Bigger isn’t always better, and that is definitely the case when it comes to small Smart TVs. In fact, these days the smaller models actually come with just as many benefits as larger TVs have, if not more, with the space-saving capability sitting atop the list of reasons to consider a small TV over a larger one.
And now, with the smart tv market growing by the day, it seems logical to not only opt for a small TV that won’t take up much space in your home but to also select one that comes with a range of functionalities that allow you to do away with the need for cables and wires everywhere.
Short Buying Guide
As with any TV, there are a few things that you should consider when it comes to selecting the best small TV for your home or office.
- The Size – You need to consider both the size of the area that your TV will be located in and the size of the TV set itself. Even small smart TVs vary in size and shape, so you’ll need to keep this in mind when it comes to shopping for your next set.
- The Positioning – These days most small TVs come with a detachable stand, allowing you to choose between mounting it on a wall or standing it on something. Not every model will come with this option though, so it’s worth considering where you’d like the TV to go before purchasing a TV that you want to be freestanding but that does not come with a stand.
- The Resolution – The more pixels, the sharper the display. It’s as simple as that. While few small TVs are going to be able to boast of the same high resolution of a considerably larger TV, it’s still important to bear in mind that the resolutions will differ from model to model. That being said, if you’re buying a small TV then it might not be worth investing in a 4K resolution because it won’t be as noticeable on such a small screen.
- The Features – While most smart TVs now come with apps that allow you to stream easily from Netflix and Amazon Prime, it’s worth checking exactly what apps you will be able to use before deciding on a TV. And, if there is a certain app you’d like to make use of, don’t just assume that it will be available as the apps vary from model to model.
- Your Budget – Small smart TVs are cheaper than bigger ones, it’s a simple fact but even so the prices of the smaller sets can still vary quite drastically from one another. Don’t be put off considering an older TV as these days they generally have quite long shelf lives.
Product Reviews
In order to select the model that I felt was deserving of the title of best small smart TV, I tried three different sets out. I took into consideration the basic specifications of each set before going on to test out the sound quality, address the picture quality and try out the technology available. I did find some similarities across the three TVs, but they are all from a similar price bracket, so this was to be expected. Alongside the similarities, however, I found a few differences between the models and they made it easy for me to select my top small smart TV at the end of the day.
LG Electronics 24LH4830-PU 24-Inch Smart LED TV - 24" Simple Smart LED HD TV with streaming service such as YouTube and Netflix. (Hulu not supported)
- Wi-Fi Direct, Screen Share (Miracast & WiDi)
- Wide Viewing Angle Screen
- 2 HDMI ports
- TV with Stand (WxHxD) 21.9" x 5.8" x 15.2" TV without Stand (WxHxD) 21.9" x 2.1" x 13.6"
Specifications
The LG Electronics Smart LED TV is a 24-inch set. As a smart TV, it can be connected to your Wifi, which then provides easy access to Netflix, Youtube, Hulu and many other streaming services. In addition, this TV comes with two HDMI ports for the times when you want to connect your laptop or other devices to the set. The TV is compact and versatile, with the option to have it mounted on the wall or fitted to a stand. It measures at 21.9” x 5.8” x 15.2” and weighs 7.5lbs with the stand attached, without the stand the set measures at 21.9” x 2.1” x 13.6” and weighs 7.1lbs.
Picture Quality
The TV comes with an HD Display (1366 x 768p). That, combined with the LED backlighting that is set into a wide angled viewing screen, means that this small smart TV has quite an impressive picture quality to it.
Sound Quality
As you would expect with any small TV, the speakers on this set aren’t anything to rave about. While I found them to be perfectly adequate in the rooms I was using them in, you wouldn’t want to use this set as your main TV or to rely on its ability to project sound across a large room. However, that should be expected due to the size of the TV and this could be easily overcome by purchasing external speakers or a soundbar.
Technology
You would expect any smart TV to enable you to make use of a range of streaming services but I found that the LG set went above and beyond. With the ability to connect to your wifi service, as well as built-in Miracast and WiDi connectivity, and the HDMI ports, the applications that can be accessed through this TV set seem to be endless.
Pros
- The built-in wifi connection allows simple access to online content
- The simple set-up makes it easy to access a range of streaming services
- The range of different connection options means that the content you can access feels limitless
- Easy to set up
- Miracast and WiDi were added benefits
Cons
- The sound quality isn’t fantastic, but this is often the case with small TVs, although this can be rectified by purchasing a soundbar
- The TV is for VOD watching service, so not all smart functions are supported – such as access to web browsers
- Somewhat old now as a 2016 model, but the price reflects this
TCL 28S305 28-Inch 720p Roku Smart LED TV (2017 Model) - Dimensions (W x H x D): TV without stand: 25.3 x 15.1 x 3.2 , TV with stand: 25.3 x 17.1 x 7.3 inches
- Smart functionality offers access to over 4,000 streaming channels featuring more than 450,000 movies and TV episodes via Roku TV
- 720p HD resolution for a crisp picture
- Direct lit LED produces great picture quality
- 60Hz refresh rate allows fast moving action scenes to be seen with minimal motion blur
Specifications
The TCL Smart LED TV is a little larger than the LG, with a 28-inch screen but it’s still another great contender if you’re looking for a small smart TV for an office, kitchen or spare bedroom. With dimensions that measure up at 25.3” x 15.1” x 3.2” without the stand attached and at 25.3” x 17.1” x 7.3” with the stand. This TV, therefore, is a little bit wider than the LG TV but still weighs in at just 7.5lbs so it’s quite a lightweight model that can stand-alone or be mounted on the wall. With 3 HDMI inputs, 1 USB port, a headphone jack and an optical audio out, this TCL is a versatile piece of equipment that will provide you with plenty of ways to use it.
