Alexandra Ramirez
1. VIZIO E50-C1
Best Overall 50 inch TV
5/5 Product Rating
Starting with the high Wi-Fi, you will be able to access the newest and most popular apps including:
- Netflix
- Amazon Instant Video
- iHeartRadio
- Hulu Plus
- Youtube
- Spotify
The Full-Array LED backlighting gives the viewer superior uniformity. 12 LED zones join with the other high tech features to give you vivid crisper colors, pictures and depth. The Vizio E50 has a refresh rate of 120 Hz to keep your pictures fast and crisp and clear whether you are watching the news or your favorite team play football.
The upgraded user interface is much easier to use, allowing you to access the things you want fast and easy. Another customer favorite is the full screen app launcher that really makes finding the apps you want and organizing them super easy. You will enjoy 10800p Full HD color that gives you crystal clear pictures and radiance that is second to none.
When you get the Vizio E series 50 inch TV you will see your favorite shows and movies in a whole new way. Clear pictures, easy to use interfaces and excellent sound; it doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to TV.
– Darius Spieth
2. Samsung UN50J5200
Best Overall 50 inch TV – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
With Smart TV technology, full 1080p HD, built in Wi-Fi you get a superior high resolution picture that allows you to enjoy browsing the web right from the big screen or to access smart apps to find what you want to watch.
This TV offers DTS premium surround sound and Motion Rate 60 gives you perfect motion so you always enjoy what you are watching. Conserve energy with the eco sensor that uses smart technology to adapt the screen’s brightness.
Another popular feature is the ability users have to control up to 12 other compatible devices thanks to Anynet+ technology that allows you to control those devices with one remote control.
There is a USB port that you can use to view personal media such as your cell phone, pictures, etc. You can also utilize the screen mirroring feature to broadcast what is on your phone to the big screen. The Samsung UN50K5200 has a refresh rate of 60 CMR (effective) providing plenty of fast motion to keep the picture motion sharp. It has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 USB.
Samsung has really done it again with this 50 inch TV that provides all the TV and movie watching entertainment you could want as well as Internet. It is the perfect choice for those who want an excellent brand and an excellent product as well.
– Darius Spieth
3. Sceptre
Best Budget 50 inch TV
4.5/5 Product Rating
You will be able to choose streaming channels that can be accessed easily from the simple smart TV interface.
Users will have access to movies and TV shows along with live sports, music, news, food, fitness and much, much more.
The Sceptre has a home screen allows users to customize it for their own likes, putting their favorite TV shows, steaming channels and other devices like game consoles right on the home screen. It makes navigating to what you want to do or watch super easy.
The sleek design of the Sceptre is a modern design with a slim, streamlined look and a quad pedestal stand. It will look great no matter what the décor is in the room you add it to. This outstanding TV has a refresh rate of 60Hz (native) and 120 Hz CMI (effective). The backlit LED provides plenty of light.
You will enjoy beautiful crisp picture quality and sound quality and can use any of the inputs for additional devices. This gem of a TV has 3 HDMI inputs, 1 USB, RF, Composite, Headphone Jack and an Optical Audio Out. The TV comes with a remote with batteries included and a detachable power cord.
– Darius Spieth
50 inch TV Buying Guide
About 50 inch TV?
It is very rare to find homes without TVs anymore. Yes there are some that have decided not to have or watch television; but overall, TVs are a very important part of a home. There are many things that a television provides a family:
- Access to news and important information
- Weather reports
- Entertainment
TVs are used to watch movies, TV shows, DVDs from a personal collection, videos, and to play video games. Nowadays with advancement in technology, people can even check and reply to email and surf the internet from their TVs.
Things to Consider before Purchase
If you are in the market for a new television, an HDTV is always a good type to go with and a 50 inch TV is a popular choice with those who are looking to purchase. An HDTV provides much sharper images on the screen and the colors are richer and brighter as well. There are a few different things that a buyer needs to consider when it comes to purchasing a 50 inch TV.
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Type of Display – There are many different types of displays available in HDTVs. When you decide you want to get an HDTV it is best to decide on what type of HDTV you want. There are three different types of displays available:
- LCD
- LED
- Plasma
Each of the above types has its pros and cons. We’ll explain the differences and how they compare so you can decide which one will fit your needs the best.
The major difference between these three different types is how each one illuminates the screen and creates the images you see.
- LCD TVs – aka liquid crystal displays that utilize an LED or cold cathode fluorescent light, CCFLs that will illuminate the screen. These CCFLs use specially charged gas that creates light.
- LED TVs – lights up the display by using light emitting diodes
- Plasma TVs – The images on the screen are made from illuminated phosphors. They can light themselves up and therefore do not need any additional light source.
You may be wondering how you decide between the three types of displays? Each one has characteristics that are specific to that type of display. Both LCDs and LEDs are popular because of the brightness of the picture. They also have a wide variety of screen sizes to choose from, although for this review, we are discussing 50 inch TVs. LCDs and LEDs are also more energy efficient than plasmas. On the down side, LCDs that have LED backlights are thinner, which causes them to have lower black levels.Plasma screens are not as popular, but they are still being purchased due to the affordability factor. The blacks come in high levels, the screens are able to be seen equally well from many sides, the blacks are high levels and it has very fast pixels that will retain the details of a picture regardless of whether the images are moving fast, as in the case of sports, or not.
- TV Body Design – Manufacturers have a way of racing against and competing with each other. The newer TVs are thinner than ever and most companies are trying to make their thin, “thinner” than the other company’s thin. The super thin body designs of the newer HDTVs are modern and have a futuristic look to them. They are perfect for those who have little space to work with. In many cases though, something has to be given up to get third super thin profile. An example of this would be large speakers. They will not fit into a thin profiled TV.
- Refresh Rate – The refresh rate is how fast the screen refreshes to new images. The refresh rate is expressed in Hz or hertz. HDTVs will come in a variety of different refresh rates. You want to find a TV with a refresh rate above 60.
- Screen Resolution – Resolution is an important factor to look at when it comes to choosing the right 50 inch TV. When that 50 inch TV is an HDTV like so many of the new ones are, resolution becomes a bigger factor to look at. An HDTV is going to have better resolution than a standard definition TV. On an HDTV the pictures are clearer and more realistic. Most HDTVs use over a million pixels. In the case of a 50 inch TV you want to look for pixels of at least 1080 resolution and above.
- Connectors offered – Many people, who have HDTVs, connect more than one device so you want to find one that has several ports or connectors available. HDMI will be the most common form of connector. This is used for game consoles, Blu-ray disk players, cameras, some tablets and upscaling DVD players. With all of these devices being possible to connect, you want to make sure the 50 inch TV you are considering has at least one HDMI port. Some large screen TVs have USB ports as well as other types of connectors.
- Contrast Ratio – Contrast ratio has to do with the variances that can occur between the whites and blacks that the display produces. An HDATV needs to have a very high contrast ratio to produce the high quality pictures they are known for. You ideally want to look for the highest contrast ratio possible for your 50 inch TV.
- Connectivity Options – The term Smart HDTV refers to the ability for the TV owner to connect their TVs to the internet. There are so many forms of entertainment available online with services like Netflix, Hulu Plus and more. Also with the ability to connect to the internet from your TV, users can surf the web from the comfort of their sofas.
- Audio Capacity – It doesn’t matter what kind of picture you have if your audio is subpar. To have a great TV viewing experience, it requires an excellent picture as well as an excellent sound quality as well. Some people purchase a separate sound system but if you do not want to do that, be sure to look at the size of the speaker’s driver and the woofer size as well. Typically larger woofers will provide a louder and fuller sound even if the quality isn’t that great. Pay close attention to reviews from customers who have bought the model of TV you are considering to see if they mention anything about sound quality.
- The Size of the Room – What size room you will be putting your 50 inch TV in plays a part in whether you enjoy the experience or not. While large screen TVs are enjoyable to have, if you put one in a small room, it can be a bit overwhelming to watch such a huge picture. In general for a 50 inch TV, you should have enough room to make sure there is 6.3’ between the TV and the sofa or seating. If there is a lot more room than that, you could go with an even larger TV. The farthest you should place your seating from your 50 inch TV is 12.5’.
Conclusion
Purchasing a good quality TV is an investment that can reap rewards for years if care is taken to choose the right one for your preferences and needs. This is why we have provided this review and buyer’s guide for you. When a consumer has the right information, they can sort through the multitude of choices available; narrow them down based on desired features and make an informed decision on the one to buy.
It is our objective to make sure you have that information that you need to be able to make that informed decision. When it comes to buying a 50 inch TV, your choices of features, quality of picture and quality of sound are all very important factors that determine the quality of the TV purchased. Follow these guidelines and you will make a decision that you and your family will enjoy and utilize for many years to come.
