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Thebest TVs might get all the headlines, but they are crazy expensive. Not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend on a TV, but if you can stretch your budget to $1,000, you can get alot of TV for the money in 2025.

These are some of the best bang-for-buck TVs we’ve ever seen, and some even feature on our list of thebest QLED TVs this year. There’s even an OLED that manages to sneak on with some creative budget adjustments. Don’t judge us. We couldn’t exclude OLED entirely, it’s just so good.

Whether you’re looking to save a buck on your new TV purchase, or you just blatantly refuse to pay more than $1,000 for a new living room set (we don’t blame you), we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing and reviewing all the latest TVs to find you the best models possible. These are the best TVs under $1,000 you can buy in 2025.

TCL QM8

Best runner-up TV under $1,000

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Hisense U8N ULED

It brings us great joy to be able to call Hisense’s 2024 flagship our best overall pick for a TV that costs less than a grand. We had the opportunity totake the U8N Series for a spin when it first came out and we were totally blown away by the new heights Hisense has summited. Our editor-at-large at the time, Caleb Denison, was taken aback by the exceptional brightness levels the U8N was able to achieve in our hands-on review, to the point that he felt it wise to proclaim that the illumination is actually a littletoo intense when viewing HDR content. 

Thanks to its improved chipset, the U8N Series is able to deliver better overall brightness on top of vibrant colors and impressive contrast levels that rival the performance of somethe best OLED TVs. And thanks to its top-notch reflection handling, the U8N can hang out in just about any brightly lit room. There’s a bit of trouble with the TV’s off-angle viewing, which is an unfortunate malady of some LED LCDs. That being said, it’s best to watch this set as centered with the screen as possible.

The U8N supports leading HDR formats likeDolby Vision, and thanks to HDMI 2.1 connectivity, game consoles and PCs run at lightning-fast speed when hooked up to Hisense’s flagship. Expect minimal input lag, quick response times, and 4K/144Hz for max resolution/refresh rate performance. The U8N also uses theGoogle TV OS for smart TV content and other UI elements and has a 50W 2.1.2 speaker configuration that sounds a lot better than most TV speakers.

Although we’d love to recommend the even brighter and more capable 2025 version, that one is so much more expensive that it makes the U8N even better value.

Hisense U65QF

Hisense pulled out all the stops to make this TV both impressively capable for its price tag and very affordable at the same time. Despite recent sales putting the 55-inch version of this TV not far north of $500 (and the 65-inch version well within out $1,000 budget), you still get a mini-LED TV with hundreds of local dimming zones, a high brightness of over 1,000 nits, and fantastic HDR support. Where Samsung, LG, and Sony TVs limit themselves to one dynamic HDR standard, the U65QF enjoys both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

You get HDMI 2.1 ports on this TV, too, a rarity on older more-budget-concious TVs, and it has a high refresh rate, so you can enjoy PC games at up to 144Hz, and 4K 120Hz gaming on the latest consoles. It has a fast response time and input lag, too, though it falls well behind OLED in that regard.

The one let down for this TV is its use of Amazon’s Fire operating system which is our least favorite of the options out there. Fortunately you can justplug in a streaming stick and use that instead.

Available in sizes up to 100-inches, this TV is big and bold enough for just about anyone. Indeed if you want a super big TV, this one is very affordable there, with the 85-inch version only hitting $1,500. OK, that’s well outside our budget, but if you want a massive TV, this could be your best pick.

TCL QM8

The TCL QM8 is a TV that could easily take the top spot in this roundup. It has many of the same strengths as our favorite, the Hisense U8N: sky-high brightness, great HDR support, and array of local dimming zones. This is one of the best TVs for watching HDR movies, period. Blooming is almost non-existent, and its blend of high brightness and strong contrast give this TV a real OLED-feel to it, even though it’s still using an LCD panel.

“If you watch a lot of content like this where there’s bright, colorful stuff on dark backgrounds, you’ll swear this TV is practically as good as OLED,” notedour own Caleb Denison in his review. He also praised its smooth integration of Google TV, with its snappy and responsive interface, and just how good it looks in general. When a TV reviewer says they’ll use a model as their daily driver, it’s worth taking notice.

