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18 best smart tvs under $500 we tested in 2024

Choosing the best smart tvs under $500 is not an easy task when there are various models on the market. But wait, don't panic. We have already researched and compiled up to 18 models of the best smart tvs under $500. Learn more and choose the one that is suitable for your needs!


Comparison Table

Showing  1 - 10  in  18 results
1
  • SCORE
    9.8
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    TCL
2
  • SCORE
    9.7
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    SAMSUNG
3
  • SCORE
    9.6
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    SAMSUNG
4
  • SCORE
    9.5
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    TCL
5
  • SCORE
    9.4
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Toshiba
6
  • SCORE
    9.3
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    INSIGNIA
7
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Toshiba
8
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    INSIGNIA
9
  • SCORE
    9.1
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Sony
10
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    The scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    SAMSUNG

Last update on 2024-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

3.8
6 ratings

Overviews

Smart TVs have become commonplace in home entertainment, and as their popularity has grown, they have gotten much cheaper. Customers no longer need to spend all of their money on streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and Spotify, or on 4K resolution. As a result, the focus of this article will be on low-cost televisions for around $500. To become a savvy consumer and select the best smart TVs under $500 in 2021, feel free to consult the tips below.


Buying Guides

The best smart TVs are quickly proving themselves as the new gold standard for home entertainment. They allow you to download your favorite streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify directly to your TV, giving you access to thousands of shows, songs, and movies. Hands-free voice control is now available on a large number of smart TVs.

It's tough to determine what smart features you'll need for your house with so many options. To help you decide which smart TV is perfect for you, we'll break down some of the most essential aspects to consider when looking for one.

1. Brands

When choosing the best smart TV to buy, start with the brand. There are hundreds of television manufacturers, each with a variety of size classes, pricing ranges, and smart features. TCL and Hisense are fantastic companies with inexpensive options if you're on a budget. Larger brands including Sony, Samsung, and Vizio provide mid-range choices. These versions are more expensive, but they come with a lot more smart features.

Sony, Samsung, and LG's high-end smart TVs provide everything you might desire in a smart TV. They have bigger screens with more advanced image technologies like QLED or OLED panels, native voice controls, AI-assisted rendering and upscaling, and ambient sound and light sensors that adjust picture and sound settings to match your surroundings. It's easy to set a budget and limit down your selections when you know which companies provide specific features in their televisions.

2. High Dynamic Range (HDR)

HDR is an abbreviation for High Dynamic Dynamic Range. Colors in HDR10 are represented using a 10-bit color coding. To simplify the definitions, we'll put it this way: traditional TVs utilize the 8-bit-per-channel color definition, which divides a color into three channels: red, green, and blue, each of which is represented by 8 bits. 10-bit HDR, on the other hand, can differentiate 1.073.741.824 colors, which is almost 60 times more than 8-bit color definitions.

3. Resolution

The resolution of the screen influences how detailed the visuals are. The resolution is made up of two numbers: the number of pixels on each grid edge and the total number of pixels in the grid. The following are the most popular resolutions:

  • 480 x 640: An antiquated resolution for antiquated TVs. SD (Standard Definition) is the most common term for this. SD  television, and even SD programming, is becoming increasingly rare nowadays.

  • 720 x 1280 or 720x1366: Also called HD or HD+. For anything aired over the air or on YouTube, this is the most popular resolution. The globe is attempting to move on to the next popular resolution, FullHD or 4K, but 720p HD remains the king for the time being.

  • 1080p: Is vying with 720p for the title of the resolution king. Although most popular YouTubers have moved to 1080p by default for years, 720p is still used for a lot of broadcasted content.

  • 4K: In the near future, 4K is projected to supplant FullHD, just as HD resolution supplanted SD resolution and was supplanted by FullHD resolution.

  • 8K: 8K is now achievable for television, but it is still prohibitively costly. Cameras designed for 8K are also extremely expensive, thus content makers are unable to move on to the future of content due to budget constraints.

4. AI Assistant

AI Assistants are the new competition for all the biggest firms in this sector. Alexa is available on Amazon, whereas Bixby is available on Samsung, Google Assistant is available on Google, and Siri is available on Apple. A mix of these AI Assistants can be built into the TV, allowing you to operate it entirely with your voice. With the smart companions, changing channels, opening content, and reading would be a piece of cake.


Reviews

1. Best Smart TV under $500: Samsung UN43TU7000FXZA

Samsung UN43TU7000FXZA is Samsung's most luxurious non-QLED TV, and while no QLED TV fits into our £500 category, you still receive a degree of care and attention that rivals more costly TVs as well as a surprising number of stylish high-tech features.

From live broadcast-friendly HLG to HDR10+ dynamic metadata, HDR is supported, and the 4K UHD resolution is complemented by built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Apple AirPlay 2 connection. The Tizen-based operating system is identical to that seen on more expensive QLED TVs, and gamers will appreciate the 11.7ms response time.

