Acer 40-inch Google TV review

A smart TV with all the necessary features and a strong software backing doesn’t always have to burn a hole in your pockets. At least that seems to be Acer’s mantra for its new I-series of smart TVs. Available at a shade under Rs 20,000, the 40-inch smart TV we’re reviewing promises entertainment, a strong UI, and decent performance. Having used the Acer smart TV for the past couple of weeks, here’s our review. 

Acer smart TV design

Despite the low cost, the Acer television sports a contemporary design with slim bezels on all three sides. The bottom bezel is a tad thicker with the logo in the centre, but in no way does it affect the overall aesthetics of the TV. A metal rim running around the screen lends it some sturdiness and stability.  

ALSO READ: What is the difference between Google TV and Android TV?

The back panel is designed without any fuss with the power chord on one side and all the connectivity ports on the other. Speaking of which, you get two HDMI ports, two USB 2.0 ports, one LAN slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack to name a few. 

You’ll find two table stands bundled with the TV, which can be easily fitted using a screwdriver. Made of polycarbonate, they get a nice matte grey finish and are sturdy enough to hold the TV in place.

Acer smart TV display and performance

The 40-inch panel sports Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution with support for HDR10, 16.7 million colours, and 178-degree viewing angle. For its price, these specs are more than capable of producing good visuals whether you’re watching a movie, web series, wildlife documentary or a fast-paced sport like F1. Brightness levels too are adequate with the scenes visible even in a well-lit room. 

Just good visuals are never enough, and one also needs good audio quality. The smart TV has speakers onboard with up to 30W output and Dolby Audio support. What this means is that the audio can get pretty loud, especially if you’re in a small room. Having said that, the speakers do lack a bit of depth, especially when watching action movies with a lot of things happening in a scene. For a complete experience, we would recommend opting for a soundbar or a home theatre speaker setup.

Acer smart TV software

Among the talking points of the Acer smart TV is the software – it runs Google TV out-of-the-box. For those wondering, here’s an in-depth comparison between Android TVs and Google TVs. The UI is a bit different from Android for TVs, and focuses more on recommending content from various sources. These suggestions are given by AI, and get better and smarter with time the more you watch content. 

Setting up the TV via the Google Home smartphone app is a breeze, and can be completed in no time. On powering the UI for the first time, you’ll notice a handful of pre-installed OTT apps, but you can install more via the Play Store. You’ll however need to individually log into each of the app.  

Overall, the Google TV UI feels better and more mature than Android for TV. If we had to nitpick though, the UI suffers a bit from lags and that is likely to be due to the smart TV’s specs. Under the hood is a quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. But again, considering the price tag, the slightly laggy UI is a small price to pay.

Acer smart TV remote

The television’s remote control is quite handy and has all the necessary buttons at one’s reach. Apart from the standard power and playback controls, there are shortcut buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and HotStar. This remote earns a brownie point for having a mute button, which is surprisingly missing on some of the modern smart TVs. All the buttons feel sturdy and offer good tactile feedback. 

Verdict

There’s not a lot to complain about the Acer I-series smart TV, especially when you take into account its price-to-features proposition. Its sleek design makes it blend with any home décor, and Google TV makes it more than just a standard TV.  

If you’re on the lookout for a smart TV that offers good performance without breaking the bank, you should consider the Acer I-series Google TV. The series also includes other screen sizes, starting from 32-inches and going up to 75-inches.