Picture Quality
The screen is a little bit wider than the previous TV I looked at, and I found that with the direct-lit LED, widescreen and 720p HD resolution combined, the picture was of relatively good quality. In addition, the 60Hz refresh rate meant that even fast-moving scenes could be watched without signs of blurring, as is often the case with lower-priced, small TVs.
Sound Quality
Yet again, the sound quality on this TV will not blow you away. If you’re looking for something with a surround-sound system, this is not the TV for you but the sound quality could definitely be improved by purchasing a soundbar or some kind of similar speaker system.
Technology
The smart technology in this little TV functions through Roku TV, an app which gives access to over 4,000 streaming channels. This huge number then gives you the option to watch over 450,000 movies and TV episodes. The only problem with the Roku function is that it is often quite buggy, which could potentially be due to the large number of services it is trying to provide, but I cannot say for certain if that is the reason. Either way, while the technology is smart, it sometimes seems a bit too smart for this small set.
Pros
- By using the Roku TV streaming service, you can access over 4,000 streaming channels with ease through the built-in functions in the TV
- Despite being slightly wider than the previous TV I looked at, this one still weighed the same which makes this a fairly lightweight model
- The interface is very user-friendly and simple to navigate for smart TV beginners
Cons
- While it is a simple small TV to use, I found that it was quite slow and buggy at times. This could improve with future updates but at the moment there is occasional freezing
Vizio E24-C1 24-Inches 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model) - The VIZIO E-Series delivers stunning picture quality and clarity from innovative features that put greater beauty into every pixel
- More than 2 Million screen pixels combine to form 1080p Full HD, producing an incredible level of radiance and crystal-clear detail
- VIA Plus and Wi-Fi connectivity are built into every VIZIO ESeries Smart TV. Enjoy a wide variety of popular apps with streaming content and Internet radio at your fingertips
- Every VIZIO E-Series model comes with built-in 802.11n high-speed Wi-Fi3. Connect without wires to your favorite apps: Streaming TV, Movies, Music, Social, News and more
- Browse content on your phone or tablet and play it directly to your VIZIO Smart TV
Specifications
The Vizio E24-C1 was the second 24-inch TV that I looked at. Measuring at 4.39” x 21.55” x 13.8”, it is the slimmest of the three TVs mentioned here and is just a fraction smaller in measurements than the LG Electronics Set. Its slimline appearance makes this quite an attractive looking TV, and yet it still weighs roughly the same amount as the other two smart TVs. As a 2015 model, this is also the oldest of the three TVs but, as is the case with many smart TVs today, this is not really a big problem as smart TVs tend to have quite a long shelf life.
Picture Quality
The screen on this TV is matte, which does stop unwanted glare from occurring but that does also mean that the picture quality isn’t quite as sharp.
The TV does, however, have a 1080p Full HD screen so the picture quality is by no means disappointing. In fact, it has a higher resolution than the other two models that I looked at, it simply isn’t as sharp due to the matte screen—but that’s a sacrifice many would gladly make to limit annoying glare if placing it in a very bright room.
Sound Quality
As with any 24” TV, the sound quality is not anything to boast about but as mentioned before, this is an issue that could be very easily taken care of.
Technology
One of my favorite features of this TV was its automatic update function. By removing the need to manually update the apps, I was able to rest easy knowing that the TV was always up-to-date with the latest software.
Pros
- This little TV set is part of the Vizio E-Series, all of which come with built-in Wi-Fi which means that the TV can be connected to the internet without any wires necessary
- The Vizio Smart TV App enables you to browse and stream content straight from your phone or tablet onto the TV
- The apps automatically update
- Set up was pretty straightforward
Cons
- I found the Wi-Fi connectivity is a bit intermittent
- The color on the screen seems to change while playing
- The screen is matte which does take away from the sharpness of the picture
- As with the first TV I looked at, the sound quality leaves a little to be desired, but this could be rectified by purchasing an external sound source
My Verdict
A small TV is a great addition to any office, spare room or bedroom. They are lightweight and don’t require much space, for starters. And the smart TVs now also mean that you can watch TV in a small space without worrying about cable connections or endless wires making a mess of the room.
Each of the small smart TVs that I looked at had their own set of pros and cons but all-in-all I would say that the LG Electronics is the best model addressed today. With a simple interface, it beat the other two models that were, admittedly, smart but almost seemed to have too much technology built into them which left them lagging at times. The sound quality was not fantastic on any of the TVs so that did not come into my considerations. The picture quality, however, was fairly impressive on the LG considering that its screen is quite small and that the resolution is only 720p.
Last update on 2024-04-16 at 15:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
