# Best 43 Inch Smart TV 2026: Ten Ranked, Eight Still at 60Hz

Source: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs
Published: 2026-09-15 | Updated: 2026-09-15 | Prices checked on Amazon UK on 2026-09-15

Eight of the ten sets ranked below list the same 60 Hz panel, and they span £229 to £293. That is the finding that matters most when you shop for the best 43 inch smart tv: above £229, the badge on the front buys you almost nothing on refresh rate. The two exceptions sit at opposite ends of the list. The Hisense E78Q PRO at £345 lists 144 Hz, while the Samsung Q7F2 at £289 lists 50 Hz — a figure below the £229 Hisense E6Q. Brightness claims are looser still: the £265 TCL 43T6C claims 1,000 nits, twice the 500 nits claimed on the £345 Hisense, and six of the ten state no brightness figure at all.

We ranked ten of the best 43 inch smart tv sets sold on Amazon on three honest criteria: the refresh rate, brightness and HDR formats actually listed in the specification table, the number of ratings sitting behind each score, and how well the marketing copy matches the spec rows on the same page. Every figure below comes from the product data. Where a claim and a spec row disagree, we say so and give you both numbers.

## The ranking

### 1. Hisense 43E78Q PRO 43-Inch 144Hz QLED Smart TV

- Price: £345.00 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 290 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/hisense-e78q-pro-144hz
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F7W1WN3P?tag=ranked10-21

The only 144 Hz panel in the ten and the most expensive at £345 — the best 43 inch smart tv here if you game, and £76 wasted if you do not.

This is the only set in the ten that lists 144 Hz. Every other panel here is 60 Hz or, in one case, 50 Hz, and this one costs £345 — the highest price in the group. On the spec sheet, that refresh rate is the single clearest reason to pay more than the £293 A7Q.

In practice the 144 Hz figure is paired with ALLM and AMD FreeSync Premium PRO, so a console or PC is detected and game mode fires up automatically. Direct-lit LEDs sit behind the whole panel, and the audio side runs Dolby Atmos across a 5.1 channel setup. Dolby Vision is listed for film and for gaming, and the unit weighs 10.2 kg.

However, two things are worth checking before you pay the £345. One bullet refers to the brand's "Quantum Dot & Mini-LED" sets, while the specification table lists plain LED backlighting — both sentences sit on the same listing. And the stated brightness is 500 nits, half the 1,000 nits claimed on the £265 TCL further down. If you mostly watch drama in a bright room, the £269 60 Hz model below is £76 cheaper for the same 4.4 rating.

Pros: Lists 144 Hz, the only panel in the ten above 60 Hz; Dolby Vision listed for both film and gaming; 144 Hz Game Mode PRO with ALLM, VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium PRO; Dolby Atmos across a 5.1 channel configuration; Direct-lit LED backlight with quantum dot colour layer
Cons: £345 is the highest price in this group, £52 above the next set; One bullet says Mini-LED while the spec table says LED; 500-nit claim is half the TCL's 1,000-nit figure at £80 less; 10.2 kg is among the heaviest sets here to lift onto a wall

### 2. Hisense 43E78Q 43-Inch QLED 4K Smart TV

- Price: £269.00 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 522 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/hisense-43-e78q-qled-tv
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F7WM1171?tag=ranked10-21

Same 4.4 rating as the 144 Hz model above, £76 cheaper, and 84 Hz slower.

£76 cheaper than the 144 Hz model above, this set shares the same 4.4 rating but has more evidence behind it: 522 ratings against 290. The panel is 60 Hz, the figure eight of the ten use. Quantum Dot colour sits behind the QLED label, and it weighs 10.3 kg — 100 g more than the top pick.

The specification table is the fuller of the two E78Q listings. Dolby Vision and HDR10 are both listed, along with three HDMI ports, Wi-Fi and Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube. Hi-View AI Engine upscaling is claimed to adjust each frame in real time.

That said, this is a 43 inch TV with Dolby Vision and no brightness figure at all. Six of the ten listings state no nit count, and this is one of them, which means you cannot line it up against the TCL's 1,000-nit claim on paper. Anyone who wants a 120 Hz or 144 Hz console panel should skip it and pay the £76.

Pros: £269 is £76 below the 144 Hz model at the top of this list; 522 ratings behind the 4.4 score, nearly double the top pick's 290; Dolby Vision and HDR10 both listed; Three HDMI ports plus Wi-Fi and the main streaming apps
Cons: 60 Hz panel, no gaming refresh advantage; No brightness figure stated anywhere in the listing; No Dolby Atmos or subwoofer listed, unlike the £293 A7Q; Heavier than the cheaper £229 E6Q at 10.3 kg

### 3. Hisense 43E6Q 43-Inch 4K UHD Smart TV

- Price: £229.00 | Amazon rating: 4.5 from 2,310 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/hisense-e6q-43-inch-tv
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F7WLZN2T?tag=ranked10-21

The cheapest set here at £229, the most reviewed at 2,310 ratings, and one of only two with a 4.5 score.

