You can find a wide selection of TVs below $1,000. More and more high-end TVs are available for under $1,000, and even though you can usually only find the 55 inch models for this price if you want the best performance, there are a few good 65 inch models available as well. Companies like TCL or Hisense make low-cost TVs with good value, so getting one of their TVs is usually a safe bet. OLED TVs are generally more costly, so it's rare to find them below $1,000 unless it's a smaller size, so for the most part it's better to get an LED TV. Also, TVs tend to drop in price a few months after they're released, so getting an older model is a great way to find a TV for under $1,000.
We've tested more than 100 TVs under the latest test bench, and below are our recommendations for the best TVs under $1,000 to purchase. Check our picks for the best TVs, the best cheap TVs, and the best TVs under $1,500 for more options.
The best OLED TV under $1,000 is the LG OLED55A1PUA. Although OLED TVs tend to be more expensive, you can find the 55 inch model in this price range. We tested the 65 inch model, and our results are also valid for the 55 inch variant. The A1 is a no-frills basic TV without many extra features. It delivers very similar picture quality to the high-end models, with the deep, inky, uniform blacks that OLEDs are known for.
Like all OLED TVs, it has a superb viewing angle, so it's a great choice if you have a wide seating arrangement. It's not quite as bright as other OLEDs, so despite its superb reflection handling, it's not as well-suited for a bright room. It runs the LG webOS platform, which is easy to use and has a huge selection of streaming apps. It also supports casting from your mobile device, so you can easily watch content.
Sadly, this TV has limited gaming features, so it's best suited for watching TV shows or movies. However, it's still excellent if you're a casual gamer who doesn't need any of the extra features. Also, like all OLED TVs, there's a chance of permanent burn-in, but we don't expect this to be an issue if you watch varied content. Overall, it's an excellent TV that should please most people.
If you're more of a gamer, then the best OLED gaming TV under $1,000 that we've tested is the LG OLED48C1PUB. You can find the 48 inch model for under $1,000, so while you don't get a bigger screen like on the LG A1 OLED, you get more gaming features. The 48 inch model is also a good size if you have a small room or TV stand, and we tested the 48 inch version of the LG as a monitor.
It has a bunch of gaming perks, like its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth with 120Hz panel, meaning you can play 4k games up to 120 fps from your PC or current-gen gaming console without any issues. It also has variable refresh rate (VRR) support in the form of native FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. Motion looks incredibly smooth thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, and it has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur.
Sadly, it has bad out-of-the-box accuracy, so you might need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest. Also, there's some banding with shades of similar colors, but it's not the worst, and it still looks good overall. If that isn't an issue for you, it's one of the best OLED TVs under $1,000.
The Hisense 55U8G is the best 55 inch TV under $1,000 that we've tested. It's an impressive TV, with outstanding contrast, excellent black uniformity, and high HDR peak brightness. It has the Android TV smart platform built-in, with an easy-to-use interface with a huge selection of apps, so you're sure to find your favorite streaming content. It supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, meaning you can get a great HDR experience from any streaming service or external source.
If you want to use it in a well-lit room, visibility won't be an issue, thanks to its excellent reflection handling and amazing SDR peak brightness. It's also an amazing TV for playing video games, with an excellent response time, resulting in very clear motion with little blur behind fast-moving objects. It has low input lag, and it supports both FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible variable refresh rate technology, which can help reduce tearing in some games. It's also great for PS5 or Xbox Series S|X gaming, with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two ports.
Sadly, there are some technical issues with its Game Mode, like red ghosting and motion artifacts that you might notice while gaming. Also, like most VA panels, the image degrades at an angle, so it's not the best for a wide seating arrangement. Despite these flaws, it's an impressive TV that should please most people.
The best 65 inch TV under $1,000 that we've tested is the Hisense 65U6G. It's lower-end than the Hisense U8G, so you don't get as many features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. In terms of pure picture quality and its price, it offers better value. Although you can also get the 75 inch model for under $1,000, it's a better choice as a 65 inch variant because some of the 75 inch models use different panel types.
While it's limited to a 60Hz panel and doesn't support VRR, you should still appreciate its quick response time and low input lag if you're a gamer. The built-in Android TV interface is user-friendly and offers many apps so you can easily stream your favorite content. It doesn't have any trouble upscaling lower-resolution content, which is great for watching cable TV shows or sports. Visibility won't be an issue in bright rooms either, as it gets bright enough to combat glare.
Unfortunately, it has a narrow viewing angle, which is normal from a VA panel TV, so the image looks washed out when viewed from the sides. Its HDR brightness is just okay, as it should be fine enough for most content, but some highlights may not stand out in the way the creator intended them. Besides these small problems, it's the best 65 inch TV under $1,000 that we've tested.
The best 75 inch TV under $1,000 is the TCL 75S546. It's a budget TV that competes with the Hisense U6G, but the main difference is that the 75 inch model uses the same panel type as the 65 inch version we tested, so the results are valid. The large size is great if you have a big room and want an immersive viewing experience.
It's a good overall TV that performs well in dark and bright room environments. It has a high native contrast ratio for deep blacks and excellent black uniformity, but its full-array local dimming feature doesn't improve the picture quality in dark scenes. In well-lit rooms, it has great peak brightness and decent reflection handling, meaning visibility won't be an issue. The built-in Google TV interface is fairly user-friendly and has a ton of apps available to download, so you won't have to buy an external streaming box, but the interface feels laggy at times.
Sadly, this TV has terrible color accuracy, and even calibrating it doesn't fix it that much, as it has a red tint that looks distracting. Also, it has trouble properly upscaling lower-resolution 480p content, so it's not a good TV for watching DVDs. If you don't watch DVDs, it's a great choice for a TV under $1,000.
Apr 14, 2022: Restructured article to match user needs: moved the LG C1 to its own category as the 'Best OLED Gaming TV', renamed the Hisense U6G to 'Best 65 Inch TV', and moved the TCL 5 Series/S546 to its own category as 'Best 75 Inch TV'; moved the TCL 6 Series/R646 to Notable Mentions.
Feb 14, 2022: Replaced the Hisense U7G with the TCL 6 Series/R646 2021 because it's better overall; removed the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 as the 'Best Gaming' because there are other TVs that are better for gaming; added the TCL 5 Series/S546 2021 as an alternative to the Hisense U6G; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
Dec 16, 2021: Added the LG C1 OLED as a gaming alternative to the LG A1.
Nov 16, 2021: Added the LG A1 as the 'Best OLED' because it's now under $1,000, and renamed the Hisense U8G to 'Best LED'; removed the TCL 6 Series 2020 as 'Best Roku' because it's an older model; added the TCL 5 Series 2021 and the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 to Notable Mentions.
Oct 12, 2021: Validated our picks for accuracy and refreshed the text throughout. Added the TCL 6 Series/R646 2021 QLED to the Notable Mentions.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best TVs under $1,000 to buy for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper TV wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no TVs that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of reviews of TVs under $1,000. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no TV is perfect, most TVs are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.