Television Accolades 2025: Our Preferred Screens Across Various Price Ranges, Determined Through Our Examinations
Top Performing Budget-Friendly TVs of 2025
In the ever-evolving world of television technology, finding a balance between cost and performance can be a challenge. However, this year, several budget-friendly TVs have risen to the top, offering impressive picture quality and smart features without breaking the bank.
According to Tom's Guide and Stuff TV, the Hisense U8N and the TCL T6C stand out as two of the best options for budget-conscious buyers.
The Hisense U8N, a 55-inch TV, is praised for its Mini-LED backlighting, excellent contrast, and brightness. It also boasts an impressive Google TV smart platform, making it a top pick for those seeking high performance at an affordable price.
On the other hand, the TCL T6C is named the best budget Fire TV. Its flexibility and more advanced settings relative to most Amazon Fire TVs make it a strong all-around value, without stretching your wallet.
Other notable budget options include the Hisense E7N Pro, Samsung U8000F, Amazon Fire TV 4-Series, Sharp GM6245K, Toshiba QV2F, Metz MQE7600, JVC Roku TV, and Bush UT24SB. Each of these models offers a unique combination of features and performance, catering to different preferences and needs.
CNET also lists the TCL QM8 (2024 model) as a strong affordable option, thanks to its Mini-LED technology and full-array local dimming for excellent brightness, contrast, and color. However, it is only available from 65 inches and up.
In the projector market, the Hisense C2 Ultra takes the lead as the strongest-performing projector of 2025, with no competitor yet unseating it.
Meanwhile, in the high-end TV market, the LG C5 OLED delivers 95% of the same performance as more expensive TVs for around two-thirds the price, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a premium experience without the premium price tag.
The LG G5 OLED, with its new four-stack OLED design, offers improved motion processing and HD upscaling. However, its matte screen with anti-glare coating may not be to everyone's liking, especially considering its AI-powered upscaling.
In the OLED TV category, the Samsung S95F OLED offers enhanced brightness and covers 90.47% of the Rec.2020 color gamut, making it the best OLED TV of 2025. The Samsung S90D OLED, on the other hand, offers big-screen OLED performance at a more affordable price compared to other large OLEDs on the market.
If not for the LG C5 OLED's pristine picture, the Hisense U8QG would have stolen the crown for the best TV of 2025. The U8QG, the best QLED TV of 2025, offers improved brightness, contrast, upscaling, and color accuracy compared to its predecessor.
In summary, for budget-friendly TVs with top performance in 2025, the Hisense U8N Mini-LED TV and TCL T6C Fire TV stand out, balancing cost, picture quality, and smart features effectively. Other brands like Samsung, Hisense, Amazon Fire TV, and Sharp also offer competitive budget models. The choice can vary depending on size preference and specific feature priorities such as gaming or bright-room viewing.
In the realm of home-and-garden technology, the Hisense U8N Mini-LED TV and TCL T6C Fire TV, both budget-friendly options, are a testament to the fact that high-performance gadgets can coexist with lifestyle-friendly prices. These televisions, with their impressive picture quality and smart features, represent the convergence of technology and affordability in the home-and-garden sphere.
