The best TV for Apple TV will undoubtedly be among the best TVs in the market. This television will ideally support all of the Apple TV streaming box’s features, like 4K visuals with high frame rate HDR, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and much more.
These TVs will typically have built-in smart functionality since dumb TVs won’t support all of the Apple TV features, especially 4K resolution. They’ll also be available in various advanced display technologies, like QLED and OLED. Not to mention, they’ll feature several advanced connectivity ports so that you can connect your gaming consoles (or laptop) for an immersive large-screen experience.
In this buying guide, we’ll cover what a television for Apple TV is, how it works, its pros and cons, how long it lasts, and other aspects.
Top TVs for Apple TV
#1 Samsung UN85AU8000FXZA 85-inch Crystal UHD AU8000 Series 4K Smart TV
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has an Ultra High Definition resolution for outstanding picture clarity. It is great for viewing in dark rooms because of its high contrast ratio and also has great reflection handling.
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- Large screen size
- Supports HDR content
- Supports voice control
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- Narrow viewing angles
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The Samsung UN85AU8000FXZA is an 85-inch HDR Smart TV with a 4K picture resolution for sharp details. The TV has three HDMI and two USB ports for external connections, and thanks to support for HDR, users will be able to enjoy an ultra-realistic viewing experience. This, coupled with the display’s use of Samsung’s proprietary Dynamic Crystal Color technology, makes for rich and well-saturated colors, and thanks to its high contrast ratio, it is great to view, especially in dark rooms. However, some have complained that it has narrow viewing angles.
This display runs on the Tizen OS, which is packed with a wide range of apps and streaming channels to select and enjoy. Among these is the Apple TV+ streaming service, where subscribers will have the chance to stream exclusive movies and content. The display is compatible with the Apple TV box, and thanks to its Crystal Processor 4K, it can upscale lower-resolution content to 4K quality. It also supports multiple voice assistants and mounts flush to the wall due to its ultra-thin side profile.
#2 LG OLED C1 OLED55C1PUB 55-inch 4K Smart TV
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has impressive picture quality and is a suitable option for avid gamers. It has a rich selection of ports and support for HDR content.
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- Great for gamers
- Rich port selection
- Wide viewing angles
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- Not bright enough for well lit rooms
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The LG OLED C1 is a 55-inch 4K Smart TV that was released in 2021. It delivers crystal clear picture quality thanks to its over 8 million pixels, and its processor uses AI technology to improve and enhance content for the best viewing experience. The TV’s near-infinite contrast ratio makes brights pop while also keeping blacks very deep and dark. This fantastic result is attributed to its self-lit pixels, as they can be both turned off and lit individually. This makes the TV perfect for viewing or gaming in a dark room. On the flip side, its brightness level may not be bright enough for well-lit rooms.
Being a Smart TV, it runs on the WebOS 6.0 platform that is also pretty easy to navigate. Owners will have the option to choose among a wide range of apps to stream content from, such as Netflix and YouTube. There’s also an Apple TV app among these, so Apple TV users will be able to log in to their accounts and enjoy their preferred content. The display has four HDMI 2.1 ports on its rear, so there won’t be any problems connecting next-gen consoles such as the Xbox Series X or PS 5. It can also handle HDR content, has wide viewing angles, and supports Variable Refresh Rate technology for tear-free gaming.
#3 Sony X900H 65-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
Award: BEST FOR RICH PORT SELECTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has four HDMI ports and two HDMI 2.1 ports, as well as a USB 3.0 port for quick file transfer speeds. It also has great brightness and supports voice control.
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- Rich port selection
- Great brightness
- Supports voice control
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- Narrow viewing angles
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The Sony X900H is a 65-inch 4K TV with incredible brightness, sharp picture quality, and support for HDR content. It can get as bright as 670 nits when displaying HDR content, which is bright enough to have colors pop and have details stand out. Its use of X-Motion Clarity technology ensures that fast-moving scenes remain clear without any sense of motion blur, and its Full-Array LED ensures that there are detailed dark scenes. The display also has four HDMI ports, with two of them supporting the 2.1 standards. This means owners can connect their next-gen gaming consoles to these two ports. It also has a USB 3.0 port that allows for rapid data transfer. However, it has pretty narrow viewing angles, so group viewing might be difficult.
