Why wait for Black Friday? These are the 5 best early TV deals under $500

Deals
By published

Beat the holiday rush and save big on a budget-friendly TV

Several TVs arranged into quadrants in front of a colorful background
(Image credit: Samsung / Roku / TCL)

As much as I love high-octane performance and cutting-edge features, I’d be silly not to acknowledge the importance of ultra-cheap TVs — especially once the holiday shopping season rolls around.

This year, if you’re looking to get a jump on Black Friday and Cyber Monday TV deals and your goal is to limit your spending, you’re not alone. Nearly all of the reader emails I get around this time of year are about TVs under $500.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of my top picks in this all-important category. Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but there are already plenty of early TV deals under $500. We haven’t tested all of these models, but they’re the sets I’d recommend to people who want to save as much money as possible and who don’t mind compromising in order to do it.

Quick List

Best early Black Friday TV deals under $500

TCL 55" Q6 4K QLED TV
TCL 55" Q6 4K QLED TV: was $379 now $278 at Walmart

The 55-inch TCL QLED isn't loaded with features, nor will its performance blow you away. However, for just $278, you're getting a better picture than what you'd find on bottom-of-the-barrel sets from brands like Insignia. The Q6 is a great TV for folks who are upgrading to 4K for the first time.

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Samsung 55" Q6F 4K QLED TV
Samsung 55" Q6F 4K QLED TV: was $459 now $379 at Best Buy

This 55-inch QLED ought to be on the top of your list if you're looking for an affordable Samsung-branded TV. It comes with a slim, elegant design, quantum dot-color and the Tizen smart platform built right into the software. It's not the brightest Samsung on the block, but if you're looking for a Samsung TV that won't break the bank, this sub-$400 set is one of your best bets.

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TCL 55" QM5K 4K Mini-LED TV
TCL 55" QM5K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $699 now $379 at Best Buy

This Best Buy-exclusive TV is one of the most affordable ways to secure Mini-LED backlighting this holiday shopping season. It isn't as bright and packed with features as higher-end Mini-LED TVs from TCL (like the QM6K further down this list), but as far as bargains go, it's tough to beat. Choose this 55-inch model over the 55-inch QM6K if you don't mind settling for a slightly dimmer picture.

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Roku 55" Select Series 4K LED TV
Roku 55" Select Series 4K LED TV: was $429 now $398.50 at Best Buy

This is the only TV on this list that comes with my favorite streaming software: Roku. The interface is easy to navigate and the list of supported streaming apps is impressively long. If you're hoping to squeeze the most amount of performance as possible out of your next TV, this modest Roku TV might not be a good fit, as it's nowhere near as equipped as something like the TCL QM6K. Still, if you're prioritizing ease of use, the Roku Plus Series is worthy of a closer look.

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TCL 55" QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV
TCL 55" QM6K 4K Mini-LED TV: was $599 now $497 at Amazon

This year, the TCL QM6K has been one of my go-to recommendations for folks looking for a big screen on a budget. The QM6K is a budget-friendly, 55-inch Mini-LED TV that is perfect for folks who want to upgrade to dependable, good-looking TV without spending too much. It's also an especially good TV for gamers looking to save money this Black Friday, thanks to an above-average set of gaming enhancements.

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Of these models, I recommend the TCL QM5K and the TCL QM6K above the rest, and here's why: Despite their super-affordable price tags, these two TVs still arrive with Mini-LED backlighting, which makes a huge difference when it comes to brightness and overall contrast.

Neither TV is as bright and colorful as a mid-range Mini-LED TV, but even relatively basic Mini-LED backlighting is desirable. You can read more about it in our TCL QM6K review.

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Michael Desjardin
Michael Desjardin
Senior Editor, TV

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.

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