Best cheap HDMI 2.1 TV in 2024 – budget TVs for 4K 120Hz
HDMI 2.1 TVs can be pretty cheap these days
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The best HDMI 2.1 TVs are definitely the most sought-after these days, especially for gaming, but what is the best budget HDMI 2.1 TV? Well, there is much to discuss with these gaming TVs, so we can jump straight to some suggestions if you wish. For a fantastic budget pick, the older LG C2 OLED TV is one option for you, but we can also recommend the likes of the Hisense 55U7K Mini-LED TV for hard to beat value. Whichever you go for right now, you can expect to find excellent visuals and smooth refresh rates without breaking the bank.
HDMI 2.1 is a must-have these days for the best gaming TVs, especially since this connection type offers 4K gaming up to 144Hz – making it nicely compatible with gaming consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X to achieve their maximum potential. Keeping track of TV prices takes time, but we regularly update our guides to ensure the top picks are great value, so let’s jump straight to it.
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Best cheap HDMI 2.1 TV in 2024: in-depth reviews
Jumping straight into the thick of it! Below we take you through our selection of the best HDMI 2.1 TVs which won’t break the bank, featuring a range of brands, display technologies, and features.
- Sizes: 42″, 48″, 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″
- Screen Technology: OLED
- Resolution: 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160p
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
- Panel type: WOLED
- HDMI standard: HDMI 2.1
The LG C2 started its journey as the latest and greatest mid-range OLED TV. However, now that it is a couple of generations old, it is a fantastic budget-friendly option. Even the C3 has hit that level these days, though you can still find a C2 for even cheaper and we think it provides the best option for those on a limited budget.
- OLED Technology provides best picture quality
- Perfect blacks for infinite contrast ratio
- Instantaneous response time
- VRR Support and gaming at 4K 120Hz
- Peak brightness not at the same level as LED alternatives
- OLED has shorter lifespan than other panel types
Whilst the OLED panel will drive the price of the TV up, it more than makes up for it in picture quality, response time, and HDR content. Now that the LG C3 and C4 have arrived, the older C2 still holds up as a great value option, especially since the original LG C1 is harder to find brand-new these days. OLED technology allows the LG to turn off pixels individually, helping create perfect blacks and an extremely wide contrast ratio. This is not only ideal for general content consumption (movies or TV shows) it also helps create better immersion when playing AAA games, no matter if you’re on next-gen PlayStation or Xbox consoles, or PC.
Speaking of games, this LG display offers up great gaming performance to console gamers thanks to HDMI 2.1 support and a slew of additional features. The TV provides VRR for both FreeSync and G-Sync systems for a tear-free gaming experience. The near-instantaneous response time will also reduce smearing and ghosting exponentially, offering up more clarity in fast-moving images when paired alongside a quick 120Hz refresh rate. We’d recommend the cheaper 42″ screen size for something that is great for general use and gaming, or you can go bigger for movie-watching. Furthermore, since it has an OLED panel, this TV will always be at risk of permanent burn-in. If you’re careful, however, this should not be a problem.
You get all this for a fairly respectable price point – now that successors have entered the market. When you compare the pros and cons, it’s easy to see why many console gamers are opting for this over a monitor. See our full LG C2 OLED review if you want a closer look.
- Sizes: 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″
- Screen technology: Mini LED
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K)
- Refresh rate: 144hz
- Panel type: VA
- HDMI standard: HDMI 2.1
The Hisense U7K is a mini-LED TV which offers impressive value for money, especially when you consider that this technology often adds a premium cost. We’ve noticed that the 55-inch model frequently drops in price, but do note that it also comes in a range of other sizes for a more cinematic experience. The 1000-nit brightness and max 144Hz refresh rate makes it a great all-rounder.
- Excellent brightness levels
- Mini-LED backlighting with Full Array Local Dimming
- Fast refresh rate for gaming with HDMI 2.1 connectivity
- Dolby Vision support is ideal for HDR content
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
- Not the best viewing angle
The Hisense U7K, in particular the 55-inch 55U7K model, is a fantastic HDMI 2.1 TV from a brand who are well known for their more mid-range TVs. That means excellent value for money and plenty of impressive specs to look forward to if you opt for this television. One of the first things you may notice is the 144Hz refresh rate, which is pretty strange for a TV. This makes full use of HDMI 2.1, allowing for an extra 24Hz over the conventional 120Hz TVs out there. That being said, current-gen consoles can only support up to 120Hz anyway, but hooking up a gaming PC unlocks the 144Hz.
This has to be one of the best Mini LED TVs we’ve seen around this price tag, considering many to feature mini-led backlighting are highly priced. You can expect to enjoy stunning colors, high contrast ratios, and a bright screen thanks to the powerful backlight. Hisense have packed in 240 local dimming zones into this TV, which isn’t the highest amount we’ve seen, but it’s good value, sort of a bridge between QLED and Mini-LED. This, as well as full array local dimming, produces consistent color and brightness uniformity.
