While you might have splashed out on a 4K smart TV for your living room space, it’s understandable why you might prefer a smaller TV to sit in your kitchen or bedroom like the Toshiba HD 32-inch TV.
Adding a small 32-inch TV to your space can provide some entertainment while you’re cooking or sipping on your morning cuppa. While having a TV in your bedroom means you can watch your favourite rom-com in bed or even catch up with the news from the comfort of your bedroom without having to switch on your large 50-inch TV.
The Toshiba HD 32-inch TV is a brilliant affordable option if you’re looking for a smaller TV. We put this model to the test to find out if it’s really great value for money.
The Toshiba HD 32-inch TV is a brilliant budget option if you're looking for a compact TV for a bedroom or kitchen space. As well as featuring a HD LED screen, it comes with Alexa built-in meaning you can easily ask Alexa to display something on your screen with voice commands. It also features all the latest streaming apps to make it easy to watch all your favourite shows and boxsets.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Simple navigation
- Good sound quality and clear visuals
Cons
- Standby light stays on
- Doesn’t include Disney+ access
Key features
HD Ready – The HD screen means increased clarity and detail.
Micro Dimming – This is a feature which improves contrast to optimise the appearance.
Super Resolution – Upscales a wide variety of non-HD content and delivers a more refined image, enhancing your viewing experience.
HDR10 & HLG - High Dynamic Range offers better contrast, greater brightness levels and a wider colour palette. Films and TV shows will look more life-like with supported content.
Alexa Built-In - This feature makes it the ideal second screen for the kitchen or bedroom. The far-field microphone is built into the bezel of the TV so you don’t have to pick up the remote.
Enhanced Sound - Combining the latest sound technology of Dolby Audio Processing with enhancements of DTS Virtual X.
Experience Alexa Home Screen: Alexa Home Screen periodically rotates cards on your idle TV screen and enables you to personalise your experience by selecting categories which you like Alexa to show. These include weather updates, scores from your favourite sports teams, trending topics, calendar events, things to do with Alexa, and more.
Testing the Toshiba HD 32-inch TV
On first impressions, I was concerned how much smaller this TV would feel compared to our very large living room TV, but I was very impressed with the screen size when placed into our bedroom.
The TV was packed very well and arrived safely with clear instructions on setting the TV up and everything we needed in the box. The only thing it didn't include was brackets to attach this to the wall, but I do understand this is pretty standard for most TVs.
Once the TV was in place, I set up the TV's internet connection and Alexa features. This part was very simple and as someone who isn't very tech savvy, I didn't even need the instructions.
When connected to the internet, all the apps appear clearly and they're easy to access and log into with your accounts. The only app that doesn't feature in this TV which I regularly use is Disney+. There is however a HDMI cable so I would have the option of plugging a laptop in to the TV and watching Disney+ that way, thought it's a slightly inconvenient way to have to watch it.
Included apps are: Netflix, Prime Video, Britbox, YouTube, Twitch, Rakuten TV, Chili, Mubi and Amazon Music, Freeview Play tuner, as well as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All4, My5, CBS Catch-up, Horror Bites and UKTVPlay for all your catch-up needs.
After a few weeks of using, I've noticed that the TV takes a little time to load and connect to the internet, and although this isn't a huge inconvenience, it makes it feel a little clunkier to use as not as modern in feel as other models.
Although the screen is quite small, it's very clear. Our TV is positioned fairly far away from where we sit and it's still very clear. There is also the option to change the settings to Natural, Cinema, Sports and Dynamic, but there’s not a great deal of difference between them.
The sound is also clear and crisp. This was something I was very impressed with considering the more affordable price. The volume is set fairly low and is still very clear.
In terms of the design, the layout is pretty basic with no bells or whistles, but this isn't an issue unless you're wanting a more sleek or modern layout. Similarly, the remote is pretty large and basic with direct buttons available for Prime Video, Netflix and Freeview Play.
The biggest issue with the design in my opinion is the light on the front. This remains a bright green while watching which can be a little distracting. When turned off on standby, the light turns red and doesn't turn off. If you're planning on putting this TV in your bedroom, i'd recommend buying a sleep eye mask or have the TV plug in an easy to reach place (something we didn't do).
Final thoughts
This is the ideal TV for a smaller room, bedroom or kitchen space where you might want to occasionally switch some TV on. Although it's not large in size, it's HD screen and clear sound make for ideal viewing, although you might not want to watch a film on this smaller screen. If you are popping this in your bedroom, you'll want to make sure you have an eye mask handy as the standby light can be annoying. Overall this TV is very easy to set up and operate making it perfect if you're not all that tech savvy.