What is a mid-range TV and should you buy one?

With high-end OLED TVs snagging most of a brand's advertising budget, and the low prices of entry-level TVs ensuring they get their fair share of attention, it's easy to forget that there's an entire mid-range made up of weird and occasionally wonderful TVs.

It's trickier to stand out when you don't have high-end pedigree or low-end prices, and it's not always easy to see why you'd pay more for a mid-range TV.

Some manufacturers turn to unusual screen technologies, such as LG with its QNED TVs and Samsung's QLEDs, to help its mid-range sets stand out. But it isn't always obvious what you gain or lose by choosing a mid-range TV.

That's where we come in. Read on to find out what you get with a mid-range TV, learn how they tend to differ from other models and a take look at a couple of quintessential mid-range TVs.

If you want to see the top TVs we've tested then head to .What is a mid-range TV?

Some features are common to almost all TVs, regardless of where they sit in a brands line-up, such as support for 4K, HDR and streaming apps.

Mid-range sets sit in between and usually have some variation of the high-end features. Often, there's something that sounds flashy and separates it from the more basic TVs below it in a brand's range. This tends to be something to do with picture quality or the screen itself, since this is the key element of a TV and more likely to resonate with buyers (and help justify the extra expense).

Determining whether these features are worth paying for is why we test hundreds of TVs every year.

What do you get with a mid-range TV?

You're paying more for one than an entry-level model, so your expectations when buying a mid-range TV are understandably higher. Here's a rundown of the sort of tech and features you can expect in a mid-range TV that you won't see in an entry-level model.

Nanocells  Mini LED backlight - Better remote -  - PVR - More inputs - 

You're not guaranteed to get all these features on a mid-range TV, but they are certainly more common. While some (particularly the type of screen) can affect the all-important picture quality, none can be considered essential.

Are mid-range TVs worth buying?

Regardless of price, we have high expectations for any TV that goes through our labs - and we find good models at every size and price. 

That said, our test results show that the more you spend on a TV, the more likely it is to be a Best Buy. The reason? Better tech and more time spent perfecting the picture and sound translates into a better experience in your living room.

It's not an exact science, though, and we've tested TVs that cost close to £2,000 that we wouldn't recommend. 

Mid-range models should be the ideal balance between impressive high-end TVs that cost a fortune and plucky entry-level ones that are solid, but have issues.

They should sit in this sweet spot giving you some advanced features and the quality that goes with it without costing a fortune, but not enough do. 

.Mid-range TVs from 2023

Like the sound of a mid-range TV, but want some inspiration? Below, we detail two typical mid-range models we've recently tested. Before buying, be sure to click through to our full, in-depth reviews to see how each one fared.

Samsung QE55Q80C - £889

This 55-inch TV exemplifies mid-range. It's a backlit TV with quantum dots (hence the pair of Qs in its name) and has enough extra things going on to justify its position above entry-level.

It comes with Samsung's minimal One Remote, which is light on buttons, but does have a built-in microphone for voice control. The TV also has HDR10+ (an advanced HDR format), although it's worth noting that Samsung includes this with all its 4K TVs (the only brand to do so).

The TV also has a twin-tuner PVR, FreeSync and VRR, so it ticks most of the mid-range boxes.

LG 55QNED816RE - £799

QNED screens have a lot going on, with quantum dots, nanocells and a Mini LED backlight behind it illuminating proceedings. With OLEDs dominating LG's top-end, a QNED TV is a sure signifier of a mid-range set.

LG's Magic Remote is one of the best around thanks to its onscreen pointer and smartly positioned buttons. 

You get four HDMI inputs, but only a single-tuner PVR and, unusually, there's no advanced HDR format support. So really, it's only that fancy screen that pushes this TV into the mid-range.

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/what-is-a-mid-range-tv-and-should-you-buy-one-a8eSD3u0qDKr