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The 40L3453DB is essentially a 40-inch TV at a no-frills price that actually offers a few frills! These include a passable smart TV system complete with some video streaming sources; multimedia playback via USB and DLNA; and picture technology that includes a pseudo 200Hz engine and a full HD resolution.
It's also well connected for its money, with three HDMIs doing HD video duties rather than the two you might have expected. Best of all, although its pictures don't truly excel in any department they do avoid most of the horrors commonly associated with budget TVs.
Just don't expect much from its sound, and be prepared to be patient if you regularly use the sluggish smart features.
We liked
Picture quality is decently above average for a budget TV, and the set is unusually rich in smart features for its level of the market. Which adds up to some good value overall.
We disliked
Its audio is flimsy, its smart features are sluggish and lack a few key video on demand services. The viewing angle is limited, its screen isn't especially bright, and its build quality is very basic.
Verdict
While it's certainly no classic TV, Toshiba's 40L3453DB fulfils its brief. It provides cash-strapped buyers – or people after a cheap screen for a second room – with more features, more picture quality and, given the Toshiba name, more peace of mind than you'll commonly find at the sub-£400 price level.
