Your guide to small screens for any budget
While the world of TV sizes is ever increasing, there’s still place for smaller TVs. Whether you’re after a TV for your bedroom, kitchen or even campervan, a smaller TV may be what you’re after.
Don’t think you’ll be relegated to outdated tech either, while smaller TVs may not support 4K (Ultra High-Definition) resolutions, they can come with modern features like online streaming, LED (Light-emitting Diode) screens and voice control.
So, before you go searching for the best 32 inch smart TV on the market, make sure you fully understand what features you can get with a smaller TV.
The popular small TV screen sizesfor the best 32-inch smart TV
Proper small TVs usually start at about 24 inches, anything smaller may be sold as a portable TV and be designed to be used with a 12V socket as opposed to a three-pin plug.
The largest small screen you can get your hands on is 32-inches, anything bigger can’t really be classed as small. Pretty much any size between 24 and 32 is available, leaving you plenty of options to make sure the TV fits properly.
Make sure to check whether you’re actually buying a TV too, many smaller screens may be smart monitors that have no ariel port, worth noting before you start shopping.
Budget small TVs
There are plenty of budget small TVs on the market, all designed to offer good value for money. Expect to pay anywhere up to £120 for a budget small TV and you’ll be lucky if you find anything larger than 24-inches.
You’ll also probably only be able to find LCD (liquid-crystal display) screens too. These screen types were popular throughout the 2000s but don’t offer the same clarity as LED displays and aren’t as energy efficient. Still, for a secondary TV, one of these will be more than acceptable. Most of these smaller TVs won’t run full HD either, instead running at 720p.
Don’t expect many smart features in this price range, the most advanced feature you’re likely to get is a built-in DVD player.
Mid-range small TVs
For anywhere between £120 and £200 you’ll be looking at slightly better equipped TVs. For example, you’ll see the introduction of smart TVs in the mid-range price bracket. Smart TVs allow you to access streaming and catch-up services, allowing you access to countless hours of content. Think Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and other services.
Some mid-range TVs will even include Freeview Play, a clever way of merging live, on-demand and catchup-TV in one easy to use place.
You’ll even be able to get some smaller LED TVs for this price range. While the maximum resolution you’ll find will still be 1080p with screens this size, LED screens are more energy efficient and will look sharper.
Top-end small TVs
Looking to spend more than £200 will give you a top-end small TV. The main difference here will be screen size, in this price range you’ll be looking at anything up to 32-inches and should except an LED display.
HDR (High-Dynamic Range) will also be present in some of the more expensive 32-inch TVs, which makes images look more lifelike by making lights brighter and dark colours darker.
Look for smart features as you’d find on a mid-range option, but also keep an eye out for voice controls. These allow you to use virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to browse the TV using nothing more than words. Note that not every assistant will be available so its worth checking.
