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There are certain trustworthy names that consumers can reliably turn to when shopping for a TV, but the smartest purchase is actually not Samsung, and not Sony either. Despite the typically high cost of OLED TVs, you can get a great display with excellent picture quality and rich contrast without breaking the bank — if you know which brand to trust, that is. Expert reviewers say that the LG B5 OLED is the best budget OLED in 2026.
The professional testing team at Rtings collated their findings after testing dozens of modern OLED displays. They narrowed down the list to the best premium, best mid-range, and best budget models. Rtings praised the LG B5 OLED because it provides practically all of the cutting-edge features you could expect from an OLED TV. It only falls short of a Samsung QD-OLED in terms of color vividness and viewing angles, benefits you won’t mind missing when you can pay less than $900 for this otherwise stellar display.
Samsung and Sony are regarded as mid-to-premium TV brands, while LG has a positive reputation for manufacturing affordable models that are still up to consumer standards. This isn’t to say that LG can’t compete at the high end, though. In fact, LG produced some of the best smart TVs of 2025. However, if you want a reasonably-priced panel that also feels like the complete package, LG’s lineup is still the first place you should look.
Why you should buy the LG B5 OLED
The LG B5 OLED is available in screen sizes ranging from 48 inches up to 83 inches. The 55-inch model is the star of the show because it prices in at just under $850 in most cases. This is an excellent deal because the B5 is a great example of why TVs use OLED panels in the first place: deep black levels that bolster contrast ratios to a truly eye-pleasing degree. It’s a TV that’s worth buying simply because of the value-per-dollar it provides.
When Rtings reviewed the LG B5 OLED, the website’s testers praised it for having perfect black levels with “near-infinite contrast ratio.” They commented on its brightness, stating that it’s adequate for handling glare in a moderately lit room but does show notable glare in a bright room. The Rtings team also pointed out that the B5 has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. This may be an important consideration for some gamers because, even though the B5 has a highly responsive gaming mode, it won’t support high framerates above 120 frames per second.
Overall, the LG B5 OLED is a versatile display that excels in a home theater and even some game rooms. It proves that LG is the current king of budget OLEDs, not Samsung and not Sony. Still, many people aren’t willing or able to pay $800-plus even for the most affordable OLED. It’s a perfectly pragmatic decision to wait a few more years for OLED TVs to become cheaper.
