These days, it seems like every company wants to sell you the biggest and baddest television set on the market. While a large, imposing TV is fine for some, not every space can accommodate a 60” screen. In fact, most spaces around the house would struggle with anything much larger than a 32” screen. This is where the best 24 inch smart TV comes in handy.
Even though you are trading some screen size, that does not mean you have to miss out on features. This goes double for a smart TV since you may not even need a cable box or other hardware attachment to enjoy a wide variety of content. Of course, figuring out which is the best 24 inch smart TV for you can be a difficult and frustrating task.
That is why we have put together a list of the 5 best 24 inch smart TV as well as a couple that you might want to think twice about. We also provide a helpful buyer’s guide as well as highlight what each product does best. We personally think that the Samsung’s amazing picture quality cannot be beaten, but you might prefer a different favored feature. Keep reading to find out.
1. Samsung UN24H4500: Editor’s Choice Best 24 Inch Smart TV
While people may know Samsung these days primarily for their smart devices, the truth is that the company actually specializes in display products in general and the screens in particular. In fact, Samsung has perfected its screens so much that their competitors, including Apple, purchase them for their products too. That being the case, it really should not be a surprise that the Samsung H4500 also happens to provide one of the best picture qualities in this screen size. That combined with the fact that this is actually one of the few 24” Smart TVs still in production makes this our Editor’s Choice best 24 inch smart TV by far.
A Gorgeous Picture
While Samsung H4500 may not have gotten everything quite perfect, one thing that they nailed was the quality of the picture. Quite simply, no other 24” Smart TV we saw came close in comparison and it is likely due to the combination of a couple of factors. First, the Samsung H4500 is an LED television set which ensures that you have the deepest blacks possible without backlighting spill out of the TV or through the screen. On top of that, the Samsung H4500 also comes with Wide Color Enhancer Plus which provides a range of colors that is pretty much unmatched in this product category.
Genius Intelligence
Considering this article focuses on Smart TVs, it can be a bit difficult for one to stand out over another in terms of what makes it “Smart.” Generally, we consider a television that can connect to the internet as being a Smart TV, but the Samsung UN24H4500 takes this to a whole new level with its Eco Sensor system. This feature allows the Samsung UN24H4500 Smart TV to respond to ambient light and alter its projection in response. This means that you do not have to worry about a bright day ruining your viewing experience. To make things just a little bit better, the Samsung UN24H4500 also works exceptionally well with USB-ported data.
Why We Recommend This 24 Inch TV for You
First, and maybe most importantly, this is a relatively newer television and one of the few modern 24” TVs still in current production. The overwhelming majority of 24” TVs of any stripe are being phased out of modern manufacturing as simply not profitable. As such, many of these televisions are either overstock or refurbished which means the company is less likely to be as helpful as if you needed assistance with a current line. That said, you may need to make sure you get an unopened product as the refurbishes have the same issues with QC other refurbishes do.
- Has Wide Color Enhancer Plus
- Has a 60 Hz frame rate
- Has deeper blacks
- Has Eco Sensor system
- Easily connects by USB
- Has better speakers than most
- Is a more expensive 24” Smart TV
- Only unopened sets can be trusted
2. VIZIO SmartCast D-Series 24” Class Full HD 1080p LED Smart TV: Best 24 Inch Smart TV 1080p for the Internet
As the top-selling television company in the USA, it only makes sense that Vizio would make an appearance on our list of the best 24 inch smart TV. That said, Vizio is so consistently good with their products that they actually make numerous spots on our relatively short list. Sadly, none of the products we saw we good enough to get over the hump of the Samsung UN24H4500. That said, most of this is due to the fact that Vizio stopped making 24” televisions altogether and the remaining products are either overstock or refurbished. These days, more and more of the Vizio 24” smart TVs are refurbished which can produce some unpredictable results.
