There was a time when getting the best TV meant spending way above $500. But thanks to recent advancements in technology, there are now many great options under five hundred bucks to choose from. Some of them even come with 4K resolution, voice control, and great refresh rates.
We’ve surfed through the market and created a list of the best TV models under $500. You’re surely going to find the one that matches your budget, specs, and streaming needs. We’ve also added a guide below to answer some of the questions you may have about TVs. Read on to learn more.
- The 10 Best TV’s under $500
- TCL 55S425 55 inch 4K Smart LED Roku TV (2019)
- SAMSUNG UN43AU8000FXZA 43-Inch Class Crystal 4K Smart TV
- Insignia NS-55F301NA22 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
- TOSHIBA 50C350KU 50-Inch 4K Smart LED TV
- LG 43NANO75UPA NanoCell 43-Inch 4K UHD Smart TV
- VIZIO 43-Inch 4K HDR Smart TV
- Hisense R6090G 50-Inch 4K UHD Smart LED TV
- Sceptre 43-Inch FHD TV
- Samsung UN40N5200AFXZA 40-Inch FHD Smart TV
- Insignia NS-42F201NA22 42-Inch FHD Smart TV
- TV under $500 Buyer’s Guide
- What Is The Best 55-Inch TV For the Money?
- What is the Best 43 Inch TV?
- What is the Best Inexpensive TV To Buy?
The 10 Best TV’s under $500
| Award | Design | Retailer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Functionality With Gorgeous Visuals |  | Check Price | |
| Impressive Smart Features in a Sleek Package |  | Check Price | |
| A Modest Yet Capable FireTV |  | Check Price | |
| Another Champion from the Industry Veterans |  | Check Price | |
| Extensive Smart Features on a Budget |  | Check Price | |
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TCL 55S425 55 inch 4K Smart LED Roku TV (2019)
Smart Functionality With Gorgeous Visuals
The TCL 55-inch Roku TV is a home appliance that packs a punch. Whether you want to use it as the center of your home theater system or as a gaming monitor, this TCL television is bound to provide you with an enjoyable experience. It features low input lag and impressive picture quality, as well as bright HDR and SDR. The TCL 55-inch Roku TV also features a fast response time and incredible motion handling capabilities, including judder removal, BFI, and motion interpolation.
The only drawback you may experience with this 4K TV is its wide-angle view. Some users claim to experience image accuracy loss and minimal gray uniformity. However, the HDR capability of the TCL 55-inch Roku TV is top-notch. Combining this with its wide color gamut, this TCL TV can display impressive highlights as well as well-saturated colors. And since it also displays deep blacks in incredible detail, you get an impressive dark room performance that can often only be found on high-end TVs.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa
- Access to multiple streaming services
- Great value for money
- HDR10 support
Cons
- Remote can be unresponsive
SAMSUNG UN43AU8000FXZA 43-Inch Class Crystal 4K Smart TV
Impressive Smart Features in a Sleek Package
A beautiful design, incredible detailing, and decent wide-viewing angles are some of the key features of the Samsung UN43AU8000FXZA. A host of smart features, extensive voice assistant support, and smartphone content mirroring give this TV a real edge above the competition.
Despite its incredibly thin and near bezel-less design, this TV packs in 4K Ultra HD resolution, HDR10 support, crisp and vibrant image quality, and impressive smooth motion handling, along with all of the core features you’d expect in a smart TV.
| Connectivity | WiFi |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Supports HDR10 and HLG
- Great motion handling
- Support for all major voice assistants
- Innovative smartphone mirroring
Cons
- Speakers leave much to be desired
Insignia NS-55F301NA22 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
A Modest Yet Capable FireTV
The Insignia NS-55F301NA22 is another cheap TV worthy of being on the best TVs under $500 list. Sitting in the $400 price range, this 4K TV features Amazon’s FireTV OS, which offers an intuitive UI, multiple streaming services, as well as Alexa voice control capabilities.
You get robust colors from this TV thanks to its HDR support, and its fast and fluid responsiveness makes it a great screen for casual gamers. If you’re in the market for a good 4K TV under $500 with reasonable features and great picture quality, the NS-55F301NA22 is one option you should consider.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Easy-to-use user interface
- Affordable and great value for money
- Multiple streaming services to choose from
- Automatic OTA upgrades
Cons
- No Alexa integration for surround sound
TOSHIBA 50C350KU 50-Inch 4K Smart LED TV
Another Champion from the Industry Veterans
Toshiba is a giant in the electronics industry. The brand has been in the business for over 140 years, so it’s no surprise that they are able to come up with a great home appliance like the 50C350KU 4K TV without having you break the bank. Unlike the TCL TV above that runs on the Roku OS, this TV comes with Amazon’s FireTV OS as well as a voice-enabled remote that works flawlessly.
Plug in your TV, connect to your WiFi, and start enjoying content from streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, Playstation Vue, and more. You also get low input lag and quality motion handling on the home appliance. However, this Toshiba 4K TV doesn’t come close to the TCL above in terms of its wide color gamut, as well as bright and darkroom display.
| Connectivity | WiFi |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 4 |
Pros
- Decent Picture
- Low input lag
- Supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR
- Smart assistant remote
Cons
- Sound quality could be better
LG 43NANO75UPA NanoCell 43-Inch 4K UHD Smart TV
Extensive Smart Features on a Budget
The LG 43NANO75UPA may not be groundbreaking in any one area, but it covers the whole spectrum of smart capabilities and image quality very capably. With a wide range of streaming services built-in, support for Google Assistant and Alexa, and a Magic Remote to help improve on the characteristically clunky navigation of smart TVs, this is certainly not a device to scoff at.
A native 4K UHD resolution and support for HDR10 paired with smooth and crisp image processing and enhanced contract ensure you get a viewing experience to call home about, only further enhanced by this TV’s almost bezel-less design. Should gaming be your poison, then the Game Optimizer and Auto Low-Latency modes will allow you to enjoy a smoother and more detailed gaming experience.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet, Bluetooth |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Wide range of smart features
- Intuitive Magic Remote
- Specialized gaming modes
- Impeccable image quality
Cons
- Limited picture and audio adjustability
VIZIO 43-Inch 4K HDR Smart TV
The Vizio 43-Inch 4K TV is a smart TV you’re going to love. Besides the fact that it comes in at a ridiculously low price for a smart TV, it’s also one of the best for playing games and watching content. Full array backlighting and support for 4K UHD resolution and HDR10, this is a TV that can really deliver on its image quality.
Featuring Vizio’s award-winning SmartCast feature, this is a content-streaming powerhouse. Built-in access to all major streaming services, support for Chromecast and Apple Airplay, and native Alexa and Google Assistant integration make for a truly extensive and customizable viewing experience.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Low input lag
- Extensive smart functionality
- Decent picture quality
- Fast response time
Cons
- Shadows aren’t the best
Hisense R6090G 50-Inch 4K UHD Smart LED TV
Over the last few years, Hisense and TCL have been making waves in the North American TV market. They’ve been developing high-quality TV at low prices, which is why they’ve become really popular. The Hisense R6090G is another entry-level 4K resolution TV that’s reasonably priced and endowed with good attributes. Built on the Roku platform, this 4K TV shows an impressive color and contrast range as well as strong streaming capabilities along with a powerful voice assistant feature.
Its almost bezel-less design allows you to view your content in detail and its great reflection handling makes it a worthy 4K resolution TV for watching content during the day. It isn’t the best under $500 TV around, but it’s a very capable entertainment machine nonetheless.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Sleek and near bezel-less design
- Great picture from all viewing angles
- Roku platform provides access to tons of apps
- Support for external Alexa devices
Cons
- No Bluetooth support
Sceptre 43-Inch FHD TV
Unlike the other cheap TVs in our review, this Sceptre TV only supports 1080p FHD and doesn’t offer any native smart functionality. However, it offers a level of clarity and precision that makes it worthy of being among our best under $500 TVs list. While the image quality isn’t like what you’d get on many of the 4K resolution TVs above, you get a big screen with good sound quality and reasonable lag time for games. It naturally won’t stand up against 4K UHD smart TVs, but it still offers an impressive viewing experience for those working on a budget,
| Connectivity | None |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Good sound quality
- Big screen display
- Decent lag time for gamers
- Affordable price
Cons
- Fairly poor audio performance
Samsung UN40N5200AFXZA 40-Inch FHD Smart TV
This second Samsung device on our list is much the same as the Sceptre above, in that it only offers a maximum resolution of 1080p FHD. What it lacks in sheer resolution, however, it fully makes up for in its smart features, impressive color reproduction, and micro dimming functionality. What’s more, you can enjoy the simplicity of streaming content straight from your smartphone, either via the ContentSync feature or the intuitive SmartThings app.
