The best TVs under $500: small budget, big picture

TCL

If you’re of nan mindset that you simply can’t people a coagulated TV for less than $1,000 these days, fto unsocial $500, we're present to play devil’s advocate. While nan absolute best TVs of nan twelvemonth tin costs thousands of dollars, location are still immoderate awesome budget-friendly sets to consider, and a fistful of these TVs do costs little than half a grand. Mind you, we’re not talking astir 85-inch OLED monoliths here, truthful pump nan brakes. These are usually entry-level sets pinch a mates of midrange models to see erstwhile there’s a waste aliases 2 around.

Maybe you’re looking for a less-than-perfect 55-inch LED you tin put successful nan impermanent bedroom. Perhaps you want to astonishment your kid pinch a TCL aliases Hisense TV this Christmas but can’t fathom dropping much than $250. There are TV models to see astatine conscionable astir each value point, and today, we’re going to return a look astatine nan champion TVs nether $500. 

Best Buy

Hisense U6N ULED

The champion 4K TV for nether $500

Whenever we commencement talking astir TVs pinch debased prices, one noteworthy brand that inevitably pops up is Hisense. Renowned for its budget-friendly ULED sets (the company’s return connected QLED tech) that present awesome brightness levels for nan price, nan 55-inch U6N whitethorn not beryllium nan premium TV you’ve been looking for nan surviving room; though it would astir apt beryllium cleanable for a bedroom, at-home gym, aliases recreational area.

Thanks to Hisense’s dedication to crystal-clear image value and powerful 4K upscaling, everything from movies and shows to video games and family photos is going to look bully connected nan U6N screen. Do support successful mind that things commencement getting lousy for those not sitting centered pinch nan TV. Considering we’re not moving pinch immoderate benignant of precocious LED lighting, nan U6N takes a dip successful image value erstwhile viewed from nan side.

For those of america who scheme connected connecting a crippled console, nan U6N doesn’t see HDMI 2.1 tech, but nan TV is very bully astatine delivering crisp gameplay performance. You’ll beryllium capable to crippled astatine 4K/60Hz pinch VRR, aliases 1440p/120Hz pinch VRR disabled. As for web-connected features, you’ll beryllium utilizing nan intuitive Google TV level for each things Netflix and Hulu, arsenic good arsenic some Alexa and Google Assistant.

TCL

TCL Q6 Series (2024)

Best TCL for nether $500

We really for illustration what TCL’s TV section has been up to nan past fewer years. Not only does nan institution present nan benignant of reasonable pricing astir folks tin wrap their purses astir (especially if you want a 65-inch aliases larger), but TCL’s QLED lineup is rather nan slayer erstwhile it comes to image quality. 

As for nan Q6 Series, we’re sitting connected nan bottommost rung of nan ladder, but this doesn’t mean you should steer clear. In fact, if you’re a PlayStation 5 aliases PC gamer, this TV mightiness beryllium nan hidden gem you’ve been looking for. Yes, nan refresh complaint is capped astatine 60Hz, but if you’re consenting to sacrifice a small pixel powerfulness (dropping from 4K to 1440p quality), TCL’s Game Accelerator 120 kicks in, boosting mobility handling to 120Hz pinch VRR. 

The TCL Q6 Series isn’t half bad for watching HDR and SDR movies and shows, either. Colors are bold and detailed, and nan TV is capable to decode Dolby Vision and a fewer different formats. As for smart TV features, smart location controls, and UI, nan Q6 uses nan Google TV OS, which looks and performs arsenic good arsenic ever. 

As for size options, nan TCL Q6 Series tin beryllium purchased arsenic mini arsenic 43 inches and arsenic ample arsenic 98 inches (additional sizes see 50, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches). It’s not a cleanable TV by immoderate means, but it’s decidedly worthy considering if you’re trying to support costs low.

Zeke Jones/Digital Trends

Roku Class Plus Series QLED

Another slayer QLED

Anyone looking for eye-catching QLED brightness and colour for nether $500 will not beryllium disapppointed pinch nan Roku 55-inch Plus Series QLED. It rocks 1 of nan champion smart TV platforms you tin find connected a TV and it’s sewage unthinkable image to boot.

While QLED displays are typically reserved for midtier and flagship TVs, we’re seeing much and much budget-friendly sets deed nan marketplace pinch these ultra-colorful screens — and now Roku is joining nan party! The Roku 55-inch Plus Series QLED is correct astatine our value cap, and let’s conscionable opportunity that for nan benignant of brightness, colour detail, and unthinkable HDR capacity (HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG) you’ll get to experience, we wouldn’t bat an oculus moreover if it costs $200 more.

That's not to mention you’ll beryllium moving pinch Roku’s astonishing smart TV level to summation entree to your favourite movies and shows from services for illustration Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. DT's TV reviewer Caleb Denison thinks that Roku's Plus TVs will guidelines up good to likewise priced LG and Samsung TVs, but its biggest title will beryllium against nan likes of TCL and Hisense successful this coveted value range.

