Verdict
The Toshiba 43UF3D is an honest low cost sensible TV with a broadly constant and acceptable image for the value, making it an excellent TV for informal use in a bed room or research.
Execs
- Alexa Voice Distant
- Premium HDR assist
- Micro dimming
Cons
- Fundamental audio system
- Fireplace TV pushes Amazon content material
- Distinction might be higher
- Design isn’t handy for including a soundbar
-
ManagementComes with the Alexa Voice Distant for voice management -
HDRHelps HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR -
Dolby AtmosSuitable with eARC commonplace to assist Dolby Atmos soundbars
Introduction
The Toshiba 43UF3D presents a tempting marriage of {hardware} and software program, with a low-cost Toshiba show that runs Amazon’s widespread Fireplace TV platform.
That is the primary time Toshiba has shipped screens with the Fireplace TV OS within the UK, providing an improve from the Toshiba Good Portal.
The UF3D launched at £349 for a 43-inch measurement, although it’s as low cost as £279 at Amazon – and the remaining 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch sizes retailing for £329, £369 and £449 respectively on the time of overview.
For anybody who’s used a Fireplace TV or Fireplace TV streaming stick earlier than, you’ll be proper at house – although even this price range tv has a couple of sensible options up its sleeve you won’t count on at this worth vary.
I’ve seen some contradictory specs for this TV on the market at completely different retailers, however be assured that we’ve obtained the right particulars, direct from Toshiba, all on this overview.
Design
- Pointless TV stand
- Shiny LED indicator
- Fundamental, useful construct
The Toshiba 43UF3D sports activities a comparatively easy design, with a thick black bezel and plastic casing that will likely be acquainted to anybody who’s gone looking for a sub-£500 TV earlier than.
The TV stand is what makes this appear like a Toshiba TV. The dimensions and weight of this 43-inch display actually doesn’t require a central stand, but Toshiba has opted for an oblong gray stand to maintain issues steady. It takes up a bit of extra counter area than an everyday pair of toes, then – 24.9cm deep, fairly than the display’s tighter 8.1cm depth – and nor does it elevate the display excessive above the bottom for these trying to connect a soundbar to this display.
The rear of the TV is about up for wall-mounting with a 100 x 100mm VESA wall mount, although, in case you’d fairly sidestep the counter and dangle it up nearer to your eye degree.
Toshiba’s trademark LED indicator can be on full present right here – with a vivid ring that’s a bit of extra outstanding, if not obtrusive, than you’d count on. It may be a little bit of an eyesore, whether or not the TV is turned off (purple) or on (inexperienced).
Options
- Measures 56.7 x 97.3 x 24.9cm
- Headphone socket and Bluetooth
- Amazon’s Fireplace TV platform
Ports embody a pair of USB inputs, and three HDMI inputs for connecting video games consoles or Blu-ray gamers. Nevertheless, a type of HDMI inputs is the most recent HDMI 2.1 commonplace, supporting eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) for passing by way of lossless audio to a appropriate soundbar, which is a pleasant perk at this worth. There’s no assist for 4K/120Hz variable refresh charges although, in case you have been questioning.
Different options embody Bluetooth connectivity, and a headphone socket for hooking up a pair of wired headphones – one thing you could be extra prone to do for a compact 43-inch measurement.
The standout characteristic right here is Amazon’s Fireplace TV platform, although, this being the primary time Toshiba has shipped a Fireplace TV show within the UK. It’ll be acquainted to anybody who’s used a Fireplace TV streaming stick, with a easy sufficient format, nice Alexa integration, and a complete load of adverts for Amazon Prime or affiliated content material.
The Amazon Freevee service is featured fairly prominently right here, providing free ad-supported programming in addition to a pattern of the Amazon Prime Video library, for many who haven’t but dedicated to a Prime subscription.
The Alexa Voice Distant can be a pleasure, that includes a voice management button that you just maintain down as a way to summon the Alexa assistant. Whilst you don’t get ‘hands-free’ voice management, per se, it’s an intuitive and privacy-safe method to make use of voice instructions – and a greater answer than Toshiba Join, a plug-in Alexa mic the corporate beforehand trialled in a couple of TV fashions.
