8 Cheap TVs You Should Buy From Sam's Club

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Shopping for a new TV isn't as much of a hassle as it used to be. Some remarkable advancements have been made in the world of televisions that both improve quality and cut down costs. Past screen formats have been largely replaced by LED technology, making for lighter TVs with more vibrant pictures. HDR formats like HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG deliver more powerful color with affordable technology. This all culminates in more options for a new TV, including modestly priced models from major brands that balance quality and value. 

Between streaming services, special releases, and easier access to indie filmmakers, there's more media out there than ever before. You no longer need a high-end television to really make the most of the best Hollywood has to offer. Or the worst; Hollywood is getting better at making terrible movies, too. Regardless of your needs, the best bargains can usually be found online. Sam's Club, for example, hosts some cheap but impressive TVs worth buying, even on a budget.

The Philips 7875 4K Ambilight Smart TV swings for the fences in the low-end TV market, and it looks like a home run. The 4K, 60Hz LED TV system is priced from $229 to $389 between its 43-, 50-, and 65-inch models, all while boasting an impressive lineup of specs and special features. Picture clarity is bright and vibrant, the Roku smart platform is smooth and easy to use, and it supports both HDR10 and Dolby audio surround sound. With review scores for the different sizes ranging from 4.6 to 5.0 stars, it's one of the highest-rated low-budget TVs in Sam's Club's inventory.

The real icing on the cake here is the integrated Ambilight system, a series of multicolor LEDs on the back of the TV that illuminate the wall behind the TV in sync with whatever's on-screen. While it's not essential to a crisp, clean picture, it does incredible things for enhancing the atmosphere of your viewing experience. The 7875 series doesn't rely on the gimmick to shortchange the rest of the TV's specs, either. Though if you really want that backlight effect with a different TV, this smart gadget on Amazon will do the same thing.

If you like what Philips offers but find the Ambilight unnecessary, the 6000 Series might be the answer. The 50-inch Philips 6000 Series Smart TV comes in 4K resolution, HDR10, Dolby Audio surround sound support, and four HDMI ports. Consumers commonly praise it for its crisp picture and ease of use, earning it a 4.9-star review score. Priced at $229, it has one of the most impressive cost-to-quality ratios among similarly priced TVs.

For even tighter budgets, the 40-inch Philips 6000 Series Smart TV has an even more affordable price point at $149. The savings are mainly due to reduced specs, such as 1080p resolution, fewer HDMI ports, and no HDR support. Though it has a 4.9 review score of its own, it still meets and exceeds the expectations of most who have bought one. As a minimal-cost option for someone who doesn't absolutely need 4K, you won't find much better than this.

TCL is arguably the most competitive about its pricing. Its lineup often has similar specs to other name brands at a remarkably lower price tag. There's a reason why TCL TVs are so cheap, though, and it's not necessarily because of low customer satisfaction; the 4.8-star review score makes compelling evidence of that. The TCL S-Series 50-inch 4K LED Smart TV is a good example. The 4K LED TV features 60Hz, HDR, and even WiFi 5 support, all for only $238.

The S-Series, along with a handful of other TCL televisions, also comes with Game Accelerator 120* VRR and Motion Rate 240 with MEMC Frame Insertion technology. These provide a smoother, faster experience for high-speed gaming, making a TCL TV a popular choice for video game enthusiasts.

TCL almost buries this gem of a TV behind its S5 Series, which features almost identical specs but more model variety. One thing that consumers praised more about this model than the S5, however, is the clean, easy-to-use smart interface built on the Google TV platform. If you're not too dependent on a Roku interface, this is likely one of the easiest TVs under $250 to use day to day.

The 55-inch TCL S5 Series 4K UHD Smart TV could be seen as the twin sister of the S-Series models. It offers the same 4K display, Dolby Atmos audio support, and 60Hz refresh rate. It even supports the same Game Accelerator 120* VRR and Motion Rate 240 features, all while keeping within the cheap price range at $248. Consumer reviews reflect the similarities, holding a 4.7-star rating. A 43-inch option is also available for a lower price, with a 4.8 review score.

