Toshiba Regza 40ZF355DB television review

19 May 2008 16:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Televisions are getting thinner than your average supermodel, but does it really make a difference to your television viewing? We plonked ourselves on the sofa to find out.

The Toshiba's main selling point to help it stand out from the crowd is that the frame that surrounds the screen is just 23mm thick. That 23mm thickness means that it's virtually non-existent and makes this set great for squeezing into a tight spot or merely trying to convince your partner you haven't just come home with a 40-inch television for your tiniest of lounges.

What real estate space the frame does take up is kept neat and tidy. Black gloss with a chrome edging while a blue light that isn't as off-putting as you might imagine adorns the front underneath the logo, although luckily you can turn it off via the menu system.

Those going for the complete minimalist look will be pleased with the included speakers that pack a decent punch thanks to involvement from stereo experts Onkyo.

But the Toshiba Regza 40ZF355DB television isn't just about looking thin. Around the back there are plenty of connections for the multimedia savvy TV watcher. Three HDMI connections get the ball rolling, while there are two SCART sockets, Composite, S-Video, Component, and VGA.

Once you've got your games console, DVD player, Sky HD box connected it’s down to the business of watching movies, and luckily for Toshiba the looks aren't just skin deep.

Featuring a Freeview tuner in the television, this will be future-proof for the digital switchover and automatic set-up means that all you will have to do is press the go button when you turn it on. Set-up is straightforward and the menu system, which allows you to customise a number of areas of the TV's performance is fairly easy to use if not a little chunky.

We tested a number of HD and SD movies as well as HD games on the PS3 on the television and the 40ZF355DB coped exceptionally well, especially with movement.

The scene where the captain dies fixing the spaceship in Sunshine (sorry to have spoilt it for you), for example, is awesome with the blacks of space contrasting against the impeding sun. Likewise a session of Burnout Paradise proved the television set can cope with high-def motion at breakneck speed.

This performance, of crisp images, black blacks, and a decent handling of motion is down to the fact that the 40ZF355DB has more technology acronyms than Sky offers television stations.

1080p, 24p with 5:5 pull down, 10-Bit processing, Active Vision M100 HD, Dynamic Gamma Curve Correction, and 30,000:1 contrast. Of course you don't really need to know what all these buzzwords mean aside from the notion that it's a good thing they're included.

Verdict

This Toshiba television might not offer you Ambilight, or 3D capabilities, or even the promise of a frame that's both pink and black at the same time, but what it does offer is a thin, stylish, and simple set that packs a punch on image quality.

If you're looking for good performance with no frills, this is definitely worth checking out.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Toshiba
Price as reviewed: £1299
Latest price: Compare prices
The good: Thin frame, picture quality, three HDMI slots
The bad: Setup menu clunky, blue light on front
Quick verdict: If you're looking for good performance with no frills, this is definitely worth checking out
Score
Winner