Smaller LCD Televisions

LCD TV smaller than 30 inches

Widescreen LCD TVs that measure less than 25 inches are significantly cheaper than larger LCD panels. While these LCD televisions will look awfully small mounted on a wall, their smaller size makes them great for the bedroom or office. Some -- but not all -- can be used with a personal computer.

Small-screen TVs don't get much in the way of attention from professional reviewers -- in fact, CNET states point-blank that it does not review TVs smaller than 32 inches, while ConsumerReports.org draws the line at 26 inches.

But while professional reviewers ignore small-screen LCD TVs for the most part, user review sites such as AVSForum.com, BestBuy.com, Buzzillions.com, Walmart.com and Amazon.com can provide great guidance.

Though many small LCD TVs get reasonably good feedback, the 19-inch Vizio VA19L (*Est. $200) is a standout in terms of the number of reviews and the positive feedback it has received. For example, at last look, more than 180 owners had weighed in at Walmart.com, with all but a handful giving it a rating of four stars or higher -- and the vast majority giving it the top grade of five stars. Though feedback elsewhere is less extensive, the pattern of satisfaction is similar.

Sized perfectly for a bedroom or a kitchen, the Vizio LCD TV is fairly devoid of features aside from high energy efficiency; Vizio claims that it beats current Energy Star standards by 15 percent or more. Connectivity is surprisingly strong for a set in this screen size, and it includes two HDMI inputs and a digital (optical) audio output. Like all LCD TVs in this screen size, resolution is 720p. The TV can accept and display 1080i signals (scaled down, of course), but can't accept 1080p signals from sources such as upconverting DVD players or Blu-ray Disc players.

Though user reviews often diverge greatly, several themes clearly emerge from the feedback on this Vizio LCD TV. Most say picture quality is crisp and clear. We see a few gripes about sound quality, but most users say that it is very good overall -- an important consideration for a small TV that's not likely to be hooked up to an external sound system. Vizio touts the finish of the housing, but we saw a few complaints that the finish gives off reflections.