Top TVs to buy by price

David Bayon,
Contributing Editor at PC Pro

So you’ve read our TV buyer’s guide and you’re ready to lay down some hard cash, but there are so many options to consider it can be a daunting prospect. To help you out, we’ve rounded up five top-quality TVs in 3 price categories for you to use as a starting point.

Under £500 TVs

At this low price point you’re looking mainly at 32-inch full-price TVs, although if you look around you’ll also find some 40-inch and 42-inch models that have been discounted from their recommended retail price. Even at this price you should expect Freeview HD and Wi-Fi as standard. The big differentiator is picture quality, and that can be hard to judge without seeing it outside a shop environment. Try these under £500 TVs for size and check out our product summary, go large with TVs for under £800, or extra large with TVs for under £1200.

Under £800 TVs

As we go up the price scale, the size increases quickly, and you’ll find everything from 40-inch models to 50-inch and above. The bezels get thinner, the stands get more stylish, and you’ll start to see more added extras such as motion control remotes. Don’t just look at the screen size, as going a bit smaller can mean getting more elsewhere for your money. Check out our under £800 product summary.

Under £1,200 TVs

Finally, going to a grand and above doesn’t always mean huge screens. You can find plenty of normal living room-sized screens with truly stunning Full HD panels – and some of the choices below use plasma technology for incredible contrast and black levels. Check out our under £1200 product summary.

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SAMSUNG UE32F6400, RRP £400

This 32-inch LED-backlit screen has a fine Full HD panel that upscales well and even crams in 3D capabilities – although the glasses are a separate purchase.

eBay loves: excellent Smart TV and catch-up features.

Watch out for: white levels could be a bit higher for the price.

	Panasonic TXL32E6B	Samsung UE32F6400	Philips 32PFL4258T	Toshiba 32L6353	Sony KDL32W653A
Screen	32-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	32-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	32-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	32-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	32-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED
HDMI	3	3	3	4	2
3D	No	3D Active (0 pairs)	No	No	No
	£369	£400	£480	£450	£360
Summary	Packs in great features.	Excellent screen - and add 3D	Top-of-the-range image quality	Streaming great for smartphone users.	Beautiful design and great picture.

	Philips 42PFL5008T	Toshiba 50L4353DB	LG 42LA690V	Samsung PS51F5500	Panasonic TX-L50E6B
Screen	42-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	50-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	42-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	51-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	50-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED
HDMI	3	4	3	3	3
3D	Passive (2 pairs)	No	3D Passive (6 pairs)	3D Active (2 pairs)	No
	£650	£530	£650	£700	£700
Summary	Ambilight makes for immersive viewing	Trades features for a huge screen	The 3D family choice	Great value for a big 3D screen	Solid all-rounder but no 3D

	Sony Bravia KDL40W905	LG 47LA860W	Panasonic TX-P42GT60B	Samsung UE40F7000	Panasonic TX-P50GT60B
Screen	40-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	47-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	42-inch 1,920 x 1,080 plasma	40-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED	50-inch 1,920 x 1,080 plasma
HDMI	4	4	3	4	3
3D	Active (4 pairs)	Passive (6 pairs)	Active (2 pairs)	Active (2 pairs)	Active (2 pairs)
	£999	£900	£999	£1,099	£1,200
Summary	Amazing picture quality	Good blend of quality, size and price	Breathtaking picture quality	Gorgeous and upgradeable	Shows you get what you pay for