It's a good time to buy the best TVs of 2019. They're all 4K UHD and there's a growing amount of 4K content on Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Play, YouTube and Blu-ray. Even the BBC is getting in on the act!

While the best new TVs of 2019 models from Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Hisense and others aren't enough here, last year's models are getting discounts. Next-gen premium technologies such as OLED, QLED and HDR, as well as larger screens, are starting to appear in more affordable TVs.

Choosing the best TV to buy for your storefront is quite a task. Looking at the bright side is that, if you have a decent budget to spend, all the TVs available are extremely good. Television screen technology has advanced in recent years with the development of LED technology and the arrival, in no uncertain terms, of OLED.

Add 4K Ultra HD – the next resolution leap from Full HD – along with HDR (high dynamic range) to improve color performance, the increasing sophistication of Smart TV operating systems – making it easier to find shows and films of your choice, via stream or the web – and the ever-improving sex appeal case designs, and you, the viewer, are truly spoiled for choice.

But what is the best TV?

By a margin almost as narrow as its wafer-thin screen, my choice of flagship or near-flagship TVs (largely around the £1,500-3,000 mark) is staggering.

With its innovative design, superb picture quality whether in native 4K HDR or upscaled and brilliant HD, with its "on-screen" sound system, it truly is the complete package and the best TV to buy now.

However, then there is a bunch of TVs that are just as good in some ways, slightly better in some ways, and slightly worse in some others. The difference in quality between the AF8 and Samsung's flagship Q9FN QLED TV, for example.

Those looking for an even more cinematic experience should consider Panasonic TX-55FZ952B. This TV is particularly suitable for movies and games, although unlike rivals Sony and LG, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are not supported.

The LG OLED55C8 is another absolute OLED belter. When it comes to gaming, it performs better than the Sony, but it's slightly better with 4K detail in some situations and has a better smart TV platform. However, for non-gamers, Sony's better sound, more refined motion smoothing for sports, and even more refined aesthetics make it our top pick by the narrowest margins.

If you don't want to use one of these older TVs, you'll have to wait to buy a replacement, but at least you can feast your eyes on it.

How to buy the best TV for you

When choosing a TV, first consider what screen size you can handle, whether your room is generally bright or dark, and what sources you're likely to use.

These are big flagship TVs that we wouldn't necessarily recommend placing in a small room, although that really is up to you.

An old but practical rule for HD was to divide the desired screen size (in inches) by 6.42. The result is how far experts think you should sit barefoot. So for a 55-inch TV, you would ideally want to be able to position your sofa about 8 and a half feet from the screen.

Scroll all the way down this TV buying guide (warning: your finger might get tired) and you'll find more useful tips to help you get the best TV possible.

Buying a TV: Why should you upgrade your TV now?

Now is the best time in years to get a new TV.

The world of TV technology has never been so exciting. The jump from 1080p HD resolution to 2160p 4K resolution not only resulted in a huge improvement in resolution, but also heralded a transition to Wide Color Gamut and HDR (High Dynamic Range) panels. Television images now display real-world dynamics, with expanded depth and color richness.

If you bought a 4K TV at first, you might not care: some UHD standards aren't even supported anymore, and the picture quality and upscaling of HD hardware has taken steps. leaps and bounds over the past two years, alongside the rise of OLEDs.

But let's look at the bright side: all these technologies and standards are now established and the quality of the television picture has never been better.

In the upper end of the TV market, you're really starting to appreciate the benefits that HDR brings with extended color. All of the TVs here can display brilliant spectral highlights and vibrant colors, with most offering multiple variations of HDR, to better future-proof your viewing.

HDR comes in a variety of flavors. Static HDR10 is the norm. It is commonly used on UHD Blu-ray players and by streaming services. Dolby Vision is a high-end alternative that optimizes HDR characteristics on a scene-by-scene basis through the miracle of dynamic metadata. It currently only has limited support, appearing on some UHD Blu-ray titles and some Netflix content.

HLG is an HDR broadcast standard that is just starting to roll out but generally speaking the more HDR standards your display supports the better.

These flagship 4K TVs also feature upgraded sound systems, whether it's a built-in or built-in soundbar, or something more exotic. Not only is it good for your ears, but it can be a significant savings in additional external audio systems.

You will also notice that in this high-end segment of the market, OLED screen technology has largely replaced the liquid crystal display. With their superior black level performance and excellent near-black detail, OLEDs have become the screen technology of choice for discerning videophiles.

OK, now that we're ready, let's reveal T3's best TV buys of 2019.

1. Sony KD55AF8

Best 4K UHD OLED TV of 2018, at least for non-gamers

Features

Screen size: 55 inches

Other sizes available: 65 inches

HDR: HDR10, HLG

HDMI: 4

USB: 3

Dimensions: 1226 x 712 x 55mm

Reasons to buy

+Slim, minimalist and premium design +Image clarity is outstanding with 4K HDR and HD SDR+Great audio

Reasons to avoid

- Disappointing game mode - Updates needed for full Dolby Vision HDR support

The AF8 is a 4K OLED flat screen that oozes class and has a picture that many of you will dream of. Available in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, the AF8 sports a classic aesthetic, unlike the brand's back-to-back Sony A1 model (at #2 below). It's also slimmer, with a smaller physical footprint. This more conventional appearance makes it easier to fit the AF8 on your typical AV cabinet.

The image quality is breathtaking. Sony has mastered the art of marrying panel and processing technologies, which the AF8 optimizes to perfection, using the same kind of preliminary calibration found in its OLED Trimaster Studio monitors. The result is that this TV looks great straight out of the box. Sony's flagship X1 Extreme image processor is also a market leader, with dynamic tone mapping for HDR recording perfectly matched to the TV's ability to display brightness and color. It is extremely effective.

HDR10 and HLG are fully supported, while a firmware update added Dolby Vision on Netflix. It does not support Dolby Vision from Blu-ray players or other external devices unless they have a separate firmware update from the manufacturer. Perhaps we should call this approach Dolby Vision Lite?

Even without Dolby Vision, HDR performance is excellent for OLEDs, while black levels aren't up to snuff.

Sony's Acoustic Surface technology delivers fantastic sound from a slim panel. There are no traditional stereo speakers onboard, but the panel invisibly vibrates to deliver forward-facing sound. Stereo transducers are attached to the rear of the panel, complemented by two woofers that fill out the mids. The results are superb, with an almost miraculous amount of bass, although the midrange was truly remarkable.

Android TV OS 7.0 is still a clunky user experience, but it offers a considerable level of functionality, thanks to built-in Chromecast and Google Assistant control.

Although there's no Freeview program on the AF8, we have a custom iteration of YouView, which offers the same built-in catch-up TV services and programming guide. Streaming support covers all major TV players, plus Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, DisneyLife, Rakuten TV, and Spotify.

If the set has a weakness, it's the gaming performance. In the standard frame plus, the frame lag is high at 101.5ms but even with the dedicated game mode it's relatively late at 47.2ms. Ideally I would look for 30ms or less.

• but who is better? We'll tell you how we decided...

For non-gamers, Sony's gorgeous AF8 is 2018's best new TV yet. The only downside is that the old A1 (at #4 on this list) is just as good, has a more unique look (although that's a downside given the conservatism of most TV buyers), and has dropped a lot since its launch, it is now in direct competition with its own successor.