Best of all, the screen's performance is comparable to that of a more costly model. This year, Samsung is introducing a unique new backlight technology that uses two colors of LEDs to increase contrast and provide greater black levels than you may anticipate. This, paired with a generally bright picture, results in a beautiful pop in both SDR and HDR. It's also a competent up-scaler, which means it can comfortably upscale HD streaming or Blu-ray to 4K while keeping native 4K looking crisp and clear.

2. Hisense 50-Inch Class R6090G Smart TV

Hisense 50-Inch Class R6090G with Roku TV is simple to use, includes every streaming service you might want, and has a universal search tool that allows you to discover items across all of them. And it's all combined with a TV that, for the price, delivers excellent visual quality, especially considering the large screen size of 50 inches (and you can step up to bigger sizes for very reasonable prices).

It avoids all of the problems of cheap TVs, with consistent backlighting, accurate colors, and flawless upscales from HD to 4K. We can deal with the fact that it isn't very good at handling motion. It's also a pity that it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR, but it does support other HDR types, which appear to be rather good.

3. TCL 55" Class 4-Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV

TCL 55" 4-Series 4K UHD HDR TVs are available in six sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch, with three of them priced under $500, making them one of the best 4K smart TVs under $500.

Despite its modest price, it manages to offer Dolby Vision, which is one of the most eagerly awaited features on the market. The resolution is 4K, claimed to be the superior 4K Ultra HD with 4 times the number of pixels. The resolution is 4K, which the company claims is superior to 4K Ultra HD since it has four times the number of pixels. It runs the Roku TV platform and has four HDMI inputs, which are common on low-cost televisions.

This budget TV includes an Auto Game Mode, Google Assistant, and Alexa as standard features. Using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you can discover movie titles, start or change channels, and even switch inputs with only your voice.


FAQs

1. How to choose the best smart TV size?

In fact, you should get a television with the appropriate size for the space in which it will be put. More importantly, the room should be spacious enough for you to set up a comfortable and safe viewing distance for the television. As a result, if you have a tiny room, you should avoid buying a widescreen TV since it will force you to sit too close to the screen, perhaps causing eye damage.

2. How do smart TVs connect to the internet?

To connect to the internet, the smart TV uses an Ethernet port or a Wi-Fi tuner, just like a computer. However, because the Wi-Fi receivers on these TVs aren't great, you'll want to consider the distance between the TV and the Wi-Fi router in your home. If the TV is on the fifth floor but the Wi-Fi department is on the third, your internet connection will most likely be too slow to watch Youtube or movies online.

3. Should I choose regular TV or Smart TV?

Traditional televisions include just the most basic functions, such as the ability to watch television and mechanical connections. Smart TV, on the other hand, is a smart TV that operates on the platform of a certain operating system, has a modern CPU, plenty of RAM, and a smart interface. If you only want to watch TV and occasionally plug in a USB to watch movies, then the regular version is all you need.

If you want to buy a TV that can connect to the internet and provide online entertainment such as reading newspapers, watching movies, listening to music, connecting to a smart home, or controlling with voice, the best smart TV under $500 is the way to go.

4. What apps can I use with my new smart TV?

Many new smart televisions come preinstalled with Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube applications, allowing you to begin binge-watching your favorite shows, videos, and movies right away. With Wi-Fi, you can also download thousands of other apps, such as Disney+, Spotify, and PlutoTV, for free live TV, thousands of songs, and many more entertainment choices.

5. What are the warranty programs on smart TVs?

In this regard, smart TVs are identical to regular televisions. In general, TVs come with a one-year warranty. Some manufactures are kind enough to offer 3 to 4 years of warranty coverage. TVs, particularly smart TVs, work indoors, thus they are less likely to break. As a result, you should not be concerned too much about any TV product's warranty.

If you still want to be sure about the warranty, go into Epic Protect, a TV protection company that offers extended warranties on TVs and other electronic devices.


Final Thoughts

The best smart TV under $500 is none other than the Samsung UN43TU7000FXZA 43 inch 4K Ultra HD, which has the best smart features in this price range. If you're looking for a new smart TV that's less expensive but still offers a lot of great functions, the Hisense 50-Inch Class R6090G and TCL 55" 4-Series 4K UHD Roku TV are the ideal options.

That concludes our discussion of the best smart TVs under $500. We hope that this post will assist you in making a decision from among the best smart televisions under $500. Don't forget to let us know which products are your favorites!


Lynn Nguyen
Lynn Nguyen
Lynn Nguyen - a lifestyle blogger who is interested in furniture and household products. She enjoys spending her time researching and updating new gadgets designed to make life easier for everybody! After work, Lynn is fond of photographing, painting, and reading books.
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