I review TVs for a living and these 3 budget displays make great gifts

Thinking of going big this Christmas and Holiday season by gifting a TV to someone this year, but want to keep your spending under control? Look no further, as we’ve compiled the best deals for TVs under $500 / £500 to suit every category below.

You’re not going to get the very best of the TV market here, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get a good TV. In fact, one of the best TVs you can get in 2023 is selling for under this price at the moment. But be warned: you’re not going to get the biggest TV at this price point, most of the sets here are under 55-inch but they will still give you plenty of bang for your buck.

Not seeing anything here? You might also want to check out our guides to the best Christmas sales in the US and Boxing Day sales in the UK, for even more great holiday and Christmas gift ideas.

Best TVs for under $500 in the US

Best Overall

Hisense 55-inch U6K

Best for most people

The Hisense U6K is packed with high-end features but sells for a low price. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats, has a mini-LED panel for brighter pictures and is loaded with gaming features including VRR,ALLM and a Game Mode. It doesn’t support 120Hz, but for a 55-inch set for under $500, there aren’t many more well-equipped TVs for the price, which makes it an ideal gift for any movie lover.

Best for gaming

TCL 55-inch Q7

Best for gaming

If you want a good sized, budget gaming TV that’s is filled with fantastic gaming features, the TCL Q7 is for you. It supports 120Hz, ALLM and AMD Freesync Premium, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats. It also has a Game accelerator VRR for smoother gameplay. It’s the perfect TV to gift to the gamer in your life.

Best for sports

TCL 65-inch Q6

Best for sports

Sporting events look best on a big screen and thanks to some incredible deals, you can get the TCL Q6 for under $500 in a 65-inch (!) size. It’s got a bright QLED display, a motion rate feature for fast-moving sports and also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR formats. This is the ideal gift for sports fans this holiday season.

Best TVs for under £500 in the UK

Best overall

Amazon 50-inch Fire TV Omni QLED

Best TV for most people

The Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is by far the best TV under £500. It has a QLED display for a brighter picture, vivid colors and an intuitive smart TV platform. It also has good gaming performance and even supports Dolby Vision. All of this is available in the 50-inch model for under £500. It was even named best value TV at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2023.

Best for gaming

TCL 55-inch C645

Best TV for gaming

For under £500, this TCL C645 comes stacked with gaming features. It supports 120Hz refresh rate, ALLM and AMD Freesync and Dolby Vision gaming, all in a nice 55-inch size. It’s also got a QLED display to brighten the picture and supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual: X for your movies as well

Best for sports

Hisense 55-inch E7K

Best for sports

The Hisense E7K has a QLED display for watching sports during the day and although it has a 60Hz panel, it has a smooth motion feature for those fast-moving scenes. You can also get the 55-inch for under £500, meaning you can watch the game on a good sized screen without breaking the bank.