Tom's Guide Awards 2022: The TVs and streaming devices we loved this year
Tom's Guide Awards 2021: The TVs and streaming devices we loved this year
Subsequently more than a year of lockdowns and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, it'south no surprise that many of us looked to our TVs and streaming devices for entertainment. On the streaming front, there'due south been a suite of stellar TV series and movies landing on the likes of Netflix, HBO MAX, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. And there are now more choices than ever when it comes to live TV services that can aid you cut the cord.
When it comes to TVs, nosotros've seen mini-LEDs and OLED TVs push the envelope in terms of picture show quality. And streaming devices and smart TVs are getting smarter with the add-on of better voice controls, more intuitive interfaces and integration with the rest of our smart homes. Overall, in that location's a lot to celebrate in this year's Tom's Guide Awards when information technology comes to TVs and streaming.
Best TV: Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV
The all-time TV nosotros've tested is the Samsung Neo QLED QN90A, Samsung'southward flagship premium 4K smart TV. Putting the "neo" in Neo QLED is the introduction of mini-LED backlighting, which enhances the additional color of breakthrough-dots with the tighter effulgence control that tinier LED backlighting zones provide. The brighter colors, deeper blacks and reduced halos show how far the Neo QLED display goes to narrow the gap betwixt LCD and OLED display technologies. The issue is one of the all-time-looking TVs we've ever seen, and Samsung doesn't finish there.
You also go HDMI 2.1 connectivity, a rich drove of smart features and gaming capabilities and killer visual and audio performance — making information technology the best gaming TV of the year and offering the all-time sound, also. Fine touches like a solar-powered rechargeable remote and added capabilities that let you video conversation on your TV, get personalized fettle teaching or use information technology for productive office piece of work all testify that Samsung makes one of the smartest TVs you tin can buy.
Highly Recommended: TCL half-dozen-Series Roku Television receiver R635
The TCL 6-Series Roku TV R635 proves that innovation, premium quality and affordability can all exist had in 1 excellent TV, with its combination of mini-LED and QLED offering slap-up picture quality and Roku Telly offering a rich (if streamlined) smart TV experience. Information technology's incredible value for the price.
Best TV innovation: TCL QLED + Mini-LED
TCL was first to the dial with mini-LED and the TCL 6-Serial Roku Television set R635 refined the new tech for better picture quality and a more than affordable price. The result is one of the best TVs y'all tin can buy, utilizing QLED for fantastic color quality and mini-LED for ameliorate brightness and HDR performance than anything that came before it.
Information technology's exactly the sort of innovation that matters, sending ripples through the Goggle box manufacture and prompting Samsung and LG to both introduce their own mini-LED-backlit models for 2021. Several months after its release, the TCL 6-Serial Roku TV R635 remains one of the best values in the Idiot box world.
Highly Recommended: Samsung Solar Cell remote command
Of all the refinements and changes we've seen come to TVs in the last 12 months, one of the best is also a brilliantly unproblematic idea: Replace the batteries in your remote command with a rechargeable battery and a built-in solar jail cell. Samsung's Solar Remote deserves some praise as i of the smartest innovations in TVs.
Best TV sound: Samsung Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+) and Q-Symphony
Samsung's Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+) technology uses an assortment of up and downwardly firing speakers around and behind a TV to produce dynamic audio that tracks with the objects on screen. When nosotros tested it on the Samsung Neo QLED QN90A, we were impressed not simply with the volume that the 60-watt speakers produced, simply likewise the great quality and immersion that the four.2.ii channel setup provided.
And Samsung ups the ante a chip more with Q-Symphony, which lets yous pair the Television receiver with a Samsung soundbar and so use all of the speakers on both devices for a giant soundstage and a more theater-like sound experience. Did we mention that it can too provide Dolby Atmos sound for Atmos-enabled soundbars? It all adds upwardly to the best Television sound of the year.
Highly Recommended: LG G1 OLED evo 4K Tv set
The LG G1 OLED'due south slim xx-millimeter thick chassis looks impressive, but sounds even better, thank you to an array of built-in 4.two aqueduct speakers backed by 60 watts of ability. LG's AI Sound Pro processing enhances everything from dialogue to sound effects, and Dolby Atmos sound makes the whole thing sound bigger and more impressive than the gorgeous Television receiver already is.
Best value Television receiver: Vizio OLED Tv set
When it comes to value, there are a lot of TVs that deliver bully blindside for the buck, but the Vizio OLED Boob tube stands caput and shoulders to a higher place the residual, delivering what was once the unattainable Holy Grail for TVs: a 55-inch OLED Television set for nether $one,000. While the Vizio OLED55-H1 usually retails at $1,299 it'south a frequent highlight of large sales events and is regularly available for $999 or fifty-fifty less. In short, it's a value monster.
The OLED display ways that the Vizio as well offers fantastic picture quality, with rich blackness levels, first-class HDR capability and overall premium quality. This gets paired with potent audio and Vizio'due south improved SmartCast smart TV platform, which bolsters its expanded app selection with born support for Google Bandage and Apple tree AirPlay 2. Information technology'due south an easy pick for the all-time value Television set of the year.
