The Lowdown on Full HD TV
With TV technology improving almost daily, it pays off to know what you’re looking for when it comes to buying a new screen, and with every update arriving with new add-ons, it can all suddenly become very confusing.
Full High Definition, or FHD, refers to the screen resolution, measured in pixels – in this case, 1920 x 1080 pixels, displayed horizontally and vertically across the screen. Although that may not seem like a lot, the total is a whopping 2,073,600 tiny dots of color – which is essentially what pixels are, making up each picture. Referred to as 1080p, the ‘p’ stands for progressive scanning. This is the number of times the entire picture is refreshed per second. This is usually 60 or 120 times, which is indicated by 60Hz or 120 Hz. Progressive scanning produces a realistically smooth, flicker-free display, and is especially noticeable in fast action scenes.
In terms of color, FHD TVs are capable of supporting millions of colors, resulting in impressive detail and clarity with rich deep blacks and vibrant images. Around 40% of the TVs purchased around the world in recent years are FHD.
Here are the top 3 best-selling Full HD TV models in 2024.
1) Samsung 1080p 32” Smart LED TV Full HD HDR with Tizen OS
2 used from £184.99
Features
- Full HD: enjoy crisp and clear Full HD picture quality with vibrant images
- Smart TV powered by Tizen: easily discover ever more ways to enjoy TV, only with Samsung Smart TV
- PurColour: see impressive colour, PurColour improves the quality of any image, uncovers hidden details, and helps show your content's true colours.
- Contrast enhancer: enjoy striking images with enhanced depth and colour contrast.
- What's in box: Samsung 2020 32" T5300 Full HD HDR Smart TV, One Remote Control, standard remote, batteries, user manual and power cable
Featuring an edge-lit LED, micro dimming supported screen, alongside a 60Hz refresh rate, and smart capabilities, this Samsung FHD TV offers great value for money.
The style is typical of a high-end flat screen – slim bezels that present as slightly textured, with a minimalistic, curved but sturdy stand. Complete with VESA fittings to enable wall mounting, the build quality, like the majority of Samsung TVs, is very good.
The images displayed are colour enriched via Samsung’s PurColor, which allows for greater depth, texture, and contrast, while offering the full gamut, even with older, non-HD content. With the innovative Eco Sensor technology, the TV reacts to the environment’s light intensity, by constantly adapting the screen brightness. Still providing a crystal clear picture, this saves both energy and dollars.
The viewing angle is decently wide and should satisfy people with a large living room who require multiple seating positions, and the screen is coated with a light-diffusing, semi-gloss surface to minimise those annoying reflections.
The audio experience, although it could be louder, is of a decent quality. With no detectable distortion, even at the louder levels, the bass is round, whilst the top notes allow for easily audible whispering, realistic footsteps and so on.
Allowing connection to other devices, the multi-port options provide access to a good variety of download or streaming services, with an almost imperceptible lag, and the Tizen smart platform offers an easy-to-navigate interface, with a well-stocked app store, as well as the preinstalled apps, such as Netflix or Amazon Video.
All in all, this is a decent FHD TV, offering blur-free fast-action sports or movies, good smart features, and a realistic colour range, all at a hard-to-resist price.
2) Sharp 32” Full HD LED Smart TV with Freeview Play
£142.26 in stock
Features
- SHARP 32" LED TV with an LCD panel television: Stunning HD clarity and vibrant colours, to enjoy all your favourite programmes. The TV’s stylish black finish, with matching remote control, complements any room
- Plenty of ports: Can be connected to an array of devices with SCART socket, 3 x HDMI, 2 x USB, Component, Composite, and Digital Optical Audio ports. With built-in Freeview HD tuner
- Dolby Digital audio recorder creates virtual surround sound for a cinematic experience. The built-in Harman/Kardon speaker system offers immersive sound out of the box – no extra hardware needed
- High definition: The ACE PRO Engine image optimisation technology analyses & enhances incoming signals for accurate colour reproduction, improved sharpness & reduced noise for a crisp, natural picture
- Super fast USB 2.0 port: Allows playback of any compatible video, music, or photo files for easy sharing. The slim, lightweight design is ideal for wall mounting & comes with an easy-fit stand
This offering from Sharp is nicely designed and of good build quality. Sturdy twin feet are included, but the screen is easily wall mounted if you prefer.
