Best outdoor TV in 2024 – the top TVs for outdoor use
If you’re searching for the best outdoor TV, we’re here to help you find the best one out there.
Ideally, an outdoor TV should have high brightness levels for daytime use, sturdy build quality with IP protection for enduring weather conditions and wide viewing angles for comfortable viewing.
There are few options on the market if you want a dedicated outdoor TV, and the ones available are usually expensive. But on the plus side, you do have the option to buy an indoor TV that also works great for outdoor use. You just need to reinforce it with a weatherproof enclosure or cover to keep it safe from rain, dust, and other elements.
If that alternative sounds good to you, we recommend a large TV that has high brightness levels and does a great job at handling reflections. If you intend to use it mostly during the day, you should look at some of the best QLED TVs, which can get blindingly bright. For nighttime use, you’ll want a TV with a high contrast ratio for the best picture quality, such as some of the best OLED TVs.
Let’s take a look at some of the best TVs for outdoors, and TVs that we think would be good for use outdoors if properly protected against the elements.
Products at a Glance
How we pick
For this guide, our experts have picked some of the best TVs for outdoors after researching and looking at several products. We have selected these TVs based on specs like brightness levels, durability, anti-glare screen, and other features that make them suitable for outdoor use. These TVs are usually 55 inches or above. If you want a large TV for your living room or lounge, you can also have a look at the best 55-inch TVs and the best 65-inch TVs.
Product Reviews
- 4K QLED display
- 2000-nits brightness
- 120Hz refresh rate
- No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos
Samsung’s The Terrace is the best option if you want a TV designed specifically for outdoor use. The TV sports a 55-inch QLED display with direct full array backlighting, which should deliver clear and high-contrast picture quality. Plus, the 4K resolution should give you a sharper and more detailed image. Most importantly, the TV can get incredibly bright, with Samsung advertising more than 2,000 nits brightness levels. It also has an anti-glare feature, so you should not struggle with viewing angles at all.
The TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, which is great for watching sports and other fast-paced content with minimal blur. As the TV automatically optimizes the configuration depending on the ambient light, you should experience the best picture quality.
As far as durability is concerned, the TV has a metal structure, which should be sturdy enough for most scenarios. It also has an IP55 rating for dust/water resistance, which should safeguard the TV against accidental splashes. Even the remote has an IP56 rating for protection against the elements, so you don’t have to worry too much about damage.
This is arguably one of the best Samsung TVs in our opinion, and we think it’s the best choice for an outdoor TV on the market today.
- 4K QLED display
- High brightness levels
- Anti-glare screen
- No protection against elements
If you want a normal indoor TV that also works great in an outdoor setting, consider the Samsung QN90C Series 55-inch TV.
The TV comes with a QLED display, which is a step above the normal LED TV. It uses mini-LED backlighting instead of traditional LED backlighting for even better brightness and contrast levels, so you should expect better colors and contrast.
The TV has excellent brightness levels and can reach close to 2,000 nits peak brightness, which should be sufficient for outdoor settings. Plus, it has an anti-glare feature, which should give you wider viewing angles without having to sit directly in front of the screen. This means you can have multiple people watching the TV from a side angle and yet get a good view.
Considering the wide viewing angles and high brightness levels, this is a good TV for outdoor use. However, the TV doesn’t have built-in outdoor protection. You will have to equip the TV with a weatherproof cover and other gear before using it for your outdoor entertainment.
For similar options, be sure to check out our top picks for the best Mini-LED TVs.
- 4K OLED display
- HDR support
- 120z refresh rate
- Lacks outdoor protection
The LG C3 Series is a great option if you want an all-around OLED TV for your outdoor entertainment. The TV sports a stunning OLED display, which is often considered to be the best for viewing high-contrast realistic visuals with accurate color. Plus, you get the AI Processor Gen6 for automatic picture/sound optimization, which should deliver immersive visuals. And you also get support for Dolby Vision and HDR for even higher picture quality.
If you’re looking to watch sports, action movies, or play games, then the 120Hz refresh rate should be more than sufficient to handle it. You also get a low 0.1 ms response time, VRR support, and ALLM, so you should expect your video games to run smoothly on the TV.
However, it should be noted that this LG C3 TV is not specifically meant for outdoor use. It does not have IP protection or any kind of casing to shield it from weathering elements. You’ll need to fortify it with a more rugged enclosure for better protection against rain, dust, and other elements.
For more options, we’d recommend checking out our picks for the best LG TVs and the best OLED TVs on the market.
