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Best TV gifts for picture quality

The holiday season is when more TVs are sold than any other time in the year, when prices are lowest, and when people have the best excuse to update their boob tubes. This list gathers only the ones with superior picture quality.

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David_Katzmaier.jpg
David Katzmaier
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
David Katzmaier
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1 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

This holiday season, give the gift of beauty. On a TV. Read on to see the best-performing TVs of 2014 wrapped up in one handy gift-ready package.

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2 of 10 Sarah Tew

LG 55EC9300

It takes a truly generous soul to give someone the gift of the best picture quality ever. LG's OLED will make you their hero.

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3 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung PF8500

As the last great plasma TV, Samsung's 8500 is the perfect gift for the video-quality aficionado who really knows his stuff.

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4 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Sony XBR-X900B

The best 4K TV for picture quality we've tested yet, Sony's high-end X900B also happens to sound great. Whomever receives this TV will thank you, once they get over the size of its speakers.

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5 of 10 Sarah Tew

Samsung UNHU8550 series

4K doesn't necessarily mean a better picture, but this is one 4K TV that delivers excellent quality regardless of resolution.

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6 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung UNHU9000

Forget for a moment about the curve: it neither helps nor hinders (much) the excellence of Samsung's HU9000. If they want a unique big-screen 4K TV, this is a pretty good choice.

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7 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Vizio M series

Affordable with an excellent picture, Vizio's M proves that you don't have to spend a fortune on a great-quality TV gift.

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8 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Vizio E series

The cheapest TV on this list, the Vizio E series still deserves an "excellent" picture quality rating thanks to local dimming.

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9 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Epson Home Cinema 5030UB

With the versatility to deliver huge pictures even in rooms that aren't completely dark, this high-performance Epson takes the TV gift to another level.

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10 of 10 Sarah Tew

JVC DLA-X700R

Yes, there are probably projectors that are even better than this available, but we haven't reviewed them. It's the kind of gift they'll remember for a lifetime -- one filled with incredible images.

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