Toshiba WK3C review: a cheap TV with smart features you didn't know you needed

This Toshiba WK3C review is aimed at those on the hunt for one of the best 32-inch TVs. Building on the Toshiba WK3A, the previous model, with improved sound and enhanced picture quality, it’s a decent 32-inch set with plenty of extra smart features packed in. 

Given how affordable it is, you can’t expect the knock-out image quality or the surround sound you’d get from the best TVs you can buy. What you can expect though, is a colourful screen, plenty of volume and a whole host of smart features giving you an easy-to-use, pleasurable-to-watch TV well suited to your kitchen or bedroom.

In this Toshiba WK3A review, find out everything you need to know about this TV from its picture and sound quality to its extra features and design. Ultimately, this should help you decide if this is the right TV for you, or not.  

Toshiba WK3C review: price and features

Available to buy now from a number of retailers, the Toshiba WK3C will set you back around £200 in the UK. Take a look at the widgets on this page for more information on pricing and where you can buy one. You can also buy it as a 24-inch set for about £180.

A 32inch 720p HD ready TV, the Toshiba WK3C comes with smart features built-in like quick access to streaming services including Netflix and Amazon Prime as well as other music, video, TV and social media apps. You’ll also be able to use it alongside your Amazon Alexa smart devices, it has a far-field microphone built-in to the front which lets you summon the assistant and control the TV by voice. 

The screen supports HDR10 which means you’ll get accurate and bright picture quality across your favourite video content. Then, when it comes to the sound it has Dolby Audio Processing which enhances the quality and power you get from the built-in speakers. 

When it comes to connectivity you get three HDMIs (one with ARC), VGA, USB, an optical digital audio output and a headphone jack, as well as an ethernet port. 

Toshiba WK3C review: picture quality  

The Toshiba WK3C manages to deliver colours quite well. The bars across the top and bottom of films are a deep, dark black while whites come out light and bright. 

When it comes to other colours, they were vivid, even too much so occasionally. The Netflix logo is a vibrant blood red while the green of the grass in lawn tennis comes out even more forcefully than in real life. The majority of the time, the vibrancy of the display is a good thing, adding a bit of oomph to the on-screen content. However in saying that, at times it does make it look a little over-the-top and unrealistic. It’s great for an affordable TV to pay attention to colour though, often they can come across as dull and muted.

There are four different picture modes, including Natural, Dynamic, Cinema and Sports, although there wasn’t much difference between them. You can also change the contrast level, sharpness and you can tone down the colours. 

One problem I did notice with the display was its brightness levels, it didn’t quite go high enough to be visible when the sun is shining into the room, even when you physically adjust it in the TV’s settings. You’ll also find that it sometimes lacks precision and clarity, it’s most noticeable with a lot of text on the screen but it’s not glaringly obvious most of the time. 

All things considered though, this TV has pretty good picture quality for a set that is so cheap. You'll be pleasantly surprised. 

 Toshiba WK3C review: sound quality 

I was really impressed by how much power there is behind the sound from the Toshiba WK3C. I rarely needed to turn the volume up more than 30%. It’s not quite as balanced, bassy or immersive as you’d get with a dedicated soundbar but considering these are speakers built into a £200 TV, you won’t have any complaints. 

From the settings menu, you get a choice of audio post-processing, you can switch Dolby Audio to Smart, Music, Movie or News. Or choose to use DTS Virtual X instead, which has a few different sound modes being Music, Cinema and Sports. 

If you’re using it in a living room you can use an HDMI ARC soundbar with it which will always be the preferred option, but its built-in speakers do a good enough job for a kitchen or bedroom. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity so you can hook up a wireless speaker to it as well. 

Toshiba WK3C review: design and usability  

Keeping things pretty simple when it comes to design, the Toshiba WK3C has slim plastic black bezels and a silver bar along the bottom with the Toshiba logo, power button and far-field microphones. Setting it up was easy, you just screw the stand into the back and then do the same with the base before plugging it in and switching it on, it’s also VESA wall mount compatible. The initial setup is easy to do yourself because it only weighs 7kg all in all. 

The TV comes with a large IR remote, the big buttons are well spaced out and firm to press. The layout is intuitive and gives you direct access to some streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video and Freeview Play. Given this TV has Amazon Alexa built-in, it would have been beneficial to have a dedicated button on the remote to summon the voice assistant or voice search in apps but that hasn’t been included here.

This TV has loads of useful smarts. The main user interface gives you access to all of the main catch up services including the usual Netflix and Prime Video as well as YouTube, Twitch and Rakuten TV and UK-specific ones like Britbox. The Freeview Play app incorporates catch up services from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. It’s all relatively easy to access by clicking the Home button on the remote, although admittedly it doesn’t always work when you’re on different sources like HDMI. The system isn’t as nice to use as say, Roku or Android TV but it does what you need it to just fine. 

What’s really clever is that this TV recognises what type of device you’ve got plugged in and labels it as such, so when you’re switching between sources you won’t have to click through each one to find your device. Some tech, like PlayStations for instance, can actually be controlled using the included IR remote as well as its usual controller.

Having Amazon Alexa built-in is a massive plus point - it means this TV can be integrated into your smart home set up and can be controlled by voice. This is particularly well suited to be used in the kitchen so you can mute the volume or pause the catch-up service while you have mucky hands from cooking. You’ll also be able to use your TV as a smart display to ask questions and receive an answer both audibly and visually, for instance, if you want to know the weather forecast. It’s a feature you didn’t know you needed. There is one minor downside to it, when you summon Alexa with the TV turned off, it’ll automatically switch itself on so you’ll have to be careful not to leave the set powered on by mistake.

Toshiba WK3C review: verdict 

The Toshiba WK3C is a small cheap TV that is sure to tick a lot of boxes for you. While the quality of the 720p screen isn’t perfect, it is good enough at this price, and being HDR10 ready means you’ll be able to make the most out of shows from apps like Netflix. 

It’s great to have an easy way to watch your favourite streaming and catch up services without plugging in an extra piece of kit, but the feature that's really worth knowing about is Amazon Alexa. The far-field microphones work well to pick up your voice every single time and it seamlessly integrates the TV with the rest of your smart home. On top of that, being able to control the TV by voice is very practical, especially if you plan to use it in the kitchen. 

Toshiba WK3C review: also consider  

If you’re willing to spend a little more, the Sony WE61 is another fantastic 32inch TV. It has sharper images, more accurate colours and Sony packs it all into a sleek, stylish design. While it may not be as comprehensive as other TVs' operating systems, you can still stream all of your favourite shows from Netflix, Prime Video and all the UK catch-up services. 

Do you use Google’s voice assistant at home? You can use your Google Assistant smart speakers to control the TCL 32ES568 because it has Android TV to stream shows and movies. It’s a well laid out, intuitive and efficient system. The picture quality isn’t quite as good as on the Toshiba WK3C but the TCL 32ES568 is even more budget-friendly. 

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