I’ve spent over a decade testing TVs and these are the only 3 I would buy for under $500

The Hisense U65QF Mini-LED TV, wall-mounted in a modern living room setting alongside a super-imposed, blue-colored badge that reads: "TG Flex for Less" — (Image credit: Hisense)

I love cheap TVs. No, really — I do.

As fun as it is to bask in the glory of a detail-rich, OLED-driven picture, or to park myself in front of the bright, borderline-psychedelic colors blasting out of an RGB LED TV, the best budget TVs offer tremendous performance. Regardless of whether you’re a sports fan, binge-watcher or competitive gamer, upgrading your leisure time without breaking the bank can be a massive win.

1. Hisense U65QF

Hisense U65QF in an apartment — (Image credit: Hisense)

Recently, a pub-owner and dear friend of mine asked me for help buying a TV ahead of the 2026 World Cup. They didn’t want to spend too much, but they needed a bright-enough screen for the set to sit outside (weather permitting). The Hisense U65QF was my first pick.

Now, my bar-owning friend was in the market for something big — like 75 or 85 inches. It’ll come as no surprise that these sizes are above $500. But the 55-inch version clocks in at a cool $399, and it’s well worth a look.

You can get the full picture on this TV by checking out our Hisense U65QF review, but here's the most important bit to know: The U65QF offers better brightness than just almost everything in this price bracket.

This is in large part because the U65QF features Mini-LED backlighting. These super-small LEDs typically allow for better overall contrast than what you'll see on garden-variety, edge-lit LED TVs (which are quite prevalent at the sub-$500 price point).

Being the brightest TV in its class means that the U65QF is a great choice for people who watch a ton of TV during the day as well as folks with well-lit living spaces. According to our test results, the U65QF is also very accurate right out of the box in Filmmaker mode, which means eagle-eyed viewers don't need to worry about grossly inaccurate color.

Just a heads up: The U65QF comes with Amazon's Fire TV smart platform built right in. It's not my favorite software suite for streaming, but Amazon is rolling out updates for it this year that seek to improve its interface and overall performance. That said, if you're looking for a Google TV-equipped TV, take a look at my next pick.

2. TCL QM5K

The TCL QM5K Mini-LED TV displaying the Google TV home screen — (Image credit: TCL)

The TCL QM5K is a Best Buy-exclusive model, so you won’t find it anywhere else. Like the U65QF, the QM5K is an entry-level Mini-LED TV. Unlike the Hisense's set, however, the QM5K is built around the Google TV smart platform, which is my second-favorite smart TV operating system behind Roku.

If all you’re looking for is an affordable smart TV that doesn’t scrape the bottom of the barrel, the QM5K is a good pick. The 55-inch version is about $50 more than the U65QF at the time of publishing, but you're still landing a Mini-LED TV for under $500.

Seeing as how the QM5K and U65QF are similar sets, I would recommend the TCL for people who want a smart platform with potentially less friction than the Fire TV experience. If brightness matters to you more than this, I recommend the Hisense.

(One more thing: I know it's technically above $500, but the 65-inch version of the TCL QM5K is just $549 at Best Buy if 55 inches isn't quite big enough for you.)

3. Roku Plus Series

The 2025 Roku Plus Series TV, wall-mounted in a contemporary living room, displaying the Roku home screen. The Roku home screen is showcasing various streaming apps. — (Image credit: Roku)

The only 65-inch TV on this list isn't as bright as the Hisense U65QF, nor is it equipped with Google TV. That's OK with me, though, because the 65-inch Roku Plus Series is built around my all-time favorite smart platform.

In fact, I use an external Roku device as a daily driver on account of its straightforward interface and robust app support. The Roku Plus Series puts the entire Roku experience into the software of the TV itself — no box or stick required.

The Plus Series won't net you Mini-LED backlighting, but it does feature direct-LED backlighting with local dimming, which is the next-best option below Mini-LEDs. So it's got that goin' for it.

But the real star of the show is its software. I've been knee-deep in TV technology for over a decade, and Roku is my number-one pick for streaming. But I also feel comfortable recommending this TV to folks who typically find themselves annoyed at TVs on account of confusing software. Roku truly has that sort of crossover appeal.

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Michael Desjardin is a Senior Editor for TVs at Tom's Guide. He's been testing and tinkering with TVs professionally for over a decade, previously for Reviewed and USA Today. Michael graduated from Emerson College where he studied media production and screenwriting. He loves cooking, zoning out to ambient music, and getting way too invested in the Red Sox. He considers himself living proof that TV doesn't necessarily rot your brain.