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 available. 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. I've been covering TVs for over a decade, so I've used my expertise to recommend the best 43-inch TVs on the market.
I've focused on models that address a few key needs across budgets. However, it's important to note that the market is pretty split at this size. Most 42- and 43-inch TVs are either affordable, entry-level sets or premium models that cost significantly more, as many brands have phased out 43-inch versions of their midrange TVs.
At the top of the list, the Samsung S90H stands out for its OLED panel, which delivers pixel-level contrast. It also boasts one of the most effective anti-glare screens I've seen, which makes it great for bright rooms. It's also one of the few 42-inch sets with a fast 165Hz refresh rate, making it especially appealing for gaming. The catch is the cost. If you're trying to spend less, the Roku Select Series is a great value pick, with a common deal price of under $200. Its image quality is as basic as it gets, but its LED screen still delivers a sharp 4K picture and reliable smart TV features with Roku's easy-to-use interface.
Our top picks for the best 43-inch TVs
Best overall: Samsung S90H OLED TV - See at Amazon
Best entry-level: Roku Select Series LED TV - See at Amazon
Best frame-style: Samsung Frame QLED TV - See at Amazon
Best overall
The S90H is one of the most advanced TVs available in a 42-inch screen size. Its OLED panel delivers pixel-level contrast and wide viewing angles, and it features Samsung's anti-glare screen tech to reduce reflections.
What we like
What we don't like
The Samsung S90H delivers standout picture quality for a 42-inch TV. It's one of the few OLED options made in this size, giving it a clear edge over conventional LED and QLED models.
Its OLED panel delivers an infinite contrast ratio, producing inky black levels that blend into a dark room, which gives movies and games a more dimensional, lifelike look. Because every pixel lights itself independently, there's no backlight blooming, cloudiness, or patchy brightness — the kinds of issues that can affect even high-end Mini LED TVs.
It also holds up well from off-angle seats, with minimal shifts in color and contrast when viewed to the side. Brightness is also solid. Our reviewer measured roughly 1,440 nits on the 65-inch version. However, 42-inch OLEDs traditionally use slightly dimmer panels than larger sizes, so I expect the 42-inch S90H to offer brightness in the 700-1,000 nits range. That's still excellent for a TV this size, though, as brighter display technologies are now typically reserved for bigger TVs.
The S90H is also one of the few TVs this small to feature a glare-free screen coating. This technology uses a matte-like finish to nearly eliminate reflections. The trade-off is that black levels are slightly raised in bright rooms, but the benefit is well worth it if you struggle with reflections in your space.
The S90H is also a great pick for gaming. Its quick response time and up to 165Hz refresh rate help keep motion smooth, especially for PC players using it as an extra-large monitor. Samsung's Tizen platform also supports Xbox Game Pass streaming, so subscribers can play cloud titles without connecting a console.
Tizen is generally speedy and includes all the major streaming apps, plus Bixby and Amazon Alexa voice control through the remote or the TV's built-in microphones. That said, our reviewer found its AI recommendations distracting and disliked the lack of a search tool in the app menu. Tizen also reopens the last app or input used whenever the TV is powered on, rather than staying on the home screen, which can be annoying.
But those are all easily forgivable drawbacks given how impressive the S90H performs in other areas. Ultimately, the S90H's main downside is actually its price. The 42-inch S90H typically costs around $1,100 to $1,200. That's steep compared to similarly sized QLED and LED TVs, but the jump in picture quality here is substantial. There are a couple of competing 42-inch OLEDs from LG, but they lack the S90H's anti-glare screen and usually cost as much as or more than the S90H.
Read our full Samsung S90H TV review.
Best on a budget
Roku's Select Series is its entry-level smart TV model. This 43-inch edition offers basic 4K picture quality with limited brightness, contrast, and color. However, its affordable price and reliable Roku streaming make it a good value for budget shoppers.
What we like
What we don't like
Going with a smaller TV can be a smart way to save money, and there are still several affordable 43-inch models available. Among them, the Roku Select Series stands out as one of the strongest values. Pricing moves around, but it usually lands between $180 and $250, which is hard to argue with.
