The best 50-inch TVs for smaller living rooms and bedrooms

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A side-by-side composite image for best 50-inch TVs with a Hisense U6HF on a media console next to a photo of a Samsung QN90D hanging on a wall. — The best 50-inch TVs include models from brands like Hisense (left) and Samsung (right).
Amazon

While big-screen TVs get a lot of attention, some spaces aren't large enough to fit a huge screen. If you have a smaller living room or are shopping for a TV to put in a bedroom, a 50-inch display is a great option. Though there are fewer midrange and high-end models at this size, the best 50-inch TVs still offer a reliable viewing experience, and they're often more affordable than their larger counterparts.

Our top pick is the LG C4, one of the few OLED TVs you can buy in this size. When it comes to premium performance on smaller screens, this model is an outlier since it delivers top-notch contrast and perfect black levels in a compact form factor. But if you want a great budget-friendly set, we recommend the Hisense U6HF, which has features like quantum dots and local dimming that are missing on most competing 50-inch displays in its price range.

Below are all our picks for the best 50-inch TVs, vetted by experts. They include a high-end QLED with a bright picture and a midrange set designed for gaming.

Note: LCD-based TVs (including LED and QLED models) are usually sold in a 50-inch screen size, while OLED TVs are sold in a slightly smaller 48-inch size. For that reason, we've included a 48-inch OLED in this guide.

Our top picks for the best 50-inch TVs

Best overall: LG C4 - See at Amazon

Best budget: Hisense U6HF - See at Amazon

Best premium QLED: Samsung QN90D - See at Amazon

Best midrange for gaming: Vizio MQX - See at Amazon

Best overall

The LG C4 is the best 48-inch TV for people who want a smaller display without sacrificing picture quality. It uses an OLED panel, which is rare for TVs under 55 inches. This type of screen gives it key benefits over the LED and QLED sets that round out the rest of our guide.

The C4 is the 2024 replacement for our previous pick in this category, the C3. Both TVs are very similar, but since they cost about the same and the C3's stock is limited, the C4 is our new top recommendation.

The C4 delivers all the advantages that OLED TVs are known for, including pixel-level contrast and wide viewing angles. On LED and QLED displays, black levels can look washed out when you watch TV with the lights off, and colors and contrast can fade if you sit to the side of the panel. But on the C4, black levels disappear into a dark room with perfect uniformity, and picture quality only skews slightly from an off-center view. Check out our QLED vs. OLED comparison for more details on how each panel type stacks up.

The 48-inch C4's peak brightness of around 700 to 800 nits is very respectable, especially compared to other displays in the 48-to-50-inch class. However, buyers should be aware that larger versions of the C4 have an extra brightness-boosting feature that allows them to get closer to 1,000 nits. But even with this limitation, the 48-inch C4 is easily one of the best-looking TVs available at this size, offering vibrant high-dynamic-range (HDR) images.

In addition to excellent image performance, the C4 offers solid smart TV capabilities via LG's webOS platform. The interface isn't our favorite, but it still provides reliable access to all of the best streaming services, along with built-in support for Alexa voice control. The C4 is equipped well for the latest consoles, too, with a 120Hz refresh rate that can support smooth gaming on a PS5 and Xbox Series X. And unlike like last year's C3, this model can enable an even higher 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC.

At a typical sale price of around $1,000, the C4 is pricey for a 48-inch TV, but the jump in picture quality you get over our cheaper picks is substantial.

Check out our guide to all the best smart TVs.

Best budget

Hisense's U6HF is an older version of its U6K and U6N QLEDs. The newer U6N is the top budget pick in most of our best TV guides, but it's not sold in sizes under 55 inches. The U6HF, however, is available in 50 inches, and it remains a great value for the money.

Like the U6N, the U6HF has a QLED panel with quantum dots to produce a wide color gamut and a solid peak brightness of about 600 nits. It also has local dimming to help control the TV's contrast, enabling it to brighten and darken across specific areas. But unlike newer U6 TVs, this model uses regular-sized LEDs instead of Mini LEDs in its backlight. This means it has fewer zones to work with, which makes it more prone to halos around bright objects on dark backgrounds.

Still, few 50-inch TVs can achieve this level of image quality for the money. Most competing models at this price lack local dimming entirely, and many lack quantum dots as well, so they have a narrower range of colors.

However, the U6HF can't avoid other common pitfalls of TVs in this class. Most notably, it has poor viewing angles, so contrast and colors fade if you sit off-center from the display. It's also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, so you can't get high frame rate support when paired with a gaming console or PC.

