A few years ago when you were looking to purchase a good LCD TV, it was likely that you wouldn’t be able to find a good model priced under $500. There are still high-quality models at a cheaper price however you’ll be able to use them well depending on what you need. Remember that the majority of models come in a broad variety of sizes too If you’re looking for the most efficient TV under 500 dollars but aren’t willing to sacrifice quality, you can always opt for a smaller set.
Best 4k TV Under $500: Hisense 55H8G
The best 4k TV under $500 that we’ve evaluated is the Hisense 55H8G. The Hisense 55H8G is an excellent 4k TV at a reasonable price. It also looks expensive than it actually is. It uses the Android TV smart interface, which gives you access to a very large selection of apps and allows for a ton of customization, but it may not be the easiest to use at times.
The camera has a great contrast ratio that is enhanced by the full array local dimming function. This feature is a great option for this budget. This makes it a great choice for watching films in dark spaces. It also features an extremely bright peak that means that you won’t be too bright, even when you’re watching a lot of daytime television. For both casual and serious gamers, you should enjoy its quick response time that results in very little motion blur and minimal input lag.
It is not as good for large-scale viewing of people, especially with VA panels. It’s also not ideal for HDR content because of its wide color gamut however, it’s not as bright when it comes to HDR content as some more expensive models, which means that HDR images aren’t as vibrant as they ought to. It’s still a great value for the price and we believe it is among our top TVs that cost less than $500.
Best TV Under $500 For Gaming: Vizio M55Q7-H1
The Vizio M55Q7H1 is the best TV for gaming. It is a great value for money and offers an excellent overall experience. It even includes advanced gaming features such as variable refresh rate (VRR) and an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Vizio’s SmartCast interface can be slow and buggy, but it’s one of the few smart platforms that’s ad-free. We tested the 65-inch model and believe the 55-inch version will be just as impressive.
It has a 60Hz refresh rate, but this should be adequate for users who play casually on PCs as well as console gamers. It is extremely responsive, with minimal blurring when watching fast-moving content and extremely low input latency. This makes it responsive to gaming. It has a great contrast ratio that gives dark blacks. On the other hand, it only has adequate brightness, which means it could have problems with glare in bright spaces, despite its superior reflection control.
However, even though it’s advertised as having HDMI 2.1 ports but they’re only equipped with the bandwidth of HDMI 2.0. It’s also not the best choice for HDR gaming since it’s HDR brightness in Game Mode is sub-par, which means that highlights don’t seem to pop like they are supposed to. It does not have full-array local dimming. But, it isn’t very effective and can actually reduce the TV’s contrast ratio. It’s an affordable option for gaming, and should be considered as a top option.
The Best TV for Under $500 with Wide Viewing Angles: LG 55UP7000PUA
If you’re in a wide seating configuration, then the most suitable TV under $500 is the LG 55UP7000PUA. It’s a basic entry-level model that comes with an IPS-like display with large viewing angles, which means that the image remains pretty accurate regardless of where you’re viewing it from. Be aware that we tried the 65 inch model, however, we believe our findings to be the same for the 55 inch model, as well.
It’s not a problem scaling down lower resolution content, which is ideal for watching TV on cable, and you can leave it on your favourite news channel for the entire day without fearing the danger of permanent burn-in. It’s a good choice in bright rooms since it has okay high-end brightness and decent reflection handling, however, it’s best not using it in a room that has a lot of light sources. It’s powered by LG’s webOS smart system similar to other premium TVs, which is easy-to-use and comes with a plethora of apps that you can download. The remote however does not come with a built-in microphone to allow voice control.
It is not recommended for HDR or SDR films. It has a poor contrast ratio, which makes blacks look gray and it displays a disappointing black uniformity, and it does not have a local dimming feature to improve the quality of blacks. It doesn’t support HDR10 as well as doesn’t offer wide color spectrum and isn’t sufficiently bright to highlight highlights. Besides these issues, it’s the best TV under $500 with wide viewing angles.
Notable Mentions
Hisense U6G The Hisense U6G is an upgrade to the Hisense H8G. It’s performance is superior overall but costs more than $500.
LG UP8000: The LG UP8000 is a higher-end version of the LG UP7000 and performs better overall, but it costs more, and is worth the cost of the UP7000 instead.
Toshiba Fire TV 2020: While the Toshiba Fire TV 2020 4K TV is reasonably priced, the TCL 5 series is more expensive and offers a wider color selection.
Samsung TU7000: The Samsung TU7000 is a smaller version of the Samsung AU8000, however it is possible to find larger sizes under $500 for those who are looking for.
LG UN7000: The LG UN7000 is an older version of the LG UP7000 that you can most likely get for less and with the same performance.
TCL 4 Series 2020: The TCL 4 Series 2020 doesn’t have more features than the TCL 5 Series, but it’s less expensive and has Roku.
Vizio V5 Series 2020: While the Vizio V5 Series 2020 is great TV, it’s not as large as the Samsung AU8000. However, its smart technology is far more advanced.
Hisense A6G: The Hisense A6G is a basic model with an IPS panel like the LG UP7000, but it does not have the same brightness and is lacking many features.
