The 5 Best 4k TVs Under $500 - Spring 2021 Reviews

The best 4k TV under 500 dollars that we've tested is the Hisense 55H8G. It performs surprisingly well considering its low price point, and it has fairly thin bezels that help it look more premium than its price would suggest. It uses the Android TV smart interface, which gives you access to a very large selection of apps and allows for a ton of customization, but it may not be the easiest to use at times.

It has an excellent native contrast ratio that's further enhanced by its full-array local dimming feature, something that's impressive to see included in this price range. This makes it a great choice for watching movies in a dark room, and its high peak brightness means that you shouldn't get too much glare, even if you watch a lot of daytime TV in a bright room. Both casual and serious gamers should enjoy its quick response time that results in minimal motion blur and low input lag.

Unfortunately, like with most models with a VA panel, its viewing angles are quite poor, so it's not the best choice if you watch with a large group of people in a wide seating arrangement. Also, while it's good for HDR content due to its wide color gamut, it can't get nearly as bright with HDR content as some more expensive options, so HDR images don't pop how they should. That said, this is a very good option for its price and is the best TV under $500 that we've tested.

If you do a lot of gaming, then the best TV under $500 is the Vizio M55Q7-H1. It's a good overall TV from Vizio's 2020 lineup and offers very solid performance in its price range. It even includes advanced gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Vizio's SmartCast interface can be slow and buggy, but it's one of the few smart platforms that's ad-free. While we tested the 65 inch model, we expect the 55 inch to perform the same.

While it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, it should be fine for console gamers and casual PC gamers. It also has a good response time with minimal motion blur in fast-moving content and an exceptionally low input lag, making for a responsive gaming experience. If you prefer to game in the dark, it has an excellent contrast ratio that delivers deep, inky blacks. On the other hand, it only has decent brightness, so you may have some issues with glare in very well-lit rooms, despite its good reflection handling.

Unfortunately, even though it's advertised as having HDMI 2.1 ports, they only have the bandwidth capacity of HDMI 2.0. It's also not the best option for HDR gaming since its HDR brightness in 'Game' mode is sub-par, so highlights simply won't pop as they should. Finally, while it has full-array local dimming, its performance is mediocre, actually lowering the TV's contrast ratio. Still, for a budget TV, this is among the best TVs under $500 for gaming, and most people should be satisfied with it.

The LG 55UN7000PUB is the best TV under 500 dollars with wide viewing angles that we've tested. The 55 inch model we tested has an IPS panel so that the image remains accurate when viewing from the side. You can also get the 50 and 60 inch models for under $500, but they have different panel types, so we don't know how they perform.

This is an entry-level TV that's pretty basic and performs best for watching TV shows or sports. Even though it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare, it still has great reflection handling, so it still performs well in a room with a couple of lights. It doesn't have any issues upscaling lower-resolution content, but it can't display a perfect 4k image because of its RGBW sub-pixel structure. So this means it's better for watching cable TV or DVD than the latest 4k movies, but that's somewhat expected for a low-cost TV. The built-in webOS is easy to use and has a ton of apps available to download.

Sadly, with its IPS panel, it's not the best for watching movies in dark rooms. It has a low contrast ratio and lacks any local dimming, so blacks look gray when viewed in the dark. Even though it supports HDR10, it's not good for watching HDR content because it can't display a wide color gamut and has low HDR brightness. Regardless of these issues, if you're looking for a low-cost TV for under $500 with wide viewing angles, you should be happy with this one.