5 affordable TVs to upgrade your living room on a budget

Michael Desjardin, Reviewed
·3 min read
It's a great time to buy a budget-friendly 4K TV, and the Vizio V-Series (seen here) is a great pick.
It's a great time to buy a budget-friendly 4K TV, and the Vizio V-Series (seen here) is a great pick.

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We've tested and reviewed some of the best TVs money can buy this year, but we're always on the lookout for great entry-level and mid-range TVs that offer plenty of bang for their buck. In fact, right now is a great time to upgrade your living room on a budget, as manufacturers are finding ways to limit costs while still offering great performance.

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If you don't need fancy features and eye-popping picture quality, here are five TVs (some under $500) that will instantly upgrade your home theater—especially if you're making the jump to 4K resolution for the first time.

1. TCL 4-Series

The TCL 4-Series won't dazzle the senses, but its performance is great for the cost, and it comes with Roku's smart platform built right in.
The TCL 4-Series won't dazzle the senses, but its performance is great for the cost, and it comes with Roku's smart platform built right in.

One of our favorite affordable TVs, the TCL 4-Series is sure to please folks shopping for an easy-to-use, budget-friendly 4K TV. The 4-Series doesn't offer much in the way of bells and whistles (there's no next-generation gaming features, for example), but it looks pretty darn good for the price—especially if you're making the jump to 4K resolution for the first time. Our favorite aspect of the 4-Series, however, is its built-in Roku smart platform, which puts the highly flexible, easy-to-navigate software of a Roku streaming device right into the TV. If all you want is a decent, user-friendly TV at a great price, the TCL 4-Series is right up your alley.

Get the 50-inch TCL 4-Series from Walmart for $579

2. Vizio V-Series

The all-new Vizio V-Series is a great option for shoppers on a budget.
The all-new Vizio V-Series is a great option for shoppers on a budget.

New for this year, the Vizio V-Series is another great pick for non-fussy shoppers who are looking to upgrade their living room with an affordable 4K TV. Like the TCL 4-Series, the V-Series doesn't get bright enough to truly showcase HDR content, but its color production is accurate right out of the box and, overall, its performance is plenty good for the price. The V-Series is equipped with the newest version of SmartCast, Vizio's proprietary smart platform, as well as Auto Low Latency Mode, a quality-of-life feature that gamers will appreciate. Simply put, there aren't very many new TVs in this lower price bracket that perform as respectably as the V-Series.

Get the 55-inch Vizio V-Series from Walmart for $492

3. Samsung AU8000

While we're still testing the Samsung AU8000, we're confident that bargain hunters will appreciate its sleek look and smart platform flexibility.
While we're still testing the Samsung AU8000, we're confident that bargain hunters will appreciate its sleek look and smart platform flexibility.

We're still in the process of testing the Samsung AU8000, but it's shaping up to be an improvement over last year's version of this TV, the Samsung TU8000. It's a 4K TV that supports HDR, offers a built-in smart platform, and from a design standpoint, looks swankier than most TVs in this price range. In addition, while it lacks most of the special features you'll find on a higher-end TV, the inclusion of Auto Low Latency Mode will ensure that the AU8000 is automatically switched into its gaming mode whenever a gaming device is detected.

Get the 50-inch Samsung AU8000 from Amazon for $567.99

4. TCL 5-Series

Thanks to quantum dots, the TCL 5-Series offers improved performance over the TCL 4-Series in addition to its superb Roku software.
Thanks to quantum dots, the TCL 5-Series offers improved performance over the TCL 4-Series in addition to its superb Roku software.

The TCL 5-Series is a step up from the 4-Series, thanks to the inclusion of quantum dots, which improve the TV's overall brightness and color production. Like the 4-Series, the 5-Series is a 4K Roku TV, which means you're getting the entire Roku experience built right into the 5-Series' software. While not as bright and colorful as other mid-range and high-end QLED TVs we reviewed this year, the TCL 5-Series is a better performer than most of the entry-level TVs that occupy the same store shelf. And at this price point, it’s a steal of a deal that most bargain shoppers will appreciate.

Get the 50-inch TCL 5-Series from Best Buy for $549.99

5. Hisense U6G

We've yet to test the Hisense U6G, but it checks quite a few boxes on paper, including 4K resolution, HDR support, quantum dot color and a built-in, Android-based smart platform.
We've yet to test the Hisense U6G, but it checks quite a few boxes on paper, including 4K resolution, HDR support, quantum dot color and a built-in, Android-based smart platform.

We've not yet tested the Hisense U6G—and we don't expect it to perform as brilliantly as Hisense's flagship TV for 2021—but the price is right for bargain hunters. The U6G won't net you advanced gaming features like 4K gaming at 120Hz and Variable Refresh Rate, but its 4K resolution, quantum dot color and built-in, Android-based smart platform are more than enough upside for most shoppers on a budget.

Get the 55-inch Hisense U6G from Best Buy for $549.99

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 5 affordable TVs to upgrade your living room: Vizio, Samsung, TCL and more