Only three televisions cleared the bar with excellent marks
As the World Cup approaches, Mexico's consumer protection agency Profeco completed a sweeping evaluation of 49 television models, finding that only three merit the designation of excellence — a reminder that in a marketplace crowded with promises, verified quality remains rare. Among the finalists, an LG model manufactured on Mexican soil stands as both a practical recommendation and a quiet affirmation of domestic industry. For consumers navigating a sea of screens and specifications, the agency has offered something more valuable than advertising: an honest accounting.
- With the World Cup just ten days out, millions of Mexican households face a high-stakes electronics decision under intense commercial pressure.
- Out of 49 models from 13 manufacturers, only three cleared Profeco's bar — exposing a market where most televisions fall short of the quality their price tags imply.
- The LG OLED C5, manufactured in Mexico and priced nearly 3,000 pesos below its closest Samsung rival, emerges as the standout value among the elite three.
- Profeco's methodology was unusually rigorous, measuring true black depth, color accuracy, contrast, uniformity, and audio performance against four Mexican and international technical standards.
- Consumers now have official guidance, but the catch is real: all three excellent-rated models sit firmly in the premium tier, leaving budget shoppers without a certified option.
With the World Cup ten days away, Profeco released a study that cuts through the noise of Mexico's electronics market. Of 49 televisions tested across 13 manufacturers and three display technologies — QLED, MiniLED, and OLED — only three earned an "excellent" rating. One of them is made in Mexico.
The agency's evaluation was comprehensive, examining not just image performance but also packaging compliance, connectivity, and audio quality. Four dimensions of picture quality were scrutinized: black depth, color accuracy, contrast, and screen uniformity. The results were unambiguous in their selectivity.
The three televisions that passed were the Samsung QN55S85, the LG OLED C5, and the Samsung QN65S90HAEXZX. Both the Samsung QN55S85 and the LG OLED C5 scored excellent across all image categories, with audio earning a "very good" in each case. Their connectivity and internal specs are nearly identical — but their prices are not. The LG, at 18,124 pesos, undercuts the Samsung's 20,999 pesos by nearly 3,000 pesos. It also carries the distinction of being the only domestically manufactured television to reach Profeco's highest tier.
For anyone standing in a store overwhelmed by options, the agency's message is straightforward: excellent picture quality for the tournament ahead comes in three verified forms, all premium. The LG offers the strongest value and the added weight of supporting Mexican production. Everything else tested fell short — which is, in its own way, a useful map of what to leave on the shelf.
With the World Cup ten days away, Mexico's consumer protection agency Profeco released a study that should settle at least some of the arguments happening in electronics stores across the country. Out of 49 television models tested from 13 different manufacturers, only three earned an "excellent" rating. And in a small victory for domestic manufacturing, one of those three is made in Mexico.
Profeco's testing was thorough. The agency evaluated televisions across three modern display technologies—QLED, MiniLED, and OLED—checking everything from whether the packaging and manuals met legal requirements to how well each screen actually performed. The evaluation looked at four critical dimensions of image quality: how deeply black the blacks could go (whether they appeared as true black or merely dark gray), color accuracy, contrast, and uniformity across the screen. Audio quality mattered too, measured both at normal listening levels and at high volume. The researchers also catalogued the practical features: how many HDMI ports, what operating system, how much storage and RAM, which streaming apps were available.
The three televisions that cleared the bar with excellent marks were the Samsung QN55S85, the LG OLED C5, and the Samsung QN65S90HAEXZX. The Samsung QN55S85, a 55-inch OLED model, scored excellent across color, contrast, black levels, and uniformity, with only its audio earning a "very good" rating. It comes equipped with three HDMI inputs (one with eARC capability), USB, RCA, a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth, and internet connectivity. It runs Samsung's Tizen operating system and carries a price tag of 20,999 pesos.
The LG OLED C5 matched the Samsung's performance almost exactly—excellent in color, contrast, blacks, and uniformity, very good in audio—and shares nearly identical connectivity options and internal specifications. The crucial difference is price and origin. At 18,124 pesos for the 55-inch version, it undercuts the Samsung by nearly 3,000 pesos. More significantly, this model is manufactured in Mexico, making it the only domestically produced television to achieve Profeco's highest rating. It runs WebOS, LG's proprietary system, which provides access to the major streaming platforms.
The third excellent-rated model, the Samsung QN65S90HAEXZX, appears to have been cut off in the original report, but its inclusion in the top tier suggests it represents another premium option for consumers willing to spend for verified quality. The testing methodology itself was rigorous, grounded in four Mexican and international technical standards covering electronic safety, measurement systems, commercial information requirements, and audio-video equipment specifications.
For anyone standing in a store right now, overwhelmed by choices and price tags, Profeco's verdict is clear: if you want a television that will reliably deliver excellent picture quality for the tournament ahead, you have three options, all in the premium range. The LG offers the best value and the added benefit of supporting Mexican manufacturing. The Samsungs offer alternatives if you prefer that ecosystem. Everything else tested fell short of that standard—which is useful information in its own way, a map of what to avoid.
Notable Quotes
The Samsung QN55S85 scored excellent across color, contrast, black levels, and uniformity, with only its audio earning a 'very good' rating— Profeco testing results
The LG OLED C5 matched the Samsung's performance and undercuts it by nearly 3,000 pesos while being manufactured domestically— Profeco study findings
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did Profeco decide to test televisions right now, just before the World Cup?
The timing isn't accidental. Millions of Mexicans buy new TVs for major sporting events, and they're making those decisions with incomplete information. Profeco saw an opportunity to give people actual data instead of marketing claims.
What made the testing so rigorous? It seems like more than just "does the picture look good?"
They understood that a good TV is a system. Yes, image quality matters—the blacks, the colors, the contrast. But so does whether the remote works, whether you can actually plug your devices in, whether the software will let you access the apps you want. They tested all of it.
Only three out of 49 passed with excellent. That's a pretty harsh verdict.
It is, but that's the point. "Excellent" should mean something. If everything got a passing grade, the rating would be worthless. These three genuinely performed better than the others across multiple dimensions.
The LG is made in Mexico but costs less than the Samsung. How does that happen?
Different manufacturing costs, different supply chains, different margins. But from a consumer perspective, it's interesting—you're getting the same level of performance for less money, and you're supporting domestic production.
What about the people who can't afford 18,000 pesos for a television?
That's the hard part. Profeco's study tells you what the best option is, but it doesn't solve the affordability problem. For most Mexicans, even the cheapest excellent-rated TV is out of reach. The study is useful, but it's also a reminder of what premium quality costs.