The 7 Best Budget TVs (August) 2023: Buying Guide

Searching for an affordable yet performance-packed TV? Check out our list of 7 best budget TVs 2023 that boast superior picture quality without burning a hole in your pocket!

When it comes to cheap TVs, it’s all about getting the most value for your money. We totally understand that you want both a fantastic picture and an amazing price without any compromises.

Now, which budget TV should you go for? Well, you’re in luck! Every TV model on this list has gone through Oasthar’s rigorous testing process, where we check color accuracy, reproduction, brightness, and lag time. Plus, we’ve spent plenty of hands-on time with each TV to give you our real-world impressions. So, you can trust our recommendations!

Best Budget TV Quick List

1. TCL 65″ 4K 6-Series Google TV

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A smart TV with a stunning 4K display, Google Assistant, and Dolby Vision HDR. It offers a smooth and immersive viewing experience with rich colors, contrast, and clarity. You can access thousands of apps, games, and streaming services with Google TV. You can also control your TV with your voice or the included remote.

2. TCL 6-Series (R655)

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A 4K Roku TV with a Mini-LED backlight, a quantum dot filter, and a 144Hz refresh rate. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG for stunning picture quality. It also has Google Assistant, AirPlay, and AMD FreeSync for smart and smooth performance. It’s a versatile and impressive TV for any home entertainment needs.

3. Sony Bravia X80K 4K TV

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A 4K LED TV with Google TV, Dolby Vision, and HDR10. It has accurate color, plenty of connectivity, and a subtle design. It also supports Google Assistant, AirPlay, and 4K upscaling. It’s a simple and smart TV for everyday use.

4. Hisense 65″ Class U6 Series ULED TV

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A 4K ULED TV with Android TV, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. It delivers stunning picture quality with enhanced contrast, brightness, and color. It also features Google Assistant, Chromecast, and voice remote. It’s a powerful and smart TV for a cinematic experience.

The Best Budget TV

TCL 65″ 4K 6-Series Google TV

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The TCL 65″ 4K 6-Series Google TV is powered by Quantum Dot technology, which means you get to enjoy vibrant wide colors and striking contrast that truly brings your content to life!

And with the Contrast Control Zones™ and Mini-LED Backlight technology, the TV optimizes contrast across different areas of the screen, making bright and dark scenes even more captivating!

You’re in for an unrivaled 4K HDR experience, thanks to TCL’s AiPQ Engine™, which ensures vibrant colors, sharp clarity, and breathtaking depth. It even supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, delivering superior HDR and immersive surround sound for an incredible viewing and listening adventure!

The sleek design features an edge-to-edge glass display and a sophisticated dark, brushed metal finish that adds a touch of elegance to any space.

But that’s not all! All your favorite content from various streaming services is organized into a single screen, making browsing a breeze! And with hands-free voice control via Google Assistant, you can effortlessly access entertainment, get answers, and even control smart home devices. It’s like having your very own entertainment genie!

Who should buy TCL 65″ 4K 6-Series Google TV?

The TCL 65″ 4K 6-Series Google TV is recommended for users who seek an immersive home entertainment experience with superior picture quality, featuring Quantum Dot technology and Dolby Vision HDR. Its user-friendly interface and hands-free voice control via Google Assistant make it an ideal choice for tech-savvy viewers.

The Best Budget Gaming TV

TCL 6-Series (R655)

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The TCL 6-Series (R655) is an amazing QLED TV that boasts a sleek and premium design with a stylish center-mounted pedestal stand. Its slim borders give it a sleek look, although there is a tiny gap between the borders and the first pixels.

Another small thing to note is that during testing, some units may emit a faint burnt-plastic smell, but rest assured, it’s nothing to worry about.

When it comes to picture quality, the TCL 6-Series truly shines. It excels in contrast, providing deep blacks and vibrant highlights that are visually striking.

Thanks to its local dimming feature, the native contrast is further enhanced. The TV’s peak brightness is impressive, making it a perfect choice for both dimly lit and brightly lit rooms.

If you’re a gaming enthusiast, you’ll be pleased to know that this TV offers exceptional gaming features. It offers low input lag, ensuring a smooth and responsive gaming experience. Additionally, it supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, guaranteeing seamless gameplay without any screen tearing.

Another great aspect of the TCL 6-Series is its built-in Roku smart features. With these features, you can easily access all your favorite streaming services, making your entertainment experience effortless.

Who should buy TCL 6-Series (R655)?

The TCL 6-Series (R655) is recommended for users who seek a premium QLED TV with excellent picture quality, especially for dark scenes. It’s ideal for gamers due to its low input lag and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support. The built-in Roku smart features make it user-friendly for casual viewers.

The Best Budget 4K TV

Sony Bravia X80K 4K TV

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The Sony Bravia X80K 4K TV has a mix of great qualities and performance. In terms of design, it has a simple yet attractive appearance, and the stand with wide-set metal feet offers stability, though you’ll need a spacious table to place it.

The TV’s sturdy plastic build has some flexibility in the back panel, and it even has VESA wall mount holes for easy installation. Plus, the side-facing inputs come with clips to manage cables seamlessly.

Speaking of picture quality, the X80K utilizes a 4K LED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG formats. While it produces vibrant and colorful images, the native contrast ratio is a bit low, which leads to less impressive black levels and a somewhat unsatisfying movie-watching experience.

Nevertheless, with the help of the TV’s X1 processor and cutting-edge technologies like Triluminos Pro and X-Reality Pro, the picture quality gets a boost, resulting in more lifelike images and superior upscaling of content.

The TV’s smart platform, Google TV, is speedy and user-friendly, making the setup process a breeze. The remote control has dedicated buttons for popular streaming services and even supports voice commands!

Who should buy Sony Bravia X80K?

The Sony Bravia X80K 4K TV is recommended for budget-conscious consumers who prioritize decent picture quality and user-friendly smart features. It suits general entertainment needs but may not be ideal for gamers or cinephiles due to shallow black levels and lack of key gaming features.

The Best Budget 65 inch TV

Hisense 65″ Class U6 Series ULED TV

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The Hisense 65″ U6 Series ULED TV (65U6K) is truly impressive. It not only comes at an affordable price but also delivers improved picture quality compared to its predecessor. With its mini-LED backlight, you’ll enjoy fantastic contrast and wonderful color levels.

The viewing experience it offers is remarkable, especially considering its price range. Plus, the Google TV smart platform grants you access to all the major streaming services, while the built-in Google Assistant adds to your convenience.

When it comes to design, the TV sports slim bezels and V-shaped legs, making it easy to place on a wide table or mount on the wall using VESA support. It’s worth mentioning that the brightness might be a bit compromised, so if you crave even brighter images, you might consider higher-end models.

But all in all, the Hisense U6K is a solid choice that ensures a delightful viewing experience without emptying your wallet.

Who should buy Hisense 65″ Class U6 Series ULED TV?

The Hisense 65″ Class U6 Series ULED TV (65U6K) is recommended for budget-conscious consumers looking for an affordable TV with improved picture quality and a user-friendly Google TV smart platform. It offers a good viewing experience with excellent color levels and contrast, making it a great option for those seeking a value-loaded TV.

The Best Budget OLED TV

LG A2 OLED

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The LG A2 OLED series is a fantastic choice for those who love OLED technology.

It delivers outstanding picture quality with rich, deep blacks and precise colors, all packaged in a sleek design. While it may not have all the advanced gaming features and super-high brightness levels of more expensive OLED models, the A2 provides a reliable and affordable option for people who enjoy movies and general entertainment.

With its user-friendly webOS 22 smart TV platform and the convenient Magic Remote, navigating your TV experience becomes a breeze. If you’re in need of higher refresh rates and HDMI 2.1 ports, you might want to consider checking out LG’s B2 OLED models. They offer those additional features that you’re looking for.

Who should buy LG A2 OLED?

The LG A2 OLED TV is recommended for movie enthusiasts and general entertainment viewers who prioritize excellent picture quality with deep blacks and accurate colors. It’s a good entry-level option for OLED enthusiasts looking for an affordable TV with user-friendly features and a sleek design.

The Best Budget TV Under $500

Hisense U6H ULED TV

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The Hisense U6H ULED TV is amazing, giving great value and awesome picture performance that will appeal to budget-conscious shoppers. You’ll love its high brightness and low input lag, making it a wonderful choice for your gaming fun.

Plus, with Google TV at its heart, you’ll enjoy a smart TV platform that’s super easy to use. We have to say, the sound quality is not very good and it doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 ports, but those are just small drawbacks.

Prepare to be wowed by the beautiful color performance and elegant design of the U6H, thanks to its quantum dots and local-dimming backlight LCD. With Google TV, you’ll have the benefit of hands-free Google Assistant and even Apple AirPlay support at your disposal.

Sure, it may not have the same contrast as pricier models, but don’t let that stop you—it has earned the prestigious Editors’ Choice, making it a top pick for budget-friendly TVs.

This TV has a sleek and simple look, enhanced by its stylish metal feet that give it a touch of class. Plus, the side-facing inputs are conveniently located for easy access. Its contrast ratio is really excellent, thanks to the full-array local dimming.

Who should buy Hisense U6H ULED TV?

The Hisense U6H ULED TV is recommended for budget-conscious consumers who seek an affordable yet powerful TV with good picture quality and low input lag, making it suitable for gaming. Its use of Google TV provides an intuitive interface for easy content navigation. However, for those seeking top-tier audio performance or HDMI 2.1 ports, other options may be more suitable.

The Best Large Budget TV

TCL 75S455

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The TCL 75S455 is a 4 Series Roku TV with a huge 75-inch screen and a sleek design with thin bezels and V-shaped feet. The picture quality is amazing with great contrast, but it doesn’t have local dimming, so you might see some banding.

Gradients look smooth, and the HDR color gamut is decent, but it might not meet Rec. 2020 standards. The color accuracy is not very good out of the box, but you can calibrate it to make it better. Gray uniformity is fine, and black uniformity is good.

The downside is that the viewing angle is not very wide, and it doesn’t have flicker-free technology, BFI, or motion interpolation. The refresh rate is only 60Hz, but it has low input lag, which is good for gaming.

