Samsung UN55H7150 Review (UN55H7150AFXZA)

55 inch 1080p 240Hz Smart 3D LED TV

Samsung 7 Series LED TV The picture quality on the UN55H7150 is as good as it gets for a flat panel 1080p LED TV from Samsung this year. The H8000 is 1080p, but with a curved screen. The picture qualities are very similar (we've reviewed them side by side) and the key to this is the clear coat screen and similar contrast levels. The biggest difference is in the micro-dimming picture quality feature. The H8000's micro-dimming really makes for increased contrast where needed while the H7150's micro-dimming failed to make a difference that was noticable. A big plus for the 55H7150 series over the H6450 series is the inclusion of the split screen Smart TV feature.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Side angle viewing for 2D content

Worse side angle viewing for 3D content

AutoMotion Plus really highlights unnatural effects to 2D shows and movies

Microdimming on the H8000 and above is much more effective

Neutral

TV guide is nice, but probably isn't going to replace a cable or satellite box guide

Wifi Connectivity works well

Audio and Volume is good but not the best (2 woofers built-in help)

Voice Recognition may come in handy for getting around the Smart Hub

Color saturation very good but no competition for plasma displays of days past

Picture Quality Rating: 90/100

Strong LED Edge Backlight

Just like the F7100 from last year, the light flow through created by the LED Backlight on this TV is amazing. We consider it one of this TVs best picture quality characteristics. LED edge lighting is known to cause uniformity issues, but it can be addressed with a simple adjustment. Tone down the LED backlight in the picture settings menu to keep it from causing some uneven screen uniformity issues. 80% is a setting the what we usually recommend. This will keep screen uniformity issues from arising and you still have plenty of brightness from this super bright LED TV. Having powerful LED backlighting in case you need it for super bright room conditions is a plus.

This shot is an excellent example of the stunning color reproduction and contrast H7150 can muster. A strong display of depth is seen here as well

240Hz Refresh Rate

The 240Hz panel on the UN46H7150 is a top of the line feature that really adds to the overall value of the set. Higher refresh rates like this reduce a lot of motion blur and judder from fast motion and side to side panning. LCD/LED TVs have always had a hard time with this, but it's getting better. A faster refresh rate also makes the TV better suited for gaming and sports programming.

Standard Definition Up-Conversion - Beautiful

All content is not 1080p, even with 4K taking the tech scene by storm. There is still a ton of content you are viewing in lower quality resolutions. Over-the-air broadcasts, video games, streaming media. These are not all 1080p yet. The 46H7150 does a great job of up-converting the signal to HD and displaying in a near HD quality. The H7150 yielded a top notch picture from my trusted Risky Business DVD in 480. The top samsung LEDs are excellent at this up-conversion.

Once again we see the excellent contrast and picture depth the 55H7150 can pull off. The super thin bezels are a great bonus

3D Dual View

Active 3D viewing quality on the UN55H7150 provides an excellent performance like the F7100 predecessor. Samsung's active 3D glasses are the lightest and most comfortable in the active-3D marketplace and now have a new rounded design. Aside from that there is little difference as there was not much to improve upon. There is little to no crosstalk or distraction when viewing 3D content, but keep away direct light from the front of the room in which you are viewing or you will likely get a slight flicker from the edges of the glasses.

Dual View actually works great now and the picture is stunning. You can watch two different programs on the same screen with two people (or more) wearing active 3D glasses. It even works with 1 HDMI input.You can toggle back and forth between the two programs on as well by pressing a small button on the ear-handle of the glasses.

These are the 3D glasses for 2014 model Samsung LED TVs. The button to engage Dual View is located on one of the arms

Features Rating: 92/100

Samsung Smart Hub

The Smart Hub keeps the same basic design as last year with subtle improvements. Samsung hit the mark with their user interface and intuitive nagivation. This time around you will see a Game tab as one of the major smart TV pages. The Smart Hub also allows for logins so each member of the family can have recommendations tailored to their viewing history. These changes show that Samsung really pays attention to the details when it comes to user experience. Just like last year the Smart Hub is one of the best options for a good smart TV experience. The quad core processor is just icing on the cake.

Touch Pad Controller and Split Screen Multitasking

This year's touch remote features an egg shape with a smaller touch pad, but more buttons

Surfing the web and the Smart TV features is a breeze with the new touchpad remote. It's much faster and easier than a traditional 5-way controller. The actual touch pad is a bit smaller this year, but that's okay because it now supports motion control. This brings it closer to LG's Magic Remote. The smaller touch pad also leaves room for more useful buttons on the remote instead of the on-screen menus. The voice recognition only works for inputting searches if the soft keyboard for the search field is open. The new split screen feature is another addition that we think is a move in the right direction by Samsung. This makes it easy to view live TV and browse the web or use social media at the same time. This is made possible by the quad-core processor.

Here you can see the newest and extremely useful faeture of the Samsung Smart Hub, split screen multitasking

Sound Quality

There is plenty of volume from the speakers on the 55H7150 and quality is consistently good though not as rich as some we've tested. Samsung is getting in on the trend of adding small woofers into the cabinets. There are (2) 10 watt woofers and (2) 10 watt speakers here, so you are going to get some decent sound out of this one. Thankfully, there are no hollow or tinny effects in the sound as we've noticed from years past. External sound systems are usually going to be the best way to go, and that still applies to this TV.

Appearance

The arch stand beneath the display of the UN55H7150 is a new look for Samsung. It reminds us of the design LG uses in most of their mid to high tier LED TVs. The glossy black plastic bezels measure in at an astounding 0.2 inches. This really helps with the frameless image look. The overall look is very sleek with a depth of just under 2 inches.

This is a new look for Samsung. The arching stand under the display give the TV a low profile look

Value - Bang for the Buck Rating: 90/100

The UN55H7150 is a very complete package when you really look at it. It also starts at around $1,699. You get some of the best features, a solid smart TV experience, and stellar picture quality. You give up a few high end features such as the quad-core processor, but in all I think this models covers most of the very important bases. Some of the low points like side angle viewing and built-in sound quality are not any reason to overlook this TV. Competition in the high end 1080p LED TV arena has been greatly reduced by the introduction of 4K and OLED models that are capturing the attention of manufacturers. The closest competitors for the year will be the Sony KDL-55W950B and new upcoming models from LG.

Overall Rating: 91/100

Quick Specs

54.6" diagonal measurement
1920 x 1080 resolution
960 Clear Motion Rate
Quad Core Processor
Micro Dimming Pro
0.25" Bezels / 1.3" Depth (not including stand)
4 HDMI, 3 USB
2.2 Channel Sound (10W x 2 / Woofer 10W x 2)
Dimensions without stand (W X H X D): 48.2" x 27.8" x 1.3"
Dimensions with stand: 48.2" x 29.4" x 10.5"
Weight without stand: 32.6 lbs.
Weight with stand: 36.8 lbs.

^{Jack Burden has been reviewing and writing reviews in the consumer electronics category for 7 years with CEAG. He considers grayscale gradation, film patterned retarders, and focus field drives to be fun topics. Read more about Jack}