Top 5: the best 32-inch HDTVs

by Dean Evans at Thursday 26th March, 2009 at 5:08 pm [0 comments]

The high definition TV market is fierce, hotly contested by manufacturers such as Philips, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba.

So who makes the best HDTVs?

We’ve tracked the products released by the key TV manufacturers over the past six months. We’ve also watched how these HDTVs have been received, by consumers and critics alike. Taking everything into account, these are some of the best 32-inch high definition TVs you can currently buy.

Sony KDL-32V4000

Although it lacks a 1080p resolution panel, you could argue that the beautifully-designed Sony KDL-32V4000TV doesn’t need it. You only appreciate the benefit of full HD on bigger sets. Elsewhere, three HDMI ports and a PC input ensure good connectivity and the 30,000:1 contrast ratio is far from shabby. The performance of this 32-incher is excellent considering the rock-bottom price tag.
Green credentials: 101W in use, 0.7W in standby

Philips 32PFL9613D

Not all 32-inch TVs are created equal. Be prepared to pay almost double the cost of a Sony KDL-32V4000 for this slick-looking (often hard to find) Cineos set from Philips. Is it worth it? Judge for yourself: the Philips 32PFL7603Dboasts a full HD (1080p) resolution, 100Hz processing, four HDMI ports (plus a PC input) and a 55,000:1 contrast ratio. As for the love it/hate it Ambilight feature… you can always turn it off.
Green credentials: 139W in use, 0.15W in standby

Panasonic TX-32LZD81

Panasonic’s Viera TVs have an enviable reputation for picture quality and the 32-inch Panasonic TX32LZD81Bis no exception. Beyond the basic specs (1080p HD, three HDMI ports, a PC input and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio), this high-def telly features a built-in Freesat HD tuner that can be used to receive free-to-air high definition programming from the BBC and ITV. Nice.
Green credentials: 150W in use, 0.3W in standby

Toshiba 32AV555DB

A good budget buy, the Toshiba 32AV555is another 720p set that deserves a closer look. It’s less fully-featured than some of its rivals – there are only two HDMI connections, no PC input and the contrast ratio is rated at 18,000:1. But you can’t argue with some corner-cutting when Toshiba’s Active Vision picture processing delivers such good picture quality.
Green credentials: 110W in use, 0.8W in standby

JVC LT-32DE9BJ

What makes the JVC LT-32DE9BJstand out from the crowd is its built-in Freeview+ technology. So not only can you watch your favourite shows on digital TV, but you can use the integrated 160GB hard disk to record them, plus pause and rewind live TV. The rest of the specification includes three HDMI ports and a 720p resolution. JVC’s DynaPix picture processing delivers sharp images despite the low-rated 5,500:1 contrast ratio.
Green credentials: 145W in use, 0.9W in standby

[Last updated: March 26, 2009]

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