The best 50-inch smart TVs of 2024: Panasonic, Hisense, Samsung and more

Ideal for the keenest gamers and film fanatics alike, the Samsung QN90D is at the cutting edge of television technology, offering unparalleled visuals, phenomenal sound and razor-sharp responsiveness. The main draw of the QN90D is its top-notch Neo-QLED screen panelling, which pushes the brightness of an already bright technology to new heights. Searing colour and intense picture precision, the QN90D bursts with colour, giving viewers a dazzling spectacle each time you switch it on and settle down for the evening.

Complete with a 40W audio output and Dolby Atmos surround sound which upscales immersion beyond belief, its rich, bassy sound eliminates the necessity for a speaker setup almost entirely. For gamers, it's particularly challenging to find a television that can support 144Hz, and combined with the best smart TV visuals money can buy, it's certainly an excellent choice for gamers. A 144Hz refresh rate pushes gaming consoles to their very best performance, you'll almost certainly notice the phenomenal smoothness and reduced input lag from the QN90D, it's the best performance imaginable.

If we were to nitpick the QN90D, we'd note that the intensity of the picture's brightness might be almost too overwhelming for some users, especially from lighter tones, giving those with light sensitivity some discomfort after hours of use.

If you're looking for the most intense picture possible in a smart television, Samsung's QN90D is quite possibly the best choice for your money. With great sound, gorgeous picture quality and one of the best televisions for gaming of the year, the Samsung QN90D is a terrific choice this year.

A cornerstone of the ultra-HD television market for countless years by now, the latest iteration of Samsung's Crystal UHD 50-inch TV is priced similarly to a low-end smart television, but with Samsung's phenomenal user interface and audiovisual post-processing included in its long list of exciting features. Though it might not have the colour or contrast of a QLED or OLED television, it still has some slick tricks under its sleeve: most notably its PurColour mode, which pushes colours and overall brightness to higher, more visually exciting levels.

Samsung's stellar design and unique features shine throughout the Crystal UHD TV, its user experience rivalling any higher-end smart television on the market this year, but the Crystal UHD isn't without its flaws. As it's a base model, the features and programs users can toggle through to fine-tune their cinematic experience are on the lighter side, which is given thanks to its price but certainly worth noting. As brilliant a budget television it may be, there are also limits to its picture, with particularly bright or dark scenes proving to be challenging to this television in terms of colour reproduction.

For the vast majority of film lovers, however, dedicated as they are, the fineries of colour reproduction accuracy are likely to be a minor, insignificant footnote on what is a splendid deal worth snatching up the moment you can.

A high-quality, low-cost screen from manufacturer Hisense, this 50-inch TV sports the ever-incredible QLED screen panel technology, creating what is a tremendously eye-catching home cinema experience. We find the design of Hisense's 50A7NQTUK to be a particular stand-out of the budget television market: its large central metal stand creates a dazzling centrepiece for any lounge, with an aesthetic that surpasses its price. Unsurprisingly, the bezel-less design of the 50A7NQTUK creates all the more drama to the picture itself, having that limitless, immersive view of your screen is tough to capture on budget televisions, so it's pleasant to see on such a cheap model.

As for the picture itself, QLED remains one of the most visually engaging screen technologies on the market, and though its brightness isn't as remarkable as you might find in a pricier model, it stands as one of the best-looking screens this year in terms of price.

QLED televisions have entered the ranks of budget technology in recent years, which is certainly intriguing, but equally, it's best to read sceptically into its specifications. As with many QLED models at its price, the brightness that you might come to expect from a QLED panel simply isn't there. With an average of 350 nits brightness, this is painfully average compared to typical 4K smart televisions on the market, so you're not getting the typical searing brightness of a true QLED.

Be that as it may, the sheer spectrum of colour capable on this cheaper television is in and of itself commendable, budget televisions have come a long way over the years, and the Hisense 50A7NQTUK is a prime example of this evolution.

