The Insignia 39″ 1080P 120Hz LED HDTV is an affordable choice if you're looking for a large LED HDTV.
With technology becoming more advanced, TV prices have fallen dramatically especially when it comes to the models that are 32″ or bigger. Only a few years ago, you couldn't get a 32″ 720P Plasma HDTV for under $600 and now they have models like the Insignia 39″ 1080 120Hz LED HDTV for under $375. As you probably realized by now, I'm going to be discussing this Insignia 39″ 1080 120Hz LED model in today's review. I'll touch on my experiences using this model on a daily for a little over a week now and give you my honest thoughts on the product.
After unboxing the Insignia HDTV, I realized the stand needed to be assembled. This was not a huge issue as it is fairly common for HDTVs nowadays mainly due to the small size of the product box. The process involved screwing the neck piece into the stand then screwing the combination of the two (neck+stand) into the back of the TV. This was a bit of a pain as I needed to go locate the right screwdriver and screw in 8 individual screws in order to finish the assembly. What was more annoying was the need to lay the TV face down in order to be able to properly screw the base into the rear. It was an uncomfortable experience considering it was a brand new, perfect condition screen that I did not want to get damaged or scratched just through the assembly process. Luckily, I was able to lay the TV down on a plush dog bed and successfully attach the stand without causing any damage to the screen.
In terms of the TV's cosmetic appeal and design, it is more appealing than I expected which I based off on my experience with prior Insignia models. The glossy black finish and a fairly slim profile were nice though not comparable to the ultra-thin Samsung UN40ES6150F 40″ LED HDTV that I had previously reviewed. The stand is very boxy and though less appealing, it does a good job keeping the TV stable and away from risks of accidentally falling over. The bezel around the screen is also fairly slim which adds to the appeal and is not something you typically see in most Insignia models so it was a nice surprise.
There are inputs found on both the rear and the side of the TV. On the rear you will find an audio out, a USB port, 2 HDMI ports, and a component input. On the side, you will find another HDMI port, a VGA port, coaxial (cable) input, optical audio out, and a composite input. Now, I noticed some mistakes in comparison to the displayed specs of this model on the Best Buy website. According to their site, this TV is supposed to include only 2 HDMI ports (has 3) and is supposed to include DVI input which is does not. This is a pretty big discrepancy that I'm assuming is just a mistake on Best Buy's end, but still can be misleading.
The screen is LED and packs a punch being capable of outputting a full 1080P image. When I first tested out the TV's picture it was extremely fuzzy and you could barely make out individuals on the screen. When I turned off the ‘eco mode' which is meant to save power, it finally cleared up and showed images as it should. From my experience, I'd say the picture quality was mediocre and definitely not as sharp as the other TVs I've tested recently though keep in mind this model is hundreds cheaper than the others so I did need to lower my standards. The color ranges and depths were average, but satisfying enough for the total price paid. I did notice the picture performance when viewing dark or dimly lit scenes is was pretty terrible so keep that in mind if this type of thing will bug you.
The sound quality as with most HDTVs is far from great so you'll be better off investing in an aftermarket sound system if you're looking to dedicate this TV for gaming or watching movies. I did do quite a bit of gaming using this TV as I was testing the new Walking Dead: Survival Instinct game (review coming tomorrow). Through my experience using the TV's built-in ‘game mode', I was surprisingly satisfied with it's performance. Sure, the picture quality and sound aren't so great, but the picture held up to the fast-paced gameplay without any noticeable stuttering or ghosting going on which I had sort of expected due to such a low price tag.
In the end, I found the Insignia 39″ 1080 120Hz LED HDTV to be a reasonable buy mainly due to its low price tag. The picture & sound quality are not top notch by any means, but if you're on a budget you will not find another similarly sized LED HDTV with a 1080P 120Hz screen in the same price range. For the average consumer, this HDTV will probably satisfy you're needs, but if you're picky about your audio and video quality or have more money to spend then you should be looking at bigger and better models like the Samsung UN40ES6150F 40″ LED HDTV.
