SANSUI ES-24VA1-CA-1 24"

A tiny smart display with a terrible picture and sound so bad you'll need a soundbar. It's only worth it if you need a 24-inch screen for non-TV tasks.

What surprised us most is how well this thing handles being a smart monitor. The webOS interface is snappy, and connecting to Bluetooth speakers or an Android phone is painless. But the display itself is a letdown. With a 1st percentile picture quality score in our database, it's one of the worst we've seen. The 200-nit brightness and 1200:1 contrast ratio mean it looks washed out in any room with a window. The 60Hz panel and Game Mode are fine for casual use, but don't expect smooth motion. The 16W speakers are a real weak spot, multiple owners report they're thin and tinny, making a soundbar a mandatory add-on.

Stacked against a Roku Plus Series 55R6C7 or a TCL QM7L, this SANSUI is in a completely different league, and not in a good way. Those are actual TVs with 4K, decent HDR, and usable sound. Even a budget Hisense QD7 will run circles around this thing. The only reason to pick the SANSUI is if you absolutely need a 24-inch screen and nothing else fits. For the same money, a used 32-inch 1080p set from a name brand will be a massive upgrade in every way.

For the $120 to $196 this goes for, you're not getting a good TV. You're getting a functional smart display with a terrible picture and worse sound. If you just need a small screen for a workshop or to stream podcasts in the kitchen, it's fine. But for anything involving movies or gaming, the value falls apart fast. The lack of input memory alone is a dealbreaker for anyone using a cable box or streaming stick.

The SANSUI ES-24VA1-CA-1 is a tiny, cheap smart TV that punches above its weight in one specific area: it's a surprisingly decent desktop monitor or kitchen screen. At 24 inches with a 768p resolution, it's not trying to be your living room centerpiece. It's for a dorm room, a camper, or a spot where you just need something that works. The built-in webOS and Chromecast are genuinely handy, and setup is dead simple. But let's be real, the picture quality is near the bottom of the barrel, and the sound is so bad you'll need a soundbar from day one.

If you're looking for a TV to watch movies or play games, this isn't it. Go get a used 32-inch 1080p set from a brand like TCL or Samsung instead. You'll get a much better picture and sound for the same money.

Skip it unless you have a very specific, undemanding use case. The SANSUI ES-24VA1-CA-1 is a cheap smart display that fails at the basics of being a TV. The picture is bad, the sound is worse, and the input memory bug will drive you nuts. If you just need a small screen for a spreadsheet or a security camera feed, it'll do. For anything else, save your money or buy a used name-brand set.