Hisense 32A4K 32 inch TV: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The Hisense 32A4K is a 32-inch smart TV that was released in 2022. Part of Hisense's budget-friendly A-Series lineup, this TV aims to deliver a solid 4K viewing experience and smart capabilities at an affordable price point.

With its minimalist design and smaller 32-inch screen size, the 32A4K is well-suited to secondary rooms like bedrooms, dorms, and offices where you don't necessarily need an immersive home theater experience. The TV still supports 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR for enhanced color and contrast when streaming 4K content. Key features include built-in Google Assistant for hands-free voice control, Chromecast for casting content from your mobile device, and support for popular streaming apps.

Overall, the Hisense 32A4K provides a great balance of performance, features and value in a compact package. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the design, display quality, audio, smart features, connectivity, remote, and real-world performance to help you decide if it's the right fit for your needs.

Design

The Hisense 32A4K has an attractive, minimalist design that blends into most living room decors. It measures 28.5 x 17.2 x 3.1 inches without the stand, and weighs just 10.4 pounds, making it relatively lightweight and easy to move or mount.

The bezels surrounding the display are slim and discreet, maximizing the screen area on the front. The overall chassis has a thin, streamlined profile. The stand has a classic two-legged design with sleek tapered legs positioned near the edges. The stand provides stability while leaving room for placing a soundbar or other devices in front of the TV. Some may prefer wall-mounting for a cleaner, floating look.

Overall, the 32A4K pulls off a simple yet elegant design that should appeal to most buyers in this price range. The slim bezels and lightweight build make it well-suited for bedrooms, kitchens, dorm rooms and other secondary locations.

The minimalist aesthetic allows the 32A4K to blend in discreetly wherever you choose to place it. It won't stick out like a sore thumb or dominate a room the way some flashy, aggressively styled TVs do. If you want a TV that doesn't call too much attention to itself, the no-frills design of the 32A4K is a plus.

In contrast, the RCA RTR3261 32-inch TV has a much more utilitarian, budget-focused design. It lacks the sleek, refined aesthetics of the Hisense model. The RCA has thicker plastic bezels and a bulkier chassis that just doesn't look as modern or elegant.

Additionally, the stand design on the RCA is more basic - just two wideset plastic feet without any styling flair. This stand is sturdy enough but looks clunky compared to the graceful, tapered legs on the Hisense stand. Overall, the RCA RTR3261's design comes across as cheaply made and undesigned.

For buyers who want a TV that makes a design statement and looks like it belongs in a nicely decorated living space, the more refined, slender form factor of the Hisense 32A4K is definitely preferable over the plasticky build of the budget RCA model.

Of course, aesthetics are subjective. Those who just want a usable TV with decent picture quality and don't care much about design nuances may find the no-frills RCA model good enough. But side by side, it's clear the Hisense offers superior styling and a more premium look that many buyers will appreciate.

Display

The Hisense 32A4K features a 32-inch screen size with a 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 resolution, delivering four times the resolution of Full HD for crisp picture clarity and detail.

It utilizes an advanced LED-backlit LCD panel, which provides vibrant colors, deep blacks and high brightness. The TV has a measured peak brightness of around 300 nits, making it suitable for most room lighting conditions. However, those looking for the ultimate in HDR performance may want a brighter display.

Viewing angles on the 32A4K are fairly wide, with a rated 178-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angle. This allows for decent picture quality retention even when viewing from off-center seats. The TV also includes special viewing modes like Filmmaker Mode which disables motion smoothing and presents movies as intended by directors.

Overall, the display quality of the 32A4K is very good for the price. The 4K resolution gives sharp imagery, and the direct LED backlighting helps with contrast. The TV hits all the right notes for casual TV watching and streaming. Gamers and videophiles may desire higher brightness or more advanced display technologies.

