Introduction
Tour & Design
The LG 32LD350's screen is bordered by a relatively thick, glossy black bezel. The bottom right corner has an LED to indicate whether or not the TV is turned on.
The only feature on the back of the TV is the cluster of ports towards the right-hand side.
For information about the ports on the back of the LG 32LD350 see our Connectivity section.
The left side of the TV has a handful of ports; the right side has the on-set controls.
For information about the ports on the sides of the LG 32LD350 see our Connectivity section.
The stand can swivel to allow easy access to ports.
The on-set controls are a column of buttons along the right hand side of the TV. They allow you to control the channel, volume, input, or fiddle around with settings in the menu.
The remote is basic, with a groove under the volume/channel buttons to give it a faux-ergonomic look.
The TV came with the remote, batteries, and manual.
The TV wasn't too hard to set up out of the box. It just required a handful of screws to be put into a handful of pre-threaded holes.
This isn't a gorgeous TV, but its's decent-looking for an entry-level set. If you are, in fact, looking for a gorgeous TV, you'll have to spend a lot more money.
Blacks & Whites
The LG 32LD350 had a decent black level. We measured it at 0.13 candelas per square meter (cd/m2), which is just a bit above our benchmark for a good, deep, black level, 0.10 cd/m2. A deep black level is important for maintaining a high contrast and details in dark scenes. (More on how we test Black Level.)
The 32LD350 also had a very high peak brightness: 380.08 cd/m2. Really, anything over 200 cd/m2 is just gravy, but 400 cd/m2 is what we award maximum points for (any brighter and you're just burning out your retinas). At 380 cd/m2, the 32LD350 will be bright enough to stop external light from washing out the picture and it also ensures a good amount of details in the high end. (More on how we test Peak Brightness.)
With a decent black level and high peak brightness, the 32LD350 has a higher-than-average contrast ratio. It wasn't superb, but it was definitely good. Our eyesight is based around contrast, so a higher contrast ratio is partially responsible for the level of detail in the picture. (More on how we test Contrast.)
Although the TV's black level tended to vary based on the picture being displayed, the differences weren't particularly extreme. Expect a pretty consistent black level from the 32LD350, regardless of how much black is on the screen. (More on how we test Tunnel Contrast.)
While the black level had some tiny levels of differentiation in it, the peak brightness is more or less pristine. Don't expect any crazy dimming or suddenly blown-out whites from your 32LD350. (More on how we test White Falloff.)
We didn't see any real uniformity issues on our 32LD350 unit. There was some minor flashlighting at the corners during a dark scene, but nothing obnoxious. Keep this in mind, though: a TV's uniformity can vary greatly from unit to unit, so double-check to make sure your unit has a uniform screen before you decide to keep it. (More on how we test Uniformity.)
We measured the LG 32LD350's greyscale gamma at 2.68. This is a bit aggressive: typically we like to see that slope around 2.1 or 2.2. What this means is the greyscale aggressively shifts from black to white, which can lead to a loss of details. Also, if you look towards the bottom end, you can see the curve level off slightly: this indicates a lack of differentiation between the darkest shades, which can make some dark areas look a bit flat. Overall, though, although the TV didn't have the perfect gamma results, it didn't put up a terrible performance either. (More on how we test Greyscale Gamma.)
Color Accuracy
We really don't have any complaints about the LG 32LD350's color temperature performance. It barely had any perceptible color shifts. (More on how we test Color Temperature.)
The 32LD350 had a pretty good RGB response. In the graph below, the perfect RGB curves would be perfectly even with no peaks at the end. The 32LD350 had some bumps, especially in the green and blue curves. This indicates some minor loss of detail, but nothing terribly obvious. The colors also peak out a bit at towards the higher intensities, as evidenced by the flat plateau toward the right end of the graph. This means there won't be any differentiation between very bright hues. Fortunately, the peaking only affects a small area, so you likely won't even notice the lost details. Overall, the 32LD350 had some great color accuracy. (More on how we test RGB Curves.)
Below we've graphed the 32LD350's color performance as a gradient strip. We've also included the ideal gradient and gradients from a few competitors' responses. You should look for vertical banding, which is a noticeable loss of detail, and look at where the blacks start to kick in, since that limits the total level of detail the TV can produce.
The LG 32LD350 had some issues with its color gamut. The red point and white point were pretty much spot on, but the blue and green points were shifted slightly. (More on how we test Color Gamut.)
Below we've plotted the points we measured. If you're looking at these numbers and not really sure what they mean, chances are you don't need to know what they mean and even if you did, you wouldn't care.
