Will 2026 be the year Hisense and TCL overtake Samsung and Sony in TVs? Here’s what buyers should know

Samsung and Sony still define the premium end of the TV market. Their 2025 line ups lean heavily on OLED and Mini LED models and both brands are already talking about RGB Mini LED as the next phase. Scroll through any big online sale and the balance feels different. During events such as Prime Day, Black Friday or Cyber Monday, the televisions that dominate the main budget and mid price bands are often from Hisense and TCL. These newer brands now give better value for money.

In the past few years Hisense and TCL have quietly gone after people who want a bigger, sharper television without paying flagship prices. Instead of chasing only the very high end, they have focused on putting better screen hardware into the middle of the market. That is why their sets often look stronger on paper than rivals that cost the same.

The TCL QM6K is a clear example of this approach. It is sold as an entry level Mini LED television. The 55 inch TCL QM6K usually sits between 500 and 600 dollars and during big sale periods the price has dropped close to 450 dollars. Even at that price it still gives you Mini LED backlighting and has picked up a solid four star review for picture quality. Once you keep that in mind the offers from Samsung become easier to read. Samsung has the QN70F as its most affordable Mini LED model in 2025 and the 55 inch Samsung QN70F is around 699 dollars. Closer to the TCL QM6K in price are the Samsung Q7F and Samsung Q8F. The 55 inch Q7F sits near 399 dollars and the 55 inch Q8F is around 599 dollars, yet both of these Samsung televisions still use simpler backlighting and do not switch to Mini LED.

Sony follows the same pattern seen when TCL QM6K is set against Samsung. In the 2025 line up the Sony Bravia 5 is the first Mini LED television and the 55 inch version sits at about 899 dollars. The Sony Bravia 2 II is the set that comes closest to the TCL QM6K on price at around 499 dollars, yet it still uses a direct LED backlight with no local dimming. The price gap looks small, but only the TCL model brings Mini LED into that band.

Look across all four brands and the picture is clear. At similar budgets Hisense and TCL are more likely to ship televisions with Mini LED, while Samsung and Sony more often stick with standard backlights and rely on stronger processing and build to defend their positions. On a specification sheet this can look like a single extra line, yet on the screen it changes how films, sport and games feel, especially in darker rooms.

Mini LED changes the way light is handled behind the panel. Instead of a smaller grid of larger LEDs, the screen is lit by many tiny lights grouped into zones that can brighten or dim on their own. This gives finer control over light and dark so bright highlights stand out, dark areas stay deeper and difficult scenes keep their structure instead of turning into a grey haze. Put two 55 inch televisions side by side at the same price, one with Mini LED and local dimming and one with basic direct LED, and most viewers will prefer the Mini LED picture after a short time. That is why Hisense and TCL Mini LED sets keep showing up in buying advice during big sales.

Even so, Samsung and Sony still hold important strengths. Their televisions tend to handle fast motion more cleanly in live sport and action and they usually do a better job of upscaling lower quality streaming video. Menus and remotes feel more carefully finished and many homes stay with these brands because of their history and support networks. They also lead in OLED, from flagship models to more attainable screens, which matters for anyone who cares most about deep black levels and a cinema like feel.

These trends are what make 2026 important for television buyers. If Samsung and Sony keep most Mini LED sets in the upper mid and premium tiers, Hisense and TCL will continue to tighten their grip on affordable Mini LEDs. If instead Samsung and Sony bring true entry level Mini LED models into the same price bands as Hisense and TCL, shoppers will be able to compare four brands on more equal hardware and then choose based on tuning and support. Until then anyone with a firm budget who wants the biggest visible upgrade in picture quality should look closely at Mini LED models from Hisense and TCL, while viewers who put smooth motion, a familiar badge and a clear route into OLED first will still keep Samsung and Sony near the top of their list.