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

The best 4k TV under $500 that we've tested is the Hisense 55H8G. It performs surprisingly well considering its low price point and 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.

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. Fans of sports and games will also appreciate the good response time and incredibly 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. Also, while it's good for HDR content due in part to its wide color gamut, it can't get nearly as bright with HDR content as some more expensive options, so HDR images won't pop the way they should. That said, this is an impressive option for its price and is the best TV under $500 that we've tested.

The best TV under $500 for gaming we've tested is the Vizio M55Q7-H1, also known as the M7 Series Quantum 2020. It's an overall good model that performs well for most content. It's well-suited for gaming in the dark, as it has a VA panel that can produce deep blacks. It has good reflection handling but doesn't get very bright, which means that visibility can be an issue in well-lit environments. Unfortunately, its narrow viewing angles make images look washed out from the side, so it isn't the best option for wide seating arrangements.

It has a low input lag to make gaming feel incredibly responsive and a good response time to deliver clear images in fast-moving scenes. Also, it has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature to further reduce motion blur. The refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, but it should be good enough for most casual gamers. It supports FreeSync variable refresh rate, delivering a nearly tear-free gaming experience. It also has an 'Auto Low Latency Mode', which enables 'Game' mode when a game is launched from a compatible device, saving you the hassle of having to do it manually.

If you game in HDR, it has an outstanding color gamut to produce a wide range of colors, but it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop. Also, its full-array local dimming feature is mediocre and can be distracting in dark scenes as it raises black level considerably, making blacks look slightly grayish. On the upside, its VA panel is immune to permanent burn-in, so you don't have to worry about playing the same game for long periods. Overall, this is a feature-rich TV that should please most people.

The LG NANO81 is the best TV under $500 with wide viewing angles we've tested. It's an overall decent model that uses an IPS panel, so you get an accurate image when viewed from the side, great for large rooms and wide seating arrangements. It has an outstanding design with thin borders on all sides and should fit easily into most settings. It's better suited for a moderately-lit room, as it doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare, and its low contrast ratio makes blacks look grayish in the dark.

The response time is decent, which results in just a short blur trail behind fast-moving objects, but there's no Black Frame Insertion feature to improve clarity. Fortunately, its somewhat slower response time means there's almost no stutter in lower frame rate content like movies. Also, it can remove judder from 24p sources and native apps. It has incredibly low input lag for gaming, but sadly, it doesn't support any variable refresh rate technology.

While it has excellent coverage of the DCI P3 color gamut for HDR content, it simply doesn't get bright enough to make highlights stand out the way they should. On the bright side, LG's WebOS platform is excellent, as it has an interface that's easy to navigate, and there are plenty of apps available for download. The remote has a microphone built-in, allowing you to use voice control to search for content. Overall, it should please most people, and it's the best TV under $500 with wide viewing angles we've tested.