The 6 Best Small TVs - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best small TV we've tested that's available in a 28 inch size is the TCL S Series/28S305 2018. Its small size makes it suitable for rooms where space is scarce, like a kitchen or a dorm room. This mediocre TV can't get very bright, so it may not be the best choice in a very bright room as you'll likely notice a lot of glare and reflections. It can display deep blacks thanks to the high native contrast ratio, which improves dark room performance, but the overall picture quality is just mediocre.

This TV has a 720p resolution and is powered by the same excellent Roku TV smart platform found on higher-end TCL models. There are many apps and streaming channels to choose from. You'll most certainly find what you're looking for, and you can also stream files from your mobile device.

Unfortunately, this TV doesn't have a very wide color gamut and it doesn't support HDR, though this is to be expected for a TV in this price-point. It also may not be the best choice for watching sports or playing games, as its motion handling is only decent and it doesn't have any motion interpolation features. Overall, this is a mediocre TV, but of the best TVs available in this size.

If you only have space for a 32 inch TV but still want something comparable to most 55" or 65" options, the Samsung Q50/Q50R QLED QN32Q50RAFXZA is the best 32 inch TV that we've tested so far. This is one of the first 4k 32" TVs available, and it even supports HDR10 and HDR10+. It's a great choice for video games thanks to its outstanding low input lag and great response time, though unfortunately it doesn't sport any advanced gaming features like FreeSync.

The picture quality is quite good overall thanks to its excellent contrast ratio and good, deep blacks, despite not having a local dimming feature. While its HDR peak brightness is disappointing, resulting in HDR content not popping quite like it should, its SDR peak brightness is decent, and it should be able to combat glare and reflections in moderately bright rooms. Thanks to its size and ability to display chroma 4:4:4 properly, it's even a great choice to double as a computer monitor, great for tight spaces like a dorm room.

Unfortunately, like most TVs with a VA panel, the image degrades quite a bit when viewed at an angle, so it's best for setups where you'll be sitting directly in front of the TV. There are also some noticeable motion artifacts, which may bother fans of sports or action movies. Overall, however, this is a good all-around TV that finally brings higher-end features to a smaller size TV.

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2017 M437-G0 is the best 43 inch TV we've tested. This is an impressive TV with good picture quality. When in a dark room, blacks are deep and uniform thanks to the TV's high native contrast ratio, great black uniformity, and local dimming support. You shouldn't have any issues placing this TV in a bright room, as it can fight glare and handle reflections well. The TV itself has very thin borders, and overall it looks decently well-built and premium considering its price point.

Unfortunately, just like with most VA panel TVs, the image degrades at an angle, so you'll want to ensure you sit directly in front of the TV for the best possible image. Also, despite having an exceptionally wide color gamut with vivid and rich colors, it can't display bright HDR highlights as it should, so HDR content won't pop the way the creator intended. While the SmartCast interface has access to the most common apps, unfortunately, it isn't very smooth and there aren't as many apps available as with some other options.

If you play a lot of video games, this TV is a great option thanks in part to its very low input lag. Its fast response time also leaves only a small blur trail behind fast-moving objects, and the TV has very little stutter and can remove judder from most sources. Overall, this is a very well-rounded TV that's a great value and the best 43" TV we've tested so far.

If you want a small TV with great smart features, the best small smart TV is the TCL 5 Series/43S525 2019. It's a decent LED UHD TV with a wide color gamut, great dark room performance, and outstanding low input lag for gaming or use as a PC monitor.

This TV has great smart features thanks to its Roku smart interface. There are hundreds of streaming channels (apps) available, so you won't need to worry about having an external streaming box like an Apple TV connected to the TV. It can also stream files directly from your mobile device, similar to Chromecast.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have a local dimming feature and doesn't support motion interpolation. It can't get very bright and the image degrades when viewed at an angle. Overall, however, it's a decent 4k TV that utilizes one of the easiest-to-use and smoothest smart systems available.