Display
You won’t see high resolutions like 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) when you’re shopping for a small set – the screens don’t need all those extra pixels to look good. Instead, 32-inch TVs are usually 720p (HD Ready) or 1080p (Full HD), with the second option giving you the best picture and colours. We recommend going for Full HD, which is 1920 x 1080 pixels, if possible – however, a 720p resolution looks just fine if you’re watching from between 1.8 and three metres away. That’s perfectly suitable for many kitchens and bedrooms.
Audio
Smaller TVs mean smaller speakers, and if you’re buying a new set to watch loads of movies we highly recommend investing in a decent soundbar. The fact is that sound quality out-of-the-box isn’t going to be stunning at this screen size, although it’s passable for general viewing if it’s mounted on a kitchen wall, for example. Some models, such as the Q50A, let you pair a speaker via Bluetooth.
Voice control
Voice assistants let you control the search, navigation and functions of your TV hands-free. The two most common are Alexa and Google Assistant but Samsung usually has its own “Bixby” helper, too. The assistants can be built-in (so you don’t need a remote to launch them) but others either need that press or are described as “compatible” with assistants, so they’ll work via a speaker or streaming stick.
VESA
TVs come with a stand or feet that prop them up, but most also let you mount them to a wall using a bracket. You’ll see this called VESA, with popular sizes on 32-inch sets being 200 x 200 mm and 100 x 100 mm (horizontal x vertical). You can find the size by measuring the gaps between four pre-built screw holes on the back of your set in millimetres. Top tip: make sure the bracket holds the weight of your TV.
HDMI ports
Connecting a set-top box, Blu-ray player or gaming console? You’ll be using the HDMI ports on the back or side of the TV. Unfortunately, smaller sets are more limited in the amount you get (it’s usually two) so you should consider what you want to connect, and plan accordingly. If you’re connecting a next-generation gaming console, be aware that you won’t get the top resolution or refresh rates – it’ll be automatically downgraded to 720p/1080p resolution and 60Hz.