LG 32LG40 review

Performance
Overall the 32LG40 was solid performing LCD, albeit with a few demerits, such as slightly light black levels and, to a greater extent, disappointing off-angle performance.

The 32LG40's picture quality was greatly enhanced by its abundant controls. During calibration we were able to improve color temperature accuracy and grayscale tracking compared with the out-of-the-box performance. This made for realistic flesh tones and shadow detail that tended to look neutral, instead of "pushing" blue or green. Check out the bottom of this blog post for our full picture settings.

For our comparison and image quality tests we set the 32LG40 up next to the Sony KDL-32M400 and Vizio VO32L, and watched Daredevil on Blu-ray played on our reference Blu-ray player, the PlayStation3

Black level: The black levels on the 32LG40 were about a shade lighter than the other sets we used for comparison. This was very noticeable during dark scenes of Daredevil, where the pitch black shadows just couldn't reach the same level a KDL-32M400. While we could make the 32LG40 darker by making the backlight dimmer, doing so sacrifices shadow detail, which is why we opted for the lighter overall blacks. We did notice slightly more shadow detail in the 32LG40 compared with the KDL-32M400, particularly on the crevices of Daredevil's bodysuit, but the Vizio VO32L bested them both (but not by much). The 32LG40's relatively light blacks are certainly the set's weakness.

Color accuracy: Colors on the 32LG40 looked the most natural out of the displays we had set up. That wasn't a surprise, considering our objective measurements showed that the 32LG40 had very accurate primary colors out of the box, and we were able to dial these in even closer with the extensive color management system. Flesh tones looked lifelike, comparable with the Vizio VO32L, although we'd give a slight nod to Vizio, which looked just a tad more saturated without pushing red. We also thought the darkest blacks on the 32LG40 tended more toward blue than we'd like, but we preferred the more accurate color in shadows versus the VO32L's greenish shadows. Again, the accurate grayscale is largely because of the 32LG40's robust color controls, which allow you to adjust the red, green, and blue at different IRE levels.

Video processing: The LG did an excellent job with our video processing tests, passing the difficult film resolution test from the HQV on Blu-ray. The 32LG40 looked good on the slow pan across Raymond James Stadium, while the KDL-32M400 had significant moiré in the grandstands. Like most HDTVs we test, the VO32L had no problem with video-based de-interlacing tests.

Uniformity: LCDs often have trouble with uniformity, but the 32LG40 is mostly an exception. While we could easily make out "hot spots" on both the Sony KDL-32M400 and the Vizio VO32L, the 32LG40 looked nearly uniform, with just a slightly darker upper left-hand corner. Off-angle viewing, however, was a completely different story. The 32LG40 washes out significantly when moving off angle, looking redder and lighter than in the sweet spot. The KDL-32M400 is much better at maintaining a stable image, while the VO32L has similar off-angle issues.

Bright lighting: The 32LG40 features a matte finish, which greatly reduces reflections from in-room lighting. The KDL-32M40's screen was significantly more reflective, while the VO32L had a similar finish.

Standard-definition: We tested standard-def performance (with an external DVD player) and the performance of the built-in DVD player using the same test material. We could detect no difference between the two, and both were perfectly fine for casual viewing, although videophiles will notice some imperfections.

The 32LG50 passed the initial resolution test, showing all the detail of DVD. It also handled the next two jaggies tests, showing only minor jagged edges. The next test was a little worse, as we saw significant jaggies in the ripples of the waving flag. The 32LG40 also struggled with the difficult 2:3 pull-down test, as it slipped in and out of film mode, resulting in moiré in the grandstands while a race car drove by. It did better on a test pattern with CNN-style scrolling text, but we did notice that images in the background still had some jaggies.

We switched over to program material, and the 32LG40 handled the introduction to Star Trek: Insurrection well, smoothly rendering the curved lines of the bridge and boats. Next up was the opening sequence to Seabiscuit, and like we've seen with many DVD players, the 32LG40 struggled, with some scenes covered with jaggies and image instability.

PC: As a PC monitor, the LG 32LG40 performed excellently over HDMI. There was no overscan in 1,360x768 mode, and even small text was clear and readable from several feet back. Using VGA it displayed the same resolution but the image was slightly off-center and we found no way to correct it. It also looked a bit softer, although small text was still readable from several feet back.

Juice box

LG 32LG40	Picture settings
	Default	Calibrated	Power Save
Picture on (watts)	116.19	67.86	n/a
Picture on (watts/sq. inch)	0.27	0.16	n/a
Standby (watts)	0	0	n/a
Cost per year	$35.96	$21.00	n/a
Score (considering size)	Good
Score (overall)	Good

*Cost per year based on 2007 average U.S. residential electricity cost of 10.6 cents per kw/hr at 8 hours on/16 hours off per day.

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