen or dorm (under 43 inches), or you are shopping for a projector. Different products, different guide.
The words you will see on every TV box
TV boxes are full of jargon. Here is what the terms in this guide mean, in plain English.
- OLED: A screen where every tiny dot (pixel) makes its own light and can switch fully off. That gives perfect black and great contrast, especially in a dark room.
- QD-OLED: An OLED screen with an extra layer of quantum dots, tiny particles that make colors richer and brighter. Samsung uses this in the S95H.
- Mini-LED: A regular LCD TV lit from behind by thousands of very small LEDs. These are grouped into zones that can dim on their own, called local dimming. More zones usually means deeper blacks and less glow around bright objects. Mini-LED TVs get very bright, which helps in sunny rooms.
- QLED or QD-Mini LED: An LCD TV with a quantum dot layer for better color. TCL’s 2026 version is called SQD-Mini LED.
- 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz: The refresh rate, or how many times per second the screen redraws the picture. 60Hz is basic. 120Hz or higher makes sports, fast action and video games look smoother.
- HDMI 2.1: The newest common version of the port you plug a game console or streaming box into. It is what lets a PS5 or Xbox Series X run at 120 frames per second in 4K. It matters most for gamers.
- HDR, Dolby Vision and HDR10+: HDR (high dynamic range) lets a TV show brighter highlights and more detail in dark scenes. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are two versions of HDR that adjust the picture scene by scene. Most streaming services use one or both.
TechCity’s price-per-inch math
A percent-off sticker tells you very little, because “was” prices on TVs can be far above what anyone pays. So we did our own math. We divided each TV’s Oct 29 Best Buy price by its screen size, and also by its actual screen area, since a 65-inch TV has about 69 percent more screen than a 50-inch one.
| TV | Size | Best Buy price (Oct 29, 2026) | Price per inch | Price per square inch of screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense U6 (2026) | 50 in. | $399.99 | $8.00 | 37 cents |
| Hisense U6 Pro (2026) | 55 in. | $599.99 | $10.91 | 46 cents |
| TCL QM6K (2025) | 65 in. | $647.99 | $9.97 | 36 cents |
| TCL QM7L (2026) | 65 in. | $999.99 | $15.38 | 55 cents |
| LG C6 OLED (2026) | 65 in. | $1,399.99 | $21.54 | 78 cents |
| Samsung S95H (2026) | 65 in. | $2,499.99 | $38.46 | $1.39 |
Two things jump out. First, the 65-inch TCL QM6K costs less per square inch than the 50-inch Hisense, so if you can stretch your budget by about $250, you get a much bigger screen for nearly the same value. Second, TV prices do not always rise with size. Always check the next size up before you buy.
Best TV under $400
Hisense 50-inch U6 (2026)
Best for: A bedroom, a small apartment, or a tight budget that still wants a modern picture.
Why we picked it: At $399.99, this is the least you can spend at Best Buy on a TV with mini-LED local dimming, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Most TVs at this price use a basic backlight that cannot dim parts of the screen, so dark scenes look gray. Hisense lists the U6 line with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is a rare feature under $400 and helps if anyone in the house plays games. It runs Amazon’s Fire TV software with Alexa+ built in. RTINGS has reviewed the U6 and places it below the U6 Pro and the U7 in Hisense’s 2026 lineup, which is what you would expect at this price.
The downside: 50 inches is small for a living room. And the Fire TV home screen puts a lot of Amazon content and ads in front of you.
Skip if: Your couch is more than about 7 feet from the TV. In that case, save a little longer for the 65-inch TCL QM6K below.
Good to know: Best Buy lists the 50-inch at $399.99 against a comparable value of $699.99, with shipping and store pickup showing when we checked.
Hisense 50-inch U6 MiniLED (2026, 50U6SF) · paid link
Best TVs from $400 to $800
TCL 65-inch QM6K: best value overall
Best for: Most living rooms. If you want one answer and a big screen without paying OLED prices, this is it.
