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The best TV is big enough for your needs, has a high resolution, and offers some smart features.
You may think that such a fancy TV will cost you thousands of dollars, but our top pick, the TCL 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV, has all those great features and costs less than half-a-grand.
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TV pricing has come down over the past few years. Gone are the days when buying a 4K TV meant having to shell out thousands of dollars. These days, you can get a good, large 4K TV for only a few hundred dollars. In fact, it's so easy to get a great and affordable TV because there are many options.
As usual, there are a few things to consider when you're buying a new TV. Some of them are obvious, but some of them are a little subtler.
Resolution: The first thing you'll want to consider is the TV's resolution. You can get an affordable TV with 4K resolution, but 4K isn't useful if you don't have any 4K content to watch. Still, it is worth considering how future-proof you want your TV to be. More and more 4K content is being released, and you'll want to be ready to take advantage of that.
Size: Typically, bigger is better in the TV world, but too big can be a pain. You'll want to think about how big of a TV you want to watch on, to be sure, but you'll also want to consider whether you actually have the space for a big TV, or if something a little more modest would work better in your home. Remember: A large TV will require some distance between your eyes and the screen for proper viewing comfort.
Connectivity: If you have a lot of devices you want to connect to your TV, you'll need a lot of ports on the back of the TV. Wireless connectivity may also be important. Increasingly, TVs are offering Wi-Fi connectivity and smart TV software, so you can stream without the need for a separate media-streaming device.
Here are our top picks for the best TVs for less than five-hundred dollars:
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TCL may not be the first company that comes to mind when you think of premium TVs, but at least in the budget range, TCL has the market on lock. The TCL 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TVis, in our opinion, by far the best TV under five-hundred. It's big, it's beautiful, it's 4K, and it comes with Roku's TV operating system.
One of the best things about the TV is that it features the Roku streaming platform, so you'll get access to a range of apps, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and more. With Roku's easy-to-use software, you'll be able to quickly and easily access your favorite content. In our testing, we found that Roku works great, though the included remote isn't the best for accessing more complex TV features. It works well under normal use, though.
Around the back of the TV, you'll find three HDMI ports, a USB 2.0 port, Ethernet port, video composite, and an optical audio output. That should be everything you need for the vast majority of situations.
The image quality on this TV is very good, but not incredible. Colors are strong, though a little less impactful than what you'd find on a more expensive TV. However, the contrast is decent for the price. There are TVs with a better-looking image in this price category, but they're generally quite a bit smaller and don't offer 4K resolution, either.
All in all, the pros here far outweigh the cons. The screen is big with a 4K resolution and a decent image quality for the price.
Pros: Huge display, 4K resolution, Roku TV, excellent value for money
Cons: Image quality isn't as good as some others, remote is a little basic
Toshiba is another company that has been developing excellent budget TVs over the past few years, and the Toshiba 55-inch Fire TV Edition TV is a perfect example of that. The TV measures 55 inches, boasts a 4K resolution, supports HDR, and more. The 55-inch screen size is pretty huge, though if you think it's too big for your space, then the TV comes in 50-inch and 43-inch models, too.
As a Fire TV Edition device, this TV comes with Amazon's Fire TV tech built into it, so you have access to a huge range of apps and streaming services. The TV also has Alexa smart assistant built-in, so you'll be able to control volume, open apps, search, and so on with your voice and the microphone-enabled remote. Amazon content requires a Prime membership, but you can also access Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming apps.
On the back of the TV, you'll find a range of ports, including three HDMI ports, one USB port, one digital output, one audio output, and an Ethernet port. That should be all most people need.
There are a few downsides to this TV. For starters, the picture quality isn't as good as some others on this list. Some reviews note that the TV offers somewhat poor black levels and slightly sub-par contrast. Still, if you're plugged into the Amazon ecosystem, and you want a 4K TV under five-hundred, it's a great deal.
Cons: Picture quality leaves a little to be desired
The best smart TV with the best picture quality
The LG 49-inch 4K 49UM7300PUA TV boasts a 4K resolution and support for HDR10, plus it has support for both Google Assistant and Alexa.
Voice assistants are great and with the LG 4K 49UM7300PUA TV, you can choose between Alexa or Google Assistant. The TV measures 49 inches, though if you can stretch your budget, there are 55-inch and 65-inch versions, too. For a lower price, there's a 43-inch model.
Like many of LG's other TVs, this one supports apps like Netflix, Hulu, and many more streaming services. Perhaps even better is the fact that it comes with Google Assistant and Alexa built-in, so you can use your voice to change the channel, control volume, and control other connected devices — just pick the voice assistant you use the most.
On the back of the TV, you'll find a range of ports, including three HDMI ports, two USB ports, and more. The TV also supports HDR10 and has a resolution of 4K, so the picture quality should be pretty good for the price.
There are a few downsides, but not many. For starters, some buyers report that setup can be a little tricky, but apart from that, the 4-star rating on Amazon pretty much speaks for itself.
Pros: Smart operating system, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, 4K, HDR10
The TCL 49-inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV is from the same series as our top pick. The only big difference is that this TV has a slightly smaller screen, but it still boasts a 4K resolution and a great selection of ports.
Like its larger sibling, the TV comes with Roku's smart TV platform, so you won't need an external streaming box and you'll have access to all your favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and more. Also like the larger TCL TV, you'll get HDR, and a nice selection of ports, including three HDMI ports, a USB 2.0 port, and a composite video port.
Perhaps the best reason to get this TV over the larger one is that it's a great size for smaller homes and apartments where a 55-inch TV wouldn't fit.
The TV also has some of the downsides of its larger sibling. The colors are pretty good, but not incredible, while the contrast is decent, but not groundbreaking. Still, for those of you who don't want to shell out a ton of cash for a great 4K TV, this TCL TV is the best choice.
Pros: Nice and big, 4K resolution, great value for money
Cons: Image quality isn't as good as some others
The best TV under two-hundred
The Insignia 39-inch 1080p Smart TV has Amazon Fire TV built into to it and plenty of connectivity, plus, it costs less than two-hundred dollars.
Insignia is Best Buy's house brand that makes budget electronics, like the Insignia 39-inch 1080p Smart TV. For less than two-hundred, this Insignia TV gets the job done.
The TV has a 39-inch screen, so it's a little smaller than our other picks, and unlike our other favorites, the resolution on this TV is not 4K. Still, many people don't need a 4K resolution, and the Full HD 1080p resolution is still perfect for most video content available today.
We expect more 4K TVs to be available in this price range eventually, but it might take a few years. In the meantime, a great smart TV like this one from Insignia is a great compromise for people on a budget.
For a budget TV, Insignia's Smart TV has some pretty sweet features. For example, it uses the Amazon Fire TV streaming platform, so you'll be able to stream all your favorite content from Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and more without the need for a streaming box. And with Alexa built into the remote, you can control the TV using voice commands.
When it comes to ports, the TV has three HDMI ports, one USB port, an antenna input, and a composite input.
There are some downsides. The image quality just doesn't compare to more expensive TVs, and as mentioned, the resolution isn't as high as the others on this list. Still, for the price, we think it's a great choice.
Pros: Great value for money, Roku TV platform, decent 1080p screen