What Is The Best 50 Inch Flat Screen TV

Not Sure Which TV To Buy This Is Our Guide To Picking The Best TV For Your Budget

Many of us spend a significant proportion of our spare time watching television, which makes choosing the best TV our budget allows for a crucial decision. If you haven’t upgraded your TV for a while, youre likely to be pleasantly surprised, as television technology has come on leaps and bounds over recent years.

In addition to the outstanding picture quality you can expect from 4K HDR sets, the latest TVs all have built-in Wi-Fi and slick user interfaces that can negate the need for a Blu-ray player or set-top box. Modern televisions bring Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and many more streaming services directly to your lounge and display your favourite shows and films in glorious detail and vivid colour.

On this page, youll find our pick of the best TVs weve tested, along with links to each individual review for more in-depth analysis. The page will be updated throughout the year as we get our hands on the best and brightest new sets from the likes of LG, Sony and Samsung, all of whom have revealed stellar lineups for 2022.

Before the list of entries, youll find our handy buying guide, which breaks down everything you need to know about finding the right TV, from which resolution to choose to the smart features you may want to look out for.

What TV Terms Do I Need To Know

When it comes to knowing what you’re paying for, almost no category is more rife with subterfuge and tomfoolery than TVs. While knowing the specs of the TV you’re shopping for is only half the battle, it’s the bigger half. Here are the key bits of jargon you’ll want to know while browsing:

LED/LCD: This refers to Light Emitting Diode and Liquid Crystal Display. LEDs are the backlights used in LCD TVs, also sometimes called a LED TV for this reason. The LED backlight shines through a layer of a semi-solid substance called “liquid crystal,” so named for its ability to morph in reaction to tiny electrical volts and allow light to pass through.

OLED: This means Organic Light Emitting Diode. This is an altogether different panel technology than LED/LCD, albeit on the surface they work similarly. Rather than an LED backlight element shining through an LCD panel element, OLED TVs essentially combine the backlight and crystal array, using sub-pixel strata that produce light and color individually.

4K/UHD: Usually 4K refers to resolutionâspecifically, 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. This is the current standard/mainstream resolution for most TVs. UHD means Ultra High Definition, and actually refers to a suite of picture improvements like 4K resolution, Wide Color Gamut, and High Dynamic Range.

What To Look For When Buying A 50 Inch TV Under $500

Before you purchase a new 50-inch TV under $500, you have to think about the most critical elements. Some of you may only be bothered about whether it works and perform well but investing this amount of money is still a significant commitment, and you want to make sure you have the best product you can. Its a difficult job getting a good quality TV when youre on a budget, but with the right head and knowledge, youll find your perfect match in no time.

Below are some factors you might want to consider when youre on the hunt for a 50-inch TV under $500 when youre on a budget. Theyre not all essential and it is mainly personal preference, but the better models will have these aspects even if they only have some rather than them all.

Full-HD or 1080p Resolution A crystal clear image and great picture quality is something that can ultimately make or break whether you like a TV. Having a HD screen allows the user to see everything and feel even more involved in the action. The best 50-inch TVs under 500 dollars will have either a 1080p resolution or a full-HD screen. If youre lucky, you might even get a cheap 4K TV deal but since 4K resolution a relatively new concept they probably wont start to decrease in price for a few years. Its always good to keep a lookout for any cheap 4K TV deals that could be floating around the market, this is where youll get the best affordable TVs to buy on your budget.

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What Size TV Do I Need

The answer to this question is very much a decision arrived at after deliberation between your available space, budget and requirement. However, it tends to be sensible to have the smaller TVs in smaller rooms, and larger in the biggest rooms.

If you’re too close to a TV, no matter how high quality the image, it’s going to look blown out and poor. Too far, and you may as well watch Netflix on your phone.

Heres a rough guide to give you an idea of the minimum distance you should have from your TV when viewing HD content:

40-inches – 80 inches

50-inches – 100 inches

55-inches – 108 inches

60-inches – 120 inches

65-inches – 130 inches

75-inches – 150 inches

Which TV Smart Features And Streaming Apps Do You Need

As with 4K, it’s now hard to buy a TV that doesn’t have a smart platform packed with streaming apps. Almost every TV will have Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on board, and Disney+ is fast approaching a similar level of ubiquity. Apple TV is becoming increasingly common, too.

