The best 43-inch smart TVs for every budget

We’ve found the very best 43-inch smart TVs for you, ideal for transforming your evening's entertainment if your 32-inch TV starting to look a little small for your room. Just like a 40-inch TV, even the best 43-inch TV isn’t that big compared to many these days. But it isn’t as compact as 24-inch TVs either, which makes them great for viewing from a distance of around seven feet. Likewise, that's the sort of viewing distance you might have in your living room or bedroom.

As with most entertainment gadgetry these days, there's a lot of it to choose from. We've looked at models from leading brands like Samsung and Philips, but also some of the exciting newer brands like Hisense that famously give a lot of quality features at an affordable price. There's also plenty of choice when it comes to 4K TVs - the latest in high resolution.

Best 43-inch TVs at a glance:

• Best overall 43 inch smart TV: PHILIPS Ambilight 43PUS8109 4K LED Smart TV – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best value 43 inch smart TV: Panasonic TX-43MX650B, 43 Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart TV – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best 43 inch smart TV for adaptive sound: Samsung DU8000 43" 4K Ultra HD Smart TV [2024] - UE43DU8000 – Buy now on AO.com

Of course, the best 43-inch smart TVs will provide fantastic picture quality, including plenty with the highest 4K resolution. Plus, being smaller, they're a lot more affordable than 50-inch TVs and 60-inch TVs. Although, if you do have the budget and space, the larger the set, the more fantastic your viewing experience will be. But for the rest of us, a feature-packed 43-inch set is the way to go.

So, are you ready to discover how much high-tech entertainment can be packed into a 43-inch smart TV? You might be surprised. Our pick of the best is coming up next.

Best 43-inch smart TVs

How do I choose the best 43-inch TV for me?

Picture quality

If you're looking for the absolute best picture quality available for a great price, we'd recommend going for a 4K TV. It's four times the picture quality of full HD. Another feature you'll come across is 'HDR'. This stands for High Dynamic Range. It means the TV can display more colours than a standard set for more accurate and deeper colours. And so, HDR10+ is a step up from normal HDR in much the same way.

Smart features

If you want to watch shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, you'll need access to smart features. Luckily most modern TVs are now smart TVs.

Speakers

Ideally, your TV setup won't just deliver awesome visuals - you'll also want the cinematic sound to go with it. We recommend that you look out for Dolby Atmos for an immersive sound that'll fill the room.

Is a 43-inch TV a good size for the lounge?

A 43-inch TV is a perfect size for the lounge, and while it won't be huge, it's still a fantastic choice for any home. If you're looking for something a little bigger though, we'd recommend looking into a 50-inch, 55-inch, 60-inch. And if you want to take your picture quality to the next level, consider an OLED or QLED TV for the ultimate viewing experience.

Best 43-inch smart TVs FAQs

What can a smart TV do?

If you're looking for a TV that provides more than just live television through an aerial or satellite dish, a Smart TV connects to the internet directly to receive content. You won't need a secondary streaming device like an Amazon Fire Stick or a separate set-top box. Smart TVs usually come set up with well-known catch-up streaming apps like BBC iPlayer and ITVX, as well as subscription services such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. A Smart TV also offers users access to other internet services and apps, such as social media, news, weather and other internet browsers.

What size TV do I need?

This really is based on how much space you have in your room, and then how far you will be sitting from it. Here’s a rough guide to give you an idea of the minimum distance you should have from your TV when viewing HD content:

40 inches - 80 inches (6.7 feet)

50 inches - 100 inches (8.3 feet)

60 inches - 120 inches (10 feet)

75 inches - 150 inches (12.5 feet)

Resolution guide:

There are variations in resolutions, but the higher the number of pixels the better. Here are some of the most common ones:

HD: 1280×720

Full HD: 1920×1080

Ultra HD/4K: 3840×2160

What is Freeview Play?

Freeview Play provides on-demand and catch-up television streaming. It also allows you to search in the TV guide to see what’s upcoming and backward to stream shows from the previous week. It effectively combines the functionality of the catch-up elements of apps like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and All4 and merges them with broadcast TV for an easy user experience.

What is the refresh rate?

Refresh rate refers to the number of times a TV screen refreshes the entire image per second. Thus, a high refresh rate is best for sports, gaming or watching action movies - things that move fast, like a football, will have less motion blur at higher refresh rates. The refresh rate is measured in Hertz or Hz. A 60Hz TV will refresh an image 60 times. And, the best 43" smart TVs might have a 120Hz TV that will refresh an image 120 times.

What are the best apps to download for a Smart TV?

When you get a Smart TV, you may be wondering what you need to do when you set it up. In terms of subscription streaming and catch-up apps, we’d recommend you download Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube and Spotify. Some of these may already be installed.

It is good to note that you will need a WiFi or Ethernet connection and a stable internet connection in order for these apps to work properly.

Ellen Kinsey was a Senior Health and Wellness Product Writer and has been a part of Bauer Media since 2020. She's also an expert when it comes to hunting down the very best deals during sales events like Black Friday and Prime Day. She has left to study Ayurveda in India to expand her knowledge and skills in the health and wellness field, where she plans to continue making journalistic contributions.