The display runs very smoothly on the Android TV interface, so users will be able to issue voice commands through Google Assistant whenever they don’t feel like navigating using the remote. Popular picks such as Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube come pre-installed on the Android TV platform, but users might have to navigate to the Google PlayStore to download specialty apps like Apple TV. Nonetheless, users will still have a wide range of streaming apps and services to choose from.
#4 Vizio PX65-G1 P-Series Quantum X 65-inch 4K HDR Smart TV
Award: BEST FOR BRIGHTNESS
WHY WE LIKE IT: Its HDR brightness level is relatively high, making it ideal for users who want to view it in a brightly lit environment. Its picture quality is also good, and its colors are rich and well saturated.
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- Exceptional brightness level
- Rich color
- High refresh rate
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- Narrow viewing angles
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The Vizio PX65-G1 is a premium 4K display with impressive peak brightness and a super high 240Hz refresh rate for butter-smooth transitions. It handles reflections very well and has an excellent response time to prevent any instances of motion blur. The display can also render HDR content and has a contrast ratio of 5,414:1 for deep blacks and bright whites. Its Full Array Local Dimming feature also adds significantly to its contrast, and with an outstanding HDR brightness of 1406 nits, the display is easily a top choice for anyone who wants to view it in a brightly lit environment. Sadly, it has pretty narrow viewing angles.
This display runs on the SmartCast OS, which is specific to Vizio displays and comes with a wide range of apps and streaming services to choose from. TV owners living in the US or Canada who upgrade to the latest version will enjoy access to the Apple TV streaming service to catch up on their favorite shows. In contrast, those living outside those territories might just have to sign up for a VPN service to do so.
#5 Sony A80J 65-inch Bravia XR OLED 4K Ultra HD TV
Award: BEST FOR WIDE VIEWING ANGLES
WHY WE LIKE IT: Its wide viewing angles make it ideal for group viewing, and its contrast is great for dark room viewing. Color reproduction is also pretty accurate, and it also comes with two HDMI ports that support next-gen consoles.
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- Wide viewing angles
- Wide color gamut
- Great contrast
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- No support for FreeSync technology
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The Sony A80J is a top-tier OLED TV that was released in 2021. It features excellent contrast, an impressive 4K screen resolution, support for HDR content, and a wide color gamut. The TV is of superb build quality, and since its use of OLED technology allows it to turn off individual pixels completely, the TV has perfect black uniformity. It is perfect for group viewing thanks to its superb viewing angles, and it also has a slightly matte finish that helps with reflection handling. The display’s 120Hz refresh rate keeps images pretty smooth, and its support for a Variable Refresh Rate makes it an ideal pick for gaming. However, players will have to note that it does not have any FreeSync support.
This Sony TV runs on the Google TV platform, an upgrade from Android TV that is the default on Smart Sony TVs released before 2021. It is a pretty smooth platform to navigate and comes with a wide range of streaming apps for users to choose from. Fans of the Apple TV app can go ahead and download it from the Google Playstore, but those who prefer streaming from Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube won’t have to since those come pre-installed.
#6 TCL 55S535 55-inch 4K UHD QLED Smart TV
Award: BEST FOR DARK ROOM VIEWING
WHY WE LIKE IT: Its high contrast ratio makes it ideal for dark room viewing, and its color gamut is wide enough to display HDR content.
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- High contrast is great for dark room viewing
- Wide color gamut
- Rapid response time
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- No support for Variable Refresh Rate technology
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The 55-inch TCL 5-Series 4K UHD TV is a mid-range display that was announced in 2020. Its use of a VA panel means it can display deep and dark blacks, and its wide color gamut means colors are accurately reproduced. The TV can seamlessly upgrade sub-4K content, and since it has a rapid response time, there is very little likelihood of users coming across motion blur. Its low input lag may appeal to gamers, and its contrast ratio of 7200:1 makes it great for dark room viewing. Unfortunately, it does not support any Variable Refresh Rate technology.
The Roku TV interface that the TCL TV runs on has been praised for being user-friendly and very easy to navigate. Its lineup of apps includes the likes of Netflix and YouTube, but users will be able to download the Apple TV app from the Roku Channel Store. The display also has a decent port selection, with four HDMI and one USB port to cater to any external connections.
Beginner’s Guide to TVs for Apple TV
What is a TV for Apple TV?
A TV for Apple TV is a television that you can use with the Apple TV streaming device. Ideally, the TV will need to support 4K resolution and HDR since the Apple TV streaming device is designed to push out 4K HDR visuals.