You’d have thought that BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4 and My5 would be present on every TV available in the UK, but there always seems to be one brand that’s lacking so do check before you buy if any of those are important to you.

Other apps that are less common but potentially worth looking out for include BT Sport, Now, Britbox, and music apps such as Spotify and Tidal.

Also Check: How To Screen Mirror To Sony TV

Extended Warranties: Save Your Money

One of the biggest revenue generators for big-box electronics stores is the extended warranty. Why? Because they are so rarely needed, especially for a flat-panel LCD set. Most of the components in an HDTV are remarkably resilient even the LEDs used to light the picture are virtually shockproof.

So, if you do get a lemon, it’s likely to be apparent immediately or at least within the first 30 days of ownership a time period usually covered by a regular store-return policy. Beyond that, most manufacturers offer a one-year warranty. Credit card companies may offer additional automatic coverage on purchases, so check with your provider.

Bottom Line: Save your money and contact your credit card company to see if it has a price protection policy.

A Big Sony Led TV For Cheap

Best Buy

The Bravia XR X90k delivers excellent brightness and impressive contrast. HDR content is well-covered with Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced and Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode and it uses Google TV for streaming content and Google Assistant voice controls. Buy it now for $1,700 at Best Buy and save $500.

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How Wide Is A 55 Inch Flat Screen TV

TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science

Correspondingly, how do you determine the size of a flat screen TV?

Measuring screen size is going to be the most important measurement, as this is how most retailers list new TVs. Hold the end of a tape measure in one corner and extend it diagonally across to the opposite corner. Make sure the tape measure is inside the housing so youre only measuring the visible screen area.

How wide is a 42 inch flat screen TV?

Widescreen TV Stand Width Chart

What are the dimensions of a 32 inch flat screen TV?

Screen sizes are 21, 24, and 40 inches viewable, so consider the majority dimensions as representative of a 32. At 2.54 cm in a inch its 81.28cm diagonally. Is this answer still relevant and up to date? 32 inches would be the diagonal measurement of the TVs display.

The 50 Inch 4k TV Segment Has Expanded Recently With A Slurry Of New Products Amongst The Extensive Pack There Are Some Selected Options That Offer A Great Mix Of Features Applications And Accessibility At A Reasonable Price

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Best 50 inch 4k TVs online: Key Features and Prices

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Hisense H8g Quantum Series Remote

The Hisense H8G Quantum Seriess lengthy remote is rather uninspiring, even with its dedicated Google Assistant and streaming buttons. While its useful to beckon Netflix, YouTube or a virtual butler with a single press, the lack of back-lighting makes navigating the remote difficult in the dark. We needed to use our phones flashlight to find the menu button with the lights off during a movie night, distracting our fellow viewers.

The crowded button layout also presented some problems. We often activated Google Assistant instead of pressing mute, and vice versa. Plus the off-center menu button looks like the navigation icon youd find on a website, which doesnt translate as obviously in the physical world. Wed prefer it read, menu, or be placed in a more central location.

Hisense H8g Quantum Series Design

At first glance the all-black Hisense H8G Quantum Series appears as slender as most modern TV HDR sets, though its a bit deceiving. The unit measures 57 x 32.9 x 3.1 inches, with its back, port-filled chassis protruding from the bottom half of the frame and the base speaker case adding visible bulk.

Thin, flush bezels around the top and sides also lend a svelte effect. A slightly thicker, etched bezel sporting the Hisense emblem and IR sensor runs along the bottom.

We had no trouble setting up the 65-inch set, even in a smaller-than-average living room. It took two pairs of hands to move the 43-pound TV downstairs and prop it on an entertainment cabinet, so we imagine one person could navigate the smaller models solo.

The H8G, like with several of the Hisense 2020 TVs, has two different stand positions to choose from: One thats more traditional and wide-set, and another thats several inches narrower. Having both options increases the chance that the set will fit on the current stand you own.