- Gaming features like 144hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro
- 1000 nit brightness
- Mini-LED panel for incredible clarity, color, and contrast
- Gaming features are great, but may go unused when outside
A good mid-range TV for outdoor use, when properly protected against the elements, is the Hisense Class U7 series.
This is one of the best mini-LED TVs on the market for the price and delivers exceptional brightness, contrast, and color alongside a number of features designed to enhance picture quality – especially when gaming or watching sports.
As one of the best TVs for PS5 and best TVs for Xbox Series X, this set has up to a 144hz refresh rate, with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro to ensure super smooth visuals and gameplay. It’s also got super low input lag to ensure your gaming sessions feel as responsive as possible – not something you’ll typically get with a projector.
And of course, since this has a mini-LED panel, you’re getting a whopping 1000 nit brightness – which is more than enough to be visible even on the sunniest of days.
Yet again, as with many of the best Hisense TVs, this set ticks all the right boxes and is seriously good value for money.
- 55-inch QLED 4K TV
- 1,000 nits brightness
- Dolby Vision HDR
- Lacks USB ports
If you need a TV for your shaded patio or terrace, then you should check out this model from the SunBriteTV Veranda 3 Series.
The model that we have selected sports a 55-inch display with a QLED panel, so you can expect high picture quality, better contrast, and brightness. Plus, you get a 4K resolution, which means you should expect clear and stunning visuals.
The TV has a 1000 nits brightness, which makes it bright enough to be placed outdoors in a shaded area. Plus, you get an IP55-rated aluminum frame and an IP56-rated remote, which should make them resistant to water and other elements.
As far as audio-visual quality is concerned, the TV also supports Dolby Vision HDR along with Dolby Atmos and DTS Audio, which should give you a cinematic experience. And as it is a smart Android TV, you can get quick access to your favorite movies and shows.
How to pick the best TV for outdoors
While shopping for the best outdoor TVs, here’s a quick overview of what you should consider.
Display Size
The right display size will depend on how huge the space is. For bigger terraces, you will want to consider bigger TVs. An easy way to determine the right size of the TV is to measure the distance between the TV and your seating arrangement and then divide that number in half. For example, if the distance between the TV and your couch is 150 inches, then the ideal TV size would be 75 inches. However, this just gives you a fair idea, and you go a size up or down.
Resolution
Ideally, you should look for a 4K TV because it will give you high-quality pictures on most screen sizes. Plus, you have a lot of 4K content to watch, so it is a common resolution for TVs these days. However, on a small screen, like 32-inch, an FHD resolution should suffice, as the pixels are densely packed. But the same resolution may appear grainy or washed out on a larger screen.
Brightness
Since you would be placing the TV outdoors, you will have to look for a TV with high levels of brightness. Generally, a 700 nits brightness is enough for outdoor use. However, the higher the brightness, the better the picture quality.
In addition to this, you can look for gaming features like VRR support, ALLM, and a high refresh rate, if you want to play video games. You can also look for TVs that feature smart controls and support for Google Assistant, Alexa, and more.
Frequently asked questions
Understandably, buying a TV for outdoor use can be a little challenging. Here’s our expert take on some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from people looking on the hunt for an outdoor TV.
What kind of TV is best for outside?
You’ll want one that’s big, bright, weatherproof, and with an anti-glare coating. For an added bonus, you can also look for TVs with a 120hz refresh rate and extra features like ALLM, VRR, or adaptive sync technology.
Can you put a regular TV outdoors?
You can, but do so at your own risk. You can buy items like protective, weather-proof TV covers, and you can also place your TV under some sort of covered area – but indoor TVs are not designed for the outside. We would highly advise selecting a TV designed specifically for outdoors as a first point of call.
How many nits should an outdoor TV have?
You can get away with over 500, but what you’ll want is around 1000 for the best results. Browse some of the best QLED TVs and best Mini-LED TVs for the best brightness. OLED is good, but generally speaking not as bright – plus many don’t have an anti-glare coating which can make for a frustrating outside viewing experience.
Why are outside TVs so expensive?
In short, you’re paying for the weather-proof design in addition to the TV itself. And the TV itself has to be bright enough to be seen in day-time conditions, which means you’ll be paying a premium for a more advanced panel – such as QLED or mini-LED.
Our Verdict
If you have to buy an outdoor TV right away, we’d recommend getting the Samsung The Terrace model. This 55-inch TV sports a QLED display, which is known to be bright and deliver better contrast than LED TVs. Plus, as this TV is meant for outdoor use, it comes with 2000 nits of brightness, which means you can use it in daylight. The TV has a metal structure as well as an IP rating for protection against dust and water splashes – so you don’t have to worry too much about wear and tear.