Welcome to my guide on choosing an affordable TV that doesn‘t compromise on quality! As TV technology continues to rapidly improve while prices drop, there‘s an ever-expanding selection of budget-friendly sets worthy of your living room.
In this 2500+ word buyer‘s guide, I‘ll cut through the promotions and specs to highlight the key factors in picking a TV and reveal my top 5 recommended models for 2023 based on performance, value and intended use. Whether you‘re a gamer, streamer, sports fan or casual viewer, there‘s a set here to match your needs without breaking the bank.
How to Choose the Best Budget TV
Before jumping to the picks, let‘s go over what makes a good budget TV and what to look for.
Size and Resolution
The first decision is settling on a screen size that makes sense for your room and seating arrangement. Budget-friendly 4K TVs now come in a range of sizes from 43 to 75 inches. 4K resolution is also now standard even among more affordable models. This major jump up from 1080p leads to a sharper, more detailed image.
Bigger is not always better though. Make sure to pick a size where you can appreciate the 4K resolution without excessive strain. Most viewers find 50 to 65 inches ideal for the living room.
Display Technology
The two main display types to choose from are LED and OLED:
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LED TVs use an LCD panel lit by a LED backlight. This includes entry-level sets as well as premium LED/LCD variations like QLED and Mini-LED that offer advanced backlighting for better brightness, contrast and viewing angles.
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OLED displays work differently, with each pixel producing its own light. This allows for perfect black levels and infinite contrast since black pixels can turn completely off. OLED generally offers better overall image quality but at a higher price point.
For budget buyers, LED/LCD TVs currently offer the best value and performance trade-offs. Just look for models with full array local dimming (FALD) backlights with dimming zones for enhanced contrast and black levels.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate determines how smoothly motion and action scenes are rendered, with 120Hz becoming common even among budget models. Gamers in particular will benefit from 120Hz or higher for keeping up with fast-paced games. But even for streaming movies and sports, a higher refresh rate leads to a more natural, fluid viewing experience.
HDR Support
To display a wider and richer range of colors and contrast for a more life-like picture, make sure any TV supports HDR content. This includes the HDR10 and Dolby Vision standards used across Blu-ray discs and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Some cheaper sets only support the baseline HDR10 format while better TVs also handle Dolby Vision content.
Smart TV Interface
All modern TVs come with built-in smart platforms that allow you to stream shows from apps like Netflix and Hulu directly, without any external devices needed. Beyond offering popular streaming video apps, the software interface and usability varies significantly between manufacturers. Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio have proprietary smart platforms while many budget brands opt for the Android TV or Roku TV operating systems.
Roku TV delivers the simplest, most user-friendly interface for accessing free content and paid streaming services. Meanwhile, Android TV offers advanced voice controls and Chromecast functionality for easily flinging videos from your mobile device.
Gaming Performance
For gaming, key factors are low input lag and support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). Input lag measures how quickly image signals from a game controller are displayed on screen. VRR allows the display to match and lock into the frame rate output of the game console on the fly. Together, these result in a smoother, lag-free gaming experience. TVs with an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) can also automatically switch into an optimized low-latency setting when gaming.
Even budget TVs now cater well to gamers across these areas, just confirm the right ports and performance for your particular console setup.
Audio Quality
One area where budget TVs invariably cut corners to save costs is with internal speakers and audio hardware. Plan on supplementing sound via a soundbar or dedicated home theater system. Features like eARC allow for passing high-quality audio from the TV to an external audio system.
The 5 Best Budget TVs of 2023
Based on the criteria above and countless hours of hands-on testing and evaluation, here are my top recommended budget TVs to consider this year:
1. Hisense U7H Quantum Dot QLED
Best Budget TV Overall
The Hisense U7H Quantum Dot QLED punches well above its price range with superb picture quality thanks to its quantum dot enhancement layer. This expands the color gamut for incredibly vibrant and saturated colors that pop on screen. Combined with full array local dimming and up to 600 nits peak brightness, both HDR and SDR content look stellar.
Gamers will also appreciate the U7H hitting all the right specs – 4K 120Hz panel, VRR support and ultra-low input lag. And built-in Google TV provides a solid smart TV platform that‘s simple to navigate. For shoppers focused purely on image performance per dollar, the U7H QLED is impossible to beat.
Screen Sizes: 55", 65", 75"
Key Features:
- Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut
- Full Array Local Dimming
- Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos Support
- 4K 120Hz Panel with VRR
- Google TV Smart Interface
2. TCL 6-Series Google TV QLED
Best Budget TV for Gaming
Gamers on the hunt can‘t go wrong with the TCL 6-Series Google TV. It ticks all the right boxes – 4K 120Hz panel, VRR support and ultra-low input lag. Combine that speedy performance with QLED quantum dots producing over a billion colors, Dolby Vision IQ HDR and 1500+ nits peak brightness, and this is a stunner for both gaming and films.
