The 4 Best TVs Under $500 in 2025

Shopping for a new TV can be daunting, especially if you’re looking for an affordable display that doesn’t cut corners. Plenty of TVs cost under $500, but very few are truly worthwhile. To help you find the right balance between value and performance, I’ve put together a carefully vetted list of the four best TVs under $500. My picks range from 43 to 65 inches, so all spaces are accounted for.

I’ve focused on selecting models that deliver the best performance available at each size while still meeting the price requirement. For instance, people who want a solid 65-inch TV for under $500 should check out the TCL Q65. The Q65 offers better color performance than most competing displays in its price range. Meanwhile, the Roku Plus Series is an excellent 55-inch TV for under $500. Thanks to its Mini LED local dimming, the Plus Series has higher contrast than most rival TVs in its class. 

My recommendations for the best TVs under $500 are based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by more than a decade of experience covering tech products.

Our top picks for the best TVs under $500

Best 65-inch: TCL Q65 – See at Amazon

Best 55-inch: Roku Plus Series – See at Amazon

Best 50-inch: Amazon Omni QLED – See at Amazon

Best 43-inch: TCL S5 – See at Best Buy

Best 65-inch

As one might expect, bigger TVs tend to cost more than smaller ones. This is especially true if you want advanced image quality features like local dimming and Mini LEDs. Though you’ll have to pay extra if you want those perks, there are some 65-inch TVs under $500 that still manage to offer solid performance, and the TCL Q65 is the best value. Though it’s a 2024 model, the 65-inch Q65 is typically sold for around $380, which is a fantastic price for this level of performance.

The Q65 is available with the Fire TV OS or the Google TV OS, but the Google model is harder to find in stock. Those systems aren’t as streamlined as the Roku interface, but they offer access to many of the same services and integrate seamlessly with an existing Google or Amazon account. Buyers who prefer a different interface can always buy a separate media player, like a Roku Ultra or Apple TV. Check out our guide to the best streaming devices for top recommendations.

The Q65 stands out from most 65-inch TVs under $500 thanks to its color capabilities. This model can produce the expanded color gamut needed for HDR material, which is a rare perk at this price. Its full-screen peak brightness is also decent, but since it lacks local dimming, the TV isn’t able to brighten or darken specific zones on its panel. This means it’s not able to control its brightness precisely enough to create deep black levels or intense specular highlights (like explosions).

So, while the Q65 can offer good HDR color performance, its HDR contrast capabilities are lacking. To get better contrast performance, we recommend stepping up to the 65-inch TCL QM6K, which has Mini LED local dimming and usually costs around $600 to $700. The QM6K also has a faster refresh rate, so it’s better for gaming, and it has slightly wider viewing angles. But if you don’t want to go beyond $500, the Q65 is the best value at this size.

For recommendations that cost more than $500, check out our full guide to the best 65-inch TVs.

Best 55-inch

Buyers who want the best 55-inch TV for under $500 should check out the Roku Plus Series. It delivers good image quality for the money and boasts my favorite smart TV interface.

Like the 65-inch TCL Q65, the 55-inch Roku Plus Series uses a QLED panel to provide expanded colors. However, the Plus Series has local dimming, and this new 2025 model has a Mini LED backlight. These features enable the new Plus Series to produce higher contrast, which translates to a better home theater experience.

That said, there are still a few shortcomings, like mediocre viewing angles and a 60Hz screen, but those limitations are common on most 55-inch sets under $500. Considering its low price, the Plus Series’ image performance is solid where it counts most.

I also like this model’s Roku OS (operating system) more than rival interfaces, like Google TV and Fire TV. While those platforms place a heavy emphasis on content recommendations, Roku takes a simpler approach. The streamlined homepage focuses squarely on presenting all your TV apps upfront and center with large icons that make it easy to organize everything and jump right into your favorite services.

The TV’s remote has a few nice perks as well, including a built-in battery that recharges over USB. The remote also supports hands-free voice search (with a dedicated mute switch) and has a tiny integrated speaker that can emit a chime if you ever misplace it.

The 55-inch Roku Plus Series has a full retail price of just under $500, but it’s often on sale for even less. Buyers should note that some stores still carry the older first-gen Roku Plus Series TV from 2023, but that model doesn’t have a Mini LED backlight. If you can find the older Plus Series at a discount, it’s still a good buy, but the new model is easier to find in stock.

In this price range, buyers should also consider TCL’s 55-inch QM6K. That TV has a list price of over $500, but it’s sometimes on sale. The QM6K has similar features but boasts a higher refresh rate, which enables smoother motion when paired with a compatible gaming console or PC. However, I still prefer the Roku OS over the Google TV interface that the TCL model uses.

Check out all our picks for the best Roku TVs and best budget TVs.

Best 50-inch

The Amazon Omni QLED is the best TV under $500 for anyone who wants a 50-inch display that doesn’t skimp on features. As its name implies, the Omni QLED uses a QLED panel, which enables the display to produce a wide range of colors.

The TV can deliver decent brightness for its budget-friendly class, with a peak of around 500 nits. The Omni QLED is also one of the few 50-inch TV models to offer local dimming. This feature allows the display to control its light output across specific zones on its screen, giving the Omni QLED better contrast performance than many cheaper 50-inch TVs.

However, this model uses regular-sized LEDs in its backlight rather than the Mini LEDs used on pricier 50-inch models like the Samsung QN90F. As a result, black levels can’t get as uniformly deep as they do on more advanced TVs. Our reviewer also noticed some backlight fluctuations when bright scenes transitioned to darker ones in their tests. And like all our picks in this guide, the Omni QLED has narrow viewing angles and a 60Hz refresh rate. This means its colors will fade if you sit to the side of the display, and it can’t support 120Hz gaming.

But despite those drawbacks, the Omni QLED has better overall image quality than a lot of other 50-inch TVs in this price range. Most competitors this size don’t have local dimming at all, and many have a more limited range of colors. The TV also comes with a handy Alexa remote and has the added perk of hands-free voice control.

Read our Amazon Omni QLED review.

Check out all our picks for the best 50-inch TVs and the best Fire TVs.

Best 43-inch

Several solid 43-inch TVs are available for under $500, but the TCL S5 rises above the pack. It’s typically sold for around $200 and is a great buy at that price.

To be clear, this is the most entry-level TV in this guide, but that’s to be expected at this size. Sadly, there aren’t many midrange 43-inch sets, so if you want a more advanced 43-inch TV, you’d have to pay at least $900 for a high-end model. But in the under $500 range, the S5 is a well-rounded display.

The S5 uses a regular LED panel without local dimming or quantum dots, but it still offers a wider range of colors than most TVs in this class. Its Google TV interface is also reliable, and it comes with a handy Google Assistant voice remote. Amazon sells an alternative model that uses the Fire TV operating system and has an Alexa voice remote, but that edition is harder to find in stock.

When it comes to picture quality, the S5 is entry-level but still decent for casual viewing. Since it doesn’t have local dimming, its contrast and brightness are lower than those of TVs with that feature. Dark scenes will look more uneven and washed out when watching TV with the lights off, and the S5 isn’t capable of fully showcasing the benefits of HDR content. Like every TV in this guide, its off-axis viewing is also narrow and its refresh rate is limited to 60Hz

But as a cheap 43-inch TV, the S5 gets the job done, and its image quality is perfectly fine for cable TV viewing, channel surfing, and basic streaming. This isn’t a good fit for people who want a compact home theater or gaming TV, but it’s perfect for a bedroom or other small space where you just want an affordable yet capable smart TV.

As an alternative, I also recommend the 43-inch Roku Select Series. I like the Roku’s smart TV interface a bit more, but the S5 has better color performance.

Check out all of our picks for the best 43-inch TVs.

How we test TVs under $500

Our guide to the best TVs under $500 was compiled using a combination of hands-on testing and research. Our team has been covering TVs and home entertainment products for more than a decade, and we use that expertise to inform our criteria and testing parameters. 

To review displays, we examine a TV’s clarity, HDR brightness, contrast capabilities, black-level performance, viewing angles, upscaling quality, smart TV interface speed, and extra features like voice control. To measure brightness, we use test patterns from the Spears & Muncil Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc with an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter.

But while test patterns are useful for establishing certain performance thresholds, we find that real-world content is the best barometer for seeing how a TV performs during day-to-day viewing. We use a curated selection of scenes from various movies and TV shows, focusing on sequences that put each TV’s shadow detail, specular highlight, and color performance to the test. We also use a mix of sources, including 4K Blu-rays, cable TV, and streaming videos. Contenders for the best TV under $500 are evaluated in both light and dark rooms to get a sense of day and nighttime viewing performance.  

For more details on our review methodology, check out our breakdown of how we test tech products.

FAQs

Are 75-inch or larger TVs available for under $500?

Though some entry-level models dip below $500 during sales, most 75-inch and larger TVs from major brands cost over $500. For that reason, we have not included any displays bigger than 65 inches in our guide to the best TVs under $500. 

If you’re looking for recommendations for those larger sizes, visit our guides to the best 75-inch TVs, best 85-inch TVs, and best 100-inch TVs.

Are OLED TVs available for under $500?

You may have noticed that we haven’t included any OLED displays in our guide to the best TVs under $500. The reason? There simply aren’t any OLED TVs currently available for that amount. 

In the past, smaller versions of LG’s A-series OLEDs went on sale for around $500. But those models are no longer sold, and even when they were, we never saw them dip below the $500 mark. 

Right now, the most affordable OLED TV is the LG 48-inch B5, which sometimes goes on sale for $800. For more OLED recommendations, check out our guide to the best OLED TVs. And head over to our QLED vs. OLED comparison for details on the pros and cons of each panel type.

Should you buy a soundbar to pair with a TV?

Most TVs under $500 come with mediocre built-in speakers that lack bass, depth, and clarity. For better audio quality, it’s worth investing in a dedicated soundbar. Reliable models can be found for as little as $100, and even these entry-level options can provide better sound than a typical TV can on its own. For the most immersive performance, we recommend soundbars with Dolby Atmos support, but those models cost more.

Visit our soundbar and speaker guides to browse our top picks:

Are TVs under $500 worth it?

Yes, the best TVs under $500 are worth the money, but you should be aware of certain performance limitations that are common when shopping for TVs in this price range. 

First, you’ll need to settle on a TV with a QLED or LED panel rather than an OLED. Second, you should expect peak brightness for models in this price range to top out at around 600 nits. Third, you should focus on models that are 65 inches or smaller. And finally, there are certain companies that tend to offer better overall value in this class.

Advanced picture quality features like quantum dots, local dimming, and even Mini LED backlights can be found on TVs for under $500, but these models are usually sold by value-oriented brands like Hisense, TCL, Vizio, Roku, and Amazon. 

In our experience, quality control from these companies isn’t on the same level as that from more expensive brands like Samsung, Sony, and LG. But none of the slight inconveniences we’ve encountered are troublesome enough to prevent us from recommending their displays.

Samsung, Sony, and LG also sell TVs for under $500, but their offerings provide worse image quality than similarly priced models from the competition. However, if you’re willing to spend substantially more than $500, you can find excellent high-end TVs from those brands with better features and build quality than cheaper options. 

For more TV recommendations across budgets and sizes, check out our other TV guides: