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doublelee\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.<\/p>\n
Not long ago, TCL was a relatively unknown name in the U.S. TV market. Over the last decade or so, it’s experienced a massive rise not only in name recognition, but in sales. In fact, TCL trails only Samsung in global TV shipments, making it the second-largest TV brand on the planet. Its smart TVs have become a staple when it comes to discounts at major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon, but TCL’s rise is also due to the value its smart TVs offer. Alongside affordability, TCL also includes QD-Mini LED and quantum-dot color picture technologies in its TVs, which produce the kind of image quality that was traditionally difficult to find among cheap smart TV brands<\/a>.<\/p>\n But playing in the budget smart TV space has put TCL among some fierce competition. It’s not the only manufacturer that makes affordable TVs, nor is it the only one that delivers a lot of bang for the buck. Some other budget TV brands have emerged over the last decade, and of course, some that TCL first came into competition with are still around. Each of them has a unique draw in one way or another. Whether you have an interest in staying away from the TCL brand or simply want to know the full set of options available, we’ve taken a look at them all and have narrowed down some of the best budget TV brands.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Hisense<\/p>\n
monticello\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Anyone who’s come across TCL while keeping an eye on the budget smart TV market has likely also stumbled upon Hisense. The electronics company was founded in 1969, but similar to TCL, Hisense has experienced an uptick in name recognition over the last decade. The experts at Rtings<\/a>\u00a0included a model from both brands in their\u00a02026 budget TV recommendations.\u00a0Another reason for Hisense’s growing popularity is that many of its smart TV models regularly see big discounts at major retailers.<\/p>\n Hisense’s 2026 lineup centers around the U6 and U7 Series TVs, though there are a number of different models on the market. Some of those models are incredibly affordable, with the\u00a032-inch QD4<\/a> priced at just $109. While an ultra-budget model like that comes with sacrifices such as 720p resolution, a TV like the Hisense QD50<\/a> is available in a 58-inch model that comes with 4K resolution and is regularly priced at just $220. Several picture technologies are available across Hisense models, though many feature MiniLED QLED.<\/p>\n From an overall investment standpoint, it’s a bit of a tossup when looking at Hisense vs. TCL<\/a> directly. Both brands offer high-quality panels, and while TCL tends to provide better audio in its TVs, Hisense TVs can make a better pairing with a full-blown home theater setup. Like TCL, Hisense offers a number of different smart TV platforms to choose from with its models, including Roku, Google TV, and Fire TV.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Vizio<\/p>\n
Scott Olson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Vizio has long been recognized as one of the go-to names for solid picture quality at a low price. It was acquired by Walmart in 2024, and while the Vizio name has taken a bit of a hit since then, user feedback has kept it among the cheap TV brands that actually last<\/a>. Vizio also placed a model among Rtings’ best budget TVs of 2026.<\/p>\n The Quantum Series is Vizio’s flagship lineup of smart TVs, and it’s incredibly affordable, with a 43-inch Full HD version<\/a> going for $148 and a 43-inch 4K QLED version<\/a> priced at just $188. Vizio more recently introduced Mini-LED picture technology to the lineup, and it’s even managed to keep pricing low among those TVs as well. A 65-inch Mini-LED 4K QLED<\/a> version of the Vizio Quantum smart TV is priced at just $358.<\/p>\n But Vizio’s purchase by Walmart hasn’t sat well with all smart TV shoppers, and there are concerns of data overreach and the potential for new Vizio TVs to force users to make a Walmart account<\/a>. There are even signs that Walmart is leaning toward an ad-based user interface to offset the affordability of Vizio smart TVs. It remains a quality alternative to TCL for the time being, however, offering some seriously low prices for smart TV shoppers on a budget.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Insignia<\/p>\n
Eric Broder Van Dyke\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Similarly to Walmart, Best Buy has its own in-house smart TV brand, Insignia. Insignia TVs are some of the most straightforward smart TV alternatives to TCL offerings, as they’re cheap, well regarded among consumers, and don’t complicate the decision-making process with a lot of different models and feature sets. Despite its reputation for making incredibly affordable TVs, Insignia still ranks among the most reliable smart TV brands according to Consumer Reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n The company has designed the viewing experience for its smart TVs around Amazon’s Fire TV platform. That means they have Alexa voice controls built right into the interface, as well as access to streaming apps and smart-home integrations. Similar features can be found on just about any smart TV, but the Fire TV platform helps Insignia TVs integrate right into the homes and home theater setups of those who utilize Alexa devices around the house.<\/p>\n But what makes Insignia appealing to some may be a turnoff to others. Shoppers will find much more to choose from when it comes to TCL, with Roku TV and Google TV among its smart TV platform options. TCL also has much more to consider when it comes to picture technologies among its models. But Insignia is there for those who want to keep things simple, with its 50-inch 4K TVs<\/a> starting at just $170\u00a0and an 85-inch 4K TV<\/a> priced at $600. Insignia even prices its few QLED TVs affordably, with the 75-inch QF Series<\/a> regularly priced at $650.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Samsung<\/p>\n
8th.creator\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Samsung is far from a cheap TV brand in most regards, as its premium and mid-range TVs generally outprice much of what TCL has in its lineup. But the more affordable end of Samsung’s pricing spectrum lines up well with TCL’s models, and conversely, TCL now makes some higher-end smart TVs that encroach upon Samsung’s midrange offerings. Samsung ranks atop the major smart TV brands in customer satisfaction<\/a>, making some of its TVs both affordable and reputable alternatives to TCL.<\/p>\n Samsung’s most budget-friendly smart TVs fall under its Crystal UHD lineup, which offers 4K resolution, support for HDR video playback, and Samsung’s motion enhancement technology. Samsung has built all of its TVs on the Tizen smart platform, which not only includes access to streaming services, but also to Samsung’s Gaming Hub. Pricing of these TVs is right in TCL’s range, with the 55-inch U8000H Series<\/a> regularly priced at $300 and the 65-inch model<\/a> costing $380.<\/p>\n Compared to more expensive brands, these entry-level Samsung Crystal UHD models are somewhat basic. In some regards, they even have trouble keeping up with TCL’s cheapest TVs. Samsung Crystal UHD TVs utilize standard LED panels, where TCL offers QLED and Mini-LED across its lineup, for example. But you can always climb the Samsung model ladder to match and even best TCL’s higher-end TVs, and the Tizen smart TV platform may interest viewers who use other Samsung electronics and appliances throughout their home.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n How we selected these cheap TV brands you can try instead of TCL<\/p>\n
alexfan32\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n We at BGR have a lot of experience with smart TVs, as well as a strong knowledge of the brands and manufacturers that make up the market. When it comes to TCL, affordability is often front and center for shoppers. Its most affordable TVs come in under $150, with mid-range options hovering around the $700 to $1,000 price point and large-screen, high-end mainstream options reaching as high as $3,000.<\/p>\n A range of picture technologies and features are available across these lineups, but because our primary focus here was on affordability, we targeted brands that have a wide range of TVs available for less than $700. That kept us within range of TCL’s best value TVs, while at the same time allowing us to consider some brands that also have high-value TV models.<\/p>\n Each of our selections stood out as a competitor to TCL in one way or another. While a brand like Insignia is unique because its pricing is lower than TCL’s in a general sense, affordability is shared across the selections. Each TV brand you find here has something to offer that you can’t get with a TCL TV, whether that be a certain picture technology, smart TV platform, or overall variety in its lineup.<\/p>\n
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