Best TV under $500 in 2023 – our top picks
If you’re looking for the best TV for under $500, we’ve got you covered right here with our list of top picks.
Finding a TV for under 500 dollars is far easier than you’d think, as nowadays, even the leading brands are offering excellent, affordable TVs that deliver the goods. Now the rule of thumb is that if you’re looking for a TV with more premium features for less, then it makes sense to go for the small dimension TVs, specifically 43-inch sets. That being said, if you head towards brands that are well known for quality in the budget-mid range, such as Hisense, TCL, Amazon Fire, and more, you’ll be able to score a large TV for under $500 easily.
It also goes without saying that keeping an eye on the major sales is a great idea if you’re sticking to a budget. We’d recommend watching out for the best Black Friday 65-inch TV deals if you’re looking for a large TV under five hundred dollars that packs more premium components, such as a QLED panel for example.
One technology you won’t find at under $500 (unless it’s renewed potentially) is OLED TVs. Simply put, they’re really only available around the $900 plus mark.
We’ve used our expertise to select what we think are some of the best TVs for under $500 you can get on the market today, and we’ve also included our top tips for finding the right one for you. Let’s dive right in.
Products at a Glance
How we picked
We’ve used our expertise to evaluate the current offerings on the market, taking into account customer reviews, specs, design, and value for money. Our aim is to give you as much information as possible about the product and demystify any challenging jargon along the way, so you can make an informed decision. We update our selections based on new releases, new technology, and more, so we can give you the most up-to-date selection possible. Remember, we have multiple guides on practically every type of TV you can think of, so if you’re thinking about modifying your budget and seeing what’s available, be sure to check out our top picks for the best TVs under $300.
Best TV under $500 in 2023 – our top picks
- Thin bezel design
- Gaming features like AMD FreeSync
- HDR Pro+ Dolby Vision
- Not a 'true' 120hz TV
If we had to pick one of the best 55-inch TVs under $500 on the market, that provides great value for money, we’d say this TCL 55-inch Q6 is well worth considering.
First off, it packs a stunning QLED display, which is quite rare for under $500 at this size. QLED is essentially better than LED and does make a difference when it comes to overall visuals, especially with clarity, color, and brightness.
What’s interesting is that this TV also has a few gaming features that can work nicely if you’re connecting a console to it. It’s not going to stand up to some of the best gaming TVs on the market, as many of these are 120hz and HDMI 2.1, however, the Q6 does boast a Game Accelerator, Auto Game Mode, and AMD FreeSync. What do these all mean? Well, in short, they all add up to a more responsive feel when gaming and a smoother look when playing fast-paced games.
In terms of everyday usage and movie nights, it features HDR PRO+ with Dolby Vision, which will enhance contrast, color, and brightness to bring whatever you’re watching to life.
Overall, this is a very good TV that ticks all the boxes, and then some, for under $500.
- Super affordable
- Alexa compatible makes for navigation and usage
- Easy to use and setup
- Somewhat plain design
- Not QLED
If you want a TV to watch Netflix and use other streaming services, then you can check out the Amazon Fire TV 50″ 4-Series 4K Smart TV. Primarily, this TV caters to the mainstream audience who likes to access their favorite shows without the hassle of installing a TV box.
The Amazon Fire TV’s biggest perks are – the availability of multiple streaming services and easy navigation with Alexa. This means all you have to do is command Alexa to find your content across Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and other platforms. You can also watch live sports, live TV, stream music, and play games.
Coming to the viewing experience, you get a 50-inch 4K display with Dolby Digital Plus, HDR, and HLG support, which should deliver a clear and high-contrast picture. Overall, this TV is one of those excellent ‘out of the box’ choices that’s easy to setup, easy to use, and works well for everyday usage.
- Stunning design for the price
- ALLM for low input lag when gaming
- Excellent value for money
- LED panel is quite standard
- Side profile a little chunky
Finding a decent 65-inch TV for under five hundred dollars is certainly challenging, and as mentioned, you may want to check out the sales if you want more premium technology. That being said, we think the TCL 65-inch S4 TV is the way to go if you’re looking for cinematic immersion for less.