Highly Recommended: TCL 5-Series Roku Telly (S535)
For an incredible value that's under $1,000 for every screen-size, at whatever time of year, nosotros love the TCL 5-Series Roku Telly (S535). The combination of QLED enhancement and the Roku TV platform make for an affordable Television set that looks great and offers a wealth of content.
Highly Recommended: Hisense U8G
The Hisense U8G Android TV is another notable value, offer a great smart Boob tube experience with Android TV and QLED for excellent performance. It's 1 of the best 4K smart TVs yous can get for the price.
Best smart Telly platform: Google TV
When it comes to the software that makes smart TVs tick, the alter that impressed us most for 2021 was the move to Google Television set. Information technology's already available on Sony's 2021 TVs, with TCL to follow in the coming months, and enhances Android Tv set with a redesigned interface that improves the navigation and content recommendations.
Plus, Google TV fifty-fifty adds some features we've never seen elsewhere, similar accounts for individual users and really smart parental controls. Information technology also takes advantage of Google'due south compatibility with other devices so you can update watchlists from your phone or laptop, and share info between different devices. It all adds upwardly to the best smart Telly feel nosotros've seen in a while.
Highly Recommended: Samsung Tizen
While Samsung has always added unique functionality to its smart TVs, peculiarly for Samsung phone users, the latest version of Tizen gets especially clever. Features like the power to connect a webcam and use Google Duo video conversation straight on the TV seem especially timely, equally do fitness programs that can offer you feedback on your technique.
Best Boob tube pattern: LG G1 OLED TV
When it comes to sleek TV designs, it's hard to ignore the slim, wall-hanging LG G1 OLED Boob tube. The 20-millimeter-thick chassis pattern houses all of the components and speakers in a body that's fabricated for easy wall-mounting without requiring professional person installation, or even a separate TV mount. That design isn't new (it's virtually identical to its 2020 predecessor), simply LG has taken the opportunity to showcase its new OLED evo technology exclusively in the G1 OLED Idiot box, making it the all-time-looking fix we've seen, whether it's on or off.
Highly Recommended: Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV
If you lot desire a pretty TV, it's too worth considering the Samsung Neo QLED Q90A. As the premier 4K Smart Tv from Samsung, it gets the full treatment, with a chassis design that looks almost equally good from behind every bit it does from the forepart.
Best gaming Tv: Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV
The Samsung Neo QLED QN90A is a superb (if premium) option for panel gaming, with an excellent 12.6 millisecond lag time, 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.ane connectivity. You'll also become features like auto low-latency fashion (ALLM) and variable refresh rate (VRR), plus several that y'all won't find elsewhere such every bit avant-garde frame-rate syncing options and a built-in bill of fare that can tweak settings to optimize them for gaming. Throw in the fact that information technology as well offers brilliant moving picture quality and sound, and the QN90A is a fantastic choice for gamers.
Highly Recommended: TCL half-dozen-Series Roku Television (R635)
The TCL half dozen-Serial Roku TV R635 boasts gamer-friendly features such as ALLM, VRR and a THX Certified Game Style, just at a very reasonable cost for a 4K set.
Best streaming device: Chromecast with Google TV
Chromecast with Google Goggle box takes the already-noble Chromecast and gives it a bunch of new skills that go far improve than e'er. You can do more than than just cast streams to this Chromecast, every bit Google Television receiver apps give it access to every single streaming service, while the neat remote feels bang-up in the manus and doesn't overdo the promotional buttons.
That said, the Chromecast with Google TV is the best new streaming device of the past year because of the way it mixes affordability with quality audio and video. Aye, for just $50 you can get a 4K UHD streaming device with HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, merely without having to use an ad-filled operating arrangement.
Highly Recommended: Roku Express 4K Plus
The $twoscore Roku Express 4K Plus is an even-more affordable 4K UHD streaming device, although not quite as full-featured.
Best live tv streaming service: Sling TV
When nosotros want to stream live Idiot box, we're increasingly looking at Sling Boob tube every bit the all-time of the field. Not only does information technology accept the lowest entry-level price at $35 per month for Sling Blue or Sling Orange, only it'south got virtually (if not all) of the channels we at Tom'due south Guide need to watch. And if one of those entry-level packages isn't enough, the $l per month Orange and Blue ready probably will do the flim-flam, while even so existence cheaper than the competition.
On acme of that, Sling is too upgrading its interface, rolling out new apps to all the different streaming device platforms. This update gives DVR the space on your screen it deserves, and makes information technology easy to play favorites and select the channels you lookout man nigh often.
Highly Recommended: YouTube Television receiver
We're excited to hear that YouTube TV is adding Dolby 5.i surround sound shortly, and you tin can already go 4K streaming and offline downloads for $20 extra.
All-time sports streaming service: Sling Goggle box
Sling Telly isn't known for sports, just it should exist. When information technology's time to lookout man the playoffs, Finals and Super Bowls, they've got most of the channels you lot really need. Yes, even without ABC, yous tin catch all of that network'south NBA playoffs games on Sling, every bit ESPN3 is simulcasting those games. Key in this lineup is TNT, which basketball fans are going to want and which isn't on every rival.
