By Steve Holdgren

The Samsung UN40H5500 LED TV, like the Samsung UN32H5500, sees some significant improvements over last year’s F5500 series, mainly with the quad core processor powering the Smart TV features. We saw a great improvement in navigating around the Samsung Smart Hub, with much improved computing power. The other features are not much different from last year’s, but it remains a valuable purchase for this size TV. In fact, we saw a lot of similarities between this TV and the H6350 series, except that this model has a 60Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz—which you may notice if you watch sports programs or play video games, but only if you’re really looking out for it. Overall, for $579.99, it’s a pretty good value.

Prices

Quick Specs

• 40 inches diagonally
• 1080p
• 60Hz LED TV

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

At about $450, the Vizio E400i-B2 is a worthy contender for a budget LED TV. As a perk, it includes a range of upgrades, such as the full-array LED backlighting, which enhances the contrast and uniformity of the picture. It creates better peak whites and deep blacks as a result. Be aware that this TV, at 40 inches, does not have the active dimming found on larger models. Also, the remote doesn’t have voice recognition or a QWERTY keyboard; it does, however, have convenient buttons for instant access to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. Additionally, this E series includes the Vizio Internet Apps Plus for the first time. If you’re watching non-HD cable, be aware that it will be tough to find the optimal aspect ratio without losing screen space or cutting off/stretching the image.

Quick Specs

• 40″ diagonally
• 1080p
• Full-Array LED Smart TV

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

If you’re looking for an inexpensive LED TV to go in a guest bedroom or kitchen, then you’ll likely be happy with the JVC EM42FTR, a 42-inch 1080p TV for $439. The best perk about this TV is that it includes a Roku 3400 streaming stick, which you can plug into the MHL HDMI port to access all of Roku’s streaming services, such as Netflix, On Demand, Hulu Plus, and others. Overall, the TV has good brightness levels, although the semi-clear reflective panel may show some glare from lamps or other lights in the room. The TV doesn’t have a color management system, but you can tweak the color, backlight, and brightness settings to your preferences.

Quick Specs

• 42” diagonally
• 1080p LED TV
• Roku Included Smart TV
• 3 HDMI inputs
• 60Hz panel

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

The Vizio E320i-B2 is a worthy entry-level LED TV for a great budget price (the high $200 range). As a perk, it includes a range of upgrades, such as the full-array LED backlighting, which enhances the contrast and uniformity of the picture. It creates better peak whites and deep blacks as a result. Be aware that this TV, at 32 inches, does not have the active dimming found on larger models. Also, this size TV does not offer 1080p or a 120Hz refresh rate, but these features would likely bump up the price significantly. However, this E series includes the Vizio Internet Apps Plus for the first time. If you’re watching non-HD cable, be aware that it will be tough to find the optimal aspect ratio without losing screen space or cutting off/stretching the image.

Quick Specs

• 32″ diagonally
• 720p
• 2 HDMI, 1 USB inputs
• 60Hz Full-Array LED Smart TV
• 28.58”W x 18.65”H x 6.83”D

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

As a replacement for last year’s F5500 series, the Samsung UN32H5500 LED TV sees some significant improvements, mainly in the form of the quad core processor powering the Smart TV features. We saw a marked improvement in navigating around the Smart Hub, with much improved computing power. The other features are not much different from last year’s, but it remains a valuable purchase for this size TV. In fact, we saw a lot of similarities between this TV and the H6350 series, except that this model has a 60Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz—which you may notice if you watch sports programs or play video games. Overall, for $429.99, it’s not a bad deal at all.

Quick Specs

• 32 inches diagonally
• 1080p
• 60Hz LED TV

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

The small LED TV category is still very important to the average North American consumer. We’ve included a solid list of the Best LED TVs for 2012 based on the following qualitative and value criteria:

• 1)Solid Picture Quality based on:
• A) Not too much motion lag
• B) Somewhat decent side angle viewing
• C) Color saturation and realism
• 2)Features Set (Internet, menu, remote, function)
• 3)Plenty of HDMI inputs
• 4)Appearance
• 5)Price/Value per size and quality
• 6) Sound Quality
• 7) Consistent Long Lasting with 1 year warranty

LED/LCD TV Buying Guide / Articles

Budget 32” to 42” LCD TV Buying Guide

What features and performance attributes to look for in a discount small LCD or LED TV

Picture Quality
No matter what, you can never overlook the #1 top feature in a TV and that is picture quality. Black levels, off-center viewing angle contrast, picture brightness, clean image edges. These are all attributes to look for in choosing an LCD TV.

Sound Quality
This often overlooked feature is super important if you will not be using an external surround sound system with your TV. Lately, some of the manufacturers have come around to improving sound quality with new systems and speakers.

