TV sets keep on getting bigger and bigger.
There was a time when a 24-inch TV would have been considered unnecessarily big, the sort of thing only a movie buff or millionaire could justify having, but now, with 98-inch sets capable of replacing a whole wall in your house, it seems small.
However, it’s still a popular size in the world of computer monitors, so the panels are still being produced, and if you’re looking for a compact second TV for a bedroom, or even something you can take on holiday with you in a campervan (there are some that come with car lighter socket adapters for power), then a 24-incher starts to look more and more attractive.
We sit much closer to computer monitors than we do to TVs, but a 24-inch screen is still large enough to enjoy HD streaming video. TVs in this size bracket are often ‘HD Ready’ - which means 720p - rather than ‘Full HD’ or 1080p, and you won’t find a 4K screen at all. This matters less at these sizes, as the benefits of increased resolution become more apparent as the size of the screen increases.
Watch a movie on an HD Ready TV, and you’ll still get a great experience. They’re also good for replaying your DVD collection, as the 480p picture from those shiny discs requires less upscaling to match the 720p screen, so there’s less chance for artefacts or blurriness to set in.
The one problem with TVs of this size is sound. As TVs have become thinner, the quality of their speakers has dropped off, and the small size of 24-inch sets doesn’t help either. Luckily, you can often use Bluetooth or a 3.5mm optical cable to connect your screen to one of the best soundbars for enhanced audio.
Best 24-inch TVs at a glance:
- Best for streaming videos: Samsung UE24N4300A - £149, Argos
- Best for dual use: LG 24TQ520SPZ - £169, Argos
- Best for TV on a budget: RCA RB24F1A - £99.99, Amazon
- Best for a higher resolution: Philips 24PFS6805 - £249, eBay
- Best for playing that DVD collection: Sharp 1T-C24EE6KC2FBD - £169.99, Amazon
- Best for Android fans: Panasonic TX-24MS480B - £249.99, John Lewis
- Best for making use of that satellite dish: Cello ZSO242 - £129.99, Amazon
- Best for Alexa aficionados: Toshiba 24WK3C63DB - £169, Amazon
Shop below
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Samsung UE24N4300A
Best for: watching streaming video
Samsung makes good TVs, and this 24-inch model is no exception. It’s an LED-backlit HD Ready set with HDR and a wide viewing angle, so it’s ideal for use as your only TV. It also comes with a full smart TV platform, powered by Samsung’s Tizen OS, that gives you access to streaming apps such as Netflix via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and you can connect it to an aerial to receive Freeview TV.
There are a pair of HDMI sockets on the side of the TV too, so you can connect games consoles or a DVD player, though you’re limited to a 50Hz framerate, and a USB port for video files you’ve captured on your phone or a camcorder. There’s also an optical connection to output sound to a compatible soundbar, making this one of the most well-rounded 24-inch TVs out there.
Buy now £149.00, Argos
LG 24TQ520SPZ
Best for: dual use
LG also makes some excellent TVs, and this one stands out because it’s got a dual purpose. This set has been designed to be used as both a TV and a computer monitor, and while its HD Ready 720p resolution isn’t ideal for a PC screen, it makes a lot of sense if you want to have a computer monitor and a TV in the same room, but don’t have a lot of space.
You can connect your computer using one of the HDMI ports, which accept a 60Hz signal, while the WebOS smart platform can make use of Wi-Fi and Ethernet internet connections and display an HDR picture. There’s an optical out for connecting to a soundbar, Bluetooth for headphones, and a Freeview tuner. If you’re short on space, this could be just the TV you’ve been looking for.
Buy now £169.00, Argos
RCA RB24F1A
Best for: TV on a budget
We weren’t sure it was possible to get a TV without smart apps on board in 2023, but it is. This RCA model is an LED-backlit HD Ready set with a Freeview tuner, a single HDMI port, and not much else.
The lack of inputs and apps means it’s cheap, of course, significantly undercutting others on this list, though if you want to expand its capabilities the HDMI port would make a good home for one of the best streaming sticks, such as an Amazon Fire TV stick or Google TV dongle. This adds to the cost, though an up-to-date stick can often provide a better selection of apps, and faster performance, than an out-of-date OS labouring on an underpowered processor.
