Samsung PN59D7000 Plasma 3D HDTV Review

Overall Design

The grey, brushed metal bezel looks fantastic. We found it a great divergence from the standard black, looking classy without being too distracting, as some of Samsung's "Touch of Color" designs have looked in the past. The metallic bezel is very narrow, due to the "+1" design. This confusing marketing strategy claims that its bezel occupies 1 inch less of space on the diagonal, compared to the bulkier bezel of a competing television. A thin, plastic border surrounds the bezel, characteristic of Samsung's design preferences.

It's worth noting that this TV looks identical to the more expensive PNxxD8000 series except for its stand: it rests on a rectangle of brushed metal, while the D8000 series has four legs of metallic-looking plastic.

Front

Back

Sides

Stand/Mount

The flat, rectangular stand matches the brushed metal of the bezel. The same neutral grey is affixed to the TV by a clear, plastic stem. It looks like the clear plastic cylinder had been placed liquid-hot onto the base, melting into a flared rim as it touched. It's capable of swiveling, which is always convenient.

Controls

Samsung maintains its firm belief (contrary to ours) in touch-sensitive controls. While we are typically not fans due to their lack of visibility and tactile feedback, especially in the dark, these are at least a little more visible since they're situated on the clear, plastic rim.

Remote Control

The Samsung PN59D7000's remote control is excellent in its simplicity. The buttons are well laid-out, color-coded, sized appropriately, and have an intuitive feel. The D-pad clicks with a satisfying tactile feedback. We also appreciated the fact that it's not a foot long, as some television manufacturers seem to confused their remotes with hoagies, believing that more plastic is better. We like this remote's compact feel. The upper-right button glows in the dark, and pressing it briefly illuminates the other keys with a backlight. This can be useful if you want to perform some complex function beyond the central controls and volume/channel rockers.

In the Box

The Samsung PN59D7000 ships with its remote, batteries, a pair of heavy-duty cable-ties (plastic-surrounded metal tubes that click open and closed), and a quick-start guide. It is relatively easy to attach to the stand with its octet of enclosed screws, but we recommend you have someone help you lift this gargantuan screen. Injuring either yourself or the TV would spell doom.