Inputs
HDMI inputs and USB inputs are increasingly important in todays TVs. Make sure yours has these in abundance.

Menu/Remote Control Function
This should be easy and simple to use. Two clicks should put you on the picture settings controls or wherever you want to be. It should also be intuitive to use without having to look at the manual.

Consistent Long Lasting Performance
This is another often overlooked category with some of the lesser 2nd and 3rd tier brands. The price might seem right until a year down the road when the TV stops working due to a power supply problem or video board issue.

Parts Availability/ Warranty
The top tier manufacturers stand by their products better and they are easier to have repaired. They also come with a 1 year warranty as opposed to the 90 day warranty some of the lesser brands have. All the TVs in this list have a 1 year warranty. For a good solid TV warranty extension see dtvexpress.com.

Price and Features
When it comes to price, you have to know the features you can live without. Is 3D important – you will pay more. Is a high Hz rate important – you will pay more. Smart TV, same situation. Great HD picture, same. Know what features you really do want and what you can live without if you want to save money.

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

More Top Ten Lists

Top 10 HDTVs

Our expert TV editors pull together the Top 10 most impressive best quality HDTVs for 2012. Editors noted several factors in helping them decide which HDTVs to include in the list including: 1. Black Level Depth 2. Side Angle Viewing Quality 3. Clarity and Clearness of Images on Screen…[more]

Best LED TV’s

Following are the models our electronics category editors JB Burden and Bob Wiley think are great mid-range LED TV choices in terms of the quality/value/price/features equation. We have reviewed these or similar offerings from the manufacturers and we recommend and rated these models based on the following…[more]

Top 10 Blu-ray Players

Blu-Ray players are becoming increasingly more advanced while not surging to ridiculously high prices. Several new models coming out in 2012 offer smart TV viewing options, with the ability to search for movies, apps, and entertainment sites. We selected 10 of the best Blu-Ray players that showed the greatest technological advances and connectivity options. Other features we considered…[more]

Best TV Series

This simple list shows off some of the best TV shows of the past few years that have a box set available. With the popularity of HBO/Showtime type shows you can get lost in finding the next great TV show (or last great)…. [more]

By Steve Holdgren

The LG 32LB5800 is another valid budget TV, typically around $400, that has a 1080p LED backlit display, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a bare-bones Smart TV platform. To account for the lower price, the refresh rate has been downgraded a bit from the LB6100 series, and some of the picture and sound settings have been omitted. However, if you’re looking for an affordable TV with good picture quality and without all the Smart TV features that drive up the price, then you’ll be happy with the 32LB5800. Thanks to the backlighting, this TV has decent levels of brightness and contrast, as well as light flow through, which adds depth. For the best contrast and color, sit front and center in front of the screen; side-angle viewing leads to slight contrast degradation. And on a small screen, judder and motion blur are not terribly noticeable.

Quick Specs

• 31.5″ diagonally
• Triple XD Picture Processing Engine
• 8 Picture Modes
• 3 HDMI and 3 USB Ports
• 28.82″ x 16.97″ x 2.19″

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

The LC-32LE450U is a bit of a strange sight considering Sharp is really pushing the large screens this year. 32 inches is their smallest while 90 inches is their largest. That’s a big difference. Luckily, the difference is price is reflected in the size difference as well. This solid little TV can be had for around $300, depending on which retailer you pick it up from. Picture quality on this one isn’t as strong as some of the Samsung or Sony TVs on the list, but it competes. The direct LED back lighting helps with a bright and clear picture, but side angle viewing and color reproduction are lacking. The USB port for photo, music, and video playback is about the only extra feature this TV offers. That’s okay, because the price is just right. All you need is an internet enabled Blu-ray player, game console, or Roku box and you’ll be streaming TV in no time. Sharp also has a good reputation when it comes to a long life. That makes for a good investment.

Quick Specs

• Dimensions: 29-9/64″ x 19-5/16″ x 8-17/32″
• 720p Resolution
• Direct LED backlighting
• 60Hz

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

Prices

By Steve Holdgren

The picture on this TV will depend a lot on the picture mode you select. We recommend you use the “Calibrated” Picture Mode if you are not going to professionally calibrate the TV. It’s actually pretty solid. Black levels are reasonably saturated, and the TV certainly has plenty of brightness in whites thanks to the backlight. Image edges don’t compete with some of the better Sony TVs on the market, but they were far from bad. We did not see much value in the “Smart Dimming” feature.

Quick Specs

• 36.28” W x 21.54” H x 2.02
• 120Hz refresh rate
• $498
• 3 HDMI/1 USB

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

At less than $300 this is going to be a crowd-pleaser all year. Side angle viewing is better than most LED TVs of this price range due to the clearer screen. Appearance and design are also much better than the competition in the 32 inch size range. This also ads more depth to picture images. However the picture on the UNF5000 series is a little dimmer than the upper end lines of and some other competitors lines as well. It almost looks like a plasma in terms of how bright it is. The 60Hz refresh rate seems a little low, but it surely keeps the cost down on this one. Motion blur and judder are not going to be highly noticeable on a screen this size as well.

