Best TVs under 0 2024
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Best TVs under $500 2024

If you know where to look, you can get a great TV for under $500. They may not have the most advanced features, but they often cost thousands of dollars—and excessive for most buyers. The best TVs under $500, like our favorite, the TCL Q6offers incredible value for money, with great features, strong HDR support and a responsive gaming experience.

The Roku Plus Series TV can even support HDR modes that the best TVs from Samsung and LG cannot handle, while TCL S5 is a true 50-inch 4K model for under $300, saving you even more while really delivering for smaller spaces. No matter what type of TV you’re looking for, here are the best TVs under $500 you can buy in 2024.

Size: 55-inch | Display type: QLED | Refresh rate: 60Hz (120Hz at 1440p) | Smart TV OS: Google TV | HDR: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG

Advantages:

  • Faster response time than the 2023 version
  • Better movement management
  • Supports DTS audio

Disadvantages:

  • Older version was brighter and bigger for the same price

The 2024 version of the TCL Q6 isn’t quite as bright as its predecessor, but it does come with some notable improvements that make it better for gaming as well as the best choice overall. It has great motion handling with faster response time, which reduces ghosting and gives you more accurate picture during fast-paced games and TV shows. It also adds support for DTS audio, and the Google TV operating system is full of streaming apps to access all your favorite streaming content.

It has a 60Hz refresh rate at 4K, but you can boost it to 120Hz at 1440p and 1080p, which most consoles and gaming PCs usually play at anyway. It helps make this TV much better for competitive gaming, and with its low input lag, you’ll get a fast and responsive gaming experience. It also supports all HDR modes, although the brightness isn’t quite high enough to make the highlights shine through. However, keep in mind that to keep the price tag under $500, you need to go for the 55-inch version.


Size: 55-inch | Display type: Edge-lit IPS | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Smart TV OS: LG WebOS | HDR: HDR10, HLG

Advantages:

  • Good upscaling from LG processor
  • Low input lag for games
  • No image degradation at wider viewing angles

Disadvantages:

  • Limited brightness
  • Poor contrast
  • Limited to 60Hz

The LG UR9000 is one of LG’s better budget TVs, giving you 4K resolution and basic HDR support for under $500. It has a solid processor on board with the paired a5 gen6 AI processor that does a good job of upscaling older and lower resolution content to near 4K images. The picture is quite sharp, whether you’re watching native or upscaled content, although brightness and contrast are limited.

Gaming is good on this TV, with a low input lag and reasonable response time that makes it feel responsive, even with a limited 60Hz refresh rate. It’s great for watching parties though, with its wide viewing angles ensuring no one gets a limited view of the action.


Roku Plus Series TV

Size: 55-inch | Display type: QLED | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Smart TV OS: Roku OS | HDR: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG

Advantages:

  • Roku OS is great, no need to buy a streaming stick
  • Very strong contrast
  • Impressive light for the price

Disadvantages:

  • No HDMI 2.1
  • Limited to 60Hz

The Roku Plus series is in the running for the best TV under $500, but its 60Hz refresh rate is holding it back from being the top pick. Still, at this compact size, the image is a little sharper, and with strong HDR support, impressive brightness, and excellent contrast, that image quality is as good as you’ll find under $500. It’s a QLED TV, with local dimming zone support for nuanced HDR, and these quantum dots help colors really shine through on this TV. With support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, you can enjoy HDR in games and movies across a range of services, and with a brightness that can reach close to 700 nits according to some reviewers, this TV will make the highlights look really good compared to some of their countrymen on this list.

Again, it’s limited to 60Hz, so it’s not the fastest gaming TV out there, but it has a low input lag and quick response time that really helps make the TV feel more responsive during gaming. The Roku OS is also top-notch, with access to all the latest streaming apps and services and offering a fast and responsive interface. It’s also intuitive and means you don’t need to buy an extra streaming stick. It even has built-in headphone listening via the Roku app, which is great for those of us with small children sleeping in the other room.


Size: 50-inch | Display type: LEDs | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Smart TV OS: Google TV | HDR: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG

Advantages:

  • Supports all HDR standards
  • Impressive SDR brightness for the price
  • Very affordable

Disadvantages:

  • No HDMI 2.1
  • Limited to 60Hz

TCL makes some of the best budget TVs, so it’s no surprise to see a number of its models on this list. That said, no one can beat the great value of the TCL S5. This TV is much brighter than its predecessors and lower S models. Even if it isn’t excessively light, it is still bright enough to make this TV look good in bright and dark rooms. With its wide HDR support, you can enjoy more vivid colors and some highlights in HDR-supporting programs and movies. The Google TV operating system has all the streaming apps you could want and is intuitive and responsive.

There’s no HDMI 2.1 on this TV and it’s limited to 60Hz for gaming, but that still means you can play 4K 60Hz on the latest consoles and gaming PCs. It also has the TCL AIPQ processor, which does a good job of upscaling older and lower resolution content. It also dynamically manages colors and brightness to make the picture look its best no matter what you’re watching or playing.


Size: 50-inch | Display Type: QLED | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Smart TV OS: Fire TV | HDR: HDR10+, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG

Advantages:

  • Supports the latest HDR standards
  • Strong contrast
  • Built-in Alexa support

Disadvantages:

  • Not very bright
  • Limited to 60Hz

The Amazon Omni is an impressive TV that certainly lives up to its “smart” label. It has all the latest streaming apps and services via Amazon’s Fire TV operating system, but is also fully compatible with Alexa out of the box. It allows you to use your voice to control it, as well as integrate it into your wider smart home ecosystem. It also has motion and brightness sensors, so it can turn on when you walk in the room, and uses the latest Dolby Vision IQ, which adjusts HDR metadata based on the scene on screen and your ambient lighting conditions for more nuanced and effective HDR.

This TV doesn’t get too bright, so you won’t get the most eye-catching highlights, but its contrast for an LED is excellent, giving you impressively dark blacks. With a quantum dot layer, you can enjoy truly vibrant colors. There’s only a 60Hz refresh rate for games, but you can stream games via Amazon Luna or download them from the app store, giving you an exciting range of gaming options even before you connect your console or PC.


Why trust Forbes Vetted

The Forbes Vetted team has published a large library of technical and electronics guidesincluding dozens of articles on best televisionsincluding best OLED TV and that best 85 inch tvsinter alia.

  • Forbes Vetted Contributor Jon Martindale is a tech journalist with a background rooted in PC hardware. He enjoys sharing his passion for the latest technology by reviewing hardware and accessories, including guides on best windows laptops and 4K screens.
  • This article and its updates are overseen by the Consumer Technology Editor Rebecca Isaacs. Isaacs has worked as a technology journalist for over five years and regularly attends trade shows and technology conferences to report on the latest products coming to market.
  • To keep our advice up to date, we routinely update this guide. It was last reviewed and updated in October 2024 by Martindale to add any new selections to the story.

How we picked the best TVs under $500

We relied on Forbes Vetted’s extensive expertise, including first-hand testing of select models, to recommend only the best TVs under $500. We also delved into research and consumer reviews.

  • We looked at models from top brands including Sony, Samsung, LG, TCL, Hisense and more to see what stood out from the pack.
  • We thoroughly researched every model on this list. Features we reviewed include screen type, refresh rate, operating system, and smart features. To make the cut, each choice must have excellent value, balancing features and cost.
  • In addition, we carefully researched customer reviews to ensure that the majority of buyers were satisfied with their purchase. We only included top rated models.