The Best 40-42-43 Inch TVs (2025 Reviews)

For a lot of people, a 43-inch TV is a perfect size; it’s neither too big nor too small.

Sadly, most 32″ – 50″ TV models have stripped-down features as opposed to their bigger counterparts from the same series. This can make finding the best 43-inch TV a bit confusing, which is why we’ve made this buyer’s guide!

Whether you just want the cheapest 43-inch TV that’s actually good (either for gaming or watching movies) – or you want the absolute best 43-inch TV there is, you’ll find them both and everything in between right here!

The TVs we’ve picked offer the best value for the money in their budget categories, so be sure to also check the alternative sections in the reviews below for more options.

If you want to view our changelogs for this particular buying guide, you can do so at the end of this article.

43-inch TV: 4K or 1080p?

We don’t recommend getting a 43-inch 1080p TV as the price difference is not that big, and with more and more content being available in 4K UHD, you’ll want to future-proof your display as much as possible with the 3840×2160 resolution.

4K resolution looks incredibly sharp and vivid on 43″ sized displays. In fact, many people use 43″ 4K monitors at arm’s length and don’t have any issues with image clarity.

A 43″ 4K display has a pixel density of 103.67 PPI (pixels per inch). In comparison, a 43″ 1080p TV has half of that – 51.83.

Related:4K vs 1080p – Is UHD Worth The Upgrade?

When watching a 43″ 1080p display at a distance of ~5½ ft (168cm) or closer, individual pixels become distinguishable. On a 4K model, you can get closer to the screen (~2¾ ft or 84cm) and not notice any individual pixels.

So, if you intend on watching the TV from a larger distance (~6ft or 183cm), then a 43″ 1080p might be worth considering if you want to save some money.

For instance, you can get a decent 43″ 1080p TV, such as the TCL 43S325, for ~$230, but for just around $30 – $50 extra, you can get a better 4K model, which not only offers a higher resolution, but also a higher contrast ratio, a stronger peak brightness, and wider color gamut for an overall much better image quality.

You won’t find a particularly good 43″ 1080p TV with comparable specifications to that of a similarly priced 4K model, which is why we recommend going with 4K UHD, even on 43″ TVs and regardless of the viewing distance.

So, with that out of the way, let’s check out the best 43-inch TVs available! We’ll also mention similarly sized 40″ – 42″ TVs if they’re worth considering.

About The TV

The TCL 43S450G is the best TV you can get for under $300. Since you won’t be able to find a good 43″ 4K TV for under $250, we highly recommend saving up for the S450G.

Image Quality

The TV is based on a VA panel with a high 8,500:1 static contrast ratio, which results in deep and inky blacks. You get vivid details in the shadow of the picture, especially if you’re watching the TV in a dim-lit or dark room.

Peak brightness is decent at around 250-nits. Highlights in HDR content won’t be as striking as that of a 1000-nit display, but this is expected at this price range.

You will be able to comfortably watch the TV in reasonably bright rooms as well, since the display’s strong brightness can overcome glare.

While VA panel TVs offer a higher contrast ratio than IPS models (usually around 1,000:1), which makes blacks on IPS TVs appear grayish in comparison, the IPS technology provides wider viewing angles.

So, the picture of the TCL 43S450G will degrade at an angle as some minor shifts in brightness, contrast, and color can be detected, but it only becomes bothersome at extreme angles, so this won’t be an issue for most users.

Moving on, the TCL 43S450G also has an excellent ~90% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for rich and saturated colors, as well as 10-bit depth support for smooth gradients and less banding.

Supported HDR (High Dynamic Range) formats include HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG.

Features

A lot of TCL’s TVs are our top-recommended budget models for console gaming due to their low input lag and decent pixel response time speed.

With just 10ms of input latency, you won’t be able to notice or feel any delays while gaming, whereas the response time speed of ~14ms efficiently eliminates most of trailing behind fast-moving objects.

Like most TVs, the TCL 43S450G uses PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) to regulate brightness at levels below the maximum. Setting the brightness to 31/100 triggers a 150Hz dimming frequency, which might bother those sensitive to flickering after prolonged use.

While the 43S450G series supports 30FPS motion interpolation and can remove judder from 24p content (native streaming apps and Blu-ray/DVDs). It also supports 4:4:4 chroma, so if you connect it to your PC, you will have sharp and crisp text.

The S450G TVs are based on Google TV OS, which is quite responsive and easy to use.

Design & Connectivity

The design of the TV is slim and consists of very thin bezels and VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include three HDMI 2.0 ports (e/ARC for Dolby Atmos/Digital), USB 2.0, both digital and analog audio ports, dual 8W integrated speakers, tuner, composite-in, Ethernet and WiFi (2.4GHz and 5GHz).

