or Browse:
Type
Brand
Price
Need
Advertisement

Samsung LN32A450

Television Review

Previous: Page 12

Power Consumption

Next: Page 14

Ratings & Specs

The Samsung LN32A450 is an entry-level HDTV, available for as little as $600 we're sure that many first-time HDTV buyers will give it a hard look. As an entry-level HDTV there are some drawbacks, the 720p resolution is not as high as 1080p HDTVs. Although it is capable of displaying 1080p and 1080i content, this is necessarily downsampled to fit on the lower resolution display. Thankfully the Samsung LN32A450 seemed to handle this downsampling well enough, so even though you won't get the full effect of your Blu-Ray movies on the Samsung LN32A450, you'll still be able to watch them without trouble.

Despite some other additional drawbacks like the lack of a memory card reader or USB port, the Samsung LN32A450 did rather well in many of our tests, significantly better than the JVC LT-32P679, the only other 32-inch 720p HDTV we've reviewed to date. The Samsung LN32A450 impressed us with good black level and peak brightness, producing an above average contrast ratio. This means that blacks on the television will be deep and whites will be plenty bright. We were also happy with color accuracy, so unlike the JVC you don't lose detail when you get particularly bright colors. We were perhaps most impressed by how well the Samsung LN32A450's whites and blacks held up across intensities or when they only take up a part of the display. We also like that its an attractive, if unassuming, television.

That's not to say that the Samsung LN32A450 performed well in all of our tests, you have to expect to see some compromises in performance on an entry-level HDTV like this and the LN32A450 certainly had some. Perhaps the most obvious to many will be the less than impressive handling of motion. Here you see the lack of a 120Hz refresh rate seen on higher end televisions as our motion tests revealed problems like blurring and trailing artifacts. We also found the viewing angle to be very limited and the color gamut was slightly off.

The question is, of course, are you getting enough bang for your buck here? We'd say yes. The reality is that any television at this price point is going to bring some tradeoffs along. The obvious ones here are a smaller size, lower resolution and less than impressive handling of motion. Frankly none of these surprise us much, and in our minds it is more than offset by the Samsung LN32A450's pluses like solid blacks and whites and accurate colors. No, its not the perfect HDTV, but it's a good bit better than some other HDTVs in its class that we've looked at. Could you do better? Sure, but be prepared to pay twice as much or more. For $600 you're getting a lot of pluses and not too many negatives with the Samsung LN32A450.

Loading Recently Viewed Products
Advertisement

Latest News
& Reviews

Top Rated HD Televisions

  • Also in this series
    Samsung PN59D7000
    Samsung PN59D7000
    $2,599.00
    Size: 59 in.
    1

    Samsung PN59D7000

    The Samsung PN59D7000 ($2,599 MSRP) is a stunning, high-end plasma TV fashioned by Samsung for 2011. It has 59 inches of great, 1080p picture quality, and as a second-generation plasma, it handles 3D reasonably well. Read full review

    $2,599.00
    All Types
    Plasma
    Online Features (with or without)
    Yes
    With Online Features
    No
    Without Online Features
    Yes
    3D and non-3D TVs
    Yes
    3D TVs
    No
    Non-3D TVs
    Yes
  • Also in this series
    Samsung PN51D6500
    Samsung PN51D6500
    $1,299.00
    Size: 51 in.
    2

    Samsung PN51D6500

    The Samsung PN51D6500 is one of the best deals for a big screen plasma TV. The performance is strong in most regards and the weakness are endemic to plasma TVs, not with this model in particular. Read full review

    $1,299.00
    All Types
    Plasma
    Online Features (with or without)
    Yes
    With Online Features
    No
    Without Online Features
    Yes
    3D and non-3D TVs
    Yes
    3D TVs
    No
    Non-3D TVs
    Yes
  • LG 47LM6700
    LG 47LM6700
    $1,749.99
    Size: 47 in.
    3

    LG 47LM6700

    In addition to opinion-changing 3D images, this LG has a newly improved Smart TV menu system, and a remote that makes navigating the ever-expanding sea of content less of an odyssey. . Read full review

    $1,749.99
    All Types
    LED
    Online Features (with or without)
    Yes
    With Online Features
    No
    Without Online Features
    Yes
    3D and non-3D TVs
    Yes
    3D TVs
    No
    Non-3D TVs
    Yes
  • LG 50PZ950
    LG 50PZ950
    $1,500.00
    Size: 50 in.
    4

    LG 50PZ950

    This 1080p plasma television with internet and 3D capabilities is purportedly the best LG has to offer in 2011. Read full review

    $1,500.00
    All Types
    Plasma
    Online Features (with or without)
    Yes
    With Online Features
    No
    Without Online Features
    Yes
    3D and non-3D TVs
    Yes
    3D TVs
    No
    Non-3D TVs
    Yes
  • Samsung UN46D6000
    Samsung UN46D6000
    $1,299.00
    Size: 46 in.
    5

    Samsung UN46D6000

    Everyone wants a Smart TV, but how smart is buying the Samsung UN46D6000 for its $1299 MSRP? With its reasonably good performance in many categories and more internet features than you can shake an e-stick at, that question might be hard to answer if it weren't for this review. Read full review

    $1,299.00
    All Types
    LCD
    Online Features (with or without)
    Yes
    With Online Features
    No
    Without Online Features
    Yes
    3D and non-3D TVs
    Yes
    3D TVs
    No
    Non-3D TVs
    Yes

Features

  • TelevisionInfo.com 2011 Select Awards

    After testing dozens of televisions this year, the staff of TVI has made its official selections for the very best televisions of 2011. Read More...

  • 3D TV, Not Ready for Prime Time

    If you’ve been shopping for a new TV is the last two years, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype about 3D. As with most new technologies, customers are awash in baffling terminology and misinformation. Here’s a simple guide to walk you through the basics. Read More...

  • HDTV Streaming Content Compared

    Televisions aren’t just getting their content through the coax cable anymore. Just as the internet has gradually moved towards a video-rich space—YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, etc.—those same sorts of features are creeping into your TV sets. Like it or not, those 1000+ channels of direct cable are not enough anymore. Read More...

  • Technology Preview: Haier Completely Wireless Television

    Imagine a TV with no wires. You’re talking about WiFi, right? No, we mean no wires, at all. Haier, the Chinese company better known as an appliance manufacturer, is showcasing a new technology here at CES that conducts electricity wireless to the TV, as well as streaming content. The TV is pretty far from production at this point, but it’s among the more amazing things we’ve seen at the show. Here’s an in-depth look at the technology and how it might be implemented in future products. Read More...

Advertisement
Samsung LN32A450
Television Review

Previous: Page 12

Power Consumption

Previous: Page 14

Ratings & Specs