The best TVs under £500 in 2020

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If you’re in the market for a new TV, it’s easy to assume that even some of the best TVs under £500 aren’t going to give you the top picture quality you’re used to or enough high-tech features to compete with pricier models – but you’d be wrong.

For under £500 you won’t get the best specs on the market. So you can wave goodbye to 75-inch TVs, OLED TVs, or QLED (at least for now). But sub-£500 TVs can still offer up quality viewing for your money, whether you’re looking for a capable small TV display or moving into big-screen territory.

The good news is that Ultra HD image resolution is now fully possible at under £500. Most TV makers have shifted the bulk of their production to 4K panels, though there are still plenty of models making a case for Full HD. If you want a new screen able to make the most of a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, or to sate your binge-watching habit, then you’re in luck.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that if you opt for a basic smart platform you can always upgrade it with a good HDMI streaming device – like an Amazon Fire TV or Roku streaming device. This will only add another £20 to £50 to your purchase and means you’re still getting a good bargain.

When it comes to design and build quality, you need to manage your expectations when you’re shopping at the budget end of the market. You can expect bulkier-looking displays, as well as plastic and cheaper looking finishes. Although getting a TV with a thin bezel and simple pedestal is likely to offset how much plastic you have to look at.

A contentious area when buying budget is HDR (High Dynamic Range). While many cheaper flatscreens will technically ‘support’ HDR, they don’t have the power to display the kind of luminous peak brightness that the best HDR can offer. This shouldn’t put you off, but the HDR quality you might have seen on one screen won’t always match up if you’ve gone for a cheap alternative.

What’s more, audio quality is also likely to be fairly routine, with low cost drivers and limited amplification. But again this can be addressed at a later date, with a soundbar or separate audio solution that could still work out cheaper than going for a more expensive display in the first place.

To get the most for your money there’s a lot to think about. But thankfully, you don’t have to wade through reams of tech specs to discover the sharpest bargain buys. Instead, TechRadar’s guide to the best TVs available for under £500 will point you in the right direction.