They're not identical TVs, though. What separates the S5 Series from the other TCL pick is the wider dynamic range support. Each S5 model has HDR PRO+, a system that supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. More advanced HDR functions mean better contrast and improved color ranges from the same tech. With most TVs on this list only supporting standard HDR, this model line is a standout choice if advanced HDR matters to you.

The Samsung 55-inch Q7FD Series Smart TV aims to stand out from the competition by offering what other TVs in this price range don't: a QLED display. This technology, short for Quantum Dot LED, offers greater dynamic control over how the light is cast from the television, allowing for more vibrant colors and richer highs and lows. Throw in OTS Lite surround sound support, and what do you get? A stunning 4K TV with a 4.7-star consumer rating and a $348 price point.

Being a more complex technology, there are some questions about how long a QLED TV will actually last. But with the most common consumer complaint being how easy it is to accidentally damage the screen, it's far from a dealbreaker if you handle it with care (and reach out to customer service if you don't). Samsung's Q7FD ought to deliver some of the best image quality you can find from a TV under $400.

The Samsung 58-inch U8000F Series 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV is one of the brand's non-QLED, low-budget options. It has the expected 4K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate, while even offering HDR10+ and Hybrid Log Gamma support. The 58-inch model has a 4.6-star consumer rating with a price tag of $379.99. Sam's Club also has a 55-inch option for $299. The 4.7-star rating there echoes the same praise as the other model size.

Know that "Crystal" isn't a type of TV display. The U8000F series is a standard LED television. In this context, Crystal refers to Samsung's name for the product line. According to Samsung, Crystal UHD TVs have "advanced processors to display high-quality 4K with enhanced color." So expect clean 4K upscaling from lower-resolution inputs.

The U8000F model's biggest downside is the two HDMI ports, half as many as most other models in this price range provide. Anyone with multiple video devices (game consoles, DVD players, etc) will need to invest in a reliable HDMI splitter to take full advantage of this TV.

Like the Samsung Crystal UHD line, but couldn't find it in the right size? Consider the U7900F series of 4K TVs, instead. The Samsung 75-inch U7900F Series 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV has everything the U8000F line offers, including the identical 4.6-star rating. It's a 4K-resolution, 60Hz refresh-rate TV with HDR10+ and HLG, OTS Lite surround sound support, and only 2 HDMI ports.

Usually retailing for $450, Sam's Club's Member-Only pricing brings it just barely under our qualification for our top price of $425. You won't find a bigger TV for the same price. Starting at $297.99, the 58-inch and 65-inch options still provide remarkable value for size compared to other TVs in this range, too. The most common consumer complaint was with how small and cluttered the provided remote was.

For when regular QLED doesn't go far enough, there's the Vizio 55-inch Quantum Series Mini-LED 4K Smart TV. Priced at only $278, it has all of the attractive features of a 4K TV in this price range, such as Dolby Vision Bright+ HDR support, covering Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. It also supports WiFi 6 connectivity, meaning some of the fastest internet streaming available. 

But the clear standout of this model series is the Mini-LED display. Commonly regarded as an excellent form of TV LED, Mini LEDs provide a compact, powerful color array. Working in conjunction with Quantum Dot technology, it delivers some of the best color performance and screen brightness possible. Finding this tech in such a low-priced television is a rarity.

Despite having some of the most impressive technical specs on this list, the Quantum Series TV is held back by an imperfect picture, reflected in the 4.4 stars from consumer reviews. For some, it's occasionally muddy shadows or clipping. For others, it's artifacting when displaying images at resolutions below 4K. So while this won't be the best a Mini-LED TV has to offer, it will be the most affordable.

Every TV in this list can be found on the Sam's Club online store. Affordable TVs were classified as being under $425 dollars, with Members Only Price listings referencing the manufacturer's listed price. 

Rankings were determined by the average consumer review score listed on the Sam's Club website. TVs under the same product line were grouped together into a single entry, with the higher review score being the basis for the list ranking.

Products with fewer than 100 reviews were cross-referenced with reviews by trusted critics to verify the rating's reliability, when available.