Westinghouse CW40T8GW LCD TV Review

Introduction

Design

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There's nothing special about this TV—and compared to the bigger name companies, this CW40T8GW is just downright ugly.

The advantage to the plain appearance of the Westinghouse CW40T8GW lies in its very cheap price tag. It feels cheaply made because it is, and that isn't intrinsically a bad thing. If you're not looking for a stylish TV that will make your family or the neighbors "ooh" and "ahh," then the cheapness of the CW40T8GW's design is in your favor. After all, it's the inside that counts. Expect very basic, entry-level connectivity options and a run-of-the-mill remote control.

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Smart TV Features

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Just like its appearance, this Westinghouse is quite plain in its internal set-up.

The menu system is overtly bare bones, offering just the basics for altering picture, sound, or setup options. A more optimistic way of looking at it: It's stripped of all but the necessities, so it's easy to use.

There is nothing quirky or alien to figure out. If you've fiddled with TV menus at all in the past—even older, standard-definition sets—you can probably figure out most of this Westinghouse's menu options with just a glance.

{{photo_gallery "Software and Internet Landing Page Photo", "Internet Features 1 Photo", "Internet Features 2 Photo", "Internet Features 3 Photo", "Browser 1 Photo", "Browser 2 Photo", "Browser 3 Photo", "Apps 1 Photo", "Apps 2 Photo", "Apps 3 Photo", "Local Media Playback 1 Photo", "Local Media Playback 2 Photo", "Menu Main Photo", "Menu 2 Photo"}}

Picture Quality

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For a basic TV, this Westinghouse sports acceptable color and contrast performance.

If you're just looking to invest in a cheap, basic display that you can watch cable channels or play video games on, the Westinghouse CW40T8GW is a fine choice. Its colors are accurate enough, and its contrast ratio is wide enough that you won't notice any glaring problems with any of your content.

This TV's problems lie in more subtle areas. Its standard speakers are really awful, emitting tinny, painful trebles and rumbling, muddy bass notes whenever volume levels get too extreme. Worse, its viewing angle—how far from the center you can comfortably watch it—is stiflingly small.

Conclusion

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If you can't find it for under $300, don't buy this TV.

The Westinghouse CW40T8GW is a half-and-half sort of product. It handles the three most important areas of display performance—color, contrast, and motion—acceptably well, meaning that if you can get past its horrible audio and its limited viewing angle, it's a perfectly feasible budget buy.

Try to find it for under $300, and perhaps use the money you saved to invest in a basic 2.1 speaker system to run it through. Otherwise, buy at your own risk.

Science Introduction

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The Westinghouse CW40T8GW is a decent TV. It tested with better contrast and color than I was expecting from such a cheap display, and likewise showcased average motion performance. Its drawbacks are in the realm of audio and viewing angle, which aren't as important, but can still make or break a TV. It's also very dim, which means it won't fare well in bright ambient lighting.

Contrast

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The Westinghouse CW40T8GW doesn't exactly shine.

The Westinghouse tested with an above average contrast ratio, owing mostly to its considerably deep black level of 0.03 cd/m2. This is very dark for an LCD display, and means convincing shadows and (usually) a fairly large contrast ratio. Specifically, this TV's contrast ratio is a little under 3000:1, which is really good for a TV that's only $350. However, the cost of those deep blacks are relatively dim peak whites.

With that in mind, this TV's contrast ratio will only live up to its value if it isn't competing with too many bright lights around it. It’s a very dim TV, overall. More on how we test contrast.

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Viewing Angle

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You might need to fly solo on this one.

The Westinghouse CW40T8GW has a cripplingly small viewing angle. Viewing angle is important for watching a TV when you're anywhere but directly in front of it. The CW40T8GW's problem is that it's so dim, as I discussed above. Looking at it from more than a couple of feet off center results in a severely distorted contrast in the picture, which can make any content with a lot of text on screen (the news, sports, a video game) more or less illegible. If you want to get the most out of this TV, plan on watching it from directly in front at any given time.

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Other Tests

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To learn more about this Wesinghouse's day in the lab, browse the gallery.

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