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Best LED Backlight TVs 2024 - Sony BRAVIA 9, Hisense U8N, Samsung QN90D

User question

What are the best LED backlight TVs to buy in 2024?

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

As of May 8, 2026, if you mean the best 2024 model-year LED-backlit TVs to buy, the strongest picks are:

  • Best overall / best picture quality: Sony BRAVIA 9
  • Best for most people / best value: Hisense U8N
  • Best for sports and multi-device gaming: Samsung QN90D
  • Best high-brightness / big-screen value: TCL QM8 (QM851G)
  • Best lower-cost mini-LED option: Hisense U7N (tomsguide.com)

If you want just one answer:

  • Buy the Sony BRAVIA 9 if you want the best LED-LCD picture quality and do not mind paying flagship pricing. (tomsguide.com)
  • Buy the Hisense U8N if you want the smartest overall purchase for price-to-performance. (techradar.com)

Detailed problem analysis

In 2024, the best “LED backlight TVs” were not ordinary edge-lit LCDs; they were overwhelmingly Mini-LED full-array local dimming LCDs. Mini-LED packs far more, much smaller LEDs behind the panel, which improves local dimming precision, raises HDR brightness, and reduces blooming versus conventional LED-LCD designs. That is why nearly every serious 2024 recommendation clustered around Mini-LED models rather than basic LED sets. (techradar.com)

1. Sony BRAVIA 9 — best overall LED-backlit TV

The Sony BRAVIA 9 is the most technically complete 2024 LED-LCD. Tom’s Guide named it Best TV of 2024, and RTINGS currently ranks it as the best LED TV / best non-OLED TV overall. Its main strengths are outstanding SDR brightness for bright rooms, excellent local dimming with very low blooming, highly accurate picture reproduction, and class-leading processing for upscaling and motion. (tomsguide.com)

From an engineering standpoint, Sony’s advantage is not only raw backlight power but also control quality: the BRAVIA 9’s backlight and processing system produce deeper blacks and better highlight control than most competitors. Official Sony specs confirm a Mini LED backlight, local dimming, Dolby Vision, anti-reflection, and HDMI 2.1 features including 4K120, VRR, ALLM, and eARC. (sony.com)

Its main drawbacks are practical rather than visual: it is expensive, it tops out at 65/75/85 inches, and for gaming it is less flexible than Samsung because it has only two 4K120 HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which also serves as eARC. If you are a home-theater-first buyer, this is the best 2024 LED TV. If you are a connectivity-first gamer, there are better choices. (rtings.com)

2. Hisense U8N — best for most people

The Hisense U8N is the strongest recommendation for most buyers because it gets very close to flagship performance without flagship cost. TechRadar still lists it as the best mini-LED TV for most people, and Tom’s Guide gave it the Best QLED TV award in 2024. RTINGS also finds it better than the Samsung QN90D in most ways, citing deeper blacks, stronger HDR brightness, and better game-mode brightness retention. (techradar.com)

Official Hisense information adds the practical details buyers care about: up to 3000 peak brightness, Dolby Vision HDR, anti-glare/low reflection, 144Hz VRR, Dolby Vision Gaming, FreeSync Premium Pro, ATSC 3.0, and a built-in 50W 2.1.2 speaker system. RTINGS likewise notes support for HDMI 2.1, 4K144, and VRR. (hisense-usa.com)

Its trade-offs are familiar LCD trade-offs: narrower viewing angles than Samsung, and image processing that is good but still less refined than Sony’s. If your room is bright, you want very strong HDR impact, and you care about value, the U8N is arguably the sweet spot of the whole 2024 LED market. (rtings.com)

3. Samsung QN90D — best for sports and gaming-heavy setups

The Samsung QN90D is not my first choice for movies, but it is a very strong choice for sports, fast motion, and users with multiple HDMI 2.1 devices. TechRadar classifies it as the best mini-LED TV for sports, and RTINGS highlights four HDMI 2.1 ports, all capable of up to 4K144 with VRR, along with very low input lag. (techradar.com)

