| Introduction |
| Editorial Note: This is a review of the Samsung UN46B8500. Test results are for this model, but should indicate the general performance of other sizes in the UNxxB8500 series. The UNxxB8500 series includes the following models: UN46B8500 and UN55B8500. Read here for more details on series differences. |
 The Samsung UN46B8500 is a high-end TV, if that isn't evident enough from the $3599 price tag (MSRP). It's thin and sexy, to be sure, and the box is stamped with all sorts of fancy add-ons. Whether those features justify the price is another question. While we found the performance to be top-notch, some of the multimedia features are downright terrible, and call the whole package into question. |
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Tour & Design |
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| Section |
The Good |
The Bad |
| Tour & Design |
Very good looking TV |
No onboard controls mean absolute reliance on the remote control |
| Blacks & Whites |
Excellent blacks, whites, and contrast ratio |
Screen uniformity is not very good |
| Color Accuracy |
Smooth color curves |
Less than stellar color accuracy, compared to standards |
| Motion |
Relatively smooth motion |
Some motion artifacting |
| Viewing Effects |
Some of the processing features are useful; the others you can simply ignore. |
Very poor viewing angle |
| Remote Control |
Great remote control... almost |
Scroll wheel in the center is poorly designed and hard to use |
| Connectivity |
Lots of multimedia and internet connectivity |
Component and composite AV are combined into a single set of jacks |
| Audio & Menus |
Good audio performance and simple menus |
Some menu lag |
| Formats & Media |
DLNA support and good interface with USB thumb drives and hard drives |
Wretched Internet interface and widgets |
| Power Consumption |
Average power consumption costs |
Wouldn't really qualify as an "energy efficient" mode |
| Other Models in the UNxxB8500 Series |
| This is a review of the Samsung UN46B8500. The other sizes of HDTVs in this series should be similar in terms of performance and usability. For details about any differences, click on the image to jump to the Series Comparison page. |
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Panasonic UN46B8500
46 inches |
Panasonic UN55B8500
55 inches |
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