What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Lovely in many ways: if it were cheaper, it’d be a cert for five stars
Pros
- +
Terrific picture
- +
excellent specification
Cons
- -
Too expensive for its size
- -
sound isn’t great, although that’s nothing new for a flat TV
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
It's taken Panasonic some time to get on the LED-backlit bandwagon, but the terrific new TX-L32D28 has been worth the wait.
That said, in the silver finish of our review sample it looks a little old-fashioned, despite its trendy tilting stand. White and purple (yes, purple) versions are also available, which might lift the look a little, but even so, for a set using edge-lit LED technology, the Panasonic isn't as slim as you'd hope.
By way of compensation, this is possibly the best-equipped 32in TV we've ever tested. It includes both Freesat and Freeview HD tuners, access to Panasonic's VieraCast online video service, plus the ability to stream from your PC over DLNA.
Well equipped, impressive picture
Two USB ins are included and, just by way of garnish, there are four HDMI 1.4 inputs, one of which includes the audio return channel.
To cap it all, the 'D28 serves up a deeply impressive picture. Freesat looks best off-air, with sharply defined edges and plentiful punch, while Blu-ray exhibits excellent motion so long as you're moderate with Panasonic's Intelligent Frame Creation system.
In fact, the only performance downside of any note is the sound, which lacks scale and warmth.
So why only four stars? It's simply that it costs far more than some fine rivals. But if you find a better deal, we'd definitely consider this TV: it's one of the finest of its size available.
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