The distant additionally packs in a full numerical keypad, playback/quantity controls, and shortcuts for the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Freeview Play.
Image High quality
- First rate brightness for the value
- Restricted distinction
- Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR assist
The Toshiba 43UF3D doesn’t have an excessive amount of to work with, given its worth – it is a fairly fundamental LED panel, with a 50Hz body fee, that does what it may with the elements given to it.
The direct backlight actually helps issues, permitting for a fairly constant brightness output in comparison with what a less expensive edge-lit system can be able to. I discovered that peak brightness is mostly set round 380 nits for many image modes however can soar as much as 460 nits on Vivid – you’ll be sacrificing a bit of tonal accuracy, however the possibility is there if what you actually need is a brighter display.
Toshiba’s TRU Micro Dimming permits for a bit of brightness variation throughout the display, and the assessments I carried out confirmed that the UF3D has fairly good color accuracy throughout the board – although little question a extra superior native dimming characteristic would have helped deepen black tones, which frequently present up as gray.
However to the attention, the shortage of distinction stops any colors popping on their very own – and tones can appear to mix a bit of collectively. When watching the most recent season of Stranger Issues, the pale pores and skin of a kid actor and the medical hospital partitions virtually appear to merge into the identical sickly color.
I’ve few large complaints concerning the image, aside from that the processor used right here typically favors foreground objects, and this implies live-action scenes typically appear like they’re in opposition to a inexperienced display, with actors trying a bit of indifferent from their environment.
One notable characteristic is Dolby Imaginative and prescient – a dynamic HDR format supported by Netflix and sometimes discovered on 4K Blu-rays, which makes use of further metadata to tweak your TV’s brightness and color output. You received’t be getting a high-end HDR expertise with the 43UF3D’s panel and lighting array, however Dolby Imaginative and prescient assist will enhance the tone mapping of appropriate content material to get a bit of nearer to the filmmaker’s intent.
Sound High quality
- Minimal audio output
- Dolby Atmos compatibility
- Two-channel system
Toshiba continues its long-running collaboration with Onkyo, which provides the built-in sound system right here, with a pair of 8W stereo audio system that supply the minimal of what’s anticipated for a TV of this worth. The audio is completely fantastic, if a bit of flat, and naturally missing within the sort of audio element or immersion anticipated in additional premium screens.
Fortunately, there’s a get-out clause: Dolby Atmos. The UF3D is technically appropriate with the premium three-dimensional audio commonplace, that means that in case you hyperlink up a Dolby Atmos-capable speaker, you’ll have the ability to hear its full impact – simply don’t count on an Atmos expertise from the built-in drivers right here.
Regardless of a most 16W output, the display can attain an honest quantity. Simply be warned that the shortage of separation in a two-channel system like that is much more obvious at larger volumes, and audio objects can get a bit of muddied because of this. Various sensible audio settings may help, boosting both bass response or highlighting dialogue, although their relevance will rely upon the sort of content material you’re enjoying by way of your TV.
Newest offers
Must you purchase it?
You need an inexpensive TV with audio potential: If in case you have present audio equipment that may make use of the UF3D’s Atmos compatibility, and don’t need to pay a fairly penny for the display, this might be a great purchase for you.
You need a greater HDR TV: This Toshiba display doesn’t have fairly the colour gamut or lighting management to push HDR photos to their greatest, although the presence of Dolby Imaginative and prescient helps issues barely.
Ultimate Ideas
The Toshiba 43UF3D is a decently low cost sensible TV with a broadly constant and acceptable image for the value – perfect for informal use in a bed room or research. HDMI eARC and Dolby Atmos assist makes it a wise selection for somebody who already has some succesful audio gear, too, and the Alexa Voice Distant is a much better accent that the Toshiba Join peripherals of outdated.
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We check each tv we overview totally over an prolonged time period. We use trade commonplace assessments to check options correctly. We’ll all the time inform you what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to overview a product.
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Examined with actual world use
FAQs
The Toshiba UF3D doesn’t declare to assist VRR, and thus wouldn’t be able to refresh charges larger than 60Hz in any case.
