3 Cheap TVs That Look Expensive – BGR

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Thanks to advancements in TV technology over the last few years, you don’t necessarily need to spend top bucks to get a good TV. Many cheap TVs on Amazon come with advanced features, like quantum dot technology for purer colors, Mini-LED backlighting for higher peak brightness and better backlight control, Dolby Vision for dynamic HDR support, and local dimming for deeper blacks — resulting in excellent image quality and an overall solid TV experience. Affordable televisions have also levelled up in terms of aesthetics and design, and don’t just look like big black boxes.

They have slim bezels, thin profiles, and sleek looks, which help them avoid looking like an eyesore in your living room — especially when mounted on a wall. So, if you are shopping for a TV on a low budget, you don’t have to sacrifice on appearance or features. Here are some of the best budget TV models that not only look expensive but also have a solid feature set.

Part of TCL’s 2025 lineup, the TCL QM6K is an impressive budget 4K Mini-LED television that punches above its weight class not just in terms of features but also design. Even though it’s primarily made of plastic, it looks great thanks to its slim design, decent build quality, and thin bezels. Its two feet give the TV enough clearance to fit most soundbars, and the cleverly placed ports are easily accessible even when you hang it on a wall. The 55-inch model of the QM6K is your best bet if you’re shopping on a tight budget, as despite its $599 list price, it’s often sold for $500 or less, with $447 being the lowest recorded price during deals on Amazon.

There is also much to like in terms of features, as the company has incorporated full-array local dimming and Mini-LED backlighting to deliver inky blacks, along with a quantum dot panel for punchy colors. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. Moreover, the TV uses the Google TV operating system to give you access to a large app selection, including all popular streaming services. It’ll also get Google Gemini support soon as Google rolls out the AI assistant to smart TV models. Finally, this TCL TV has plenty of features to keep gamers happy, including a native refresh rate of 144Hz, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support.

Panasonic isn’t as popular as some other manufacturers in the US, but it has a decent selection of televisions in its portfolio — including the Panasonic W95A. This is an excellent option for TV shoppers with tight purse strings. It’s a 4K Mini-LED TV that comes with features such as Dolby Vision HDR, Atmos surround sound, ATSC 3.0 tuner, and local dimming. ATSC 3.0 support is particularly useful, as it allows you to watch high-definition TV broadcasts in select markets. Amazon’s Fire TV handles the smart TV duties, providing access to popular streaming services, the Alexa voice assistant, Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service, and a bunch of helpful apps.

The TV also looks premium and has aluminum feet, slim bezels, solid build quality, and a relatively thin design. Additionally, the company has included four HDMI ports, including two HDMI 2.1 ports to connect AV devices, and two USB ports for external storage media and other USB gadgets. Although the Panasonic TV features a 144Hz panel and VRR support for high refresh rate gaming, the TV weirdly doesn’t enable local dimming in Game Mode, which impacts the picture quality. While the 55-inch model of the TV was launched for $1,300 in 2024, it has been available for around $500 on Amazon since mid-May of this year, making it an excellent deal.

Hisense is well-known for producing excellent budget televisions, and the Hisense U65QF 4K TV is no exception. It’s a solid budget TV that has a modern design with bezels that measure less than a centimeter — while also retaining a relatively slim profile. It also comes with a number of advanced TV features, such as mini-LED backlighting, local dimming, quantum dot technology, and HDMI 2.1 ports. The TV also has a native refresh rate of 144Hz and VRR support, making it an excellent option for gamers who want to enjoy high-refresh-rate gaming.

Plus, there is support for dynamic HDR formats, such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+, along with surround sound formats like Atmos and DTS:X. It runs on Amazon’s Fire TV operating system, like the Panasonic W95A, and has all the usual smarts, including apps for streaming services, the ability to control compatible smart home products, and a capable voice assistant. The 55-inch model of the U65QF carries a list price of $800, but is frequently discounted to $500 or less on Amazon.