For what you get, the price on this TV is supremely affordable, and it comes in under our $1,000 budget even at 65 inches. You can save a bit more with 55, but the 75-inch model isn’t much more than the 65, so if you want a really big TV, this may be the best one to get.

TCL QM7 Series (2024)

TCL is one of our favoritebudget-friendly TV brands because the company puts just as much focus on picture and performance as it does value. Released in 2024, the TCL QM7 Series sits one rung below thetop TCL TV of the year, the QM8. And while both models are often on sale, you’ll likely have an easier time finding the QM7 for under $1,000 for larger screen options.

Capable of dishing out up to 2,400 nits at peak brightness, the QM7 also delivers a wide color gamut and terrific black levels, thanks to TCL’s AIPQ Pro processor and up to 1,500 dimming zones for specific sizes. The QM7 gets top marks for HDR support, as it is compatible with everything from Dolby Vision to HDR10+ and even comes with an IMAX Enhanced Certification. Considering how bright this QLED gets, it also does a fantastic job at performing in a brightly lit room. 

Gamers will love the QM7 for its VRR (variable refresh rate) support, HDMI 2.1 certification, 4K/144Hz performance, and the built-in Game Mode that optimizes picture settings for consoles and PCs. As for smart TV features, the TCL QM7 usesGoogle TV for all streaming functions, smart controls, and UI navigation. This version of the OS is zippier than ever and can be controlled via Google Assistant, Alexa, and even Apple HomeKit. 

The newer 2025 version is still too expensive to make this list, but watch this space for when the price drops happen.

Hisense U7N ULED

Our resident TV reviewer Caleb Denison tested the Hisense U7N, and he walked away from the experience a pleased viewer. 

Illuminated by mini-LEDs and enhanced byquantum dots, the U7N manages to put out some chart-topping brightness. With brightness scoring in the 2,000-nit range for HDR highlights, the U7N should have no issues looking great in a brightly lit room. Well, save for the fact it doesn’t have the greatest off-angle viewing. Unfortunately, this is the kind of LED-LCD malady we run into when spending less than $1,000.

Hisense’s Hi-View Engine PRO chipset brings the kind of picture processing to the table that other manufacturers should be taking notes from. From one frame to the next, the U7N keeps things sharp, colorful, and motion-optimized. Thanks to HDMI 2.1, VRR support, and 4K/144Hz, the U7N is an excellent TV for watching fast-action movies and playing video games. There’s even a PC/Game Mode for maximizing response times and reducing input lag for consoles and gaming PCs. 

Hisense U7N size options include 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch models, and the Google TV OS handles all streaming features and smart TV controls. We’d also like to mention that the 40-watt speaker system isn’t too shabby. While most folks will prefer a soundbar or surround sound configuration, the 2.1-channel audio of the U7N really does hold its own, especially in small to medium-sized viewing spaces.

LG B4

Somehow we’ve reached the stage where you can get a killer 55-inch OLED TV for under $1,000, and we are here for it. The LG B4 might not quite measure up to newer options like the C5 and and G5, but my goodness does it bring a lot to the table. You still get the stellar LG OLED panel, with its infinite contrast and incredible colors. It’s also about as fast as it gets for gaming, with a 120Hz refresh rate and near instantaneous response time.

There’s a full suite of four HDMI 2.1 ports, giving you full support for 4K 120Hz gaming on PC or consoles, and its HDR support is stellar, with Dolby Vision and FIlmmaker Mode letting you see films just as they were designed. There’s no HDR10+ as with all LG TVs, but HDR10 is always there as a backup option.

The only real complaint we’ve seen with this TV is a slight degradation of the image at extreme angles, which is typically more common on Mini-LED TVs. If you can put up with that, though, this is as good as it gets under $1,000.

Note: In 2025 you might need to spend around $1,100 to get this TV and the replacement B5 is much more expensive. It’s worth it if you’re looking for a darkroom TV around 55-inches, but take that into consideration when buying.

Samsung Q60D QLED

We get it: Sometimes, you just want to stick with a big, noteworthy brand when it comes to big-ticket tech items like TVs. This is why we’ve decided to include the Samsung Q60D on our list. 

At this point, the company has built up significant fanfare in the TV marketplace, and for a couple of reasons. Samsung TVs, including the Q60D, are known for their brightness, making them a great fit for various room lighting conditions. The Q60D, in particular, excels in brightly lit rooms, making it a versatile choice that accommodates different viewing environments. 

