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 at 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 one 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 as 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 properly display chroma 4:4:4, 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 2019 M437-G0 is the best 43 inch TV we've tested. This versatile TV performs well regardless of the content that you're watching. It has a decent build quality, and it has thin bezels that aren't distracting. Its VA panel has a superb contrast ratio and impressive black uniformity, making it a great choice for dark rooms. There's also a full-array local dimming feature that further improves its contrast; however, it does cause some visible blooming around bright objects in dark scenes, especially around subtitles. Sadly, like most VA panels, its viewing angles are sub-par, which is less ideal for large rooms with wide seating arrangements.

Out-of-the-box, this TV has an impressive color accuracy. It has an excellent wide color gamut, which is great for HDR content, but the TV's peak brightness is mediocre and isn't able to really make highlights pop. Response time is great and there's an optional black frame insertion feature that can help reduce the appearance of motion blur. For gaming, the input lag is exceptionally low, but there's no support for any variable refresh rate technology and the panel is limited to 60Hz.

When it comes to smart features, Vizio's SmartCast platform is easy to use but it doesn't run very smoothly. There's a good selection of apps and they come pre-installed; however, there's no way to add more. Overall, though, it's still a great TV and most people should be satisfied with it.

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.