Hisense QD4 Series 32QD4SV 32"

The Hisense 32QD4SV is a small HD QLED with surprisingly good color and audio for around $150. It's not for gamers or home theater nerds, but it's a perfect fit for a kitchen or bedroom where 4K is overkill. If you need a compact smart TV that looks better than the rest of the 32-inch crowd, this is the one.

Let's be real about that HD resolution. On a 32-inch screen, it's perfectly fine for Netflix and YouTube from a normal viewing distance. The Hi-QLED color is the star here, giving you richer reds and greens than a standard LED in this price bracket. Our picture quality score lands in the bottom half of the pack, but that's mostly because it's competing against 4K giants. The audio is actually a pleasant surprise, sitting well above average for its class. Gaming, however, is a weak spot. You're capped at 60Hz with no VRR, so it's fine for a casual Switch session but serious console or PC gamers should steer clear. The HDR support is one of the weakest we've seen, so just leave that setting off and enjoy the SDR picture.

Stacked against the TCL QM7L or the Roku Plus Series, the Hisense looks like a toy. Those are proper 4K QLEDs with 120Hz panels and real HDR, but they also start at 55 inches and cost significantly more. The Sony BRAVIA 5 and Samsung QN80F are in a completely different universe of price and performance. The Hisense's real competition is other 32-inch HD sets, and in that tiny arena, the QD4 wins on color and smart features. It's not trying to be a home theater centerpiece, and that's fine. If you're cross-shopping a 32-inch TV, this one has more personality than most.

For somewhere between $130 and $200, you're getting a lot of color tech that usually costs more. The QLED panel is the main reason to buy this over a no-name 32-inch set from the discount bin. You're not paying for pixels you won't use on a screen this small, and the audio is better than most. It's a solid value if you need a small, smart TV that won't embarrass itself with muddy colors. If you can find it closer to $130, it's an easy recommendation for a secondary space.

The Hisense QD4 Series is a small, affordable TV that knows exactly what it is. It's a 32-inch HD screen built for a kitchen counter, a dorm room, or maybe a kid's bedroom where 4K would be wasted anyway. You're getting QLED color tech at a price that hovers around $150, which is honestly a little surprising. The picture won't blow you away, but it's bright enough and the colors pop more than you'd expect from a budget HD set. Just don't go looking for deep HDR performance or buttery-smooth gaming, because that's not the party this TV was invited to.

Setup is dead simple and the VIDAA smart platform is snappy, if a little bare-bones compared to Roku or Google TV. You've got Alexa, AirPlay, and HomeKit baked in, which is a nice touch for Apple households. The built-in audio gets a boost from DTS Virtual:X, so dialogue is clear and there's a hint of virtual surround. It's not a home theater replacement, but it beats the tinny speakers you usually get at this size. For casual streaming and background noise, it does the job without fuss.

If you're looking for a main living room TV or anything for serious gaming, walk away. The 60Hz cap and terrible HDR make this a non-starter for PS5 or Xbox Series X owners. And if you need a wide selection of apps, the VIDAA platform might frustrate you compared to a Roku TV.

This is the TV you buy when you need a screen, not an experience. It's perfect for a cramped apartment, a Peloton room, or a spot where a bigger TV would just be obnoxious. The QLED colors and decent sound make it a cut above the bargain-bin options, and the smart features are genuinely useful. Just know that you're buying an HD TV in a 4K world, and be at peace with that.