Best Budget TVs Under £300 in 2026

Spending £300 on a TV in 2026 gets you more than it should. The budget end of the market has improved over the past couple of years: better panels, faster smart systems, HDR support that used to cost twice as much. The gap between a £250 set and a £500 one is smaller than most people think.

This guide covers six TVs under £300, split by size: two 32-inch sets for bedrooms, kitchens and smaller rooms, and four 43-inch models for anyone who wants a proper living room TV without spending serious money. Every price and stock status here was re-checked on 9 November 2026, and every set is one you can buy new today. No discontinued models, no marketplace-only listings at inflated prices.

A quick note on 55-inch TVs: they rarely drop below £300 unless something's being cleared out. If you need a big screen, keep an eye on our electronics deals page for when they do. For most people on this budget, 43 inches is the sweet spot.

How do they compare side by side?

TV	Price	Size	Resolution	Panel	Smart platform	Rating
TCL 32SF560-UK	£149	32"	Full HD	QLED, Direct LED	Fire TV	4.2/5
TCL 32V5D	£169	32"	Full HD	QLED, Direct Lit	Fire TV + Freely	4.3/5*
Xiaomi TV F Pro 43	£199	43"	4K UHD	QLED	Fire TV	4.1/5
Hisense 43E6STUK	£249	43"	4K UHD	LED	VIDAA + Freely	4.6/5
Samsung U7020H	£249	43"	4K UHD	Crystal UHD	Tizen	4.0/5
Hisense 43E78QTUK	£269	43"	4K UHD	QLED, Direct Lit	VIDAA + Freely	4.4/5

Ratings are Amazon UK customer scores at the time of checking (*the TCL 32V5D score is from Currys, where we recommend buying it). Prices verified 9 November 2026.

What should you look for in a budget TV?

• Resolution: At 32 inches, Full HD (1080p) is fine. You won't notice the jump to 4K at normal viewing distances. At 43 inches, go for 4K. Every set in this guide at that size is 4K.
• Panel type: LED is standard at this price. QLED (quantum dot) is a step up, with better colour range and brightness, and two sets here offer it for surprisingly little money.
• HDR: HDR10 is the baseline. Dolby Vision is better and common now even at budget prices. HDR10+ is Samsung's alternative and does a similar job. Any of these will make a visible difference on streaming content.
• Smart platform: This matters more than you'd think. A sluggish interface on a TV you use every day gets old fast. The main options here are Fire TV (Amazon), Tizen (Samsung) and VIDAA (Hisense). All have the major UK apps, but some are smoother than others.
• Freely support: New and genuinely useful. Freely streams live UK channels over the internet with no aerial at all. Both 43-inch Hisense sets and the TCL 32V5D here include it, as do most 2025-onward models.
• HDMI ports: Three is ideal. Two works if you've only got a set-top box and nothing else. At this price HDMI 2.0 is the norm, so don't expect 120Hz console features.

The 6 best budget TVs under £300

1. TCL 32SF560-UK — best value small TV (£149)

This is the cheapest set here and the one to buy if you just want a decent small TV without thinking about it too hard. It replaces the 32SF540K that used to sit at the top of this guide, and it is a genuine upgrade: TCL has put a QLED panel into a 32-inch Full HD set for under £150, which was not happening a year ago. It has crept up from £138 in September, but it is still the best small TV here.

Quantum dot colour at this size and price is unusual. It will not transform a 1080p picture, but it does give noticeably richer colour than the plain LED sets it competes with. Direct LED backlighting rather than edge-lit also helps with brightness uniformity.

The smart side is Fire TV, which is fast, familiar if you already own Amazon devices, and covers every UK app you would want. Alexa is built into the remote. You also get up to six user profiles, which is more useful than it sounds on a shared kitchen or bedroom TV.

It is a 32-inch Full HD set, so do not expect miracles: sound is thin, and the panel is not bright enough for a sunny conservatory. For a bedroom, kitchen or spare room it is hard to argue with at this money.

Pros: QLED panel under £150, Fire TV is quick and well stocked, Direct LED backlight, six user profiles
Cons: Thin built-in sound, not bright enough for very sunny rooms, Full HD only
Best for: Bedrooms, kitchens and second rooms on the tightest budget
Where to buy: Amazon (£149)*

2. TCL 32V5D — best 32-inch from Currys (£169)

The Hisense 32A4QTUK that filled this slot last month has gone. Currys has delisted it, and Amazon no longer sells it. Hisense's 2026 replacement, the 32A4STUK, is an HD Ready set at £179, so we've passed on it. The TCL 32V5D takes the slot instead: a Full HD QLED with Freely for £169 at Currys, down from £199 over the summer.

Compared with the HD Ready Hisense it replaces, it's a straightforward step up. You get a Full HD (1920 x 1080) panel instead of HD Ready, quantum dot colour instead of a plain LED panel, and direct backlighting. Freely is built in, so live UK channels stream over broadband with no aerial connected at all, and the smart side is Fire TV with Alexa on the remote. HDR10 and HLG are supported, and Dolby Audio with DTS Virtual-X handles the sound through 16W of speakers.

