Summary
Best TV on 2024 for less than $500.. One of the reasons we are here is because it might be difficult to locate the greatest televisions that cost less than $500 and have accurate color reproduction. To put that into perspective, you shouldn’t anticipate discovering any big panel advancements, such as those seen in the top OLED televisions. There are still a number of nice models available to pick from within that price range, despite the fact that your reach for quality alternatives is restricted when you have a budget of $500.
Best TV on 2024 for less than $500
Purchasing a television on a limited budget will require you to make concessions, but such concessions should not be made in terms of the overall image quality. You should anticipate finding major challengers from Roku, TCL, and Hisense, all of which produce televisions that are perhaps the finest in the range of less than one thousand dollars. This is due to the fact that they come with an outstanding value package.
A performance that is above average in every aspect, from sound to color, is still something you will desire. Because of this, we have compiled a list of the finest televisions that cost less than $500 and satisfy the majority of the requirements of ordinary users. They produce fantastic results where it matters, including in gaming and general content viewing, and they don’t miss a beat when it comes to their cost-to-performance ratio.
The best TVs you can buy under $500
We have a wealth of knowledge about a good television bargain because we have been collecting data and testing televisions for years. Several hours of in-lab testing have been conducted on a broad variety of televisions, including those that cost far more than $1,000. These models, which are among the greatest televisions available for less than $500, will not only fulfill your requirements but also exceed them. We are more than capable of securing a high-quality television that is suitable for a certain user.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: THE BEST TVS UNDER $500
1. Roku Plus Series 4K QLED TV
Since it is a QLED television, the Roku Plus offers a surprise bargain since it comes from the same company that created one of the most effective streaming devices. Additionally, it is equipped with four HDMI 2.0 connections and supports all of the most recent high dynamic range (HDR) standards, including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG. It is available for only $499 for the 55-inch model, which often lowers down to $450 when it is on sale. It has a wonderful appearance.
The Roku Plus Series utilizes one of the most well-liked smart platforms and has a bezel that is rather small around the outside of the screen. The fact that it only has a native refresh rate of 60 Hz, however, makes it less than ideal for watching sports, and it is very unlikely that it will be considered one of the finest gaming televisions. Additionally, its brightness is lower than that of other QLED televisions manufactured by Samsung.
There is no way that they are going to be deal-breakers. This is still one of the greatest displays that you can acquire for about $500; after all, it is one of the best Roku TVs; nonetheless, it is essential that you understand the reasons behind its cheap price. If this is the extent to which your financial resources allow, then you will not be dissatisfied with Roku’s very first 4K HDR television. Additionally, the Roku Pro Series, which was only recently introduced, may prove to be a triumph for this product.
THE BEST Television for less than $400
2. TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546)
If you are on the other side of the discussion between Roku and Google TV, you may want to have a look at the Google TV that comes with a 50-inch screen from the TCL 5-Series. Because of its mix of smart TV capabilities, decent performance, and outstanding value, this choice was among the top televisions that cost less than $500 and proved to be amazing.
Building on the foundation of the well-liked 5-Series, the transition to Google TV provides an affordable 4K smart TV platform with a more premium interface. This interface provides personalized and customizable movie recommendations, as well as integration with Google Assistant, which can assist it in functioning as the brains of your entire smart home.
Not only does it have a lot of features for its price tag of $400, but it also does a good job when it comes to the way it presents pictures. Because of its remarkable color saturation and powerful high-dynamic range (HDR) performance, it is considered to be one of the greatest TCL televisions. Additionally, TCL has done an outstanding job with the motion smoothing of the 5-Series screen.
It is true that color becomes less saturated as you travel off-axis, which may be a reason to consider purchasing an OLED or mini-LED display, such as the one that is seen below. If, on the other hand, you are trying to watch it in its entirety, you won’t have too many problems with it. It is without a doubt one of the greatest smart TVs available, especially considering that it costs less than $400.
What is the best TV for about $300?
3. Hisense U6K
If you are looking for the ultimate, cheapest television that does not warrant a slot in an electronic recycling bin, I wholeheartedly suggest the Hisense U6K. Both the Roku and the TCL are wonderful for their sticker costs, but their pricing is not comparable to one another. It is the only model among the finest televisions that costs less than $500 that I keep coming back to watch day after day, and it has been well worth every cent that I have spent on it.
The fact that it makes use of a mini-LED panel, which provides it with excellent contrast and high black levels, is the reason why it is so wonderful. Despite the fact that it does not get very bright, I use it in my bedroom at night, so there is no need for it to become as bright as the television in my living room downstairs, which is continuously competing with the ambient illumination.
