Whether you're gearing up for the return of live sports or gaming on your new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, you'll want a good smart TV set up in your living room.

While you might have an idea of the basic features you want from your TV, like size or resolution, those are likely available from a variety of brands.

But each of those big brands has high-end models and low-end models, and the TV you choose likely has more to do with the individual set's features rather than the name on the bezel.

So let's talk about where those big brands excel, which might help you narrow down your search — if you want to dig deeper, check out our full TV buying guide.

LG is the perfect example of "brand isn't everything": Its top-end models are some of the absolute best TVs you can buy today, while their midrange and budget models are a bit less enticing (in most cases).

While it’s certainly an investment, the slim design, detailed picture and Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos compatibility come at a price—but it's still more affordable than its nearly-identical successor, the C1.

Samsung's TVs are all well-made, but like LG, their top-of-the-line models are where the good stuff is and their midrange models provide less value than competing brands.

Sony offers some of the most color-accurate TVs you can buy today, with a solid smart TV interface (Google TV), good HDR performance, and incredible processing power.

Sony's TVs also do a good job of "improving" low-quality video better than other brands thanks to its upscaling software, powered by the 4K HDR X1 Extreme Processor, which aims to chart objects in the images on your TV and adjust contrast for them in real time, among other things.

It also boasts next-gen gaming features for the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X, like variable refresh rate and auto low-latency mode.

The 5 series is a mild step down from the 6 series, with less impressive brightness and motion, and none of the gaming features — albeit with an even more enticing price?

Its smart apps are lackluster and its motion smoothing isn't as good as Sony's, but if you don't use these features anyway, why pay extra for them