It is £20 dearer than the TCL 32SF560-UK above, and the two are close relatives: both are 32-inch Full HD QLED Fire TVs, and Amazon's listing for the 32SF560 mentions Freely too. The 32V5D is the 2026 model, it's sold and delivered by Currys, and Currys buyers rate it 4.3 out of 5 across 108 reviews. If the 32SF560 is in stock at £149 when you buy, that's the better deal. If it isn't, or you'd rather buy from Currys, this is the one to get.

The limits are the usual ones at this size. There are two HDMI 1.4 ports, which is enough for a set-top box and a games console but not much more, and the panel runs at 60Hz. Sound is fine for news and chat shows, but a soundbar will help with films.

Pros: Full HD QLED panel, Freely means no aerial needed, Fire TV with Alexa, Dolby Audio with DTS Virtual-X
Cons: £20 more than the near-identical TCL 32SF560-UK, only two HDMI ports, 60Hz panel
Best for: Bedrooms and kitchens, especially rooms with no aerial socket, if the 32SF560 has sold out
Where to buy: Currys (£169)*

3. Xiaomi TV F Pro 43 — best under £200 (£199)

Last month this slot went to the Philips 43PUS8200 for its Ambilight. Amazon has since sold out, and it isn't listed at Currys or Argos. The in-stock Ambilight Philips sets now start at around £399, so Ambilight under £300 is off the table for now.

The Xiaomi TV F Pro 43 is the replacement. It's a 43-inch 4K QLED for £199 at Amazon, down from £269. Quantum dot colour on a sub-£200 43-inch set is unusual. On paper it out-specs the Hisense 43E6STUK below, which costs £50 more and has a standard LED panel.

The smart side is Fire TV, which is quick, familiar if you already own Amazon devices, and carries every major UK app, with Alexa voice control on the remote. It supports HDR10+ and has a Filmmaker Mode for watching films the way they were graded. MEMC motion smoothing helps with football. Dolby Audio and DTS:X handle the sound. It works with Apple AirPlay too, which is handy if your household is on iPhones.

Why isn't it the top pick? Its Amazon rating is 4.1 out of 5 across about 350 reviews, behind the Hisense sets. There's no Freely, so you'll need an aerial or the catch-up apps for live channels. And Xiaomi's track record on TV software updates in the UK is shorter than Samsung's or Hisense's. At £199, though, it's the best-specced TV here for the money.

Pros: 4K QLED under £200, Fire TV with Alexa, HDR10+ and Filmmaker Mode, AirPlay support
Cons: No Freely, lower buyer rating than the Hisense sets, shorter UK software track record
Best for: Anyone who wants a 43-inch 4K TV with richer colour for the least money
Where to buy: Amazon (£199)*

4. Hisense 43E6STUK — best overall budget TV (£249)

If you are buying one TV under £300 and you do not want to think about it, buy this one. It replaces the 43E6QTUK, which Amazon has sold out of and which is now only available from a marketplace seller at well over £300. The 43E6STUK is the 2026 model, it carries the highest Amazon rating in the guide at 4.6 out of 5, and it is £249 at Amazon. Currys buyers rate it 4.9 out of 5, though Currys is out of stock.

The AI 4K Upscaler sharpens lower-resolution content, which matters more than the marketing language suggests when most of what you watch is compressed streaming rather than native 4K. AI Smooth Motion handles fast-moving content like football without the smearing that ruins cheap panels.

The big change from last year's model is Dolby Vision, which used to be the main reason to pay extra for the 43E78QTUK below. It also has three HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC for a soundbar) and Game Mode Plus with VRR and ALLM, though the panel is still 60Hz. Freely is built in, so live UK channels work over broadband with no aerial.

What you do not get is QLED. If colour depth matters more to you than saving £20, step up to the 43E78QTUK below. For everyone else, this is the sensible buy.

Pros: Best-rated set here, Dolby Vision, three HDMI 2.1 ports, strong motion handling, Freely built in
Cons: No quantum dot panel, VIDAA is functional rather than slick, sound needs a soundbar
Best for: Most people. The default choice under £250
Where to buy: Amazon (£249)*

5. Samsung U7020H 43" — best big-brand pick (£249)

If you want Samsung specifically, this is the one that fits under £300. It's £249, down from £259 in September, and brings the Crystal Processor 4K, PurColor and HDR10+ together with Tizen, which remains one of the best-organised smart platforms going.

Two features stand out for how people actually use a living room TV. Football Mode adjusts picture and sound for live matches, which is a more useful preset than most of the ones manufacturers ship. And the Gaming Hub gives you cloud gaming without a console attached.

The Dynamic Sound Pack with OTS Lite tracks on-screen action across the speakers. It is better than the flat stereo on most sets at this price, though a soundbar still improves things.

The customer rating is 4.0 out of 5, lower than the Hisense sets, and you are paying something for the badge. But Tizen is genuinely good, Samsung supports its TVs for years, and the build feels a class above the budget competition.