Motion
The LG 32LD350 didn't have any serious motion blur issues with either 1080p or 1080i content. Photos got slightly blurry as they panned around the screen: eyes blurred into ovals, the finer details of the nose were lost, and the mouth looked cartoonish. Solid blocks of color would trail shadows behind them as they moved across a grey background. Fine patterns lost a lot of contrast between their individual elements. Still, the 32LD350 performed better than many other TVs in its class. (More on how we test Motion.)
The TV didn't seem to have much artifacting, with the exception of fine patterns. Whenever a fine pattern moved around the screen, it was distorted so badly it created a flashing effect and acquired a false color.
We didn't see any major issues in our 3:2 pulldown tests. The artifacting issues with fine patterns, mentioned above, again affected picture quality, as they flashed while panning around. On our other test pattern, a pan over an empty football stadium, we noticed a vertical shudder effect over the backs of the seats. (More on how we test 3:2 Pulldown and 24fps.)
Your HDTV will likely not be limited to the TV's native resolution. Standard definition content is in 480p, DVDs play at 720p, streaming HD content is 1080i, and Blu-rays run 1080p. Since we're awesome and thorough, we test all the non-native resolutions your HDTV could feasibly display. (More on how we test Resolution Scaling.)
480p
We didn't see any issues with 480p content. We couldn't get images to be as sharp as we'd like, however, without ugly artifacting. Also, some fine patterns had a faint shimmer effect to them. Otherwise, the 32LD350 performed well on this test.
1080p
The 32LD350 had some issues with 1080p content. Fine patterns had some false coloration and looked a bit grainy.
1080i
The 32LD350 took a bit of a nose dive with 1080i playback. We saw a lot of false coloration in fine patterns, where a series of black and white stripes would somehow acquire a pale green hue. The individual elements of these patterns were sometimes utterly blurred out, so the pattern itself looked like a solid block of grey (or greyish pale green).
Viewing Effects
The LG 32LD350 supports 720p, which is a few notches below the highest HD format available. In order to watch 1080i (broadcast HD) or 1080p (Blu-ray discs), the TV will have to downscale the incoming content to fit the screen.
As you move away from sitting front and center the front of the TV, the picture's contrast will actually drop. For this test, we measure how far away from center you can sit and still be able to see at least 50% of the TV's maximum contrast ratio. The LG 32LD350 had a very shallow viewing angle, even for an LCD: once you get about 19° off-center, you'll hit that 50% mark. (More on how we test Viewing Angle.)
The LG 32LD350 tries to diffuse external light, as opposed to reflecting it. Unfortunately, the diffue effect isn't great and the TV still ends up reflecting a bit. When we shined an LED array at the screen, we were able to count all the LEDs in the array. Surrounding this reflection was a large diffuse glow with a faint cross pattern streaking away. Although this glow is very distracting during dark scenes, it wasn't terrible during moderate-to-bright ones. Also, when the light is shining on the TV from off-center, it shouldn't be much of an annoyance. The glow will be significantly minimized, and there will only be a slight reflection on the bezel. (More on how we test Reflectance.)
The 32LD350 does have a few video processing features, but we weren't particularly impressed by them. Their effects were minimal, or had unwanted side effects.
Calibration
[
](http://www.displaymate.com/)Below you'll find our calibration settings for the LG 32LD350. If you use these settings you'll probably have decent picture quality. If you want the best picture quality, you'll have to hire a professional, who will calibrate the TV specifically for your viewing environment.
The LG 32LD350 has a few video modes available, but doesn't offer up specific descriptions for any of them. You can set the TV to Vivid, Standard, Natural, Cinema, Sport, or Game. There's also two Expert modes, which allow you to customize your own settings.
Remote Control
Ergonomics & Durability*(5.60)*
The remote control for the LG 32LD350 has a decent shape and layout. There's a groove underneath for your index finger, but it's not exactly comfortable to stretch out your hand like that; you'll probably just end up shifting your grip. It's very light and well-balanced, though, so handling this thing won't exactly be arduous.
The remote does seem pretty durable. We twisted it around and could barely elicit a creak.
The button layout is smart, with most of the important functions within reach. Channel up/down, volume up/down, and the 0-9 numbers are probably the most frequently used buttons, and are all grouped together. If you want to use the menu and TV functions (i.e., changing the input or picture settings) you need to choke up on the remote, where these buttons are in another little group. That's smart, considering you're likelihood of performing one set of tasks, or another, but rarely both at the same time.
Programming & Flexibility*(1.0)*
The remote is not programmable, in the strict sense of the word. If you have other LG products that offer the 'SimpLink' feature, this remote can run double-duty for basic play/stop/rewind/fast forward functionality.
Connectivity
- 2 Composite Video
- 1 Component Video
- 1 VGA
- 2 HDMI
- 2 Analog Audio
- 2 3.5mm Audio Input
The TV has a single output port: a digital audio out.
The TV has no other networking capabilities, such as an ethernet port, wifi, or bluetooth.
