Articles by James Davidson, TV Hardware Staff Writer, Home Entertainment

James is the TV Hardware Staff Writer at TechRadar. After studying English Literature and Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, he rekindled a childhood love for writing and creating stories that soon translated into the world of freelance writing, primarily for music blogs. Eventually getting into the world of TV and hi-fi, James honed a knowledge and passion for all things audio and visual. He is now bringing this experience to Tech Radar to write about the latest TV- related tech and give readers all the info they need. When not writing and reading about the latest audio and visual goodies, James can be found gaming, reading, watching rugby or coming up with another idea for a novel.

Articles by: James Davidson

What's better than the GTA 6 pre-orders going live? The LG C5 hitting a record-low price for Prime Day, that's what

By James Davidson Published 24 June 26

The LG C5 has dropped to a record-low price in all its sizes at Amazon, but it's the 42-inch that steals the show.

Prime Day’s TV deals are perfectly timed for GTA 6 — I’m a TV reviewer, and here are the best gaming TV deals to upgrade ready for its launch

By James Davidson Published 24 June 26

I've searched through Prime Day TV deals for the best offers on gaming TVs. Here are my picks, just in time for GTA 6 pre-orders.

I test gaming TVs every day and these are the models I'd trust to let GTA 6 look its best

By James Davidson Published 24 June 26

Looking for a TV upgrade for GTA 6? I've picked 5 of the best gaming TVs we've tested here at TechRadar that are sure to do the best job.

Four 4K Blu-ray cases of ready player one, the crow, lord of the rings and double indemnity in a line

I collect 4K Blu-ray so I've picked 6 discs from my personal collection that I recommend to show what the format can really do

By James Davidson Published 23 June 26

I test 4K Blu-ray for a living, so I thought I'd pick 6 discs that I personally own to recommend for anyone looking to start their own.

Hisense U7S Pro taken right angle shot with footage of a football training ground at night aerial shot on screen

Did you know that the World Cup is streaming in 4K on BBC iPlayer? You could be missing out — here's how to see if your TV supports it and if not, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K and PS5 have you covered

By James Davidson Published 23 June 26

You can watch World Cup games in 4K on BBC iPlayer, but it's not obvious which devices support it; well, other than the PS5 and Roku Streaming Stick 4K.

As TechRadar's TV tester, the LG C5 OLED TV is at 'the very top of my recommended list' — and there's no better time to buy it

By James Davidson Published 23 June 26

The LG C5 is one of the best I've tested and is always at the top of my recommended list

LG C5 listing image with deer in snow on-screen

I'm a certified TV calibrator, and these are the 4 TVs for all budgets I'd most recommend — but they're starting to sell out, so don't miss out on these OLED and mini-LED bargains

By James Davidson Published 23 June 26

While there are tons of TV deals available during Prime Day, it might be your last chance to pick up these four TVs for a bargain price.

The LG C5 is the 5-star OLED TV I’d recommend for both the World Cup and GTA 6 — and you can get it for a record-low price ahead of Prime Day, but it won’t stick around for long

By James Davidson Published 22 June 26

The LG C5 is one of the best all-around TVs I've ever tested, and its price has dropped to a record-low.

The Samsung S95F is easily one of the best OLED TVs for bright rooms I've tested, and it's hit a record-low price ahead of Prime Day — perfect timing for a World Cup upgrade

By James Davidson Published 22 June 26

If you want an OLED TV for a bright room, maybe to watch the World Cup, then you can't get much better than the Samsung S95F.

I test TVs for a living and the TCL C8K was one of the best I used last year — it's a brilliant option for the World Cup and just dropped back to a record-low price ahead of Prime Day

By James Davidson Published 22 June 26

The TCL C8K is a superb mini-LED TV that delivers excellent value, both it and its US equivalent have dropped to a record-low price: and it's not even Prime Day yet!

Blu-ray Bounty bonus article hero image showing Junglepussy holding up a bank from One Battle After Another 4K Blu-ray

I tested 4 more 4K Blu-rays released in 2026 that are worth adding your collection — including a great Dolby Atmos showcase, and two sumptuous DTS music movies (well, one of them's Spinal Tap, but it absolutely counts)

By James Davidson Published 20 June 26

It's Blu-ray's 20th anniversary, which gave me an excuse to lock myself in a room for a work day with 4 discs released in 2026 that I missed testing previously.

best of blu-ray bounty hero image showing alien romulus, lawrence of arabia, the mask, the sound of music and the wild robot 4K Blu-ray cases in a line

‘The best looking discs I’ve ever seen’: I’ve picked the top 10 4K Blu-rays I’ve tested in the last two years — including reference-quality discs I use as part of reviewing TVs

By James Davidson Published 19 June 26

After nearly two years of the Blu-ray Bounty, I’ve picked my top 10 4K Blu-rays I've tested for my monthly roundups.

A Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player, with its disc tray open, and copy of One Battle After Another on 4K Blu-ray disc in the tray

'We've seen an increase in Blu-ray orders of 10,000%': I spoke to a Blu-ray and vinyl agency about their Blu-ray sales and it's given me even more hope for physical media's survival

By James Davidson Published 19 June 26

While home physical media was on the decline, a talk with a vinyl and Blu-ray agency gave me hope for the future.

