The best 43-inch TVs of 2026

If you're looking for a 40-, 42-, or 43-inch TV, you've probably noticed that the selection isn't what it used to be. Most brands now focus on larger screen sizes, so there are fewer smaller TVs on the market. But that doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are still some excellent options out there — you just have to know where to look. With that in mind, I've leveraged my expertise to recommend the best 43-inch TVs available.

I've focused on models that cover a few key needs and budgets. However, it's important to note that the market is pretty split at this size. Most of the best 43-inch TVs are either affordable, entry-level sets or premium models that cost significantly more, with very few midrange options in between.

At the top of the list, the LG C5 stands out for its OLED panel and pixel-level contrast, delivering deep, inky black levels and excellent overall picture quality. It's also one of the few 43-inch sets with a fast 144Hz refresh rate, making it especially appealing for gaming. The catch is the cost. If you're trying to spend less, the TCL S5 is a great value pick at under $350. It doesn't deliver the same contrast, but it still offers solid color and comes with an easy-to-use Alexa voice remote.

Editor's note: Brands manufacture TVs in slightly different sizes, depending on the panel type. For this guide, I considered displays ranging from 40 to 43 inches. However, 40-inch TVs are rare, and most are bested by similarly priced 42- or 43-inch models.

Our top picks for the best 43-inch TVs

Best overall: LG C5 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best on a budget: TCL S5 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best for bright rooms: Samsung QN90F 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best overall

The LG C5 offers some of the best picture quality available in a 42-inch TV. It's one of the few OLEDs available in this compact size, and its panel offers major advantages over traditional LED and QLED displays.

The C5's infinite contrast ratio ensures deep black levels that disappear into a dark room, creating images with striking depth and realism. Each pixel controls its own light output, so the screen avoids common backlight issues like blooming, clouding, and uneven brightness, which can appear even on premium QLED TVs.

Viewing angles are also excellent. Some minor color shifts may occur when you're seated off-center, but the effect is much subtler than on an LED or QLED. Brightness is solid for this size, with a peak of around 700-800 nits, enough to showcase the benefits of high dynamic range (HDR) content. However, larger C5 models (55 inches and up) can approach 1,200 nits thanks to LG's brightness-boosting feature, but this 42-inch version still performs admirably.

Gamers will appreciate the C5's fast response time and up to 144Hz refresh rate, which provides smooth performance. This also makes the C5 a great choice for PC players who want to use a TV as an oversized gaming monitor. The built-in webOS smart platform even supports Xbox Game Pass streaming, enabling subscribers to play cloud games directly on their TV without a console.

WebOS offers decent performance overall, with access to all the most popular video services and smooth navigation. However, I don't like how prominently the interface displays shopping recommendations and sponsored content.

Ultimately, the C5's main downside is price. The 42-inch C5 typically costs around $1,000, though it's sometimes on sale for just under $900. But even that discounted price is steep compared to similarly sized QLED and LED models. There are a couple of competing 42-inch OLEDs from Samsung and Sony, but they offer very similar performance and usually cost the same or more than the C5.

Read our full LG C5 OLED TV review.

Check out our guides to all of the best LG TVs and best smart TVs.

Best on a budget

One of the benefits of purchasing a smaller TV is that there are numerous budget-friendly options available. But while there are several decent models to choose from, the TCL S5 stands out from the pack. Its price tends to fluctuate, but the 43-inch S5 is typically under $350 and sometimes discounted to under $200.

Now, it's essential to note that all 43-inch TVs in this price range make notable compromises to keep their costs down. However, the S5 still offers solid image quality for casual viewing, and its color performance is slightly better than most rivals in its class.

The S5 uses a standard LED panel without local dimming, resulting in lower contrast and brightness than the pricier options in this guide. Its black levels are also lighter and less uniform. Though it can technically support most HDR formats, it's not capable of fully showcasing the benefits of high-dynamic-range content. Its viewing angles are also fairly narrow, and it lacks advanced gaming capabilities, as it features a 60Hz screen rather than a 120Hz one.

All those limitations might make it sound like the S5 is a poor performer, but these drawbacks are all expected and within the norm for any budget-friendly 43-inch set. To get a substantial bump in performance, you'll need to step up to an OLED, like the LG C5, or a high-end QLED, like the Samsung QN90F, which are five times as much. At this size, there just aren't many worthwhile midrange TVs.