At £229 this is the lowest price in the ten, and it carries 2,310 ratings — more than four times the 522 behind the £269 Hisense. The 4.5 score is matched only by the £293 A7Q. Anyone weighing up the best 43 inch smart tv on price and evidence of reliability will find that combination hard to argue with.

The trade-off is visible in the spec table. The display is listed as UHD rather than QLED, so there is no quantum dot layer here, though Dolby Vision, Freely and AI Smooth Motion are all present. Brightness is stated at 400 nits. Three HDMI ports and Wi-Fi are listed, and the set weighs 10 kg.

Even so, this is a 60 Hz panel with no game-mode refresh advantage, and the 400-nit figure is the second-lowest anyone here actually states. If you want quantum dot colour or a 144 Hz panel, this is not it. You would be looking at the £269 model or the £345 one instead.

Pros: £229 is the lowest price in the ten; 2,310 ratings, the largest sample on this list; 4.5 score matched only by the £293 A7Q; Dolby Vision and 400 nits both listed
Cons: UHD rather than QLED — no quantum dot layer; 60 Hz refresh rate; 400 nits is the second-lowest stated figure here; AI Smooth Motion is processing, not a higher panel rate

### 4. Hisense 43A7Q 43-Inch QLED Smart TV with Subwoofer

- Price: £293.00 | Amazon rating: 4.5 from 214 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/hisense-43a7qtuk
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F7WGKRLQ?tag=ranked10-21

£293 for a 60 Hz QLED panel with the only built-in subwoofer in the ten, and 12 kg to show for it.

This is the second most expensive set in the ten after the £345 Hisense, and it lists the same 60 Hz refresh rate as the £229 model. What the extra £64 over the cheapest buy is a 2.1 speaker setup with a built-in subwoofer, which no other set here has. It also carries a 4.5 score, matched only by the E6Q.

As a 43 inch QLED smart tv, it lists Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and the subwoofer gives the Atmos mix something to work with. Three HDMI ports and Wi-Fi are listed. At 12 kg it is the heaviest set here — 1.7 kg more than the £269 Hisense and 5.3 kg more than the £249 Samsung.

That said, 214 ratings is the third-smallest sample on this list, and no brightness figure is given, so the picture claims cannot be checked against the TCL's 1,000 nits on paper. If you plan to add a soundbar anyway, the subwoofer is dead weight, and the case for this as the best 43 inch smart tv at £293 largely disappears.

Pros: Only set in the ten with a built-in subwoofer; 4.5 score, matched only by the £229 E6Q; Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos both listed; Quantum dot colour with three HDMI ports
Cons: £293 is the second-highest price here for a 60 Hz panel; 12 kg is the heaviest set in the ten; No brightness figure stated; Only 214 ratings behind the score

### 5. TCL 43T6C 43-Inch QLED 4K Fire TV (2025)

- Price: £265.00 | Amazon rating: 4.1 from 427 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/tcl-43t6c-qled-fire-tv
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DW9833SD?tag=ranked10-21

£265 for a 1,000-nit claim and every major HDR format, on a 60 Hz panel and a 4.1 rating.

The brightness claim here is 1,000 nits, twice the 500 nits listed on the £345 Hisense at the top of this list. It is also the only set in the ten listing HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision together, which means every major HDR format is covered by one panel. Meanwhile the refresh rate is 60 Hz, and the 4.1 rating is second-lowest here, ahead of only the £249 Samsung.

The TCL runs Fire TV, so Alexa and the Fire TV interface are built in without a stick. Its HVA panel is claimed to deliver higher contrast and a wider viewing angle than a standard VA panel. It weighs 8.32 kg. Energy efficiency is rated G, where the Hisense and Samsung sets that state a figure are rated F.

The catch is the audio. The listing claims Dolby Atmos but the spec table lists 2.0 channels — no height drivers and no subwoofer, so the badge describes processing rather than speakers. The rating breakdown also shows 13 one-star reviews, more than any set here except the £249 Samsung's 16.

