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Sharp Aquos LC32LE600E review

Sharp Aquos LC32LE600E
Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £448
inc VAT

The full-LED backlight makes this a bright TV with great colour, but it lacks many extra features, and Toshiba's larger 37RV635D is much better value.

Specifications

32in, Freeview, analogue, 1,920×1,080 resolution, 3D: , 4x HDMI

http://www.laskys.com

Sharp’s Aquos LC32LE600E is a full LED-backlit TV, which means that instead of the traditional fluorescent tubes, LEDs are spread across the back of the screen, which gives a more even and generally brighter display. It also reduces power consumption, and the LC32LE600E draws just 72W when on. Even more surprising is that the LC32LE600E is one of the least expensive 32in models we’ve seen with a Full HD (1,920×1,080) resolution.

Sharp refuses to quote a native contrast ratio for its screens, instead quoting the dubious dynamic figure of 2,000,000:1. While contrast was good in our tests, it wasn’t much better in side-by-side tests than TVs with far more modest contrast ratio figures. There are two dynamic image quality presets, but we found these led to lost detail in dark or light areas.

Instead, we opted for a custom mode and set the backlight and contrast to maximum, and other settings kept at their default positions, with a mid-low colour temperature, slightly warmer than the default. We had to be careful with the Sharpness option as it blurred the image if set to low and made it too grainy if set too high. The menus are rather basic, with only a couple of advanced settings and no motion-smoothing technology.

Despite our reservations about the contrast figures, the LC32LE600E performed well in our side-by-side tests, with vivid colours and natural flesh tones, and it was brighter than most. Connected to a PC, we had to turn colour and contrast down as the image was too saturated. There’s a dedicated button on the remote to choose the correct aspect ratio, so that the Windows desktop fits exactly on the display.

In our DVD tests, the LC32LE600E showed a crisp picture with few compression artefacts and no ghosting. The LC32LE600E’s noise reduction couldn’t entirely remove Freeview artefacts, but that’s true for most TVs. The EPG lacks the ability to set reminders and although it displays 16 channels, you only see a single channel’s programmes at a time. You can filter by programme type and also by sub-type, although the latter won’t work with UK programming as this information isn’t encoded in the signal.

Most TVs have poor internal speakers, and the LC32LE600E is no exception. At 50 per cent, it wasn’t loud enough to fill our labs, and we had to turn it to maximum to feel immersed in the soundtrack. The surround sound option doesn’t add much width to the sound, but does boost volume and bass considerably. If you want to connect to an external sound system, you have a choice of both digital and analogue outputs.

The LC32LE600E doesn’t have an integrated Freesat receiver or any other extras such as memory card reader, USB port or media streaming. Despite good image quality, there’s no good reason to buy it unless you only have enough room for a 32in TV. If your room is large enough for a 37in model, Toshiba’s 37RV635D costs £28 less, has decent picture quality and a much more user-friendly EPG.

Basic Specifications

Rating ****

Physical

Viewable size 32in
Native resolution 1,920×1,080
1080p support Yes
Aspect ratio 16:9
HD ready yes
Contrast ratio Not disclosed (2,000,000:1 dynamic)
Brightness 450cd/m²
Speakers 2x 10W
Bezel (top/side/bottom) 35mm/37mm/70mm
Screen depth 91mm
Screen elevation 123mm
Stand size (WxD) 388x268mm

Connections

DVI inputs 0
D-sub inputs 1
HDMI inputs 4
Component inputs 1
SCART 1
S-Video input 0
Composite inputs 1
Audio outputs optical S/PDIF out, 1x stereo phono
Other headphone output, 3.5mm minijack audio input, CI slot

Tuner

Tuner type Freeview, analogue
EPG 8-day, Now and Next

Environmental

Power consumption standby 0W
Power consumption on 72W

Buying Information

Warranty one year collect and return
Price £448
Supplier http://www.laskys.com
Details www.sharp.co.uk

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