When comparing the Hisense 32A4K to other 32-inch 4K TVs, the SAMSUNG UN32N5300AFXZA is a top competitor. The Samsung UN32N5300AFXZA also has a 32-inch screen with 3840 x 2160 4K resolution. It uses an edge-lit LED backlight and has a peak brightness around 250 nits, so again good for normal rooms but not the brightest.

One advantage of the Samsung is that it supports HDR10 high dynamic range content, while the Hisense 32A4K does not. This gives the Samsung better contrast and color for HDR-mastered movies and shows. The Samsung also has lower input lag, making it a better choice for gaming. It includes gaming features like auto low latency mode and variable refresh rate support.

On the other hand, the Hisense 32A4K is usually a bit cheaper than the Samsung equivalent. It also has slightly better gray uniformity with fewer dark patches in the corners. The Hisense includes Filmmaker Mode while the Samsung does not. So for movie purists, the color accuracy of the Hisense may be preferable.

Both TVs use smart platforms powered by Roku TV, giving access to thousands of streaming apps. They both have basic 60Hz refresh rates without any enhancement for motion. And they both support the major HDR formats of HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision once fed an HDR signal.

Overall, the Hisense 32A4K and the Samsung UN32N5300AFXZA are very comparable 32-inch 4K LED TVs. The Samsung is the better choice for gaming and HDR content, while the Hisense is often less expensive and offers good performance for casual TV watching. Both are great values that make 4K resolution more accessible.

Audio Quality

The Hisense 32A4K comes equipped with decent built-in speakers that provide sufficient audio for everyday TV watching. It has a 2.0 channel speaker configuration with 2x 8W speakers generating a total sound output of 16W.

While the maximum volume is reasonably loud, the audio lacks bass and sounds tinny at higher volumes. The speakers are able to handle regular TV shows, movies and gaming audio well enough. But for a truly immersive audio experience, connecting the TV to a soundbar or speaker system via the Digital Optical Audio Out port is recommended.

For sound formats, the Hisense 32A4K supports Dolby Audio which provides a slight boost to overall audio clarity and depth. The TV decodes the common Dolby Digital Plus codec, allowing playback of Dolby Atmos content from compatible streaming apps. DTS audio formats are not supported.

Smart TV Features

The Hisense 32A4K comes loaded with smart TV features powered by the Google TV operating system. This provides access to popular streaming apps, voice control, and smart home integration.

At the heart of the TV is a quad-core processor that keeps everything running smoothly. You'll be able to quickly launch apps and switch between them without lag.

For streaming, Google TV gives you access to all the major services like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, and more. Just log in to your accounts to get started. There's also support for Apple Airplay so you can easily cast content from Apple devices.

With built-in Google Assistant, you can use your voice to search for movies and shows, get recommendations, and control smart home devices. The TV has far-field microphones so it can pick up voice commands from anywhere in the room.

Other notable smart features include Chromecast built-in for wirelessly casting content from mobile devices, parental controls to restrict viewing, and Works with Alexa support.

Overall, the wide range of smart capabilities powered by Google TV elevates this TV above a basic display. You get an intuitive interface and seamless access to tons of entertainment.

Ports & Connectivity

The Hisense 32A4K comes with a solid array of ports and connectivity options. On the back of the TV you'll find:

• 3 HDMI ports - The HDMI ports support HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) on HDMI port 1, allowing you to send audio from the TV back out to a sound system connected via HDMI. The TV supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all ports.

• 2 USB ports - The USB ports allow you to connect external devices like hard drives and flash drives to play media files, or plug in a USB webcam for video chatting. One port is USB 2.0 and the other is USB 3.0 for faster data transfer.

• Ethernet port - For the most reliable wired internet connection, you can connect the TV to your home network via ethernet.

• Dual band WiFi - The 32A4K includes built-in WiFi supporting the latest dual band wireless standards. Setup is easy during initial configuration.

• Bluetooth - Using Bluetooth you can pair wireless headphones, speakers or other audio devices to the TV for private listening. Bluetooth peripherals like gaming controllers or keyboards can also connect wirelessly.