Unfortunately, the Q60D doesn’t have local dimming, though, so it’s not uncommon for black levels to fade in brighter scenes during movies, shows, and video games. The Q60D is capped at 60Hz for its native refresh rate as well, which means it can display up to 60 frames per second. While this may not be the best choice for a die-hard gamer or sports fanatic who may prefer a higher refresh rate for smoother motion, the Q60D does manage to deliver low input lag and includes a built-in Game Mode. 

With the Q60D, you’re not limited to a single size. In fact, you’ll have numerous size options to choose from, ranging from a compact 32 inches to a whopping 85 inches. This variety allows you to select the size that best fits your viewing space and preferences. 

TCL QM6K

The TCL QM6K is thefirst 2025 TV we took a look at, and boy did it set us right for the year ahead. It delivers a gorgeous picture at an affordable price, with some seriously impressive black levels and color accuracy for such an affordable TV. It doesn’t get as bright as the QM8, so it’s not quite ready to dethrone the best TCL TV from last year yet, but this is the entry-level option — imagine what’s coming down the pipe.

If you don’t want to wait for that, though, you can get a stellar TV today with the QM6K, with much improved viewing angles that make this TV far better for communal viewing and gaming than most other TCL options. New gaming settings make getting set up to play easier and more straightforward, to, avoiding input lag as much as possible.

Sound is underwhelming, but you’ll probably add a soundbar to this TV anyway, and it doesn’t get quite as bright in HDR as we’d like, but if you’re more interested in color accuracy, this TV blows away anything we’ve seen from TCL before. It’s that good.

TCL Q6

The TCL Q6 is a great alternative to our favorite budget offering, the Hisense U6N. While it doesn’t have the local dimming zones of that alternative, the Q6 is still a stellar TV and very affordable at around $450 for the 65-inch version, and under $300 for the 55-inch in some discount periods. That’s alot of TV for comparatively little money. If you are sticking to a strict budget when upgrading your TV, you can get a great deal with the TCL Q6.

It has a vibrant picture, with great color saturation that makes color-rich content look particularly good, especially in darker rooms. It doesn’t have the high brightness of some of the more higher-end TVs on this list, but it gets bright enough to make HDR movies and TV shows look good. It has support for all major HDR standards, too, which is something you won’t get on a Samsung or LG TV.

If you’re looking for a gaming TV, this one’s pretty good too. It doesn’t have a high refresh rate, but its low input lag makes sure you aren’t held back in competitive games, and the fast response time means high-paced games won’t leave ghosting across the screen. That’s also useful for sports and other fast action, too.

Jon Martindale

Former Evergreen writer

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Jon Martindale covers how to guides, best-of lists, and explainers to help everyone understand the hottest new hardware and software in desktops, laptops, and on the web. He's also written articles onhow to make your PC more efficient for the summer, and how hefixed his backpain with an annoying pop-up app.

Although Jon covers a wide range of topics, his particular focus is on PC components and peripherals. He's also written gaming performance guides.

Jon also writers forForbes,Lifewire, and Microcenter, hasauthored two novels, and provided back story and dialogue for a handful of games. He's an amateur game developer, and has made a few game prototypes in his spare time -- witha little help from ChatGPT. Jon's also an avid board gamer, getting in regular games of epic tabletop fare like Twilight Imperium and War of the Ring where he can. He's a father to two kids who recently discovered the joys of Pokémon, and keeps his aging French Bulldog cross busy on regular walks.

 

Michael Bizzaco

Former AV Contributor

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Michael Bizzaco has been selling, installing, and talking about TVs, soundbars, streaming devices, and all things smart home for the better part of 15 years. He even knows a thing or two about how to fix this stuff when it starts misbehaving (because no tech is perfect!).

Mike has been writing for Digital Trends and several other publications since 2020. Fortunately, he’s stillableto write after he got his index finger stuck in a vending machine at the Ramada Inn the summer before fourth grade! From hands-on reviews to best-of roundups, Mike does his best to share his expertise in a friendly and informative way with all readers, and loves staying on top of the latest AV and smart home trends.

When he’s not thanking his father for dislodging his finger from that vile vending machine in New Jersey, Mike enjoys playing guitar, reading, and indulging in horror films with his girlfriend.

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