Pros: 1,000-nit claim, twice the £345 Hisense's 500 nits; Only set listing HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision together; Fire TV built in, with Alexa on the remote; 8.32 kg is lighter than the Hisense models here
Cons: 4.1 is the second-lowest score on this list; 13 one-star ratings in the breakdown; Dolby Atmos claimed over a 2.0 channel speaker setup; Energy rated G, against F on the Hisense and Samsung sets

### 6. Xiaomi TV F Pro 43-Inch 4K QLED Fire TV

- Price: £229.00 | Amazon rating: 4.2 from 330 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/xiaomi-tv-f-pro-43
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCY8MNS4?tag=ranked10-21

£229 buys QLED and HDR10+ here, but the 300-nit claim is the lowest in the ten and there is no Dolby Vision.

At £229 this matches the cheapest set in the ten, and it is the only one of the two £229 sets to list QLED. It also lists HDR10+, which the £229 Hisense does not. Against that, the stated brightness is 300 nits — the lowest figure anywhere in this group, and less than a third of the TCL's claim.

The set runs Fire TV with Alexa built in, and Apple AirPlay is supported, so an iPhone, iPad or Mac can mirror to it without extra hardware. The viewing angle is given as 178 degrees and the screen finish is glossy, which is a trade-off in a bright room. Weight is 8 kg with the stand and 5.9 kg without, and MEMC motion processing is listed.

By contrast with the Hisense sets at the same price and above it, there is no Dolby Vision here — HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG only. In theory that matters less at 300 nits, because Dolby Vision does most of its work in high-contrast material. Either way, if you stream a lot of Dolby Vision content, this is the wrong £229 to spend, and the best 43 inch smart tv at this price on rating is the Hisense E6Q at 4.5 against this set's 4.2.

Pros: £229 with QLED and HDR10+ listed; Fire TV with Alexa built in; Apple AirPlay supported for iPhone and Mac mirroring; 5.9 kg without the stand, the lightest bare panel at this price
Cons: 300-nit claim is the lowest in the ten; No Dolby Vision — HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG only; 4.2 rating sits below both Hisense sets at £229; Glossy finish reflects light in bright rooms

### 7. Samsung Q7F2 43-Inch QLED 4K Smart TV

- Price: £289.00 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 135 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/samsung-q7f2-43-qled
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F6NH7ZPD?tag=ranked10-21

The only 50 Hz panel in the ten, at £289 — below the £229 Hisense, though it is the slimmest at 6 cm deep.

Every other set here lists 60 Hz or higher. This one lists 50 Hz. Crucially, that is below the £229 Hisense E6Q, which costs £60 less — so at £289 you are paying more for a slower panel. The contrast ratio is stated at 10,000:1, the only set here to give a figure at all, and the depth is 6 cm, the slimmest on the list.

The rest of the spec covers QLED with True Quantum Dot colour, a Q4 AI Gen1 processor for 4K upscaling, Object Tracking Sound Lite and Tizen OS. HDR support is HDR10 only — no Dolby Vision and no HDR10+, unlike the £265 TCL and the £229 Xiaomi. Weight is 7.1 kg, second-lightest here, and the VESA pattern is 200 x 200 mm.

That said, 135 ratings is the second-smallest sample in the ten, behind only the £234.98 LG. A 50 Hz refresh rate also puts a hard ceiling on console gaming, and no brightness figure is given, so the picture claims cannot be compared with the TCL's 1,000 nits. For a bedroom set that mostly streams drama, the 50 Hz figure will rarely show. For anything else, the £229 options do more on paper.

Pros: 6 cm deep, the slimmest set in the ten; Only set here that states a contrast ratio: 10,000:1; 7.1 kg, second-lightest in the group; True Quantum Dot colour with a Q4 AI Gen1 processor
Cons: 50 Hz is the lowest refresh rate here, below the £229 E6Q; £289 costs £60 more than that 60 Hz E6Q; HDR10 only — no Dolby Vision, no HDR10+; 135 ratings is the second-smallest sample on this list

### 8. LG 43QNED70A6A 43-Inch 4K Smart TV

- Price: £279.99 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 146 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/lg-43qned70a6a
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FDR8BQMX?tag=ranked10-21

£279.99 for a 60 Hz panel, and despite the QNED name the spec table lists LED rather than QLED.

The price is £279.99, which puts it above the £269 Hisense E78Q and the £265 TCL. The refresh rate is 60 Hz, like eight of the ten, and the display technology row reads LED — not QLED, despite the QNED badge on the front.

What you are paying for here is the processor and the platform: an α7 AI processor with Dynamic QNED colour processing, AI Motion Pro, the webOS smart platform, Filmmaker Mode and HDR10. Audio comes from a 20 W virtual surround system, and direct LED backlighting is listed. The set weighs 9.39 kg, or 7.5 kg without the stand.

Even so, there is no Dolby Vision and no HDR10+, only HDR10, which is the weakest HDR list in the ten alongside the Samsung Q7F2. No brightness figure is given either. At £279.99 it sits £50 above the £229 sets without a headline specification that explains the difference — and if Dolby Vision matters to you, the £269 Hisense is £10.99 cheaper and lists it.

