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If you’re looking for a small-format TV for your dorm, apartment, or bedroom, the Vizio D24f-G1 24-inch model is the best choice. This unit features smart functionality so you can download your favorite streaming apps and keep up with all your favorite shows and the latest movies. With the SmartCast hub menu, all your apps are in one place for easier browsing. The included remote also has quick access buttons for Vudu, Netflix, Prime Video, Kumo, Hulu, and iHeartRadio.
Best Overall
Vizio D-Series 24-Inch Smart TV
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- Only two HDMI ports
The Continu.us 28-inch TV uses a full array LED panel to deliver 720p resolution. With a refresh rate of 60Hz, you’ll always have buttery smooth action scenes with plenty of details so you never miss a beat.
Runner-Up 720p
Continu.us 28-Inch TV
Volume limiter function
Plenty of inputs
One year warranty
No smart functionality
This TV features a volume limiter function that lets you set a volume cap so you don’t disturb others. It also has a headphone jack on the back for private listening. With three HDMI inputs, a USB port, VGA port, and RF coax input, setting up all your media devices, game consoles, and home theater equipment is quick and easy. The slim, sleek design of this TV ensures that it will blend seamlessly into almost any decor. Continu.us backs this TV with a one year warranty and U.S.-based customer service to help troubleshoot issues.
Having a quality TV doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to get what you need. The Westinghouse 24-inch TV is a solid small-format model with a price point that will fit all but the absolute tightest of budgets. It features a full array LED panel to produce a 720p HD resolution so whether you’re watching cartoons with the kids or a hockey game in the garage, you’ll always get a great picture. If you’re looking to use it in a kids’ playroom or bedroom, it’s built with a V-Chip for expanded parental controls to keep little ones from accessing shows that aren’t age appropriate.
Best Budget
Westinghouse 24-Inch TV
V-chip parental controls
Built-in TV tuner
Full HD
No smart functionality
No Bluetooth connectivity
Only one HDMI port
While it doesn’t have any built-in smart functionality, it does have an HDMI input so you can connect a streaming device like a Roku, AppleTV, or FireTV box to access thousands of apps and shows. The built-in TV tuner lets you watch over-air local news broadcasts and other programming for more ways to watch your favorite shows and movies. There is a headphone jack on the back of the TV for private listening when watching a movie or playing games so you don’t disturb others.
The RCA 24-inch TV is another good choice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly, small-format model. Like the LG, it uses a full array LED panel, but it produces a full HD 1080p resolution and 16.7million colors for a slightly better picture. It also has a 1,000:1 contrast ratio for better picture sharpness and deeper blacks to make colors and details pop. It features an HDMI input, USB port, VGA input, component video port, and a coax input so you can connect a streaming device, DVD player, or game console.
Runner-Up Best Budget
RCA 24-Inch TV
Sleep timer
USB media playback
1080p HD
No smart functionality
No Bluetooth connectivity
Only one HDMI input
With the USB port, you can play MP3 music files and picture slideshows for more ways to share media with friends and family. The built-in TV tuner lets you watch over-air local channels so you can keep up-to-date with local programming. The back of the TV has a headphone jack so you can listen to your shows, movies, and games without disturbing others. It also features a sleep timer with intervals between 15 to 120 minutes so you won’t have to worry about the TV playing to an empty room all day or night.
If you’re looking for a TV/DVD player combo for your RV, kitchen, garage, or kids’ playroom, check out the Axcess TVD1804-24. This model not only has a built-in DVD player, it also features an integrated external soundbar for a better listening experience when watching your favorite shows and movies. It comes packaged with a 12V car adapter, making it perfect for using in an RV or camper when travelling to keep kids entertained.
Best TV/DVD Combo
Axess TVD1804-24 24-Inch TV/DVD Combo
Car adapter included
Integrated soundbar
SD card slot and USB port for media playback
No smart functionality
No Bluetooth connectivity
It features an SD card slot and USB port for media playback of photo files for more ways to share memories with family and friends. It also has HDMI ports, a VGA input, component video, and an RF coax input so you can connect streaming devices or game consoles quickly and easily. The LED panel and 24-inch screen produces a 720p HD resolution for a clean, clear picture no matter what you’re watching or playing. The built-in TV tuner lets you watch local, over-air channels so you can keep up with the news and other shows.
Having a small-format TV doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with a lower-end HD resolution. The Pyle 23.6-inch LED TV gives you a full HD 1080p resolution and has a refresh rate of 60Hz. This means that no matter if you’re watching sports, cartoons, or the hottest blockbuster movies, you’ll always have smooth motion and a crisp, clear picture. It’s built with a V-Chip for expanded parental controls to keep little ones from watching shows and movies that aren’t age appropriate.
Best 1080p
Pyle 23.6-Inch LED TV
- 1080p
- V-Chip parental controls
- Closed Captions option
You can also set up closed captions so that the entire family and all your friends can enjoy movie night. With the sleep timer, you can be sure that your TV won’t be playing to an empty room or sleeping people all day or night. It features an HDMI input, USB port, VGA input, component video, and an RF coax input. This means that you can connect all your streaming devices, DVD players, and game consoles without a fuss. It comes with a pedestal stand so you can place it on a table, desk, or dedicated entertainment center. It also features VESA compatible wall mount holes for more placement options.
About Our Trusted Experts
Taylor Clemons has been reviewing and writing about consumer electronics for over three years. She has also worked in e-commerce product management and has extensive experience with what makes a TV a great choice for home entertainment.
