PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Depth of black level was very good, helped by Samsung's "Smart LED" feature which improved contrast on dark scenes. With the feature turned off dark scenes acceptable. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands.
VIEWING ANGLE This Samsung has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a moderate loss of color so flesh tones looked washed out. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Samsung UHD TV offers superior picture detail, with topnotch HD-to-UHD upconversion. Its Ultra HD picture quality is excellent, consistent with its described HD performance but enhanced by the additional fine detail of its UHD screen. As we do with all UHD TVs, we evaluated Samsung's UHD performance with a number of higher-resolution sources, including 4K videos shot with Sony's FDR-AX100 4K camcorder, 4K resolution test patterns, and photos via USB. We also played 4K streaming movie content from Netflix. When playing 4K movies, we did notice finer detail and texture than we saw with regular high-definition movies, but those differences were best appreciated when the viewing distance was closer to the screen. This UHD TV was able to stream the 4K version of the series "House of Cards" from Netflix, confirming the set does include an HEVC decoder. The 4K images had an overall smoother picture, with better rendering of very fine texture, compared to the regular HD stream. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing was excellent, among the best performance we've seen on any UHD TV. Edges of fine detail showed few jaggies, and were generally quite smooth. UHD test patterns and photos played via the TV's USB port confirmed the display takes full advantage of its roughly 8 megapixel UHD resolution, and is not marred by unnecessary image processing. This was confirmed with videos from Sony's 4K camcorder, which we played back on the TV both via its HDMI input, and by playing the content from a USB drive. Unlike some UHD TVs we've tested, this Sony model has a full complement of picture settings that are accessible in photo playback mode, so picture quality can be tweaked for best fidelity.
MOTION BLUR This Samsung TV has excellent motion performance, with no visible blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Samsung's Auto Motion Plus. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY The screen surface on this LCD TV has one of the shinier mirror-like surfaces we've seen, which makes it very susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was very good, on par with the better 3D displays. 3D images showed effective depth, with minimal levels of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. We didn't see any increase in ghosting when viewing at off angles. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound is good, fine for typical TV programming, but won't reproduce the full range of movie soundtracks and music. It has a wide volume range, allowing the TV to play loud, though quality is limited by slight cabinet resonance, which is present even at lower volume settings. At more typical listening levels the TV has a generally smooth sound but only decent bass and impact. All told, none of these issues were overly distracting and most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is very easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D, and to access Internet features, and to access 3D. All buttons on the remote are backlit so they're easy to see in the dark. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include a full Web browser and access to a library of applications via "Samsung Apps." Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, Blockbuster, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, M-GO, Movies by Flixster, Netflix, Target Ticket, Vudu. It also includes a separate Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one composite input, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. Analog connections are made via special breakout cable adapters (included) that attach to the TV as single plugs. That means you plug your component, composite, or stereo cables into a dangling "pigtail" rather than the back of the TV itself. This is actually a more convenient way to make the connections on slim-profile models, but if you lose that adapter you'll have no way to connect your cables directly to the TV. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, two remotes with batteries, breakout cables (one Component, two Composite and Stereo Audio, one 3.5mm audio jack), and four pairs of 3D glasses, IR Blaster. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