Why we picked it: It wins our math. At $647.99, it has the lowest cost per square inch of screen in this guide, 36 cents. In its current list of the best TVs under $1,000, RTINGS calls the QM6K a great choice for shoppers on a strict budget. It is a QD-Mini LED TV, so you get local dimming for deeper blacks plus a quantum dot layer for richer color. TCL advertises a 144Hz refresh rate, it supports Dolby Vision, and it runs Google TV, which is easy to use and works well with Android phones. Read TCL’s own announcement of the QM6K series for the full feature list.
The downside: This is a 2025 model, so it misses the newer color tech in TCL’s 2026 QM7L. And like most LCD TVs at this price, the picture fades when you sit far off to the side.
Skip if: Your seats are spread wide around the room, or you mostly watch movies with the lights off. An OLED like the LG C6 handles both better.
Good to know: Best Buy showed delivery available when we checked.
TCL 65-inch QM6K QD-Mini LED (2025, 65QM6K) · paid link
Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro (2026)
Best for: A room where 65 inches will not fit, but you still want strong picture quality.
Why we picked it: RTINGS currently names the U6 Pro its top budget TV, calling it “a surprisingly good TV for the price, with very good picture quality.” Hisense’s spec sheet for the U6 Pro line lists a native 144Hz screen, full array local dimming, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ and four HDMI ports, two of them HDMI 2.1. That makes it a better gaming TV than most sets this size and price.
The downside: At $599.99, it costs more per inch than the bigger TCL QM6K. RTINGS notes the 55-inch can regularly be found for under $500, so today’s price is not its best.
Skip if: You have room for 65 inches. The TCL QM6K gives you far more screen for about $48 more.
Good to know: Like the regular U6, it runs Fire TV with Alexa+. This is a strong candidate to wait on until Black Friday.
Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro MiniLED (2026, 55U6SF-PRO) · paid link
Best TVs from $800 to $1,500
LG 65-inch C6 OLED (2026)
Best for: Movie nights, gaming and anyone who wants the best picture without paying flagship prices.
Why we picked it: OLED is still the best picture technology you can buy for dark-room viewing, because each pixel switches fully off for true black with no glow around bright objects. The C6 is LG’s 2026 model, and at $1,399.99 the 65-inch is about half its $2,699.99 list price, on both Best Buy and LG’s own C6 page. LG lists a refresh rate of up to 165Hz with a capable PC, NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium for smooth gaming, Dolby Vision and Filmmaker Mode, which shows movies the way the director intended.
The downside: OLED TVs do not get as bright as good mini-LED TVs, so a very sunny room can wash the picture out. Static images left on screen for many hours a day, like news tickers, carry some risk of burn-in. LG includes care features meant to reduce that risk.
Skip if: Your TV room has big windows and the TV is on most of the day. The brighter TCL QM7L is a better fit there.
Good to know: Best Buy tagged this as a Top Deal on Oct 29. The C6 also comes in 42, 48, 55, 77 and 83 inches.
LG 65-inch C6 OLED evo (2026, OLED65C6PUA) · paid link
TCL 65-inch QM7L (2026)
Best for: Bright rooms, daytime sports and anyone who wants a big, punchy picture for under $1,000.
Why we picked it: RTINGS lists the QM7L as TCL’s 2026 mid-range TV and the replacement for the QM7K. It uses TCL’s new SQD-Mini LED tech, and TCL’s spec lists up to 2,100 or more local dimming zones on the 65-inch, a big step up from cheaper TVs. It supports a 144Hz refresh rate with variable refresh for gaming, plus Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Because it is a mini-LED TV, it can get brighter than an OLED, which helps in a room full of daylight.
The downside: At $999.99, it costs about $350 more than the QM6K for the same screen size.
Skip if: You watch mostly at night with the lights off. The LG C6 is worth the extra $400 for that.