Official Samsung materials confirm the set’s Quantum Matrix Mini LEDs, Neo Quantum HDR+, and Motion Xcelerator 144Hz support on most sizes. That makes it particularly attractive for PC gamers and households with a console, an AVR/soundbar, and perhaps an external streamer all connected simultaneously. (samsung.com)

The important caveat is format support: compared with the Sony BRAVIA 9 and Hisense U8N, Samsung still lacks Dolby Vision. RTINGS’ Sony-vs-Samsung and Hisense-vs-Samsung comparisons also indicate that Samsung gives up some movie-first advantages in contrast accuracy and processing. So: excellent sports and gaming TV, not the strongest cinema purist pick. (rtings.com)

4. TCL QM8 / QM851G — best brightness-per-dollar and big-screen value

For buyers who want a very large, extremely bright Mini-LED TV without paying Sony money, the TCL QM8 (QM851G) is one of the best 2024 buys. RTINGS identifies it as the top model in TCL’s 2024 North American QLED lineup, and TCL’s own specs advertise up to 5,000 local dimming zones, up to 5,000 nits peak brightness, 144Hz VRR, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, and an ONKYO 2.1.2 speaker system. (rtings.com)

RTINGS describes it as a feature-rich, affordable TV with excellent all-around performance and notes that it is even brighter overall than the Hisense U8N. That said, RTINGS also notes that the Hisense is more accurate and has slightly better reflection handling and contrast. TCL’s gaming implementation is strong, but there is a catch: HDMI 1 is the only port capable of 144Hz and 240Hz, and VRR behavior is not as polished as the best competitors. (rtings.com)

This makes the QM8 ideal for:

  • bright living rooms,
  • very large screen sizes,
  • buyers who want maximum HDR punch per dollar. (rtings.com)

5. Hisense U7N — best budget Mini-LED in 2024

If you want a clearly lower price tier but still want “real” 2024 LED performance, the Hisense U7N is the budget recommendation. TechRadar lists it as the best budget mini-LED TV in the US, and RTINGS notes HDMI 2.1, 4K144, VRR, and low input lag, making it unusually gaming-friendly for the price. (techradar.com)

You do sacrifice some refinement versus the U8N: lower overall brightness, less premium processing, and more visible motion limitations. But in terms of engineering value, it remains one of the strongest affordable 2024 LED TVs. (rtings.com)


Current information and trends

There are two important date-related clarifications.

First, if you want the best TVs released in calendar year 2024, the consensus winners were led by the Sony BRAVIA 9 and Hisense U8N. Tom’s Guide gave the BRAVIA 9 its Best TV award and the U8N its Best QLED TV award in 2024. (tomsguide.com)

Second, looking back from May 8, 2026, those 2024 models have aged well. RTINGS still ranks the BRAVIA 9 as the best LED-LCD overall, while TechRadar still treats the U8N as the best overall Mini-LED choice for most people and the QN90D as a leading sports pick. (rtings.com)

A newer industry trend is the shift toward RGB Mini-LED in 2026, with RTINGS describing 2026 as “the year of RGB Mini LED.” That is relevant as future context, but it does not change the fact that the proven 2024 LED-LCD buys are the models listed above. If anything, newer launches make the 2024 sets more attractive when discounted. (rtings.com)


Supporting explanations and details

For LED-backlit TVs, the key technical buying variables are:

  • Backlight architecture: Mini-LED with full-array local dimming is materially better than basic LED implementations for contrast and HDR. (techradar.com)
  • Zone control and blooming behavior: Sony leads here, which is why it looks most “OLED-like” among the 2024 LED sets. (rtings.com)
  • Brightness: TCL QM8 and Hisense U8N emphasize raw light output; Sony combines very high brightness with stronger control and processing. (rtings.com)
  • Gaming I/O: Samsung QN90D is the most convenient if you need many 4K144 HDMI 2.1 inputs; Sony is the least flexible of the premium group on this point. (rtings.com)
  • HDR format support: Sony, Hisense, and TCL support Dolby Vision; Samsung does not. Samsung instead emphasizes HDR10+/Neo Quantum HDR+. (rtings.com)
  • Viewing angle: Samsung generally holds up better off-axis, while VA-based competitors like Hisense and TCL are best viewed closer to center. (rtings.com)

