The best affordable TVs

Best Buy

TCL's 55-inch 5 Series 4K Roku TV balances image performance, smart connectivity, screen size, and cost better than any other display in this price range.

If you're looking for a 55-inch 4K TV at an affordable price, then the TCL 5 Series is your best option overall. With solid picture quality, a screen size suitable for most rooms, and integrated support for Roku's simple and convenient smart TV system, this display hits the right sweet spot between features and cost.  

The 5 Series uses a 4K resolution panel with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. That latter feature is missing from a lot of other TVs in this class, and it can provide better contrast when watching Dolby Vision titles on 4K Blu-ray discs and streaming services like Netflix.

Another premium picture quality feature that the 5 Series offers but many other budget TVs lack, is expanded color support. This enables the TV to produce more realistic colors when watching HDR videos. You won't get quite as wide a color gamut as you would on a TV with quantum-dot technology, like the Vizio M-Series Quantum, but the 5 Series still offers a nice upgrade over a standard 4K TV.

Powered by Roku's easy-to-use interface, the 5 Series also offers access to a fantastic assortment of streaming apps, including popular services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Now. The Roku platform is fairly snappy and responsive as well, so you shouldn't run into any annoying lag when navigating menus. The 5 Series does not include a voice remote like some more expensive TVs, but the standard Roku remote gets the job done for basic controls.

Finally, when it comes to connectivity, you'll get four HDMI 2.0 inputs, along with a USB port, optical audio out, analog audio out, composite in, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi support — making it easy to connect media players, soundbars, and other devices.

Simply put, the 5 Series has everything that a modern 55-inch 4K TV in this price range should have — and then some. 

Pros: 4K HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, Roku smart TV system, great price

Cons: Doesn't include a voice remote, doesn't use quantum dots

Buy on Amazon for $329.99 Buy on Best Buy for $349.99