Quick Specs

• (W x H x D): 29.1″ x 17.5″ x 1.9″ without stand
• 11 lbs.
• 1080p Resolution
• 60Hz Refresh Rate
• Clear Motion Rate 120
• 2 HDMI

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

The LN5400 series features direct lit LED backlighing rather than the more common edge lit LED variety. It can help produce a better picture through local dimming, but this TV does not contain that feature. The picture is bright and well lit. Colors are not as true as with high end TVs but are fully saturated. The biggest difference with edge lit LED TVs is the depth of the cabinet. It can’t be as thin as the edge-lit types. As usual side angle viewing is not great, losing some contrast and color saturation, but overall this LG produces probably the best TV for the money among LED TVs.

Quick Specs

• 38.11″ x 22.28″ x 3.11″ without stand
• $599
• 120Hz Trumotion (manipulated 60Hz)
• 1080p Full HD resolution
• 2 HDMI Inputs/ 1 USB

Prices

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

For those that want to step it up a notch in picture quality but in a smaller size TV and have Connect Share movie options functions, the UN40EH6000 could be your set. HD picture on this TV is stunning from the Clear Screen with LED backlighting. It’s edge lit backlighting of course but very bright and light saturation is incredible.

Another upgrade is 240Hz CMR from the 60Hz listed for most of the TVs on this list. This provides you with better gaming, fast motion picture, and side to side camera action. All in all, there are very nice upgrades combined with better black levels and color on this TV than most others. However, you do end up paying a bit more at north of $730. 3D is not included.

Quick Specs

• 40” diagonal screen
• 120Hz Refresh Rate enhanced to 240Hz CMR
• 36.5”W X 21.9”H X 3.7” D without stand
• 36.5″W x 23.9H” x 9.0″D with stand
• 2 HDMI inputs
• 1 USB

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

Prices

By Steve Holdgren

Even though the LG 32CS460 is a 720p, 60Hz TV you will likely be very impressed with the picture quality, even with HD signals. LG makes very nice LCD panels the color performance, easy to use menu system with lots of preset picture mode settings, and a great price will make this a favorite for 2012/2013. The aesthetic appeal is also there, with very clean lines in the 1.5” frame.

The stand is basic plastic construction, but also has a nice design. Input-wise you are covered with 2 HDMI inputs, 1 component, and 1 USB. If you are going the antennae route, there is an input for that as well. Standard detractions are the glare off the screen as the front LCD filter is not sophisticated enough to handle a lot of nearby in-room lighting.

Quick Specs

• Backlight: CCFL Flourescent
• 720p resolution – 1280 X 720
• 2 HDMI inputs
• 1 USB
• Without Stand: 31.3″ x 19.8″ x 2.9″
• With Stand: 31.3″ x 22.2″ x 8.2″

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

Prices

By Steve Holdgren

This is another 40” traditional CCFL LCD TV which will give you solid performance at a discounted price. The 40E220U does contain a few upgrade features such as 1080p resolution which is more important in the 40” size than it would be in 32”. It has an updated appearance except for the wide frame which measures around 2”. The Dynalight Dynamic backlight control may appeal to some. It brightens or dims the picture depending upon the in-room light. This does cause a little flicker in the picture though. Other than that, there really are not any upgrades. It’s a price-sensitive model which will sell for below $450.

Prices

Quick Specs

• 2 HDMI inputs
• 1080p Resolution
• 60hz refresh rate
• Gaming Picture Mode
• 3.9” Deep X 23.8 Height X 38.8” Width with Stand

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

By Steve Holdgren

Samsung can surprise you with their LCDs nad it’s kind of a shame they have all but discontinued production of them just as the quality was getting superb. A couple years ago they were some of the best deals on the market. Luckily, they have at least produced a couple with the LN40E550 (also comes in 46”). The picture quality is very good and consistent with light seeping through images. There is still some haziness due to the lesser quality LCD screen panel but it’s not bad and although the picture may not compare with their top tier LED TVs, the price tradeoff is what makes this model attractive. The Clear Motion Rate feature does do a very nice job of presenting fast action without negative lagging trailers.

Prices

Quick Specs

• Backlight: Traditional CCFL Flourescent
• Without Stand (W x H x D): 38.2″ x 23.3″ x 3.1″
• With Stand (W x H x D): 38.2″ x 25.7″ x 9.4″
• 720p
• 60Hz
• 3 HDMI inputs, 1 USB

Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve