There are plenty of options for anyone looking for a quality TV that isn’t super expensive. While budget picks may not have a bunch of fancy extras, they have everything most people expect out of a TV. While the QLED, mini-LED and OLED screens often make the top lists of the best TVs, this picture quality improvement can bump up the price quite a bit. If you’re just looking for a simple TV that will last, this list is for you.
We’ve set out to find great entry-level TVs that don’t break the bank, but still have plenty to offer. These units won’t win any awards for brightness or picture enhancements, and that’s OK. Entry-level TVs aren’t super fancy, but they can bring a surprisingly clear and balanced picture at a more palatable price.
Best overall budget TV: Vizio V-Series
For picture quality alone, the Vizio V-Series clearly emerged as the leader of the pack.
The Vizio offered the most balanced and accurate picture during our side-by-side comparisons, and it comes with some useful extras such as Dolby Vision support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth compatibility and variable refresh rate for potentially smoother gaming.
The biggest downside of the Vizio is its smart TV platform, Vizio SmartCast. It’s crowded, slow and littered with ads for platforms such as Tubi and Kidoodle TV.
Ultimately, the Vizio V-Series offers the best picture, along with some high-quality extras at an extremely affordable price, even when you factor in the cost of adding a new streaming device.
This is more than enough to make it the best overall entry-level TV that we tested.
Pros
Good image quality
Dolby Vision Support
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6E
Variable refresh rate for gaming
Cons
The smart TV system is lacking
Runner-up budget TV: TCL 4-Series Roku TV
The picture quality of the TCL 4-Series Roku TV was only a slight step behind the Vizio in our testing.
The black levels and picture accuracy of the TCL might not be quite as deep and rich as the Vizio, but are still quite good.
The differences between the two are slight enough that you’d really have to have them set up side by side to notice anything at all.
The 4-Series lacks the Dolby Vision, Bluetooth connectivity and AMD FreeSync with a variable refresh rate, all of which the Vizio offers.
However, it does come with the excellent Roku Smart TV system built in.
The TCL 4-Series is a great entry-level option for most people and could be a great purchase for those who prefer the Roku system and are looking for a one-stop smart TV solution.
Pros
Good picture quality
Excellent smart TV system
Affordable
Cons
Lacks more premium perks like Dolby Vision and VRR
Best budget TV for brightness: Amazon Fire TV 4-Series
The Fire TV 4 Series is one of the most basic TVs on this list.
It doesn’t offer Dolby Vision or any perks for gamers, like AMD FreeSync, and it also lacks the impressive build quality of the Hisense.
Instead, the Fire TV gives you a brighter image, an Alexa-powered voice remote and access to Amazon content.
The Fire TV 4-Series offers the brightest screen and the best picture for gaming out of our entry-level models, but we liked its smart TV system least of all.
That said, it could be a good fit for people with bright rooms or those who are tied into the Amazon ecosystem.
Pros
Excellent brightness
Alexa-powered voice remote
Cons
Underwhelming picture quality
Poor smart TV system
No premium extras like Dolby Vision or any gaming perks
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