Keys to choosing your television
If you have already started the search for your Smart tv, but doubts have assailed you, we explain the key aspects that you must take into account when choosing:
- Size. The main decision factor to buy a new television, which will depend on the space you have in your living room or in the room where you decide to place it. We could say that the standard for 4K resolution televisions starts from the 50 inch and it can go up to 85 or even more.
- Resolution. The second point to assess is the 4K resolution. Many of the movies and series that are broadcast on streaming platforms already have this resolution, so opting for a 4K TV guarantees that it will not be out of date soon. There are also 8K TVs on the market, but we will leave those for another time.
- Panel. Although in the Affordable Smart TV You will not have much to choose from, it is worth taking a look to decide which one suits you best among the different options, which come to be LCD, LED, QLED and OLED.
- HDR or HDR + mode. This system that improves the visualization of color and brightness is already being included in many models and it may be that plus that makes you decide on one or the other.
- OS. Here, every master has his own trick, or what is the same, each manufacturer has agreements to include one or another operating system. There is no perfect one and each one has its pros and cons, so you should take them into account before deciding. The only clear thing is that, for a television to be called ‘Smart’, it must have an OS.
- Command. It may not be the most determining factor, but considering that it will be your only way of interacting with the television (and that some Smart TVs depend on it to use voice commands) it never hurts to take it into account.
Smart TV Full HD or 4K Which one to choose?
As we’ve discussed, the most important decision after screen size should be resolution. The Full HD It should be the starting point for the cheapest alternatives on the market, however, little by little it has become obsolete.
The 4K meanwhile, it quadruples the pixel density of your television and will allow you to watch all the content in a much higher quality for a few years, until 8K finally prevails. Therefore, our recommendation is that you always choose one 4K Smart TV. In the following list we are going to compare some of the cheapest ones.
The most interesting LED panel televisions
We begin our list of the Cheaper 4K Smart TV with panels LED. This type of technology offers a superior viewing experience than LCD, with better brightness and a much longer lifespan. However, they are still far from the most modern OLED panels.
Xiaomi Mi TV P1: a processor of height
Xiaomi Not only does it make mobile phones with great value for money, it is also investing in diversifying its range of products. His foray into the Affordable 4K Smart TVs is the M1 TV P1, a 50-inch television that is positioned as one of the most interesting on the market.
Despite this diagonal, this model forgoes other details, such as a state-of-the-art panel (which includes LED) or a powerful sound system. In its favor, it has the inclusion of the chip Mediatek with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage allows a much smoother experience of Android TV than in previous versions.
In addition, it includes the modes Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ for compatible contents and the remote, without being perfect, it connects via bluetooth to offer a very remarkable experience with the integrated voice control. In short, a television that delivers on price and performance.
Toshiba 50UA3A63DG: the most economical
Here we find another of the cheapest televisions that ensures you a complete experience of what you can expect from one 4K Smart TV in 2021: Android TV to get the most out of apps, 50-inch LED panel that perfectly meets and Google Voice Assistant. On the other hand, it includes Toshiba’s TRU Picture technology, which offers better fluidity when moving pixels.
As an incentive, contrary to what usually happens with cheaper alternatives, the sound of this model is a bit better balanced, and includes processing Dolby Audioas well as a speaker system designed by Onkyo.
LG 4K 50UP77006LB: artificial intelligence for your Smart TV
Another of the reference brands in the world of Smart TV is LG, which has been offering very interesting solutions in terms of quality-price for years. East TV includes a system of artificial intelligence which, according to the manufacturer, allows easier access to content and services. The device supports HDR 10 Pro and includes a webOS 6.0 operating system, compatible with Alexa, Google and Apple’s AirPlay 2.
Another of its points in favor is its command, one of the most interesting that we can find in the market, which has up to six shortcuts to platforms, as well as a microphone to use Google voice commands. Without a doubt, a very good choice in its price range.
Panasonic TX-50HX580: economical and functional
Yes, even if it seems like a rather old brand, Panasonic also manufactures 4K Smart TVs. Specifically, the TX-50HX580 it is one of the cheapest. It offers more or less the same as its competitors for a somewhat lower price: 50-inch screen with resolution. 4K resolution, HDR mode and Dolby Atmos technology.
