UK’s 6 Most Energy Efficient TVs in 2022 (Plus Buying Guide) - beeco (2024)

From streaming the latest show to spending hours on that latest video game, and maybe even hosting a Zoom meeting, our TV screens are seeing a lot of action.

Over lockdown, our TV time increased by a third as we spent up to 40% of our days sitting in front of the TV. It’s easy to forget that so much electricity is being used up just by us sitting on the couch all day.

And while it’s not exactly possible to make an eco-friendly TV (they’re all plastic), it is possible to reduce the energy you use and waste by purchasing the most energy efficient TV you can find.

Bonus: saving this energy will save you money too!

Our selection of the best energy efficient TVs

If this is the first time you’ve considered energy efficiency when selecting a TV for your home, make sure you read our Buying Guide (especially since the UK is using a new rating system). We tested many TVs by checking their energy efficiency, rating, and overall performance. After all, why buy an energy-efficient TV if it’s no good for watching?!

Our favourite Energy Efficient TV Overall – TCL 65P615K

The 65-inch P615K flatscreen TV by TCL is a fantastic energy efficient choice if you want a large screen, as it scores an E energy rating!

Before the rating system changed, this energy efficient TV scored an A+. It also has an auto power-off function, to save energy when you fall asleep on the couch. Its average power consumption is 82W.

As for features, this is a Smart TV with 4K and UHD capability, so you can watch The Crown in all its high definition glory! We found the picture quality to be especially bright.

Key specifications:

The most Energy Efficient TV – Panasonic TX-32JS360B

First things first, this TV scores an F energy rating, which isn’t the highest on our list but it’s still very impressive. As of March 2021, the new rating system has made most previous A+ TVs a G rating! So, an F rating isn’t to be dismissed.

What really makes this TV an excellent choice is the average power consumption. Its average power consumption, when turned on, is ONLY 31W. That’s hardly anything! We barely noticed it on our energy bill after a month of testing it out.

Sure, the screen is only 32 inches, but you get a HDR screen and Smart TV features (hello, Netflix). In fact 32 inches is the sweet spot for a smaller living room. The F rating leaves room to improve, but the energy consumption figures are impressive. We’ll be using this TV a lot.

Note: This is the updated model of the TX-32JS350B previously listed. The JS360 was released in November 2021 and comes with important upgrades, such as a better resolution (Full HD instead of HD) and better HDR technology, without compromising on energy efficiency.

Key specifications:

Most Efficient LCD TV Money Can Buy – Samsung QE75QN85 Neo QLED 4K HDR Smart TV

Released in 2021, this is still one of the best energy rated QLED TV out there in 2022. From the specs alone, it’s impressive. The 75-inch QN85A is a QLED LCD screen, so it offers fantastic graphics and definition. If you really want to feel like you’re at the cinema, this is the TV to go for.

If you’re into gaming, you’ll be happy to read that this TV has a refresh rate of 120Hz and comes with 4 HDMI ports (1 of them is HDMI 2.1 for gaming at 4K/120Hz)

It has an E energy rating, which is basically the best energy rating a good TV can have in 2022 (I mean, good luck finding a D rating), and as far as gaming is concerned, most 120Hz TVs usually have a G rating. As for consumption, its average power consumption is 106W.

Samsung really are at the top of their game with TVs. We were unhappy to see that the vast majority of their models are rated G. But with unparalleled features, that’s to be expected.

Note: There is a similar Samsung TV that made our list, the QN94A, which you can find below.

Key specifications:

Best Eco Gaming TV – Samsung 55” Q70A QLED 4K HDR Smart TV

Let’s be honest, finding a gaming TV that has a decent energy rating wasn’t easy. Sure, the Samsung QN85 listed right above has a 120Hz refresh rate and scores an E for its 75″ version, but its price might be a turn off for many…

If you don’t feel like spending more than 2.5K on a TV, the Samsung Q70A in its 55” version might be your best bet! Its energy class is “only” F, but to be fair, most 120Hz TVs in that price range score a G.

The average power consumption is 77W. That’s not bad, it could be better, but it’s what we can expect in 2022.

Aside from that, this TV was clearly made with gamers in mind. It has the expected 120Hz refresh rate and 4 HDMI ports, including 1 HDMI 2.1 for gaming at 4K/120Hz. Image quality is superb and offers crisp HDR gaming thanks to the QLED technology and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. This TV also offers a “Game Bar” to adjust your gameplay quickly and a way to switch to an ultra-wide 32:9 screen ratio.

We loved how intense and immersive it was playing open world games like Red Dead Redemption 2 on this TV. It’s fantastic for games with detailed graphics. F energy rating, 120Hz, 4K, HDR10+ and QLED technology at this price? Let us know if you ever find a better package!

Key specifications:

Best TV with Anti-Glare Screen – Samsung QN94A Neo QLED 4K HDR Smart TV

We almost made this TV our top LCD TV, but it just misses out on the other Samsung energy efficient TV. This model, the QN94A, is also 75 inches and achieves an E energy rating. Unless you looked at the model number, you’d think these were the same TVs.

In terms of energy use, this model has a typical power consumption of 107W, which is just 1W more! Yep, it was that close.

The main difference between these Smart TVs is that this model has an anti-reflection screen so there’s no glare, and the price is a little steeper. We really wanted to test this TV personally, however, it wasn’t yet available to buy (at the time of writing). We did choose to review various other Samsung models, however, so we know the brand produces high-quality TVs.

