It’s no OLED, but this is the best cheap 70-inch TV we’ve tested

If you asked our team of experts to recommend a good 70-inch cheap TV a few weeks ago it would have been a very short conversation.

Not because we don't love a good chinwag. It's just that at the time there weren't any we'd fully reviewed and could wholeheartedly recommend.

But, this month all that changes, as we got a set that miraculously manages to tick all three boxes, offering a giant 70-inch screen, sub-£500 price tag and decent picture quality.

Pigs have flown.

Specifically, we finished reviewing the Sharp GK4245K (70GK4245K) and found plenty to like about the giant screen, affordable set.

For starters, though it doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 connectivity, which is yet to become standard on cheap sets, it has solid HDR support. As well as the standard HDR10 and HLG formats, it can recognise Dolby Vision signals – which is a bonus you won’t find on many sets at this price.

Its use of Tivo software also means app support is solid. As well as the usual Netflix, Disney Plus and company options it also has Freely support – which grants access to most UK broadcasters’ content including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

For gamers, while 4K/120Hz is off the cards, it can play titles at 1080p/120Hz – so PS5 and Xbox Series S/X gamers can get faster framerates, albeit at the expense of resolution.

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) are also on offer, which lets the TV match the signals framerate and reduces latency – two other rare treats on a set this price.

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But, most importantly, while not perfect, the TV offers a solid picture considering its price. As our testers said in our full Sharp GK4245K review:

“The GK4245K’s pictures turn out to be a really pleasant surprise in most ways. For starters, they’re substantially brighter than we’d anticipated based on our experience of other similarly ultra-affordable TVs. This expresses itself in both enjoyably crisp and punchy highlights within HDR pictures, and respectable sustained brightness with full-screen HDR bright shots.”

This all adds up to make it the first ever recommended 70-inch set in our best cheap TV guide.

So why the four, rather than five-star, rating? Sadly, like all TVs this price, there are some big compromises. For starters, while the picture is impressive, there are some backlight clouding issues, especially during dark scenes.

The Sharp’s design also means you will need a giant stand as its feet only have one configuration, at the furthest end of each side.

Third, its audio is middling, even by cheap TV standards. During testing we found its audio is thin and too bass-lite, meaning you will 100 per cent want to budget for a soundbar to go with it.

Even a super-cheap model, including the Sony HT-SF150, will surpass what the Sharp GK4245K’s built-in system is capable of by a country mile.

But, even with these caveats, we’re happy to report, if you want a giant 70-inch TV that won’t break the bank, then the Sharp GK4245K is the one to get.

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