The TV landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. For years, the premium TV market has been dominated by the 'big three': Sony, Samsung, and LG. But guess what? The playing field is leveling up, and fast! Up-and-coming brands like Hisense and TCL are making waves, challenging the established order and giving consumers more choices than ever before. But here's where it gets interesting...
For a long time, the TV world had a clear hierarchy. The top dogs, Sony, Samsung, and LG, have consistently held their positions. Pioneer and Panasonic once shone brightly with plasma TVs, and Panasonic is re-entering the US market. Meanwhile, Hisense, TCL, and Vizio battled it out in the mid-range for years. Vizio, however, pivoted towards an ad-centric model under Walmart, leaving TCL and Hisense to compete fiercely, offering the best value for your money.
But over the last couple of years, both TCL and Hisense have dramatically improved their performance, inching closer to the giants. It's not just about minor tweaks; these companies are innovating and leading with technology. For example, Hisense was the first to unveil an RGB LED TV last year (though others were working on it, Hisense showed it first). And this year, TCL's X11L is leading the charge with reformulated quantum dots and a new color filter.
Of course, the big three still have their advantages. Sony, for instance, is known for its exceptional image processing, something other companies are still catching up on. LG's OLED TVs boast a contrast that mini-LED technology can't quite match. But the fact that Hisense and TCL are even in the conversation speaks volumes. When TCL released the QM9K last year, it was a clear statement: they're ready to compete with the best.
Then there's the 'art TV' category, which is expanding rapidly. What was once a Samsung exclusive, defining their brand identity, now includes models from nearly every manufacturer. At CES, we saw announcements from Amazon with its new Ember Artline TV and LG's Gallery TV. These TVs share similar features: edge-lit technology, magnetic frames to mimic picture frames, some form of art store (subscription or not), and a flush-to-the-wall design. While there are subtle differences in brightness, matte screen effectiveness, and connectivity, the overall experience is remarkably similar. A category that once had a single option is now saturated without a wide margin of differentiation.
There's also LG's Wallpaper OLED TV, which LG brought back this CES and could be lumped into the art TV discussion. But while it has an extremely slim profile that lays flush against the wall, includes art store support, and uses a wireless connection to eliminate wires (except for power), it has more in common with its sibling the G6 than any of the art TVs.
As technology closes the performance gap, and TVs from all manufacturers become more alike, the challenge for TCL and Hisense shifts from creating amazing products to changing perceptions. Both companies have long been seen as second-tier brands. Even as their market share grows, the public often still sees them as mid-range, not top-tier.
This might be partly due to Hisense and TCL's pricing, which is generally lower than LG, Samsung, and Sony. We'll have to see if this continues with the new models announced at CES. But if performance is comparable across brands, the big three will have to respond by lowering prices or risk losing sales. The next step for TCL and Hisense is to break down that second-tier image and rebuild as innovators.
Will 2026 be the year this happens? It very well could be. Now that the underdog brands have achieved similar performance, it's up to their marketing teams to shift perception.
What do you think? Are you impressed with the progress of TCL and Hisense? Do you see them as true competitors to the established brands? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
