The 3 Best TVs Under $500 - Fall 2024

The best TV under $500 we've tested is the Hisense 55U6N. What separates the TV from similarly-priced models from other brands is its effective local dimming feature that gives the TV fantastic contrast, so you get deep blacks in a dark room that mostly stay deep when highlights are also on screen, although there's some noticeable blooming. Still, the TV provides excellent overall picture quality due to its wide color gamut, good upscaling, and very good SDR brightness, which makes it usable in a room with some lights on.

Unfortunately, the TV isn't as bright in HDR as in SDR, but it's still enough for a somewhat impactful HDR experience. You also get Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+, and DTS audio support. Regarding gaming, the TV is limited to 4k @ 60Hz and doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it does support VRR for a nearly tear-free gaming experience. You can also choose to forgo some resolution to play in up to 1440p @ 120Hz, although VRR doesn't work when you do that. Still, if you're looking for a budget-friendly 55-inch TV that punches above its weight class, the Hisense U6/U6N is an excellent option and is currently the best 55-inch TV under $500.

If you're willing to sacrifice some image quality and features for a bigger screen, the best 65-inch TV under $500 we've tested that's currently available is the 65Q651G. Unlike the Hisense U6/U6N, the TCL Q6/Q651G QLED doesn't have a local dimming feature, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks and can't emphasize highlights like that TV. Still, its native contrast ratio is good enough for fairly deep blacks in dimmer scenes. The TV has good SDR brightness and decent enough reflection handling to use in a room with a few lights on, but it's not bright enough for well-lit rooms.

It supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, meaning you're covered no matter what format your HDR content is in. The TV doesn't support DTS audio formats, so if you collect Blu-rays and don't have a separate sound system, you might want to look elsewhere. Like the U6N, the TV doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz. However, you can game in up to 1440p @ 120Hz with resolution halving using TCL's Game Accelerator 120 feature if you prefer a higher frame rate, and unlike the Hisense, VRR works when gaming in 120 fps.

Look into the Roku Select Series if you want something cheaper or bigger. It's a step down from the TCL Q6/Q651G QLED, but you can get it in many more sizes, down to a small 24-inch size. It's the best 50-inch TV under $500, but its 55- and 65-inch sizes are also under that, and its 75-inch model is right around $500 when not on sale. It's a decent entry-level TV, delivering surprisingly good picture quality in a dark room thanks to its okay contrast ratio and great black uniformity. It has decent reflection handling and very good SDR brightness, which is certainly good enough for a moderately lit room. The TV supports HDR10+, but it isn't nearly bright enough in HDR for it to matter. Like the Q651G, it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further improve its contrast, but that's the cost of going with a cheaper model.

Unlike the other TVs on the list, it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, so motion in video games isn't as smooth, and this model doesn't have VRR like the Q651G or U6N. Its Roku TV platform is user-friendly and easy to learn, which is great. The small 24- and 32-inch models are 720p TVs, while the 40-inch size is 1080p. The bigger sizes are all 4k TVs.