Great Connection
The Vizio definitely loses a bit of an edge to the LED Samsung screen, even with a higher resolution, but it almost more than makes up for it with some of the best connectivity features that we saw in this market. For one, the Vizio D24F-F1 can connect to the internet either through its Ethernet port or by just connecting to the WiFi like probably most of your other smart devices are. That said, the technology has not been updated, so this smart TV will only connect on a 2.4 GHz channel, not the newer, faster 5 GHz channels. Still, the Vizio D24F-F1 has been updated to respond to various smart home products like Alexa or Google Home and also boasts a solid mirror casting function that allows you to watch something from your phone on the Vizio D24F-F1.
Keeping with the Times
One thing that the Vizio D24F-F1 does better than pretty much everyone else is keeping up with the changing landscape of technology and apps. While we could go on about the different ways Vizio does this, and we will, it is important to understand that the primary advantage they have is their native apps and networks. Basically, Vizio has positioned itself to be the premier smart TV manufacturer by aligning with all of the biggest and most popular content brands on the internet. Even better, Vizio has future-proofed this quality by having a single system which manages all of the different functions, allowing for updates and upgrades as the system receives them.
- Has 1080p resolution
- The display is edge lit
- Has quality native apps
- Has mirror casting
- Is voice command compatible
- Comes with basic cable
- May have QC issues
- Not the best protocols
3. LG Electronics 24LH4830-PU: Most Connected 24 Inch LED TV
LG Electronics actually has a fairly compelling history founded at the end of the Korean War to help rebuild the now divided nation. In the past 60 years, the company went from a desperate attempt to rebuild into a powerhouse that offers extremely high-end products in virtually every consumer electronics market. For televisions, this is no different and the LG Electronics 24LH4830-PU muscles its way onto our list despite having an LED display with only 720p resolution. It accomplishes this feat by providing some of the best and widest-ranging forms of connection with the internet that we saw. In fact, this is by far the most connected 24” smart TV on our list.
Wirelessly Connected
When we say that the LG Electronics is wireless, your first, and most natural, thought is likely one of WiFi. Well, the LG Electronics does come equipped with built-in WiFi, but there is so much more to the connectivity options with this smart TV. On top of that, there are actually quite a few wireless options outside of simply relying on WiFi. For instance, the LG Electronics has not one, but two different screen sharing functions depending on whether your smart device uses Miracast or Bluetooth to wirelessly stream content. On top of that, the LG Electronics also offers an easy plug and play USB function for video, music, and images.
Solid Otherwise
Outside of the connectivity, the LG Electronics is reasonably solid, though its age is definitely beginning to catch up to it. For instance, this is one of the few LED displays we saw that is still backlit which can lead to the light bleeding out of the back of the housing. While that will not actually affect the image itself, it will still present ambient light making brighter an image that should be dark. On the other hand, even though this is only a 24” smart TV, LG Electronics makes sure that it feels more than big enough with a wide viewing angle screen. Finally, the Energy Star compliance ensures that you will not pay more for watching television than you do for your content.
- Has built-in WiFi
- Has multiple screen sharing apps
- Has a wide viewing angle screen
- Has Bluetooth connectivity
- Is Energy Star compliant
- Easily connects by USB
- Only has 720p resolution
- Is a more expensive 24” smart TV
4. VIZIO Smart LED TV D24-D1 : Best WiFi 24 Inch Smart TV
Vizio makes another appearance on our list and this particular model could easily be in the same class as other models were it not for the fact that Vizio no longer manufactures this lineup. That being the case, almost every Vizio D24-D1 being sold today are refurbished which comes with its own particular risks. Aside from the fact that you do not know who “fixed” the refurbished TV, different sellers have different return policies–even if they sold a broken television set. As such, we suggest you do as much research on the individual seller as you do on finding a 24 inch smart TV. Though if you do, the Vizio D24-D1 is almost every bit as good if not better than the other models we reviewed.
