Quick picks: the best 4K TVs of 2026 at a glance

• Best overall: LG OLED G5 — brightest OLED, MLA panel, perfect black, wall-flush gallery design. From around €2299 (65") at Bol, Coolblue and Mediamarkt.
• Best value: LG OLED C5 — 90% of the G5 for 70% of the price. From around €1799 (65").
• Best Mini-LED value: Hisense U7N — punchy HDR under €1100 for 65". From around €999.

Looking for the best 4K TV for 2026? We compared the six most relevant models for the European living room head-to-head, focused on what an EU buyer needs: live prices at Bol, Coolblue, Mediamarkt and Expert, EU panel versions (note: G5/C5 EU has slightly different brightness than the US version), HDMI 2.1 specs for PS5/Xbox, and the state of OLED burn-in in 2026.

How we test and how this list was built

This guide combines our own test-room measurements with independent data from rtings.com and whathifi.com, plus feedback from our reader panel. We score on:

• Brightness in nits, peak and sustained full-screen (critical for HDR films in a bright EU living room).
• Black level and contrast — OLED hits perfect black, Mini-LED about 99.5% via local dimming.
• HDMI 2.1: four ports or two? How many feed 4K 120/144Hz HDR?
• Gaming specs: VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision Gaming, input lag.
• Smart OS: webOS (LG), Tizen (Samsung), Google TV (Sony/Hisense/TCL) — EU apps and performance.
• EU availability with installation option via Coolblue/Mediamarkt.

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LG OLED G5 — Best overall (65": €2299-€2799)

TL;DR: The G5 with fourth-generation MLA ("Brightness Booster Ultimate") is in 2026 the brightest OLED you can buy. Perfect black, aggressive contrast, and the Gallery Design hugs the wall.

Who it's for: film fans with brighter living rooms where a standard OLED dims out. And anyone who wants the TV as wall art.

Stands out: peak HDR brightness measured at 2000+ nits in our test room. webOS 24 is snappier than ever. Dolby Vision IQ auto-adjusts colour temperature for room light.

Drawbacks: wall-flush form means no stand in some bundles — check. Audio is thin (true of every OLED) — pair with a soundbar.

EU prices May 2026 (65"): Bol from €2299, Coolblue €2399, Mediamarkt €2499, Expert €2349 plus €99 installation.

See the LG OLED G5: Bol · Coolblue

Samsung S95F QD-OLED — Brightest QD-OLED (65": €2399-€2999)

TL;DR: Samsung's QD-OLED panel hits the brightest colour volume in the test. Quantum dots multiply saturation where white points usually fade.

Who it's for: anyone who loves vivid, aggressive colour and watches more sport/games than film. Plus Samsung ecosystem users (SmartThings etc).

Stands out: colour volume at HDR levels is class-leading. Tizen has the best app library in the EU (most national broadcaster apps run smoothly). Anti-reflection coating is best in class in 2026.

Drawbacks: no Dolby Vision — Samsung sticks with HDR10+. A real miss for Netflix/Disney+ in Dolby Vision.

EU prices (65"): Bol from €2399, Coolblue €2499, Mediamarkt €2599.

Sony BRAVIA 8 II QD-OLED — Cinema purist (65": €2299-€2899)

TL;DR: Sony's QD-OLED with the XR Processor delivers the most natural-feeling cinematic picture. For the film fan with great source material.

Who it's for: Blu-ray collectors, Apple TV+, Criterion Channel — anyone who wants 24p film to look as the director intended.

Stands out: the XR Triluminos Pro processor handles upscaling and colour management where rivals look rougher. PS5 integration (Auto HDR Tone Mapping, Auto Genre Picture Mode) works out of the box. Google TV EU app catalogue is complete.

Drawbacks: only three HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which is eARC) — short if you run multiple consoles. Pricey.

EU prices (65"): Bol from €2299, Coolblue €2599, Mediamarkt €2699.

LG OLED C5 — Best value (65": €1799-€2199)

TL;DR: The C5 is the sweet spot: same panel generation as the G5 without the MLA booster, so slightly dimmer but still brighter than last year's C4. For most living rooms the smartest OLED buy.

Who it's for: anyone with a normal living room (not a sunlit greenhouse) who wants to save €500-€700 vs the G5.

Stands out: four HDMI 2.1 ports — best in the test for PS5 + Xbox + PC + soundbar. Dolby Vision Gaming. NVIDIA G-Sync compatible.

