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32-inch LCD HDTV showdown

David Katzmaier
Senior editor

Updated March 24, 2006

If you're sick of staring at that ancient tube television, and you are ready to do something about it, you're not alone. LCD HDTVs are among the most popular sellers right now, and the hottest size is 32 inches. That's because they're about the same size as those old, 27-inch tubes; since 32-inch LCDs are wide-screen sets, their standard 4:3 images measure about 26 inches diagonally. It also helps that a few models cost less than $1,000 and still deliver sharp HDTV images in a flat form factor. So what's your excuse for still staring into the past?

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Product name	Vizio L32	ViewSonic N3250W	Dell W3201C	HP LC3200N	Samsung LN-R3228W	Sharp LC-32D4U

Review date	March 24, 2006	October 26, 2005	December 9, 2005	February 3, 2006	March 15, 2006	March 8, 2006

Editors' rating (Editors' rating explained)	6.3 Good	6.0 Good	7.3 Very good	7.0 Very good	6.6 Good	7.3 Very good

Buying choices	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...	Prices from online stores: Searching for pricing data...

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Review summary	While certainly not suited to discerning low-light viewing, the inexpensive Vizio L32HDTV is a good bargain for people seeking a solid everyday television.	The ViewSonic N3250w outperforms most other budget 32-inch panels, putting pressure on its no-name competitors.	While we'd like to see its price drop a bit, the Dell W3201C's impressive feature set and solid image quality definitely set it apart from the budget pack.	Although expensive, the HP LC3200N LCD manages to deliver a better picture than almost all of the competition.	If you don't demand the best image quality or need an HDTV tuner, the Samsung LN-R3228W's style might win you over.	A step above most LCDs in terms of performance, features and styling, the Sharp LC-32D4U makes a good case for spending a bit more.

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Basic Specs
Weight	37.9 lbs	44.1 lbs	51.6 lbs	40.8 lbs	39 lbs	44.1 lbs

Resolution	1366 x 768	1366 x 768	1366 x 768	1366 x 768	1366 x 768	1366 x 768

Input Video Formats	480p , 480i , 1080i , 720p	480p , 480i , 1080i , 720p	480p , 480i , 1080i , 720p	Info unavailable	480p (via Component sockets) , 480i (via Component sockets) , 720p (via Component sockets) , 1080i (via Component sockets)	1080i

Image Aspect Ratio	16:9	16:9	16:9	Info unavailable	16:9	16:9

Multi-channel Preview	POP , Picture-in-picture (PIP)	POP , Picture-in-picture (PIP)	Picture-on-picture (POP) , PBP , Picture-in-picture (PIP)	Info unavailable	Picture-in-picture (PIP)	Info unavailable

Speaker System	2 speakers	2 speakers	2 speakers	2 speakers	2 speakers	2 speakers


Product name	Vizio L32	ViewSonic N3250W	Dell W3201C	HP LC3200N	Samsung LN-R3228W	Sharp LC-32D4U

Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications	Full specifications

Price range	Check latest prices $339-$1798 from 3 stores	Email me when this product is available	This product is part of the Dell W3201C series. Click here to see all products in the Dell W3201C series.	Email me when this product is available	Email me when this product is available	Email me when this product is available