10 Comments

Hisense UR8 (left) vs Samsung QN80H (right) showing an orange butterfly. The QN80H's colors are bolder, despite the fact the UR8 uses RGB tech

I tested a budget RGB TV and equivalent mini-LED TV side by side — and while RGB gets us closer to OLED performance, it still needs to learn a few things from its old-school counterpart

By James Davidson Published 14 June 26

How does the Hisense UR8, an affordable RGB mini-LED TV, compare to the Samsung QN80H, which uses standard mini-LED?

3 Comments

I'm a certified TV calibrator, and I rate these 3 models as the best-value buys you can get for a World Cup upgrade, all based on our real-world testing

By James Davidson Published 10 June 26

World Cup fever is in full force and if you're looking for a great value TV for the tournament, these are 3 of my top recommendations

Hisense U7S with footage of a football stadium on screen, taken from a left angle

Looking to upgrade your TV for the World Cup? Here are my 3 picks as TechRadar's TV tester, including models from Samsung, TCL and LG — hurry though, as you may not have long left them to buy them

By James Davidson Published 8 June 26

The World Cup is next week and if you're still deciding on a new TV, these 3 models are the top of my recommended list as TechRadar's TV tester

Most anticipated 4K Blu-ray June 2026 hero image featuring speed Racer, EPiC; Elvis Presley in Concert, Bullet In the head and Hoppers covers

I test 4K Blu-ray for a living and these are the 4 discs I'm most looking forward to in June 2026 — one of which I think will be 'reference quality'

By James Davidson Published 5 June 26

June 2026 is another stacked month for 4k Blu-ray releases — I've picked four that I can't wait to get my hands on.

Samsung M80H (left) vs Samsung QN80H (right) showing a squirrel in a brightly colored bush. The QN80H shows higher brightness and more vibrant colors

Looking to buy a new Samsung mini-LED TV for the World Cup? I tested two side-by-side and it's an 'opportune time' to pick up 2025's flagship set with Prime Day coming up

By James Davidson Published 5 June 26

I compared the Samsung M80H mini-LED and Samsung QN80H Neo QLED TVs 2026 TVs side by side ready for the World Cup: it reminded me of the Samsung QN90F's greatness.

5 new 4K Blu-rays to add to your collection from May 2026

By James Davidson Published 2 June 26

For May 2026, I'm looking at 5 new 4K Blu-rays that could be added to your collection, which includes one of my most anticipated discs of all time.

The LG B6 (left) and LG G6 (right) showing an orange butterfly. Good colors on both TVs, but the G6 looks punchier.

I put the LG G6 and LG B6 OLED TVs side-by-side, and exploring the nuances of color depth and HDR brightness across the range makes me more certain than the LG C6 is the real star of 2026 — here’s how the flagship and budget OLED tech compares

By James Davidson Published 1 June 26

How does LG's flagship G6 OLED compare to its entry-level B6 OLED? I used my usual reference movie scenes to find out

6 Comments

LG B6 OLED TV with an owl on screen. The B6 delivers realistic textures, shown by the owl's feathers

'A great OLED TV with a few frustrations': I reviewed the LG B6, and it brings some much needed extra brightness to the B-series for HDR punch — but it's a shame a few things hold back it from perfection

By James Davidson Published 30 May 26

Recommended

The LG B6 brings B-series brightness to a new level with great performance and features, but a couple of setbacks stop it from being truly perfect.

LG C6 with a field of red flowers and a single yellow flower in the centre of the field on screen

The LG C6 OLED TV is my dark horse pick for a World Cup winner — I said it ‘sets the bar for TVs in 2026’ in my review — and it’s already been discounted

By James Davidson Published 28 May 26

The LG C6 has only been around for a few weeks, but we're already seeing some big discounts: perfect timing for the World Cup!

Samsung HW-Q990H soundbar system with the soundbar in front, subwoofer behind and rear speakers stacked on subwoofer

Samsung HW-Q990H review: a soundbar system that brings a real Dolby Atmos experience to your home

By James Davidson Published 28 May 26

Editor's Choice

The Samsung HW-Q990H is yet another awesome entry in Samsung's flagship soundbar lineage, delivering a full Dolby Atmos experience at home.

A shot of the narrator up-close from the Fight Club 4K Blu-ray on LG G5 OLED. Skin tones look realistic and there's strong contrast and shadows across the narrator's face

The long-awaited Fight Club 4K Blu-ray has finally arrived — but not only is it missing Dolby Atmos and Vision, it's also been the subject of controversy on Reddit due to David Fincher's changes

By James Davidson Published 27 May 26

Fight Club has arrived on 4K Blu-ray and while it's been hotly anticipated, it's been met with some controversy on Reddit

8 Comments

A home theater with plush gray seats and a bright projector screen

You think your World Cup TV setup is good? This custom 9.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos home theater was designed for sports, with a unique smart 'Football Mode' and powerful sound that's probably louder than a real stadium crowd

By James Davidson Published 25 May 26

This CEDIA EMEA award-winning home cinema isn't just great for movies: it's perfect for the World Cup too!

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