We buy our own products and put them under the same testing methodology so that you can easily compare them. Unlike most websites, we do not get our products directly from the manufacturers, which means our units aren’t handpicked and actually represent what you would buy yourself. We spend a lot of time comparing the products side-by-side to validate our results and we keep them until they are discontinued so we can continually go back and make sure our reviews are always accurate.
Although smaller TVs aren’t as popular as larger TVs, they are still popular for secondary viewing locations, like in a guest room or kitchen. Smaller TVs typically aren’t as advanced as larger ones. They rarely offer a good HDR experience, and most of them don’t have the same image and motion processing options as larger TVs. 32” TVs are the most popular size for small TVs, and some of them are still able to deliver a decent viewing experience, depending on what you are looking for. We’ve tested 206 TVs, and here are our recommendations for the best ones available in a 32” size.
Samsung UN32N5300: The best 32-inch TV of 2018
Type: LED
Sub-Type: IPS
Sizes: 32”
The Samsung UN32NU5300 is the best 32” TV that we’ve reviewed so far. It is a basic 1080p TV with decent picture quality, wide viewing angles, and good uniformity. It has decent peak brightness and great reflections handling, making it a good choice overall for daytime viewing in a bright guest room or kitchen. Unlike last year’s M5300, the N5300 is only available in a 32” size.
Despite the budget price-point and small size, the N5300 has pretty much the same great smart features as the rest of Samsung’s 2018 lineup. It lacks the voice assistant found on more expensive models and comes with only a basic remote, but it has the same great selection of smart apps and the same easy to use interface.
Unfortunately, the N5300 has poor HDR performance, as it can’t get bright enough for small highlights and can’t display a wide color gamut. It also has higher than usual input lag, which may be disappointing to some gamers.
Shop Now: $199
TCL 32S325/32S305: Mediocre 32” TV with good dark room performance
Type: LED
Sub-Type: VA
Sizes: 28”, 32”, 40”, 43”, 49”
If you like the UN32N5300, but watch TV in the dark, the TCL 32S325 is a better darkroom alternative. It is a basic budget TV with great smart features. The Roku smart platform is simple and has a huge selection of streaming channels available. It isn’t as fancy as the competition, but it makes up for this by its ease of use.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t support HDR, and it can’t get very bright. It is a basic 1080p model, but the 28” and 32” models only support 720p. It has a great contrast ratio and decent black uniformity, making it a better choice for a dark room.
The S325 was initially known as the S305. The S305 has been re-released as the S325, with only minor cosmetic changes. If you want a full HD experience, the 32S325 is also sold as the 32S327, which has a native 1080p display.
Shop Now: $140
TCL 32D100: An entry-level, no-frills FHD TV
Type: LED
Sub-Type: VA
Sizes: 32”, 40”, 49”
If you are looking for a simple 32” TV with no frills, check out the TCL 32D100. It is a basic, entry-level 1080p TV that lacks many of the more advanced processing options found on higher-end TVs.
It is one of the few “dumb” TVs still on the market. It has a very basic interface, with no apps or streaming channels, but it can play video and audio files from a USB drive.
The D100 doesn’t support HDR and has no advanced motion processing features like motion interpolation, and it can’t remove judder from 24p sources. Overall, although it is a basic TV, it works well as a secondary TV for a kitchen or guest room.
Shop Now: $130
Samsung UN32M4500A: Budget HD smart TV
Type: LED
Sub-Type: VA
Sizes: 24”, 28”, 32”
If you want a very basic budget TV for the kitchen or garage, but still want to be able to stream your favorite shows, check out the Samsung UN32M4500A. It is a very basic HD TV, but it has nearly identical smart features to the more advanced Samsung TVs, including an easy to use interface, and has thousands of available apps via the Samsung App Store.
The M4500 has an excellent native contrast ratio, good for dark room viewing. Although it can’t get very bright, it has great reflections handling, so you shouldn’t have any issues using it in a fairly bright room, as long as there isn’t too much direct sunlight.
Unfortunately, the image loses accuracy rapidly when viewed at an angle, and it can’t remove judder from any 24p sources.
Shop Now: $198
Vizio D Series D32F-E1: A basic 1080p TV with basic smart features
Type: LED
Sub-Type: IPS (Except 50”)
Sizes: 24”, 32”, 39”, 40”, 43”, 48”, 50”, 55”
The Vizio D Series 2017 is a mediocre 1080p TV with very basic smart features. Unlike most other Vizio TVs, it has a full smart platform with the ability to add apps, but the selection is very limited. It has great low input lag, good for casual gamers with older consoles.
The D Series has limited motion and image processing. It doesn’t support motion interpolation, but it can remove judder from most 24p sources. The IPS panel delivers decent wide viewing angles, but unfortunately, it doesn’t look as good in a dark room.
The Vizio D Series is available in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from 24” up to 55”. With the exception of the 24” model, they are all 1080p TVs. It has been replaced with 2018 and 2019 models, but we don’t know how well they perform.
Shop Now: $190
This guide may have been updated. To see all measurements and the current recommendations for 32” TVs, please go here.
