The 4 Best 48-49-50 Inch TVs - Fall 2024

The best TV we've tested with a 48-inch screen size is the LG OLED48C4PUA. OLEDs like this one aren't available in 50-inch sizes, and instead, you have to get something a bit smaller. It's an excellent TV with stunning picture quality, especially if you use it in a dark room. HDR content looks incredible thanks to its wide color gamut and nearly infinite contrast ratio, resulting in deep blacks and bright highlights, with no distracting blooming around bright areas of the screen. Its wide viewing angle makes it a good choice for a wide seating area, as the image remains consistent from the sides.

It's great for watching movies on streaming and physical media, as it supports Dolby Vision HDR and advanced DTS audio formats. Plus, its image processing is very good overall. It's also fantastic for gaming as it supports VRR and 4k @ 144Hz on all four HDMI inputs, so you can take full advantage of PS5, the Xbox Series X|S, or a PC with a recent graphics card. Its response time is extremely fast with almost no blur from even super fast-moving objects on the screen, and its input lag is among the lowest of any TV currently on the market.

If you want the best 50-inch TV and don't want anything smaller, consider the Samsung QN50QN90DAFXZA. It displays a wide range of colors, making colors look vibrant and lifelike. Unlike the LG C4 OLED, the Samsung TV uses Mini LED backlighting, so it doesn't display the same perfect blacks and isn't quite as good in a dark room, but it still looks fantastic thanks to its effective local dimming feature. It gets much brighter overall than the C4, which is ideal if you want to use it in a bright room with glare, especially as its reflection handling is outstanding.

It's great for watching movies due to its bright and colorful panel, although it doesn't support Dolby Vision or passthrough any DTS audio formats like the C4 does. The TV has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not great for use in a group setting or if you plan to use the TV as a PC monitor. Fortunately, it has 4k @ 144Hz support on all four HDMI 2.1 bandwidth ports, supports VRR, and has low input lag and a fast response time; it's a great option for gaming on modern consoles or gaming PCs.

If you really want the LG C4 OLED but find it's too expensive, consider stepping down to the best 48-inch TV for those with a strict budget, the LG OLED48B4PUA. The B4 isn't as bright in HDR as the C4 is, but it's still bright enough for an impactful HDR experience, especially considering that it has the same perfect contrast ratio for inky blacks as its older sibling. On top of that, the TV has the same wide color gamut as the C4, so it displays vibrant and lifelike colors that are sure to impress. It also has a wide viewing angle, making it a great choice for a wide seating arrangement.

You also get Dolby Vision HDR and DTS audio support, which is great for high-quality streams and movies on 4k Blu-ray. When it comes to gaming, you get the same features as the C4 like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four ports, VRR, low input lag, and a nearly instantaneous response time. The TV doesn't support 144Hz like the more expensive model does, but you still get up to 4k @ 120Hz, so it's fully compatible with the Xbox Series X|S and the PS5.

If you want a basic TV with otherwise good image quality, consider the Hisense A7N, the best 50-inch smart TV in the budget category. It has fewer gaming features than the other TVs on this list, as it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it still supports VRR. It also has a great response time and very low input lag, so it's a good gaming TV if you don't care about 4k @ 120Hz. It even supports Dolby Vision and DTS audio passthrough, which is great for a TV this cheap.

It's not the brightest in HDR, but it's decent for watching movies in a dark room due to its ability to display a wide range of colors and its not bad contrast. Plus, the TV has very good peak brightness in SDR, resulting in a pleasant viewing experience in a room with the lights on. Unfortunately, its viewing angle is very narrow, so you do need to sit directly in front for the best possible image.