Whichever you choose, the two triangular feet screw in easily. However, they feel a bit flimsy, even after checking that we screwed them tight enough. Unless youre confident a clumsy child wont collide with your set, wed recommend mounting it with the built-in pegs.

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K Resolution: Hold Off

If you thought the jump to 4K resolution was amazing, you’ll be floored by 8K, which ratchets up the detail even further with 7680 x 4320 pixels. It’s amazing to see, and it’s the next big thing in consumer TVs. But any worthwhile TV buying guide should be telling that it’s not worth spending your money on just yet.

All that eye-popping detail is incredible, but it is still missing an essential element: Content. There are no 8K movies available for purchase, and streaming in 4K is already more taxing than many people’s internet connection can handle.

So far, companies are hoping that fancy AI-powered upscaling will make everything look good enough to justify prices that far outstrip the cost of premium 4K sets. The 8K models on the market are expensive, but it’s getting better. While early models boasted enormous screens and equally outsized prices ), smaller, more affordable 8K sets have emerged, like the 65-inch TCL Roku TV 6-Series 8K , which sells for just $2,199 less than some of the top 4K smart TVs.

That doesn’t mean it’s better than those 4K flagships, of course, so it’s always worth reading our reviews to aid your buying decision.

Bottom Line: You can leave the pricey 8K TVs to the early adopters. Until content is available, you’ll just wind up paying a lot of money for upscaled 4K video.MORE: The best 8K TVs you can buy

Can I Listen To My Smart TV With Wireless Headphones

If youve got wireless Bluetooth headphones and your smart TV has Bluetooth, then the answer is yes. Just be aware that the range on the connection may be limited to a radius of a few meters, so depending on your setup you might have to sit closer to your TV. Due to the idiosyncratic nature of some Bluetooth headphones and TVs, if youre in doubt that your planned set-up will work, check with the manufacturers.

If you plan on regularly listening to your smart TV via wireless headphones, it would be worth considering purchasing a dedicated entertainment wireless headset with transmitter, as they tend to have a great range, with some models even accepting multiple headsets.

William Lobleyis a Deputy Commercial Content Editor and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology, gaming and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.

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Flat Or Curved Screen

Twenty years ago flatscreen TVs revolutionized the word of smart home entertainment, but the interest in curved screens hasnt ever been as powerful. These days only a couple of manufacturers still make and promote them, but that doesnt mean they are not worth a look. Visually they are attractive, so style could be your only reason for choosing a curved screen 50 inch TV, but they are sometimes harder to mount neatly on the wall.

Although advertised as providing a home theater type of experience there isnt a huge difference in the way images are displayed unless you are sitting directly in front of it. So if you like to be a little different, and are happy to pay more for it, a curved screen is worth considering, otherwise stick firmly to the flat style models.

Refresh Rates

Whatever style of TV you buy the refresh rate is pretty important, so always look for the fastest possible figure.

The average for a long time has been 60Hz so 60 times every second the picture on the screen is refreshed.

Its so fast you may wonder how your eye s could even notice it but in a fast moving scene or video game that speed can make things look a bit blurry.

If possible dont settle for a TV with less than 120 Hz. Some even offer 240 Hz. Do watch out for the phrase effective refresh rate, as that means the number stated needs to be cut in half.

Be greedy with inputs

Do you need to go Smart?

Audio ability & sound quality

Expert tip

Did you know?

A Smart TV From A Big Name

Best Buy

The x80K is, at its usual price, a little costly for what’s on offer. At $150, its a much better value proposition. It’s a solid 4K TV that really shines with bright, daytime viewing thanks to its brightness, wide viewing angles and impressive reflection handling. It also has low input lag, making it a good choice for responsive gaming.

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Best Buy Customers Often Prefer The Following Products When Searching For Best 50 Inch TV

A 50-inch TV is a great size for a bedroom, family room, or den. It’s large enough to show off high-quality images, but not so big that it dominates the space. And it’s just about the right size for a small apartment or condo. Browse the top-ranked list of best 50-inch TVs below along with associated reviews and opinions.