Imagine sinking into your couch, ready for movie night, only to realize your current TV just isn’t cutting it. That big-screen dream often comes with a big price tag, right? Specifically, finding a quality 50-inch television without emptying your wallet feels like searching for a needle in a digital haystack. Many people want that immersive viewing experience—big enough for sports, movies, and gaming—but the sub-$500 market is flooded with confusing specs and uncertain quality.
It’s frustrating when you spend hours comparing refresh rates and resolution only to end up more confused than when you started. You worry about getting a TV that looks great today but fails in a year. Fear not! This guide cuts through the noise and confusion.
We have done the heavy lifting to uncover the very best 50-inch TVs available right now for under five hundred dollars. By the time you finish reading, you will know exactly which models deliver fantastic picture quality, smart features, and real value. Get ready to upgrade your living room without breaking the bank as we dive straight into our top picks!
Top 50 Inch Tv For Under 500 Recommendations
- A treat for the eyes: Sharp 4K brings out rich detail on our 50" flat screen TV, while colors pop off in lifelike clarity with HDR10. Roku Smart Picture cleans up incoming TV signals, optimizes them, and chooses the right picture mode.
- Explore a world's worth of TV: Dive into all kinds of entertainment and easily find your favorites or soon-to-be favorites.
- A ton of entertainment at the best price—free: Your go-to streaming destination for free entertainment, Roku has 500+ TV channels, with live in-season shows, hit movies, weather, local news, and award-winning Roku Originals.
- Home sweet home screen: Move apps around and make the Roku experience your own with a home screen that easily gets you to what you want to watch fast.
- Just keeps getting better: Get the newest apps, features, and more with automatic software updates.
- Get more from your TV – With 4K Ultra HD, enhanced brightness, and clear audio, the Fire TV 4-Series upgrades your entertainment.
- Vivid views – 4K Ultra HD and HDR10+ deliver bright, crisp visuals with improved contrast, so details look beautiful even in dark scenes.
- Speed, redefined – Jump right into what you love with Wi-Fi 6 support and a new quad-core processor. Apps open and load fast and the picture stays smooth.
- The new Alexa on Fire TV – Getting to what you love has never been easier. Talk naturally to find what to watch fast, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
- Instantly On - Introducing our custom Omnisense technology. Built-in sensors wake the display when you enter to show your favorite artwork or let you start watching in a snap.
- Stunning 4K Ultra HD Resolution: Witness every detail with an impressive 3840 x 2160 resolution, offering four times the detail of Full HD. Experience vibrant colors, sharper contrasts, and lifelike clarity, whether you're watching a blockbuster or streaming your favorite shows. With HDR10 support, the RCA 50" 4K Smart TV enhances contrast and color accuracy, delivering visuals that truly pop.
- Smart Entertainment with Google TV: Simplify your entertainment with Google TV, a smart interface that brings all your favorite content together. Organize your apps, shows, and movies in one place, while Google TV's personalized recommendations introduce you to new favorites. From Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video to thousands of apps in the Google Play Store, this TV puts a world of entertainment at your fingertips.
- Built-In Google Assistant: Control your TV and connected smart devices with your voice. Whether you're searching for a specific movie, adjusting the volume, or turning off the lights, Google Assistant makes it effortless. Simply say "Hey Google" and let the TV handle the rest.
- Wide Viewing Angle for Group Watching: Enjoy consistent, high-quality visuals from virtually any seat in the room. With a 178° viewing angle, the RCA 50" ensures that everyone gets a clear, vibrant view, making it perfect for family gatherings or hosting friends.
- Enhanced Picture and Sound Quality: Designed to deliver a superior viewing experience, this TV features 3D Noise Reduction for clear images, a dynamic contrast ratio of 5000:1 for deeper blacks and brighter whites, and HDR compatibility for a cinematic look. Coupled with advanced sound features, every moment feels more immersive, bringing your content to life.
- Experience Every Detail in Stunning 4K – Enjoy a cinematic viewing experience with 4x the resolution of traditional HD TVs. The 50-inch 4K UHD display delivers crystal-clear visuals and razor-sharp detail, perfect for movies, sports, and gaming. With Dolby Vision and HDR+ technologies, you get enhanced contrast, brilliant brightness, and deeper color accuracy—bringing every scene to life with vibrant, lifelike clarity.
- Endless entertainment - Stream easy with instant access to top apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, Hulu, HBO MAX, ESPN+, YouTube TV, and more — all in one place. The Xumo Play app features 350+ free live channels and 70,000+ on-demand movies and shows across sports, news, entertainment, and more. No subscriptions or downloads required — just launch and start streaming.