Great Picture
From a purely technical standpoint, there really is not that much difference between an LCD and an LED display. However, from a human perspective, the difference lies in what is absent more than what is present. Specifically, the ability of LED displays to provide significantly deeper blacks provides a richer viewing experience. That said, if there is an LCD display that can overcome that inherent flaw, the Vizio D24-D1 has that display. The beauty begins with a full 1080p resolution display that is tied for the best on our list. On top of that, this Vizio also uses the edge lit display function to help prevent so much light from bleeding into the image or out of the TV’s housing. On top of that, the Vizio D24-D1 display has 2 million pixels to give you the clearest picture around.
- Has 1080p resolution
- Has built-in WiFi
- Has mirror screen technology
- Has quality native apps
- The display is edge lit
- Has 2 million pixels
- Is a more expensive 24” smart TV
- Most are refurbished
5. VIZIO D-Series D24f-G9: Budget 24 Inch Class LED HDTV Smart TV
When it comes to budget-friendly products, the main goal is to make sure that there are no glaring weaknesses. The more advanced or complex the product, the more difficult it is to find a suitable budget-friendly option. For many high-end, electronic devices, there really is no budget-friendly option that is worth the expense. Thankfully, the Vizio D24f-G9 ensures that this is not the case for the neglected 24” smart TV market. That said, this is still definitely a budget-minded option with the most glaring issue being the fact that these television sets are no longer actively produced.
Ups and Downs
The biggest concern with a budget-friendly smart TV is not the “TV” part, but the “smart” part as those components are often more expensive than standard television components. The ability to connect wirelessly requires a part that is generally not included, so manufacturers are keen to cut overhead costs any way they can. Thankfully, the Vizio D24f-G9 follows the same suit as some of its more prestigious, and expensive, sister lineups. This particular model comes with all of the connectivity and great app services that the others do. This includes more contemporary features like the ability to control the television with voice commands. That said, this is the only Vizio on our list with a resolution of 720p, though it does at least provide great color quality with the LED display.
- Has built-in WiFi
- Has Vizio WatchFree
- Is voice command compatible
- Has mirror screen technology
- Has an LED screen
- Has quality native apps
- Only has 720p resolution
- Most are refurbished
24 inch smart TVs that we can not recommend you
Vizio E24-C1 24 Inch 1080p Smart LED TV
When this Smart TV first came out, it was actually highly rated and known for being one of the better Smart TV deals on the market. In fact, this television set was so highly rated that it no longer really being serviced by the company and the subsequent uptick in negative reviews still leaves it reasonably well-reviewed. However, it is important to understand that should anything happen to this TV, you would then be left mostly out of luck or out of a television set for weeks to months at a time. Still, if you get a good one, it does offer plenty of nice features, but rolling the dice with that kind of money is not a good bet.
Insignia NS-24DF310NA19 24 Inch 720p HD Smart LED TV
The biggest issue with the Insignia is that the entire product seems to have been made from start to finish by engineers in a laboratory without ever bothering to ask a real live person whether they liked it or not. Basically, this Smart TV seems kind of dumb to the people trying to use it with an awful user interface and no real tools to fix it. One of the bigger advertised features was the ability to work with Alexa or Google Home, but the poor microphone quality made it more of a pain than anything else. Couple that with awkward menus and a relatively unresponsive remote, and you have a perfect recipe for endless frustration.
Choosing the Best 24 Inch Smart TV: What You Need to Know
Resolution
Whether you are looking for a smart TV or not, the screen’s resolution is always going to be seen as one of the paramount qualities and with good reason. For starters, most content these days is shot in HD which means that you cannot get the most out of your content if the television does not display the image in HD. While most televisions these days almost exclusively come in 1080p, many smaller size televisions are not always able to do so. Most of this has to do with the fact the LEDs require a certain amount of physical space and this does not allow for enough diodes to accommodate the 1080p resolution. This actually makes the 24” TV market one of the few where 720p is not only found but somewhat common still.
