I had to change my TV this year. I had been scanning the internet ever since 2016 lineups were announced in CES. I was particularly interested in LG UH850T and Samsung KS7000. The former for Dolby Vision & 3D and the later for UHD Premium Certification (associated hardware features). Around July I saw the LG model in showroom and I was totally disappointed with the PQ. The panel lacked contrast and blacks were not so deep. Colours were also looking dull for my choice. So I decided to wait for Samsung. Later came KS9000 and I was quite amazed to see the PQ. Subsequently KS7000 also hit the shelves.
Now it was choice between 3D and PQ. I finally decided to sacrifice 3D for PQ and got my Samsung KS7000 installed two days back. Here is my review of the model:
Build Quality (8/10):
Build quality is quite good to justify SUHD range. This TV is almost bezel-less and can be fitted perfectly in tight space. Mine is installed in corner and I could not find better fitting for its size. Though I am not using the stands, I felt its design is not good. They take lot of table space and rotation is not possible. I also heard that being screw-less they are prone to fall down.
Bundled remote feels solid in hand. It is a Universal Remote and does not require line of sight. Smart Hub Interface scans the device through HDMI and sets up necessary codes. The process is not smooth like Logitech Harmony but descent for a TV. Some buttons like power, back etc. are flush and sometimes do not click.
One Connect Box is really a smart idea and makes the ports easily accessible. Had it been on the back side, it really would have been a great pain since my TV is in corner. Of course it is upgradable though I am not sure if Samsung will keep its promise in releasing upgrades 2-3 years down the line.
Interface (7/10):
Unlike LG's WebOS interface which looks kiddish, Samsung's new Smart Hub looks more subtle & premium. Interface adds a translucent white background and nice animations that are not overly done. UI is responsive and intuitive. Menu options offer both quick and expert modes. I found that quick modes for picture and sound settings are quite enough for a normal user. I did explore the expert settings but did not find much improvement in PQ. I personally like "Natural" mode. (Other modes are Dynamic, Standard and Movie).
Features & Picture Quality (9/10):
KS7000 is SUHD Model that uses Quantum Dot substrate from Nanosys. It is also a UHD Premium Certified TV meaning it has 4K resolution, 10bit color depth, more than 90% of DCI-P3 colour gamut, HDR, minimum brightness and 1000 nits and black level of 0.05 nits. Being a VA panel, it does have deep blacks (its no match for OLED but still very good in LED-LCD category). The brightness, I must say is really exceptional. Streaks of Sunlight truly looks like sunlight! Colours in Dynamic mode are oversaturated but descent in Natural mode. Of course one can set the colour according to personal taste and every possible aspect can be adjusted in expert mode. Like typical VA panel picture becomes dull at extreme angles but since my TV is in corner, I do not need to see it from extreme angles.
Unlike LG offering it does not have 3D and Dolby Vision. I felt little bad about 3D. Its loosing luster. Blu-ray Disk Association has kept it out from UltraHD Blu-ray specification. It means 3D will be limited to current Blu-rays only. Dolby Vision is a competing HDR standard (remember Blu-ray vs HD-DVD battle?) that holds water but its optional & proprietary standard and may take some time for getting adopted.
Motion handling is good but not the best for its class. Built-in speakers are good but a separate speaker system is highly recommended.
My Overall Score (8/10): :thumbsup:
