If you’re looking for the best TV under $500 in 2022, then you’ve come to the right place. This guide should have something for everyone looking for a great TV on a small budget. One of the greatest TV myths, after all, is that you need to spend a fortune on a great TV setup. That couldn't be further from the truth, as we're here to demonstrate.
There are a few things to look out for in a TV that’s $500 or less. Gone are the days when you had to shell out a huge sum to get a 4K resolution TV. In 2022, any new TV you buy is likely to be a 4K one, unless you’re spending less than $150, or are specifically after something like a CRT.
On top of 4K, TVs in this price range will support standards like Dolby Vision, HDR, and so on. It can be worth getting a TV that supports these standards, as it will make for a better viewing experience overall and will help futureproof the TV.
What's the best TV under $500 in 2022?
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Hisense has been on a roll of developing and releasing some of the better TVs over the past few years, and the H8G is a perfect example of that.
The TV comes in a range of sizes up to 65-inches, but if you want to stay within the $500 budget, you’ll be limited to up to 55-inches. That's certainly not small by any means, however, and should still be more than enough TV for the vast majority of living rooms.
Beyond basic screen size, the TV has a 4K resolution, and supports HDR and Dolby Vision, so you should be able to enjoy good dynamic range no matter what you watch. Also, the TV comes with Android TV, which will hopefully be converted to Google TV sometime in the near future.
The TV doesn’t have the most unique design, and the built-in audio quality leaves a little to be desired – but if you want an excellent TV in the sub-$500 price range, the Hisense H8G Quantum is the way to go.
Read our full Hisense H8G Quantum Series review
TCL is another company that has been on top of the budget TV game over the past few years, and the TCL 5 Series proves it.
The TV is the cheapest QLED TV you can get, meaning that the TV offers better image saturation, resulting in more vibrant colors. Along with that, the TV also offers full array local dimming, making for deeper black levels.
When it comes to software, the TCL 5 Series comes with Roku TV, which will allow you to install your favorite streaming apps. And, it supports Dolby Vision to make for a more immersive image on supported content.
The TCL 5 Series isn’t perfect, even though it does very well in this price range. Notably, the TV isn’t as bright as we would have wanted, it’s not great at upscaling HD content to 4K, and its lower refresh rate of 60Hz means motion isn’t as smooth as some gamers might want – however, these are minor quibbles with what is otherwise a very solid and affordable 4K TV.
Read our full TCL 5-Series QLED TV review
Samsung pioneered the use of QLED technology, and as a result it makes some of the best QLED TVs around.
While they can get much more expensive than $500, the smaller Q60T models are usually around $500, if not only a little more. And, if you can stretch your budget, the Q60T is the way to go: the TV gets the advantages of QLED tech, with those bright, vivid colors, plus the TV itself can get more than bright enough for most viewing.
The Q60T is definitely an excellent option in its price range, but again, it’s not perfect. Notably, its image processing tech isn’t as high-quality as some other Samsung QLED TVs, and the TV uses edge lighting instead of back lighting, which can decrease brightness and have an impact on viewing angles.
Still, with a solid image quality and Samsung’s Tizen built right into it, the Samsung Q60T is an excellent option to go for.
Read our full Samsung Q60T QLED TV review
The Vizio M-Series has proven itself over and over again as an excellent way to get smart TV features without paying for external streaming devices.
The M-Series not only offers an excellent image quality, but it also has features like AirPlay and Chromecast built-in, plus you can control it using your voice through Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa.
When it comes to image quality, the TV is bright and vibrant thanks again to that quantum dot technology, plus it supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and has 90 local dimming zones.
The Vizio M-Series is one of the few TVs on this list to offer a semi-decent audio experience. Admittedly, external speakers or a soundbar will always sound better but the built-in speakers on the Vizio M-Series will do fine in a pinch.
Read the full Vizio M-Series Quantum review
If you like the Vizio experience, but want to spend as little as possible, then the Vizio V-Series may be the way to go.
You won’t get the same quantum dot technology, nor the same overall image quality, but you will get many of the same smart features, including support for AirPLay and Chromecast for easy streaming from your other devices.
Even better is the fact that the Vizio V-Series is very affordable, starting at a little over $200 for the smaller models. That makes it by far the smartest TV in its price range.
Read our full Vizio V-Series 4K TV review
Best $500 TV FAQ
What should you look for in a $500 TV?
While you’re not going to get OLED-level image qualities from a TV under $500, image quality does still matter, and there are a few things related to image quality that you should consider when buying a TV in this price range.
That said, it’s a good idea to get a TV that supports local dimming. Local dimming allows the TV to turn off “zones” on the display when the image is black, which allows for higher contrast and deeper black levels. When it comes to dimming zones, the more zones the better as it allows the display to get more detailed.
Beyond that, it’s important to think about the operating system and smart features that you want: some TVs in this price range come with Roku built in, for example, but the likes of Vizio and Samsung make their own smart TV systems.
All of the above should allow you to download all or most of your favorite streaming platforms, like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and so on, but if you plan on using an external streaming device, like an Apple TV or NVIDIA Shield TV, this won’t matter as much, as you won’t often interact with the built-in operating system.
- Looking for a new TV? Don't miss our guide to the best TV, best 4K TV, best OLED TV, best 65-inch TV, best 55-inch TV and best 40-inch TV, too
