The Best Budget TVs for 2024

Television is the cornerstone of entertainment in homes worldwide. Whether for movies, streaming, or gaming, users expect their TV to provide an exciting and cinematic experience, all without breaking the bank.

Therefore, the quest for an affordable TV that doesn’t compromise quality can be daunting, especially when balancing cost with features like resolution, smart capabilities, and screen size. This guide shines a spotlight on the best TVs one can get on a modest budget, helping users navigate through the maze of options to find a set that offers both value and quality.

How to Choose the Best Budget TV

Navigating the market for budget TVs involves considering several key factors, including screen resolution, smart features, and the reliability of warranties. These three aspects alone can help tremendously in making a well-informed decision.

• Screen Resolution: Screen resolution is paramount in a TV’s visual appeal. Full HD (1080p) is a common baseline for budget TVs, offering decent picture quality. However, some budget models may offer 4K resolution, enhancing clarity and detail, especially in larger screen sizes.
• Smart Features: Smart features in budget TVs can vary widely. It’s essential to look for models that support popular streaming apps and have stable internet connectivity. This ensures the TV remains a versatile entertainment hub without needing additional devices.
• Brand and Warranty: Choosing a budget TV from a reputable brand with a strong warranty can alleviate concerns about longevity and performance issues. Trusted brands often provide better customer support and more reliable warranties, ensuring peace of mind in the long term.
• Use Case: Besides searching for the ultimate budget TV, it’s worth exploring ways to improve the gaming setup, which is crucial for a complete entertainment experience. For instance, a top-tier budget TV can be paired with a retro gaming console, adding a touch of nostalgia to every gaming session. For each use case, there’s a budget TV ready and waiting to enhance the experience.

Game Rant’s picks for the Best Budget TVs in 2024

The VIZIO D-Series 32″ Smart TV stands out as the best overall budget TV, offering a blend of attractive features to gamers and streaming enthusiasts. Its 1080p Full-HD resolution ensures crisp, clear images, while AMD FreeSync technology reduces lag and screen tearing for a smoother gaming experience. Although compact, this TV offers a comprehensive streaming experience with Vizio’s Watchfree service, boasting over 260 live channels.

However, it’s not without its limitations. The absence of HDR means the TV doesn’t reach the peak color and contrast capabilities some users might expect. Connectivity issues, particularly with apps and reliance on strong Wi-Fi, have been noted by users.

Despite these drawbacks, for those seeking a versatile and affordable TV, the VIZIO D-Series 32″ Smart TV remains a top recommendation, especially for those prioritizing a balance between gaming performance and streaming quality.

For fans of Amazon Fire TV or people looking for an incredible budget 4K TV that can easily fit into smaller spaces, the Toshiba C350 Fire TV is an excellent choice. Despite this very reasonable price tag, this TV looks absolutely stunning, especially thanks to its 4K panel.

With the lower price tag, the C350 doesn’t have all the fancy bells and whistles that higher-end 4K TVs have, but it does support Dolby Vision and HDR10. The HDR on this TV is not the best available, but it’s also not going to detract from the viewing experience at all, especially for this price. Whether users want to use this TV for watching content or for gaming, the color performance and decent peak brightness combine for excellent screen quality that can even be enjoyed in direct sunlight.

Audio-wise, the C350 produces power pretty much equivalent to the size of this TV. Dialogue is clear and easy to pick out even with background noise; however, the bass is somewhat lacking. Action scenes feel a little lackluster, but again, for under $300, it is hard to complain.

The LG C2 Series 42-inch OLED TV represents the pinnacle of OLED technology, making it a standout choice for those seeking the best visual experience without breaking the bank. Its 4K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate deliver unparalleled clarity and fluidity, perfect for both high-definition gaming and cinematic experiences.

With Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, gamers enjoy tear-free, stutter-free visuals, while VRR support enhances overall picture quality. This TV’s compatibility with cloud-based gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now further solidifies its position as a top-tier entertainment hub.

While the LG C2 Series shines in many areas, potential buyers should consider its premium price and the need for careful handling to prevent OLED burn-in. Its advanced features, while impressive, might be overwhelming for users who prefer simpler setups. Despite these factors, the LG C2’s stunning color contrast, deep blacks, and overall quality make it an undeniable leader in the OLED budget TV market.

Even though most TVs today have some SmartTV features, not all SmartTVs are made equally, especially in the budget category. Luckily, the Isignia F30 Fire TV has a very reasonable price point, and the FireTV OS on it is very responsive.

