Best Smart TVs in 2026: LG OLED, Samsung QLED & Sony Compared

What Makes a TV "Smart" in 2026?

Virtually every TV sold today is "smart" — but the quality of the smart experience varies enormously. The best smart TVs aren't just about picture quality; they're about OS smoothness, voice assistant integration, smart home connectivity, and app ecosystems. They need to work seamlessly with your Google Home, Apple HomeKit, or Alexa setup, respond quickly to voice commands, and ideally integrate with platforms like SmartThings or Home Assistant.

For this November 2026 update we replaced last year's picks with current models, based on manufacturer specifications and published reviews from TechRadar, Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi and The Shortcut. These three represent the best combination of picture quality, smart platform, and smart home integration available right now.

1. LG OLED C6 — Best Picture Quality Overall

The LG C6 continues LG's dominance in mid-range OLED. Every pixel turns off independently, so it delivers perfect blacks, effectively infinite contrast and very accurate colour, and dark cinematic scenes look genuinely stunning. TechRadar, What Hi-Fi and T3 all rate it highly; What Hi-Fi calls it "brighter, richer and more refined" than its predecessor, and LG kept launch prices flat versus 2025.

Gaming credentials remain a strength. According to TechRadar, the C6 now supports up to 4K 165Hz for PC gaming, alongside the variable refresh rate and low-latency game modes that have made LG's C-series a favourite with console and PC gamers.

webOS is one of the best smart TV operating systems around. It's fast, regularly updated, and LG's ThinQ app connects the TV to SmartThings, Google Home and HomeKit. Home Assistant users can integrate the C6 via the official LG webOS integration, controlling power, input, volume, and even launching apps.

The one caveat: OLED brightness is still lower than premium Mini-LED sets, making the C6 less ideal for very bright living rooms with direct sunlight. In a typical living room or darkened home cinema, it's hard to beat.

Best for: Movie enthusiasts, gamers, and users who prioritise picture quality over brightness.

2. Samsung QN90F — Best for Bright Rooms

For households where the TV lives in a bright living room with lots of natural light, the Samsung QN90F is a genuinely compelling alternative to OLED. Its Mini-LED backlight reaches brightness levels OLED can't match, which makes HDR look punchy and keeps the picture visible in sunlit rooms. TechRadar calls it "an outstanding mini-LED TV for bright room viewing".

The headline feature is Samsung's Glare-Free screen, which drastically reduces reflections compared to glossy panels. Gaming is excellent: TechRadar lists 4K 165Hz across all four HDMI 2.1 ports (up from 144Hz on the QN90D), plus FreeSync Premium Pro and Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud gaming without a console. The main omission is Dolby Vision, which Samsung still doesn't support (it uses HDR10+ instead).

Tizen remains Samsung's smart TV platform, and it's fast and feature-rich. SmartThings is built in, so the TV can act as a control centre for SmartThings devices, and Alexa and Bixby are both available for voice control. Home Assistant integration is available via the Samsung TV integration, though it's less reliable than LG's webOS integration.

Samsung's 2026 Neo QLED range stops at the QN80H and QN70H, with its new Micro RGB sets taking the premium slot, so the QN90F is still the bright-room Samsung to buy.

Best for: Bright rooms, Samsung ecosystem households, gamers who want maximum brightness for HDR content.

3. Sony BRAVIA 7 II — Best for Movie Lovers

The X90L we previously recommended has been discontinued, and Sony's current mid-range model is the BRAVIA 7 II. Instead of a conventional Mini-LED backlight, it drives individual red, green and blue LEDs (Sony's RGB Backlight Master Drive Pro), which reviewers credit with unusually rich colour for an LCD. The Shortcut gave it 4.5/5 and an Editor's Choice award.

It runs Google TV, now with Gemini, which pulls recommendations from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube and dozens of other services into one home screen. Voice control and Chromecast are built in, and retailer listings include Apple AirPlay 2.

It's no longer a budget pick: it costs more than rival RGB LED sets, and Sony says only two of its four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM), which matters if you run several consoles. If you want Sony processing for less, look for the 2024 BRAVIA 7 on clearance.

Smart home integration via Google TV means the BRAVIA 7 II slots naturally into Google Home, and Home Assistant supports Sony's TVs via the Sony Bravia integration with basic controls.

Best for: Film fans who want Sony's colour and processing and the best smart TV OS for Google Home users.

Comparison Table

Feature	LG OLED C6	Samsung QN90F	Sony BRAVIA 7 II
Panel Type	OLED evo	Neo QLED Mini-LED	True RGB LED
Contrast	Infinite (self-lit)	Excellent	Very good
Brightness	Moderate (OLED)	Very high	High
Gaming	Excellent (up to 4K/165Hz)	Excellent (4K/165Hz, 4× HDMI 2.1)	Good (4K/120Hz, 2× HDMI 2.1)
Smart OS	webOS	Tizen	Google TV (Gemini)
Dolby Vision	Yes	No (HDR10+)	Yes
Google Home	Yes	Yes	Native
SmartThings	Via integration	Built in	Limited
Price Range	$$$	$$$	$$$

Smart Home Integration Notes

All three TVs support voice control and work with the major smart home platforms. For Home Assistant users:

• LG OLED C6: Best HA integration via the official webOS integration — supports power, input, volume, app launching, and state reporting
• Samsung QN90F: HA integration available but historically less reliable; built-in SmartThings is a strength
• Sony BRAVIA 7 II: Solid HA integration via the Sony Bravia integration; Google TV makes it ideal for Google Home users

Which TV Should You Buy?

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