There’s 1 point to support successful mind, though: nan Plus Series tops retired astatine 60Hz. That won’t beryllium a large woody for some, but gamers whitethorn want thing a small connected nan faster side. Then again, we suppose nan inclusion of Roku’s awesome Voice Remote Pro mightiness sweeten nan woody enough. Not only tin you programme nan controller to shop shortcuts for your favourite apps, but nan mislaid distant finder is simply a godsend for nan achromatic spread that lives beneath nan sofa cushions.

Samsung

Samsung DU7200 4K LED

Best Samsung for little than $500

Samsung is 1 of nan biggest names successful nan TV business, but it’s besides 1 of nan much costly names successful town. That doesn’t use to each models though, which leads america to this pick: nan Samsung 55-inch DU7200. Is this a premium TV? Nope. How astir a midrange set? Sorry, it’s not that either. The logic we decided to see this alternatively basal Samsung UHD group is because sometimes folks conscionable want aliases request nan basics, and thing else.

In nan lawsuit of nan DU7200 Series, these entry-level specs see 4K solution astatine up to 60Hz. You’ll besides get to bask must-have image features for illustration HDR10+ support, Filmmaker Mode, and VRR support, connected apical of Samsung’s Motion Xcelerator tech, which helps to boost nan refresh complaint person to 120Hz. Whether you scheme connected utilizing it for movies aliases gaming, nan DU7200 does a bully occupation astatine upscaling each sources, moreover though this exemplary can’t touch nan precocious upscaling of higher-priced sets.

You’ll besides want to make judge you’re viewing nan surface from arsenic head-on of an perspective arsenic imaginable — arsenic this is different group that struggles nan further toward nan sides of nan TV you sit. So, astatine nan extremity of nan day, nan Samsung 55-inch DU7200 whitethorn not beryllium nan champion TV Samsung has ever made, but it’s a decent 4K LED that costs little than $500.

Toshiba

Toshiba Class C350 Series (2023)

An astonishing woody connected a 75-inch TV

Normally this stellar Toshiba 75-inch C350 Series (2023 model) wouldn't beryllium connected this database because it's usually priced supra our $500 threshold, but for nan clip being it tin beryllium had for $480. Yes, that conscionable barely qualifies this TV arsenic worthy of going connected our list, and we’ll besides beryllium judge to propulsion nan introduction erstwhile nan waste disappears — but travel on! It’s a Fire TV-powered 4K LED for little than $500.

We person different bully things to opportunity astir nan latest C350 Series, too. Out of nan box, nan image value of this bad boy isn’t half bad. Actually, we’d opportunity it’s amended than nan pre-calibration SDR transportation that immoderate thousand-dollar-plus Hisense and TCL models shake hands you with. And because of its ample LCD panel, nan C350 Series holds up good erstwhile viewed from an angle. The Fire TV OS besides runs accelerated and is packed pinch apps and features. 

So what’s not truthful good? For one, nan C350 doesn’t get very bright, truthful HDR capacity is beautiful underwhelming (even though nan TV supports Dolby Vision). There’s nary section dimming strategy either, truthful nan achromatic levels and wide opposition of nan C350 time off overmuch to beryllium desired. None of nan HDMI ports are 2.1 certified either, truthful gamers whitethorn want to look elsewhere. 

Sometimes, though, it really is nan size of nan TV surface that matters astir for folks. That’s why nan Toshiba 75-inch C350 is connected our list, and it will beryllium whenever it’s connected sale.

Digital Trends

Amazon Omni QLED

Amazon’s brightest TV

A fewer years back, Amazon started making its ain TVs, and let’s beryllium honest: They weren’t precisely amazing. But nan company’s main demographic isn’t flagship TV diehards — it’s budget-minded folks who want a coagulated TV for a friends price. That being said, Amazon’s latest summation to its first-party lineup, nan Fire TV Omni QLED, bridges nan spread betwixt sale-price and mid-range QLED sets.

For those unaware, nan Omni QLED uses quantum dots to heighten nan TV’s colors. When you adhd successful ultra-bright backlighting, you get a superb blend of powerful brightness, rich | colour tones, and fantabulous opposition levels. Even though successful our our reappraisal we thought nan Omni QLED image didn’t execute nan benignant of brightness we're utilized to seeing from higher-end QLEDs, particularly erstwhile it comes to HDR performance, for nan value nan Fire TV Omni QLED does conscionable good for astir people. If you’re going to beryllium doing a mostly of your TV watching astatine nighttime aliases successful a basement TV room, for illustration (when model lighting isn’t arsenic overmuch of an issue), nan Omni QLED is simply a bully choice.

On nan OS broadside of things, we do emotion nan Fire TV UI, and controlling your smart location devices utilizing hands-free Alexa (the sound adjunct is built into nan TV) is rather nan thrill.

We’re besides large fans of Amazon's Ambient Experience, which lets you show beautiful artwork connected your TV screen, connected apical of notifications, sticky notes, news headlines, and more.

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