Hisense A4 Hisense 32-Inch Class A4 Series HD 720p Smart Roku Review

It's a $98 TV with Roku. It does the bare minimum well. Just don't expect it to be pretty or sound good.

Look, this is a $98 TV. That's the one thing you need to know. The Hisense A4 is the definition of a budget beater, a screen you buy for a spare room, a kitchen, or a dorm where you just need something that turns on and streams. It's not here to wow you with picture quality. It's here to get the job done for less than a Benjamin, and honestly, it does that shockingly well. The Roku smart platform is the real star here, making it one of the easiest and most reliable cheap TVs to use, which is why it scores in the 90th percentile for smart features in our database.

The performance is exactly what you'd expect from the specs, which is to say, basic. The 720p resolution on a 32-inch screen is fine from across the room, but you'll notice it's not sharp if you get close. Our data puts its picture quality in the 43rd percentile, which is just okay. The real surprise, honestly, is how well the Roku OS works. It's fast, simple, and has all the apps. The audio, sitting in the 32nd percentile, is the weak spot. It's thin and lacks bass, so plan on using the headphone jack or an external speaker if you care about sound.

For $98, it's an absolute steal if your expectations are set correctly. You are not buying a home theater experience. You're buying a functional, smart display. On that metric, the value is through the roof.

Don't even think about comparing this to those $2,000 Mini-LED and OLED monsters listed. That's like comparing a scooter to a sports car. The real competition is other 32-inch budget TVs from brands like TCL or Insignia. The A4's killer advantage is Roku. Many competitors at this price use clunky, slow, or ad-filled proprietary systems. If you want the simplest smart experience on a super tight budget, this Hisense is the one. If you can stretch to $150-$200, you can find 32-inch 1080p models with slightly better picture and sound.

If you're looking for a primary TV with a great picture and sound, this isn't it. Save up another $100 and get a 1080p TCL with better speakers. Also, hardcore gamers should skip it—the response time is slow.

We recommend it, but with a giant asterisk. Buy the Hisense A4 if you need a second TV for casual watching and your budget is rock solid at around $100. The Roku system makes it painless. Do not buy this as your main living room TV. The picture and sound won't cut it. For a kitchen, garage, guest room, or kid's playroom, it's a perfect, no-fuss solution.