Best Small Flat-Screen TVs to Buy Right Now
Nothing wows a crowd like a giant-screen television, but sometimes a modest-sized flat-screen TV is a more realistic choice, especially in a bedroom, an office, or an apartment.
The good news is you don't have to sacrifice picture quality when you downsize the screen. In fact, many of the smaller flat-screen TVs in our Ratings have very good or excellent high-definition picture quality. Instead, you might have to give up features such as 4K UHD resolution, which will not matter much on a screen 32 inches or less, and room-filling sound, since few TVs of that size deliver top-notch audio.
Here are five can't-miss picks for people in search of small flat-screen TVs. Most are 2015 sets, but we'll update the list as more 2016 models hit the market.
LG 32LF5600
This 32-inch 1080p LED LCD TV from LG tops our Ratings in this screen size thanks to its excellent high-definition picture quality and a wider-than-average viewing angle. It's a fairly basic 60Hz set with two HDMI inputs and few extras.
Samsung UN32J5500
Those looking for the convenience of built-in streaming services should consider this 32-inch 1080p LED LCD set from Samsung. One of the company's Tizen smart flat-screen TVs, it has excellent picture quality, but like many sets this size, its sound is only fair, so you may want to consider adding a sound bar speaker. In addition to three HDMI inputs, the TV comes with a remote control that has an "Extra" button to call up program info, including actor profiles and Twitter feeds.
This 32-inch 2015 set from Sony is getting a bit hard to find. (It's been replaced by the KDL-32W600D.) A 720p flat-screen TV, it combines very good high-def picture quality with a wider-than-average viewing angle for an LCD model. It also has two HDMI inputs and built-in access to several streaming services.
Vizio D28h-D1
Looking for an even smaller flat-screen TV? Then this 28-inch 720p LED LCD set from Vizio might do the trick. It delivers very good high-definition picture quality, and unlike many sets this size, it has a fairly wide viewing angle. It also has the Vizio Internet Apps smart TV platform, which gives you access to online streaming content. (The similarly named D28hn-D1 costs $20 less, but lacks that feature.) And, finally, the set offers two HDMI inputs.
LG 24LF4520
Trying to squeeze a TV into a really small space? Then this 22-inch set from LG may be the solution. It has excellent high-definition picture quality and the 1080p screen resolution lets it double as a computer monitor. The sound is only fair, though, and you'll have to make do with just one HDMI input.
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