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, there are some good 65 inch models available as well. There are a few companies aimed at making budget-friendly options, like TCL or Hisense, so getting one of their TVs is usually a safe bet. OLED TVs are generally more than $1,000, so if you have this budget, you'll likely have to get an LED model.
We've tested more than 80 TVs in the last two years, and below are our recommendations for the best TVs under $1,000 to purchase. Check our recommendations for the best TVs, the best cheap TVs, and the best TVs under $1,500 for more options.
The Hisense 55H9G is the best TV under $1,000 that we've tested. It's available in both 55 and 65 inch models, and you can find either size under this price tag. It delivers impressive overall performance that rivals more expensive models. It's a bit limited on extra gaming features, but if you just need it to watch your favorite shows or movies, you should really appreciate it.
It performs equally as well in bright rooms as in dark rooms. It gets bright enough to fight intense glare and has excellent reflection handling. Its VA panel has an outstanding contrast ratio and incredible black uniformity, and the great full-array local dimming feature helps further deepen any blacks. HDR content looks amazing because of its wide color gamut, great gradient handling, and high HDR peak brightness. It doesn't have any variable refresh rate (VRR) or HDMI 2.1 support for gaming, but it still has an excellent response time and low input lag.
Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel, so it's not suggested for a wide seating arrangement. Despite having a 120Hz panel, it doesn't accept any 120Hz signal, so you're limited to 60Hz content. The built-in Android TV has an excellent selection of apps available to download, but it may not feel user-friendly at times. Besides these small issues, this is the best 65 inch TV under $1,000 that you can buy.
If your living room setup requires that you watch from an angle, check out the LG 55NANO90UNA. While it doesn't have the high contrast ratio that the Hisense H9G does, it has wider viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel, meaning the image stays more accurate from the sides. Unfortunately, you won't get the same deep and uniform blacks that you get with the Hisense, but the LG also comes with some extras that the Hisense lacks, including VRR support and two HDMI 2.1 ports. For these reasons and its low input lag, it's a great choice for use as a PC monitor.
If you want a TV under $1,000 that delivers top-notch picture quality with deep blacks and bright highlights, get the Hisense, but if you want something with wider viewing angles, consider the LG.
The Vizio M65Q7-H1 is the best TV under $1,000 that we've tested for gaming. It's a solid all-around TV that should satisfy most people. At a budget-friendly price, you also get a ton of extra gaming features that you'd expect to find on much more expensive models. Vizio's SmartCast interface tends to be a bit slow and buggy compared to other platforms, but it's fine if you just want to launch an app and watch TV, and it shouldn't be a big issue if you're primarily using it for gaming.
On that front, it has a good response time, and while there's a bit of smearing and blur, it should be good enough for casual gaming. It also has an incredibly low input lag and includes an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). It supports FreeSync variable refresh rate as well, although its VRR range is quite limited, and the TV maxes out at a 60Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, it also lacks HDMI 2.1 ports for the latest consoles.
While it has a high contrast ratio to deliver deep blacks, it also has narrow viewing angles that cause the image to lose accuracy from the sides. On the upside, it gets decently bright and diffuses reflections well, so glare shouldn't be an issue in moderate lighting conditions. Despite having a wide color gamut for HDR, it sadly doesn't get nearly bright enough to make HDR content stand out the way it should. Still, this is among the best 65 inch TVs under $1,000 when it comes to gaming.
The best TV under $1,000 with Roku TV is the TCL 6 Series/R635 2020 QLED. It's the flagship TV in TCL's 2020 lineup, and both the 55 inch and 65 inch are available in this price range. The Roku smart interface is very smooth and easy-to-use, with a ton of apps to choose from. It feels well-built and has a sleek design that should satisfy most people.
It has a VA panel with a remarkable contrast ratio, producing deep blacks that look as they should in the dark, which is ideal for watching movies. It also performs well in bright environments, thanks to its excellent peak brightness. Its brightness is also impressive for HDR content, so highlights pop just as creators intended, and it can display vivid, saturated colors thanks to its wide color gamut and QLED technology. Gamers should also be pleased with its fast response time and low input lag. It also supports FreeSync VRR to reduce screen tearing.
Like most VA panels, it has poor viewing angles, making the image look washed out when viewed from the side. That means it's not ideal for watching TV or sports with a large group. Also, its local dimming is mediocre, causing visible blooming around bright objects and crushing highlights in dark scenes. That said, this is still a very good option overall and the best Roku TV that we've tested for under $1,000.
The Hisense 65H8G is the best 65 inch TV under $1,000 that delivers the most value for its size. It comes in 50, 55, 65, and 75 inch sizes, and you can get the 65 inch for well under $1,000. For the price, it offers solid performance and a clean, simple design, but without too many advanced features.
It performs well in dark rooms thanks to its high contrast ratio, which is capable of producing deep inky blacks. It also has great peak brightness and decent reflection handling, so it's well-suited to bright environments as well. While it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, the TV has a good response time, resulting in clear images with minimal motion blur. It also has a Black Frame Insertion feature to further reduce blur. On top of that, it has an incredibly low input lag, but it doesn't support VRR to reduce screen tearing.
Unfortunately, it has really narrow viewing angles that cause the image to lose accuracy when viewed at an angle, so it's not the best for wide seating arrangements. It also has only okay color accuracy out-of-the-box, although this can vary between units. That means you may have to calibrate it to get the most out of it. On the upside, it has a wide color gamut and gets reasonably bright in HDR. All things considered, for the size and price, this is a good all-around TV that should suit most people.
Apr 08, 2021: Checked that picks were still accurate; no changes to recommendations.
Mar 08, 2021: Verified picks and updated text for accuracy.
Feb 18, 2021: Reviewed article for accuracy; no changes to picks.
Jan 20, 2021: Checked picks for accuracy and updated text for clarity.
Dec 21, 2020: Added Notable Mentions to reflect the current market.
Nov 30, 2020: Replaced LG SM9000 with LG NANO90, replaced TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 with TCL 6 Series/R635 2020.
Oct 30, 2020: Replaced Samsung UN65RU8000 with Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020.
Sep 01, 2020: Replaced Hisense H8G with Hisense H9G, replaced Vizio M658-G1 with Hisense H8G.
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.