The connectivity options on the 32A4K provide ample ports for most home entertainment needs. The inclusion of HDMI 2.1 and USB 3.0 ensures you'll be able to take advantage of the latest standards and bandwidth speeds.

Remote Control

The Hisense 32A4K comes with a minimalist remote control that is intuitive and easy to use. The remote has a sleek, thin design and comfortably fits in your hand.

There are basic buttons for power, volume, channel changing, input selection, and quick access buttons for popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video. The number buttons are laid out in a familiar pattern that makes channel surfing easy.

One of the highlights of the remote is the built-in Google Assistant voice control. You can press the Google Assistant button and speak commands to launch apps, search for content, control smart home devices, and more. The voice recognition works well and makes navigating the TV simple and hands-free.

The remote connects to the TV via Bluetooth so you don't have to worry about pointing it directly at the TV. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback and aren't prone to accidental presses. Overall, the remote has an excellent design and smart voice control features that make it a pleasure to use.

Performance

The Hisense 32A4K delivers very good overall picture quality and motion handling for its price range. The 4K Ultra HD resolution and support for HDR10 provide a sharp, detailed picture with vibrant colors.

The VA panel exhibits deep black levels for nice contrast, though it lacks the wide viewing angles of IPS panels. It handles fast motion very well, with an effective 60Hz refresh rate and backlight flicker at 60Hz to reduce blur.

For an entry-level 4K TV, the 32A4K also does a decent job upscaling lower resolution content to 4K. It can't match the upscaling capabilities of more expensive TVs, but HD/SD video looks acceptably smooth and detailed.

HDR performance is fairly good for this price range. The 32A4K delivers expanded dynamic range and vivid color in HDR mode. Highlights pop and shadows remain inky black. However, peak brightness is limited compared to premium 4K HDR TVs, so the HDR effect isn't as impactful. Still, it's good HDR quality considering the price.

Overall, the picture quality and motion handling of the 32A4K significantly outperforms other 32-inch TVs in its class. The addition of 4K resolution and HDR support make this budget TV seem like a premium model. It packs great performance into an affordable 32-inch package.

Pros & Cons of the Hisense 32A4K TV

Pros:

• Sleek and modern design with thin profile and metallic frame/stand
• Sharp 4K Ultra HD display with HDR support and Dolby Vision
• Easy to setup and use Google TV interface
• Built-in Google Assistant allows for voice controls
• Comes with voice remote control
• Good selection of ports such as HDMI, USB
• Decent audio with Dolby Atmos support
• Affordable price point for a 32" 4K TV

Cons:

• No advanced gaming features
• Limited HDR performance
• Mediocre viewing angles
• Only 60Hz refresh rate
• Sound quality could be better
• Remote feels plasticky
• Lacks some smart TV app support

Conclusion

The Hisense 32A4K is an impressive budget 32-inch 4K smart TV that punches above its weight. For the price, you're getting great value with the crisp 4K resolution and vibrant colors produced by the UHD panel. The built-in Android TV interface also gives you access to a wide array of streaming apps.

The 32A4K particularly shines when it comes to gaming performance. The low input lag and Auto Low Latency mode make this a very responsive TV well-suited for fast-paced console or PC games. It also handles motion very well.

On the audio side, the sound is merely passable for a TV this size. You'll definitely want to add a soundbar to get an immersive audio experience. The lack of advanced local dimming results in blacks that could be deeper, but that's expected for an entry-level 4K TV.

Overall, the Hisense 32A4K is easy to recommend if you're looking for a small 4K smart TV with great gaming performance at an affordable price point. The picture quality punches well above typical 720p 32-inch TVs. If you have the budget for it, the additional features of QLED and full array local dimming on higher-end Hisense models would provide an even better viewing experience. But for most buyers, the 32A4K hits a sweet spot of price and performance.