X

Best TVs for overall value

Whether it's worth $300 or $3,000, you want to know that the TV you're buying represents the best you can get for the price. That's where these TVs excel.

Ty Pendlebury
Ty Pendlebury is a journalism graduate of RMIT Melbourne, and has worked at CNET since 2006. He lives in New York City where he writes about streaming and home audio.
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.
Ty Pendlebury
David Katzmaier
Panasonic_TC_PST50_35118300_35117941_35118301_35118302_01.jpg
1 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Panasonic TC-PST50 series (50, 55, 60, and 65 inches)

Whether it's worth $300 or $3,000, you want to know that the TV you're buying represents the best you can get for the price. That's where these TVs excel.

While it's not the cheapest TV on the market, the PST50 gives you the most for your money of any TV we have yet seen. Superb image quality, a modest price given what you get, and an understated design make this Panasonic our favorite big-screen TV of the year.
Samsung_PNE6500_35159642_01.jpg
2 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung PNE6500 series (51 and 60 inches)

"OK, then, so what's your second-favorite big-screen TV of the year?" If you're judging by overall value, it's this superb Samsung plasma.
Vizio_E320i-A0_35471751_06.jpg
3 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Vizio E320i-A0 (32 inches)

The first two can be considered mid- to high-end big-screen TVs, but this $300, 32-inch Vizio is decidedly smaller and lower-end. Its picture quality is decent, although not quite as good as that of the Toshiba on the next slide, but its real ace in the hole is features. Namely, integrated Smart TV for as low a price as we've ever seen.
Toshiba_32C120U_35159739_03.jpg
4 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Toshiba 32C120U (32 inches)

At $250, this 32-inch Toshiba is the least expensive TV we've reviewed this year. In image quality it outdoes every other same-size TV we've tested. If you don't care about Smart TV in your 32-incher, it's a no-brainer choice. If you do, grab the Vizio on the previous slide.
App_Vizio_E1i-A3.jpg
5 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Vizio E1i-A3 series (60, 70 inches)

If you've got the space and want an LED TV, the Vizio E1i-A3 series delivers more bang for the buck than any competitor in its class.
Panasonic_TC_P50U50_35149658_09.jpg
6 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Panasonic TC-PU50 series (50 and 60 inches)

Its image quality is almost as good as our favorite PST50's in a dark room, and choosing the step-down Panasonic can save you almost $700 at the 60-inch size. Of course you lose 3D and Smart TV, but do you really care about those?
Samsung_E450_35169613_35169614_02.jpg
7 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung PNE450 series (43 and 51 inches)

The 51-inch version of this entry-level plasma is the best TV you can buy for less than $500. The 43-inch version is also a steal at about $430.
3TCL_L40FHDP60_35454675_15.jpg
8 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

TCL L40FHDP60 (40 inches)

Around $300 and a decent picture? Bigger is always better for TVs, and the extra screen space compared with similarly priced 32-inch sets makes all the difference.
Toshiba40E220U_2.jpg
9 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Toshiba 40E220U (40 inches)

The 40E220U does the TCL one better by coming from a brand you've actually heard of. Both offer similar picture quality, bare-bones features, and rock-bottom prices.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos