Finlux 32HME249S-T Review - Sound and Conclusions Review

Finlux 32HME249S-T –  Sound quality

First the good news: the 32HME249S-T’s speakers know their limitations. This means they don’t try to push themselves too had and as a result don’t succumb to nasty stuff like rattles and ‘phutting’ noises when the going gets tough. In fact, they seldom distort at all.

Nor do they sound as harsh as most budget TVs during loud sequences, and voices generally remain clear no matter how much of a maelstrom is going on around them.

While the 32HME249S-T knows its limits, it has to be said that those limits are pretty, um, limited.

It can’t get as loud as a serious movie or even game fan might like, and there’s not much sense of extension at either the bass or treble end of the spectrum. This leaves the mid-range sounding a bit thin and congested, and means the soundstage doesn’t sound particularly detailed. But I’ve certainly heard worse from slim budget TVs.

Other things to consider

While the 32HME249S-T’s main operating system runs reasonably fluidly, its smart engine is pretty sluggish by modern standards, with menus and apps taking longer to load/open than I’d like. Though on the upside Finlux’s relatively straightforward smart system did seem very stable (as in, free of crashes) during my tests.

If you’re a gamer thinking that the 32HME249S-T could make an affordable gaming monitor, you’ll be pleased to hear that using its Gaming picture preset results in a very respectable input lag measurement of just 28ms on average. Though the screen’s lack of contrast may be an issue if you’re a survival horror fan and thus likely to be playing a lot of dark games.

Should I buy a Finlux 32HME249S-T?

If £200 really is your maximum budget – which it could be if you’re thinking of a 32-inch TV for a second room – then the 32HME249S-T is worth considering so long as you only expect to use it on a fairly casual basis. If you’re after something capable of sustaining more ‘serious’, consistent use I’d advise you to spend a little more on something like the Samsung UE32J5600 or Sony 32W705C, both of which are available at the time of writing for under £290.

Verdict

While the 32HME249S-T’s sub-£200 price point will likely win it an audience and its smart features are welcome, it’s only a very average performer.

Trusted Score