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There are many factors to consider when shopping for a new TV, which makes it a daunting task in and of itself. But if you're interested in a TV you can comfortably watch from the outside while soaking in the sun by the pool during summer in your backyard or while taking in the breeze on your spacious patio, it becomes even more challenging. Regular living room televisions simply don't cut it for outdoor use, as watching outside exposes a TV to elements that can affect the overall experience or even damage it. 

And that's because regular sets aren't built to handle extreme environmental elements well, such as heat and moisture. A TV meant for outdoor use also needs to have enough brightness to counter direct sunlight and fight reflections to make sure the image quality stays sharp. While dedicated TVs for outdoor use exist, regular models can also work as long as you put some strategies in place, such as using an enclosure to shield them from environmental elements. 

To make your work easier when shopping for an outdoor TV this summer, we've scoured the web to find models that will deliver the best experience. Our selection includes a mix of regular and outdoor-dedicated TVs like Samsung's The Terrace.

As an outdoor TV, Samsung The Terrace is built from the ground up to suit that need. First, it includes an IP55 rating, which means it can keep water and dust from getting inside, which is important if you plan to mount it outside, especially by the pool. To ensure you can comfortably watch content in bright conditions, it comes with an anti-glare coating atop the display to minimize reflections and enhance contrast. The set can also hit brightness levels as high as 2,000 nits to ensure you can watch content comfortably, especially when it's bright. 

Samsung The Terrace has a 4K QLED panel with a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate. RTings tested the TV and says it's a great model for outdoor use and the best model it has tested, as well as that it "gets exceptionally bright," ensuring visibility during the day, and it handles reflections well. Its high contrast ratio, full-array local dimming, and wide color gamut make it great for outdoor viewing, too.

RTings also loves the TV's strengths in gaming due to the low input lag, fast response time, and 120 Hz refresh rate. The major downside is the TV's poor viewing angle due to the use of a VA panel. You can buy the Samsung The Terrace outdoor TV starting at $3,500 for a 55-inch, partial-sun model. A full-sun model that can be placed in direct sunlight will cost you more for the same size.

You've probably never heard of the brand Sylvox, let alone the company's Frameless Pro TV, because it's not a model that you'd typically find rated as one of the best smart TVs overall. That's because this is a dedicated TV for outdoor use. This set features a 4K LED panel with an underwhelming 60 Hz refresh rate but a peak brightness of 2,000 nits to ensure content visibility in bright conditions. Besides the 2,000-nit brightness, it has other qualities that make it suitable for outdoor use, including a full metal casing and an IP56 rating for protection against dust and water. 

If you were looking for an outdoor model that you can put to use in one of your businesses, you can consider the Frameless Pro, as Sylvox says it's designed for both residential and commercial use. The 2026 Sylvox Frameless Pro is one of the best outdoor TVs, according to Popular Mechanics. The site has put the TV to the test and says it's the best full-sun outdoor model you can get. Popular Mechanics praises the model for its slim bezels, 2,000-nit peak brightness, and tough build. 

However, the sound quality isn't great, and it lacks a 120 Hz refresh rate. The Sylvox Frameless Pro starts at $2,300 for a 43-inch model, but you can also get it in 55-, 65-, or 75-inch models, depending on your budget.

This is another set from Sylvox dedicated to outdoor use that is worth considering if you want a model for outdoor entertainment this summer. As its name suggests, this one comes with a handful of gaming-focused features. Some of which are a 120 Hz refresh rate at 4K, variable refresh rate, and two HDMI 2.1 ports, all of which allow you to take full advantage of current-generation consoles. Apart from the focus on gaming, this set also simply works great for watching content outside the house. 

First, the brightness can hit a maximum of 1,000 nits, which isn't the highest, but it can help with visibility when watching content in broad daylight. This set is also IP55-rated for dust and water resistance, and it can operate comfortably at high or low temperatures — Sylvox says it can withstand temperatures ranging from -22 degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Another quality that makes it great for outdoor use is its metal body, which the company claims is both corrosion-resistant and scratch-resistant. 

