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5 awesome TVs for watching horror movies and shows in a dark room

Michael Desjardin

25 September 2025

Contrast is key when it comes to things that go bump in the night

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(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Spooky season is upon us, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll soon be sifting through a pile of scary Blu-rays and streaming titles to celebrate this hallowed time of year.

But as much as I love a good horror flick, I’ll readily admit that not every TV is equipped to showcase their shadowy hallways and dimly lit dreamscapes (especially contemporary horror movies, which often lean into a darker aesthetic).
With this in mind, I’ve cultivated a collection of the best TVs cut out for the task of terrorizing you with the lights off. There’s something here for every budget, and while some perform better than others, you can count on them to give you all the gory details during dark-room viewing.

TCL 55″ QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $499 @ Best Buy
TCL 55″ QM7K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $697 now $617 @ Amazon
Hisense 65″ U8QG 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,498 now $1,081 @ Amazon
LG 55″ B5 OLED TV: was $1,499 now $1,199 at Best Buy
Samsung 55″ S95F OLED TV: was $2,197 now $1,997 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future/Malcolm McMillan)
I’m starting this list off with one of the most affordable Mini-LED TVs of the year. Why should you want Mini-LEDs for dark-room viewing? It’s all about contrast.

These extra-small backlights allow for tighter contrast control. In other words, darker swaths of the picture can stay dark while tiny glimmers of light pierce the scene. The QM6K is particularly good at this for an affordably priced set, making it a solid pick for horror buffs on a budget. (It also comes with Google TV baked right into the software, so it’s ready to stream “Scream.”)

TCL 55″ QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $799 now $499 at Best Buy
The 55-inch QM6K is a relatively affordable TV that gives you more for your money than a garden-variety LED TV with basic backlight or edge light. It isn’t as bright and packed with features as higher-end Mini-LED TVs, but you’ll really appreciate having the improved backlight control when it’s time to dim the lights.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Looking for something with a little extra juice than the QM6K? It’s worth checking out its higher-end sibling, the TCL QM7K. I’ve been recommending this TV all year to gamers on a budget, but it’s also a fantastic fit for folks looking for a cinematic presentation.
Like the QM6K, the QM7K is outfitted with Mini-LED backlighting. Its panel gets about twice as bright as the QM6K, though, and its local dimming is better, too. This means it’s better equipped to showcase shadow detail during dimly lit, gloomy-looking horror flicks like “Nosferatu.”
If you’re interested in learning more, take a peek at our TCL QM7K review for the full picture.

TCL 55″ QM7K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $697 now $617 at Amazon
The TCL QM7K has been one of my go-to recommendations in 2025. This is budget-friendly, 55-inch set gets bright enough for HDR highlights to pop, and it does an impressive job of limiting light bloom during darker scenes.

Hisense U8QG

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The Hisense U8QG is the brightest TV on this list, which makes it a reliable sidekick for watching dark scenes in an appropriately dark room. We marveled at this TV’s wildly high brightness capabilities in our Hisense U8QG review, but this TV’s excellent color volume and heavy, thudding audio profile are worth calling out, too. For a not-too-steep cost, the U8QG will be a horror movie machine.
For a more carefully rendered presentation of dark, shadowy content, you might be better off shopping for an OLED TV, but if you just want a consistently bright-enough experience for your next horror movie marathon, the U8QG has your back.

Hisense 65″ U8QG 4K Mini-LED TV: was $1,498 now $1,081 at Amazon
The U8QG is one of the most value-forward Mini-LED TVs of the year, as well as one of the brightest. In addition to its cinematic picture quality and onboard audio, it also comes with Google TV built right in.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
If you’re planning on watching most of your movies and shows in a dark room, I highly recommend an OLED TV like the LG B5. It’s not nearly as bright as the aforementioned TCL QM7K and the Hisense U8QG, but its perfect black levels and pixel-level dimming allow for a level of depth and clarity during dark-room viewing that’s hard to replicate on a Mini-LED TV.
The B5 is LG’s entry-level OLED for 2025, too, so it’s priced much lower than mid-range and flagship OLED TVs. If I were shopping for an OLED TV on a budget this year, the B5 is likely the set I’d go with. Unlike entry-level Samsung OLEDs, the B5 arrives with Dolby Vision support — and there are plenty of horror movies mastered in Dolby Vision.

LG 55″ LG B5 4K OLED TV: was $1,499 now $1,199 at Best Buy
Our LG B5 review is quick to point out that this OLED doesn’t offer blisteringly bright HDR highlights, but that won’t matter as much with the lights off. Thanks to the self-emissive nature of OLED technology, the B5 nevertheless delivers sensational contrast during dark-room viewing. It’s also packed with features like Dolby Vision support.

Samsung S95F

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
If you’re looking to upgrade your living room or home theater with one of the best OLED TVs ever made, the Samsung S95F ought to be on your short list. It’s brighter than almost every other OLED TV on the market, and it’s especially good at showing off the near-black details that many OLEDs struggle to reproduce. Horror movies will look stunning on this TV in the dark, but they’ll also hold up with the lights on.
The S95F is also equipped with quantum dots for brighter, purer color, particularly during HDR movies and shows. I’ve watched everything on this set — from old episodes of “ALF” to “Hereditary” — and all of it looks impressive.
The bad news is that the 55-inch S95F is pricier than every other TV on this list. The good news is that it’s never been more affordable than it is right now.

Samsung 55″ S95F 4K QD-OLED TV: was $2,197 now $1,997 at Amazon
The Samsung S95F is the OLED to get if you don’t want to miss any of the details during dark, hard-to-see scenes. Its bright enough for all viewing environments, comes with a laundry list of extra features and will look impressive for years to come.

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More from Tom’s Guide

Best TVs of 2025 tested: top OLEDs, Mini-LEDs and QLEDs for every budget
OLED vs Mini-LED: What’s the difference and is one actually better?
I’m a TV expert and this is the one picture mode you should avoid at all costs
Samsung S95F

$1,997.99at Amazon
$2,997.95at Best Buy
$2,999.99at Samsung

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Michael Desjardin

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Senior Editor, TV

Michael Desjardin is a Senior Editor for TVs at Tom’s Guide. He’s been testing and tinkering with TVs professionally for over a decade, previously for Reviewed and USA Today. Michael graduated from Emerson College where he studied media production and screenwriting. He loves cooking, zoning out to ambient music, and getting way too invested in the Red Sox. He considers himself living proof that TV doesn’t necessarily rot your brain.

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