Best Gifts Under $500 for 2024
When it comes to budget TVs, we’ve always liked TCL’s 4-series TVs, in part because they came with Roku built in. But TCL appears to be phasing out Roku in favor of Google TV (as its smart TV interface). The TCL 4-series and 5-series remain very good budget TV values (the 6-series is a bit more expensive), but Vizio’s V-series has a slightly better picture quality and is the best entry-level TV we’ve tested.
As CNET video guru David Katzmaier puts it, “The Vizio offered the most balanced and accurate picture in our comparisons, and it comes with some useful extras like Dolby Vision support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth compatibility, and variable refresh rate for potentially smoother gaming.” He adds that the Vizio’s biggest drawback is its smart TV platform, Vizio SmartCast, which is a bit sluggish and riddled with ads for platforms like Tubi and Kidoodle TV. But you can always pick up a Roku 4K Express Plus streaming device for around $40 if you don’t like that.
The price shown is for the 50-inch model, but the TV is also available in other sizes up to 75 inches.