Naturally, 43-inch TVs at this price come with some tradeoffs. The Select Series uses a conventional LED panel without quantum dots, so it can't reproduce as wide a color range as the more expensive sets in this guide. It also skips local dimming, which means black levels can look cloudier and more gray than truly inky when you're watching in a dim room.
The Select Series technically supports HDR10 and HDR10+ playback, but the TV's limited contrast and color performance keep it from delivering the full impact of HDR. Viewing angles are fairly tight, too, and gamers don't get high-end features as this is a 60Hz TV, not a 120Hz model.
That may sound like a long list of shortcomings, but that's par for the course for every budget-friendly 43-inch TV. To get a meaningful performance upgrade, you'd have to spend more for an OLED such as Samsung's S90H, which costs close to five times as much. At this screen size, there simply aren't many compelling midrange options in between the two extremes.
The good news is that the Select Series still gives you a sharp, detailed 4K picture. Roku's interface is another big selling point — it remains one of the cleanest, easiest smart-TV platforms to use. However, Roku recently revised its homescreen with a bigger emphasis on content recommendations. Though I prefer the old layout, I still like this new design more than rival platforms like Fire TV, Samsung Tizen, and LG webOS. You can learn more in our Roku TV guide.
Best frame-style
The 43-inch Frame TV is designed to look like a piece of art on your wall, thanks to its flush-mount, matte screen, and magnetic frame bezels. Its picture quality is mediocre, but its style is unique among TVs this size.
What we like
What we don't like
Samsung's Frame is the best 43-inch TV for buyers who want a display that doubles as wall décor. Its picture quality isn't designed to compete with high-end TVs, but no other 43-inch set does a better job of blending into a typical living room.
Out of the box, the Frame has a slim black border, but Samsung sells attachable magnetic bezels in colors such as white, brown, teak, red, and beige. They snap directly onto the TV, letting you tailor the art-frame look to your space. An external One Connect Box houses the TV's video inputs, helping the panel maintain a uniform one-inch depth. With Samsung's included Slim Fit Wall Mount, the Frame hangs nearly flush against the wall like a picture frame.
The screen's matte coating is another big part of the appeal. It's similar to that of the S90H, reducing distracting glare while giving on-screen art a more canvas-like finish. When you're not streaming or watching live TV, Art Mode can display paintings and photography from Samsung's subscription-based Art Store or images loaded from a USB drive. A built-in motion sensor can also activate the artwork only when someone is in the room.
Underneath the art-focused design is a QLED display that provides respectable image quality for everyday viewing. Still, it doesn't reach the brightness of Samsung's premium QLED models, and it lacks local dimming, so contrast is less precise and black levels are cloudy in a dark room. If your top priority is cinematic picture quality, you're much better off with the brand's S90H OLED. But for design-oriented shoppers, the Frame is the only art-style TV available in this size.
Check out our guides to all of the best Samsung TVs and best Frame TVs.
How we choose 43-inch TVs
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 reviewing TVs, we typically test units 65 inches or larger, as most companies consider that range to be their flagship tier. 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 version of the same TV.
That said, some features can differ on smaller displays compared to their larger counterparts. For instance, 65-inch OLED TVs traditionally use brighter panels than their 42-inch counterparts, resulting in a 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 making our picks and explain the differences as 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, HDMI connectivity, and overall value. To measure brightness and color, we use a colorimeter with a pattern generator and Calman calibration software.
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 Business Insider Reviews, and my team and I test the best TVs year-round. I also studied film production, so I pay close attention to image accuracy and to 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
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 large 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 playback or gaming. The best 43-inch TVs offer 4K resolution, which gives you plenty of screen space for multitasking, and some models, like the Samsung S90H, support high refresh rates and low input lag, making them good for PC gaming.
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 Roku Select Series.
Which brands make the best 43-inch TVs?
Although the selection is much 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're pricey for their size.
For a budget-friendly 43-inch TV, consider brands like Roku, TCL, 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 don't 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 $1,300 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.
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:
- The best soundbars
- The best budget soundbars
- The best soundbars with subwoofers
- The best Dolby Atmos soundbars
- The best Bose soundbars
- The best Sonos soundbars
- The best surround sound systems
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@jkmperu.com.
