Smart TV prices 2021: new TVs for any budget

Every smart TV price range explained

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Most new TVs these days aresmart TVs, but there’s a difference between what you can expect from a budget TV and what you can expect for one that’s more expensive all the way through to the most high-end devices.

Because, regardles of your budget, there’s probably a smart TV out there for you. There are some cheap smart TVs available for almost nothing, but they tend to sacrifice processing smarts for value, which can leave you wishing you’d stuck to watchingNetflixon yourlaptopinstead.

There are also plenty of premium smart TVs that are so expensive that an impulse buy can lead to years of regret – especially if you only end up turning it on every few days.

But don’t worry. There’s a perfect smart TV price for everyone, which is why we’ve put together this smart TV price guide. We’ll run you through the general price bands for new smart TVs, as well as what you can usually expect for the money, and some examples of sets worth buying for that budget.

Smart TV prices: under $300 / £300 / AU$450

If you want a TV for as little cost as possible, this is the smart TV price range you should be considering. The problem is, these sets won’t offer much in the picture department, and will usually be stuck at smaller sizes, like 24-inch or32-inch TVs. If they’re any larger at this price, you can be sure corners are being cut in picture quality in abigway.

Supermarket TVs like those made by Polaroid orSpectreare often found at this price. They won’t be a great choice for hooking up with a games console, or getting4KHDRpictures – they’ll either be stuck at HD resolution or upscaling somewhat poorly. For a budget buy, though, paying $200 for a television isn’t to be sniffed at, especially as asecond screenfor a bedroom or smaller room.

It’s worth noting that more mid-range sets can also be discounted down to this level, so be on the lookout for greatTV dealson pricier sets.

Smart TV prices: under $600 / £600 / AU$900

A tad more expensive, but still pretty affordable. You’ll get a lot of cheapnew Samsung TVsat this price range, and you’re looking more at quality43-inch TVs, or more middling65-inch TVs. 4KHDRis to be expected at this price, but you likely won’t be getting a panel, processor, or lighting system good enough to really do those technologies justice. (Definitely expect edge-lit panels, rather than the superior brightness control of full-array dimming zones.)

Still, you’re getting a taste of higher-end technologies, and for everyday use for everyday buyers – not the committed4K gamersor cinephiles among you – this is a smart price range to aim for.

Smart TV prices: under $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,400

These smart TV prices put you firmly in the mid-range. Neither high-end performers or budget slackers, these smart TVs offer a trade-off of price and quality that will generally be pretty favorable. As with every successive price band, you can expect larger sizes that retain decent image quality, as well as the introduction of backlights for improved brightness control (for LCDs).

At this price you’re getting capable LCD TVs, and a number ofQLEDmodels too. Some starterOLED TVsare just about inching down into this price bracket, as with thePhilips OLED 754, or last year’sLG BX, both of which feature slightly cheaper materials and processors compared to their flagshipOLEDsiblings. Mostly, though, you can expectOLEDmodels at higher prices.

Smart TV prices: under $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000

Getting pricey! Above the $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,500 you really do open up a lot more opportunities for high-end sets. Now you’re getting access to mostOLED TVs, for one, with the likes of theLG CX OLEDbeing available in48-inchand55-inchsizes.PanasonicandSonyOLEDs are available, too, as well as a higher tier ofSamsung TVs– as with the 4K flagshipQ95T.

The main difference in picture quality comes from more expensive processors, which improves everything from motion handling and brightness control to black levels and shadow detail. You’ll see far more of a difference with HDR sources, too, especially with dynamic HDR formats likeDolby VisionorHDR10+. The panel and processor will be more capable of showing off an expanded color gamut, and have the smarts to enhance contrast beyond what you’d get on acheap TV.

You’re often still settling for middling audio, though, as the televisions with built-insoundbarsor truly beefed-up audio setups will be at the upper end of this price band, or moving into the next…

Smart TV prices: under $5,000 / £5,000 / AU$7,000

What happens to your smart TV options when you move above $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000? One of the biggest shifts is in hardware design. This is when you’ll see TV brands offer floating glass displays (theLG E9 OLED), generally higher-grade materials, or whole new types of built-in audio arrays like Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ orSamsung’s OTS (Object Tracking Sound).

Part of the reason cheaper sets can still offer great picture quality is that theydon’tscale up audio capability with it – with the implication you’ll buy a suitable soundbar, or already have an audio setup ready to plug a new TV into.

You’re also entering the world of8K TVs. Samsung is pushing8K resolutionhard these days, with three8Kmodels in its 2020 range. While they’re still expensive – the entry-levelSamsung Q800Tstarts at $3,199 / £3,799 / AU$4,999 – there is a meaningful difference in price between them.

Smart TV prices: up to $10,000 / £10,000 / AU$14,000, and beyond

Wow, really? If you can afford sets like these, you can expect a wholly different experience to mid-range or low-premium sets. At first you’ll start seeing a lot more75-inch 4K TVs, and8K TVsthat aren’t aiming for entry-level budgets. TheSamsung Q950TS 8K QLED, for one, costs a whopping $12,999 for an 85-inch model in the US.

Beyond that, you can expect entirely new form factors, like the rollableLG Signature Series OLED R, which is expected to cost in the realm of $30,000 / £30,000. The 88-inchBeovision Harmony, too, which features a wing-shaped speaker array that folds out when in use, ramps that up to $49,000 / £44,100 (around AU$74,000).

At this point you’re firmly in the world of concept televisions, rather than anything you can pick up at your local electronics store, but if you have the cash to splash, why not on something as impressive as this?

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Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.

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