Friday, March 29, 2024

REVIEW | Xtreme Smart Series 43-inch LED TV

Today we’re going to be taking a look at the 43-inch Xtreme Smart Series LED TV. Xtreme is a Philippine-based home appliance and home entertainment brand from the Suntouch Technology Corporation. The brand’s focus is to provide high-quality products at affordable prices.

Features and Setup

Once powered on, the initial setup is quick and intuitive, with a wizard that walks you through the Language, Region, Network, and Channel scan. 

The Xtreme Smart TV comes pre-loaded with Netflix and YouTube; again on the first launch, you’re required to sign in, but after a 1-time setup you’re good to go.

The remote has dedicated buttons to launch the respective apps. Connected to just a power outlet and the home Wi-Fi network, in a matter of minutes it was up and running

Connectivity includes two HDMI and two USB ports on the rear, which is sufficient if you don’t plan to connect multiple devices to it. But if you have a set-top box, a game console, and a DVD or Bluray player, the two HDMI ports may be a limitation.

Design and Aesthetics

The Xtreme Smart TV is aimed at being utilitarian and does not let the price escalate on account of aesthetics. Do not expect an ultra-thin panel or a head-turning design. Rather it’s a good-looking TV, with noticeable bezels around the screen, and a relatively unspectacular thickness. The speaker is at the bottom with the Xtreme logo in the middle.

Included in the package are a wall mount, a pair of feet for placement on a table, a remote with batteries, and some documentation.

The unit is light and can be easily moved around even if you’re doing it alone. Gone are the days of it being a two-person job.

Performance

Out of the box the TV is set to the Standard preset, which has the contrast too high. Reds look unnatural, especially on skin; pores being overemphasized. The Movie preset, on the other hand, is a lot more realistic. Even content on Netflix such as Money Heist or Big Bang Theory looked unpleasant on the Standard preset.

The panel is an IPS, with a full high-definition resolution of 1080p. Viewing angles were good, and even at 45 degrees colors remained acceptable. I tested it while watching BoJack Horseman from a USB hard drive, and even seated far away and off-angle, it made for a decent viewing experience. 

The TV is marketed to have Linux, so I’d imagine that the UI/OS is Linux-based. This is not something you’ll directly experience or get to tinker with as a user.

While Netflix’s performance was acceptable, I often found that YouTube took way too long to load.

Also, though connected to my YouTube account, the suggestions and subscriptions didn’t seem to work properly. This meant a frustrating search every time to find my usual content. Scrolling through the menus on the app also experienced a bit of a lag. While not a deal-breaker, it was noticeable.

The TV is marketed to have Pure Sound electro-acoustic technology, but I found the speaker’s performance to be average at best. The sense of surround was good, but it lacked clarity. After some tinkering with the audio/speaker setting, it improved.

In general, I found it better suited to dramas and sitcoms, but not good for action movies. I fired up an action sequence from Terminator 3 – The Rise of the Machines, and while it got loud, it was more unpleasant than immersive and enjoyable.

Value

At an SRP of P19,999, it’s quite affordable and brings a 43-inch LED TV with Smart functionality into the hands of the average consumer. Do note that retailers are offering it for even less.

That said, there are other brands as well that go on offer and have good deals that are worth considering. Such as the similarly sized Philips 4K TV, that was on sale for the same price around Christmas 2019.

Closing Words

If you’re looking for a highly functional Smart TV that covers the basics, but won’t break the bank, then the Xtreme Smart Series 4300s will fit the bill perfectly. But if you’re looking for top-of-the-line performance, or an eye-catching design that makes it the centerpiece of your living room, you’ll probably need to look for more expensive offerings from the likes of Sony, Samsung, and LG. 

Model: MF4300s

Price: P19,990

Verdict: Functionality at a value for money price point

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