The smartphone market may be dominated by just two operating systems — Android and iOS — but it’s not the same case with the television market. As TVs have become smart, a number of smart TV platforms have emerged. Still, Android TV, which is Google’s smart TV operating system, has managed to make a place for itself. It’s offered in televisions made by companies like Sony, Hisense, Philips, TCL, and Skyworth in the US. If you’re planning to buy an Android TV for your home, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured through the marketplace to choose the best Android TV’s you can buy today.
As Android TV is just a platform, when you’re looking for the best Android TV, you essentially want the best TV that comes with the Android TV platform. So while picking a great Android TV, all the same things apply that you would consider if Android TV wasn’t your preferred smart TV platform. So, similar to our best TV guide, which you should explore for some great TVs overall irrespective of platform, this guide is also divided into sections like the best OLED TV, the best LCD TV, and the best budget TV but with all the options more closely associated with the Android TV platform.
If you want the best picture quality and the best overall visual experience, pick OLED. But if you don’t necessarily want to pay a premium for OLED and can settle for still great but not the best picture quality, LCD will do just fine. For those of you who are a little tight on the budget, we’ve also picked the best affordable Android TV model that’ll provide a good experience without breaking the bank.
Navigate this guide:
Best OLED Android TV: Sony A80J
The Sony A80J is your best bet for a Google TV-powered 4K OLED TV. Part of Sony’s 2021 lineup, the A80J sits below the A90J, but it is far better value for money than the A90J. Thanks to the OLED panel, the television can display perfect blacks and is ideal for watching movies and TV shows in a dark room. In addition, its wide-viewing angles are great for having a watch party.
The television supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for viewing HDR content, and you also get Netflix Calibrated Mode and IMAX Enhanced. If you’re into gaming, you’ll be happy to know there are two HDMI 2.1 ports on the television for 4K@120Hz gaming and support for features like low inputs and near-instant response time. The Sony A80J is also supposed to get VRR via a future firmware update. It comes in 55 inch, 65 inch, and 77 inch screen sizes.
The Sony A80J is an excellent OLED TV that comes with the Google TV platform. It features a modern design that looks great.
Also Great: Sony A8H
Sony A8H’s OLED panel offers great picture quality, something for which Sony has been known for years. The company has also added a feature called Pixel Contrast Booster that further enhances the color and contrast of the picture. The Sony TV comes with Acoustic Surface Audio to make sure you hear the sound from where the action is happening on the screen. It also supports Dolby Atmos and Vision HDR technologies.
The Sony A8H looks striking with its one-slate design and narrow aluminum bezels. It runs on Android TV 9 and is set to get the new Google TV experience through a future software update. Sony sells the A8H in two screen sizes — 55 inch and 65 inch.
The Sony A8H is a 2020 4K OLED Android TV. It's among the best Android TVs you can buy today.
Also Great: Sony A90J
The Sony A90J is very similar to our pick for the best Android TV — A80J — but slightly more feature-rich. For example, it packs a new heatsink technology that allows it to get brighter in HDR. But the significantly higher price tag of the A90J is hard to justify. Pricing aside, the television offers excellent picture quality with true blacks and great viewing angles.
In addition, the A90J comes with the new Google TV experience out of the box. Support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision HDR, and Netflix Calibrated Mode is also present, so are the features like Acoustic Surface Audio+ and XR HDR Remaster. Sony A90J Bravia XR Master comes in 55 inch, 65 inch, and 83 inch screen sizes.
Sony’s A90J is a great 4K OLED TV. If you can swallow its relatively higher price tag, it’ll end up giving you an even better experience than the A80J.
Best LCD Android TV: Hisense U8G
The Hisense U8G is an impressive Android TV if you don’t want to pay the premium for OLED. It comes with Quantum Dot tech and up to 132 local dimming zones for an excellent contrast ratio. The TV also supports up to 1,500 nits peak brightness, so you’ll be able to watch content without issues even in rooms with a lot of lighting. The Hisense TV is also amazing to play video games as it supports HDMI 2.1 and provides low input lag, great response time, and variable refresh rate. Like most LCD TVs, it does falter on the viewing angles front.
The Hisense U8G packs support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, and HDR10+. Unfortunately, it seems Hisense doesn’t plan to upgrade the TV with the Google TV experience anytime soon. The TV is offered in 55 inch and 65 inch screen sizes.
The Hisense U8G is a great 4K TV and our pick for the best LCD Android TV on the market.
