As larger TV sizes have become popular, manufacturers aren't making many smaller models. While most manufacturers have neglected the 48-49-50 inch market segment in recent years, there's still a market for some good TVs in this size range. They're available in various price ranges, from premium models to more basic cheap models, so choosing the right one depends on your budget and if you want the best performance or are fine with making a few sacrifices.
We buy and test dozens of TVs each year. Below are our recommendations for the best 48-49-50 inch TVs. All of the TVs on this list have smart features, so this will also help you find the best 48-inch and the best 50-inch smart TV for your needs. Also, see our picks for the best PC monitor TVs, the best 55-inch TVs for something bigger, or the best 40-42-43 inch TVs for something smaller. You can also vote on which ones you want us to buy and test. To learn more about the 2024 models, check out our 2024 TV lineup page.
The best TV we've tested with a 48-inch screen size is the LG OLED48C4PUA. OLEDs like this one aren't available in 50-inch sizes, and instead, you have to get something a bit smaller. It's an excellent TV with stunning picture quality, especially if you use it in a dark room. HDR content looks incredible thanks to its wide color gamut and nearly infinite contrast ratio, resulting in deep blacks and bright highlights, with no distracting blooming around bright areas of the screen. Its wide viewing angle makes it a good choice for a wide seating area, as the image remains consistent from the sides.
It's great for watching movies on streaming and physical media, as it supports Dolby Vision HDR and advanced DTS audio formats. Plus, its image processing is very good overall. It's also fantastic for gaming as it supports VRR and 4k @ 144Hz on all four HDMI inputs, so you can take full advantage of PS5, the Xbox Series X|S, or a PC with a recent graphics card. Its response time is extremely fast with almost no blur from even super fast-moving objects on the screen, and its input lag is among the lowest of any TV currently on the market.
If you want the best 50-inch TV and don't want anything smaller, consider the Samsung QN50QN90DAFXZA. It displays a wide range of colors, making colors look vibrant and lifelike. Unlike the LG C4 OLED, the Samsung TV uses Mini LED backlighting, so it doesn't display the same perfect blacks and isn't quite as good in a dark room, but it still looks fantastic thanks to its effective local dimming feature. It gets much brighter overall than the C4, which is ideal if you want to use it in a bright room with glare, especially as its reflection handling is outstanding.
It's great for watching movies due to its bright and colorful panel, although it doesn't support Dolby Vision or passthrough any DTS audio formats like the C4 does. The TV has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not great for use in a group setting or if you plan to use the TV as a PC monitor. Fortunately, it has 4k @ 144Hz support on all four HDMI 2.1 bandwidth ports, supports VRR, and has low input lag and a fast response time; it's a great option for gaming on modern consoles or gaming PCs.
If you really want the LG C4 OLED but find it's too expensive, consider stepping down to the best 48-inch TV for those with a strict budget, the LG OLED48B4PUA. The B4 isn't as bright in HDR as the C4 is, but it's still bright enough for an impactful HDR experience, especially considering that it has the same perfect contrast ratio for inky blacks as its older sibling. On top of that, the TV has the same wide color gamut as the C4, so it displays vibrant and lifelike colors that are sure to impress. It also has a wide viewing angle, making it a great choice for a wide seating arrangement.
You also get Dolby Vision HDR and DTS audio support, which is great for high-quality streams and movies on 4k Blu-ray. When it comes to gaming, you get the same features as the C4 like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four ports, VRR, low input lag, and a nearly instantaneous response time. The TV doesn't support 144Hz like the more expensive model does, but you still get up to 4k @ 120Hz, so it's fully compatible with the Xbox Series X|S and the PS5.
If you want a basic TV with otherwise good image quality, consider the Hisense A7N, the best 50-inch smart TV in the budget category. It has fewer gaming features than the other TVs on this list, as it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it still supports VRR. It also has a great response time and very low input lag, so it's a good gaming TV if you don't care about 4k @ 120Hz. It even supports Dolby Vision and DTS audio passthrough, which is great for a TV this cheap.
It's not the brightest in HDR, but it's decent for watching movies in a dark room due to its ability to display a wide range of colors and its not bad contrast. Plus, the TV has very good peak brightness in SDR, resulting in a pleasant viewing experience in a room with the lights on. Unfortunately, its viewing angle is very narrow, so you do need to sit directly in front for the best possible image.
The Roku Select Series is a good alternative to the Hisense A7N. The Roku has slightly better contrast, a wider viewing angle, and is a bit more accurate with SDR content. However, the Hisense has a much wider color gamut, supports VRR and Dolby Vision, does a better job handling reflections, and performs better with upscaling, so it's the better option for most people.
See our reviewThe Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED is an alternative to the LG C4 OLED. Unfortunately, the 48-inch model doesn't use a QD-OLED panel like some of the bigger sizes do, so you don't get the same color vibrancy as those have. Since the C4 has better low-quality content smoothing and supports Dolby Vision HDR and DTS audio passthrough, it's the better choice for most people.
See our reviewOct 09, 2024: Replaced the Roku Select Series with the Hisense A7N in the 'Best Budget 50-Inch TV' category and updated the Notable Mentions.
Aug 14, 2024: Replaced the LG C3 OLED with the LG C4 OLED in the 'Best 48-inch TV,' the Samsung QN90C/QN90CD QLED with the Samsung QN90D/QN90DD QLED in the 'Best 50-inch TV,' and the Sony X85K with the LG B4 OLED in the 'Best Mid-Range 48-Inch TV' categories, respectively.
Jun 20, 2024: We added the 48-inch LG B4 OLED to the Notable Mentions section and refreshed some text throughout the article for clarity.
May 22, 2024: Refreshed some text throughout for accuracy and clarity.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best 48-49-50 inch televisions to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (a cheaper TV wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no TVs that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our 48-49-50 inch TV reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.