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If you're looking for a TV for a smaller room, or to perhaps use as for gaming, then the best 48- and 50-inch TVs in Australia are going to be your best bet.
Not only are these smaller screens easier to accommodate, but because of their smaller size, 48- and 50-inch 4K TVs have less screen real estate to fill in when 'upscaling' HD content too, which can work to their advantage.
With all this in mind, you’ll find our picks for the top 48- and 50-inch TVs that Aussies can buy right now.
The best 48 and 50-inch TVs for 2026
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Best 48- to 50-inch TV for most people
✅ You want a great TV for movies: The C5 is fantastic when it comes to blacks, brightness and contrast, and when fed HDR content, it becomes a sensational choice for movie fans.
✅ You want a great TV for gaming: With 4 HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 120Hz (and up to 144Hz for PC gaming), the C5 is an excellent gaming TV.
❌ You want the brightest TV you can buy: While the C5 does serve up excellent brightness levels for an OLED TV, the fact remains mini-LED TVs such as the Samsung QN90D (#4 on this list) can go brighter.
❌You don't have a huge budget: Despite being in a smaller guise, the LG C5 can still be a pricey TV compared to many others on this list. The LG C4 also offers greater overall value.
The LG C5 is a truly wonderful TV, and is our top recommendation for most people no matter which screen size you want. It delivers a superb picture that suits both movies and gaming, supports a fantastic suite of gaming features, an intuitive smart TV platform and more. It's no wonder LG's C series OLEDs have been so popular in the 48-50-inch size range when it covers all bases.
Picture quality is the C5's highlight, with vibrant colours, superb contrast, and excellent detail thanks to its built-in Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI processor. LG has also managed to give the C5 a further boost in brightness compared to its predecessor, although admittedly it is relatively minor.
Gamers will also find much to love in the C5, thanks to it being fitted with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 144Hz refresh rate, VRR (including Nvidia GSync and AMD FreeSync), ALLM, HGiG, and Dolby Vision Gaming. We can't imagine many gamers will feel shortchanged by this impressive feature list. It also comes with LG's Game Optimiser, designed to adjust settings easily during gameplay. At 48 inches, the C5 is a great size for both living room and bedroom gaming.
While the C5 doesn't have the best built-in audio and doesn't support HDR10+, it does nearly everything else right, including having a sleek design and user-friendly smart TV platform. Those are just some reasons why it's the best 48-50-inch TV for most people.
Best budget 48- to 50-inch TV
✅ You want OLED for cheap: The LG B5 delivers the perfect contrast of OLED TVs, with really rich and cinematic pictures.
✅ You want a fantastic TV for gaming: Four HDMI 2.1 ports, a full suite of features and snappy performance: the B5 is a superb gaming TV.
❌ Your room is really bright: While the B5's brightness is fine at this size, it is much dimmer compared to both the step-up LG C5 and Samsung QN90F (both on this list), and so is more prone to reflections.
❌ You want the best sound quality: The B5 has a very basic built-in sound system and although fine for day-to-day viewing, it could benefit from a soundbar.
We weren't sure an OLED TV would ever fill the budget spot in this guide, but here we are. Thanks to continued price drops, the 48-inch LG B5 really does represent superb value.
Being an OLED TV, the B5 delivers a wonderful picture from the get go, and it aced plenty of our test in our review. It doesn't exhibit the same high brightness levels of step-up models, but this only really becomes an issue if you're watching in a bright room. Turn the lights down and the LG B5 comes alive, with punchy, bold colours and oodles of detail.
It's also a fantastic gaming TV, thanks in no small part to its support for 4K 120Hz across all four of its HDMI inputs, along with variable refresh rate support and Dolby Vision gaming. Its 9.1ms input lag time is also among the best we've tested, and means regardless of what game you play, performance will always feel smooth.
Now that it regularly hovers around the AU$1,200 mark (or less), the LG B5 really is sublime value. You can absolutely spend less on a screen of this size, but it won't deliver anywhere near the level of performance. So for those looking for a jack-of-all-trades 48-inch, look no further.
Read our full LG B5 review
Best 50-inch TV FAQ
What is the best 50-inch smart TV?
As with anything, what's best for you might not necessarily be best overall. For sheer picture quality and premium-level power, though, it's hard to go past the might of the LG C4.
But in terms of overall value? The TCL C755 is a great option thnaks to its balance of performance, quality and features worth well more than the asking price.
How much should you pay for a 50-inch TV?
If you're on the hunt for a TV with a smaller screen size, there's every chance you're doing so because:
(a) You're looking for a second TV to add to your home
Or
(b) You're shopping on a budget
If you're a serious cinephile who wants nothing but the best quality picture from any TV on display in your home, you should consider looking at more premium models, usually ranging from AU$2,000-AU$3,000. Thankfully, you don't have to pay that much for a high quality TV these days.
What should you look for in a 50-inch TV?
At a minimum, what you should be looking for in a 50-inch TV is a balance between quality and value. If you're a gamer, you'll probably want to find a TV offering HDMI 2.1 ports with gaming features such as variable refresh rates (VRR) and auto low-latency mode (ALLM).
If you're a cinephile, you're looking for features like resolution, panel type (eg. OLED, QLED), contrast, colours and HDR support. You should also check to see if your television offers a Movie or Filmmaker Mode in its picture settings in order to watch your favourite films as they were intended to be seen.
What makes shopping for 50-inch TVs tricky is that manufacturers typically don't make their flagship TVs in that size. Or, you may also find that some flagship TVs in smaller sizes provide less impressive specs than the same models in larger sizes.
If the best quality overall is what matters to you, it might be worth considering some of the best TVs overall in larger sizes – some of which you might be surprised to learn fit your budgets better than you'd think. However, if saving on space is your concern, the guide above should help you find everything you might need in your new 48 or 50-inch TV.