Also, if you usually connect your pendrive to watch movies, photos or content, it has 2 USB ports. To put one downside, its operating system is not one of the most advanced on the market … but you can still use the usual platforms: Netflix, YouTube or Amazon Prime.
Sony XG70 4K: higher price, better screen
Sony It is one of the great references in the market in terms of high-end models, with high-quality functionalities and a higher price. However, its entry range also offers a good experience for a lower price than other top brands, especially in its 49 ”diagonal.
East model Specifically, it has an LED panel that offers better image quality, especially thanks to its HDR mode, which significantly improves color interpretation. Inside, it houses the Sony X1 chip, with which it manages to move the images with precision and allows a fluid interaction with Google TV.
Hitachi 50HK5600: the cheapest
If what you are looking for is a Inexpensive 4K Smart TV and you only care about the price, one of the cheapest on the list is this Hitachi with LED technology. Few TVs on the market are at such a low price with a diagonal of 50 inches, however, you will have to give up some functionalities in exchange for their price.
For example, it does not have technology HDR, its operating system is its own (although it is compatible with the main streaming apps) and the remote does not have direct access buttons. In addition, the sound (as it usually happens in the low range) is more than improvable. But if you want a 50-inch 4K screen without spending a lot of money, this may be a good choice.
Samsung AU8005: a proprietary system that improves the image
Another of the cheapest alternatives that you can find in this category is this model 2020 from Samsung. Thanks to its technology Crystal UHD, offers a longer LED panel life and a better color ratio.
Its design is quite stylized and has a Crystal UHD processor, developed by the same company, capable of offering HDR mode, with great color optimization.
On the software side, it includes the operating system Tizen, with which you can access all your applications and platforms. In addition, it has support for two of the main voice assistants: Google Assistant and Alexa.
Philips 50PUS9005 / 12: light to create atmosphere
Philips is one of the companies that works best on the design of its products and a good proof of this is this Smart tv. Its main attraction is that it has its patented system Ambilight. With the, this apparatus emits an ambient light that adapts to the color that appears on the screen, creating an ideal setting to enjoy series or movies in the dark.
The rest of the characteristics place it within what we could consider standard in this price range: 50-inch LED panel, compatibility with HDR 10+ and with the Dolby video and sound formats and the choice of Android TV as the operating system, which is always a success. The icing on the cake is the remote, which allows you to use Google’s voice controls.
The cheapest QLED and OLED TVs
most of high end televisions are already starting to include panels OLED offering an optimal viewing angle, better colors, and pure blacks. However, they are still very expensive.
For this reason, we have proposed to bring you the cheapest television of this technology. In addition, we selected some televisions equipped with panels QLED– An evolution of the LED that features nanocrystal technology that offers better video quality.
Samsung Q60A: the entrance to the QLED
If you have already decided to make the leap to QLED, you should know that the entry range of this type of panels starts around 800 euros. In any case, this model that costs only a little more, is worth the outlay, especially considering that there are other televisions that even double or triple the price with this technology.
Thus, the Q60A it offers everything you might expect from these types of displays: purer blacks, more vivid colors, and overall better image quality. Its processor is optimized to move pixels fluently and supports the mode HDR 10+, which enhances the contrast. In short, an inexpensive alternative to test technology QLED without making a large outlay.
Philips 55OLED754 / 12: the cheapest OLED
Finally, the most economical option to enjoy technology OLED in your living room is to opt for this model from Philips. The Dutch company offers the cheapest panel you can find, for just over 1,000 euros. Of course, it increases the diagonal to 55 inches. It’s compatible with HDR 10+ and with Ambilight, which we have already explained above.
The only downside is that your operating system is Saphi, which includes a much smaller application catalog than other functionalities such as Android TV. But if you are not going to use applications or games much, it is a small price to enjoy the best image quality of today for a lower price than the rest of OLED models.
General conclusions
In short, the technologies QLED, and above all OLED, are the future of television, but being the newest technology, it is also the most expensive today. Instead, you can find characteristics of LED screens.
While they don’t offer the best quality from image that you can buy today, they will allow you to enjoy content 4K and use all functions smart, such as applications or games, at a much lower price.
If we have to stay with a basic, we recommend the LG 50UP77006LB, the most balanced on the list. And if you have a little more budget and you can afford it, the entrance to the QLED from Sony or the model OLED from Philips they will allow you to obtain a superior image quality, without the expense that the most modern televisions suppose.