Toshiba 32L4300U Review (32L4300)

32 inch 1080p Edge-lit LED TV

by Robert Wiley, Senior Editor

The 32L4300U is the smallest size available in the series. It is interesting for Toshiba to include a 32 inch size in the mid tier line up like this one. It receives a full 1080p display and the Advanced Cloud TV platform. These are exceptional features not normally seen on a TV of this size. It may be a direct response to Sony's loaded KDL-32W650A. That is a similar set up and bound to be a source of competition for this one.

Picture Quality Rating: 8.5/10

1080p Resolution

A 1080p display for showing content in full HD is a big deal on a 32 inch TV. Most of the time it is going to be hard to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a screen this size. The few exceptions come into play with hooking up a computer the some of the 1080p video games out there. Hooking up a computer to a 1080p screen gives you much more useable space. It's great if you have never tried it before. When it comes to gaming, the same applies. A game in 1080p with leave much more of the screen for action instead of filling it with health bars and ammo counters.

Color comes off bright but slightly over saturated in this shot of the L4300. The 1080p screen provides a lot of detail but a lot gets lost in the dark areas of the screen

LED Edge Lighting

The bright LED edge lighting was a plus on this mid level TV. Brightness and peak white performance was excellent in the content I viewed. This is an inherent advantage in that type of back lighting, but it also has its fair share of draw backs. The distribution of light across the surface of the screen has a tendency to be uneven. This results in screen uniformity issues. Most of the time this can be settled with a backlight adjustment.

Features Rating: 7.9/10

Appearance

The appearance of the L4300 is very different from the L7300 above it. The frame stand is replaced with the standard square. It is a rounded square on this model that received a nice gun metal color. The sides and top of the TV have a glossy black bezel of about half an inch while the bottom has a metal strip running along it. It is a little strange at first not to see a black bezel on all four sides of the screen. This simple design is nothing to shout about, but warrants a second look.

Advanced Cloud TV Features

The 32L4300 is the lowest series of TVs from Toshiba to receive the Advanced Cloud TV features. This smart TV platform really increases the value of the set. Cloud TV essentially makes the whole system run faster while making it much easier to connect devices and personalize the experience. Toshiba also plans to incorporate mobile devices from all walks of life. That means iOS, Android, and Windows 8 devices can all connect and communicate with the Cloud TV platform through a free app from Toshiba. It's a great feature that simplifies the entire process.

Included with Cloud TV are a few apps to make the TV a center of interaction for the family while providing viewers with the content they want to watch. The Family Calendar is a central area for family members to share and post events. Personal messaging enables you to send and receive messages from friends and family. There is a photo album for uploading and sharing precious memories. A streaming news section makes it easy find and personalize what news you receive. Lastly there is a Media Guide that acts as an advanced programming guide with search and recommendation features.

Miracast and Widi

These two features let mobile devices, tablets, and laptops share their screens with the 32L4300U. I see it being useful in many situations. It will be a breeze to pop some photos on or play a video on the big screen for guests to enjoy. This feature will also make it easy to watch downloaded TV shows and movies. It's a good addition and we are happy to see a little more useful connectivity in 2013/14 TVs.

Value Rating - 8.8/10

The Toshiba 32L4300U represents a pretty good value for a 1080p, LED 32" screen. The appearance is not fantastic, sound quality can be lacking depending on the source (HD broadcast is much better), and the Cloud TV Apps only really offer a few premium offerings and is not much of an added value feature. Only the Vizio M321i competes in price with this model at 1080p and 120Hz panel.

Overall Rating: 8.4/10

Having reviewed and written about Television Technology for over 10 years, Wiley never tires of researching the newest qualitative trends related to the technology. Most people do not get excited about possibilities behind the latest video engine...Wiley does. Read more about Robert