While you won’t be able to find an OLED TV for less than $1,000, you can still get great picture quality by choosing a model that offers either Dolby Vision or HDR10 support and a good refresh rate for smoother action. If sound quality is your priority, you can find affordable options that support Dolby Digital Plus audio processing or Bluetooth connectivity for setting up wireless soundbars and speakers to create a custom home theater.  I’ve rounded up a small list of the best budget TVs available and broken down their features to help you find the best fit for your home and finances.
Also: Best TV: Budget-friendly to big-screen opulence If you’re in the market for a new TV but don’t want to break the bank, the Samsung Q60B is budget-friendly while still providing plenty of cool features. The QLED screen uses dual LED panels to create warm and cool colors simultaneously for a wider range of colors and more lifelike images.  The integrated speakers give you excellent audio, but you can connect a Samsung soundbar and use the Q-Symphony feature; this allows sound to play through both the TV’s speakers and the soundbar for richer, room-filling audio without cranking up the volume. You can use Alexa, Hey Google, or Bixby for hands-free voice controls and even remotely connect the TV to your PC so you can stream games or work from the comfort of your couch. And if you want to make your home theater a little more eco-friendly, the remote for the Q60B has an integrated battery and mini solar panel for recharging. The TV can connect to Echo speakers for whole-home sound, and the integrated microphone allows you to make 2-way calls to keep in touch with family and friends. If you have iOS mobile devices, you can share your screen on the TV with AirPlay for more ways to show photos, videos, and stream music. Console gamers looking to save a bit of cash on a new TV for their gaming space should definitely consider the 55-inch LG Nano75. This TV has a dedicated game optimizer mode and dashboard that lets you monitor things like frame rate, latency, and contrast so you can fix issues before they can ruin your gaming session. It also supports cloud gaming via Nvidia GeForce Now so you can play your favorite PC games from the comfort of your couch.  You can also create a custom audio setup by connecting soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers to the TV via Bluetooth. Or you can enjoy virtual 5.1CH surround sound via the AI-enhanced, built-in speakers. And with three HDMI inputs, you can connect multiple consoles at once and switch between them on-the-fly. Small-screen TVs like the Hisense A4 are great for apartments and dorm rooms since they can be placed on a shelf or table without taking up a ton of space. This 40-inch TV uses an LED panel to produce great 1080p resolution while the 60Hz refresh rate gives you smoother playback. It even has a refresh rate booster feature that all but eliminates motion blur for sports broadcasts and console gaming.  Plus, you can connect wireless speakers and soundbars via Bluetooth for a cleaner and more organized setup, and Wi-Fi connectivity lets you download your favorite streaming apps to stay up-to-date with the latest blockbuster movies and binge-worthy shows. While around $1,000 isn’t usually considered “budget friendly,” it is when it comes to big-screen TVs. And the Sony X80K is a great 75-inch TV that’s a bit easier on your wallet. It features an updated LED panel that works with Dolby Vision for better color, contrast, and detailing as well as Sony’s Triluminos Pro technology for a brighter picture.  It uses the Google TV platform to give you access to all of your favorite streaming apps as well as voice controls with Hey Google. It’s even compatible with Bravia Cam webcams so you can make video calls from the comfort of your couch.  If you’re an audiophile, you’ll appreciate the X80K’s Dolby Atmos feature which produces rich, room-filling sound without the need for extra speakers.  But if you’re considering other options, here is a comparison chart of each TV:  But since all televisions serve the same basic functions and budget-friendly models either have very few of these unique features or none at all, it’s best to just go with what you can afford and what works with your existing setup. Eventually, an older smart TV won’t be able to support new versions of apps or operating system firmware, forcing you to upgrade whether you want to or not. But the good news is: you know it’s going to happen at some point, so you can prepare well in advance by window shopping, making a list of must-have and nice-to-have features, and socking away a tiny bit of savings to buy a new TV when your current one eventually either gives up the ghost or needs to be relegated to the basement playroom as a DVD-only screen for your kids. Or, if you live in a bigger city and the TV is too old to sell, you could take it to an electronics recycling center which will strip it down for copper, what little gold is in the circuit boards, glass, and plastic to keep non-biodegradable waste out of landfills and repurpose precious and semi-precious metals for more eco-friendly electronics in the future.