While TV tech is always changing, one thing has always held true: Bigger TVs will be cheaper next year than they were this year. The processes to make them will become more refined and streamlined, while more factories will be built to handle the influx of larger-sized TVs.
That doesn’t mean that you should expect to buy a 90-inch flatscreen for pennies on the dollar, but that does mean that 70- and 75-inch TVs will be more affordable in 2019 and 2020 than any year prior to that.
But, it’s not all good news for fabulously large TVS: this size range, above all, is beset with cut-price offerings. Since top 75-inch TVs are always going to come with an eye-watering price tag, affordable brands have rushed in to make this once-unobtainable size much more affordable. The result is that many 75-inchers are being manufactured using legacy LCD technology, which was built for small screens and whose images fail to impress even at the 40-inch size. So at a screen four times bigger, the results are… well, what you might expect.
While you might be tempted to go for the very lowest priced 75-inch TV, just remember that the technology employed to create a great picture is four times more important than at other sizes.
TechRadar’s 75-inch TV buying advice
First and foremost, be really careful about TV sales that sound too good to be true. If you see a 75-inch 4K TV for around $600, it’s probably going to let you down in terms of picture performance.
So who’s the main culprit that causes ugly images in the 75-inch range? Bad backlighting. While the cheapies use edge-lit LED panels that produce poor black levels and contrast, the bigger brands opt for either direct, full array LED panels – or in the case of LG, OLED panels. Both illuminate across the whole screen, and create both luscious color and 4K clarity.
Currently, our favorite 75-inch TVs are LG’s series of OLEDs, which boast exceptional black levels and premium HDR. They’re perfect for a dark room experience, like a home cinema, though for brightly-lit rooms you may want to consider Samsung’s QLED TV series. Then there’s Sony, whose efforts are impossible to ignore, and a few more affordable brands to tempt you to buy a 75-inch TV for relatively small spend.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at our favorite 75-inch 4K TVs right now, listed below for your convenience. Each series in this list has been tested and approved by our expert team of reviewers, so you can buy with confidence.
Is this the best TV out there? This 77-inch 4K OLED TV delivers astonishing image quality, and despite its huge size retains much of the streamlined minimalism LG’s C8 line-up is famous for. That’s despite it not being as bright as LCD and QLED TVs, and not supporting the HDR10+ standard. However, that lack of brightness results in lusciously deep blacks that dramatically increase the dynamic range of its images.
The roll-call doesn’t stop there either: vibrant colors, wide viewing angles, instant response times, astounding detail with native 4K content, and a WebOS platform that remains the best smart TV platform around all help the OLED77C8 standout from the crowd. Aesthetically, LG’s C8 Series of OLED TVs – also available in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes – go for size-zero looks, with a black metallic trim around the panel’s edge that’s just ridiculously small.
Read the full review: LG OLED77C8
Is QLED as good as OLED? The jury is out on that one. It’s different, for sure; the full array LED backlighting on this 75-inch QLED TV can’t get near OLED for contrast nor black levels, but it’s higher peak brightness gives it an advantage for 4K HDR material. Consequently, the colour volume created by the Q9FN is awesome, especially at this mighty size. Brighter and more colourful than the first-gen QLED TVs, the Q9FN has HDR10+ and Q HDR EliteMax.
Away from technology, it slips-up on styling. Despite an external connection box creating a one-cable TV, the basic chassis design both lacks wow factor, and is a little chubbier than it should be. We also noticed an issue with viewing angles that makes the Q9FN unsuitable for hanging on a wall at eye-line (not that you should be doing that anyway). Those foibles aside, this monster screen is nevertheless Samsung’s best TV ever.
Read the full review: Samsung Q9FN QLED TV
OK, it looks a little weird. Sony’s decision to fit this 75-incher with two large feet gives it a slightly absurd look that’s also impractical; who has a table that wide to put a TV on? Luckily, elsewhere the XF90 (called the X900F in the US) looks great, with a brushed metallic finish hiding some truly top tech for the money. Key is Sony’s decision to use a direct LED lighting system with local dimming, which helps create some serious quality, particularly during 4K HDR material.
Meanwhile, the effect of Sony’s X1 Extreme video processor is to remove noise so intensely that new levels of detail are revealed. On a big TV, that’s important. We also love the way the XF900 up-converts standard dynamic range (SDR) images to HDR. In fact, the only thing we’re really annoyed about on the XF90 is its use of Android TV as its smart TV system, which (Chromecasting aside) is both cluttered and confusing. The X900F is also available as an 85-inch version in the U.S.
Read the full review: Sony XF90/X900F
A Chinese brand that’s been trying to break the UK and US markets in the past few years, this is Hisense’s flagship TV. Is it the best 75-inch TV around? No, but it makes a play for the top spot by offering full-array LED local dimming for its LCD panel, which means lots of brightness and good black levels. In fact, it’s so bright that 4K HDR material looks fabulous. That’s probably more than can be said for its treatment of standard definition fare; mediocre upscaling that fails to clean-up the source, and some washed-out colours, are the low points.
Another minor complaint is the chassis, which despite a premium metallic finish is a little chunkier than it could be. However, with a soundbar tucked away in its desktop stand, there’s little to complain about when it comes to design. Solid audio reproduction – and at high volumes – is the final flourish on a TV that marks out Hisense as a serious AV brand to watch.
Read the full review: Hisense U9A (H75U9A)
Hitachi’s biggest ever TV – manufactured by Vestel – is not the best 75-incher around. In fact, it has some significant issues with its images. So why is it anywhere near out top five? Price, that’s why. The 75HL16T64U is on sale for the price a TV four times smaller cost just a few years ago, and if you’re after a budget home cinema, it’s the one to go for.
Does it look great? Not really; the 75HL16T64U’s faux-metallic plastic isn’t going to fool anyone, and the frame around the screen is pretty wide, too. This TV is all about practical pricing and design. YouTube and Netflix are here, though, and while black shades and dark colours don’t look great, and nor does HDR material, the 75HL16T64U does manage to make native 4K material look both pin-sharp and completely free of motion issues. Paired with a 4K Blu-ray player, the 75HL16T64U is a bargain.
Read the full review: Hitachi 75HL16T64U
It was announced at CES 2019 that TCL’s awesome (and inexpensive) 6-Series would be getting a 75-inch version starting in 2019. The TV will offer Dolby Vision support, and comes with Roku TV as its smart platform.
While TCL’s 6-Series didn’t impress us quite as much as the other TVs on this list, it is a competitive screen at its price point, offering bright, colorful HDR and exceptionally clear images. If you have deep pockets and a checkbook filled with blank checks, we’d still tell you to reach deep and shell out for LG’s C8 OLED or Samsung’s ultra-bright Q9FN QLED. But, as that’s not always realistic, TCL’s fantastic 6-Series will provide you exceptional performance at a price more folks can afford.
Read the full review: TCL 6-Series
- Not quite that big? Read our round-up of the best 65-inch 4K TVs
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