The largest and cheapest ‘smart TV’ televisions on the market

Buying a new television can be a headache: more and more denominations for the panels (LED, QLED, OLED, microLED…), larger sizes, technologies to improve the quality of images and videos… So a purchase criterion such as any other can be to establish a budget limit and, based on that, see what each firm offers.

This is what we have done in this comparison, for which we have established a maximum cost of 600 euros for each model: enough to have a large screen and some interesting features. And when selecting them, we have consulted with the main brands which would be the best television in their catalog for this price.

Some have opted for size, others for image enhancement technologies, others for value for money… Specifically, our selection includes: Cecotec V1+ series (with an average score of 8.5 points); HiSense QLED TV (7.75); LG (8.75); TCL 65P635 (7.5); and Xiaomi Q2 50 (8.25).

The best cheap and large televisions: this is how we have tested them

To carry out the tests, we have installed each of the televisions as the main screen for a minimum of 15 days: we have used them to watch the DTT broadcasts, content on streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, and stream from your smartphone or tablet. Both the assembly and the configuration have been carried out by ourselves.

During the tests, we have evaluated different characteristics and functionalities of all of them:

• Design: As a general rule, these are quite thin models and narrow frames, although there are small differences. Also on their bases.
• Screen: is the essential feature. There is a difference between the types of panel used, their size and, in addition, each manufacturer applies their own innovations, so the quality of the images or the customization options may differ from one to the other.
• Sound: It’s usually the tightest look on TVs this thin, as there’s little room for the speakers. Thanks to different technologies, manufacturers improve their performance when viewing all kinds of content.
• Connectivity: the number of connections that they have and that allow viewing content from multiple sources.
• Interface: as Smart TVthey have an operating system that determines their menus, applications and other options.
• Remote control: They present differences both in their design and in specific functionalities and buttons.

Our verdict: the best cheap TV

After hours of testing, the television that we recommend for less than 600 euros is the Lg NanoCell. Although to fit the budget we can only access a 50-inch screen, it is the best in image quality. The alternative for those who do not mind sacrificing a little in favor of a larger size, we recommend the Cecotec V1+, with very balanced characteristics.

LG 4K NanoCell Perimetral TV: our choice and best value for money

It is the model with the smallest screen of the selection (50 inches) for this price. In return, its panel is one of the most advanced thanks to LED NanoCell technology, which uses nanoparticles to filter impure colors from RGB wavelengths and manages to offer great precision in tones and colors. In addition, it is capable of controlling color and brightness and identifies the movement of objects to scale and simulate 5.1 channel surround sound.

For all these reasons, the contents that we have viewed are the ones that have convinced us the most in general. With 4K resolution, it is also compatible with HDR 10, HLG, HGiG and Dolby Digital sound and has specific modes for gaming or cinema. Its refresh rate remains at 50 Hz; the most improvable feature.

Its design is very careful, with very thin frames and a very stable crescent-shaped base (and which allows a sound bar to be placed in front of the screen without problem) and works with the WebOS22 operating system. One of its peculiarities is that it facilitates the creation of different user profiles, so that each one has its own home screen and preferred content, recommendations according to their tastes, the most used apps… Its remote control is the most modern aesthetic And, how could it be otherwise, it has direct access to the main video streaming services, as well as a pointer function that is used to navigate through content more quickly.

Cecotec V1+ series QLED TV: the alternative

It is a very balanced model for its price. It stands out for its large 65-inch screen with QLED technology and 4K resolution, and compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10 technology. This surface also has Pure Dimming, Pure Move and Pure Outlinke technologies to improve the brightness, definition and movement of each image, it is capable of automatically configuring latency to improve the gaming experience (no delay between what you ask the game to do and seeing it on the screen) and minimizes blue light emission to keep your eyes safe, especially at night.

The display quality is adequate, and the use of an HDMI 2.1 connection is valuable; something that not all models incorporate. Its sound, on the other hand, features DTS:X and Dolby Atmos technologies, and a set of speakers including a subwoofer and a well-achieved surround effect.

