As the weather warms up and the days get longer, many people start looking for ways to enjoy their outdoor spaces more. One great way to do this is to bring the indoor TV outside! For this, you need to make sure your indoor TV is the best indoor TV for outdoor use, and there are a few things to keep in mind.
Firstly, the best indoor TV for outdoor use needs to be bright enough to be seen in direct sunlight, ie. a TV with a brightness rating of at least 500 nits. Secondly, contrast ratio is important outside. This is the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of the picture, and a good indoor-to-outdoor TV will have a contrast ratio of at least 1,000:1. Third, indoor-outdoor TVs need to be able to be viewed from a wide angle – at least 170 degrees – without the picture quality degrading.
All this considered, outdoor TVs can be more expensive than indoor TVs already – starting in the thousands (before accessories like wall-mounts and cases) – so picking the right dual-purpose model can be really daunting. But never fear. If you’re looking for a TV that may not be weather-resistant but works great for fun in the sun, we’ve cut through the confusion and found the best indoor TV for outdoor use in five different display categories!
Product Comparison Table: Best Indoor TV For Outdoor Use
Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
LG OLED Evo C2 Series 83” Alexa Built-in 4k Smart TV | $$$$ | 4.5 stars | Best OLED | Amazon | |
LG 75NANO90UPA Alexa Built-In NanoCell 90 Series 75″ 4K Smart UHD TV | $ | 4.5 stars | Best NanoCell | Amazon | |
Sony X85J 85 Inch TV | $$$$ | 4 stars | Best LED | Amazon | |
TCL 75″ Class 6-Series 4K Mini-LED UHD QLED Smart Roku TV | $$$$$ | 4 stars | Best QLED | Amazon | |
Hisense ULED Premium U7H QLED Series 75-inch Class Quantum Dot Google 4K Smart TV | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best ULED | Amazon |
LG OLED Evo C2 Series 83” Alexa Built-in 4k Smart TV
The LG OLED Evo C2 Series 83” Alexa Built-in 4k Smart TV is our best indoor TV for outdoor use with an OLED display, which stands for “organic light-emitting diode.” An OLED display makes the best TV for outdoor use because the individually-controlled pixels offer the best possible picture quality, and the best contrast ratio of any type of display. However, OLED displays can be more expensive than other types of displays, and they can be susceptible to burn-in if static images are displayed for long periods of time.
Like all the best OLED TVs, the LG C2 OLED TV is a 4K TV with a 120Hz refresh rate and a wide color gamut – the blacks are deep, even in the brightest light. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as Dolby Atmos sound, projecting to fill any space no matter how large; it also has a built-in AI processor that automatically optimizes the picture and sound quality for whatever you’re watching. Smart, right?
Pros
- Best picture quality on this list
- Dolby Atmos technology
- Built-in smart platform
Cons
- Susceptible to burn-in
- Expensive
Verdict
Look no further for a high-end best indoor TV for outdoor use that offers excellent picture quality, sound quality, and Smart features: the LG OLED Evo C2 Series 83” Alexa Built-in 4k Smart TV. Best part, it’s resistant to dust, dirt, scratches and humidity.
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LG 75NANO90UPA Alexa Built-In NanoCell 90 Series 75″ 4K Smart UHD TV
Ever heard of NanoCell? NanoCell is a type of LED display that uses nanoparticles – tiny particles that filter out unwanted light waves – resulting in purer and more accurate colors. In terms of the best indoor TV for outdoor use, NanoCell displays offer a number of advantages over traditional LED displays: not just great color, but wider viewing angles, and higher brightness. They’re below OLED or QLED in picture quality, but more affordable.
In the NanoCell stakes, the LG 75NANO90UPA is our best indoor TV for outdoor use. The 4K nanocell display with Full Array Dimming gives deep blacks and enhanced contrast and the a7 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K automatically adjusts your viewing and audio settings for a smooth, crisp picture and immersive sound. With Cinema HDR, Dolby Vision IQ & Dolby Atmos, you’ll feel like you’re in the action. Plus, built-in Alexa means that you don’t need to be outdoors (or indoors) to control your TV.
