7 Best Small TVs of 2024: Small Size, Big Performance

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Every year, TVs get better, brighter, and more capable thanks to innovative new technologies and fierce competition. Even smaller and more budget-friendly models are getting in on the fun, which makes it a great time to upgrade a bedroom, dorm, or kitchen TV – as long as you know where to look.

If you’re looking to buy a small TV for someone in your life, we’ll help you find one that delivers great picture quality and modern smart features in a wide variety of styles and price points. Get ready to sit back, put down the laptop, and enjoy big thrills on a not-so-big screen.

The Best Small TVs

• Best Overall: Samsung Q60C

• Best Value: TCL S3

• Best Super Small TV: Roku Select Series

• Best Design: Samsung The Frame

• Best Gaming: LG C3

• Best for Bright Rooms: Samsung QN90C

• Best for Dorm Rooms: Samsung M70C Smart Monitor

What to Consider in a Small TV

Shopping for smaller TVs can mean sacrificing performance and features, but improvements from the latest and greatest in TV design continue to trickle down to smaller and more affordable models. All of the TVs on this list are smart TVs, and many include modern extras like next-gen gaming features. In addition, premium TV models are increasingly available in a wider range of screen sizes, which means you can get top features and videophile performance in smaller sizes if you’re willing to spend a little more.

Screen Size and Resolution

On the performance side, resolution is a key factor, but screen size also plays a part in the equation because our eyes can only process so much detail on a smaller scale. Many small TVs now offer at least 1080p “Full HD” resolution, which, at double the resolution of a 720p “HD” display, will look very sharp on a 32-inch TV or smaller.

A 32-inch TV with 1080p resolution will look substantially clearer and more realistic from a few feet away than a 720p TV. When viewed from across a room, however, the difference may not be so profound. Moving up to 4K Ultra HD resolution, which offers four times the pixels of 1080p, the difference in pixel density, detail, and clarity will be even less distinguishable on sets smaller than 40 inches.

If you’re picky about picture performance, though, a 4K HDR TV will still deliver the best possible picture, even at smaller sizes. While they’re more expensive, they usually offer better performance for picture elements outside resolution, like brightness, contrast, and color reproduction. That’s especially notable for HDR (High-Dynamic Range) video, designed to allow compatible TVs to produce a more natural, immersive, and brighter image.

QLED and OLED

The benefits of HDR are also more noticeable with TVs that employ advanced QLED or OLED panels. QLED TVs add quantum dots to conventional LED displays to enhance their color vibrancy and brightness. OLED TVs–short for “organic light-emitting diode”–are self-emissive, able to light each tiny pixel individually for incredible image control. Again, these TV innovations will cost you more, but they’ll reward your investment with enhanced performance.

Advanced Features and Specialty Designs

Apart from picture quality, gamers and sports fans will also want to look for TVs with low input lag and good motion handling. Depending on your setup, the number of HDMI inputs can be another important factor, with two or three being the average for TVs in this range. Other features to look for include options like VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) which optimize your TV for gaming when connected to next-gen game consoles and PCs.

Aesthetics are also worth considering, depending on your TV’s prominence. There are ultra-slim panels and TVs designed to look like framed pictures, which may be worth considering if you’re shopping for someone who prioritizes form as highly as function. These TVs generally cost more, so it’s important to weigh these concerns against your budget.

How We Selected the Best Small TVs

Based on industry trends, I consider any TV with a screen size of 43 inches or less as a “small TV.” This is generally the smallest TV size you'll find in most high-end models, and where manufacturers start to drop high-end features to cut costs. Generally speaking, you’ll find the most models between 40- and 43-inches, as well as a number of 32-inch and 24-inch TVs as well.

To pick the best, I sought out trusted brands and models with which I’m deeply familiar with through hands-on testing, including models from TCL, Hisense, Roku, Samsung, and LG. I also incorporated customer feedback from sites like Best Buy and Amazon, seeking out models with at least four-star ratings or higher, as well as critical reviews from sites like Insider, Rtings, Wirecutter, TechRadar, and others.

Q60C

Samsung’s 32-inch Q60C is the best small TV for most buyers, offering advanced features and picture performance that rises above the crowd. You’ll get 4K resolution here, but more importantly for smaller models, the Q60C provides vibrant colors and brightness thanks to its quantum dot display (hence the “Q”) for both standard and HDR video. Like most LED TVs, it loses some picture quality when viewed from the side. It also doesn’t offer local dimming like more larger top-of-the-line sets, but its relatively deep black levels help create convincing contrast.

The Q60C’s low input lag allows for responsive gameplay, and Samsung’s Tizen interface includes Samsung’s Game Hub, which lets you stream games directly from multiple cloud gaming services. The panel is stylishly slim and even comes with Samsung’s convenient solar-powered remote. The Q60C isn’t cheap, but if you’re looking for the best all-rounder for ultra-tight spaces, look no further.

32-Inch 43-Inch

S3

TCL’s S3 series is an excellent small-screen option for those seeking good performance and solid features on a tight budget. The TV’s 1080p resolution provides a sparkling clear picture even from a few feet away, and it backs that up with relatively good brightness and support for HDR video.

The S3 comes with a voice remote for easy search and navigation and a versatile selection of streaming platforms, including Roku OS (my favorite smart TV platform), Google TV, or Amazon’s Fire TV. It’s worth noting that the Google TV and Fire TV models only offer two HDMI ports. (Most TVs have four.) Despite that, this is a decent TV that you can pick up for an incredibly low price.

32-Inch 40-Inch 43-Inch

Select Series HD

Roku’s Select Series HD TV offers similar ultra wallet-friendly value to TCL’s S3 series, but makes a notable extra-small 24-inch option, making it the perfect choice for sprucing up a kitchen or small den. It’s enticingly affordable across its small size range, with accurate colors, good black levels, and solid contrast for the money.

The TV’s Roku operating system makes streaming and navigation pleasantly simple, including a voice key for simplified search. Its low input lag makes it a solid gaming companion, with responsive performance. The Select’s smaller model sizes are confined to 720p resolution, but that should be more than enough at 24-inches. If you’re thinking about going bigger, skip the 32-inch and grab the 43-inch model, which steps up to 1080p HD resolution. If all you need is a slick and simple mini TV, this is the one to grab.

24-Inch 32-Inch 43-Inch

The Frame (LS03C)

Samsung’s idea behind The Frame is simple: Hide a great TV within a stylish picture frame so it can virtually disappear on your wall. The smaller 32- and 43-inch models are the most demure, providing an elegant setting for digital art that snaps into action when called upon. The TV’s customizable bezel sits flush against the wall, and it connects to a separate input box over a single thin cable. There’s even a motion sensor designed to turn off the Art Mode when you’re not around.

Outside of its chic looks, The Frame is a capable QLED TV, with a bright picture, good motion handling, an anti-reflective screen, and support for next-gen gaming features. The 43-inch model and above comes in 4K, while the 32-inch model is limited to 1080p and reduces the HDMI ports from two to four. From a performance standpoint, you can do better for the money, but that’s not the point. If living art is your bag, this is your TV.

32-Inch 43-Inch

C3

LG’s decision to offer its award-winning C-series OLED TVs in smaller sizes was a boon to small-room gamers everywhere. The C3 is a gaming powerhouse, with ultra-fast input lag, great motion handling, and advanced features like ALLM (auto low latency mode) and VRR (variable refresh rate) to optimize gameplay for next-gen consoles and PCs. LG’s webOS smart platform includes a gaming hub for cloud gaming: While it’s a bit quirky to navigate, it offers snappy response time and all the streaming apps you need.