The Ultimate 24-29 Inch TV Buying Guide
If you’re in the market for a new television, but are short on space, a small-format screen is your best bet. Top brands like LG and Vizio as well as smaller manufacturers like Westinghouse and RCA offer plenty of options in the 24-29 inch screen category. Televisions this small are an excellent option for dorm rooms and small apartments as well as secondary TVs in bedrooms, garages, and kids’ playrooms. If you’re a camping enthusiast, a small-format TV can be a good fit for your camper or RV so you can watch movies and sports with friends and family even when you’re away from home. Not all small-format televisions are created equal though. While you’ll be hard-pressed to find a screen this small that offers 4K UHD resolution, there are plenty that can give you great 1080p full HD, while others only have 720p standard HD. This is because the incredible detailing of 4K would be lost on a screen under 30 inches; cramming that many pixels into such a small space can make the picture look muddy, negating any clean details you may get from 4K pictures.
Along with lower screen resolutions, you’ll also come across small-format televisions that don’t have any smart features at all, and still rely on cable, satellite, or over-air broadcast signals or playback devices to watch anything. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if it is meant to be a secondary television or placed in a camper or RV; you won’t be able to get a Wi-Fi signal in a campground, or if you don’t want little ones to access inappropriate content, having a “dumb” TV for their playroom or bedroom is a good idea. We’ll break down some other important factors to consider when buying a small-format TV to help you decide which is right for you.
Screen Resolution and Audio
Like we mentioned above, televisions smaller than 30 inches generally don’t offer 4K UHD resolution. However, many brands offer small-format models with excellent 1080p full HD for great picture quality while you stream your favorite shows or pop in a DVD. Since streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ offer most of their content in 1080p, you’ll be able to take full advantage of your television’s resolution and picture quality. The smallest televisions use 720p standard HD resolution because even full HD uses too many pixels for TVs under 25 inches. Full HD resolution has twice as many pixels as a television that uses 720p, meaning that a lot of detailing packed into such a small screen can make a picture look muddy. TVs with lower resolution are an excellent option for customers who prefer traditional broadcast media to streaming, since a lot of cable, satellite, and over-air programming doesn’t use high-resolution images.
Along with picture quality and screen resolution, audio quality and technology varies widely among small-format televisions. All TVs have built-in stereo speakers, but not all small-format models use them in the same ways. Higher-end brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony often utilize Dolby audio technology to give you virtual surround sound options, or simply more rich, full audio for a more cinematic experience. Other brands like TCL and Vizio feature headphone jacks or Bluetooth support for headsets so you can privately listen to your favorite music, shows, and movies without disturbing others. Many manufacturers make small-format televisions with Bluetooth connectivity. This allows you to wirelessly connect external audio equipment like soundbars for not only better audio, but custom home theater configurations. While smaller televisions don’t have as many audio settings as their larger, more expensive counterparts, you can still find models that have plenty of options to suit your space and entertainment needs.
Wall Mounting and Portability
Now that you’ve decided what screen resolution works best for you, it’s now time to decide just where in the world you’re going to put your new TV. Almost all televisions come packaged with attachable pedestal stands or legs for placement on a table, shelf, or dedicated media center. This makes it easy to place your TV almost anywhere in your home, camper, or RV. However, if you’re short on space and can’t use a dedicated table, many televisions, including small-format ones, are able to be mounted on wall brackets. Current TVs use mounting brackets and holes certified by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) that ensure consistency between TV and bracket models. This means that you can use almost any bracket with almost any TV without any special modifications. Wall mounting allows you to take advantage of empty wall space in order to place your television. For example, if you’re looking for a secondary TV to use in your kitchen, but don’t want to sacrifice counter space, you can mount your TV on the wall next to or above your refrigerator so you can follow along with cooking videos or catch up on the news over breakfast or dinner.
Wall mounting can especially come in handy when choosing a TV for your camper or RV. Since these spaces are already configured to take maximum advantage of interior space, it can be difficult to use a TV on a stand or legs. But there is often at least a bit of wall or cabinet face where you’ll be able to mount a small-format television, letting you and your family enjoy shows and movies while camping without cluttering your camper or RV. Some small-format televisions are built specifically to be portable. They feature carrying handles which make it easy to move them around or carry them from a camper or RV to a picnic table. They’re also incredibly compact, letting you tuck them into a cupboard or under a seat or bed when they aren’t being used. These kinds of televisions are not only great for camping, but for tailgate parties with friends so you can enjoy your favorite sports programs and games no matter where you are.
Smart TVs vs “Dumb” TVs
Smart televisions have become ubiquitous in home entertainment, and for good reason; they give you instant access to tens of thousands of shows, movies, and songs to stream and enjoy with family and friends. This makes it easy to put on a movie or catch up with your favorite shows while in bed or making dinner. However, a smart TV may not be the best choice for other uses. If you’re shopping for a TV to put in your child’s bedroom or playroom, letting them have a smart TV may let them access shows and movies that are inappropriate. Many streaming apps have built-in parental controls and kids-only modes, but these can easily be circumvented if your child is determined enough.
You can still find small-format televisions that aren’t internet-enabled, allowing you to set hard boundaries and rules for what your children are allowed to watch and when. A “dumb” TV can be hooked up to a DVD or Blu-Ray player so a child can only watch age-appropriate movies that you allow. As for watching regular TV shows, you can hook up an over-air antenna or cable or satellite box. These still have a chance for your child to access unsuitable media, but TVs without internet connections often have V-Chip parental controls. This analyzes a show or movie’s age rating, and automatically blocks it from being viewed based on your settings. V-chips are password protected, so they’re more difficult for children to get around as long as you keep the password out of reach of little ones.