- Universal search and voice search - Instantly discover what to watch across all your favorite streaming apps with powerful universal search. Say goodbye to app-hopping — use the included voice remote to search by title, genre, actor, or keyword. Just speak into the remote and find your next watch faster without typing or navigating through multiple menus.
- More ways to play and connect - Stream or mirror content directly from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple AirPlay. Enjoy music, view photos, or surf the web on the big screen with ease. Built-in WiFi allows you to connect to the internet wirelessly — no need for a hardwired connection or external service box. Plus, built-in Bluetooth lets you wirelessly pair soundbars, headphones, or speakers for immersive, high-quality audio—no messy cables or setup required.
- Connectivity is King – Packed with 3 x HDMI, 1 x USB input, 1 x Composite Video, 1 x Optical Digital Audio inputs for maximum flexibility. A full array of inputs to connect your cable box, game console, streaming stick, sound bar, DVD/Blu-ray player or a digital antenna for local channels.
- Brilliant in every way – A 4K QLED display combines stunning visuals, smart features, and fast performance so you can get the most out of your TV.
- Picture perfect views – Scenes leap off the screen and look beautiful in any light with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ Adaptive.
- Speed, redefined – Jump right into what you love with Wi-Fi 6 support and a new quad-core processor. Apps open and load fast and the picture stays smooth.
- Instantly On - Introducing our custom Omnisense technology. Built-in sensors wake the display when you enter to show your favorite artwork or let you start watching in a snap.
- The new Alexa on Fire TV – Getting to what you love has never been easier. Talk naturally to find what to watch fast, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
- 【4K UHD with HDR10 & Dolby Audio】This 50-inch smart display delivers 3840 × 2160 UHD resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate for sharp, smooth visuals. HDR10 enhances contrast and color accuracy, while Dolby Audio provides clear, immersive sound for movies, shows, and everyday entertainment.
- 【Built-in Google TV OS】The built-in Google TV platform puts your favorite streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video all in one place. With Google Cast built-in, easily cast content from your phone, tablet, or laptop to the big screen.
- 【Voice Control with Google Assistant】Control your TV with simple voice commands to open apps, adjust volume, or search for content. Just press the Google Assistant button on the remote for quick, hands-free control and a more convenient viewing experience.
- 【Smooth Visual Effects】HDMI ports with eARC support make it easy to connect gaming consoles. MEMC technology reduces motion blur for sports and fast-action scenes, while ALLM mode delivers smooth, responsive gameplay for immersive gaming sessions.
- 【Flexible Connectivity for All Your Devices】Includes 3 × HDMI 2.1 ports (with 1 eARC), 2 × USB inputs, and multiple audio/video connections. Easily connect game consoles, Blu-ray players, sound systems, set-top boxes, AV receivers, and more to create a fully customized home entertainment setup.
- Stunning 4K Quantum Dot Display (QLED) - Makes movies, shows, and live sports pop in brighter, richer, and more lifelike colors.
- Advanced HDR - Scenes leap off the screen in deep, realistic color with Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive. HDR10 and HLG are also supported.
- Adaptive Brightness - Fire TV automatically optimizes the brightness of movies and shows through a built-in sensor that detects the lighting in your room.
- Bolder contrast - Experience deeper darks and brighter whites with full array local dimming in 48 individual zones enhancing contrast.
- Fire TV Ambient Experience - Turns your TV screen into a canvas for displaying over a thousand pieces of free artwork, personal photos, and more.
- This product is a Commercial grade television and only supports Youtube You would need an external media player for consumer apps such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.Voltage: 120 Volts
- TV dimensions With stand – 43.9” L x 9.83” D x 28.09” H Without stand – 43.9” L x 2.35” D x 25.36” H Ports HDMI – 2 USB – 2 RF – 1 (Terrestrial) & 1 (Cable) Wi-Fi 5 & Bluetooth Supported
- 50-Inch display features a super crisp and clear picture that is 4X more powerful than the resolution of full HD Crystal UHD takes your content to the next level by providing more accurate and smoother colors
- With the Samsung Pro TV app on your phone or tablet, create dynamic content on your time. With a super-easy guide to walk you through the setup, advertising your business has never been simpler or more convenient
- Your customers want to know exactly how it looks With Samsung’s Pro TV with high dynamic range, you can showcase every detail in a wide spectrum of colors With 16/7 operating time, you can depend on your TV to play what you want, when you want it
The Smart Shopper’s Guide: Finding Your 50-Inch TV Under $500
You want a big screen without emptying your wallet. A 50-inch TV for under $500 is totally achievable today! This guide helps you pick the best one for your living room.