A typically pricier screen technology, but a pleasant surprise to see for less than £1,000 nonetheless: Panasonic's TX-48MZ700B is a tough blow to budget screens on account of its simply stunning visuals, build quality and refreshing design.

Though we may have referred to certain standard LED screens on the list as 'ultra-thin', when it comes to OLED, they're as thin as can be. At its sharpest point, the TX-48MZ700B is around 4mm thick, which gives this television a clean, ultra-modern aesthetic that is irresistible to a TV lover. Those fooled into believing that the TX-48MZ700B is thin for gimmick's sake would be mistaken: its thickness is on account of the screen's lack of a backlight panel, which gives the television's picture what's known as 'infinite contrast'. Since the black tones of the TX-48MZ700B are created from a complete lack of light, the contrast is utterly superb.

Contrast in a television gives images a bold, life-like quality which is constantly strived for in television technology, and for roughly £700, you can hardly argue that it's a poor deal. Visuals are breathtaking, overall gaming performance is sublime on account of its 120Hz refresh rate, and audio is similarly superb despite a lack of space for a speaker to snugly squeeze into.

One major downside to Panasonic'sTX-48MZ700B, which all OLED televisions inevitably face is its fairly average brightness and tendency towards screen-burn, both problems which are prevalent in the TX-48MZ700B. Brightness, whilst good on the TX-48MZ700B, is comparable to a standard LED television, which pales in comparison to a fully-fledged QLED TV.

A television stunning television experience isn't all about brightness and an expanded array of colours, however, and many consider contrast to be the best way to achieve a truly realistic 4K picture, and we're not likely to disagree. A bargain price with masterful visuals, the Panasonic TX-48MZ700B is one of the best OLED televisions of the year for its price.

A solid, dependable choice from RCA, the ROKU TV is an ideal choice for budget buyers in search of a basic smart television experience: plug in, tune out. It's a great-looking 4K TV with all you've come to expect from a smart TV, with some cutbacks here and there which make it as cheap as can be.

The overall design of the RCA Roku is certainly impressive, its bezels are ultra-thin, as is the overall thickness of the television itself, making it ultra-light and suitable for wall-mounting without any concern of wall damage.

Compatible with a range of smart assistants for instant access without the faff of searching via a television remote, whilst also having a reasonably intuitive, albeit limited user interface. Herein lies the largest flaw of the RCA Roku TV: its overall build quality, which also inevitably affects the software side too. The RCA Roku television is fairly cheaply made, with a plasticky backing and a generic Android user interface which leaves much to be desired.

Paying out of pocket for a little polish on your user interface might be ideal for some, but most are likely to find it absolutely useable, and the amount of time you spend interacting with the televisions actual interface compared to menus in streaming apps, is fairly minimal. If you're looking for a reliable smart television for less than £300 that certainly holds its own with phenomenal 4K visuals, the RCA Roku TV is the way to go.

TCL's bargain 50-inch television expertly balances performance and cost, offering a delightfully cheap smart TV at a fraction of the cost of its competitors on what is a remarkable screen. TCL's 50V6BK features a borderless design with an elegant, unobtrusive foot stand, drawing your eye strongly to the immersive screen.

As for the screen itself, the 4K quality paired with the DR10 screen creates an appealing viewing experience that is perfect for any home, cinephile or otherwise. For less than £300, it's a brilliant bargain worth grabbing, especially considering that it's a brand-new model. The strong 20W audio output is another surprising element of the TCL 50V6BK, it's difficult to find such loud audio in a cheap television, so you'll certainly be surprised by its excellent sound.

It's hard to fault the TCL 50V6BK for the money, there are certainly drawbacks to cheaper televisions, you're not going to achieve that break-through visual excellent that you might with a QLED or OLED screen, but 4K remains a gorgeous resolution, even at its price.

A fantastic smart TV for anyone on a budget, with all the scale and beauty you want out of a television, the TCL 50V6BK is a great choice this year.