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The best 55-inch TV for 2022 – CNET [CNET]
If you’re ready to upgrade your home theater with a new television, a 55-inch TV may fit the bill. You may be surprised to learn that a 55-inch screen is actually considered a medium-size TV these days. Even more interesting is that when you look at the high-end television market, every nice TV series not only has a 55-inch size, it’s often the smallest size in the lineup. Companies have been offering ever-larger screens for lower prices — we’re talking just over $400 for a perfectly decent 55-inch TV — and sales can take the prices even lower.
Many of these TVs come with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect, including full-array local dimming, OLED screens, 120Hz refresh rate, 4K UHD resolution, HDR (high dynamic range), a plethora of HDMI ports, and even high-end gaming features — including variable refresh rate — to go with a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Oh, and most of these options for the best 55-inch TV are smart, which gives you access to all of your beloved streaming channels and TV shows without a second device. Talk about an optimal viewing experience!
In my view the 55-inch TV screen size offers more choice than any other, and there are a lot of quality options. Let me help you decide by listing my favorites.
The list below represents the best 55-inch TV options I’ve reviewed in CNET’s test lab (for 2022, that’s my basement), where I compare the pros and cons of various TV sets side by side to see which are most worth buying. Here are my latest recommendations for the best 55-inch TVs, periodically updated. Keep these points in mind as you look over my choices:
- Looking for a different screen size? Check out our comparisons of 32-inch TVs, 43-inch TVs, 65-inch TVs and 75-inch TVs.
- The images below are generally of 65-inch TVs since that’s the size we review at CNET. But the reviews also apply to the 55-inch versions.
- This list is updated periodically.
Read more: Do this to your TV now: 9 crucial settings to improve the picture
55-inch TV FAQs
Is a 55-inch TV big enough?
It depends on your room size, seating distance and personal taste. For a standard master bedroom or smaller living room a 55-inch TV is fine, but for larger rooms we recommend a larger TV, say a 65- or even 75-inch model, if you can afford it. If you sit closer to the screen you don’t need as large a TV for the best experience. For maximum theatrical impact, according to THX and SMPTE, you should be between 5.5 and 7 feet from a 55-inch screen, which is relatively close. Nearly every 55-inch TV has 4K resolution, and if you have 20/20 vision you can sit as close as about 4 feet and still not discern individual pixels.
How wide is a 55-inch TV?
Most 55-inch TVs measure between 48 and 49 inches wide. Because the frames around newer TV screens are typically quite narrow, 55-inch TV widths don’t vary much. Models with very slim frames are on the lower end — the 55-inch LG G1 measures 48.2 inches wide for example, while the slightly thicker-framed 55-inch TCL 4-Series is 48.7 inches wide. If you’re not planning to wall-mount the TV, you generally want the piece of furniture supporting the TV to measure at least as wide as the TV itself, and preferably a few inches wider. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for exact dimensions of a particular 55-inch TV.
How much does a 55-inch TV weigh?
A 55-inch TV weighs between 25 and 50 pounds with its stand, but this varies significantly depending on the type of TV. The TCL 4-Series 55-inch TV weighs 24.9 pounds with stand, for example, while the LG C1 weighs twice as much at 50.7 pounds with stand. Removing the stand — which often consists of a pair of little legs under the panel — allows you to wall-mount the TV and reduces its weight slightly (stands weigh between 1 and 8 pounds). Shipping weight (box, accessories, etc.) of 55-inch TVs ranges from 35 to 63 pounds. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for exact weights of a particular 55-inch TV.
How does CNET test TVs?
Our TV reviews follow a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process honed over nearly two decades of TV reviews. Our primary TV test lab has specialized equipment for measuring light and color, including a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer, a Murideo Sig-G 4K HDR signal generator and an AVPro Connect 8×8 4K HDR distribution matrix. We Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software to evaluate and calibrate every TV we review. In every CNET TV review, three or more similar TVs are compared side-by-side in various lighting conditions with different content, including movies, TV shows and games, across a variety of test categories, from color to video processing to gaming to HDR. Our reviews also account for design, features, smart TV performance, HDMI input and gaming compatibility and more.
Other stuff to know about buying a new 55-inch TV
I’m sure you’d be happy with any of the TVs above, but a new 55-inch TV set can be a big investment, so maybe you’re looking for a bit more information. Here’s a quick and dirty list.
- If you don’t like the way the built-in smart TV system interacts with your streaming apps, you can always add a media streamer. After all, there are more streaming services with more amazing content than ever before.
- Streamers are cheap and easy to use, and they receive updates more frequently than most smart TVs. See our picks of the best media streamers.
- Most built-in speakers sound terrible, so it’s worthwhile to pair your new set with a soundbar or other speaker system. Good ones start at around $100. See the best soundbars.
Got all that? Great! Now grab your remote control and settle in for some high-end TV viewing.
Looking for even more info? Here’s everything to know about buying a new TV for 2022.
More TV recommendations
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- How to buy a TV
- Best 65-inch TVs for 2022
- Best TVs for gaming with low input lag
- HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10, Technicolor and HLG explained
- Best HDMI cables for your new 4K and HDR TV
- How Samsung QLED and LG OLED, the two best TV technologies, compare for 2022
- Best home theater systems for 2022
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