Key Features to Look For
When you shop, look closely at these important parts. They make a big difference in how good your TV looks and works.
Resolution Matters Most
- 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition): This is the standard now. 4K has four times the pixels of older HD TVs. This means sharper, clearer pictures. Always aim for 4K in this size range.
- Refresh Rate: This measures how smoothly the picture moves. Look for 60Hz. Higher refresh rates (like 120Hz) are better for fast action movies or gaming, but 60Hz is usually fine for regular watching on budget models.
Smart TV Capabilities
Almost every TV today is “smart.” This means it connects to the internet.
- Operating System: Check which system the TV uses (like Roku TV, Google TV, or Fire TV). Pick one you know or that has all your favorite apps (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+).
- HDR Support: High Dynamic Range (HDR) makes colors brighter and blacks deeper. Look for support for HDR10. This really boosts picture quality.
Important Materials and Build Quality
While you won’t find super-premium parts in this price range, some materials are better than others.
Screen Technology
- LED/LCD: Most budget 50-inch TVs use LED-backlit LCD panels. This keeps costs down.
- Panel Type (VA vs. IPS): VA panels usually offer better contrast (deeper blacks), which is great for dark rooms. IPS panels offer wider viewing angles, good if you watch TV from the side.
Connectivity
Make sure the TV has enough ports for your devices.
- HDMI Ports: You need at least three HDMI ports for a game console, a streaming stick, and maybe a soundbar.
- eARC/ARC: If you plan to buy a soundbar later, having one port with ARC (Audio Return Channel) simplifies sound setup.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes one budget TV better than another?
Picture Quality Boosters (Good Signs)
- Local Dimming Zones: This feature lets the TV dim only parts of the screen that should be dark. This improves contrast a lot, even on cheaper TVs.
- Good Processor: A faster internal processor helps the TV handle upscaling (making lower-quality shows look better) and makes the smart menu run smoothly.
Quality Reducers (Watch Out For)
- Poor Viewing Angles: If you sit far to the side, the colors might wash out quickly. This happens with lower-quality panels.
- Slow Smart Interface: If the menus lag when you click buttons, the internal processor is too weak. This frustrates users quickly.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about *how* you will use the TV.
For Movie Buffs
Focus on good contrast (VA panel if possible) and HDR support. A dark room viewing experience will be better.
For Casual Viewers and News Watchers
Resolution (4K) and a clear, simple smart system are key. You don’t need top-tier gaming features.
For Gamers (Budget Level)
Look for low input lag. Input lag is the delay between pressing a button and seeing the action on screen. Many budget 50-inch TVs have good low input lag modes, even if they don’t have 120Hz refresh rates.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About 50-Inch TVs Under $500
Q: Can I really get a good 4K TV for under $500?
A: Yes, absolutely! Many reliable brands offer excellent 50-inch 4K models right around the $350 to $480 price point, especially during sales.
Q: Are these TVs good for watching sports?
A: They are generally fine. Look for a 60Hz refresh rate. If you watch fast-moving hockey or football often, try to find a model that reviewers say handles motion well, as budget sets can sometimes show motion blur.
Q: What is the biggest trade-off when buying a TV this cheap?
A: The biggest trade-off is usually picture processing and local dimming. Premium TVs have better software to clean up the picture, but these budget models skip some of those advanced features.
Q: Should I worry about the brand name?
A: Yes, a little. Stick to well-known brands like TCL, Hisense, or budget lines from Samsung or LG. They usually provide better software support and customer service.
Q: Do I need a separate streaming stick (like a Fire Stick)?
A: Probably not. Most smart TVs under $500 come with a built-in operating system (like Roku or Google TV) that handles all major streaming apps well enough.
Q: How important is the number of HDMI ports?
A: It is quite important. If you have a cable box, a game console, and a Blu-ray player, three ports are the minimum you need.
Q: What does “Input Lag” mean for gaming?
A: Input lag is the tiny delay between your controller action and what appears on the screen. Lower lag means you react faster in games.
Q: Will this TV look good in a very bright room?
A: Budget TVs struggle a bit in very bright rooms. Look for models with higher peak brightness specs, though these are rare under $500. Direct sunlight will wash out the picture easily.
Q: Is HDR worth worrying about on a budget TV?
A: Yes. Even basic HDR10 support makes a visible difference in contrast compared to a TV without it. It makes the picture “pop” more.
Q: How long should I expect this TV to last?
A: A modern, well-made LED TV should easily last five to seven years with regular use. Treat it gently, and it should serve you well for a long time.