The TV has a single USB port it can use to play media off a thumb drive.
The ports are located close to the TV's edge and the base can swivel. You shouldn't have any problems accessing the ports.
Audio & Menus
The 32LD350's speakers weren't bad once surround sound mode is turned on. When it's off, there's no depth to the sound at all and when it's on it sounds like normal stereo. The TV had a really weak, muddy bass response. The TV did have a decent mid-range and high-end response, however.
The 32LD350's menu system is fairly intuitive. Pressing the menu button will let you chose from one of eight different items. Selecting one will bring up a second screen, where the eight main items run down the left side and the selected menu is expanded to the right.
There's also a quick menu. This is presented like a rotary dial: left and right rotate the wheel of menu items, and up/down alter its settings. This is tehcnically quicker for changing certain items, but the rotation animation slows the process down a bit.
The 32LD350's manual really isn't great. The only thing it does well is pictures, which are very detailed and employed frequently, if they are a bit small. The table of contents is very limited, there isn't an index (although there is a brief appendix), and the pages aren't tabbed. The font size is a bit on the small side as well.
The main complaint we had, however, is it really doesn't answer a lot of questions. The manual is really only good for setting up the TV, not explaining how to use its features. We aren't entirely sure what features like Eye Care and Edge Enhancer actually do.
Multimedia & Internet
The TV has no wifi or ethernet port to connect to the internet with.
The LG 32LD350 supports photo playback from a connected USB device. The interface involves a file browser view with the option for fullscreen view. There is no slideshow option, so you'll need to move between photos with the remote. You can have music from the USB drive play in the background.
The 32LD350 can only support photo playback.
The 32LD350 doesn't have any other media features.
Power Consumption
This TV won't cost you much money. Even with the backlight at max, it will typically cost you just under $20/year. (More on how we test Power Consumption.)
Below we've compared the LG 32LD350 to a few competitors, all of which are similarly inexpensive.
Vs Sony KDL 32EX700
Value Comparison Summary
This is a budget battle. The LG costs about half what the Sony does, but doesn't offer the picture quality or feature set. If you don't mind missing out on online content and aren't a stickler for picture quality, the LG is probably the better choice for you. If you want a nicer 32-inch option, the Sony is the right pick.
**
**
Blacks & Whites
The Sony had a deeper black level and a brighter peak white, which resulted in a higher contrast ratio than the LG's.
**
Color Accuracy**
The LG had a much more stable color temperature, but the Sony had slightly more accurate color representation.
Motion
The Sony had better motion processing: it had less blurring and less artifacting.
Viewing Effects
The LG had a slightly more narrow viewing angle than the Sony.
Connectivity
The Sony has significantly more connectivity options, including twice as many HDMI ports and an ethernet port to access online content.
Vs Samsung LN32C350
Value Comparison Summary
There isn't a whole lot of difference between these two TVs. The Samsung has an ethernet port that it can't even use, so there's no online features to add to the mix. The Samsung has slightly better performance than the LG, but whether or not it's $90 better is really up to you to decide.
**
**
Blacks & Whites
The Samsung has a deeper black level, but the LG has a brighter peak white. The Samsung manages to score a slightly higher contrast ratio overall, but it's but such a relatively small margin it won't translate into much of a difference for the average viewer.
Color Accuracy
Both TVs had approximately the same color performance.
Motion
The Samsung really didn't handle motion artifacting well, and the LG had a slight advantage in
Viewing Effects
The Samsung has a wider viewing angle than the LG, but that's mainly because the LG has a horrible viewing angle; the Samsung's viewing angle isn't particularly impressive on its own.
**
Connectivity**
There aren't any major connectivity differences between these two TVs.
Vs Vizio VW32L
Value Comparison Summary
The Vizio doesn't look as good as the LG, doesn't have the same level of picture quality as the LG, and can't play back photos via USB like the LG. It does cost a bit less, however, so if you're really strapped for cash, it's worth considering. Otherwise, the LG is almost strictly better.
**
**
Blacks & Whites
The Vizio's black level was really, really bright, leading to a horrible contrast ratio. The LG easily wins this category.
Color Accuracy
The LG didn't have any problems with its color temperature, but the Vizio had a slightly more accurate color representation.
Motion
The LG had slightly less motion blur, but the Vizio didn't have as many artifacting issues.
Viewing Effects
The Vizio had a slightly larger viewing angle than the LG.
Connectivity
The LG has a USB port, which allows for media playback; the Vizio does not.
Conclusion
Series Comparison
LD350 Series
The LD350 series is mainly comprised of a bunch of smaller-sized 720p HDTVs. The 32-inch size also has a USB port for photo playback.
Meet the tester
Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.
Checking our work.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
Shoot us an email