Best 65-Inch TVs Under $1,000

These televisions from Hisense, LG, Roku, Sony, and TCL deliver the goods on picture quality and other factors CR evaluates in our labs

You can find great deals on 65-inch TVs this time of the year, especially for leftover 2023 models that offer solid performance.

By James K. Willcox

This is an interesting time of year to be TV shopping. On one hand, you’ll still find a decent number of leftover 2023 models, often at their all-time lowest prices. But they are sitting alongside lots of 2024 TVs with much higher introductory prices.

Regardless of the model year the very best TVs in Consumer Reports’ TV ratings (available to members) can be quite pricey—often costing $2,000 or more. But there’s some good news: You don’t have to spend that much to get a great viewing experience. There are some very good 65-inch sets priced below $1,000.

The majority of the sets in this list of the best 65-inch TVs under $1,000 are 2023 models. But we now have three 2024 TVs—a Roku TV from Roku, a new Q-series set from TCL, and an entry-level model from Sony—plus another Sony model from 2022 that’s still available at some retailers. All can deliver very good overall picture quality, and several can provide a compelling HDR experience.

If you can wait a bit, we expect to see more 2024 models hit this list as prices start to drop over the next few months. Keep checking back.

Given that prices at this time of year can be volatile, it’s always a good idea to ask for a price-match guarantee from a retailer in case prices suddenly fall after you buy.

Want to save even more money? You can often spend less by getting a smaller version of a TV; the model names will be almost identical. And if you find a set with great picture quality but not great sound, you can easily fix that by adding a soundbar.

To make the most of your set, make sure that you’re using the right picture settings. You can make these adjustments yourself or choose a preset, such as Filmmaker Mode, to get it close to our own calibrated settings.

Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that buys every product in our ratings at retail outlets, just like consumers do. Members can also view our full TV ratings for more options, and anyone can consult our TV buying guide for advice on how to find the right TV.

Roku 65R8B5/65R8BX

The Roku 65R8B5/65R8BX is in the company’s new flagship Pro-series QLED TVs for 2024, which are situated above the Plus models in the company’s lineup. In our tests, it has very good overall picture quality, and the best HDR performance we’ve seen from a Roku-made model. It also has very good sound, and a wider-than-average viewing angle for an LCD-based set. Pro-series sets have more features than other models, including a 120Hz panel, quantum dots for a wider range of colors, and Mini LED backlights, which can help improve contrast and black levels. They also support Dolby Vision IQ HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. A setting called Roku Smart Picture uses AI to automatically adjust the TV’s picture based on the content that’s being played.

TCL 65QM850G

The TCL 65QM850G, the company’s flagship model for 2023, offers a lot of performance for the money, including very satisfying overall picture quality and top-notch HDR performance, thanks to excellent peak brightness. In 2023, the QM8 sets were the only TCL TVs to get Mini LED backlights. This year, more 2024 sets are getting this feature. In addition, this set has an enhanced audio system with a built-in subwoofer, which delivers better-than-average sound.

Hisense 65U8K

The Hisense 65U8K, the 2023 successor to the Hisense set listed below, offers very good overall picture quality, top-notch HDR performance, and very good sound. Like other 2023 ULED sets, it has a Mini LED backlight with even more local dimming zones than its predecessor, and it supports up to 144-hertz gaming. It’s a Google TV.

Roku 65R6A5R

The Roku 65R6A5R, a 2023 model, was among the first TVs made and sold by Roku. The HDR performance is more limited than that of most sets on this list, including its sibling above, but the model delivers excellent overall picture quality, plus very good sound, at a bargain price. This TV is in the step-up Roku Plus series, which are QLED TVs with full-array LED backlights with local dimming. It comes with a rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro.

TCL 65QM751G

The TCL 65QM751G, a midtier model in the company’s step-up Q (short for QLED) series of TVs for 2024, offers very good overall picture quality and top-notch HDR. It’s the least expensive model to get a Mini LED backlight, which can help with blacks and contrast. If you want to go bigger, this TV is also offered in 75-, 85-, and 98-inch screen sizes.

Sony KD65X85K

The Sony KD65X85K, a midtier 4K Google TV, is a 2022 set that’s still available at some retailers. It provides very good overall picture quality but only so-so HDR performance. This set lacks any local dimming feature, which you can find on higher-tier Sony TVs. Like other Sony sets, it uses the Google TV smart system, with Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in.

Sony K-65S30

The Sony K-65S30, in the company’s entry-level Bravia 3 series for 2024, is a fairly basic 60Hz set that nonetheless delivers very good overall picture quality, though sub-par HDR performance. It lacks features found on pricier models, such as local dimming and gaming features. It incorporates the Google TV smart system with built-in Google Assistant for voice control.

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