Top 5 most popular TVs of 2021

Nothing stops TVs releasing and nothing stops us testing them either. We've set up, tinkered with, stared at and listened to more than 200 TVs in 2021 and these are the ones that more people looked at than any other.

Certain sizes are more popular than others, so to avoid the list being nothing but 43 and 49-inch TVs we're going to include the most popular 55 and 65-inch sets, too.

It's always interesting to see which ones capture people's interest. It's not always the cheaper sets, or good ones, and we're always curious to see which brands are getting the most attention.

If you want to see all these TVs for yourself, then take a look at our TV reviews - we'll help you quickly and easily find the right model, whatever your budget.

Most popular 43-inch TV: LG 43UP77006LB - £349

People love small TVs and LG's have long been the most popular. The popularity and sterling reputation of its OLEDs means the brand is associated with quality, even though not all its TVs match the splendor of its most high-end sets.

Along with Samsung, LG is easily the biggest name in TVs and its small sets are a fantastic combination of competitive pricing and solid features.

The 43UP77006LB is one of its entry-level sets, which means you miss out on advanced HDR formats, high-end gaming features and some of the fancier sound processing technologies. But for most people, these are far from essential. If it looks good, sounds good and doesn't cost the earth, then it's got a strong chance of being a popular TV.

Check out the LG 43UP77006LB review to see if it earns its popularity.

Most popular 48 to 49-inch TV: LG OLED48C14LB - £1,099

It wasn't a surprise to find the previously mentioned, cheaper 43-inch LG 43UP77006LB on our most popular list. In fact. we were so confident we wrote that one in before we checked the stats (don't worry, we did then check). But this 48-inch OLED is something we didn't predict.

The OLED48C14LB the complete opposite of the 43UP77006LB when it comes to price, specs and features. And, unsurprisingly, it's at the opposite end of LG's 2021 line-up, too.

This model is LG's most widely available OLED range and it's the one you tend to see advertised, too. It has every feature you could hope for, but it's the display itself that creates that allure.

People hear OLED and they assume a TV will look fabulous. There's a reason why so many other brands now make OLEDs, but LG started the trend and getting there first has helped LG cement its place at the head of the OLED table (we wouldn't recommend using an OLED display as a table).

Read our expert LG OLED48C14LB review to see if it beats rival 48-inch OLEDs from Panasonic, Philips and Sony.

Find out which size TV is right for you and then see our favourites at that size

Most popular 50-inch TV: Samsung QE50QN90AATXXU - £1,199

Almost a clean sweep for LG, but Samsung held it off. The Neo QLED display in the QN90A is something entirely new. It has a backlight and quantum dots to create the colour, like traditional QLED sets, but the LEDs in the backlight are much smaller. Smaller lights means Samsung can fit more of them in and get better control over how each scene is lit.

We love new tech, but we're skeptical, too. Brands need to justify releasing a new range of TVs each year and for every curiosity-piquing feature that improves quality there are several that amount to nothing beyond their fancy name.

Samsung designed its Neo QLED TVs to be OLED rivals and the improved backlight should help the TVs achieve that deep, rich contrast OLED TVs are known for.

Did Neo QLED prove transformative or are traditional QLEDs just as good? Read our Samsung QE50QN90AATXXU review to find out.

Most popular 55-inch TV: LG OLED55G16LA - £1,499

OK, what's going on? The OLED55G16LA is LG's most high-end OLED TV and one of its most expensive. In previous years the most popular TVs tended to be mid-range models, but clearly that's not the case in 2021 where three of the five are as high-end as it gets.

The G1 is a strange TV. It comes with a wallmount, rather than a stand, because it's supposed to go on your wall like a picture. It's part of the gallery series - hence the 'G' - and it can display works of art when you're not watching. It's a neat idea for anyone who doesn't like big screens dominating the room when they aren't on.

There's no two ways about it, this should be one of LG's best TVs, if not the best: it's a lot of pressure.

Read our LG OLED55G16LA review to see if it meets these expectations.

Most popular 65-inch TV: LG 65NANO756PA - £599

After the three consecutive high-end shocks in the 48, 50 and 55-inch bracket, the 65NANO756PA makes more sense. It's a NanoCell display, which means it's an LCD display with an extra layer of nano cells to create more vibrant colours.

LG was clever to separate its mid-range LCD sets from the entry-level ones (like the 43UP77006LB). It makes the NanoCell models feel fancier, more high-end and more alluring.

The extra colour-boosting layer doesn't always make that much difference, but some NanoCell TVs are excellent.

Being one of the cheapest NanoCell TVs is bound to have helped the 65NANO756PA become the most popular 65 incher. It wasn't always £599 and its price could go up when the Christmas/January sales end, but it's a low price for such a big TV.

Check our LG 65NANO756PA review to see if it's one of the good NanoCell TVs.

What about the other TV brands?

LG and Samsung have long been the main players in TVs and it's no surprise to see them dominate this list. Other brands just missed out though, so we've included their most popular TVs, too.

• 55-inch Hisense 55U8GQTUK review
• 40-inch Panasonic TX-40JX870B review
• 55-inch Philips 55OLED705/12 review
• 43-inch Sony KD-43X80J review

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