Pros
- Colourful and crisp
- More affordable
- Built-in Alexa
Cons
- Lower picture quality than OLED or QLED
Verdict
NanoCell may not offer the top-level picture quality or contrast ratio available, but for an affordable yet competent option, the LG 75NANO90UPA Alexa Built-In NanoCell 90 Series 75″ 4K Smart UHD TV is our best indoor TV for outdoor use in this category – thanks to crisp clear color and inbuilt Smart features.
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Sony X85J 85 Inch TV
The oldest (but trusted) technology on this list, LED stands for “light-emitting diode.” Made up of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that are backlit by LEDs, the Sony X85J 85 Inch TV is our best indoor TV for outdoor use in the LED display stakes; more energy-efficient than older LCD displays, LED displays like this can produce bright images, but usually lack the rich contrast ratios of OLED displays.
However, what sets the Sony X85J 85 Inch TV apart as the best indoor TV for outdoor use among LEDs is its impressive contrast ratio for this kind of display! Sony’s X1 4K HDR Processor upscales low-resolution content and improves detail, while Motionflow XR 960 reduces motion blur. Add a wide viewing angle and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and you’ve got a great-looking TV. The X85J also has a built-in Google TV smart platform with access to streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
Pros
- Excellent contrast and black uniformity
- Huge selection of smart apps
- Energy-efficient
Cons
- Not so good at an angle
- Not the brightest TV on the market
Verdict
Out of all LED TVs on the market, we think the Sony X85J 85 Inch TV is clearly the best indoor TV for outdoor use you can get. It may not match up visually to newer technologies, but avoids matching up to the bumped-up electricity bills that come with newer display tech too.
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TCL 75″ Class 6-Series 4K Mini-LED UHD QLED Smart Roku TV
Second only to OLED, QLED stands for “quantum dot light-emitting diode”. QLED displays use quantum dots: tiny particles that emit light of a specific color when they’re excited. QLED displays can produce more vibrant colors than traditional LED displays, and they’re a good choice for those who want a high-quality picture without the high price tag of OLED. Our best indoor TV for outdoor use in this category? The TCL 75″ Class 6-Series 4K Mini-LED UHD QLED Smart Roku TV.
Much like the previous model (but better visually), the TCL 75″ Class 6-Series is a high-end TV that features a Mini-LED backlight, Quantum Dot technology, and a wide color gamut. It also has a fast 120Hz refresh rate and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats. But what’s special about this one is that the TV is powered by Roku’s smart platform, which gives you access to a wide variety of streaming apps, as well as Roku’s music channels, which are brilliant for garden parties and BBQs!
Pros
- Excellent picture quality
- Deep blacks and bright highlights
- Roku smart platform with streaming apps
Cons
- Local dimming can be uneven at times
Verdict
You knew you needed a premium TV when you started reading this article, right? Right? Well, the TCL 75″ Class 6-Series 4K Mini-LED UHD QLED Smart Roku TV is a premium TV. And that’s why it deserves the title of our best indoor TV for outdoor use in the QLED category. The Roku TV streaming platform is a real bonus.
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Hisense ULED Premium U7H QLED Series 75-inch Class Quantum Dot Google 4K Smart TV
ULED stands for “ultra LED”; Hisense coined this term to refer to its ultra-powered LED TVs, like the Hisense ULED Premium U7H. Our best indoor TV for outdoor use in this category uses a combination of technologies, including quantum dots, local dimming, and high dynamic range (HDR), to produce a high-quality picture. ULED TVs can be more expensive than traditional LED TVs, but they offer a little of the best of all worlds.
Ergo, this TV is one of our best indoor TVs for outdoor use because it combines all the best features we’ve discussed: 4K UHD resolution with Quantum Dot technology, Quantum Processor 4K for image processing, Ultra Wide Color Gamut for vibrant colors, Full Array Local Dimming for deep blacks and bright highlights, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support for high dynamic range content a 120Hz refresh rate, and a Google TV smart platform with access to streaming apps. It may not be master of all, but it’s got a little of everything.
Pros
- LED-equivalent picture quality
- Affordable
- Google TV smart platform with access to streaming apps
Cons
- Smaller screen than the rest
- A little of everything, but master of none
Verdict
Ever heard the saying: “jack of all trades, master of none”? That was probably written about the Hisense ULED Premium U7H QLED Series 75-inch Class Quantum Dot Google 4K Smart TV. Even so, jack of all trades is still our best indoor TV for outdoor use in the ULED category. It won’t break the bank, and sometimes an all-rounder is just what you need!