Are you in the market for a new TV and want to get an Android TV for your home? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will be listing the ten best Android TVs that are currently available. Many of these TVs use Google TV, so we’ll be using the terms “Android TV” and “Google TV” interchangeably, seeing as they are pretty similar. The only real difference is that Google TV offers more recommendations and tabs on the home screen versus Android TV.
“All the TVs listed here come with either Android TV or Google TV built-in. However, there are some TVs in the market that only have Chromecast built-in, such as those from VIZIO, and they won’t be included in this list. You can find the top Android TVs from renowned brands like Sony, Hisense, and TCL.”
Best Overall Android TV: Hisense U8 Series Mini LED
The Hisense U8 is a bright, affordable, and powerful Android TV
When it comes to Android TV and even Google TV now, the best TV that you can buy is the Hisense U8H. Now, those of you who are into TVs might be surprised to see Hisense here. But keep in mind that Samsung and LG do not use Android TV, so all of their TVs cannot be listed here. That doesn’t mean the Hisense U8 is a bad TV; quite the contrary. This is a stunning TV that gets super bright. And that is thanks to Mini LED. In our experience with the U8, we’ve found that this is the best picture quality for a bright room, in this price range. That’s pretty impressive, considering this is under $1,000.
Hisense offers the U8 in two sizes: 55- and 65-inches, and it starts at $699. That makes this an ultra-affordable Mini LED TV that offers a great picture, as well as great viewing angles. Meaning that a group of people can watch the Super Bowl on this TV without any issues.
One of the knocks that I’ve had on TVs with Android TV or Google TV built-in is the hardware. You see, Android TV is not as lightweight as Fire TV or even Roku. So it needs stronger hardware (processor, more RAM, more storage, etc) than other TVs. And a lot of time, TVs skimp out on that. However with the Hisense U8H, that is not an issue, actually. Android TV runs very smoothly here, without any lag. That’s not something we’ve seen on a lot of other Android TV sets.
When it comes to gaming, the U8 is still no slouch. This TV is able to play games on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 at 4K120. That’s because it does have HDMI 2.1 included, however you will need to manually enable “HDMI Enhanced” in the settings to get this to work. Input lag is also pretty minimal on this TV, coming in at about 15ms in testing. That’s for both 1080p and 4K HDR.
The bottom line with this TV is that it’s a great value, and it happens to run on Android TV. Making it easier than ever to play your favorite movies and games. It also provides a superb gaming experience, thanks to HDMI 2.1 as well as VRR and ALLM, all for under $1,000.
Best Budget Android TV: TCL 5-Series (2024)
The TCL 5-Series is inexpensive but still offers high-end features, including QLED
TCL has made a name for itself in offering lower-priced TVs that don’t suck. And the TCL 5-Series continues that trend with this QLED Android TV. This is the newer 2024 model. Which comes in 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch sizes. It’s actually pretty affordable, starting at $249 for the 43-inch option. That’s not too bad, considering this is an LED TV with Google TV.
Not only does this TV look great, but it is also incredible for gaming. It does have auto-low latency mode and variable refresh rate. But it does not include HDMI 2.1 for 4K120 gameplay. That is unfortunate, but at this price, it’s not a huge surprise. HDMI 2.1 is generally in more expensive TVs because it is a more expensive port to include. Even gaming at 60Hz looks incredible, and there’s no tearing during gameplay, but a few frames might get dropped.
TCL has included eARC on this TV, which is going to provide you with the ability to plug in a soundbar and control it with your TV remote. Or plug in your console and control it with your TV remote. There are three HDMI ports altogether, which is a great selection for a TV in this price range. One for a soundbar, another for a console, and then one more for maybe another console or maybe a Roku or Fire TV Stick if you’d like that instead.
Android TV runs really nicely on this TCL 5-Series actually. I was pretty shocked at how smoothly it ran on this hardware. It’s great to see, and hopefully that trend continues with other TVs. Android TV brings you all of your favorite apps and games, as well as Google Assistant and Cast. Making it a great experience.
Best OLED Android TV: Sony Bravia 8
The absolute Best Android TV experience, if money is no object
The Sony Bravia 8 is arguably the best Android TV on the market, bar none. But, it is fairly expensive, which is why we are not listing it as the very best Android TV. The Bravia 8 starts at $1,799 and goes up from there, for a 55-inch model. Sony does also sell this in a 65-inch and a 77-inch model. And it’s beautiful.
I’ve been using the Sony Bravia 8 lately, and it’s an incredible upgrade from Sony’s earlier OLED TVs. It has over 8 million self-lit pixels that are precisely control to product pure black with high brightness, and you’ll get accurate real-world colors courtesy of XR Triluminos Pro. Sony’s new eco mode is also available on this TV, so you can do your part to help the environment and your electric bill, while also enjoying a stunning picture.