The U6HF uses the Fire TV interface and features Alexa voice control. Hisense used to sell another version of this set, simply called the U6H, that has the Google TV OS instead, but that edition is discontinued. Though we prefer the Google TV model since it has more picture calibration options, there's no denying how much value this set offers. For a common sale price of under $300, the U6HF is the best 50-inch TV you can snag on a budget.

Check out our guides to the best budget TVs and all the best TVs under $500.

Best premium QLED

It's rare to find high-end displays available in a 50-inch screen size, but the Samsung QN90D bucks that trend. This flagship QLED is pricey for such a small screen, but it pulls no punches when it comes to image quality.

The QN90D is part of Samsung's "Neo QLED" series, which means it has quantum dots for expanded color and local dimming with a Mini LED backlight. Though the cheaper 50-inch QLEDs we recommend from Hisense and Vizio also have quantum dots and local dimming, they use regular-sized LEDs. The QN90D's Mini LEDs allow it to include more dimming zones, which helps it achieve a big boost in contrast, black-level performance, and brightness.

We tested the 65-inch version of this TV and measured an incredible peak brightness level of about 2,040 nits. Though performance will differ a bit in smaller sizes, the 50-inch model should be able to hit a similar number. That's about two to four times as bright as the other TVs we recommend in this guide.

This level of brightness allows the QN90D to produce impressive HDR highlights that really pop and gives you ample headroom to pump up luminance to overcome glare in rooms with lots of light. Contrast control is also great, but black levels still aren't as precise as those on an OLED like the LG C4. We noticed some blooming (small halos around bright objects) in certain scenes, including a test sequence with burning candles. We think the 48-inch LG C4 has better image quality overall, but the QN90D is a strong performer for buyers who crave an extra-bright picture.

The TV also supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate for high-frame-rate gaming when paired with compatible gear. The smart TV interface even includes access to the Xbox app so Game Pass members can stream games without a console.

Some stores also sell the 2023 version of this TV, called the QN90C, which offers very similar picture quality. However, 50-inch versions of the QN90C are hard to find in stock. If you can find the 50-inch QN90C for less money, it's a better value, but otherwise, the QN90D is the best 50-inch TV you can buy for high-end QLED performance.

Best midrange for gaming

Vizio's MQX is designed with gaming in mind. This midrange QLED is one of the most affordable 50-inch 4K TVs available with support for a 120Hz refresh rate. It can even support up to 240Hz if you game in 1080p on a computer.

This enables a smooth experience when you play games with frame rates higher than 60 frames per second on a PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC. The TV also uses a QLED panel with wide color support and local dimming to help control contrast and black levels. However, the display only uses 16 dimming zones, which is low and can cause more noticeable blooming (halos around bright objects) than you'd see on QLEDs with more zones or on OLED TVs with pixel-level contrast.

At a peak of around 400 to 500 nits, the MQX's brightness is decent for a TV in this class but a bit under the minimum of 600 nits that we recommend for entry-level high dynamic range performance. If you want a budget-friendly 50-inch TV with HDR movie-watching in mind, we think you're better off with the Hisense U6HF since it can get a little brighter and has double the number of dimming zones. However, the U6HF only has a 60Hz refresh rate, so the MQX has a clear edge when it comes to gaming. Both TVs have subpar viewing angles, so neither has an advantage there.

How we pick 50-inch TVs

A Samsung QN90D QLED TV rests on a media console, its screen showing a mountain range and rainbow. — We typically test 65-inch TVs, but overall performance is usually comparable for specific models across different sizes.
Steven Cohen/Business Insider

To choose the best 50-inch TVs, our team of experts uses a combination of testing and research bolstered by more than a decade's worth of experience covering the home entertainment product industry.

When we test TVs, we usually evaluate 65-inch models since most brands consider that size their flagship. However, if a specific TV model is offered in multiple sizes, that model's overall performance usually remains similar across the board. For example, a 48-inch LG C4 OLED and a 65-inch C4 OLED have the same basic specs and features. The only major differences are the sizes of their screens and their peak brightness.

However, it's important to note that the best 50-inch TVs with local dimming, like the Hisense U6HF, Samsung QN90D, and Vizio QMX, use fewer dimming zones in smaller sizes versus larger ones. This can result in differences in contrast performance when comparing a 50-inch model to another size. Sometimes, there are bigger variations in features and design across sizes, so we note those instances when they pop up.