Good to know: It runs Google TV with Gemini.
TCL 65-inch QM7L SQD-Mini LED (2026, 65QM7L) · paid link
The splurge pick
Samsung 65-inch S95H (2026)
Best for: Home theater fans who want the best picture available right now and do not mind paying for it.
Why we picked it: RTINGS currently ranks the S95H as the best TV it has tested, and the best overall 65-inch TV you can buy. It is a QD-OLED, so it pairs OLED’s perfect black with brighter, richer color. Samsung’s Glare Free screen cuts reflections from lamps and windows, a common weak spot for glossy OLEDs. Samsung lists a refresh rate of up to 165Hz for gaming. Best Buy has the 65-inch at $2,499.99, $900 below Samsung’s $3,399.99 list price.
The downside: The cost. At $38.46 per inch, it is nearly four times the price of the TCL QM6K per inch. Samsung TVs also do not support Dolby Vision. They use HDR10+ instead, so some streaming shows mastered in Dolby Vision will not look their absolute best.
Skip if: Most of your viewing is cable news, YouTube or kids’ shows. The LG C6 gets you most of this picture for $1,100 less.
Good to know: The S95H also comes in 55, 77 and 83 inches.
Samsung 65-inch S95H OLED (2026, QN65S95HAFXZA) · paid link
All six picks side by side
| TV | Best for | Screen type | Price (Oct 29, 2026) | The downside |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense 50-inch U6 | Tight budgets, bedrooms | Mini-LED | $399.99 | Small for a living room |
| TCL 65-inch QM6K | Most living rooms | QD-Mini LED | $647.99 | 2025 model, narrow viewing angle |
| Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro | Smaller rooms, gaming | Mini-LED | $599.99 | Above its usual price today |
| TCL 65-inch QM7L | Bright rooms, sports | SQD-Mini LED | $999.99 | Costs more than the QM6K |
| LG 65-inch C6 | Movies and gaming | OLED | $1,399.99 | Not as bright in sunny rooms |
| Samsung 65-inch S95H | Best picture, any cost | QD-OLED | $2,499.99 | Price, no Dolby Vision |
How we picked
TechCity did not test these TVs in person. This is a research-based guide, and here is exactly what we used.
- Lab testing: We started from RTINGS, an independent lab that measures TVs with the same tests for every set. We used its current lists for best overall, best budget, best under $500 and best under $1,000, all updated between September and October 2026.
- Maker specs: We checked refresh rates, HDR formats and ports against spec pages from LG, Samsung, Hisense and TCL.
- Live prices and stock: We checked every price, size and model number on Best Buy on Oct 29, 2026. We only linked the exact model and size we name.
- Value: We ran our price-per-inch and price-per-square-inch math on every pick, then chose the TV that gives the most picture for the money in each budget.
- What we left out: TVs we could not confirm at a fair price on our check date, and the very cheapest TVs with no local dimming, which tend to look flat and gray in dark scenes.
No brand paid to be in this guide, and no brand saw it before it went live.
When to buy: the Black Friday question
Black Friday is Friday, Nov 27, 2026, with Cyber Monday on Nov 30. TV deals usually start earlier in November. Here is our honest read on each pick.
- Buy now if the price works for you: The LG C6 and Samsung S95H already sit far below list price. The TCL QM6K is at a solid price for a 65-inch.
- Worth waiting for: The Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro, which RTINGS says often sells under $500, and the TCL QM7L, which costs $350 more than the QM6K for the same screen size, so a holiday drop would make it a much easier call.
- Check the model number: Holiday sales can include lower-end TVs with names close to the ones here. Match the full model number, such as 65QM6K or OLED65C6PUA, before you pay.
- Keep your receipt handy: If you buy early and the price drops, check Best Buy’s price match and return terms on your order.
Prices in this guide were checked Oct 29, 2026, and can change at any time. The price on Best Buy’s site when you click is the one that counts.
