The 5 Best Small TVs - Fall 2020
Reviews

The best 43 inch TV that we've tested is the Samsung QN43Q60TAFXZA. It offers decent performance for its price that should please most gamers. If you have space, this TV is also available in a 50 inch variant.

This is an entry-level model in Samsung's QLED lineup, so it has good overall picture quality but lacks extra features. It has an excellent contrast ratio and one of the best black uniformity we've seen on a LED TV, but it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further deepen any blacks. The out-of-the-box color accuracy is impressive, it can get very bright, and it has decent reflection handling. The input lag is low, but the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz with no VRR and its response time is mediocre.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have wide viewing angles, and even though it can display a wide color gamut for HDR, it doesn't get bright enough to truly bring out highlights in HDR. It doesn't have many extra features, but it's able to interpolate motion up to 60Hz and supports eARC, which allows you to send high-quality audio over HDMI. Overall, this is one of the best small TVs that we've tested.

The best 32 inch TV that we've tested is the Samsung QN32Q50RAFXZA. This is a decent model that offers similar performance to larger 55 inch TVs, and it's one of the first 4k 32 inch TVs available. It's a good choice for video games thanks to its outstanding low input lag and good response time, though unfortunately, it doesn't sport any advanced gaming features like FreeSync.

Overall, the picture quality is quite good thanks to its excellent contrast ratio and good, deep blacks, despite not having a local dimming feature. It supports HDR10 and HDR10+, and while its HDR peak brightness is disappointing, resulting in HDR content not popping quite as it should, its SDR peak brightness is decent, and it should be able to combat glare and reflections in moderately bright rooms. Thanks to its size and ability to properly display chroma 4:4:4, it's even a great choice to double as a computer monitor, great for tight spaces like a dorm room.

Unfortunately, like most TVs with a VA panel, the image degrades quite a bit when viewed at an angle, so it's best for setups where you'll be sitting directly in front. There are also some noticeable motion artifacts, which may bother fans of sports or action movies. Overall, this is a good all-around model that finally brings higher-end features to a smaller size TV.

The best small TV for gaming that we've tested is the Samsung UN43TU8000FXZA. It's a simple, budget-friendly TV with good picture quality that excels in dark rooms. Although it's limited on many gaming features and doesn't have variable refresh rate (VRR) support, it still offers good gaming performance.

It has an incredibly low input lag for gaming that stays low whether you're playing at a 1080p or 4k resolution, which is great. The response time is decent, but you may notice some motion blur trail behind fast-moving objects. There's a Black Frame Insertion feature, but sadly, it results in image duplication. It's great for dark room gaming because it has an outstanding native contrast ratio that displays deep blacks, and its black uniformity is remarkable. It upscales lower-resolution content without any issues, which is good if you have the PS4 or Xbox One.

Sadly, it's not a good choice for HDR gaming. It fails to display a wide color gamut, and it doesn't get bright enough in that mode to truly bring out highlights. It also has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel TV, and the image loses accuracy when viewing from the sides. Besides these minor problems, if you need one of the best small TVs around for gaming, you won't be disappointed with this one.

One of the best small TVs with smart features that we've tested is the LG 43UN7300PUF. Another simple TV that won't cost you much, it offers the same smart features found on higher-end LG models and comes with the Magic Remote that's not usually included with lower-end models, such as the LG UN7000. You can use it as a traditional remote with its buttons or as a point-and-press remote, like a computer mouse, and it has voice control.

It has LG's WebOS built-in, which is easy-to-use and runs smoothly for the most part, although you may notice some bugs here and there, but that's normal for any TV. You also get a ton of apps available to download, and you can cast content directly from your phone. We tested a model with an IPS panel, but it seems LG sells variants with a VA panel as well, and it's not clear which panel you're going to receive. However, the IPS panel provides fairly wide viewing angles, which is great for a wide seating arrangement. It upscales lower-resolution content well and displays proper chroma 4:4:4 if you want to use it as a PC monitor.

Unfortunately, the IPS panel on our unit has a low contrast ratio, so blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark. It doesn't display a wide color gamut and doesn't get very bright, so HDR content doesn't look all that different from SDR content. Fortunately, it has excellent reflection handling if you want to use it in a well-lit environment. All things considered, this is the best small TV we've tested if you want good smart features.