One practical caution: some TV series vary by size. For example, RTINGS notes that the 75-inch Hisense U8N uses a different panel type, so exact behavior can vary slightly by size. If you are buying a specific size, verify that size rather than assuming the whole series behaves identically. (rtings.com)


Ethical and legal aspects

From an engineering and consumer-protection perspective, the main issues are not legal restrictions but purchase discipline:

  • Buy from an authorized retailer with a straightforward return/exchange policy.
  • On LCD/Mini-LED sets, inspect for uniformity issues, blooming tolerance, and viewing-angle suitability during the return window.
  • Dispose of your old TV through proper electronics recycling channels in your area.

Those are not unique to any one brand, but they matter because these are large, expensive products with real unit-to-unit and environment-dependent differences.


Practical guidelines

Use this shortlist:

  • Choose Sony BRAVIA 9 if you prioritize movie accuracy, local dimming quality, and top-end processing. (rtings.com)
  • Choose Hisense U8N if you want the best overall value and still want flagship-class brightness and gaming features. (techradar.com)
  • Choose Samsung QN90D if you have multiple consoles/PCs and want four HDMI 2.1 ports plus strong sports performance. (rtings.com)
  • Choose TCL QM8/QM851G if you want a giant, very bright TV for the money and can live with less refined accuracy and port limitations. (rtings.com)
  • Choose Hisense U7N if budget matters most but you still want 4K144-class gaming and Mini-LED contrast. (rtings.com)

If you want a simple rule:

  • Best absolute TV: Sony BRAVIA 9.
  • Best buy: Hisense U8N. (rtings.com)

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

A few corrections to common recommendation-list mistakes:

  • If you are asking strictly about 2024 TVs, do not mix in later 2025/2026 sets such as TCL’s newer QM8K/QM9K-family models; the relevant 2024 TCL flagship is the QM851G/QM8. (rtings.com)
  • “LED backlight TV” and “best TV” are not the same thing. OLEDs may still win in a dark room, but if you specifically want LED/LCD with backlight, then Mini-LED is the correct technology class to target. (techradar.com)
  • If you need a 55-inch set, note that the BRAVIA 9 starts larger, while U8N, QN90D, and U7N cover smaller sizes more conveniently. (rtings.com)

Suggestions for further research

Before buying, refine the decision with four parameters:

  1. Screen size: 55, 65, 75, 85, or larger.
  2. Room lighting: bright daytime room vs dim home theater.
  3. Usage priority: movies, sports, gaming, mixed TV.
  4. Budget ceiling: premium vs value vs budget.

If you give me those four items, I can narrow this to a single best model and, if useful, I can also compare:

  • Sony BRAVIA 9 vs Hisense U8N
  • Hisense U8N vs Samsung QN90D
  • TCL QM8 vs Hisense U8N
  • best 65-inch or best 75-inch LED TV specifically.

Brief summary

For 2024 LED-backlit TVs, the market leaders were clearly Mini-LED LCDs. The best overall set was the Sony BRAVIA 9, the best value was the Hisense U8N, the best sports/gaming connectivity choice was the Samsung QN90D, the best brightness-per-dollar big-screen option was the TCL QM8/QM851G, and the best budget Mini-LED pick was the Hisense U7N. (tomsguide.com)

If you want the most technically refined answer: Sony BRAVIA 9.
If you want the most rational purchase: Hisense U8N. (rtings.com)

If you want, I can next turn this into a best-by-budget list such as:

  • under $800
  • under $1,200
  • under $2,000
  • best 65-inch
  • best 75-inch
  • best specifically for PS5/Xbox/PC gaming.

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