Sharp has announced the launch of two inexpensive new TV ranges, including the FN series 4K Android TVs, and its FI series HD/Full HD series models.
The new TVs are apparently meant to be a tempting option for holiday season shoppers, with prices ranging from just £190 to £530, with most of the FN models priced at under £400. As such, they’re likely to be worth a look for anyone interested in buying an affordable living TV for Christmas or the New Year, or maybe a second-screen option for the kitchen or bedroom.
The higher-end Sharp FN series TVs certainly hope to deliver value for money, boasting a 4K UHD display that’s encased within a slim, frameless design. The sleek and stylish TVs boast Android TV, with Dolby Vision for premium pictures, a 60Hz refresh rate and brightness that goes up to 380 nits on the larger models. In terms of sound, they’re equipped with a two-channel Harman Kardon speaker system, while DTS:X and DTS Virtual:X audio processing is also on board to deliver a surround sound experience.
In terms of connectivity, the Sharp FN series TVs come with four HDMI 2.1 ports, including one that supports eARC, plus two USB ports and one Micro SD card slot. The TVs are powered by Android TV 11, which brings access to the most popular streaming services as well as Google Assistant for voice-activated commands.
The Sharp FN TVs are said to be available now in sizes ranging from 43-inches up to a maximum of 65-inches. The 43-inch model starts at £330, rising to £370 for the 40-inch model, £400 for the 55-inch version, and then a bit of a jump to £530 for the 65-inch display.
As for the Sharp FI range, these are limited to a choice of a 32-inch HD model or a 40-inch Full HD set, and they’re markedly cheaper, meaning a more limited feature set. For instance there’s an integrated HD tuner, three HDMI ports, two USB and an R45 LAN port. Chromecast is also onboard along with Google Assistant, and all of the major streaming apps.
Sharp said the FI series starts £190 for the 32-inch model, which will go on sale in January, rising to £240 for the 40-inch variant, which is on sale now.
There have been a number of similarly affordable TVs launched in recent weeks targeting the U.K. market, including TCL’s RC630K Roku QLED TVs and RCA’s own Roku TVs, which will likely compete with Sharp’s newest sets. They all appear to be genuinely competitive models with affordable prices, and they may just cause a few buyers to pause and consider if it really is worth paying more for the higher-end features offered by bigger name brands.