A version of this TV with a 12V power input, designed to be used in campervans, is also available, but for a slightly higher price.
Buy now £99.99, Amazon
Philips 24PFS6805
Best for: a higher resolution
Finding a 1080p 24-inch TV is a rarity, but this one manages to squeeze in the extra pixels for a sharper picture. It’s compatible with the HLG and HDR10 HDR image formats too, so you’ll be able to get richer colours from the on-board SAPHI smart TV system.
There are three HDMI sockets and a VGA input on the back of the TV, along with a Freeview TV tuner, USB port, optical audio output and a headphone socket. One of the HDMI ports supports ARC, so you can use it to connect to a soundbar too.
For not much more money than some of the 720p models, this 1080p TV is fully loaded with features, and makes a compelling case for being the one to get.
Buy now £149.95, eBay
Sharp 1T-C24EE6KC2FBD
Best for: playing that DVD collection
This LED-backlit 720p screen comes with a Freeview tuner, Wi-Fi and smart apps like a lot of other TVs, but also has a built-in DVD player. It’s also well-equipped for using things like game consoles, with three HDMI ports (capable of taking a 60Hz signal), two USB sockets, and an SD Card slot for displaying photos directly from a camera memory card.
There’s a digital optical output for piping audio to a soundbar, and the slim design is ideal for wall mounting, but there’s no ability to display HDR streams from its apps.
Buy now £169.99, Amazon
Panasonic TX-24MS480B
Best for: Android fans
This 24-incher from Panasonic uses the Android TV OS as its smart platform, which means there’s Google Assistant built-in for voice control and a built-in Chromecast so you can easily stream video to the TV via your phone.
It’s more expensive than many options in this size, so you’re going to have to really want those extra features, but as an LED-backlit 720p HDR set with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, three HDMI ports plus USB, VGA and composite inputs and an optical audio out to hook it up to a soundbar, it’s got a lot going for it.
Buy now £249.99, John Lewis
Cello ZSO242
Best for: making use of that satellite dish
Most TVs in this size bracket have Freeview tuners for receiving digital TV broadcasts, but this set from Cello goes one better. It has a built-in satellite tuner alongside the Freeview one, meaning it can pick up Freesat broadcasts from a compatible satellite dish, perfect for homes that don’t have a TV aerial (but which do have a dish).
It uses a 720p 60Hz panel that’s backlit by LEDs, though there’s no HDR functionality, and it’s not a smart TV so there are no built-in streaming apps.
Elsewhere, you get three HDMI ports - perfect for connecting to a laptop or housing a streaming stick - and a USB port for watching video files saved to a flash drive.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon
Toshiba 24WK3C63DB
Best for: Alexa aficionados
Toshiba’s smart TV platform uses Amazon Alexa for voice control, and a far-field microphone built into the bezel around this model’s screen means you don’t have to talk into the TV remote to use it.
This is an LED-backlit 720p panel with a 60Hz refresh rate, and it can display an HDR picture as long as you feed it with the right kind of video via one of its streaming apps. Broadcast TV comes via a Freeview tuner, and there are two HDMI ports, one of which is an ARC port for connecting to a soundbar.
You also get VGA and composite video inputs, a USB port for flash drives, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections for the smart apps, and a headphone socket, optical output and Bluetooth for additional audio connections.
Buy now £169.00, Amazon
Verdict
Smaller TVs like these are starting to get left behind by the revolutions taking place further up the size brackets, such as 4K OLED screens and extreme thinness. However, there are good value options to be had, such as RCA’s RB24F1A as long as you know what you’re getting. These are the ideal screens to use with DVD players or even older games consoles (though you won’t find an RGB SCART socket anywhere nowadays, which is a shame).
The Samsung UE24N4300A that tops this list provides an excellent demonstration of what’s possible in a 24-inch TV, bringing together HDR, a solid smart platform, and a very reasonable price, but it’s in the edge cases that we find the innovation. There are TVs here that use all kinds of smart OSes, or have none at all. There are those that receive satellite signals, that have built-in DVD players, and that can be voice-controlled. One even squeezes in a 1080p resolution for an extra-sharp picture. The small TV market is, it seems, in good health.
