I'm a TV expert and I found all of the best Black Friday TV deals under $500

Though they’re not as prolific as they once were, Roku TVs are still a great option for folks who are looking for a streaming experience that is both easy and powerful. The 55-inch Roko Plus Series offers the familiar face of Roku along with a quantum dot-enhanced picture — the latter of which is not always guaranteed in this price range. In our Roku Plus Series QLED review, we praised this TV for its accurate color, its surprisingly decent audio, and of course, its easy-to-use Roku functionality. Gamers, take note: You’re not getting much in the way of gaming support here, other than Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

If you’re a dedicated gamer and your wishlist has more to do with current-gen console support, you ought to take a look at the 55-inch Hisense U7N. This is a mid-range Mini-LED TV, and it’s much better suited for gamers than the Roku Plus Series. It’s a mere three bucks below the $500 threshold, but that price lands you support for 4K gaming at 120Hz or 144Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and a relatively robust Mini-LED backlight. This allows the U7N to deliver better contrast control than standard QLEDs with garden-variety local dimming, as well as higher HDR highlights. When we tested it for our Hisense U7N review, we were impressed with its ability to reach over 1,300 nits of peak brightness — that’s really good for a sub-$500 TV.

If you find Mini-LEDs intriguing but would rather not pay for fancy performance features, consider the Hisense U6N. The 65-inch version of the U6N is the same price as the 55-inch version of the U7N. You’ll still be getting quantum dots, Mini-LED backlighting (though not as bright) and the built-in Google TV streaming platform. The U6N is a pretty decent compromise, all things considered. If you’re looking for something smaller than 65 inches, I’ve got good news: the 55-inch U6N is on sale for Black Friday, too.

55-inch: was $547 now $347 @ Amazon

If 65 and 55 inches are a little on the big side, Samsung’s 43-inch, entry-level QLED, the Q60D, has recently seen a significant price cut ahead of Black Friday. This TV offers an attractive, super-slim design and setup is a cinch. You’re getting quantum-dot color and Samsung’s built-in Tizen smart platform, too. I recommend that serious gamers explore other options, but if all you’re looking for is a decent, Samsung-branded TV at a smaller size point, the Q60D is a worthy pick. The 50-inch version is on sale, too.

50-inch: was $647 now $477 @ Amazon

The QM7, TCL’s mid-range Mini-LED TV, is a direct competitor to the Hisense U7N Mini-LED TV, so it makes sense that the QM7 is almost the exact same price ahead of Black Friday. They’re remarkably similar TVs, from their backlight to their gaming features. The QM7 leverages the Google TV smart platform and supports 4K gaming at up to 144Hz, along with ALLM and VRR.

Does the idea of a TCL-branded TV with built-in Google TV sound appealing, but you’d rather not splash out on gaming features you’ll never use? Consider the entry-level TCL Q6. Right now, the 65-inch version of this TV is priced well below $500. Due to its relatively limited brightness, it’s not the best TV for showcasing HDR movies and games, but in our TCL Q6 review, we made note of its accurate out-of-the-box picture, which should satisfy the set-it-and-forget-it crowd. It’s just a solid 4K TV. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the 75-inch version is an astonishingly low $547 right now. I know, I know — that’s more than $500. I just needed to mention it.

75-inch: was $749 now $547 @ Amazon