Offering a choice of ports, including 3 HDMI inputs, coaxial and VGA connections, it has the added ability to be used as a competent computer monitor, and although internet connectivity isn’t required, the 2 USB ports allow photos and videos to be enjoyed via a flash drive. Sharps’s Freeview Play and Miracast can stream content from smart devices, such as tablets or smartphones straight to the screen.
For such an affordable price, the image quality is surprisingly good, and the effective backlighting exceeded expectations. The detail and colour depth from the over 2 million pixels, coupled with sharp contrasts, and realistically crisp images demonstrate quality can be delivered by manufacturers other than the big names.
At 60Hz, Sharp’s Ace Pro, provides smooth flowing sequences, and a lag time of only 10 milliseconds, allowing action-packed scenes and fast-moving sports to be judder-free and fully immersive.
This Sharp TV is one of those deceptively priced bargains that raise a smug knowing smile from any purchaser. Deceptive due to the high-end quality at a mid-range price, smug because … well, why not!
3) LG 24″ Smart HD Ready LED TV
Features
- Key Features Stream, game, and work at your leisure with the LG 24TL510S 24" Smart HD Ready LED TV. A great option for the kid's den or university halls, this TV Monitor lets you quickly switch between your PC and TV.
- With the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and NOW TV, you'll never be stuck for entertainment. And if you've missed your favourite soap, simply scroll back on the TV guide up to a week with Freeview Play. Share your holiday snaps with friends – you can easily cast your smartphone's screen directly to the TV. The wide viewing angle means everyone gets a great view.
- Smart TV services: - Catch up TV: BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5 - Streaming: Netflix, Prime Video, NOW TV - Custom homepage - Social media: YouTube Please note: Some services are only available in the UK
- Colour: Black Type: Smart TVs Type: LED TVs Type: HD ready TVs Smart TV apps: YouTube Smart TV apps: Prime Video Smart TV apps: Netflix Smart TV apps: NOW TV Smart TV apps: My5 Smart TV apps: ITV Player Smart TV apps: Freeview Play Smart TV apps: BBC iPlayer Smart TV apps: All 4
- Connections: - HDMI 1.4 x 1 - Component input x 1 - Composite input x 1 - USB 2.0 x 1 Audio output: - Optical x 1 - RCA x 1
If you’re looking for a second TV for those relaxing mornings in bed, to keep the kids occupied or for the kitchen, this FHD model from LG is well worth considering.
With a compact and sturdy build, the bezels are designed specifically not to detract from the screen itself, while the stand complements the stylish appearance. The screen has fittings for mounting on a wall if required.
The High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) offers incredible video and audio quality via the multi-port input connecting to a high definition source, such as Blu-ray, next-gen games or your PC.
Offering amazing clarity and brightness, the screen is backlit with energy-efficient LED technology. In-Plane Switching (IPS) works alongside this, improving colour reproduction, shortening response times and widening the screen viewing angle, and LG’s Triple XD Engine produces precision imaging, meaning an even more realistic picture.
LG have incorporated a lot of features into this diminutive TV, but all together these make what could have been an all-round budget TV to one that is budget in price only.
What's the difference between HD and LED TVs?
LED, or light emitting diode, screens deliver sharp, accurate visuals, while UHD, or Ultra High Definition, refers to the image resolution. UHD delivers a super clear picture across 3,840 x 2,160 pixels.
Does HD work on a regular TV?
For HD to work on your non HD TV depends on the manufacturer and whether your TV is HD-ready.
What is a HD TV?
An HD, or high definition TV, has 3,840 x 2,160 pixels delivering a highly detailed, clear resolution image to your screen.
While Full HD TVs are still popular TVs that provide a great viewing experience, the latest TVs produced in 2024 come with more advanced technology, like UHD and HDR. If you’re looking for an excellent upgrade, we recommend this curved 4K Samsung TV.
If you enjoyed this page, and are looking for a TV with great features, then consider giving these pages a read too!