Samsung UN55FH6003 Review (UN55FH6003F)

55 inch 1080p 120Hz LED TV

by , Senior Editor

Samsung UN55FH6003 LED TVThe Samsung UN55FH6003 is the same TV as the FH6030, but without the active 3D playback. This drives the price down by about one hundred dollars, making it a good value option. Samsung is keeps the feature set pretty slim on this one in order to keep the attractive price tag. TV shoppers who aren't interested in smart TV or 3D are going to find a real winner with this one. The star picture quality feature here is the 120Hz panel for sports programming and fast action. It also benefits gaming. As far as design goes, we've seen it before. The bezels are slightly wider than other models and the black plastic square stand is nothing new. Anyone looking for a 55 inch LED TV on a budget should definitely give this one a look.

Picture Quality Rating: 8.3/10

The FH in the model number denotes that this model doesn't use edge-lighting for the LEDs. The 55FH6003 uses direct lighting, meaning the LEDs are behind the panel. As the technology has been advancing, noticeable differences between the two setups have been harder to spot. Screen uniformity and side angle viewing are slightly better, but problems still exist for those who are looking. The benefits are seen in the bright back lighting. This helps colors to pop and peak whites to be super bright. Contrast is also a high point, but it doesn't compete with top tier LEDs or plasma displays.

Samsung UN55FH6003 LED TV
Realistic looking color and good black level performance are seen in this shot of the FH6003

120Hz Refresh Rate

The FH6003 uses a 120Hz refresh rate panel to produce a smooth and clear picture for fast action and live sports programming. It is a nice feature to have included on this value oriented model. Fast action judder is significantly lessened with a high refresh rate panel like this one. Benefits are best seen in sports programming and scenes that have slow panning camera movement. Video games also benefit from the 120Hz panel since there is usually a lot of fast camera movement and action on screen.

Side Angle Viewing

For an edge lit LED television the side angle viewing performance on the UN55FH6003 is not bad, contrast begins to fade around 30 degrees which is a good result for an edge lit LED television, but is helped in 2013 by the wide color enhancer plus technology that is built in to the FH6003 series.

Features Rating: 8/10

Appearance and Design

Samsung UN55FH6003 Appearance and DesignThe Samsung UN55FH6003 has a very familiar appearance to it. We saw the same exact design from the EH series last year. We aren't expecting and significant flare when it comes to the value series, but something to set them apart from last year would have been nice. The cabinet has a depth of 3.7 inches thanks to the direct LED lighting. That's nothing to get upset about, but edge-lit LED TVs shave about an inch and a half off of that. The square black plastic stand is nothing flashy either.

Inputs

This is one of the major gripes about the TV. There are only 2 HDMI ports. That may not be a major flaw, but one more input for a TV that could likely be the center of a home theater would have been nice. An HDMI capable A/V receiver is a good solution, but there are sometimes issues with cable boxes. Just be aware of how you want to set it up. The worst scenario possible is having to switch cables out every once in a while, and that's not so bad.

Value Rating: 8.7/10

The Samsung UN55FH6003 stacks up to be a solid value at $800 for 55 inches of screen space. The loss of 3D playback shaved $100 off the price of the FH6030 series above this one. The FH6003 offers solid picture quality with a refresh rate that will satisfy action movie and sports lovers alike. Some competition to be aware of comes from the LG 55LN5400 that sells for a similar price and the Sony KDL50R450A. The Sony does lose 5 inches of screen space, but the price drop is significant.

Overall Rating: 8.3/10

Specs

  • Size (W x H x D) Without Stand: 49.3" x 28.7" x 3.7"
  • Size With Stand: 49.3" x 31.1" x 9.0"
  • Weight Without Stand: 39.7 lb.
  • Weight With Stand: 45.4 lb.
  • Diagonal Measurement: 54.6"
  • Wide Color Enhancer Plus
  • HDMI: 2
  • USB 2.0: 1
  • Component: 1
  • Speakers: 10W x 2 Down Firing


Robert Wiley Having reviewed and written about Television Technology for over 10 years, Wiley never tires of researching the newest qualitative trends related to the technology. Most people do not get excited about possibilities behind the latest video engine...Wiley does. Read more about Robert
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