Last but far from least is the C3’s incredible picture quality. As one of the best OLED TVs, it provides rich and natural colors, punchy brightness, great shadow detail, and the perfect black levels only OLED TVs can offer. The result is a premium experience for gaming, movies, sports, and everything in between. You’ll certainly pay for the pleasure, but if your budget is flexible, this is the ultimate small-scale gaming machine.

QN90C

If your compact TV room is flooded with sunlight, Samsung’s prized QN90C is the answer, offering stunning brightness for a TV at any size. The TV’s blazing screen is supplemented by deep black levels for immersive contrast, impressive color accuracy, and pristine clarity. Because this TV uses powerful local dimming, you may occasionally see some minor light bloom around bright objects but it’s rarely an issue. And unlike the majority of LED TVs, the QN90C’s picture looks great even when viewed from the side.

As a top-tier TV, the QN90C is packed with extras. The design looks and feels premium, with a stylish pedestal stand and Samsung’s solar cell remote. Like the LG C3, it’s got excellent gaming chops, including low input lag, optimized features for next-gen gaming consoles, and Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud gaming directly from the TV. With a powerful picture and loads of extras, the QN90C looks good in any light.

M70C Smart Monitor

Sometimes, the best TV isn’t a TV at all. Frankly, any of the models on this list would work well in a dorm room, but Samsung’s M70C smart monitor offers a multi-functional design that will let your student work or play on one device, saving crucial desktop real estate.

Like any monitor, you can connect the M70C to your PC for a better desktop working experience or as a second screen for your laptop. But it can do much more. Thanks to Samsung’s built-in Tizen operating system, it supports the same streaming apps you’d find in a Samsung smart TV, so you can watch shows and movies, or even play games without a PC or any streaming device. The 4K picture is vibrant and bright, and while it doesn’t have the best off-axis viewing, that shouldn’t be a big problem for most dorm rooms. If they just want a great TV, grab one of our other models above. If they’re willing to expand your horizons a bit, this monitor does virtually everything a conventional TV can, and much more.

Q+A With Home Theater Expert Ryan Waniata

What’s the difference between 4K, 1080p HD, and 720p HD?

4K TVs (also referred to as 4K Ultra HD TVs) offer four times the pixel density as 1080p HD (High Definition) TVs. More pixels means better clarity, definition, and detail. Modern 4K TVs also offer advanced upscaling, which will make lower-resolution HD and even SD (Standard Definition) video look more like 4K. Generally, the better your TV, the better the upscaling.

1080p HD is referred to as “Full HD.” TVs with this resolution offer over twice as many pixels as 720p TVs, the lowest resolution that is still considered to be “High Definition.” Again, the more pixels a TV offers, the better its resolution and the clearer and more detailed its picture performance. As touched on above, a TV’s size factors into resolution, as your eyes can only see so much detail on a smaller screen unless you’re sitting very closely. That’s why any TV at 50 inches or larger will offer 4K resolution, while smaller TVs often opt for 1080p or 720p.

What is HDR?

HDR (High-Dynamic Range) TVs can provide a boost in contrast, allowing for a greater impact between the brightest and darkest images on screen, as well as increased color volume when paired with compatible HDR video sources. You’ll find HDR video in PlayStation 5 and Xbox games, 4K Blu-rays, and a growing selection of streaming films and TV shows.

HDR comes in multiple formats, including the more basic HDR10 (which all HDR TVs support) and “dynamic” formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ can adjust the image on a scene-by-scene, or even frame-by-frame basis, which allows an HDR TV to react more quickly and render the picture more accurately. An HDR TV will default to the top HDR format it supports for any given HDR video source.

What is local dimming?

Local dimming is a feature that allows an LED TV to analyze images on screen and adjust the TV’s LED backlighting accordingly. This can improve the TV’s contrast and create a more realistic and immersive picture. This technology helps LED TVs better compete with OLED TVs, which offer class-leading contrast and “perfect” black levels thanks to their ability to light each tiny pixel individually. Generally, the more dimming zones an LED TV offers, the more efficient the local dimming, creating more impactful contrast between the brightest and darkest images.

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