With a full 4K resolution, Google Smart TV, and up to 1000-nits luminance, it’s hard to beat this QLED TV in terms of value for money, and it’s a great choice for gaming – backed up by its Game Mode Pro feature. Not quite as responsive as something like OLED, but great for those that want a bright and silky smooth display.
The product page above also lists 75-inch and 85-inch models if you want a more cinematic experience, though there is also a 65″ model to consider as well.
- Sizes: 50″, 65″, 75″
- Screen technology: QLED
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K)
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Panel type: VA
- HDMI standard: HDMI 2.1
Vizio is well-known for its solid range of budget-friendly TVs, and if you simply want HDMI 2.1 support for as cheap as you can (without sacrificing too much on quality), then is it a great choice. It’s a QLED TV, offering brightness boosts over bog-standard LED panels. There are some interesting features too such as up to 240Hz at 1080p and built-in Chromecast.
- Bright QLED screen with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support
- Chromecast built-in and WiFi 6E
- Full 4K screen resolution
- 120Hz at 4K & 240Hz at 1080p
- Less than $1,000 – even the 75-inch model
- QLED not as bright as Mini-LED
- One high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 port
- Poor upscaling
Now let’s consider something from VIZIO, another manufacturer of great-value TVs. Here we have a QLED 4K 120Hz TV – the M50QXM-K01. This is the 50-inch model, but it’s also available in 65″ and 75″ variants, though those of course bump the price up a fair bit. Designed for gaming with its smooth 120Hz refresh rate, this is where HDMI 2.1 shines for current generation consoles as we’ve already discussed.
This TV is also capable of outputting a lower 1080p resolution and unlocking the potential to reach 240Hz, great if you want to use it as a large-screen monitor for your gaming PC. HDMI 2.1 provides variable refresh rate (VRR) tech, but this gaming TV also features AMD FreeSync Premium, which is support by the latest Xbox consoles (and your PC’s graphics card) to even more reliably prevent screen tearing or stuttering.
This is another TV which features QLED screen technology to help unlock HDR10+ and Dolby Vision potential with bright and vivid colors. Not quite as individual LEDs as a Mini-LED panel, but QLED still provides more luminescence than your average LED television. It also has an active full array backlight with local dimming to ensure the brightness is uniform across the screen, avoiding any obvious dark or light spots. All these great features mixed with smart TV essentials like Chromecast and streaming platforms such as Apple TV+, Disney+, or Netflix spells excellent value for money.
What is the cheapest HDMI 2.1 TV?
With HDMI 2.1 supported TVs becoming much more widespread, you can find support for the 2.1 standard in a range of budget-friendly picks. For the most part, you’ll find TVs that use HDMI 2.1 to come with a smoother 120Hz refresh rate to make the most of the connection type. However, the cheapest HDMI 2.1 TV we found comes in the form of the Hisense U6HF ULED, seen for as low as $300, which features just one 2.1 and three 2.0 HDMI ports. Interestingly though, it only supports up to 60Hz, making it fall behind our top picks and failing to make full use of the latest HDMI standard. On the plus side, you get higher bandwidth as well as lower input lag due to QFT tech.
What it does benefit from instead of full 120Hz support is the 240 motion rate which helps smooth out the image via interpolation rather than natively. However, this isn’t effective as simply having a TV which natively supports the higher refresh rate – so we’d fully recommend that if you want truly smooth visuals, particularly for gaming.
Hisense U6HF ULED
Are HDMI 2.1 TVs cheap?
HDMI 2.1 TVs are the go-to if you’re looking for a display for gaming – particularly for console players. While they’re going to be more expensive than your standard LED 60Hz TVs, the added gaming features and higher refresh rate lent to you through HDMI 2.1 makes the added cost worth it. Better yet, since the latest HDMI format has been available for a few years now, many cheap options are out there – you don’t just have to stick with high-end LG, Samsung, or Sony TVs, for example.
We’ve found a number of cheap HDMI 2.1 TVs which provide good value for money, especially once you learn all about the excellent specs on-board. Even OLED or Mini LED TVs can be achievable for less than you may think, though we definitely have older models or budget brands in mind to keep the cost down. If you’re looking for brands known for their good-quality cheap TVs, look out for the likes if Vizio, TCL, or Hisense.
Best budget HDMI 2.1 TV FAQs
Do I need an HDMI 2.1 TV?
HDMI 2.1 TVs are great for gaming performance, as they unlock high refresh rate gaming at 4K – great for the likes of the PS5 or Xbox Series X at a smooth 120Hz.
If you’re just using your TV for watching shows, movies, or sports, HDMI 2.1 is not really a necessity.
Which brands make budget HDMI 2.1 TVs?
You can find a number of brands which specialize in creating budget TVs. We’ve picked out options from popular manufacturers such as Hisense and VIZIO for cheap HDMI 2.1 TVs, though older models from big-name brands like LG are also worth considering.
