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Article updated on July 15, 2020 at 12:00 PM PDT

The best TVs under $500 that you can buy right now

This price range includes some of our favorite TVs from 32 all the way up to 65 inches.

Our Experts

Written by 
David Katzmaier
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
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Our Picks

$428 at Walmart
01-tcl-s325-s425-series
TCL 65S425/65S421 (65-inch)
Best screen size for the money
View details
View details
$468 at Walmart
Vizio V-Series 2019 V556-G1 V605-G3
Vizio V655-G9 (65-inch)
Best with AirPlay, Chromecast
View details
View details
$251 at Best Buy
04-toshiba-insignia-amazon-fire-tv-edition
Toshiba 49LF421U19 (49-inch)
Best with Alexa voice control
View details
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$130 at Best Buy
10-tcl-s325-s425-series
TCL 32S325 (32-inch)
Best ultra-cheap smart TV
View details
View details
$550 at Amazon
009-tcl-6-series-65r625-roku-2019
TCL 55R625 (55-inch)
Best if you can spend another $50
View details
View details

In the age of coronavirus we've been asked to shelter in place at home, which leads to watching more TV than ever. At the same time, the economy is in recession and lots of Americans face financial stress. That combination means you might be looking for TV deals to buy a new TV without spending a lot of money. The good news is that you can get a second TV, or a new primary set that lets you move your current model to another room, for less than you might think.

Most of CNET's favorite TVs cost more than $500 because they offer excellent image quality and large sizes, but there are some exceptions. Below you'll find TVs we recommend as options for the best TV under $500, as well as one that's $50 more. On most of them the picture quality is perfectly fine and on the more expensive one it's excellent. Your call.

Read more: Best TV for 2022   

Watch this: Watch me set up a TV review lab in my basement

Keep these points in mind as you look over my choices:

  • The TVs below are older, but we're working on new 2022 reviews of TVs in this price range and expect to post them later in April or May. 
  • Most of the series below offer multiple sizes that cost less than $500. We'll list the size that we like best for the money (which typically skews larger).
  • Looking for a specific size? Check out our comparisons of 32-inch TVs, 43-inch TVs, 55-inch TVs65-inch TVs and 75-inch TVs.
  • Don't see what you're looking for below? Here are all of the TVs I've reviewed, with more coming soon.
$428 at Walmart

TCL 65S425/65S421 (65-inch)

Best screen size for the money

Roku is our favorite smart television platform for streaming apps and services like Netflix and it's even better when it's baked into the TV. This TCL 4-Series can't beat the 6-series (see below) on image quality -- its 4K resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) compatibility don't do anything to help the picture or color -- but this 4K TV offers a fine viewing experience for most people, especially at this price.

Other sizes under $500: 55-inch, 50-inch, 43-inch, 40-inch.

$468 at Walmart

Vizio V655-G9 (65-inch)

Best with AirPlay, Chromecast

Vizio's V-Series has two things that make it a natural if you want to stream from your phone to the TV: Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay, neither of which are available on the TCL Roku TV. The Vizio actually comes in a bunch of sizes under $500 but we're listing one of the biggest here because we like big screens. Unfortunately there's a lot of picture quality variation in the various models (see the review for details), which is why the TCL above is a better overall pick.

Other sizes under $500: 60-inch, 55-inch, 50-inch, 43-inch, 40-inch (note that some of these sizes may be out of stock at many retailers).

$251 at Best Buy

Toshiba 49LF421U19 (49-inch)

Best with Alexa voice control

This Toshiba features Amazon's Fire TV system built-in, making it a direct competitor to the TCL's Roku system. In general we like Roku better than Fire TV, thanks to superior menus and search, but this Toshiba has one cool extra the TCL lacks: built-in Alexa smart features, available by talking into the remote. 

Other sizes under $500: 65-inch, 55-inch, 50-inch, 40-inch, 32-inch.

$130 at Best Buy

TCL 32S325 (32-inch)

Best ultra-cheap smart TV

Smart TV is king at small sizes. At this price, buying a separate streamer for Roku is a significant investment -- and juggling that streamer's remote is a hassle -- so if you must get a TV of this size to meet your viewing needs, this is our pick for the best cheap 32-inch TV.

This is a 720p resolution TV which is fine at this screen size for video but if you'd like to use your TV as a computer monitor, we'd recommend spending the extra $20 or so for the 1080p version, model 32S327 (thanks for the comment, tjmile1).

Other sizes under $500: 43-inch, 40-inch.

Editors' choice
$550 at Amazon

TCL 55R625 (55-inch)

Best if you can spend another $50

Our favorite midrange TV for the money, the 55-inch version of this TCL was recently available for less than $500 but it's gone back up to $550. Even at that price it's a great deal, with well-implemented full-array local dimming that leads to a truly excellent image. As if that's not enough, the Roku smart TV operating system is our hands-down favorite.

Other stuff to know about buying a new TV

Even at $500 a new set can be a big investment, so maybe you're looking for a bit more information. Here's a quick and dirty list.

Looking for even more info? Here's everything to know about buying a new TV in 2022

Show more