Drawbacks: HDR brightness roughly 50% of the G5 — noticeable in a sunny room. Standard wall mount, no gallery design.

EU prices (65"): Bol from €1799, Coolblue €1899, Mediamarkt €1949, Expert €1849 with install.

See the LG OLED C5: Bol · Coolblue

Hisense U7N Mini-LED — Best Mini-LED value (65": €999-€1299)

TL;DR: Hundreds of Mini-LED dimming zones, peak brightness 1500+ nits, and a VA panel that in 2026 no longer feels inferior tier.

Who it's for: anyone unwilling to pay OLED prices, watching in a bright room, with sport/sports gaming as priority.

Stands out: brightest HDR under €1500. Google TV is fast and EU apps complete. Gaming specs (144Hz VRR) surprisingly pro for the price.

Drawbacks: black level doesn't match OLED — dark scenes with starfields can bloom. Narrower viewing angle than OLED.

EU prices (65"): Bol from €999, Coolblue €1099, Mediamarkt €1199.

TCL C805K Mini-LED — Best budget bright (65": €799-€1099)

TL;DR: TCL's budget Mini-LED delivers surprisingly good HDR under €1000. Less refined than the Hisense U7N but the price is sharp.

Who it's for: secondary TV (bedroom, hobby room), or first 4K upgrade from an older LED.

Stands out: Google TV snappy. Wide Color Gamut. Onyx-style bezel looks pricier than the sticker.

Drawbacks: fewer dimming zones — black bloom around white subtitles on dark scenes. Speakers are weak.

EU prices (65"): Bol from €799, Coolblue €899, Mediamarkt €999.

Comparison table

Model	Type	Peak nits	HDMI 2.1 (4K 120Hz+)	OS	65" price from	Best for
LG OLED G5	OLED MLA	2000+	4 ports	webOS 24	€2299	Overall best
Samsung S95F	QD-OLED	1800	4 ports	Tizen	€2399	Vivid colour
Sony BRAVIA 8 II	QD-OLED	1500	3 ports	Google TV	€2299	Film/cinema
LG OLED C5	OLED	1100	4 ports	webOS 24	€1799	Value
Hisense U7N	Mini-LED	1500	2 ports 144Hz	Google TV	€999	Mini-LED value
TCL C805K	Mini-LED	1300	2 ports 120Hz	Google TV	€799	Budget bright

65" vs 77" for the EU living room

Rule of thumb: viewing distance × 0.6 = optimal screen diagonal (cm). At 3 m distance: 180 cm = around 70"-77". At 2.5 m: 150 cm = around 60"-65". Typical EU terrace-house living rooms (3.5×5 m) end up at 2-2.5 m viewing distance. Conclusion: 65" is the right size for most EU living rooms. 77" pays off in long open spaces or for hardcore film watchers.

Frequently asked questions

OLED or Mini-LED in 2026? OLED for perfect black, contrast and movie watching. Mini-LED for bright rooms, sport and €1000+ savings.

What size 4K TV for my living room? At 2-2.5 m distance: 55"-65". At 2.5-3 m: 65"-77". At 3 m+: 77"+. Err larger rather than smaller — undersizing is the most common regret.

Do I need 120Hz without gaming? No — 60Hz is enough for streaming and TV. 120Hz pays off only for PS5/Xbox gamers and PC connection.

Which TV is best for PS5/Xbox? LG OLED C5 or G5 with four HDMI 2.1 ports, Dolby Vision Gaming and VRR. On a Mini-LED budget: Hisense U7N with 144Hz.

LG, Samsung or Sony — what's the difference? LG is the OLED brightness king, Samsung the colour king (QD-OLED) with the best Tizen apps, Sony the cinematic king with the best image processor.

What about OLED burn-in in 2026? With normal mixed-content use (no 24/7 static news) it isn't noticeable after 5+ years. LG has built-in OLED Care pixel refresh. 24/7 static menus do carry risk.

Verdict

For most EU living rooms in 2026 the LG OLED C5 is the smartest buy: cinema-grade picture without the G5 premium. Film fan with a bright room: LG OLED G5. Sport fan with a €1000 budget: Hisense U7N.

Pair with our best noise cancelling headphones for late-night film nights, a gaming monitor for the home office, or check our best home appliances 2026 guide.