We buy our own products and put them under the same testing methodology so that you can easily compare them. Unlike most websites, we do not get our products directly from the manufacturers, which means our units aren’t handpicked and actually represent what you would buy yourself. We spend a lot of time comparing the products side-by-side to validate our results and we keep them until they are discontinued so we can continually go back and make sure our reviews are always accurate.
As technology has advanced, 4k TVs have gotten cheaper and cheaper. Budget TVs are great for any usage, from secondary viewing locations to a main TV. Whether you are looking for a TV for the garage or for your living room, there is a huge selection of cheaper TVs that still deliver good picture quality.
We’ve tested 41 budget 4K TVs in the past year, and here are our recommendations for the best ones to purchase in 2018.
TCL S Series 55S425/S405: The Best Value for Size under $500
Type: LED
Other Sizes: 43”, 49”, 65”
The TCL 55S425 offers the best value for size available that costs less than $500. This TV delivers decent picture quality, with great dark room performance and decent motion handling. It also has great smart features, running the great Roku Smart Interface. Although it isn’t the most polished design, it has access to hundreds of streaming channels, so you don’t have to buy a separate streaming box.
It has outstanding low input lag, great for gaming or for use as a PC monitor. It also supports most common input resolutions, including 1440p, great for Xbox One gamers. The TCL S425 was originally known as the S405 but has been updated for late 2018 and renamed the S425. There are only minor cosmetic differences between them.
Unfortunately, the TCL S425 can’t get very bright, so it isn’t well suited for a bright living room, and HDR content doesn’t stand out. Overall though, it is a decent, cheap TV that is available in a range of sizes to fit most rooms.
Vizio E Series 2018 E55-F1: The Best 4k TV under $500
Type: LED
Other Sizes: 43”, 50”, 65”, 70”, 75”
If you want something a little more advanced than the TCL S425, the Vizio E55-F1 is the best 4k TV under $500 that we’ve reviewed so far. The Vizio E Series is a good 4k TV, delivering decent overall picture quality and decent motion handling. It has a fast response time, great for fast motion in movies and games, and it has an optional black frame insertion feature that can further improve motion.
Gamers will appreciate the E Series’ low input lag, but unfortunately, unlike the TCL S425, it doesn’t support a 1440p input. It is quite a bit brighter than the TCL S425, which is especially good if you want a decent HDR experience, although the E55 doesn’t have a wide color gamut.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same great smart features as the TCL S425. Although the interface is much fancier, it doesn’t have many apps, and there is no way to add more. Overall, it is a good 4k TV if you just want the basics, and it is available in a wide variety of sizes to fit most rooms.
Vizio P Series 2018 P55-F1: The Best TV under $1000
Type: LED
Other Sizes: 65”, 75”
The Vizio P55-F1 is the best TV under $1000 that we’ve reviewed so far. The P Series 2018 delivers very good overall picture quality, and it looks good regardless of viewing conditions. It has an excellent native contrast ratio, and a great local dimming feature, great for watching movies in a dark room. In a bright room, it is easily able to overcome most glare, and it has very good reflection handling.
Gamers will appreciate the outstanding low input lag and 120 Hz refresh rate. Fast moving objects in games and movies look great thanks to the outstanding response time, and it can add backlight flicker to further reduce any persistence blur.
Unfortunately, like the Vizio E Series, the P55-F1 doesn’t have the greatest smart features. The interface is nice, but there is a limited selection of apps and no way to add more. Overall though, it is a great 4k TV that should please most people.
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Samsung UN55NU8000: A great gaming TV under $1000
Type: LED
Other Sizes: 49”, 65”
If you like the Vizio P55-F1, but would prefer something with more advanced gaming features, check out the Samsung UN55NU8000. The NU8000 is a very good 4k TV, delivering good overall picture quality and great motion handling, as well as excellent low input lag for gaming.
It supports the latest innovations in gaming technology. It supports FreeSync VRR, ensuring a tear-free gaming experience when combined with an Xbox One or a compatible PC, and it has a low latency game interpolation feature, so you can improve the frame rate of your console games without adding much input lag.
Unfortunately, the image on the NU8000 degrades when viewed at an angle, and the 49” model is limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate. Overall though, it is a very good 4k TV with great gaming features that should please most people.
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TCL 6 Series 65R617: The best 65” under $1000
Type: LED
Other Sizes: 55”
If you want the biggest TV possible on a budget, check out the TCL 6 Series (R617/615/613). The 65R617 is the best 65” 4k TV under $1000 that we’ve reviewed so far. It delivers very good overall picture quality, with very good motion handling, and excellent low input lag for gaming.
It looks great in a dark room thanks to the excellent native contrast and good black uniformity, and it can easily overcome glare in a bright room thanks to the high peak brightness. It has the same great smart features as the S425, with hundreds of available streaming apps.
Unfortunately, the TCL R617 loses accuracy when viewed at an angle, and there have been reports of some uniformity issues that may disappoint sports fans. Overall though, it is a very good TV that should please most people.
This guide may have been updated. To see all measurements and the current recommendations for 4k TVs, please go here.
