55 Inch QLED TVs: Selecting the Perfect TV for Your Living Room
Planning on getting a new living room telly? Exciting times ahead! Just step into any well-stocked store, and you’ll feel the buzz straight away. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, seasoned cinephile, or just a casual viewer, it’s almost impossible not to be swept up by the cutting-edge, oversized screens.
Drawn like a moth to the flame, you’ll first stop to admire the outstanding contrast and picture quality that premium 55″+ OLEDs offer, at least until the heat of the price tag or something a little brighter nudges you to explore what else is glowing on the showroom floor.
When Endless Options Create Decision Paralysis
With the number of choices available nowadays, there’s plenty to look forward to. But that’s the irony of choice: the more options you have, the harder it becomes to decide. What’s too big, what’s too small? QLED or OLED? And now NanoLED? Hold on. Before the outlandish price tags dampen your enthusiasm or you find yourself stuck in a spiral of second-guessing, let’s have a look at a 3-word solution that usually sorts things out for most homes: 55-inch QLED TVs.
Why Is a 55 Inch QLED TV the Ideal Balance of Size, Quality, and Value?
While screens in the 65″–100″ range sure look impressive in the showroom, unless you’ve got the space at home, they can quickly feel overwhelming. Wondering what the most popular TV size is in the UK? Recent research from YouGov shows that around two-thirds of British households still have a main television under 50 inches, while screens in the 44″–55″ range are emerging as the most desirable for future purchases, favoured by 35% of adults.
If you want to add noticeable cinematic impact without overwhelming an average-sized living room or putting a strain on your budget, consider buying a 55 inch QLED TV.
Wait, why is QLED better than OLED? Although these days it’s the latter that gets all the attention, its quantum dot counterpart has great strengths of its own that make it the smarter choice for many homes.
Superior Brightness
QLED technology excels in brightness, making these TVs far better suited to well-lit spaces like living rooms, where natural light or overhead lighting can wash out darker displays.
Extended, Trouble-Free Viewing
Unlike OLED, quantum dot displays carry far less risk of temporary image retention and permanent burn-in. This is a concern and a nuisance for anyone who watches lots of news, sports, or on-demand content with static on-screen elements. Nothing breaks immersion quite like starting a new programme only to be haunted by the ghost of whatever you watched before.
Big Screen Immersion for Less
Quantum dot technology makes it easier to size up, offering large displays at friendlier prices, so you can enjoy a more dramatic viewing setup without paying steep, flagship rates. Truth be told, many of the higher-end QLEDs deliver picture quality that comes surprisingly close to OLED in everyday viewing.
Features You Want In Your New TV
Not all models are created equal, so if you want to get the most from your new screen and enjoy a bit of future-proof peace of mind, these are some of the features worth looking for:
AI Picture Processiong and 4K Upscalling – Have intelligent processors on your checklist as they help enhance colour, contrast, and clarity in real time, while upgrading older or lower-resolution content to near 4K quality.
High Brightness with HDR Support – Prioritise this if you want richer highlights, deeper shadows, and good visibility in well-lit rooms.
Mini LED or Local Dimming – Keep tabs on backlight control as this improves contrast and reveals finer details in bright and dark scenes.
Fast Refresh Rates – Go for 120Hz or higher to ensure smooth motion for sports, action films, and gaming.
Gaming-Friendly Features – Look out for low input lag, VRR, and HDMI 2.1 support for a responsive, next-gen ready experience.
Adaptive Sound and Immersive Audio – Important for adding to the depth, realism, and overall enjoyment, these technologies create a more enveloping soundstage.
Smart TV Platform – Choose a TV with a responsive, intuitive interface for easy access to popular streaming apps.
Slim and Minimalist Designs – Look for a sleek profile that helps the larger screen blend into your modern living space.
Reputable Brands and Models to Consider
Choosing a trusted brand can make all the difference when it comes to performance, reliability, and long-term satisfaction. While Samsung and Sony tend to lead on image processing, motion handling, and colour accuracy, their TVs usually come at higher price points. Brands like TCL and Metz typically compete on value, while still focusing on delivering strong hardware specs.
Here are a few top picks to help narrow down your choices.
SONY K55XR70PU 55″ 4K Neo QLED Mini LED HDR Google TV
This absolute stunner brings cinema-like visuals to your living room, ensuring you experience movies and TV shows as their creators intended. It also excels in audio quality thanks to the intelligent processing that turns ordinary stereo into immersive 3D surround. In addition, it runs on Google’s intuitive smart TV platform, bringing together all your streaming services, live TV, and personal recommendations into one streamlined interface. The build quality is premium, designed with an almost invisible bezel.
SAMSUNG QE55LS03F 55″ 4K The Frame QLED Art Mode Smart TV
Television elevated to an art form in the literal sense. This smart TV from Samsung doubles as a picture frame, adding style and refinement to your entertainment setup and overall decor. With Pantone-validated colour and Quantum Dot technology, it delivers rich, authentic visuals that add a new dimension to your favourite shows and content. It also features a glare-free matte display for a distraction-free, immersive experience.
TCL 55A300W-UK 55″ 4K Ultra HD QLED PRO HDR Google TV
Designed to look as good switched off as it does on, this ultra-slim TCL TV also doubles as a digital art display, blending seamlessly into your space with its minimalist frame and gallery-style mode. When it’s time to watch, vibrant colours and sharp detail bring your favourite shows to life, while the matte, anti-glare screen keeps reflections at bay for comfortable daytime viewing.
Metz 55MQE7600ZUK 55″ 4K Ultra HD QLED Smart TV
Straightforward and easy to live with, this 55-inch Metz TV focuses on delivering sharp picture quality and enhanced contrast for everyday viewing. Your favourite films and shows look crisp and detailed, while the built-in access to popular streaming apps and on-demand services means there’s always something to watch. A solid choice if you want reliable performance with practical smart features, without the premium price tag.
With a Master in Architectural Studies from University of Pennysylvania, Marwa Haydar has pioneered living spaces since 2005. Her expertise, initially honed in a prestigious architectural firm, is evident in her approach to creating environments. Marwa became part of our team in 2019 and has since been a driving force in our home improvement section, known for her practical yet stylish solutions. She’s been spearheading our design workshops since then, infusing her passion for teaching into her work. In her leisure time, Marwa enjoys exploring historic architecture and is an enthusiastic pottery hobbyist, further enriching her understanding of form and texture.
