Samsung UN46ES7500 Review

46" LED 3D HDTV 1080p Smart TV

by , Senior Editor

Strengths

  • -Picture Depth, detail and clarity
  • -Fast Action, motion playback is smooth from 240Hz panel
  • -Newest, most avant-gaurde appearance for 2012/2013 with almost frameless bezel
  • -3D Viewing has great depth perception and even 2D to 3D conversion
  • -Samsung Smart Hub choices/Built in Wifi/Full Web Browser
  • -3D glasses light and comfortable

Weaknesses

  • -Some reflection off the screen from in room light
  • -Web browser is too slow to use without an accessory keyboard (if one is available)
  • -The Smart TV Apps are sometimes slow to load/glitchy despite dual core processor
  • -Some flicker from 3D glasses if there are lights in front

Picture Quality Rating: 9.3/10

Clear Coat Screen

Samsung's top models have the clear coat screen rather than the matte screen type finish that diminishes side angle viewing quality and has much less depth perception. This screen does a nice job especially with the latter.

Color

Color information from the UN46ES7500FXZA is not as spectacular as contrast, brightness and black levels but it is much improved from last years model. The important thing is to keep the backlight toned down a bit to avoid blowing out the colors. Otherwise, colors can be muted post calibration partly due to the extreme side angles of the edge lit LED backlighting. Having the backlight set too high can also produce screen uniformity ill effects.

Samsung ES7500 LED TV

Micro Dimming Plus

The UN46ES7500 has Samsung's Micro Dimming Plus (Samsung's word for Edge Lit local dimming). This technology separates the picture into hundreds of pieces to optimize the LED backlighting and provide better detail and contrast to each portion. This is accomplished by creating a video signal for each area or piece in real time, by increasing whites in areas of lower gradation. The effects give you a brighter more 3 dimensional image even in 2D.

Black Level

Contrast and Black levels are one of the primary strengths of this 2012/2013 offering. The predecessor UN55D7000 model measured incredible contrast readings no matter which light meter reader we used. The UN46ES7500 follows with the same high contrast, deep black level characteristics.

Samsung ES7500 Series 3D LED TV
The ES7500 shows stunning detail and clarity in this night desert scene. Notice the small front facing camera at the top of the screen (for Smart Interaction Features)
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3D Viewing Quality

The one and only drawback is some flicker from the glasses when there is light coming from the front (either on the sides of the room or in the front near the TV). Keeping room light low will maximize 3D enjoyment on the ES7000. As 3D enters more homes and is featured in more TV models (as prices come down) more content is being developed and more people are giving the technology a try.

You will not be disappointed by the 3D performance on the UN46ES7500. Clarity, depth perception, and contrast are all clear strengths of this TV regarding 3D viewing. All Samsung TVs use active shutter 3D technology (and come with 2 pairs of 3D glasses) with so-called active shutter glasses which allows for battery powered "shutter" glasses.


Samsung's new 2012 active 3D glasses tested with the ES7500 are light and comfortable

Features Rating: 9.1/10

Smart TV

In the TV world, Samsung is making great strides in enhancing family home entertainment with the Smart TV line. The Smart TV possesses a dual-core processor for speedy web searching and video streaming. No longer do users have to wait for one program to close and another to close—the Smart TV allows users to multitask and search the web while other programs load. Multiple programs are kept open with tabs and a clean, pleasing interface.

Samsung is also increasing its app collection, which already includes over 1,400 to choose from. New apps for 2012 include Angry Birds, Bravo, M-GO from Technicolor, The Daily and VH1's 'I Love the 80's Trivia'. Amazon on Demand is not included, but all of the other premium Apps are. With so many apps and programs to choose from, families will never run out of entertainment options. Parents will be glad to know they can monitor and control what their children access, and kids will be happy with the wide selection of children-friendly entertainment fare.

Samsung Smart TV
Samsung's Smart Hub, Smart TV menu system. It's more complicated than it needs to be.

Smart Interaction

The UN46ES7500 Samsung's latest and greatest feature in Smart Interaction. This feature incredibly allows for facial, voice and hand control recognition. "Control," may be a stretch but it's an interesting feature and fun to play with. You can say, "Hi TV" to turn the TV on, wave your hand in front of the TV to prompt it to display lots of menu choices at the bottom of the screen and squeeze your hand to choose one.

All this is enabled by the small built in front facing camera on the top of the TV. That said, it's a feature that you will likely use little after initially trying it out. It's slow and clumsy and can be frustrating with its limitations, but we'll give Samsung credit for trying something new.

Web Browser

The UN46ES7500 has a dual core processor that allows you to view the browsing screen at the same time you are viewing content or another App. However, what makes browsing slow is the tedious operation with the remote control.

Skype

Has a front facing camera built in at the top of the screen which enables Skype although it does not included the premium Smart Interactive Feature which allows for facial and voice recognition.

Appearance

This super slim TV features a black front .5" wide bezel frame with shiny chrome side edges. The entire panel is a mere 1" deep and the 4-legged chrome stand is included.

Bang for the Buck Rating: 8.5/10

At $1700 the 46ES7500FXZA is pretty expensive for a 46 inch TV. But it is top of the line state of the art quality. Competition is from the LG 47LM8600, the Sony KDL-46HX850, and the Toshiba 47L6200U.

Overall Rating: 8.9/10



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

 

Replaces The D7000


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