Like most of Sony’s other TVs, this does run on Google TV, so while technically not an Android TV model, it is based on Android TV. Sony has done a lot to improve the performance of Google TV on this unit, and I can attest to that fact. It’s buttery smooth; that’s not something you could say about a lot of other TVs that have Android TV or Google TV built-in. Many TV makers opt for a lower-end processor with less RAM and storage for the Google TV part of the TV, which leads to a very slow experience. However, this is also the case with Fire TV, even on Amazon’s own TVs.
For the price you’re paying for the Bravia 8, you want a good TV, and you’re going to get just that here.
Best Small OLED Android TV: Sony A90K
This stunning OLED TV is available in sizes as small as 42-inches
While the Sony A80L might be the best OLED TV, the A90K is a really good OLED TV that comes in smaller sizes too. This is going to be a great option to use as a monitor, or in a bedroom, where you are closer to the TV and don’t really need such a large display. The Sony A90K comes in 42- and 48-inch sizes only. And it starts at $1,299.
We like this TV because of its smaller size. OLED TVs aren’t used to be available in anything smaller than a 55-inch model. And many of us like to use these types of displays as a monitor at our desks. Because it gives you such a good picture quality, in a smaller size, so it hurts your neck less, it also is great to put into a bedroom, especially a smaller bedroom where you don’t want to stick a big 65-inch TV because it’s just so large.
The Sony A90K might not be the best OLED TV on the market, it does come pretty close. And coming in these two sub-50 inch sizes is clutch for Sony. It’s especially good for PlayStation 5 players. Obviously, since Sony made this TV and the PS5, they did not forget about PS5 owners. We have included a number of exclusive features for them. That includes HDMI 2.1 for 4K120 gameplay, as well as Auto-Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate.
But what really blew us away with the A90K is just how good the 4K upscaling is on this TV. 4K upscaling isn’t new, but each year it gets better and better, with many using AI for it now. And on the A90K, it’s almost impossible to tell that a title you’re watching is actually a 1080p title and not 4K. It’s a little more noticeable on a 720p title, of course. However, this is rather impressive.
Best Gaming Android TV: TCL QM7 QD-Mini LED TV
TCL provides a bright experience for gamers with HDMI 2.1 for 4K120 gaming with the QM7-Series
Those of you looking for a great TV that runs Android TV, as well as providing the best gaming experience at a pretty good price, the TCL QM7-Series QD-Mini LED QLED is a really great option. The TCL QM7 is available at a starting price of $799, and is available in 55-, 65-, 75-, 85- and 98-inch sizes. Making it a great option for just about everyone.
When it comes to gaming, there are a couple of features that you want to look at for every TV. Those are HDMI 2.1, Auto-Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). The TCL QM7 TV offers all three. And that’s on top of having such a stunning picture quality. TCL uses QD-Mini LED which basically means you’re going to get a picture that is very close to OLED, but much brighter than OLED. With QD-Mini LED, you’re able to have many more dimming zones, which is what helps keep the black areas dark and not dark gray.
This TV does run on Google TV, which is a slightly upgraded version of Android TV. It offers a bit more recommendations than what Android TV does. But it’ll look pretty much the same. With Google TV here, you’re getting the best digital assistant in Google Assistant, as well as Google Cast. Not to mention, a ton of great apps that you can use. Including Netflix, Hulu and much more.
This is a great gaming TV that offers Google TV and also doesn’t have a huge price tag. It’s hard to go wrong with the TCL QM7 4K TV.
Best Google TV Device: Google TV Streamer
Google TV, now in a set-top box with upgraded internals
Back in August, Google announced the new Google TV Streamer, which is replacing the Chromecast with Google TV. It’s not a set-top bow, that is meant to blend in with the rest of your living room. It comes in Hazel and Porcelain and costs $99. It’s most more expensive than earlier Google TV devices, however it is also much more powerful.
While reviews aren’t yet out for the Google TV Streamer, due to it still being on pre-order only, we do expect that this will be much more powerful and the OS will be buttery smooth on the Google TV Streamer. There’s also more RAM and storage versus the Chromecast with Google TV. That should solve some of the biggest issues with the Chromecast with Google TV.
Best Google TV dongle: Chromecast with Google TV
You don’t need to buy a whole new TV to get Google TV on-board
Rounding out our list of the best Android TVs is actually a dongle. This dongle brings along Android TV in the form of Google TV – which is basically a lightweight skin over the top of Android TV. It’s the Chromecast you know and love, but now with a remote. Google actually sells this in a 1080p and a 4K model for $30 and $50, respectively.
This is a fantastic dongle, and I’ve actually been using it for a few years now. I have it plugged into an Amazon Fire TV set, which is pretty hilarious, but it works just fine. Google has made it super easy to install this Chromecast and get started. Of course, it has Android TV, which means that you get all of your favorite apps here. This includes Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Max, and many more. In addition to Google Assistant and Cast being included, this makes this a fantastic experience.
Google also gives you the ability to see your latest Live TV listings. This was originally only available for YouTube TV, but they have since added Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and some other FAST services like Tubi TV and Pluto TV. This is by far my favorite feature, as I can see them all in one place without opening and switching apps to find something to watch.
2024-11-19 15:09:19