Budget-friendly TVs often make compromises compared with higher-end counterparts, but you can still get a good-looking, feature-filled model for less than $1,000 if you know where to look—and you should start here. I'm a certified TV calibrator and THX home theater expert, and I test every TV I review using specialized equipment to measure its brightness, contrast, color accuracy, color range, and input lag. The Fire TV-powered Hisense U65QF is the best budget TV on the market for picture quality, thanks to a significantly brighter panel than comparably priced options. If you're searching for a 75-inch TV for under $1,000 or want to spend a fraction of that on a decent TV for a guest bedroom, I also have options for you. Read on for the best budget-friendly TVs I've tested, followed by a buying guide to help you make informed decisions while shopping.
Overview
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![Hisense U65QF]()
Best OverallHisense U65QF
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![Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K Smart TV]()
Best for the Lowest Price PossibleVizio Mini LED Quantum 4K Smart TV
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![TCL QM6K]()
Best for Hands-Free Voice ControlTCL QM6K
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![Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED]()
Best for Alexa UsersAmazon Fire TV Omni QLED
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![Roku Plus Series]()
Best for Less Tech-Savvy UsersRoku Plus Series
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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Credit Joseph Maldonado
![Hisense U65QF]()
Best OverallHisense U65QF
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Hisense U65QF is simply the best budget TV we've tested so far, and easily the brightest. It's the first cheap TV to exceed 1,000 nits in my testing, when 600 to 700 nits is usually the most you should expect in this price range. Its color performance is also excellent, and while it doesn't have hands-free voice control or Google Cast support, it does allow for Apple AirPlay streaming.
Who It's For
Anyone shopping on a budget: This is a great all-around TV that you can often find for under $700, even in 65-inch sizes. Its picture quality is a solid step above comparably priced TVs.
Gamers: If you play games, especially PC games with an AMD GPU, the U65QF is well-equipped for your needs. It has a 144Hz native refresh rate and supports variable refresh rate (VRR) with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
Privacy-conscious Alexa users: If you use Alexa but don't necessarily want a mic always listening for commands in your living room, the U65QF is a good fit. Its Fire TV smart TV platform lets you access Alexa by pressing a button on the remote and speaking into it, but unlike many other TVs, it doesn't have a far-field microphone array for hands-free use. It's less convenient, but also less intrusive.
Specs & Configurations
AMD FreeSync FreeSync Premium Pro HDMI Ports 4 HDR Dolby Vision HDR HDR-10 Input Lag (1080p120) 4.6 Input Lag (4K60) 13.1 Nvidia G-Sync None Panel Type LED Refresh Rate 144 Resolution 3,840 by 2,160 Screen Brightness 1024 Screen Size 65 Streaming Services Yes Video Inputs Composite Video Inputs HDMI Video Inputs RF Video Inputs USB VRR Learn More Hisense 65U65QF Review -
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![Vizio Mini LED Quantum 4K Smart TV]()
Best for the Lowest Price PossibleVizio Mini LED Quantum 4K Smart TV
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Vizio's Mini LED Quantum TV is far from the brightest model you can buy, it only has three HDMI ports, and it isn't exactly loaded with gaming features. That said, you simply won't find another TV in its price range that looks nearly as good.
Who It's For
People who want the lowest price possible: At $400 for 65 inches and $500 for 75 inches, the Vizio Mini LED Quantum is as cheap as it gets while still offering a very good picture.
Mixed mobile device households: It might not have any voice control or whole-home smart features worth speaking of, but it does have both Apple AirPlay and Google Cast, so anyone can stream from their phone or tablet, whether it's Android or iOS.
Specs & Configurations
AMD FreeSync None HDMI Ports 3 HDR Dolby Vision HDR HDR10 HDR HDR10+ Input Lag (1080p120) 5.3 Input Lag (4K60) 9.5 Nvidia G-Sync None Panel Type LED Refresh Rate 60 Resolution 3,840 by 2,160 Screen Brightness 766 Screen Size 65 Streaming Services Yes Video Inputs HDMI Video Inputs RF Video Inputs USB VRR -
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Credit: Will Greenwald
![TCL QM6K]()
Best for Hands-Free Voice ControlTCL QM6K
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The TCL QM6K is the best affordable Google TV, and while it isn't very bright, it's surprisingly well-equipped. It has hands-free Google Assistant, Google Cast, and Apple AirPlay, plus some high-end gaming features.
Who It's For
Anyone who wants hands-free voice control: If you want to control your TV and smart home devices with your voice, the QM6K is one of the cheapest options with hands-free Google Assistant support.
Gamers: The QM6K's 144Hz refresh rate with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro makes it particularly well-suited for gaming.
Specs & Configurations
AMD FreeSync FreeSync Premium Pro Contrast Ratio 1,670,000:1 HDMI Ports 4 HDR Dolby Vision HDR HDR-10 Input Lag (1080p120) 14.6 Nvidia G-Sync None Panel Type LED Refresh Rate 120 Resolution 3,840 by 2,160 Screen Brightness 668 Screen Size 65 Streaming Services Yes Video Inputs HDMI Video Inputs RF Video Inputs USB VRR Learn More TCL QM6K Class 65-Inch TV (65QM6K) Review -
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![Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED]()
Best for Alexa UsersAmazon Fire TV Omni QLED
Why We Picked It
We haven't tested the newest version of Amazon's Fire TV Omni QLED yet, but its predecessor was a decent TV that offered strong color performance and hands-free Amazon Alexa functionality for a reasonable price. This new model is similarly equipped and likely has a comparable if not better picture (and hopefully a brighter one, as that was our major complaint with the previous version).
Who It's For
Alexa users: If you want to control your TV and smart home with your voice, especially if you already have Echo smart speakers in other rooms of the house, this should be on your radar. It's currently the cheapest TV Amazon offers with hands-free Alexa.
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![Roku Plus Series]()
Best for Less Tech-Savvy UsersRoku Plus Series
Why We Picked It
Roku's smart TV platform focuses on making media streaming simple and accessible, with an interface that isn't cluttered with numerous ads and algorithm-generated recommendations. The Roku Plus Series is the company's midrange TV line, featuring a QLED and mini-LED panel that should make it significantly more capable than the low-end Select Series, while staying well below the $ 1,000 mark for a 65-inch screen. While we haven't tested the current Roku Plus Series, the previous generation earned four stars, and the latest model is likely to perform just as well, if not better.
Who It's For
Less tech-savvy users: If you or a loved one isn't proficient at (or simply doesn't like) navigating menus laden with countless content suggestions, Roku is the platform to use. Its basic layout and big tiles make it easy to just jump into your streaming service of choice without any hassle.
Compare Specs
Our Pick | ||||||||
Rating |
4.5 Outstanding |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.5 Outstanding |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent | ||
Best For | Best Overall | Best for the Lowest Price Possible | Best for Hands-Free Voice Control | Best for Alexa Users | Best for Less Tech-Savvy Users | Best Overall | Best for the Lowest Price Possible | Best for Hands-Free Voice Control |
Panel Type | LED | LED | LED | LED | LED | LED | ||
Screen Size | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | ||
Resolution | 3,840 by 2,160 | 3,840 by 2,160 | 3,840 by 2,160 | 3,840 by 2,160 | 3,840 by 2,160 | 3,840 by 2,160 | ||
Video Inputs | HDMI, Composite, RF, USB | HDMI, RF, USB | HDMI, RF, USB | HDMI, Composite, RF, USB | HDMI, RF, USB | HDMI, RF, USB | ||
HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR-10 | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR-10 | Dolby Vision, HDR-10 | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR-10 | ||
HDMI Ports | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | ||
Streaming Services | ||||||||
Screen Brightness | 1024 | 766 | 668 | 1024 | 766 | 668 | ||
Black Level | ||||||||
Contrast Ratio | 1,670,000:1 | 1,670,000:1 | ||||||
Refresh Rate | 144 | 60 | 120 | 144 | 60 | 120 | ||
VRR | ||||||||
Input Lag (1080p120) | 4.6 | 5.3 | 14.6 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 14.6 |
Buying Guide: The Best Cheap TVs for 2026
What's the Best Cheap TV Brand?
The classic big Japanese and Korean brands you're familiar with, such as LG, Samsung, and Sony, offer some impressive high-end models, but their cheaper TVs seldom impress. Instead, Chinese companies Hisense and TCL have effectively captured the budget-priced TV segment, offering inexpensive and feature-rich options with surprisingly good pictures for the price. Most of our favorite budget TVs from the last few years have come from these two companies.
The Best Cheap 4K TVs
We're far past the point where 4K is a high-end luxury, especially with 8K gearing up to become a major force in a few years (emphasis on years; don't worry about it yet). You can still find smaller TVs that are 1080p, but most screens on the market are 4K. Only one TV on this list, the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series, is 1080p, and I recommend it only if you're looking to spend as little as possible to furnish a secondary space, such as a basement, garage, or guest bedroom.
With that in mind, I generally recommend you buy a 4K TV. They no longer demand a premium price, and they're almost universally better than any 1080p screen you can buy. In addition to being sharper, 4K TVs are more likely to support high dynamic range (HDR), which means they can display brighter and more vibrant colors than 1080p TVs with standard dynamic range. And, since most major streaming services support 4K HDR now, you can get plenty of 4K content out of the box without worrying about replacing your DVD or Blu-ray collection.
The Best Cheap Smart TVs
Like 4K, smart TV platforms are now basically universal, even for budget TVs. If you get a new TV, it likely has some way to watch Netflix and probably many other streaming services. Due to the availability of Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Roku TV, any television manufacturer can easily integrate a connected interface into their product. This is part of how Hisense and TCL have achieved such strong gains in the budget TV market; they rely on prebuilt Google TV or Roku TV packages, which eliminate the need for internal development effort. The majority of TVs on this list use one of these three third-party smart TV platforms.
Recommended by Our Editors
Cheap vs. Expensive TVs
Cheaper TVs generally don't get as bright as pricier panels; they have higher black levels, which result in much lower contrast ratios, and they don't have nearly as wide a color range. Moreover, the devices are usually a bit thicker and typically look less streamlined than midrange and high-end offerings.
Near the high end of the budget range, you can find some excellent TVs with fairly bright panels, deep blacks, wide color gamuts, and stylish designs. However, if you want to pay less, expect to get less in terms of picture quality and design. That said, you really can't go wrong with any of the options I've tested here.
Meanwhile, if money is no object, take a look at our list of the best TVs overall, the best 65-inch TVs, and the best 75-inch (and up) TVs. And if a fast response time is important to you, consider one of the best TVs for gaming.