WIRED just dropped their definitive 2025 TV buying guide, and it reveals how dramatically the display landscape has shifted. The tech publication's latest roundup showcases everything from budget-friendly LEDs to premium OLED models, with Samsung, Sony, and LG leading the charge in picture quality innovation. What's most telling? The guide shows how OLED technology has finally hit mainstream pricing while 4K remains the sweet spot for most buyers.
The television market just got its annual report card, and the results show a tech landscape that's both more affordable and more impressive than ever. WIRED's comprehensive 2025 TV buying guide, penned by Ryan Waniata and Parker Hall, reveals how display technology has evolved to deliver premium experiences at nearly every price point.
Samsung continues to dominate the premium OLED space with its S95D QD-OLED, which the guide describes as a "fabulous" display that "would be adored in virtually any TV room." The company's matte-screen technology has solved one of OLED's biggest weaknesses - reflections - making these TVs viable in brighter rooms. But Samsung's Frame Pro stumbled badly, with reviewers noting "software issues" and "middling" picture performance that can't justify its premium price.
Sony maintains its reputation for picture processing excellence with the A95L earning a rare 9/10 rating from WIRED. The guide praises Sony's "fabulously immersive image quality" and notes how the company's 2025 Bravia 8 II builds on that foundation with "enhanced colors and higher HDR brightness." The Bravia 7 also impressed reviewers with "brilliant brightness" and "naturalistic colors," though poor off-axis viewing remains a concern.
LG holds steady in the OLED market with its B5 model, which WIRED calls "a prime example" of OLED's core strengths: "near-infinite contrast, flawless black levels, and stirringly natural colors." While not as bright as premium competitors, the B5 offers a "surprisingly full feature set" at a more accessible price point.
The real story might be in the middle tier, where Chinese manufacturers are pushing premium features down-market. TCL's QM7K represents this trend perfectly - offering "opulent black levels and contrast (that) reach toward OLED heights" for around $1,000. The guide notes some color accuracy issues that were fixed via firmware updates, highlighting how software now plays a crucial role in TV performance.