By connecting the Apple TV to your TV, you’ll convert its operating system into one that’s similar to what you find on smart Apple devices, like the iPhone. The Apple interface makes navigation, browsing, and streaming incredibly simple and convenient for users. You’ll also have direct access to Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and Apple TV+ through this streaming box.
TVs for Apple TV vs Other TVs
A TV for Apple TV is essentially a television that can connect to the Apple TV streaming device and support its features, particularly the advanced ones. You could connect the Apple TV to a dumb TV and convert it into a smart one, but you won’t find any dumb TVs in the market that can support all of the Apple TV’s features, like 4K resolution, high frame rate HDR, Dolby Atmos, and more.
Models that pair well with Apple TV feature superior display technologies, like OLED and QLED. Older models or those made with LCD or LED will work, too, but they won’t give the best image quality. The ideal display offers wide color gamuts and deep blacks for stunning contrast, and they’ll utilize the high frame rate HDR and Dolby Vision features superbly.
Televisions with higher resolutions of at least 1080p Full HD and better make the best choices for Apple TV, but you really want a model that supports 4K. Although a 720p model can work, you’ll miss out on the amazing visuals that come with 4K resolution. Most importantly, these TVs will support the latest HDMI connectivity options (2.0 and 2.1) so that they can receive higher video resolutions and refresh rates from the Apple TV streaming box.
How a TV for Apple TV Works
Similar to other smart TVs and the Google TV, a TV for Apple TV operates similarly by transforming electrical signals into pictures and sounds and displaying them on the screen. The TV will be designed to work with streaming devices that give you access to internet-based content. Similar to your smartphone and laptop, a TV for Apple TV 4K will have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network to function.
Like the best Toshiba TV, it’s not hard to use a TV for Apple TV. Once you connect the streaming device, your TV’s operating system will transform into the Apple TV OS, making it supremely simple and familiar to navigate.
Why should you buy a TV for Apple TV?
If you’re looking to supercharge your viewing experience with the Apple TV, you also need to select a TV to unlock the Apple TV’s full potential. Let’s look at some reasons why it’s worth buying and why you may want to skip it.
Is a TV for Apple TV Worth Buying?
- Unparalleled Visual Experience: A TV for Apple TV can support all 4K features, like 4K resolution, high frame rate HDR, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and much more. You’ll enjoy the most premium viewing experience with these TVs.
- Advanced Display Technology: These TVs are likely to support advanced display technology, like OLED and QLED. The true-to-life colors, contrast, and brightness will create a lifelike visual experience for you.
Why a TV for Apple TV May Not Be for You
- You Don’t Have the Budget: TVs that can support all Apple TV’s 4K features are going to be considerably heavy on your pocket. If you’re on a budget, look into smaller TVs, like a 60-inch or 55-inch TV.
- You’re Not Looking for a Hyper Immersive Visual Experience: If you’re not particular about having a life-like viewing experience, you don’t need an advanced TV that can support this streaming device.
How Long Will a TV for Apple TV Last?
Like the best TV for conference rooms, how long a TV for the Apple TV 4K will last depends on several factors. These factors include the TV’s quality, how well it’s maintained, how much it’s used, and most importantly, its display technology.
On an LCD TV, you should get between 50,000 to 60,000 hours of viewing, which is likely to last you a decade.
LED TVs offer better picture quality and have a lifespan of 40,000 to 100,000 hours when used at maximum or near-maximum brightness. Even with heavy use, these TVs will work quite well for 5 to 7 years, and over a decade with moderate or low usage. But over the years, as the TV sees more use, there will be a decrease in picture quality.
OLED TVs perform even better than their LED counterparts, but the material used in these panels is organic, so they have a limited lifespan. You’ll notice a decline in picture quality after using these televisions at max settings for 8 to 10 years.
QLED TVs use quantum light-emitting diodes to improve the colors and the brightness of pictures on the display. Since it isn’t based on organic materials, QLED TVs don’t degrade over time and provide stunning picture quality even after years of heavy use. At max settings, QLEDs can last between 7 to 10 years or longer without any loss in picture quality.
QLED displays are also burn-in-free, so they’ll offer you a consistent viewing experience over the long run. With other displays, if a static image is displayed on the screen for long periods, it can leave a permanent outline known as burn-in.
How to Choose a TV for Apple TV
Once you’ve decided to select the best TV for Apple TV 4K, it’s time to consider some key factors to narrow down on your selection. The resolution, display technology, refresh rate, and price range are some of these factors. Let’s take a look at these and more below.