About The TV

If you want to invest $50 – $100 extra, you should definitely consider the Samsung 43Q60C.

Image Quality

There are several things that make the Samsung 43Q60C worth the extra price over the TCL 43S450G.

To start with, it has a higher 450-nit peak brightness for punchier HDR highlights and better reflection handling in bright rooms.

Secondly, it has a wider 95% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for more vibrant colors. It also uses PWM at a higher 480Hz frequency, so it won’t bother most users.

In terms of input lag and response time, it’s the same as the S450G.

Further, it supports framerate interpolation for the soap opera effect and BFI (black frame insertion), which reduces perceived motion blur at the cost of picture brightness by adding black frames between the regular ones.

4:4:4 chroma is supported as well, and it’s possible to prevent 24p judder from DVDs, Blu-rays, and streaming applications.

The TV is based on Tizen OS, which is fairly simple to use and has plenty of apps.

Design & Connectivity

The Samsung 43Q60C has a slim design with thin bezels and VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include three HDMI 2.0 ports (e/ARC for Dolby Digital/Plus), two USB 2.0 ports, a digital (optical) audio port, two 10W built-in speakers, tuner, Ethernet and WiFi.

About The TV

If you’re looking for a 43″ TV for gaming, the Sony KD-43X85K is our top recommendation in the ~$550 price range thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate at both 1080p and 4K UHD.

Image Quality

Besides the rapid 120Hz refresh rate, the Sony X85K TV also has a fast 12ms response time speed and low 7ms input lag, ensuring a smooth and responsive gaming experience.

It has a decent native contrast ratio of 7,500:1, a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut and a strong 550-nit peak brightness, but there’s no local dimming.

Features

The TV supports BFI, framerate interpolation and VRR up to 120Hz for tear-free gameplay via G-SYNC Compatible and HDMI 2.1 Forum VRR (AMD FreeSync is not supported, therefore, there’s no VRR for older AMD Radeon graphics cards without HDMI 2.1).

It can remove 24p judder from any source and it’s based on Google TV OS.

Design & Connectivity

Connectivity options include four HDMI ports (two HDMI 2.1, two HDMI 2.0, e/ARC for Dolby and DTS), two USB ports, digital audio out, composite-in via adapter, tuner, Ethernet, IR-in, dual integrated speakers and WiFi.

About The TV

If you want the best 42″ TV, we recommend the LG OLED42C3.

Image Quality

The C3 uses LG’s W-OLED panel with per-pixel dimming since each pixel can completely turn off for true blacks. This makes for an infinite contrast ratio as well as no backlight bleeding, haloing, glowing or other issues related to LED-backlit panels.

You also get exceptionally wide viewing angles and a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage for vibrant colors.

Additionally, OLED displays have instantaneous pixel response time speed for zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects, and the C2 supports VRR up to 120Hz for smooth and tear-free gameplay at 1080p, 1440p and 4K UHD.

One thing to keep in mind about OLED displays is the risk of permanent image burn-in when viewing an image with bright static elements for too long. However, there are plenty of integrated features that prevent this (screen savers, etc.), so it shouldn’t be an issue as long as you’re using the TV sensibly.

Another drawback of OLED panels is the lower brightness in comparison to equally priced LED-backlit displays. The 42C2 can reach up to 800-nits for small HDR highlights, but it’s limited to 150-nits when viewing a 100% white window.

In terms of features, the C3 is based on WebOS 23, it comes with LG’s Magic Remote, can remove 24p judder from any content and supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR formats. It also supports VRR up to 120Hz.

Check out our full C3 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The design is ultra-thin and VESA mount compatible, while connectivity options include four HDMI 2.1 ports (e/ARC for Dolby and DTS), three USB ports, a digital audio jack, a tuner, integrated speakers, WiFi and Ethernet.

Alternatives

The LG OLED42C3 is the best TV you can get for ~$1,000. There are mini LED alternatives, such as the Samsung QN43QN90C. However, while Samsung’s QN90C series is generally excellent, the 43″ model isn’t that good since it only has 360 dimming zones and it’s too expensive at ~$1,000.

In fact, the Samsung S43CG70 monitor uses the same panel as the 43″ QN90C TV with similar image quality and performance, yet it can be found for as low as $500.

Conclusion

Did you find the best 43-inch TV for you?

All in all, if you’ve got a limited budget, we recommend going with the Samsung 43Q60C or the TCL 43S450G.

The Sony KD-43X85K is definitely the best mid-range 43″ TV for gaming thanks to its 120Hz support, while the LG OLED424 offers the best image quality and performance overall.