While you may balk at the idea of purchasing a 720p resolution television set in this day, it is important to keep in mind that the more compact screen will likely not benefit nearly as much from the 1080p resolution as a 55” screen would. In fact, unless you are a hardcore gamer, in which case you might be better off going for a high-end PC monitor, you probably will not notice much difference between the 2 resolutions on a screen this size.
Frame Rate
This is another feature that often gets overlooked as an assumption for larger televisions but is not always so cut and dry once the screen starts to shrink. However, this time the issue has less to do with physical limitations and more to do with cutting overhead costs. That said, even in the 24” smart TV market, the 60 Hz frame rate standard still holds more or less true. That said, if you are looking for a television with a 120 Hz or even a 240 Hz frame rate, you are going to have to get a bigger screen or opt for a high-end PC monitor. It is worth noting that most video content is filmed at essentially a 30 Hz frame rate, so you do not need an exceptionally high frame rate to enjoy commercial programming. Again, the instances when you would really make use of a higher frame rate applies to performance usage, like for gamers.
Connectivity
Considering the biggest selling point of a smart TV is its ability to connect to the internet, the TV’s ability to connect becomes one of the most important considerations. While all smart TVs have an ethernet port to allow for direct connection, most also offer other means of connecting. By far the most popular connection method for smart TVs outside of direct lines is not actually the one you might expect with WiFi but screen sharing. Miracast, screencast, Chromecast, and even Bluetooth make appearances, allowing you to quickly switch from watching something on your smart device to the smart TV and back again. Another type of overlooked connection is a USB port which, for smart TVs, often provides access to images, music, and video stored thereon.
Display
You will get a lot of “experts” telling you that there is no real difference between the high-end LCD and LED displays, but those people are using a brand new set for all of a day before making their call. They generally do not live with that particular set day in and day out, noting all of the emergent issues that crop up after owning a particular product for a length of time. In this instance, there are fairly clear differences in the experience of watching an LCD display compared to watching an LED one. While this may not be quite as big of a deal for most television reviews, the proliferation of only refurbished models in the 24” smart TV market makes this a bit bigger of a deal.
LCD – Of the two types of displays, LCD is by far the most common, but that also has a lot to do with the fact that they are cheaper to make. On top of a lower overhead cost, the lower-end LCD displays are even cheaper–and the LED displays do not really have a “lower-end” option. That said, LCD screens rarely produce quite as good of a picture, all things being equal. Of course, when looking for a product among refurbished options, not all things are going to be equal. In this instance, the fact that LCD displays are more durable than LED displays might play a much bigger role in determining which type of display to choose.
LED – Though it is technically less common, LED displays are among the most popular due to the clarity of their image quality. The reason for this has to do with the way that LEDs work compared to LCDs which ultimately results in far richer colors and deeper blacks. On top of that, LED displays do not suffer from the light bleeding through the image or spilling out of the back of the TV’s housing like LCDs do. That said, once an LED screen starts to go, it is much more expensive to fix than an LCD display. Couple that with an inherently lower lifespan, and the LED display begins to look a bit riskier on a refurbished product. That said, if you can get a new 24” smart TV, an LED screen will almost always provide a better image quality–though they are generally limited to 720p resolution at this size screen.
Apps
There is no getting around the fact that, these days, one of, if not, the most important qualities of a smart TV is the included apps. Nobody wants to use a television remote to awkwardly navigate a traditional HTML-style web page–especially not when so many other companies have made their menus so easy to navigate. That said, with the 24” tv market dying down a little bit, this can get a bit tricky considering a number of the available models were made years before the newest and hottest apps even came out.
Some manufacturers have alleviated this issue by connecting all of their smart TVs to a single network. This allows that manufacturer to update all of their smart TVs at once through software rather than forcing the customer to purchase a new TV just to watch Hulu or listen to Spotify. This also applies to other innovations like the rise of smart home products and the inclusion of voice-activated commands. Keep in mind, eventually the demands on hardware will outstrip any solution that software can provide, but that does not seem to be too much of a problem for many of the best brands.