On the plus side, the S5's 4K panel delivers a sharp and detailed image. The model Amazon sells runs on the Fire TV operating system and comes with a convenient Alexa voice remote. Other retailers sell an edition that uses the Google TV interface with a Google Assistant voice remote.

There are other solid 43-inch TVs that cost around the same amount as the S5, including the Roku Select Series, but the S5 has an edge in color performance.

Check out our guides to all of the best TCL TVs, best budget TVs, and best TVs under $500.

Best for bright rooms

Samsung's QN90F is an impressive high-end QLED, and it's the best 43-inch TV for people who struggle with reflections. This set is one of the few TVs that uses an anti-glare matte screen rather than a glossy one. Matte screens greatly reduce reflections, which is perfect for spaces with lots of windows and overhead lights.

During my tests, the QN90F's matte screen worked well and was of similar quality to the anti-reflective screens on Samsung's premium S95H and S95F OLED TVs (which are not sold in sizes smaller than 55 inches). But while the TV's matte screen is excellent at reducing glare, it can make dim scenes appear a bit flat and hazy. But this isn't an issue when watching TV with the lights off, and those who struggle with reflections will find the trade-off worth it.

The QN90F also delivers excellent brightness. I measured a peak of 2,130 nits on the 65-inch model, but the smaller 43-inch unit utilizes a less advanced HDR processing system, so it's a bit dimmer.

Although it can't match its larger counterpart, the QN90F remains one of the brightest 43-inch TVs on the market. This makes it great for daytime viewing and also enables bold HDR highlights. This is also one of the few 43-inch TVs with a Mini LED backlight, which offers great contrast control. The QN90F's local dimming can't match the pixel-level precision of an OLED like the LG C5, but it offers good black levels with only minor blooming.

Viewing angles are solid for a QLED TV, but they aren't as wide as those of an OLED. Gaming capabilities are stacked, with support for up to a 165Hz refresh rate and Xbox Game Pass streaming. General smart TV capabilities are good, too, but Samsung's Tizen system occasionally lags.

Like the LG C5, the QN90F is an expensive 43-inch TV. This set typically costs about $1,000, but that price is justified given that it is essentially the only high-end QLED TV available in this size. It's also sometimes on sale for under $800, which is a great value.

Check out our guide to all of the best Samsung TVs.

How we choose 43-inch TVs

A Samsung QN90F QLED TV displaying an image of a red car.

To find the best 43-inch and 42-inch TVs, our experts relied on hands-on testing and research informed by over a decade of experience reviewing home entertainment tech products. When evaluating TVs, we typically test 65-inch models, as most companies use this size as their flagship. However, when specific TV models are sold in multiple sizes, general specifications are often carried over across each. So, most testing results for a 65-inch TV will also apply to the 43-inch model of the same TV.

That said, some features can differ on smaller displays compared to their larger counterparts. For instance, the 65-inch LG C5 features a brightness-boosting technology, whereas the 42-inch model does not, resulting in a slightly dimmer image in the smaller size. Likewise, QLED and LED TVs with local dimming have fewer zones on smaller sizes, resulting in slight differences in contrast control. We take all these variances into account when selecting our picks and explain these differences when they arise.

When reviewing TVs, we focus on picture-quality attributes such as contrast ratio, black levels, brightness, color volume, viewing angles, and refresh rate. We also test smart TV capabilities and assess general usability, design benefits, build quality, and overall value. To measure brightness and color, we use a colorimeter with test patterns from the Spears & Munsil 4K Benchmark disc.

Test patterns are helpful for measuring certain elements, but ultimately, what matters most is how a TV actually looks when watching real-world content on a daily basis. With that in mind, we aim to live with each TV we review for several weeks, using it as we would any display we had purchased ourselves. We also use a curated selection of scenes from various movies and TV shows to test features such as local dimming, color gamut, shadow detail, upscaling, and HDR highlights. Different sources are also used, including 4K Blu-ray discs, 4K streaming, HD streaming, cable TV, and gaming consoles. Testing is done in both bright and dark environments.

For more details on our review methodology, check out our breakdown of how we test tech products.