The Google TV smart interface also impresses with hands-free Google Assistant voice control and the ability to cast content from any Chromecast-enabled device. If you want a future-proof TV ready for the latest PlayStation and Xbox games, the 6-Series is an exceptional choice.
Screen Sizes: 55", 65", 75", 85"
Key Features:
- Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut
- Full Array Local Dimming
- Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos
- 4K 120Hz Panel with VRR
- Integrated Google TV Smart Platform
3. Hisense U8H Mini-LED QLED
Best Budget TV for Movies & Streaming
For home theater enthusiasts focused purely on phenomenal 4K picture quality for movies, shows and streaming, the Hisense U8H Mini-LED QLED is specially optimized to impress. It leverages Quantum Dot color and a dense grid of over 1300 local dimming zones across its mini-LED backlight for incredible contrast and inky blacks. Combined with up to 1800 nits peak brightness and IMAX Enhanced certification, HDR content explodes with detail and depth.
Its smart TV software is also highly customizable, running Android TV with hands-free Google Assistant control. Extras like Filmmaker Mode and built-in surround sound audio tuning sweeten the package for cinephiles. If you want a budget TV that punches high above its weight in home theater performance, the U8H delivers.
Screen Sizes: 65", 75", 85"
Key Features:
- Mini-LED Backlight with Over 1300 Local Dimming Zones
- Quantum Dot Wide Color Gamut Panel
- IMAX Enhanced Certified
- Dolby Vision IQ & Dolby Atmos
- Google TV Smart Platform
4. Samsung AU8000 Crystal UHD Smart TV
Best Budget TV Interface & Ecosystem
The Samsung Crystal UHD AU8000 shines with its clean, intuitive smart TV platform that‘s seamlessly integrated with the wider Samsung ecosystem. Long the gold standard of usability with ambient mode and universal remote control, it remains a joy to navigate and customize to your favorite streaming apps and inputs.
Integrated Alexia voice assistance and built-in Bixby round out the package. And core image quality also punches above its weight with crystal-enhanced 4K upscaling powered by a Crystal Processor, HDR support and adaptive sound+. For shoppers already bought into Samsung phones and tablets, going all-in on their smart TV experience makes perfect sense.
Screen Sizes: 43", 50", 55", 58", 65", 70", 75", 85"
Key Features:
- Crystal Processor 4K for Upscaling
- Tizen-Based Smart TV OS
- Built-In Alexa + Bixby Voice Assistants
- HDR Support
- Universal Remote Compatible
5. LG UP7000 PUHD Smart TV
Most Affordable 4K OLED
If your heart is set on the inky blacks and vibrant colors of OLED but don‘t want to break the bank, LG‘s entry-level C2 series hits the sweet spot. Leveraging the same a9 Gen5 AI Processor powering their high-end sets, it delivers punchy contrast and excellent 4K upscaling. For gaming, it checks all the right boxes with 4K 120Hz, VRR and ultra-low input lag.
webOS also remains the slickest and most intuitive smart TV platform. Room lighting can impact contrast so an OLED makes the most impact in a darker home theater setup. But for shoppers who have glimpsed OLED‘s visual magic and can‘t look back, the LG UP7000 delivers at a reasonable price.
Screen Sizes: 48", 55", 65", 77", 83"
Key Specs
- Self-Lit OLED Display
- a9 Gen5 AI Processor
- 4K 120Hz, VRR Support
- Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos
- webOS Smart Platform
What To Expect from a Budget TV
While the TV models highlighted above deliver tremendous performance and value at their price points, manage your expectations appropriately around how they compare to premium OLED or QLED displays:
Dimming Zones – More expensive TVs leverage thousands to millions of backlight dimming zones for superior contrast control and pixel-level light precision. Budget models have just a few hundred zones so black level and shadow detail rendering suffers somewhat.
Peak Brightness – Flagship TVs hit 2000+ nits peak brightness versus around 600 to 1500 nits for budget sets. This limits HDR pop and impact somewhat.
Viewing Angles – Picture quality degrades faster at wider angles on cheaper LED/LCD TVs with no wide angle filtering layers. Central viewing positioning is best.
Longevity – Budget brands don‘t command the premium materials and rigorous engineering that justify a high-end Sony or LG‘s higher prices and reliability claims. Expect a shorter usable lifespan of just 3 to 5 years.
Final Thoughts
The good news is manufacturers are rapidly bridging the gap between expensive and affordable TVs. Even entry-level models now offer excellent 4K picture quality, smart interfaces and gaming responsiveness. Combined with the picks and advice above highlighting what to prioritize for your needs and budget, you should land on a set that impresses for years without breaking the bank!