Popular Mechanics praises the TV's gaming chops, saying it delivers "a top-tier gaming experience with smooth graphics and detail-rich visuals." The site, however, notes that you'll need to reduce exposure to direct sunlight, especially at noon, which isn't surprising, as this is a partial-sun model and lacks the brightness of a full-sun model like the 2026 Sylvox Frameless Pro. The Sylvox 2025 outdoor gaming TV starts at $1,999 for a 55-inch model.

Furrion's Aurora Full-Sun Pro is a TV built for outdoor use. It's very bright to counter sunlight with a peak brightness of 2,500 nits. Due to its high peak brightness, the company says it can be mounted in direct sunlight. As an outdoor TV, it comes with built-in protection from weather elements. That includes an IP66 rating to protect against dust and water, and the screen has an IK09 rating to protect against physical impact. 

That IK09 rating helps ensure your new set won't be easily damaged by windblown debris or stray soccer balls upon impact. Also, the TV is built to operate well within a wide temperature range of between -24 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Aurora Full-Sun Pro also ships with a Wi-Fi boosting antenna to ensure the internet signal stays strong. The set uses a 4K LED panel and has HDR+ support for vivid colors and deep contrast. 

ZDNet has named the Aurora Full-Sun Pro as its best full-sun outdoor TV, highlighting its anti-glare screen and excellent display as major selling points. It says the model can deliver a great watching experience even in bright midday sun thanks to its 2,500-nit peak brightness. However, the Furrion Aurora Full-Sun Pro is quite a pricey set, starting at $8,000 for a 55-inch model. If you need it in a larger size, you can get it in 65 or 75 inches. 

Unlike the previously mentioned TVs, which were designed to be outside and are expensive compared to regular indoor models, the Hisense U65QF is a regular model meant to be used in the house. That means it doesn't have the features for protection against weather elements — that's one of the features that sets outdoor TVs apart from regular models. Because it's a regular set, you'll have to get an outdoor enclosure to protect it from the elements. 

Despite its lack of protection against the elements, this model is great for watching while outside, according to RTings. In fact, the site has named the Hisense U65QF as its best budget outdoor TV. RTings says the U65QF is "surprisingly bright" for its price and can handle glare well even in the brightest hours of the day. However, it's a good idea to mount it away from direct sunlight as it doesn't have enough brightness to counter full sun exposure. 

The U65QF has a 4K Mini-LED panel with a 144 Hz native refresh rate, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and 600 local dimming zones. It supports various HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. It includes two HDMI 2.1 ports capable of transmitting a 4K signal at 144 Hz, which is handy for gaming. The Hisense U65QF launched at a starting MSRP of $800 for a 55-inch model, but you can get it for cheap in 2026.

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When shopping for an outdoor television, there are factors that you need to prioritize, such as IP ratings, operating temperature, and peak brightness, because taking a TV outside exposes it to different elements. The first issue is ambient light, which can affect the visibility of the screen, especially during midday. With this in mind, we ensured that all the sets that we picked were bright enough (at least 1,000 nits of peak brightness) to counteract glare from the sun. However, not all of the models listed are meant to be used under direct sunlight. 

Some are partial-sun models, meaning they work best in areas that aren't fully exposed to sunlight, while others are full-sun and are therefore bright enough to be placed in direct sunlight. The IP rating was equally important when selecting the best outdoor TVs, as it helps in shielding against dust and water. However, based on our research, we noticed that it's easier to find outdoor-dedicated sets that are IP-rated than regular models. 

Additionally, outdoor models are more expensive compared to regular ones. So, to ensure even users on a budget have an option, we recommended one regular TV model, the Hisense U65QF. However, as noted before, you should get an outdoor enclosure for protection against the elements before you can start using it outside. In addition to brightness and IP rating, we also based our selection on reviews from experts to ensure we don't recommend poorly rated products that will disappoint in real-world use.