Meet the expert behind this guide:

Steven Cohen, senior tech editor: I oversee tech product coverage for the Business Insider Reviews team, and I test the latest TVs as they hit the market. I also studied film production, so I pay close attention to things like color accuracy and whether movies and shows look the way their creators intended. When I review a TV, I use calibration tools and test patterns to measure performance, but I also go beyond the lab. I use each TV the way you would at home — streaming movies, watching sports, and playing video games — to see how it actually performs in real life. My aim is to deliver straightforward, practical advice to help you choose the best 43-inch TV for your needs.

Learn more about the Reviews team at Business Insider.

43-inch TV FAQs

A Samsung QN90F TV hanging on a wall displaying the Tizen homepage.

Is a 43-inch TV a good size?

A 43-inch TV is a good choice for people who want a compact display in a space-limited area. They're great for bedrooms, dorms, small living rooms, and apartments.

However, 43 inches is not the best choice if you want to place a TV on a wall or media console in a medium- or large-sized room, as this size is too small to offer an immersive viewing experience from a typical viewing distance. For larger TV recommendations, check out our other size-specific guides:

Can a 43-inch TV work as a PC monitor?

Yes, a 43-inch TV can work well as a PC monitor, though it's not the right fit for everyone. At a desk, 43 inches is large for a screen, so this size works best if you can sit a bit farther back or use it mainly for media consumption or gaming. The best 43-inch TVs offer 4K resolution, which gives you plenty of screen space for multitasking, and some models, like the LG C5 and Samsung QN90F, support high refresh rates and low input lag, making them good for PC gaming. For more recommendations, visit our guide to the best gaming TVs.

Just keep in mind that text clarity, viewing angles, and ergonomics won't always match those of a dedicated monitor, especially on cheaper models like the TCL S5.

Are 2026 43-inch TV models available?

Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense all announced new TV models at the CES tech tradeshow in January, and some models are now rolling out to stores. However, most options are larger than 43 inches. The most notable new TVs this size include the LG C6 and Samsung S90H OLEDs. You can learn more in our LG 2026 OLED roundup and Samsung 2026 OLED roundup.

It's important to remember that 2025 TV models will likely stay in stock for much of the year and tend to cost a lot less than their 2026 counterparts. With that in mind, we'll continue to recommend 2025 43-inch TVs while they remain the best value.

Which brands make the best 43-inch TVs?

Although the selection is smaller than it used to be, all major TV brands sell display models in the 40- to 43-inch class. If you're looking for a high-end TV in that range, we generally recommend focusing on Samsung, LG, and Sony. Those companies make 42-inch OLED TV models that offer excellent image quality, though they are pricey for their size.

For a budget-friendly 43-inch TV, consider brands like TCL, Roku, Hisense, and Onn, which offer affordable entry-level models in this size.

For more brand-specific display recommendations, check out our other buying guides:

How much should you spend on a 43-inch TV?

The best 43-inch TVs vary in price, with entry-level HD models starting at around $120 and entry-level 4K models costing around $150 to $350. Although some brands also sell 43-inch 4K TVs priced between $350 and $600, we typically do not recommend them, as they rarely offer notable improvements over cheaper sets.

Instead, you need to pay at least $800 to find a 43-inch TV with substantial performance benefits over entry-level models. In the $800 to $1,200 range, you can find a few 42-inch OLED TVs that deliver excellent image quality, as well as a couple of premium 43-inch QLEDs with high-brightness panels and local dimming.

Is 4K resolution needed on a 43-inch TV?

At a typical viewing distance, the benefits of 4K resolution are barely noticeable on a 43-inch screen. However, if you're using a 40-, 42-, or 43-inch TV as a computer monitor on your desk, the perks of 4K are much easier to discern.

That said, the debate about whether 4K is worth it on a 43-inch screen is largely moot, as 4K is the industry standard. You can still find a few 40- to 43-inch HDTVs on the market, but they're limited to entry-level options and aren't significantly cheaper than their 4K counterparts. And if you want a 43-inch TV with step-up image quality features, such as wide color, local dimming, or an OLED panel, you'll need to buy a 4K model.

Do 43-inch TVs have good audio performance?

Even the best 43-inch TVs usually have mediocre audio quality. Companies need to keep speaker drivers small to fit them within compact panels, and these tiny built-in speakers often lack bass and depth.

For better performance, we recommend pairing your TV with a soundbar or speaker system. Smaller models are a better fit for 43-inch TVs, and you can find some affordable, compact options in our various buying guides:

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