Toshiba 40E220U 40” HDTV Review

Pros

• Name brand 40” LCD for well under $500
• Accurate, uniform coloring
• Impressive black levels

Cons

• Only two HDMI ports
• 60Hz refresh rate may result in motion blur
• Blah design compared to today’s LEDs
• No 3D, Wifi, or Apps

The Geek’s Take

Just a few short, short years ago, finding any 40” HDTV for under $5oo would have been a pipe dream, let alone one from a name brand like Toshiba. But these days, with the Toshiba 40E220U, that dream has become a reality. Sure, it may not seem up to snuff in the design department when compared to higher end TVs like the much larger Vizio E601I-A3 or pale in comparison feature for feature to the more expensive Sony BRAVIA KDL-55HX850, but the picture quality is solid enough to make it a great choice as a secondary TV.

Full Review

Picture Quality

So what should you expect as far as picture quality goes from a sub-$500 LCD? You’d be surprised. Like virtually all HDTVs over 32”, the 40E220U features a 1080p resolution, which produces a nice, clear picture. Black levels or reportedly great, not just for a budget LCD but any LCD, although pale in comparison to even a low grade plasma. To achieve those deep blacks, the 40E220U sacrifices a little brightness out of the box. It’s a simple settings adjustment though if it’s too dark for your tastes. CNET does report some color uniformity issues at the screen edges, but it’s nothing that an untrained eye would even notice, let alone something to be concerned about at this price range.

Our only minor concern is with the 60Hz refresh rate (if you don’t know what this means, check out our buying guide), which could result in some motion blur when watching fast moving programming like sports. For most people though, the Toshiba 40E220U will be a second (or third) TV, not what you’ll be using to watch the World Series, so whatever.

Design

The Toshiba 40E220U is a budget HDTV and it looks it. It’s uninspired and vanilla in every way – not as thin as modern LEDs, thick bezel, plain stand – resembling the LCDs of yesteryear more so than modern HDTVs. Still, the 40E220U does nothing to turn us off in the design department, and at this price range, that’s good enough.

Features

If you’re looking for an HDTV packed with features like the Wifi, apps, 3D, the Toshiba 40E220U is probably not for you. But if you’re shopping for a TV that’s a TV, you’re in the right place. Our thought is that you won’t miss most of those bells and whistles either, at least not more than you’ll miss the extra $300 or so that those features cost. Our only real concern is that the 40E220U only has 2 HDMI ports, a problem if you plan on connecting multiple devices to your existing home theater, but not if your plans for the 40E220U are as a second TV, as we expect most are.

Value

In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re sold on the Toshiba 40E220U because of the price tag. What it lacks in features and design, it makes up for in cheapness. It’s a quality 40” LCD for under $500, people.

Summary

The 40E220U is basically is stripped down version one of Toshiba’s higher end LCDs. Its design won’t turn any heads and it lacks the features of more expensive sets, but the solid picture quality, crisp picture, and deep blacks at a sub-$500 price tag, make the Toshiba 40E220U a great choice for a second set, and earns it our Highly Rated award.