As 2025 comes to a close and folks share their year-end, best-of lists, I thought it’d be a good opportunity to do the same for my favorite cheap TVs of the year. After all, as exciting as the priciest, best TVs often are, the vast majority of us still shop for slam-dunk deals rather than top-shelf models.
To be an affordable TV that doesn’t suck, it helps to have three things: dependable hardware, useful features and, of course, a better price than most options in its class. This is not a list of the cheapest TVs you can buy. This is a list of one TV expert’s favorite cheap TVs that are actually worth buying.
1. TCL QM5K
(Image credit: TCL)
The TCL QM5K is one of the cheapest Mini-LED TVs on shelves this year, and it’s a great fit for folks whose number-one priority is saving money, but who’d rather not scrape the bottom of the barrel for a cheap TV.
Most cheap TVs at or around the QM5K’s price don’t come with smaller, brighter Mini-LEDs, but that’s why I’ve been recommending it to budget-shoppers throughout the year.
It features three HDMI inputs rather than the usual four, but thankfully, its built-in smart platform, Google TV, makes up for its missing port. Google TV is one of my preferred smart platforms due to its easy-to-navigate interface and sensational app support.
2. Hisense U65QF
(Image credit: Hisense)
If you’re looking for something brighter than the TCL QM5K but still don’t want to climb above the $450 mark, the 55-inch Hisense U65QF is absolutely worth a look.
In our U65QF review, we noted that this TV nearly doubles the brightness you’ll find on its direct competitors. This makes it a dependable choice for budget-conscious shoppers with sunny living rooms. Simply put, it’s one of the brightest TVs in the affordable TV tier. It also comes with a handful of useful gaming features, like a couple of HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K gaming up to 144Hz.
Fair warning, though: This TV is built around Amazon’s Fire TV smart platform. Hopefully, you’ll appreciate its Alexa integration more than we appreciated the software’s clunky interface. If you don’t mind Fire TV, I’d recommend the U65QF over the previously mentioned TCL QM5K.
3. Samsung Q7F
(Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung’s entry-level QLED TV for 2025 doesn’t deliver the contrast and color brightness you’ll find on the Mini-LED TVs I’ve gathered here, but I’m including it because it’s wildly affordable at several size points. I’ll be real with you: I wouldn’t go much cheaper than this when shopping for a 65-inch TV.
For a cool $499, the 65-inch Q7F comes with some essential streaming features and decent out-of-the-box performance. I’m still in the process of formally evaluating the Q7F, but I can tell you that its accurate picture and basic, direct-LED display is a notch above what you’ll find on bottom-of-the-barrel sets. That makes it worth a look if you’re trying to save as much money as possible.
4. TCL QM6K
(Image credit: Future)
If you want something brighter, more colorful and packed with more features than TCL’s QM5K, consider its higher-end sibling, the QM6K. This Mini-LED TV offers a punchier picture than the QM5K and has crashed in price at the end of the year.
I’m partial to the 65-inch QM6K, which is currently $547 at Amazon, but if you’re looking for a smaller-sized screen, the 55-inch QM6K is just $449 at Best Buy. That’s a certified good deal, too.
Its modest array of Mini-LEDs is why the QM6K delivers higher brightness and better overall contrast than TVs with more rudimentary display types (like the aforementioned Samsung Q7F).
It also arrives with a handful of useful gaming features, including support for 4K gaming at 120Hz or 144Hz. You can read more about these features in our full TCL QM6K review, but here’s the basic gist: These gaming enhancements can be hard to track down in affordable price ranges.
5. Roku Pro Series
(Image credit: Roku)
It used to be that if you wanted a TV with Roku built in, you had to settle for one that didn’t offer much in the way of picture quality. But in the last few years, Roku TVs have greatly improved, and the 2025 Roku Pro Series is my favorite affordable Roku TV ever.
The version I’m choosing to highlight is the 75-inch model (on sale for just $799), but the 55-inch Roku Pro Series is just $499 at Amazon right now. Both size options are among the best all-around deals you’ll find on a Roku TV right now.
The Pro Series TV blends quantum dot-color with Mini-LED backlighting. Quantum dots make for better color volume, while the extra-small Mini-LEDs allow for better backlight control and better highlight brightness. This hardware is especially important at the 75-inch size point, as a screen that large ought to have a handle on contrast.
If you’ve ever used a Roku streaming device before, you probably understand its appeal. The software’s bold, clean interface is easy to navigate, while its app support is among the best in the industry.
$799 isn’t exactly cheap in a vacuum, but it’s very cheap for an above-average, Mini-LED TV. This is the one to get if you want a big, cheap TV with easy-to-use features.
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