TechRadar Verdict
Pros
- +
Insanely cheap for a 3D TV
- +
10 pairs of glasses free
- +
Some multimedia support
- +
Passable sound
- +
Free 3D Blu-ray player at the time of writing
Cons
- -
Poor viewing angles
- -
No Freeview HD tuner built in
- -
Average contrast performance
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While TV manufacturers claim that they're satisfied with the sales of 3D TVs, to the outside observer it seems clear that 3D hasn't captured the public's imagination as strongly as the AV industry wanted (and possibly needed?) it to.
This might well explain why UK retailer Dixons has decided to have a go at injecting some new life into 3D's flagging fortunes by selling its own in-house range of 3D TVs for the lowest prices yet seen.
One of the highlight models from this new Logik-branded Dixons range is the L423ED11: a 42-inch 3D TV costing just £599 that uses Edge LED lighting, has a Full HD resolution and, at the time of writing, ships with a free Philips 3D Blu-ray player and 10 - yes, 10 - free pairs of 3D glasses.
So the set could turn out to be the mass market 3D bargain the UK TV market has been waiting for.
The Logik L423ED11 is joined by the 32-inch L323ED11, which costs £449, and the 47-inch L473ED11 for £699. You can also buy a trio of even cheaper models - the 32-inch L323CD11, priced at just £379, the 42-inch L423CD11, costing £479, and the 47-inch L473CD11, with a £599 price tag that use standard CCFL lighting instead of LED lighting.
The million dollar question, of course, has to be if 3D TVs so outlandishly cheap can actually be any good. So let's find out how the Logik L423ED11 fares.
Features
Not surprisingly, the Logik L423ED11 isn't the best-looking TV in the world. It's just another in the endless line of glossy black rectangles, except for having a slightly wider bezel than you usually see these days. It's bulkier round the back than most Edge LED TVs too - although of course, only the oddest people actually spend time looking at the rear of their TVs!
Connections are surprisingly solid, with three v1.4 HDMI ports (all 3D ready) alongside, among other things, a D-Sub PC input so the screen can double up as a computer monitor, and even a USB port capable of playing a surprisingly wide variety of video, photo and music file formats.
The one noticeable connection absentee is a LAN port. The fact that this means the TV doesn't have any Smart TV or DLNA functionality is only to be expected on such a cheap set. But the missing LAN port also alerts us to the fact that the Logik L423ED11 doesn't have a Freeview HD tuner, which is rather harder to take.
The fact that you currently get 10 free pairs of 3D glasses with the Logik L423ED11 reveals right away that the TV uses LG's passive 3D technology - as seen on the LG 50PZ850T, LG 55LW980T and other LG TVs - rather than the active shutter system. This reaffirms the sense that it's the passive 3D system that's driving the affordable part of the 3D TV market.
In terms of other features of note, there's precious little going on - as you might expect. The only surprise is the presence of a 2D to 3D conversion system.
It's actually quite a relief that the Logik L423ED11 doesn't have many features to navigate through, because it's ridiculously hard to get the TV to pick up commands from the cheap, plasticky remote. It's maddening.
