PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. On darker scenes, reddish flesh tones looked oversaturated and tended to show more noise, which became even more apparent at off viewing angles. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was a slight uneven brightness effect that created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED). Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing was very good, with minimal jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Toshiba has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Toshiba UHD TV delivers full 4K picture detail, with excellent HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this Toshiba, including movies and videos, were presented in full detail with generally excellent image fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI inputs. We detected some subtle edge enhancement applied to the image which accentuates the outlines around objects, but it was mild and not distracting. We were able to stream 4K content from Netflix, confirming the set does include an HEVC decoder but performance was problematic. When watching 4K programs we saw a significant amount of jaggies on content indicating that horizontal resolution was significantly compromised, and this was not due to a limited internet bandwidth connection. As we successively stopped and started various 4K programs we saw the problem come and go. Unfortunately the problem was present more often than not. We hope a firmware update will address this intermittent issue. When working properly, the 4K programs showed better detail and over their 1080p versions, but we did see some applied edge enhancement and slight noise reduction which slightly affected fine texture. We tried playing our 4K videos and photos from a flash drive input via the TV's USB port, including HEVC video files which looked fine, as did "MP4" files recorded from the Sony 4K camcorder. Our 4K resolution test patterns and photos were generally accurate with detail extending to the limits of UHD's resolution, but fine details also revealed that some oversharpening has been applied. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing was excellent. Edges of fine detail were generally smooth with minimal jaggies. For more on how we test UHD see "ABOUT ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE" below.
MOTION BLUR This Toshiba TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Toshiba's ClearScan. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound is only fair, acceptable for typical programming but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. It has a good volume range, though quality is limited by slight cabinet resonance, which is present even at lower volume settings. At more typical listening volume levels the TV's sound has only decent bass and impact, and an overall thin sound. Also, at higher volume settings audible dynamic compression keeps the sound from distorting but also limits clarity when there are peaks in loudness. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system to this set.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is moderately easy to navigate.
It lacks a dedicated menu button on the television display, so you can't access the menu if you lose the remote. Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is fairly straightforward. The stand requires the assembly of a few parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides basic Internet functionality with a limited selection of applications. Movie streaming services include: Netflix.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes three HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, one USB port, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a quick start guide, and a remote with batteries. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
