5 Smart TVs That Cinephiles Swear By

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Smart TVs have come a long way since the flat screens that first replaced bulky television sets. They've become tech-driven entertainment hubs capable of streaming, gaming, and browsing the internet. The market is flooded with options, and there is essentially a smart TV for every budget nowadays. For casual viewers, almost any modern smart TV will do the job. But for those who want to make the most out of kicking back with a movie, the right television makes all the difference. Cinephiles demand more out of a smart TV, and we've set out to find some that live up to those demands.

What separates a cinema-like movie viewing experience from an ordinary afternoon in front of the TV comes down to a handful of features and picture technologies that help create an immersive viewing environment. Things like color accuracy, filmmaker modes, HDR performance, and even viewing angles that can accommodate an entire crowd of cinephiles on movie night matter here. Rtings provides a home theater grade for more than 500 recently released smart TVs, and with it in mind we have selected some smart TVs that stand out as particularly well-tuned for movie lovers.

The smart TV with the highest home theater score at Rtings.com is the LG G3 Series. This TV utilizes OLED picture technology, and while there are some disadvantages to OLED, it also produces one of the best images you can find in a modern TV. Another technology this TV has is Dolby Vision. It produces extraordinary color and contrast, and works in tandem with LG's Filmmaker Mode.

This feature allows you to watch movies with all of your TV's settings configured to display movies exactly the way the filmmaker intended. The G3 Series takes this further with DCI-P3, the same color space that post-production professionals use when mastering 4K Blu-ray discs and movie files for digital theater releases.

One thing that might make any cinephile pause when it comes to this TV is the fact that it's a 2023 model. Movie lovers shopping for a new TV are likely to be in search of the latest technology releases. But the age of the G3 Series is by no means old, and despite more recent releases from LG and other brands, it still sits atop Rtings.com's home theater scores. The picture quality that got it there hasn't changed, and the price has dropped significantly in the time since its initial release. The LG G3 65-inch TV goes for about $2,200, but it's available in a number of other sizes as well.

The Samsung S95F is another smart TV that cinephiles speak highly of, as it gets a 9.0 out of 10 score in the home theater category from Rtings. This TV stands out as a good option for movie lovers whose viewing area contains windows, as it has a high peak brightness and comes with an anti-reflective coating on the screen. That peak brightness is more than 2,100 nits, making the S95F one of the brightest OLED displays on the market.

It also has a Filmmaker Mode that disables post-processing in order to present movies as closely to the way the filmmakers intended as possible. This smart TV, however, is missing Dolby Vision, which may or may not hinder the movie-watching experience. Some cinephiles may consider it essential, while others may find the TV's built-in Filmmaker Mode enough to enjoy a movie as it was meant to be watched.

HDR technology is there for those who want to dive into a film in a super rich, contrasty way. This TV also grades well on Rtings' gaming score, making it a solid option for movie lovers in search of an all-purpose home theater centerpiece. The Samsung S95F 65-inch TV is priced at $2,498, with several other sizes available to choose from.

The Z95B is Panasonic's flagship OLED TV. In many ways it's the most well regarded Panasonic TV for cinephiles, as it received an 8.9 home theater score at Rtings.com. It produces a quality 4K image, with its Primary RGB Tandem panel technology differentiating the Z95B from other smart TVs. The RGB Tandem panel allows the Z95B to produce a wider spectrum of color and an overall brighter image.

Another feature movie lovers can tap into is the Z95B's AI integrations. The TV can detect when you're watching a movie and even what kind of movie that may be, and it will optimize the picture and sound accordingly. Panasonic may not be a heavy hitter like Samsung, LG, and Sony when it comes to brand reputation, but Rtings speaks favorably of the Z95B in many regards for cinephiles.

Audio is something many TV shoppers may not consider, as most home theaters consist of soundbars and other peripheral equipment, But this TV has built-in 5.1.2 surround sound that's meant to do the same work as a soundbar, making it a great all-in-one movie-watching option. The Panasonic Z95B 65-inch TV goes for $2,498, though there is also a 55-inch model, which is priced at $1,898.

LG places several TVs among the best home theater scores at Rtings, and, like the G3, the G5 is well regarded by movie lovers. This is the first LG TV to utilize the company's new RGB tandem panel, and the G5 is its 2025 flagship TV release. This TV also excels in bright environments, making it a solid home theater option for movie lovers without a basement or who aren't otherwise able to customize their viewing space.

Top movie-watching technologies aboard the G5 include Filmmaker Mode, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for immersive audio. If there's a drawback to this TV it's that there may be too much technology for some cinephiles. Purists may want to get away from all of the image and audio processing that modern TV tech provides, but those interested in a technologically enhanced experience will have a lot to tap into with the LG G5.

One of these standout features is AI Director Processing. It essentially remasters a movie in real-time. It's smart enough to recognize what's going on in each scene, and in an effort to present every frame the way it was intended to be watched, adjusts the visuals to suit. The LG G5 65-inch TV goes for $2,000, and it's available in various sizes up to 97 inches.

The Sony Bravia 8 II received an 8.8 home theater score at Rtings. There are a few Sony TVs that scored higher, but they're no longer on the market. With the Bravia 8 II, you can count on the latest home theater technology Sony has to offer, as this is its 2025 flagship offering. It's the successor to the Sony A95L, which is one of those discontinued Sony TVs that ranked well among Rtings.com's home theater scores.

The Bravia 8 II has a QD-OLED panel and an upgraded version of the Sony XR Processor. This processor enables an AI feature that recognizes what kind of movie you're watching and optimizes the picture accordingly. Pricing of the Sony BRAVIA 8 II runs a little higher than you'll find among competing smart TVs, as the 65-inch model costs $2,698, and there is a 55-inch model that goes for $2,600.

However, cinephiles may see no concern in the extra money required for a Sony TV. The Bravia 8 II is Sony's brightest OLED TV, features its best color technology, and utilizes a number of AI technologies. It even has a picture mode tuned specifically for watching movies on Netflix, which was designed in tandem by Sony and Netflix to deliver studio-quality mastering to the home viewing experience.

These smart TV selections were based heavily upon the home theater scores given by Rtings. This is a website dedicated to helping consumers find the best products by means of their own independent testing. With each of the TVs it reviews, it provides a score for the TV's capabilities as a home theater centerpiece. We determined this to be the perfect barometer for cinephiles, and moved on to our own research of the TVs with the highest scores here. We leaned on our own tech expertise and understanding of video technologies and filmmaking techniques to ensure we covered TVs with plenty of features available for movie lovers and their movie-watching experience.