When evaluating 50-inch TVs, we test parameters like clarity/sharpness, contrast, peak HDR brightness, color gamut, off-angle viewing, refresh rate, smart TV interface speed, and general value for the money. We use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter to assess brightness when we review TVs and use test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc to check other objective image elements.

We also watch plenty of real-world content on every TV we test to get a feel for what it's like to use each display daily. We play key scenes from movies and TV shows to examine local dimming, HDR performance, upscaling, and more. Sources include Blu-ray discs, streaming services, and live TV at various resolutions, from standard definition to 4K. Testing is conducted in bright and dark rooms to see how a TV performs in different conditions.

For more info on our testing process, visit our breakdown of how we review tech products.

50-inch TV FAQs

A Vizio QXM TV mounted on a wall. — The Vizio MQX has HDMI 2.1 ports for 120Hz gaming, which is rare to find on a 50-inch display.
Vizio

Is 50 inches a good size for a TV?

The best 50-inch TVs are a good option for buyers who need a compact display that fits in a smaller room and on a smaller TV stand. However, the selection of midrange and high-end TVs offered in this size is limited compared to what you'd find when shopping for a larger display.

For instance, many of the best OLED TVs are only available in 55, 65, and 77 inches. Likewise, several of our favorite QLED TVs from brands like Hisense, TCL, and Roku, like the QM7 and Roku Pro Series, are not sold in 50 inches.

That said, there are a few high-end exceptions, like our top pick in this guide, the LG C4, one of the few OLED TVs made in smaller sizes. But generally speaking, most 50-inch TVs are built with entry-level and lower-midrange performance in mind.

If you want a larger selection of mid-tier and premium display models to choose from, check out our guides focusing on larger TVs:

How much should a 50-inch TV cost?

The best 50-inch TVs cost between $200 and $1,600, depending on the type of display you buy.

Entry-level LED models from value-friendly brands like TCL, Hisense, and Vizio cost around $200 to $250. These options are good for casual viewing but often lack advanced features like quantum dots and local dimming. Lower-midrange QLED sets range from $300 to $550, and these options will deliver better color, higher contrast, and brighter panels. However, many of our favorite upper-midrange QLED models are unavailable in 50 inches.

Likewise, high-end 50-inch TVs are hard to come by, but you can find a couple of OLED models, like the LG C4, and top-tier QLED models, including some of the best Samsung TVs, in this size for around $1,000 to $1,500.

Many 50-inch TVs go on sale throughout the year, but we see the biggest savings during events like Prime Day and Black Friday. For the latest discounts, check out our roundup of all the best Black Friday TV deals.

Is 4K worth it on a 50-inch TV?

Though the benefits of 4K resolution are best appreciated on larger TV sets, 50 inches is still big enough to make 4K worthwhile, especially if you plan to sit close to your display.

However, the debate about whether 4K is worth it on a TV this size has become a moot point since major brands no longer sell 50-inch HDTVs. Most HDTV models are now restricted to 43 inches and under. If you're buying a 50-inch or larger TV in 2024, 4K is the standard.

For more 4K display recommendations in multiple sizes, check out our guide to the best 4K TVs.

Should you get a soundbar for a 50-inch TV?

Many TVs, especially those in smaller sizes like 50 inches, offer mediocre sound quality. To keep costs down and fit speakers inside compact displays, manufacturers use small drivers that limit the range, depth, and clarity of a TV's built-in audio. To get the best sound quality, we recommend buying a separate soundbar to pair with a 50-inch TV.

Check out our soundbar guides to see our top recommendations:

Learn more about immersive surround sound in our Dolby Atmos explainer.

Do you need HDMI 2.1 on a 50-inch TV?

Many midrange and high-end displays now include HDMI 2.1 ports, but this feature isn't as common on smaller TVs. However, several of our best 50-inch TV picks — the LG C4, Samsung QN90D, and Vizio MQX — do include HDMI 2.1 support, which is useful for gaming enthusiasts.

HDMI 2.1 connections can transmit signals at 4K/120Hz, along with variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM) when paired with a compatible gaming device, like a PS5 or PC. These features provide a smooth gaming experience with fast motion, minimal lag, and reduced screen tearing.

To enable HDMI 2.1 features, all of your home entertainment components must have HDMI 2.1 ports. So if you're hooking up a PS5 to a soundbar connected to your TV, all three devices must support HDMI 2.1. You also need to use ultra-high-speed HDMI cables rated for 48Gbps to pair everything together. Visit our guide to the best HDMI cables for recommendations and more details.

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