best TVs 2026

New York living often means bright windows, tight rooms, compact walls, and a TV that has to do everything: movies, sports, gaming, streaming, and everyday viewing. The good news is that 2026’s best televisions offer excellent options for nearly every apartment size, budget, and lighting situation. The strongest picks this year include the Samsung S95H OLED for premium performance, the TCL QM8L for brightness and value, and the LG C6 OLED for a more affordable OLED with Dolby Vision.

For New Yorkers who want the best possible picture without compromise, the Samsung S95H OLED is the top pick. Its QD-OLED panel produces deep blacks, rich color, and excellent contrast—ideal for movie nights in a dim Manhattan apartment or a late-night gaming session.

It also includes a matte anti-glare finish, which is especially useful in New York apartments with large windows, direct sunlight, or reflective city views. With four HDMI 2.1 ports, 4K at 165 Hz, and VRR support, it is also a strong choice for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gamers. The main limitation is that Samsung supports HDR10+ rather than Dolby Vision.

If your apartment gets a lot of daylight or faces a busy, sunlit street, the Sony BRAVIA 9 II is worth serious consideration. Its RGB-backlight design delivers exceptional brightness, strong reflection control, and excellent color coverage.

This is also a great TV for viewers who watch a lot of cable, broadcast sports, older streaming content, or physical media. Sony’s upscaling makes lower-resolution material look cleaner and more detailed, which matters when you are watching local news, sports, or older movies.

The TCL QM8L is one of the most exciting TVs of 2026 because it delivers flagship-level brightness and performance at a more accessible price. CNET named it its Best TV of 2026 and its brightest tested screen, making it a smart choice for a bright living room or an open-plan apartment.

For New Yorkers who want a large screen—perhaps 75 inches or more—without paying premium OLED prices, the QM8L offers excellent contrast, color, and gaming performance. It is especially appealing for sports fans who want a bright, punchy picture during daytime games.

The LG C6 OLED is likely the best all-around OLED for most New York apartments. It provides the deep blacks and cinematic contrast OLED is known for, along with Dolby Vision support, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and 4K at 165 Hz for gaming.

It is a particularly good fit for apartments where the TV will be used for a mix of streaming, movies, sports, and gaming. The one caveat is its glossy screen: in a very bright room, reflections can be more noticeable than on Samsung’s matte-finish OLED.

For budget-conscious New Yorkers who still want true OLED picture quality, the LG B6 OLED is a strong alternative. It offers the same deep-black performance that makes OLED so appealing in dark rooms, along with Dolby Vision and 120 Hz gaming support.

It is not as bright as the LG C6, so it is best for bedrooms, media rooms, or apartments where you can control the lighting. If movie nights and dark-room viewing are your priority, the B6 delivers excellent value.

The Hisense U7SG is one of the best choices for New Yorkers who want maximum screen size without an OLED-level price. It is very bright, has a matte coating, supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and includes four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K at 165 Hz and VRR.

It is available in sizes up to 100 inches, making it a compelling option for a spacious Brooklyn loft, Queens basement media room, or a living room with enough wall space for a true home-theater setup.

The Hisense U6SF Pro is the best budget-oriented model in the current lineup. It includes a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, VRR, Dolby Vision, and good dark-room contrast, although it is not as bright as the U7SG.

For an even lower budget, the Hisense QD7QF is CNET’s ultra-budget pick. Its full-array local dimming gives it unusually good contrast and brightness for the price, and it still includes strong gaming features.

The Samsung S90F OLED is also worth considering if you find it discounted. It is a 2025 model, but it still offers excellent OLED image quality, low input lag, and strong gaming performance. It lacks Dolby Vision and is less glare-resistant than Samsung’s newer premium OLED.

Before buying, measure your wall space and seating distance carefully. In many New York apartments, a 55- or 65-inch TV is the practical sweet spot, while larger rooms can comfortably handle 75 inches or more. A 120 Hz or higher refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 with VRR are especially important if you game on a console or PC.

If your apartment has bright windows, prioritize a high-brightness model such as the Sony BRAVIA 9 II or TCL QM8L. If you watch mostly at night, an OLED such as the LG C6 or Samsung S95H will give you the deepest blacks and most cinematic image.

Choosing the right TV is only half the job—mounting it safely and cleanly matters just as much, especially in New York apartments where wall types, studs, cables, and space constraints can get complicated. For professional TV mounting and installation, contact ONTHEWALLNYC.

Call or text (929) 446-3823, or schedule your installation online at onthewallnyc.com/sched-appt. Learn more at onthewallnyc.com.