Pros: Tizen is polished and well supported, HDR10+, Football Mode, Gaming Hub, now £249
Cons: You pay a brand premium, rated lower than the Hisense sets, Tizen pushes Samsung's own services
Best for: Anyone who wants a big-brand TV with long software support
Where to buy: Amazon (£249)*

6. Hisense 43E78QTUK — best picture quality under £300 (£269)

The most expensive set here and the best picture. It's a step up from the 43E6STUK above, with a quantum dot layer producing over a billion shades of colour, plus Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Quantum dot colour is now the meaningful addition, because the cheaper 43E6STUK has Dolby Vision too. QLED gives richer, more saturated colour, which shows most on films and drama. Dolby Atmos does what it can through TV speakers, which is not much, but it passes through properly to a soundbar.

At £269 you are £20 above the 43E6STUK for quantum dot colour and Dolby Atmos. If you watch a lot of film and drama, that is money well spent. If you mostly watch daytime TV and news, it is not.

Pros: Quantum dot colour, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Hi-View AI upscaling, Freely built in
Cons: The most expensive set here, still VIDAA, built-in sound cannot deliver on the Atmos badge
Best for: Film and drama watchers who want the best panel available under £300
Where to buy: Amazon (£269)*

When is the best time to buy a TV in the UK?

TV prices follow a fairly predictable cycle. The deepest discounts tend to land at these points:

• January sales: Retailers clear last year's stock after Christmas. Older models often hit their lowest-ever prices.
• Amazon Prime Day (July): Amazon-branded TVs (Fire TV) drop significantly, and competitors often match with their own promotions.
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday (27 and 30 November 2026): The main sales event of the year for electronics.
• New model launches (spring): When Samsung, LG and others announce their new ranges, the previous year's models get discounted to clear stock.

The Xiaomi F Pro 43 is currently reduced from £269 to £199. Black Friday is under three weeks away, and 43-inch sets usually drop further then. Budget TV stock also turns over quickly, though. Two of last month's picks sold out between checks, and models disappear for good rather than coming back cheaper. If a set here suits you, buying now is reasonable.

What about refurbished TVs?

Refurbished TVs can be decent value, but I'd be cautious with budget models. The savings versus buying new are usually small (£20-40), and you lose the full manufacturer warranty. If you're going refurbished, buy from a retailer with a proper returns policy. Richer Sounds and Amazon Renewed are both reasonable. Avoid marketplace sellers offering "graded" TVs without clear warranty terms.

Frequently asked questions

Is 4K worth it at 43 inches?

Yes, if you're sitting within about 2 metres of the screen, which most people are in an average UK living room. The difference between 1080p and 4K is visible at that distance, especially on streaming content mastered in 4K. At 32 inches, the gap narrows enough that Full HD is plenty, and even HD Ready is acceptable from a normal distance.

Do I need a soundbar?

Probably. Every TV in this guide has acceptable built-in speakers for dialogue-heavy content like the news, but none will impress you with a film soundtrack. A budget soundbar for £50-80 transforms the experience. The Dolby Atmos support on the Hisense 43E78QTUK only becomes meaningful once you pair it with one.

What is Freely and do I need it?

Freely streams live UK television over your broadband instead of an aerial. It carries the main channels and catch-up apps in one interface. If your room has no aerial socket, or your aerial reception is poor, it removes the problem entirely. The TCL 32V5D and both 43-inch Hisense sets have it built in, and Amazon's listing for the TCL 32SF560 mentions it too. If you already have good aerial reception or use a set-top box, it is a nice extra rather than a reason to buy.

Which smart platform is best?

They all have the major UK apps, so the difference is speed and usability. Tizen on the Samsung is the most polished, though it pushes Samsung's own services. Fire TV on the two TCLs and the Xiaomi is fast and familiar if you use other Amazon devices. VIDAA on the Hisense sets works fine but feels a step behind.

Can I game on these TVs?

Casually, yes. The Samsung U7020H is the best of these for gaming thanks to its Gaming Hub and Football Mode preset, and the Hisense sets handle motion well. None of these TVs are built for competitive gaming: they all have 60Hz panels, so no 120Hz console modes. The Hisense 43E6STUK does have HDMI 2.1 with VRR and ALLM, which helps keep input lag down. For single-player games and casual multiplayer they are fine.

Our verdict

Best overall: The Hisense 43E6STUK at £249. Highest customer rating in the guide, 4K with AI upscaling that actually helps on compressed streams, Dolby Vision and Freely built in. If you are buying one TV under £300, buy this.

Best picture: The Hisense 43E78QTUK at £269 adds quantum dot colour and Dolby Atmos for £20 more. Worth it if you watch a lot of film and drama.

Best under £200: The Xiaomi TV F Pro 43 at £199. A 43-inch 4K QLED with Fire TV, if you can live without Freely.

Best small TV: The TCL 32SF560-UK at £149. A Full HD QLED panel and Fire TV for bedrooms and kitchens. If it sells out, the TCL 32V5D at £169 from Currys is the 2026 version with Freely built in.

Best big brand: The Samsung U7020H at £249. Tizen, HDR10+ and long software support.