There is no need to pay a huge amount of money to buy the best 4k smart TV for your requirements.
Even budget TVs today will have good picture quality and fantastic smart features that remove the need to invest money in an external streaming device.
If you are searching for the best cheap smart TVs, we’ve analyzed the best budget TVs to buy. Also, see our recommendations for the best TVs under $500 and the best smart TVs.
Best Budget 4K TVs
1. Best Budget TV: Hisense 55H8F
The best budget TV we’ve reviewed so far is the Hisense 55H8F. Due to its outstanding contrast ratio and impressive black uniformity, this is a fantastic TV for darkroom watching. Blacks appear deep with the help of their local dimming feature and there’s very little blooming in dark scenes.
This Budget TV also has an impressive wide color gamut, delivering vivid, saturated colors in HDR content, but in certain views, its peak brightness is not able to bring out bright highlights. It’s bright enough to transcend glare and manage reflections.
Response time on this TV is somewhat on the slow side, but still decent. Behind fast-moving objects, there’s a noticeable blur, but thankfully it has an optional black frame insertion feature to help clean up the background.
For those searching for a game on this TV, input lag is remarkably low, and there is no support for any variable refresh rate technology and the refresh rate of the panel is reduced. Like most VA panels, viewing angles are rather poor, so it’s not the best choice for large rooms with wide seating arrangements.
- Deep, uniform blacks.
- Excellent low input lag.
- Great peak brightness in SDR.
- Bad viewing angles.
- Slow response time.
2. Best Budget 4K TV: LG 49UM7300PUA
If you often host large parties to see a football game, then you’ll need a TV with improved viewing angles and gesture control, like the LG 49UM7300PUA. Unlike the Hisense H8F, this TV uses an IPS screen with far better viewing angles, and images don’t look blurred out even though you watch from the side.
The downside of most IPS frames, though, is their poor contrast ratio, rendering blacks appear grey when seen in the dark. While at the corners of the TV there is some vignetting, the gray uniformity is perfect, because there is very little dirty screen effect that can be distracting.
Response time and input lag are incredibly low, and it has an’ Active Low Lag Feature’ that is activated when the TV detects a game from a compatible gaming console like the Xbox One.
Overall, the Hisense performs better, but sports fans should consider the LG.
- Outstanding low input lag.
- The image remains accurate when viewed at an angle.
- Can’t produce deep, uniform blacks.
- HDR doesn’t add much.
3. Best Cheap smart TV: TCL 32S325
If the price is your primary concern then the TCL 3 Series/32S325 is the best cheap smart TV to buy. Overall it is a mediocre Series. There is no help for HDR or other specialized motion handling features such as interpolation of motion or the possibility of removal of the judder.
This offers a decent picture quality in a dark space with rich blacks, but can’t get really friendly so it’s best matched to a darkened area.
This budget TV has a resolution of 1080p, which does not support native 4k. The 32 “model is limited to a 720p display (with the exception of the 32S327 variant). In the plus, all models use the same Roku smart TVs platform used in the higher-end TCL devices. The Roku system is simple, quick to use, and allows you access to a wide range of software that satisfies your requirements.
Overall this TV can’t compete with higher-end models, but it’s perfect as a secondary TV that doesn’t need top picture quality.
- Very low input lag.
- Excellent pre-calibration image accuracy.
- No HDR support.
- It cannot get bright.
- Doesn’t support 4k.
4. TCL 43S435, 2024 Model
If you don’t need all of the TCL 3 Series 2019 Roku TV smart features and you choose a larger Screen only to watch Free-To-Air channels, then get the TCL 43S435, 2024 Model. It offers good image quality but has no advanced tools to help you enhance the quality of the picture.
It has almost no smart features, but as a simple display, it will support you well. To transform it into a smart device, you can attach an Android TV box or an Apple TV if you wish. When you just have specific demands on your Pc, this TV should support you well.
While the TCL S325 is the best cheap smart TV with a full set of smart features, the TCL 43S435Â will do the job if you don’t care about smart features, and it’s considerably larger as well.
- Great contrast makes blacks look deep
- Could be brighter
- Image quality degrades when viewed from an angle
- Cannot play 24p content without Judder
5. Best Value For Size TV: TCL 65S525
Since prices fluctuate significantly during this period of the year, the best offer for size TV is hard to pinpoint. However, the 2019 TCL 5 Series/65S525 is a very decent choice for this award. While it is the best budget TV, due to its very thin bezels and metal accents it is a 65-inch TV with a fairly premium look.
It features a wide range of colors, which is important to view HDR content and offers dark, uniform blacks, even without a local dimming feature.
Thanks to its good peak brightness for SDR material, this cheap TV should have no trouble resolving glare in bright rooms, but unfortunately, it doesn’t get quite bright enough for HDR content to pop up in the way it should.
However, thanks to its outstanding low input lag and great response time, resulting in a responsive gaming experience with only a short blur trail behind fast-moving objects.
Unfortunately, the picture degrades at an angle, so maybe this isn’t the ideal TV to watching sports for a wide range of people. It’s also not the best option to watch HDR content since it can’t get quite bright enough to pop up, but it still does a decent job, especially for this price point. Overall, this is a good TV for most uses and offers great value for its price.