Not only does it have a color saturation that is out of this world, but its contrast is also remarkably well-rounded, even considering the price. The virtual reality refresh rate (VRR) compatibility will be appreciated by gamers; nevertheless, it is important to bear in mind that the display is still a 60Hz panel, which means that it is not possible to play games at 4K/120 frames per second. As a result, this display is not perfect for the greatest PS5 titles.
The Hisense U6K is one of the greatest low-cost televisions that I have ever reviewed, particularly when you take into consideration the fact that it costs just $350 for a screen that is 55 inches in size. It is impossible to do anything better than that.
What is the finest television worth less than $500?
If you want to purchase a television for less than $500, you will have to sacrifice some of the more desirable features and design elements in order to do this. There are, however, certain outstanding features that may be had without completely blowing your money. There are a few items that are still readily accessible within your price range, and here they are.
4K resolution: Because 4K resolution is so much more economical than 1080p or 720p, and because the quality of 4K resolution is so much higher, we always advocate going with 4K resolution. The purchase of a genuine 4K television will not even save you a significant amount of money, unless you are on a very tight budget; nonetheless, you will be able to see the difference.
Screen size: Although it may not always be possible to get a premium 65-inch television for less than $500, it is still possible to purchase a 55-inch model that is of satisfactory quality. Therefore, you should not settle for a 43-inch set unless it is the appropriate size for the room.
In the event that there is one feature that we would propose, it would be high dynamic range (HDR) support. The most fundamental HDR support offers improved color, highlights that are brighter, and shadows that are richer, resulting in an overall improvement in the quality of the image. You will be able to locate a set that has Dolby Vision, which is an even better option; however, you may have to spend extra for that feature.
When it comes to connectivity, having a greater number of HDMI ports is always in your best interest. This will ensure that you do not have to uncomfortably switch plugs on the television every time you want to play a game or start a Blu-ray movie.
Consider purchasing a television set with a refresh rate of at least 60 hertz if you are searching for an economical gaming television. However, the most recent Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles are capable of achieving greater refresh rates. There is also the issue of lag time, which is another problem; thus, it is recommended that you read individual evaluations in order to locate sets that have a lag time that is less than twenty milliseconds.
Which features are worth the additional cost to purchase?
It is certain that investing more money will enable you to get some features that you just won’t be able to discover for less than five hundred dollars, despite the fact that TVs that are priced affordably are very nice. Consider investing a little bit extra money on your new television if any of the following features seem like they should be included:.
Size of the screen: If you are fortunate, you may be able to discover one or two 65-inch televisions that are selling for less than $500 during those sales events. If you go beyond that, you will always incur more costs. If you want something like a television with a screen size of 75 inches, your only choice is to spend more money.
The image quality of today’s premium televisions has reached new heights of perfection, with improved color, brightness, and contrast, as well as super-smooth motion handling. Although 4K resolution is a nice feature, current premium televisions have pushed picture quality to new heights. If you want the highest possible image quality, you should think about spending more money on technologies such as quantum dots, mini-LEDs, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED).
Sound quality: Although today’s low-cost televisions are capable of doing a number of things well, sound quality is often not one of them. If you want to receive better audio than the small speakers that are jammed into a thin TV chassis could possibly generate, we propose that you put your new television in conjunction with one of the finest soundbars.
How do we evaluate televisions?
When it comes to evaluating televisions, there is more to it than just catching up with a movie. In order to determine which television sets are superior in terms of color gamut, color accuracy, and brightness, we conduct laboratory tests on each and every television. We also test for lag time, which is an important aspect of gaming. This involves measuring, down to the millisecond, the amount of time it takes for stuff to move from its original source to the screen before it is shown. In order to establish comparisons based on numbers about the quality of the display and the color, we utilized these findings.
There is additional time spent with each set for the purpose of real-world assessment, during which we examine how the outcomes of our laboratory tests transfer into more subjective performance. We also see samples from the most recent movies, specific test patterns that show the strengths and limitations of each display, and a variety of information from a variety of sources. In addition, we evaluate sets side by side. Now that we have this information, we are able to tell you which televisions have the finest visuals, the best sound, and the best watching experience.
In conclusion, we examine the smart TV capabilities and applications that are available for each television, taking into consideration everything from the design of the remote control to the voice interface.
We combine all of that information with the results of our testing in the real world, and then we compare it to the cost of the television. The end result is a number that, in our opinion, most accurately reflects the whole of that model and how well it compares to other models that are currently available with similar features. A television that received good marks five years ago would not get the same level of praise when compared to a more recent model; nonetheless, we make every effort to update our evaluations whenever newer models are made available.
Are you interested in a certain brand of television, a particular price range, or a particular screen size? See what we think are the top televisions in each category.