Key specifications:

An E rated TV That Doesn’t Break the Bank – TCL 50P615K 50 Inch 4K Ultra HD

This TCL model isn’t the newest TV on the list, but who cares, really? Yes, it was released in 2020, but it has an E energy rating, a 50″ 4K display, HDR10, a 60 Hz refresh rate and decent smart features. You get more bang for the buck than with many recent TVs!

As we said, this is an E rating for energy consumption and its average power consumption is 51W, which makes it the second most energy efficient TV on this list. Not bad!

50″ is mid-range when it comes to size. It’s not tiny, but we definitely didn’t think it was massive when we tested it. Image quality and contrast were great when tested thanks to the High Dynamic Range and local dimming combination.

Note that, even though we didn’t find it particularly slow, this isn’t the fastest TV out there. Sound quality is also OK (It’s Dolby Audio, after all), but as with many TVs, a soundbar could be a nice addition. But again, this is compared to the top TVs on this list that cost 8 or 9 times the price of this TCL…

If you want a Smart TV that runs as efficiently as possible, this LG TV is a good choice.

Key specifications:

What to Look for When Buying an Energy Efficient TV

Key specifications

Buying a TV is never easy, there are many models and specifications to look at. And this gets ever trickier when you’re shopping for an energy-efficient TV. For our selection of TVs above, we’ve decided to base our reviews on several key specifications that should help you find the perfect TV for your needs.

Energy rating – we only considered TVs that have the new rating, as it shows that the TV company/brand is keeping up to date with regulations and is at least trying to be responsible for their environmental impact! You might think that the TVs we listed rank poorly with their E or F rating, but know this: most TVs went from A+ to G with the new system. In other words: an E-rated TV is good!

Average power consumption – this is usually worked out using averages over a year, then calculated back for a kWh rate. It’s not always a good indicator of efficiency (a large TV might have a higher kWh but uses that energy more efficiently than a smaller TV) but it does help you figure out how much the TV will cost to run.

Auto-off – an important feature that all TVs should have. Whether you forget to turn the TV off or fall asleep watching The Crown, this feature stops the TV from playing all night and wasting energy.

Power-saving modes – besides auto-off, some TVs have additional features that dim the screen or have an energy-saving mode for standby. If the TV model has any additional features, we’ve listed them in the tables above.

Size – we’ve collated a range of TVs with different screen sizes, so you’ll find something for the kitchen, living room, bedroom etc. Make sure you look at the full size of the TV – including that edge around the screen – to make sure it will fit in your decor.

Panel technology – OLED, LCD, 4K, HDTV, etc. Comparing the technology that powers each screen allows you to determine not only how good the picture is, but how energy efficient it is. See our FAQs below about the most energy efficient screen type.

Resolution – not to be overlooked! The best TV will offer the best resolution with the lowest power consumption. We know you don’t want to sacrifice a quality resolution for better energy efficiency.

Smart features – smart features are great for usability, but not so much for energy efficiency. We’ve listed the smart features available on all the TVs we reviewed. Weigh up these features carefully with the additional costs of running such a power-guzzling TV! Note that at the moment, all the TVs listed have smart features (it’s difficult to find non-smart TV nowadays). But there are different levels of smart features and you can find TVs that keep it more “simple” than others.

Updated energy label

Good news! The official energy label we use in the UK changed in March 2021 to make it easier to work out how energy efficient a TV is.

Previously, the ratings went from G to A+++, but we’re ditching the A+ grades and simplifying it. From now on, TVs will be rated from G to A. The little tab icon that states the energy rating must say ‘A t G’ down the left side. If it doesn’t, then it’s the old rating which is no longer applicable.

Many flat screen TVs that were showing A to A++ on the old rating are now scoring G to E.

The energy label will also display the kWh so you can easily compare energy consumption, and it will show the different energy ratings for different modes. If the TV uses more electricity in HDR mode, the new label will tell you so.

All TVs sold in the UK should have this label – don’t buy one that doesn’t, even if it’s second hand.

Furthermore, look out for Energy Star stickers. These aren’t as common in the UK as they are in the US, but generally an Energy Star TV saves 30% more energy over a standard appliance.

Running Costs

Even inefficient TVs won’t cost you a fortune. The best you could find pre-March 2021 is an A+++ TV rating, but these are hard to come by. Generally, an A++ TV is as good as you can get in the UK unless you plan to spend a fortune.

Top of the range TVs score lower, unfortunately. The QN90A Neo QLED 4K HDR Smart TV from Samsung (one of the newest TVs for 2021) scores an F, for example.

Being energy efficient might mean switching for an older model.

As for running costs, according to this article, in 2021 the average electricity price in the UK was 18.9p per KWh (let’s round it up to 19p). Based on that, here is what you can expect to pay for 1000 hours of viewing (it’s the general standard to calculate the energy cost per year. This corresponds to between 19 and 20 hours of TV viewing per week):

• Panasonic TX 32- JS360B (32″ screen – 31W): £6
• TCL P65P615K (65″ screen – 85W): £16
• Samsung QE75QN85 (75″ – 106W): £20

So, it’s not a massive amount especially when you pay your electricity bill per month. Switching to an energy efficient TV is still a significant saving, however.

Company Missions

If you read our article about sustainable electronics, you’ll know that up to 80% of a device’s total carbon footprint comes from the manufacturing process. So, that’s why checking up on the company is recommended.

From using recycled metals to ensuring worker’s rights and biodegradable packing. This doesn’t directly impact the energy efficiency of the TV when it’s plugged in at home, but it’s still important.

Recycling

Do not forget to recycle your old TV. E-waste is a big problem. Recycling is not the solution but it helps.

FAQ’s

Before you go…

If you watch TV on your mobile phone (or simply Youtube), make sure you also have an eco-friendly phone case.