With Android TV and a very striking design with virtually no frames (improvable in terms of materials), it has an integrated Chromecast and comes with two remote controls. One is the typical complete remote, large and black, with all the usual buttons: numbers, menus, scroll bar, playback buttons, shortcuts… The other, much more compact and white, reduces them a lot: there are access to Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, as well as to set up a shortcut to your favorite app; controls for mute and volume up and down or channel up and down; a scroll crosshead; the button to go to the main menu and another to select the source from which to play; and access to the Google assistant.

Xiaomi Q2 50 QLED TV

It is very careful at the design level, with a screen in which there are practically no frames (only in its lower part it is somewhat wider) and the use of quality materials such as sandblasted aluminum, present both on its back and bezels as well as on its V-shaped legs and diagonal arrangement; In case you want to place it on a wall, it is compatible with Vesa mounts. In this sense, it is worth mentioning that certain precautions must be taken depending on the material of the partition where it is going to be placed, since it is a fairly heavy TV.

Equipped with Android TV (and all Google services), its screen has a size of 50 inches (the same model is available up to 65, but with a price that exceeds our limit) and 4K resolution. It is a QLED panel that uses quantum dot display technology, which does nothing but improve color fidelity. It also has a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz that is complemented by MEMC technology to gain fluidity and sharpness in images with a lot of movement and is compatible with HDR 10, Dolby Vision IQ and HDG.

At the sound level, on the other hand, it integrates two full-range speakers with 15 W each capable of providing stereo sound, and which are also compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. That said, its image quality is correct and in line with the price, although it is somewhat below other models in terms of fluidity. The sound is powerful and loud and we recommend keeping the volume at medium levels to avoid distortion. The remote control works via Bluetooth and incorporates shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, the applications menu and the voice assistant.

HiSense QLED TV 55A7GQ

Although the most common (as reflected in this comparison) is for televisions to bet on operating systems such as Android TV, in this case HiSense has its own system, VIDAA U5. Although it is visually attractive and has the main streaming applications (essential today), at the performance level it is a little below other solutions. As a peculiarity, note that it is compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant and that it incorporates a gaming mode that significantly reduces latency.

Something similar happens when watching sports: it automatically detects what you’re watching and changes the mode to a specific one that provides more fluidity. In this sense, and as other models do, it compensates for a standard refresh rate (60 Hz) with the Auto Low Latency Mode ALLM mode to improve latency and fluidity of the images.

With a 55-inch 4K screen, its panel is of the Direct LED type, that is, the backlight is distributed throughout the rear, allowing greater control over the areas that light up and darken at all times and allowing better quality. than the panels that incorporate these LED diodes only on the edges (the technology that has predominated until not long ago).

In addition, it is complemented by technologies such as AI Picture Optimization that automatically identifies the scene (for example, the sky, people, sports, etc.) in the image and adjusts the quality in real time to obtain the best performance at all times. What it doesn’t have is HDR support.

TCL LED TV

With Google TV (a customized version of Android TV), it is compatible with HDR 10 and, in addition, it incorporates a proprietary technology of the brand also aimed at dynamic color enhancement that works automatically and offers a similar performance. To do this, it continuously analyzes the video signal and performs dynamic calculations to reproduce most of the color tones as the film’s director intended, preserving skin tones, improving shadows… It is one of the greatest of the comparison, with a 65-inch 4K LED screen.

Its frequency response stays at 50 Hz, yes. And with gamers in mind, it includes HDMI 2.1 and features like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which automatically switches the TV to game mode to reduce latency. For the rest, highlight its compatibility with Dolby Audio (it incorporates two 10 W speakers with limited quality) and a minimalist design.

*All purchase prices included in this article are current as of June 9, 2023.

[Recuerda que si eres usuario de Amazon Prime, todas las compras tienen gastos de envío gratuitos. Amazon ofrece un período de prueba gratuito y sin compromiso durante 30 días.]

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