The best Smart TVs

Smart TVs are so common it doesn’t feel necessary to add the ‘smart’ to them. You’d have to hunt high and low to find a new TV that doesn’t come with some form of smart capability or features built-in, whether that’s LG’s WebOS, Google’s Android TV that’s used on Sony and Hisense TVs, or Samsung’s Tizen.

Although the majority of these smart TV platforms function in the same way: giving you access to apps, streaming services and smart home functionality, each has its pros and cons. So, for that reason, we’ve put together this guide to the best smart TV platforms available right now.

We’ve come a long way from the early days of smart TVs, which were marked by sub-standard performance, non-existent software updates, and a general lack of manufacturer support.

So what smart TV platforms are out there, what do they do, and how different are they from each other?

The LG C9 boasts the latest iteration of webOS and while this game changing platform remains largely the same, there have been a few tweaks.

For a start there’s now a second tier on the launcher bar that’s very reminiscent of the one found on Samsung’s Tizen system. It’s rather ironic that LG should take inspiration from Samsung – especially when you consider that Tizen copied webOS in the first place – but the second tier is a useful feature, making it quicker to access content and adding an AI Preview that makes recommendations based on your viewing habits. There’s also a new Intelligent Edit feature that lists your apps based on how often you use them.

That’s very handy because the C9 has a lot of apps; not to mention a comprehensive selection of streaming services that includes Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Now TV, Rakuten, and all the UK TV catch-up services.

The AI-enhanced recommendation feature monitors and analyses your viewing habits based not only on content but also the time of day. It will then make recommendations according its analysis, although there’s the option to turn this feature off if it gets annoying.

There’s a new Home Dashboard that collates all connected mobile, input and home IoT devices into a single hub. You can monitor and control just about any connected device in your smart home, and LG will be adding support for Homekit later this year.

LG’s ThinQ open AI platform already includes Google Assistant, and the company plans to add Amazon Alexa via a future firmware update. You can access Google by pressing the mic button on the remote, and then voice control your C9 or simply use it as a smart assistant.

Other new features include the ability to setup your C9 using an LG smartphone, and the ability to auto-detect connected HDMI devices. There’s also a mini-browser, a new TV channel banner, and an expanded Gallery mode with world famous travel attractions seasonally curated by TripAdvisor.

When it comes to Sony’s TV range, the A9G Master Series OLED can’t be beat. The high-performing televisions offers incredible 4K HDR pictures with the masterful upscaling to make even SD and HD content shine with all those extra pixels.

We’ve struggled to love the Android TV OS in the past, but its latest Oreo iteration is a tasty step in the right direction. The menu structure has been simplified, and Sony has added its own Quick Setting overlay to simplify access to elements like picture modes, not to mention the addition of Amazon Prime Video – which has been missing from Android for years over a Google-Amazon feud.

Not only does the A9G use Google’s TV OS, but it supports Chromecast Built-in as well. The screen can also be used with Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices for voice commands, as well as Sony’s own LF-S50G and SRS-XB501G smart speakers. (There’s now Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support, too.)

While it’s not Samsung’s flagship TV, the Samsung Q70R is the best bang for your buck when looking for a Tizen smart TV.

For starters there’s now compatibility with Samsung’s SmartThings platform, which provides an on-screen hub for monitoring and even controlling other smart devices (fridges, washing machines, lights etc) on your network, and iTunes/AirPlay 2. The latter is great if you’re an iOS/Mac user, while the former allows you to dabble in Samsung’s IoT platform.

There’s also much better integration of the TV listings and live broadcasting into the TV’s content searching features: there are now hour-by-hour show recommendations, for instance, as well as TV shows getting much more prominence in the content browsing menus.

Samsung has delivered enhanced interactivity with your smartphones and tablets too, as well as some seriously cool new gaming related features.

Overall, a slick, easy to use and helpfully customizable interface belies the impressive sophistication and comprehensiveness of Samsung’s latest smart TV engine.

Once you get this TCL TV up and running, you’ll be met with the familiar veneer of Roku TV – an egalitarian operating system that handily retains its top spot as (arguably) the best operating system year after year. It’s intuitive to use, if a bit boring, and its lack of ties to a particular streaming platform allow it to point you to all the places content can be found without bias.

That last bit is important, especially if you’ve ever used an Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV, both of which would much rather have you stream from their ancillary streaming services over any of the third-party ones. Because Roku doesn’t have ties to a major streaming service – other than a vague deal to include FandangoNow on the home screen of the OS – it doesn’t push you any direction you don’t want to go and happily supports everything from Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and Amazon, to lesser-known channels like Pluto.tv, tubi, Crackle and others.

That’s to say nothing of Roku’s own streaming service that it launched at the end of last year, which provides its own collection of entirely free movies that change in and out every few months. Most aren’t anything to write home about, but you do get the occasional gem in there.

While it’d be nice to see the inclusion of artificial intelligence and personal assistants on Roku TV – similar to what LG is doing with webOS and Samsung has done with Tizen and SmartThings – all things considered, this is still one of the best TV operating systems and a fantastic TV overall.

The Vizio P-Series Quantum X is a smart TV, but that goes beyond simply offering a smart platform for streaming: This is one of the first TVs from the California-based TV manufacturer to offer Apple AirPlay 2 functionality, opening it up to the entire Apple ecosystem. That’s a game-changer if you’re an iPhone user.

Beyond AirPlay, the Quantum X also has direct access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more, all from the home screen, and while the overall selection of apps isn’t massive, and there’s no real app marketplace to get more, most of the big ones are there, plus you can cast with Vizio’s SmartCast platform, which is handy.

We still find SmartCast to be one of the least appealing smart platforms out there, but we can’t knock the Vizio P-Series Quantum X – it’s one of this year’s best TVs.

Panasonic’s My Home Screen smart platform is decidedly simple compared to much of the competition, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Currently on its fourth generation, it remains largely the same as the Firefox OS on which it was originally based.

When you press the Home button on the remote, you get a choice of three options: Live TV, Apps, and Devices. This simplicity is the platform’s greatest strength, making it easy to navigate and find things by helpfully storing all the apps in single location; you can also pin your favorite apps to the home page for quicker access.

You’ll find this latest iteration on Panasonic TVs, though it will run fastest – and display its apps and content in the best light – through the TV maker’s high-end OLED sets, like the GZ000 featured here.

Since the smart platform is relatively simple, it doesn’t require a vast amount of processing power to operate, which makes it responsive, robust, and free from crashes. My Home Screen isn’t fragmented like some platforms, nor does it bombard you with recommendations – it simply delivers all the streaming and catch-up services you need.

Thanks to Freeview Play, a comprehensive list of catch-up services are included, covering BBC iPlayer, ITVhub, All4, My5, BBC News & Sport and UK Play. The iPlayer app supports 4K and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma – the broadcast version of HDR), both of which the BBC trialled during the World Cup.

There’s also Netflix, Amazon and YouTube, all of which support 4K and HDR, along with services like Rakuten and Chili Cinema. In fact the only major streaming service missing is NOW TV.