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet |
| Display | LCD |
| HDMI Ports | 2 |
Pros
- Extensive streaming options
- Low input lag and fast response time
- Compatible with external voice assistant devices
- Localized dimming functionality
Cons
- Prone to some slight input lag
Insignia NS-42F201NA22 42-Inch FHD Smart TV
Insignia secures another spot on our list with the NS-42F201NA22. This is another smart TV here to run at a maximum of 1080p FHD, but for its impressively low asking price, you still get a whole lot of bang for your buck. The FireTV OS offers access to a great deal of streaming services, and support for Alexa voice control will allow you to navigate your TV in a more dynamic way. None of the specs here are groundbreaking, but they still amount to a very capable entertainment hub, heightened by the immersive multi-channel format of the built-in speakers.
| Connectivity | WiFi |
| Display | LED |
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
Pros
- Easy-to-use FireTV OS
- Affordable
- Decent image
- Immersive multi-channel audio
Cons
- Navigation could see some improvements
TV under $500 Buyer’s Guide
If you’re looking to get the best TV at a cheap price, our under-$500 list is a good place to start. These are televisions with great-to-decent audio quality, good software, large screen sizes, and many smart features. You can simply choose the one that suits your budget and preference and rest assured you’ll get the best viewing experience. And below, we’ll answer some of the questions you may have concerning the best TVs under $500.
What Is The Best 55-Inch TV For the Money?
There are many different 55-inch models on the market. However, our top recommendations include the TCL 55S425 and the Insignia NS-55F301NA22 above.
What is the Best 43 Inch TV?
The SAMSUNG UN43AU8000FXZA in our review is a great 43-inch TV. You get a 4K resolution, incredible picture clarity, good response time, and more. The size is perfect as it’s neither too big nor too small, plus you get to view all of your digital media on one screen thanks to its host of ports and different connection options.
What is the Best Inexpensive TV To Buy?
Our review of the best under $500 TVs includes some of the most inexpensive TVs on the market. These are TVs with decent picture and sound clarity. Some of them, like the TCL 55S425 and the TOSHIBA 50C350KU, even come with 4K resolution and support for HDR content. Below are some factors to consider when choosing the best under $500 television:
4K Resolution:
Ensure that the television you plan to buy comes with at least 4K resolution. Otherwise known as Ultra High Definition (UHD), 4K TVs feature four times the number of pixels found on 1080p TVs. Although there are now 8K TVs on the market, we wouldn’t suggest concerning yourself with them as they are very expensive and most movies and media aren’t even in 8K yet.
Refresh Rate:
Go for a television with a 120-hertz refresh rate for better motion and reduced noise.
HDMI Ports:
Your television should have at least 3 HDMI ports, and if you can get them, the newer HDMI ports 2.1 are better.
OLED, QLED, and LCDs:
OLED TVs look better than most TVs designed with LCD panels. However, QLED TVs from TCL, Samsung, and Vizio lean more to the cheaper side.
HDR:
For better color and contrast, choose a television that supports multiple HDR formats.
Conclusion
Buying a budget HD or 4K TV doesn’t have to be a difficult task. You don’t have to read multiple reviews before being able to choose the best under $500 TV. With the products in our review above, you’ll be enjoying a better TV experience without breaking the bank. Whether you want to watch regular TV or cable, view pictures or videos from your devices, play games, or enjoy streaming networks like Netflix, the intuitive and easy-to-use TVs in our review are some of the best budget options you can buy.
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