However, it doesn’t have VRR support. The TV supports HDR10 and HLG but not Dolby Vision. Sound quality is not very good, but the Roku app selection is awesome and offers a smooth experience.

Who should buy TCL 75S455?

The TCL 75S455 is recommended for individuals who prioritize a large 75-inch screen, decent picture quality with great contrast, and access to an extensive selection of streaming channels through Roku. However, it may not be ideal for those seeking top-tier performance, Dolby Vision support, or wide viewing angles.

The Best Cheap Gaming TV

Vizio M-Series QX 50″ 4K TV

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The Vizio M-Series Quantum X (M50QXM-K01) is a budget-friendly TV that shines in picture quality and gaming features, with a 120Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium support.

It has a sleek design with thin bezels and LED technology, giving amazing peak brightness and contrast. The TV supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, showing bright highlights, dark black levels, and true colors.

Gaming is smooth with low input lag and variable refresh rate support. However, off-angle viewing is not great, and the grayscale, dark gray, and bright gray errors in the Geek Box test are bad.

Who should buy Vizio M-Series QX 50″ 4K TV?

The Vizio M-Series Quantum X 50″ 4K TV is recommended for budget-conscious consumers who prioritize excellent picture quality and gaming features. With a 120Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium support, and impressive brightness and contrast, it offers a compelling option for those seeking affordable and immersive viewing experiences.

Best Budget TV Buying Guide

There are many factors to consider when buying a budget TV, but here are some of the most important ones:

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels that create the image on the screen. The higher the resolution, the clearer and more detailed the picture will be.

The most common resolution for TVs today is 4K, which means 3840 x 2160 pixels. 4K TVs offer four times the resolution of full HD or 1080p TVs, which have 1920 x 1080 pixels. You should skip buying a TV with less than 4K resolution, unless you are looking for a very small TV (32 inches or less) or you have a very low budget1.

4K content is easy to find from streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus, as well as from 4K Blu-ray discs and some cable and satellite providers.

Refresh Rate

Refresh rate is the number of times per second that the TV changes the image on the screen. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother and more natural the motion will look, especially for fast-moving scenes like sports and action movies.

The standard refresh rate for TVs is 60 Hz, which means 60 frames per second. However, some TVs offer a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz or even 240 Hz, which can reduce motion blur and judder2.

A higher refresh rate can also enhance the gaming experience, as it can lower input lag and support higher frame rates from compatible devices. Look for a TV with a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz if you care about motion performance and gaming.

HDR

HDR stands for high dynamic range, which is a technology that enhances the contrast and color of the image on the screen. HDR can make the picture look more realistic, vivid, and immersive by expanding the range of brightness and color that the TV can display. 

There are different formats of HDR, such as HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG, which have different specifications and compatibility. Some TVs support only one or two formats, while others support all of them.

Look for a TV that supports at least HDR10, which is the most common and basic format. Preferably, look for a TV that supports HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, which are more advanced and dynamic formats that can adjust the picture quality scene by scene.

Smart Features

Smart features are the software and apps that allow you to access online content and services on your TV. Most TVs today are smart TVs, which means they have built-in Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity and an operating system that lets you download and use apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Spotify, and more.

Some TVs also have voice control features that let you use voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri to search for content, control settings, or integrate with other smart devices in your home.

Look for a TV that has a user-friendly and reliable smart platform that offers the apps and services you want to use. Some of the most popular smart platforms are Roku TV, Android TV, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, and Amazon Fire TV.

Design

Design is the physical appearance and style of the TV, as well as its size and weight. Design can affect how the TV looks in your room, how much space it takes up, and how easy it is to set up and mount on the wall.

Some TVs have a sleek and minimalist design with thin bezels (the borders around the screen) and slim profiles (the thickness of the TV), while others have a more bulky and traditional design with thicker bezels and profiles.

Some TVs also have different stand options or swivel features that can affect how stable and flexible they are. Look for a TV that has a design that suits your taste and fits your space. You should also measure your room and furniture to make sure you get the right size TV for your viewing distance and angle.

These are some of the key factors to consider when buying a budget TV. Of course, there are other factors as well, such as sound quality, ports, remote control, warranty, customer service, etc., but these are less critical or more subjective than the ones mentioned above. I hope this helps you find the best budget TV for your needs.

Best Budget TVs FAQ

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding the best budget TV in 2023 doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the information provided, you can easily choose the best budget TV that suits your needs and budget. From the TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) with its impressive picture quality and smart TV features to the Hisense A6H with its affordable price tag, there’s a budget TV out there for everyone.

When choosing a budget TV, consider your viewing habits, the size of the TV you need, and the features that matter most to you. Don’t forget to factor in things like contrast ratio, brightness, and smart TV capabilities to make an informed decision. While a budget TV may not have all the bells and whistles of a premium TV, you can still find one that delivers excellent value for your money.

In the end, it’s all about finding the right balance between price and performance. So, take your time, do your research, and choose the best budget TV for you. With the options available in 2023, you can enjoy your favorite shows and movies without breaking the bank.