Samsung UN40B7000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV
Samsung UN40B7000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV Review
I was persuaded to buy a B7020 for several reasons (I must emphasise this is a review of a UK B7020, which does not seem to differ in any significant regrads to this model). I already own a Samsung 40-inch A656 LCD, which I love, so going for a Samsung is as good an assurance of quality as any electronics brand. The full HD and 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio were major enticements. Seeing as I wanted to put the set on my bedroom’s chest of drawers, the mere 20kg weight (including stand) and rated power output of 98W were far better than that of a 40-ich Sony Bravia Z4500 (rated at 25.5kg and 235W respectively).
For my needs, the B7020 delivers. I must emphasise that I don’t watch television on this set, nor am I particularly interested in sound quality. I can’t respond to criticisms of the quality of TV reception for the B7020, seeing as I haven’t used the set for TV, and I probably never will. But I can say that the second criticism levelled at the B7020, that of thin sound, is especially true with mono soundtracks and 2.0 stereo mixes. I have found the sound to be sufficiently full and balanced from DVDs and Blu-ray (played through HDMI with a Pioneer BDP-320), especially when the TV’s Movie sound mode is enabled.
As for the picture, black levels are fantastically deep, and the 100hz settings are sufficiently varied to give enough customisation for even the fastest-moving scenes. Blu-ray films like “Gone With The Wind” and “Zulu” have amazingly dark varied palettes, and the level of picture detail provided especially in the Blu-ray format is remarkable. Of course, the picture settings of Samsung TVs are infamous for being difficult to set up, but a bit of experimentation reaps very worthwhile results (see my prefered cinema set-up, below); the annoying auto-dimming feature can also be easily turned off by accessing the engineer’s menu (there are plenty of forums on the internet detailing how this can be done).
Response times for games are apparently not as good as for some of the Sony models (such as the W and Z 4500s), but Game Mode is far less invasive than that for the A656 (it only ties you down to having to use Standard picture settings), and is a tool that apparently cuts response times from about 85m/s to about 25-30m/s.
Another draw of this series is the amount of multimedia features. I’m not hugely interested in the InternetTV feature that the Sammy LED series boasts, but it is handy having two USB sockets to play most video formats (including AVI and MKV) as well as their attendant codecs: the menu system for this is very handy as well.
Right, on to the downsides. Although the Slovakian-made set is in itself well-built, the ultra-thin build of the set has led to some irritating inconsistencies in the layout of sockets. While the front of the set is beautifully sleek, the back is a very asymmetrical affair, with all the inputs loaded onto one side. It can be tricky reaching the ethernet and component connections, especially as the TV is so light: if you have screwed the stand on yourself, make sure you have secured it VERY thoroughly, as the B7000 isn’t the most stable thing in the world, especailly when trying to disconnect that awkward USB that just wont come out. And of course, the thin sound is going to be a problem for audiophiles; most irritating in this context is that there is NO headphone socket, although there are various solutions to this (see http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002KHA1J6/ref=ox_ya_oh_product).
Overally, the B7020 is a fantastic, versatile creation, keeping in line with Samsung’s reputation for elegance and innovation. It is designed for multimedia, style and HD performance rather than standard TV functions or audio excellence. (I must also add that the set seems to kick out remarkably little heat, even with the Power Saving feature turned off.) If you want an affordable machine for pure picture excellence and can’t afford either the price or the size for a Pioneer plasma, then you could do a lot worse than this.
My Movie settings.
Energy saving: Off; Backlight: 2; Contrast: 95; Brightness: 55 to 60; Sharpness: 50; Colour: 50;
Black level: Dark; Dynamic Contrast: Low; Cinema Mode: Auto 1; 100hz: Custom (Blur reduction and judder reduction both set at 3)
Samsung UN40B7000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV Feature
- Ultra-slim 40-inch LED HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest picture possible
- LED technology enables a true-to-life range of picture brightness; uses 40 percent less energy than conventional LCD TVs
- Internet@TV online content service from Yahoo!, Flickr, YouTube via your broadband connection
- Inputs: 4 HDMI, 1 component, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 PC, 1 optical digital audio output
- Includes detachable swivel table stand; measures 39.2 x 27.2 x 10 inches (WxHxD) without stand and 44.4 x 30.2 x 10.8 inches (WxHxD) with stand
Samsung UN40B7000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV Overview
The 7000 Series of television build upon the success of Samsung’s first and second generation LED HDTV models. Each using LEDs as their primary light source, the televisions all feature ultra-high contrast ratios as well as slim depths that allow for more artful designs, plus increased energy savings.
Samsung UN40B7000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV Specifications
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