- Deep, uniform blacks
- Outstanding low input lag
- Image degrades at an angle
- PWM flicker at low brightness levels
6. Best Cheap Smart TV: TCL 65S425
If you’re looking for a 65 inch” in the best budget TV but don’t want to pay too much, get the 2019 TCL 4 Series 65S425. It doesn’t have a wide range of colors as the 2019 TCL 5 Series / S525 and doesn’t get almost as vivid, but it’s a bit cheap TV and has great handling of reflection.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as premium as the other TCL, with thinner, plastic bezels, and for its lack of a wide color gamut and significantly dimmer display, its picture quality isn’t as good. On the upside, it performs better reflection handling work and is perfect if you have a number of lights in front of the smart TV.
- Very low input lag, great for games.
- Great smart features.
- Can’t get bright enough.
- Image degrades when viewed at an angle.
7. Insignia NS-43DF710NA21 43-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV – Fire TV Edition
The Insignia Fire TV is a good 4k television with a high-resolution image. It has a strong native contrast ratio and creates intense blacks, but unfortunately, they aren’t quite consistent and the absence of local dimming can’t help enhance the dark scenes ‘ look.
The picture easily degrades when viewed from the side and a big space with a wide seating configuration is not a good choice. This smart TV embraces HDR, however, it is unable to give aim to the creators. This Insignia TV is really well equipped with voice assistant Amazon Alexa.
- Excellent native contrast
- Powerful Alexa voice assistant
- Bad color accuracy
- Amazon Prime account is required for many functions
- Bad viewing angles
8. Best Budget TV –Â Sceptre X322bv sr tv
Sceptre X322bv sr tv is the best 4k LED TV and it is a cheap smart TV. The Sceptre X322bv sr comes with decent picture quality and has very good clear and accurate images that appear on the screen. This model supports HD image quality and 3D support to watch movies to the users. so the user will experience a better viewing in 3D and love this TV for its features provided by the manufacturer.
This budget TV is lightweight and people can lift it easily and mount the TV on the wall without any struggle. It has been integrated with 2 speakers that will get a better sound without disturbance. The video interface supports the component, composite and HDMI quality videos. It has 2 HDMI ports in the backside.
According to the Sceptre X322BV-SR specs, it has everything you need for contemporary LCD video: The huge 32-inch display with HD picture level, 3D support, and all great video and audio formats. This image looks very impressive, as well as quality and clarity.
The television makes up no way at all. I consider being able to pull it up and do it with one side. An open QAM tuner is included to make TV transfer as easy as possible, without the antenna. HDMI information delivers an unbeatable combination of high-definition recording and light sound.
The USB interface comes in handy when you need to turn through all of the stored photos and tune into the stored music. And some further theories: HDMI, VGA, etc.
- A very affordable price (just $ 150).
- High-quality 32-inch screen with HD TV.
- Small size and weight of the TV. Very easy to move.
- Supports 3D.
- For the TV of 2016, it would be able to have at least a full HD.
- It doesn’t support MOV video format.
How to choose the best budget TV
Looking for a budget TV can be tricky, but with a few tips, you can find one that meets your needs without breaking the bank. Here are some things to consider when choosing the best budget TV.
Firstly, go for a TV with 4K resolution. The difference in quality between 4K and 1080p or 720p is significant, and it won’t cost you a fortune to upgrade. So, if you can, choose 4K.
Secondly, consider the screen size that suits your space. You don’t want to end up with a tiny TV that you can’t enjoy, so don’t settle for anything smaller than 55 inches, unless it fits your needs.
Thirdly, look for HDR support. Even a basic HDR feature provides better color and brighter highlights, making your viewing experience more enjoyable. If you can afford it, go for a TV with Dolby Vision for an even better picture quality.
Fourthly, check the connectivity options. Make sure that the TV has multiple HDMI ports, so you don’t have to switch cables every time you want to switch between devices like gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, or streaming devices.
Lastly, if you’re a gamer, look for a TV with a higher refresh rate of 60Hz, but if you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X, go for a TV with a higher refresh rate. Also, pay attention to lag time, as you want a TV with a shorter lag time of under 20 milliseconds for the best gaming experience.
In summary, when looking for a budget TV, prioritize 4K resolution, screen size, HDR support, connectivity, and gaming performance. With these features in mind, you can find a budget TV that meets your needs and provides a great viewing experience.
What features are worth paying more for?
Budget TVs are great value for money, but they do come with some limitations. If you’re considering purchasing a budget TV, you may be curious about what features you may be missing out on by not splurging on a high-end model. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Screen size: It’s no surprise that larger screen sizes come with a higher price tag. If you’re on a budget, you may need to compromise on the screen size to fit your budget. However, you can find some good deals on larger models if you’re willing to trade off in other areas.
Class-leading picture quality: Unfortunately, you won’t find class-leading picture quality on a budget TV. While some budget models come close, you won’t get the same level of performance as the high-end LG OLED or Samsung QLED TVs. You may miss out on features like the best contrast, color saturation, and upscaling, as well as smooth navigation through the user interface.
Sound quality: Sound quality is often overlooked when purchasing a TV, but it’s an essential component of the overall viewing experience. Budget TVs typically have weaker and tinny sound from their built-in speakers. However, you can always invest in a soundbar later on to improve your audio quality.
Final Thoughts
Our suggestions above are what we found is the best cheap smart TVs for gaming available in the market. These are the best budget TVs to buy for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from visitors, and availability. We have analyzed the features and functions of each product and reviewed our best for the buyers.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our reviews of TVs that are less than $500. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
Take a look at these products from the same price range, that are available right now on Amazon: