Every year, TV brands update their lineup with the latest models, but there are not always advancements in spec or tech. The previous generation of sets are gradually phased out, but they often don’t carry many differences from the new generation, and end up selling for discounted prices.
2023 had an amazing crop of TVs, with serious advancements in QD-OLED (so much so that at one stage OLED seemed to be over) and even brighter and punchier-looking conventional OLEDs, thanks to the introduction of micro lens array (MLA) tech and even more powerful processors. Mini-LED took to new heights as well with brighter-than-ever panels and more advanced backlights, and there were even some surprises among regular QLED TVs.
As these TVs near the end of their yearly life cycle in 2024, some are available for more affordable prices. Below, I’ve listed three of the best TVs, all 2023 models, that you can get for less.
1. Samsung S90C
- Aim to pay: $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,995 (65-inch model)
What is it: The Samsung S90C was the entry-level OLED in Samsung’s 2023 TV range. It uses a QD-OLED panel that combines the deep black levels of OLED with the brightness of QLED. It also carries an extensive list of gaming features including 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium) and ALLM across four HDMI 2.1 ports – useful for multiple console owners. The S90C has a basic 2.1-channel, 40W built-in audio setup with Dolby Atmos support.
What we liked: In our review of the S90C, we praised its stunning picture quality, commenting on pictures that “enjoy a sense of depth, three-dimensionality and density that goes beyond mere sharpness”. We were also blown away by its gorgeous contrast, as it expertly balanced deep black levels with brilliant whites. Colors looked punchy and dynamic, completing the picture quality package.
We also loved its gaming capabilities and performance, thanks to a super-low 9.2ms input lag time that’s up there with the best gaming TVs, and found it to have surprisingly effective built-in audio with particularly excellent directional sound despite a somewhat limited speaker array.
The S90C found itself at the top of nearly every one of our best-of lists – even dethroning LG at the top of the best OLED TVs. We named it our TV of the Year at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2023 and gave it five out of five stars in our review.
What you should pay: Stocks for the S90C in its various sizes are starting to run out, but we wouldn’t be surprised if more appear for sales events such as Black Friday. Alongside the 65-inch prices you should aim for ($1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,995), look to pay $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,999 for the 55-inch model. Those aren’t the lowest ever prices we’ve seen for these models, but they’re roughly half off from release prices and an excellent deal.
2. Samsung QN90C
- Aim to pay: $1,049 / £899 / AU$1,799 (55-inch model)
What is it: The Samsung QN90C is part of Samsung’s 2023 Neo QLED range, which uses mini-LED backlight tech. It comes with an anti-glare screen ideal for brighter viewing environments and delivers high levels of both peak and full-screen brightness. It’s also an accomplished gaming TV, with four kitted out HDMI 2.1 ports, wth 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium) and ALLM support, as well as Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud gaming.
What we liked: Combining high brightness with an anti-glare screen and strong motion processing, the QN90C makes for an ideal sports companion, which is why it jumped to the top of our best TV for sports list. In our review, we said, “Picture detail was excellent and bright highlights had strong dynamic punch” and were also impressed with its surprisingly deep black levels and strong contrast when viewing movies.
With a similarly low 9.8ms input lag time to the Samsung S90C, the QN90C’s gaming performance also wowed us. It earned 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review and found itself on several of our other best-of lists, proving to be the best mini-LED TV of 2023.
What you should pay: The QN90C was available in a wide range of sizes and although those are starting to thin out, there are bargains to be had. Alongside the target 55-inch prices listed above, the 65-inch model’s sweet spot is roughly $1,399 / £1,199 (stocks in Australia are very low). Both sets are currently over 50% off their release prices.
3. LG C3
- Aim to pay: $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,699 (65-inch model)
What is it: The LG C-series was, and arguably still is, the most popular series of OLED TVs. The LG C3, 2023’s C-series entry, features LG’s OLED Evo panel, which is brighter than conventional W-OLED panels and delivers colorful and contrast-rich pictures. It’s also stacked with gaming features including 4K 120Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync) and ALLM support across four HDMI 2.1 ports.
What we liked: The C3 really is a jack-of-all-trades TV, sitting in many of our best-of lists as a ‘best for versatility’ or ‘best for sizes’ option, thanks to its wide range of screen sizes (42-83 inches). In our review we praised the C3 for its exceptional picture detail, excellent contrast and superb black levels, noting that “it’s every bit as impressive as its predecessor, and then some” compared with 2022’s brilliant LG C2.
The C3 is also a superb gaming TV, delivering fantastic performance with a super-low 9.2ms input lag made possible by LG’s useful Game Optimizer. It even has cloud-based gaming options from the likes of Utomik and Nvidia Geforce Now.
What you should pay: Alongside its popular 65-inch size, which you should aim to spend $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,699 for, small screen options are available, with the 42-inch model serving as a good option for smaller rooms or a desktop gaming monitor. For this, you should be looking to pay roughly $849 / £899 / AU$1,699. Again, this isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen, but it’s still very good for what the C3 delivers.
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james.davidson@futurenet.com (James Davidson)