Pros: £279.99 with an α7 AI processor and Dynamic QNED colour; Filmmaker Mode and webOS with the main streaming apps; 20 W virtual surround sound; 7.5 kg without the stand for wall mounting
Cons: Display technology row reads LED, not QLED, despite the QNED name; £279.99 is £10.99 more than the Dolby Vision Hisense E78Q; HDR10 only, with no Dolby Vision or HDR10+; No brightness figure stated

### 9. LG 43UA75006LA 43-Inch 4K Smart TV

- Price: £234.98 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 80 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/lg-43ua75006la-4k-tv
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GTVR5RHH?tag=ranked10-21

£234.98 with the strongest five-star share in the ten — but only 80 ratings behind the 4.4 score.

At £234.98 this is the second-cheapest set in the ten, and it holds the strongest five-star share on the list: 79 of its 80 ratings. However, that sample is also the smallest here, so the 4.4 score rests on far less evidence than the 4.5 on the £229 Hisense, which has 2,310 ratings behind it.

The panel is 60 Hz with direct LED backlighting, HDR10 and HLG support, and Filmmaker Mode for film playback. An α7 AI Processor Gen8 handles 4K upscaling and dynamic tone mapping. Google Cast and Apple AirPlay 2 are both supported alongside webOS, the set weighs 7.4 kg, and three HDMI ports are listed.

That said, HDR10 and HLG are the only formats listed, so anyone building a best 43 inch smart tv shortlist around Dolby Vision should look at the £269 Hisense instead. The 80-rating sample is also thin: one bad batch would move that 4.4 number, and the 4.5 Hisense carries 2,310 ratings for £5.98 less.

Pros: £234.98, the second-lowest price in the ten; 79 of 80 ratings are five-star, the best share on this list; Filmmaker Mode with HDR10 and HLG support; Google Cast and Apple AirPlay 2 built in
Cons: Only 80 ratings behind the 4.4 score, the smallest sample here; No Dolby Vision and no HDR10+, only HDR10 and HLG; 60 Hz panel; No brightness figure stated

### 10. Samsung U7020H 43-Inch Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV

- Price: £249.00 | Amazon rating: 4.0 from 122 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-43-inch-smart-tvs/samsung-u7020h-43-inch-4k
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GWJMJMKV?tag=ranked10-21

£249, the only 4.0 score in the ten, with 16 one-star ratings in the breakdown.

This is the only set in the ten rated 4.0, and its rating breakdown contains 16 one-star entries — more than any other set here. The price is £249, which is £20 above the £229 pair and £14 above the £234.98 LG. The panel is 60 Hz.

Backlighting is edge LED rather than the direct-lit arrangement used on the Hisense sets and the TCL, and the screen finish is matte, which cuts reflections in a bright room. It lists HDR10+ — not Dolby Vision — plus Motion Xcelerator, Crystal Processor 4K, PurColor, a 20 W two-channel speaker setup, Tizen OS and Vision AI Companion. At 6.7 kg it is the lightest set here, and the dimensions are given as 95.78 x 60.90 x 15.70 cm.

As a result, the case for this one is narrow. It is the best 43 inch TV for bedroom use here if you want a matte, light panel and you can live without Dolby Vision — the finish and the 6.7 kg are genuinely useful on a wall or facing a window. Buyers who want Dolby Vision, a direct-lit panel or a stronger review record should look at either Hisense instead.

Pros: 6.7 kg, the lightest set in the ten; Matte screen finish cuts reflections in bright rooms; HDR10+ listed, plus Motion Xcelerator and PurColor; 2026 model with Tizen OS and Vision AI Companion
Cons: 4.0 is the lowest score in the ten; 16 one-star ratings, the most in any breakdown here; Edge LED backlighting rather than direct lit; No Dolby Vision, and no brightness figure stated

## Verdict

For most homes, the £229 Hisense E6Q is the pick: the cheapest set in the ten, sitting on 2,310 ratings and a 4.5 score, with 400 nits and Dolby Vision listed. On evidence per pound it is the best 43 inch smart tv in this group, and the best 43 inch TV under 300. If you game on a console or PC, the £345 Hisense E78Q PRO is the only 144 Hz panel here, and the only set where the premium buys something measurable. Meanwhile, at £229 the Xiaomi adds QLED and HDR10+ but drops to a 300-nit claim and no Dolby Vision — worth noting if your streaming library is Dolby Vision heavy. Either way, the pattern from the top of this article holds: eight of these ten sets run the same 60 Hz panel, so above £229 you are usually paying for a badge, a platform or a speaker rather than a better picture.