Sling Tv set's too got the ESPN and FOX channels for nationally broadcast-MLB games, besides as many of the networks football fans will want for the upcoming NFL season. And if the channel y'all want isn't available, add-ons will requite you access to plenty more so y'all can merely pay for what yous need.
Highly Recommended: Fubo Television
Beloved by sports fans for a reason, Fubo TV has college sports channels, the Tennis Aqueduct, FS1 and FS2, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN three and the NFL Network. Desire more? And so in that location'due south NBC Golf, the beIN sports channels and the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB networks.
Best streaming service for original programming: HBO Max
HBO Max's content has consistently been tiptop-notch. Our favorite HBO Max Originals include Hacks, Made For Love and the splendid murder mystery The Flight Attendant, which found Kaley Cuoco in peak class. Speaking of Cuoco, HBO Max became the new habitation for her other great original show: Harley Quinn, which may exist one of the funniest comic book shows to appointment. Of course HBO Max also includes the all-time HBO shows, such as the spooky and underrated Lovecraft Country and Mare of Easttown. The latter proved to be super-buzzy, as it got everybody raving nearly Kate Winslet (again) and talking about Pennsylvania accents.
Highly Recommended: Disney Plus
Disney Plus had a very large striking with WandaVision, and Hamilton drew a ton of eyes, while Falcon and Winter Soldier and Loki gave folks reason to keep their subscriptions agile.
Best streaming service original show: WandaVision
Wanda Maximoff and The Vision were never truly given enough fourth dimension to smoothen in the MCU, so they proved to be perfect leads for the first Disney Plus Marvel serial. On tiptop of that, WandaVision gave us something new for the MCU: the "mystery box" show format that's been made famous by shows such equally Lost. Some surprises were bigger than others, and we'll all remember how they re-cast Pietro, at least for a brusk while.
Each week, we got to pare back another thin layer of the mystery of Westview, a New Jersey suburb that our heroes lived in despite not understanding information technology. And one time we finally found the big, bad dominate at the eye of that mystery box, we got a jam to trip the light fantastic toe to equally a bonus. WandaVision truly thrived, though, considering information technology got to tell a story virtually how we process grief, and that really helped it stand out in a sea of spandex adventures.
Highly Recommended: The Flight Attendant
HBO Max Original The Flying Attendant proved to be an excellent pulpy mystery, and gave Large Blindside Theory doubters reason to believe in Kaley Cuoco.
Best streaming device interface: Apple tree tvOS
Apple tvOS is the near superbly stripped-down streaming device OS there is. Apple simply gives you a serial of app tiles, without ads in the corners or in screensavers, and it really works. Alright, and so an Apple TV 4K isn't inexpensive, at $179, but the Apple tvOS interface is so damn good that information technology's worth it. Plus, its TV app does a keen job of collecting many of the shows you've been watching lately, giving you the choice to restart where y'all left off.
Highly Recommended: Roku OS
Roku's OS is still nice and elementary, putting the focus on your apps and providing a gateway to free content in The Roku Channel.
All-time streaming device remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro
This year, Roku finally got the memo about rechargeable remotes, equally the new Roku Voice Remote Pro does away with dispensable batteries. You lot but plug the included USB cord into the bottom of the remote and a charger, and you're i step closer to forgetting why you keep ordering more AA batteries online. Plus, you can apply your voice to find it when y'all inevitably misplace it: just say "Hey Roku, where's my remote?" and it'll emit a chinkle noise. You also get programmable buttons and at but $29, it'due south half the price of the other remote everyone was talking about this year.
Highly Recommended: Apple Goggle box Remote
The new $59 Apple tree Tv set Remote eschews the divisive touchpad design for directional buttons, something it's long needed to practice.
Best streaming app: Disney Plus
The Disney Plus app but gets improve and better, with useful features such equally remote Group Lookout man viewing and forthcoming support for Apple's SharePlay service beating others to the punch. It's also incredibly piece of cake to use, for instance listing out the Marvel movies in order by MCU phase for maximum convenience. Plus, it earns points for giving you lot everything in the highest resolution available, and for listing when its Disney Plus Premier Access movies will be available to watch for gratuitous online — a nice touch that it didn't need to do.
Highly Recommended: Apple Goggle box
The Apple TV app offers a smashing way to effigy out what to sentry adjacent, consolidating your activity from a variety of services.
Best costless streaming service: Pluto Telly
If you oasis't taken a expect at Pluto TV recently, you lot should definitely give it a try: information technology's packed with the kind of options you'd only expect to see on paid Television receiver. Those beginning with the first Hunger Games movie on the Pluto TV Action channel, and defended channels for Bar Rescue and Forensic Files, giving you lot the marathons y'all may desire. It'southward also got live news channels from CBS, CNN, NBC and other sources, plus plenty of content in the crime, reality Tv and comedy sections. Impressive stuff.
Highly Recommended: Peacock
The costless tier of Peacock has lots of excellent films and content, letting you sample its new premium shows such as Girls5eva without paying.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/toms-guide-awards-2021-tv-streaming
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