CNET: Best cheap televisions

There are plenty of options for anyone looking for a quality TV that isn’t super expensive.

Entry-level TVs aren’t super fancy, but they can bring a surprisingly clear and balanced picture at a more palatable price. See the complete list at CNET.com.

CNET TAKE: For picture quality alone, the Vizio V-Series clearly emerged as the leader of the pack. The Vizio offered the most balanced and accurate picture during our side-by-side comparisons, and it comes with some useful extras such as Dolby Vision support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth compatibility and variable refresh rate for potentially smoother gaming. The biggest downside is its smart TV platform, Vizio SmartCast. It’s crowded, slow and littered with ads for platforms such as Tubi and Kidoodle TV.

Ultimately, the Vizio V-Series offers the best picture, along with some high-quality extras at an extremely affordable price. It’s the best overall entry-level TV that we tested. ($550)

CNET TAKE: The picture quality of the TCL 4-Series Roku TV was only a slight step behind the Vizio. The black levels and picture accuracy of the TCL might not be quite as deep and rich as the Vizio, but are still quite good. The 4-Series lacks the Dolby Vision, Bluetooth connectivity and AMD FreeSync with a variable refresh rate, all of which the Vizio offers. However, it does come with the excellent Roku Smart TV system built in. ($367)

CNET.com