The Insignia F30 Fire TV series has been around for a couple of years, but the latest edition of the Insignia F30 Fire TV has several much-needed upgrades over the previous version that make it well worth its affordable price tag. Yet its best features remain the excellent implementation of Fire OS TV and Alexa support, which makes it a perfect budget addition to a smart home. It is hard for people who already use Alexa devices to control lights or smart home devices to go wrong with the F30.

Out of the box, the color reproduction on this TV is a bit too oversaturated, and the colors are skewed too far toward red. After tweaking the default settings a bit users can get the colors on the F30 to look much better. Game Rant recommends using the “Natural” setting for the best color reproduction.

For years, Hisense has been producing value-packed TVs offering premium features and high-end performance at reasonable prices. At $600, this TV is not the most affordable option in this guide, but for a MiniLED panel, this TV offers excellent image quality, stunning contrast, and a considerable upgrade over the previous generation Hisense U6H.

MiniLED is a reasonably new panel technology, but it is making waves with how similar the local dimming zones look like an OLED panel for a typically lower price point. The Hisense U6 is an excellent example of why MiniLED panels have quickly earned such a reputation with stunning bright colors in HDR and SDR modes. But the real test as an OLED alternative is with darker scenes. The U6 produces inky blacks that still show detail and do not get blown out even when watching in daylight.

While watching TV or movies on the U6 is a nearly perfect experience, gaming falls short. With a max refresh rate of 60Hz, this TV is not bad for gaming; in gaming mode, the input lag is an impressive 3.7 milliseconds. But for people who are used to 120Hz refresh rate, a TV like the Vizio MQX-Series might be a better option.

Low-latency gaming on a TV has become much more possible, even on a budget, over the last couple of years. The Vizio M50QXM-K01 is an excellent choice for gamers who want a reasonably affordable TV, but it also has all the features gamers need for the best experience. Not only does this TV have a 120Hz refresh rate, but it also has AMD FreeSync support and an impressively wide color gamut that beats even some higher-end TVs.

While the color gamut is good, most people will pick up this TV mainly for low-latency gaming, and it does not disappoint. With 120Hz at 4K, this TV can easily handle any console or PC gaming needs, but if gamers are willing to sacrifice some resolution and drop down to 1080p, this TV can run at an impressive 240Hz. While 1080p is kind of low for a panel of this size, it won’t be too noticeable if people are sitting a reasonable distance away from the TV.

The Vizio 55-inch V555-J01 UHD 4K TV is a powerhouse of versatility, offering sharp, detailed images with its 4K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate, which is why it’s the top pick in the multipurpose category. This TV can handle it all, whether watching Netflix, playing Xbox, or connecting to home apps.

Its V-Gaming Engine and AMD FreeSync technology create a smooth gaming experience. At the same time, its compatibility with leading smart home systems like Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Home adds a layer of convenience for users.

However, it’s important to note some limitations, such as the basic remote and the occasional sound quality issues reported by users. These are minor drawbacks compared to the TV’s overall performance and value, especially considering its easy setup and user-friendly interface. This TV is plug-and-play and is ready for a variety of uses. Therefore, the Vizio V555-J01 stands as an ideal choice for those seeking a multipurpose TV that balances gaming, streaming, and everyday viewing.

The 42-inch Insignia Smart TV is an excellent pocket-friendly product with an assortment of modest features. Lovers of the Fire TV experience should feel right at home with this TV, seeing how it comes with the OS and allows buyers to perform many hands-free actions using Alexa.

What’s more, there are always new Alexa capabilities to try out, like asking the voice assistant to start a video call on Zoom. Unfortunately, users will have to settle for 1080p resolution, as the Insignia TV can’t render content in 4K or higher. Folks who can do without the superior picture quality of 4K, such as those on last-gen consoles like the Xbox One or PS4, should have no trouble adapting to this Insignia TV.

That does mean, however, that despite being equipped with HDMI 2.0 ports, gamers who play on current-gen consoles won’t be able to experience the 4K/120Hz gaming experience. The TV also doesn’t offer any advanced gaming features like ALLM, VRR, or Nvidia G-Sync compatibility. Given its price point, this is an understandable flaw. It does support Apple Airplay, meaning that users can easily share content like photos and videos to the TV’s screen from an Apple device. It may be missing several premium features, but it is still one of the best budget TVs worth considering.

FAQ

Q: Can budget TVs be used for gaming?

Certainly, many budget TVs are suitable for gaming, though they might lack some advanced features like high refresh rates found in pricier models.

Q: Do budget TVs have good sound quality?

While budget TVs may not match high-end models, many offer decent sound quality, and an external soundbar can generally enhance the audio experience.

Q: How long do budget TVs typically last?

Budget TVs can last several years with proper care, though their lifespan may be shorter compared to higher-end models.