In 2010, a 32-inch television was huge. Fast forward to 2017 and it’s rare for a new television to be under 55 inches. Over the span of a few years, televisions have changed in size and everything else: older LED displays have given way to brighter and darker OLEDs; 4K televisions are actually affordable; high dynamic range (HDR) technologies like Dolby Vision and HDR10 are vital; and most televisions are smart, no cable box necessary.
So what will the televisions of the future look like? If 2017 is any indication, they’ll continue to get even thinner, bigger and maybe look more like the furniture you already own. As for picture quality, expect 4K to be the starting-off point.
LG Signature OLED TV W
This set is meant to blend in with your wall. It is hands down the thinnest display you can buy; all of the components that normally sit behind a TV are connected to a flat cable that runs down to the included Dolby Atmos speaker system. OLED technology, Ultra HDR, and Dolby Vision provide vivid and accurate color reproduction — richer blacks and more detailed whites.
The Takeaway: The LG Wallpaper TV is the thinnest, best-looking TV you can buy right now. It also costs $8K. If you’re ready to make a big purchase and want a conversation piece, this is the one.
Dimensions: 57.1 x 32.5 x 0.15 inches
Diagonal: 65 inches or 77 inches
Key Features: OLED display, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, ultra thin form factor
LG Signature OLED TV G
LG’s second contribution to the market of ultra-thin TVs is two inches thicker than the Wallpaper TV and features the same technologies. The display is bordered with a small glass bezel is pressed up against a single piece of glass, providing a beautiful detailed image (the closer the screen hardware can be up to the glass, the better. The same goes for phones).
The Takeaway: This TV is barely thicker than the above OLED TV W from LG, but it’s equally impressive; both bring something different and beautiful to the table.
Dimensions: 57.5 x 35.1 x 2.7 inches
Diagonal: 65 inches or 77 inches
Key features: Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, OLED display, glass border
Sony Bravia A1E
The A1E is Sony’s first-ever OLED TV, and both the excellent picture quality and the overall design are standouts. It’s nearly frameless and has a kickstand that props the whole thing up like a picture frame. (It can also be wall-mounted.) The speakers are located in the kickstand, behind the display, for a screen-vibrating effect intended for immersion, according to Sony.
The Takeaway: Sony’s A1E is a stunning TV that features a unique design, gorgeous image and arguable the best sound quality of any ultra-thin TV.
Dimensions: 49 x 28 x 3.5 inches
Diagonal: 55 inches, 65 inches or 77 inches
Key features: 4K HDR image processing, OLED display
Samsung 65-Inch Class Q9F QLED 4K TV
Yes, it’s an LED TV. But it still can compete with an OLEDs’s picture quality thanks to Samsung’s new QLED technology, which can upscale content while maintaining a proper proportion of saturation to brightness; i.e., the HDR processing won’t make colors look blown out or faded. It comes with a “no burn-in” warranty; unless you throw something at it or drop it, this television has a lifetime guarantee.
The Takeaway: As one of the few LED panels in the lineup, this Samsung would be expected to perform worse than its competitors, but thanks to new technology from Samsung, users will be pleased with this TV’s performance.
Dimensions: 57.1 x 32.6 x 1.0 inches
Diagonal: 65 inches or 75 inches
Key Features: QLED technology, HDR
The Frame 4K UHD TV by Samsung
Samsung’s new Frame television makes use of its huge 4K display even when you’re not watching TV. In Art Mode, the set displays photos in 4K (either your own, or professionals’). It comes in four different colored borders — black, walnut, beige, or white — and sits flush with the wall in order to double as a wall-mounted piece of art. Though not an OLED display, the Frame TV still delivers, and as the most affordable display in the group, the quality is well worth the price.
The Takeaway: If you want a TV that can double as a literal work of art, here it is. The display is made to look like a framed painting, at home on any wall.
Dimensions: 48.6 x 29.6 x 7.9 inches
Diagonal: 54.6 inches
Key features: Art Mode, 100 preloaded images, flush mounting
C SEED 262
At 262 inches, the C SEED 262 is the biggest 4K TV you can buy. It has its own integrated 4K media server, 10 speakers and a motorized fabric that hides the display when the TV’s not in use. The LCD display gets very bright (800 nits), so vibrant colors can be displayed onscreen even in direct sunlight. The TV alone will cost about $539,000, according to The Verge, with installation racking the bill up another $38 grand.
Takeaway: This isn’t the most beautiful TV out there, but it sure is the largest. Buy this if you need to make a statement in a room the size of a gymnasium. Available later this summer.
Dimensions: 242 x 101 x 4.3 inches
Diagonal: 262 inches
Key Features: largest 4K display out there, “Black LED” technology, integrated media server
Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Avant TV
Bang & Olufsen is best known for speakers, but it turns out the company makes a helluva television. The BeoVision Avant TV has a motorized stand, a 4K LED panel and eight amplifiers. Even though it’s an LCD TV, it still boasts great color contrast and HDR, and it even has sensors that will automatically optimize the image’s white balance based on the viewing conditions. The remote is impressive as well: it uses a Bluetooth connection instead of a traditional IR blaster so the TV can be controlled without the remote pointing directly at it. Other features include programmable buttons and an ergonomic aluminum build. If that’s not enough, the Avant is compatible with Dolby Atmos for superior audio, as expected of Bang & Olufsen.
Takeaway: An incredibly well-thought-out remote, a motorized stand and amazing visuals and sound all add up to a TV that will make a splash in any high-end living room.
Dimensions: 69.6 x 38.9 x 4.96 inches (for 75-inch model)
Diagonal: 55 inches, 75 inches or 85 inches
Key Features: motorized stand, UHD display, innovative remote
Loewe Bild 9
This TV is a work of art, combining advanced display technology with beautiful design. The OLED display features Dolby Vision HDR; the sleek TV even features a button on its remote to physically slide the display over the sound bar when not in use. The colors on the Bild will be beautifully optimized, and the artistic stand on the TV doubles to conceal cables.
Takeaway: A stunning TV with a best-in-class OLED display, but the concealed sound bar and beautiful stand make it fun to look at even when it’s off.
Dimensions: 59.2 x 55.5 x 2.05 inches
Diagonal: 65 inches
Key Features: OLED display, concealed soundbar, cable-consolidating stand