Best TV for Apple TV Key Factors
1. What’s the Resolution?
Resolution is the number of pixels that compose the images on a TV display. You’ll always want a high resolution because the more the number of pixels, the higher the quality and sharpness of the visuals.
With HD (720p) resolution, you get 921,600 pixels, which doubles to 2 million at Full HD (1080p). With a 4K TV, you are looking at 8 million pixels, which is an enormous upgrade in picture quality from Full HD. Since the Apple TV 4K is designed to support 4K resolution, you wouldn’t be utilizing it thoroughly if you pick a TV that can’t display content in 4K.
There are some TVs in the market that offer 8K resolution, but there are two reasons why you may want to skip them for now. First, you won’t find them in screen sizes below 65 inches. Second, there is practically no 8K content to stream on any digital streaming app. It’ll probably be a few years before 8K resolution becomes prevalent.
2. What Display Technology Does It Have?
In general, there are four display technologies on the display market, namely LCD, LED, OLED, and QLED.
LCD, liquid crystal display, uses fluorescent tubes to produce light. Unfortunately, their picture quality is low compared to LED, OLED, and QLED displays. They’re also the least expensive option.
LED technology (light-emitting diodes) also incorporates a liquid crystal display, but it uses light-emitting diodes to create light. Compared to LCDs, LED TVs have superior image quality and sharpness.
On an OLED TV (organic light-emitting diode), the display uses a sheet of organic LEDs with subpixels that produce their own light. This leads to the deepest blacks, stunning image contrast, and incredible image quality that remains sharp and clear even when viewed from an angle.
QLED (Quantum-dot LED) displays have LCD panels that are lit by LEDs. A quantum dot layer fills the gap between the panel and the backlight. QLED displays perform better than OLEDs and LEDs when it comes to brightness and is excellent for sunny rooms with a lot of sunlight. But in terms of picture quality, QLEDs aren’t as good as OLEDs.
3. How Much is the Refresh Rate?
The refresh rate refers to how many times a picture is refreshed on the screen per second. It’s measured in Hertz. On most televisions, the standard refresh rate is 60 Hz (60 frames per second). If the frame rate (FPS) of the video you’re watching is higher than your refresh rate, your display won’t show you all the frames that are being produced.
A 30 or 60 Hz refresh rate is decent if you watch something basic on your TV. But for those high-intensity sports programs and fast-paced action sequences with lots of visual elements, it can make the images look choppy. Higher refresh rates of 120 Hz or 240 Hz will ensure you have a smooth visual experience when watching sports matches and action films and while playing video games.
4. Does It Support HDR?
High Dynamic Range or HDR or enables a TV display to produce a wide range of colors that lead to a far more accurate visual experience than what’s seen on non-HDR TVs. Without HDR, the display will not be equipped to showcase specific colors and the pictures will lack accuracy. Although HDR is supported across LCD, LED, OLED, and QLED screens, it is only available on 4K displays.
On previous Apple TV models, there was a 30 Hz limit when viewing HDR content on YouTube. But the Apple TV 4K can also process high frame rate content in HDR without any issues, so you’re looking at 4K HDR content at 60 Hz. At double the frame rate, you’re looking at brighter visuals, more realistic colors, and sharper quality.
5. Does It Offer Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos?
Apple TV 4K uses Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, so you’ll want to find a TV that supports both of these imaging and audio technologies.
Dolby Vision’s advanced HDR technology gives you incredible colors, contrast, and clarity. Dolby Atmos brings you three-dimensional spatial audio for a supremely immersive viewing experience.
6. How Many HDMI Ports?
Since you can’t add HDMI ports, it’s best to pick a TV with enough ports for all your needs. You’ll need to evaluate the number of ports you need based on how many devices you plan to connect to the TV.
For gamers with consoles, such as PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, you’ll need enough HDMI ports to connect all your devices and the sound system. It’ll also help if you pick a model that supports HDMI 2.1 for a terrific large-screen gaming experience and low input lag.
7. What’s Your Budget?
You can find TVs that’ll work with Apple TV 4K for less than $500, but to truly utilize its potential, you’ll need to look at TVs on the higher end of the price spectrum, generally between $800 to $2000.
Some of these TVs can go as high as $3000 and will boast massive screen sizes, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, advanced smart TV features, and stunning display technology with 4K and HDR support.
