Sling-Compatible Smart TVs? 5 Popular Choices

If you plan to use Sling on your smart TV, here’s the good news: Choosing a smart TV that works with your Sling subscription won’t be much of a problem, considering its availability on most of the major smart TV platforms.

But, given all the smart TVs on the market today, you might find it a challenge to choose which one.

So which are the best smart TVs to use with Sling? We’ve got five suggestions. 

1. The Top Pick: LG CX Series

The CX series from LG is on the top of many smart TV lists for 2020. The CX series is marketed as an entry-level smart TV from the electronics giant, but this quality TV feels far more than entry-level.

Loaded with the webOS platform, the CX is compatible with the Sling app.

• Since it has an OLED display, you can expect exceptional images all the time. (Which is, ironically, also its weakest point, as OLED screens are prone to burn-in. But that can be prevented as long as you don’t leave your screen on a single frame for long.)
• The CX has wide angles so you can enjoy watching no matter where you are seated in the room.
• Response time is almost instantaneous, which gives you remarkably fast-moving content without the motion blur.
• The CX can also work in different lighting conditions. It can get bright while combating glare and reflections. At night, it can turn off pixels individually for perfect blacks.

The LG CX comes in 48, 55, 65, and 77-inch models. The 48-inch model is perfect for those in small homes or who don’t have much space for a TV.

2. Our Budget Pick: TCL 6 Series

If you are looking for an affordable smart TV perfect for watching Sling, then you should consider the TCL 6 Series.

The 6 Series runs on Roku, which is a smart TV platform compatible with Sling.

Let’s take a look under the hood:

• The 6 Series uses a QLED display that has an extensive color gamut perfect for HDR content.
• The brightness is just enough to make highlights stand out, although it can cause some blooming, despite the presence of a full-array local dimming system.
• Peak brightness and reflection management is not a problem with the 6 Series, which makes it good for well-lit environments.
• The weakness of the 6 Series is its narrow viewing angles. That means it’s not the best smart TV to use in wide seating arrangements.

The TCL 6 Series comes in 55, 65, and 75-inch models. 

3. Sony X950H

The X950H by Sony is another smart TV you should look into for Sling viewing.

Loaded with the Android TV system, the X950H is a 4k smart TV that delivers good results.

• For bright rooms, the X950H can handle reflections and glare quite well.
• At night, it has great black uniformity, local dimming, and an amazing contrast ratio.
• The response time is great, which gives fast scenes fluidity. It also has Black Frame Insertion, but it only kicks in at 120 Hz.
• The color accuracy is also spot-on, which means there’s no need to tinker with the calibration to get the best images.
• The weakness of the X950H is its viewing angles, despite having the proprietary X-Wide Angle technology of Sony.

The Sony X950H comes in 49, 55, 65, 75, and 85-inch models. Having a 49-inch option is a strong point for this smart TV, especially for those who don’t have much space.

4. Samsung Q80T

The Samsung Q80T is a Sling-compatible smart TV with excellent picture quality.

• The Q80T can deliver stunning images, thanks to its VA panel that produces deep blacks. These blacks are improved by full-array local dimming that makes the Q80T perform well for late-night viewing.
• Reflections are also not an issue, and it can handle glare.
• Color accuracy is great on this smart TV, so there’s usually no need for any calibration on your first use.
• Viewing angles are great on this TV, thanks to the Ultra Viewing Angle of Samsung, which tries to keep images as accurate as possible with side viewing.
• The downside to this smart TV is its tendency to show darker colors on the corners. The Q80T could have been the winner here, but the CX just has better image quality.

The Q80T comes in 49, 50, 55, 65, 75, and 85-inch models, making this smart TV model perfect for any room size.

5. Sony A8H

The Sony A8H is an OLED smart TV loaded with the Android TV system, making it compatible with Sling.

• Whether you watch late at night or in a well-lit room, you can expect quality images.
• The A8H can produce exceptional blacks and has an infinite contrast ratio.
• Reflections are not much of an issue, and the A8H also has a decent peak brightness to mitigate glare.
• Viewing angles are not an issue, which means you can have the whole gang over for a watch party.
• There’s not much motion blur with the A8H, and it also has a Black Frame Insertion to enhance the clearness of motion.
• Like any other OLED TV, the A8H also has that risk of burn-in, which can be a problem if you leave a single frame onscreen for a long time.

The Sony A8H only comes in 55 and 65-inch models, which makes it ideal for bigger rooms.

You should also be reading our article which talks about 5 Smart TVs Compatible With Peloton Equipment

How Much Should You Spend on a Smart TV Compatible with Sling?

Considering Sling’s availability on almost all major smart TV platforms, you have plenty of options and price points to choose from. 

With that in mind, our Top Pick generally retails for around $2,300 for the 65-inch model, while our Budget Pick retails for around $900 for the 65-inch model.

You can always get a smaller screen-size if you want to spend less.

Final Thoughts

Given the variety of content available on Sling, it is best to have a smart TV that can handle the genres you watch.

You should go for something that can go from adventure to sports without any problems in handling the graphics.

The smart TVs above were chosen based on this preference, aside from having the Sling app available in its app store.

That said, you can try other smart TV brands and set your preferences in watching, as long as they run the operating system on which Sling is available.