The main appeal of the Toshiba WK3C is in its smart functions; namely, the built-in support for the Alexa voice assistant. Press it in a video app and it brings up the audio-visual settings instead of the rows of settings and apps.

The WK3C was designed with a kitchen counter in mind, especially at its smallest 24-inch size, and this compact model won’t satisfy those hoping to draw friends or family to the living room for a real movie night experience. so game mode, the other video presets, the sleep timer, etc, cannot be used if you break or lose the remote. App support includes Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, My5 and BritBox for video, along with the rest of the UK catch-up apps available in Freeview Play. Also included is the industry standard HDR10 (which all TVs must support) and HLG, primarily used for broadcasts and online streaming such as BBC iPlayer and Sky. The fact that its HDR support stretches to Dolby Vision is particularly welcome, as it shows a genuine interest in trying to give consumers a premium picture experience.However, your TV won’t require an aerial connection to attach and use external devices such as Sky, BluRay players etc. The UI is serviceable, neatly laid out into rows of features and supporting a decent number of apps including those that fall under the umbrella of Freeview Play such as BBC iPlayer and All 4; with BritBox, TikTok, Twitch, YouTube and Deezer onboard too. If wall-mounting is not a consideration (or feasible) there’s the stand to deal, which while easy to screw in, is surprisingly heavy and brings the TV’s profile down low. We certainly found dialogue very clear, with no danger of being overpowered by bassy frequencies – and the WK3C will fare best with talking head programming, dramas, and reality TV. Alexa is built-in – although annoyingly, a notification pops up asking if you want to activate it every time the TV is powered on and can’t be turned off unless you log in to Alexa.

Pay in 3 is a form of credit, may not be suitable for everyone and use may affect your credit score. It will look somewhat out of place on a dedicated media unit, but will fit in easily enough on a kitchen counter, bedroom shelf, or side-table. For a TV that only achieves 336 nits of peak brightness, the Toshiba 50UK3163DB delivers surprisingly aggressive HDR pictures.

A shot of the sky showed some definition, while other shots had a grey tinge in the corners of the screen.

Initial installation is a no-brainer, too, sticking to the basics rather than trying to sign you up to services you likely don’t want.As far as ports go, the WK3C includes a CI slot, headphone jack, USB and HDMI on the side of the TV and a Composite Video In input, satellite, antenna, Digital Audio Out (optic), Ethernet, VGA and two more HDMI ports on the back.

Don’t imagine from this, though, that you’ll be able to use it to play Xbox Series X and PS5 games in 4K 120Hz. You can have the feel of a cinema in your own home, with the Dolby Atmos producing sound solutions like no other. Our full Toshiba UL21 review praised its Dolby Vision support and strong 4K image quality, and also features a direct back light for punchier HDR, just like this model. Or that you’ll be able to enjoy variable refresh rate gaming, or the eARC HDMI loopthrough system that might have let you pass Dolby Atmos soundtracks losslessly through to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver.The night-time scenes are packed with deep, moody blacks, while daytime scenes take advantage of vibrant yellows, oranges and greens. This acts as a customisable screensaver feature when the TV is in standby mode, displaying information such as the time, weather and calendar events.