Also Great: TCL R646
TCL made a big jump in the Android TV space with its new 5 series and 6 series Google TV models. Although the company has been selling Android TVs for a while now, they were limited to the budget segment. But with the 6 series Google TVs, TCL has brought Android TV to its premium televisions.
The TCL R646 is a 4K QLED television that uses Mini-LED backlighting, giving you vibrant colors and high brightness. The TV also employs full-array local dimming with up to 240 zones to offer an excellent contrast ratio. In addition, there’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR10, allowing you to enjoy the HDR content.
The R646 is also a fantastic television for gaming, thanks to the presence of next-generation gaming features. You get a 120Hz panel, two HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K@120fps gaming, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support. You can purchase the TCL R646 in 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch sizes.
TCL R646 is an excellent Google TV model that's almost as good as our pick for the Best LCD Android TV. It has a wide color gamut and provides deep black levels.
Also Great: Sony X90J
The Sony X90J, which made an appearance in our best TV picks, is an excellent TV that uses the Android TV platform. It offers Sony’s trademark great picture quality. The X90J also comes with a high contrast ratio with deep black levels, thanks to the local dimming feature. There are around 24 local dimming zones on the TV. It also comes with HDMI 2.1 support, a 120Hz refresh rate, low input lag, and faster response time for a great gaming experience.
Additionally, you’ll get support for Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, HDR10, and Netflix Calibrated Mode. Moreover, the TV includes the Google TV experience, so you’ll have the latest Android TV experience. The Sony X90J is sold in 50 inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch screen sizes.
The Sony X90J is a great LCD TV for watching content as well as gaming. It comes with features like Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced, and Acoustic Multi-Audio.
Best Budget Android TV: Hisense U6G
We recommended the Hisense U6G as our pick for the best budget TV, and the presence of the Android TV platform makes it the best affordable 4K Android TV as well. Part of Hisense’s 2021 lineup, the U6G is an LCD TV that uses Quantum Dot technology for vibrant colors. It’s excellent for watching movies and TV shows because of its superb contrast ratio and reflection handling. It also gets super bright with 600 nits peak brightness.
In addition, the company has packed full-array local dimming in the TV, but the relatively low number of zones limits the feature’s usefulness. Other key features of the TV include HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and FilmMaker Mode.
Unlike the more expensive TVs on this list, U6G doesn’t include next-generation gaming features, like HDMI 2.1 and VRR, but you’ll get low input lag and an excellent response time. In addition, you can buy it in 50 inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch sizes.
The Hisense U6G is the budget 4K TV with Android you can buy right now. It has everything you might need, except for next-gen gaming features.
Also Great: Hisense H8G
The Hisense H8G is also a good for a budget Android TV. It includes a number of features that are rare in the budget segment, like local dimming (up to 90 zones) and Quantum Dot tech for a great contrast ratio. The TV also supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision HDR, and HDR10. Additionally, the Hisense TV comes with up to 700 nits of peak brightness.
With the Hisense H8G, you’ll also get good response time and low input lag during casual gaming. Hisense sells the H8G in 50 inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch screen sizes.
The Hisense H8G is a great option for a budget Android TV. It ticks all the right boxes at its pricing.
Also great: TCL 4 Series (S434)
TCL uses the Roku OS for its premium TVs but its 4 series (S434) TV still includes the Android TV platform. The TCL 4 Series is the most affordable TV among all our picks and even cheaper than the Hisense H8G. If you’re looking to buy an inexpensive 4K Android TV, this is a good option. The TCL TV doesn’t have local dimming but still manages to provide an amazing contrast ratio thanks to its VA (vertical alignment) panel. It’s also decent for casual gaming with its low input and decent response time.
The TCL 4 Series (S434) supports Dolby Digital Plus audio and HDR10. It’s sold in 43 inch, 50 inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, and 75 inch screen sizes.
The TCL 4 Series S434 is your best bet for an inexpensive but decent 4K HDR Android TV.
These are the best Android TV models with OLED and LCD screens. While TVs with built-in Android TV are an easy way to experience the platform, you can also buy an Android TV box or streaming stick to get the experience in a ‘dumb’ or smart TV with another operating system. If you really want to use the Android TV platform but are looking for even more choice, get a great TV with any platform, and pick a media player from our best Android TV box list.
What are you planning to buy? Do you think we missed out on any good Android TV models available in the USA? Let us know in the comments section.
The post These are the Best Android TVs to buy in Fall 2021: Sony A80J, Hisense U8G, and others! appeared first on xda-developers.
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