Best TVs under $500

TVs seem to get less and less expensive every year, and 2014 is no exception. You can get a great TV for less than half a grand. All of the following TVs aren't huge -- screen size is less than 50 inches -- but all of them got good reviews.

Editors' Note, October 31, 2014:This gallery has been completely updated with all-new selections since it was originally published in 2013.

At 48 inches, the Vizio E Series is one of the largest TVs on this list. It's also the model we praised as delivering "unbeatable picture for the money."

See pricing for the 48-inch Vizio E480i-B2

The 48-inch Roku TV offers the best Smart TV suite available and one of the biggest screens under $500 that makes this list. And it's so simple to use, we especially recommend it for folks who don't consider themselves tech-savvy but want access to the latest and greatest streaming video has to offer.

See pricing for the 48-inch TCL 48FS4610R Roku TV

Smaller than the first two, this Vizio still delivers the best picture on this list. And 42 inches for this price isn't too shabby.

See pricing for the 42-inch Vizio M422i-B1 (M Series)

Sadly, Panasonic's legendary plasma TVs have gone the way of the dodo. But at $500 for the 39-inch size, the 530U offers you very good LCD picture quality and style for the money.

See pricing for the 39-inch Panasonic TC-39AS530U

You'll pay a premium for a Samsung TV, and the H6350 Smart TV series is no different. But even though it's more than $500, we're including it here because of a weird quirk: the 40-inch version is actually selling for about $50 less than the 32-incher right now.

See pricing for the 40-inch Samsung UN40H6350

Have a higher budget? Check out our list of the best TVs at all screen sizes and price ranges, like the current picture-quality champ, the $3,500 LG 55EC9300 55-inch OLED TV, pictured here.

See CNET's top-rated TVs