Again, TCL delivers the good, but this time with an LED, 60hz display that comes packed with all the usual features you’d expect. You’ll find Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, and of course 4K resolution. It even has some gamer-orientated features like ALLM, which automatically adjusts the TV for the lowest posible input lag. That goes a long way to giving you a much more responsive feel when you’re playing fast-paced games.
When it comes to design, from the front, we think it looks great with its practically bezel-less form. Sure, it could stand to have a slimmer side profile, but that’s rare with any TV that’s not OLED in all honesty.
Overall, it’s another quality option from the likes of TCL.
- Gaming features like ALLM and VRR
- Chromecast built in
- Sports mode
- Not optimal for PS5 and Xbox Series X
- Slightly older model
As far as finding an excellent 50-inch TV under $500, we think this Hisense 50A6H is also a good call for most people.
One of the most appealing features of this TV is the support for VRR, which means no matter the game’s performance, the TV will adjust its refresh rate to match the game. You’ll experience reduced screen tearing and a tweaked visual experience for your games overall. And with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, any compatible content should really pop.
Another interesting mode that the Hisense TV has is the Sports Mode. If you turn this on during a sports event, the TV will adjust its color and motion to sync with the fast-paced action.
Considering that the Hisense 50-inch 50A6H offers so many gaming-related features for a rather reasonable price, we’d say it’s one of the best and most affordable options for current-gen console gaming TV.
- Alexa built in
- QLED display
- Great size for smaller living spaces, bedrooms, or kitchens
- Lacking gaming features
As mentioned, you can generally find better panel technology under $500 when you lean towards the smaller screen sizes, so with that in mind, we’d say this Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 43” TV offers the most bang for your buck.
The big standout feature here is the QLED display, which should deliver a much richer viewing experience than your standard LED TVs. Again, since it’s an Amazon Fire TV, it’s very easy to use out of the box, and super easy to stream your favorite shows on a number of different popular platforms. If you’re into using Alexa, you’re in the right place too, as this TV has built-in microphones for hands-free usage. It even has adaptive brightness built in, which means it’ll change how bright it is depending on your surroundings. That’s great if you’re watching in a well-lit room, or want to reduce any eye strain when watching at night.
When it comes to gaming, it’s slightly thin on the ground – we’d say head over to the LG C2 range for the near-perfect TV for gaming at this size. Overall though, this is an excellent budget choice that’ll work well as a main TV or for a spare room, bedroom, kitchen, or study.
How to find the best TV under $500
So if you’re looking for the best TV under $500, and wondering which one to go for, here are a few things you’ll want to consider.
First off, if you want to get the best TV for under $500 you absolutely want to get it in the sales. Black Friday 4K TV deals are absolutely the best of the year, and you can find premium TVs drop to under $500. That being said, what you’re unlikely to find are OLED TVs, but we’d recommend keeping an eye out for Black Friday OLED TV deals just in case.
Next, consider what your primary usage of the TV is. If you’re looking for a cinematic experience, go larger and make sure it has HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. If you’re using it for gaming, you’ll want to lean towards brands like Hisense, which have some more advanced gaming features for the price range. It also pays to go a little smaller in size, especially as larger screens can put you at a disadvantage when playing more competitive titles. One word of warning when it comes to refesh rates, don’t be fooled, by various gaming modes claiming 120hz and 240hz modes.These are not the same as native 120hz TVs, which are generally much more expensive, and will allow for 4K, 120hz gaming on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Expect to pay upwards of $750 – $800 for these TVs.
And if you’re using it for everyday streaming, go for one of the budget-mid-level brands, like Amazon, TCL, Toshiba, and others.
Our Verdict
We’d say that the TCL Q6 55-inch QLED TV ticks basically every box you could think of when it comes to looks, performance, features, and value for money. It’s an excellent size for most living spaces that won’t dominate your room, and will be good for both gaming and movie nights too. Design-wise, we think it looks super premium for the price, and TCL has done an excellent job in creating an excellent-looking TV for those who are sticking to a budget.