TV brand performance is closer than ever.

Hisense and TCL have narrowed the performance gap with Sony, Samsung and LG through recent product and technology advances, and multiple manufacturers showed similar art-style TVs at CES this year.

For years Sony, Samsung and LG sat at the top of the TV market, with Hisense, TCL and Vizio commonly seen as midrange brands. In recent years Hisense and TCL have narrowed that gap by introducing notable product and technology advances. At CES this year several manufacturers showed art-style and premium models that make some category distinctions less pronounced. Some technical differences remain between technologies and brands. Key points: - Hisense is reported as the first company to debut an RGB LED TV last year. - TCL's X11L is reported as the first TV with reformulated quantum dots and a new color filter. - TCL released the QM9K last year, which the article describes as a clear statement of competitiveness. - Multiple manufacturers, including announcements from Amazon and LG at CES, presented art-style TVs that use similar edge-lit designs, magnetic frames and art stores. - LG brought back its Wallpaper OLED at CES, noted for its extremely slim profile, art-store support and wireless connections (except for power). - The article notes that Hisense and TCL generally price their products lower than Sony, Samsung and LG, and that public perception still often places the former companies in a second-tier category. Summary: The narrowing performance gap has put more manufacturers into the premium conversation and reduced some clear differences between models. The article reports that perception and pricing remain important influences on how brands are seen by consumers. Undetermined at this time.