List Price: $1,799.99 Sale Price: Too low to display. Availability: unspecified Amazon Users Rating:

In a market full of competition, the Toshiba 55SL417U doesn’t stand out in the crowd as much as the manufacturer may have hoped. With mid-range price, average image quality, less than accurate colors and acceptable saturation, this LED TV doesn’t seem to keep up with its HDTV peers.

The Positives – If you plan on having your television in a brightly lit room, the matte screen works well in that environment. The price is within reason for a set of this level, especially when you add in its more unique factors such as the built-in wifi (great for streaming movies and shows through services like Netflix) and rather thin profile. The set is quite energy efficient. One test completed by a major electronics website noted that it consumed 63.6 watts per hour when turned on, and none when powered off. The menu system used by the Toshiba is well thought out and planned, and includes setup for the streaming programs Netflix and Vudu. The audio controls include a volume leveler which can control the volume when what is being played on the television is louder than the previous audio, such as when commercials are louder than the associated show.

The Negatives – One of the most common complaints for the Toshiba 55SL417U are issues with the colors. The black levels changed depending on the scene being shown due to the backlight fluctuations. When focus groups were shown DVDs and Blu-Rays on the television, the overall consensus was that the videos looked a bit oversaturated, and there was significant stuttering in the diagonal panning tests completed. The television does not have 3D capabilities. The accuracy of the colors and the saturation value left much to be desired. The edges of the screen are brighter than the center. The placement of the ports create problems when trying to attach thicker cables. The sound level produced by the internal speakers is quieter than that of its competitors, and support for web media is lacking in some areas.

The Toshiba 55SL417U may be a middle-of-the road television for those who aren’t looking for an entertainment piece with all the bells and whistles. This would be a good deal for someone if they could find it less than the manufacturer’s retail price, but if you are going to pay the full rate for this unit, you may want to have a closer look at the competition’s televisions.