Samsung UN55C7000 3D LED TV

The UN55C7000, is a mid-sized, 55 inch 3D LED TV from Samsung that features attractive looks, a very slim profile and great picture quality. It is part of Samsung’s mid range 7000 Series of 3D TVs and is the first 3D TV from Samsung to be released in the market. While it lacks some of the higher end features of the 8000 series 3D TVs, this television set is an excellent choice for price conscious shoppers. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of this HDTV.

Highlights of the Samsung UN55C7000 Review

Before we delve into the finer points of the UN55C7000 in this review, let’s summarize the pros and cons of this 3D TV.

Strengths

• Gorgeous TV with excellent aesthetics
• Excellent black levels albeit at the expense of some detail in dark areas
• Great color fidelity and color saturation
• 3D Ready TV, capable of displaying tomorrows 3D Content
• Large number of video connection ports and features

Weaknesses

• 240Hz Motion processing technology can make scenes look ‘too smooth’ and fake. Best to use only for sports viewing.
• Edges bleed some light, noticeable in dark rooms
• Non uniform backlighting – noticeable when viewing very dark scenes
• Not the best Audio, but then again most people don’t use inbuilt TV speakers
• Pricey at the moment – Prices will be coming down over the next few months as other 3D TVs are released

Picture Quality

Flatpanel Resolution

The UN55C7000 has a 1080p 240Hz display that is capable of delivering images at full 1080p, i.e., 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, LCD TVs actually tend to have a lower resolution when displaying viewing content (Learn more about this in our LCD vs Plasma 3D TV guide). This screen is estimated to display approximately 800-900 lines of moving resolution. This is certainly high enough that it will almost be imperceptible except to those who are trying exceptionally hard to look for it.

Color Accuracy

The Samsung UN55C7000 exhibits excellent picture quality with great color saturation and color fidelity. It features Samsung’s latest edge lit LED backlight based LCD display and on the whole, images look great on this TV. The colors can have a little too much ‘pop’ at times with a slightly oversaturated look. It seems that Samsung is following in the footsteps of consumer camera manufacturers who tend to dial up the color saturation on lower to mid level cameras to please consumers. However, this color saturation isn’t too drastic, and tends to look quite nice at most times.

Black level and Contrast

The UN55C7000 has excellent black levels with a high level of contrast. Samsung has managed to minimize backlight transmission for blacks, thus improving the black levels of this 3D TV. However, this does come at a small price when it comes to Shadow details. Due to the black filter used by Samsung, some of the finer detail in shadows can be lost giving rise to slightly muddy blacks in the UN55C7000. However, this is a minor nitpick and unless you look very very carefully, you probably won’t even notice this effect. Some of the higher end models in the 8000 and 9000 series will perform better in this area due to their ability to locally dim the backlight in places to enhance black level details.

Backlight Uniformity

Backlight uniformity is one area in which edge lit LED 3D TVs have had some complaints. This is primarily due to the nature of LED edge lighting technology. This results in a slight bleed of the backlight at the edges of the UN55C7000’s screen, which can be distracting when viewing content in a dark room.

While Samsung has alleviated this issue to an extent, there is still some of this effect visible. So if you usually watch movies in the dark, then this might be something to keep in mind.

Another Backlight issue that is common in edge lit LED TVs is that the backlighting is not perfectly uniform in these television sets. As a result, a perfectly black screen can appear a little cloudy when viewed in a dark room. This backlight non-uniformity can be observed to a small extent in the UNC557000.

Backlight uniformity is one of the minor nitpicks in this review when it comes to Samsung’s UN55C7000 3D TV. However, you should keep in mind that this is only going to be an issue if you are a videophile who regularly watches his/her television in the dark. In regular and bright ambient light conditions, this television delivers excellent picture quality across the board.

Video Processing

The Samsung  240Hz motion processing technology enables interpolation of regular video content into 120 or 240 fps content. This gives rise to a much smoother video experience, something that is especially useful when watching fast moving content such as sports.

We should point out that this feature does tend to give regular TV shows and Movie content an artificial look due to this extra image processing on top of the original content. It is advisable to disable this feature when viewing regular content on your Samsung LCD TV.

Viewing Angle

The viewing angle of this LED LCD TV is around 40-50 degrees, which is in-line with the regular values for the latest generation of LCD flat screen panels.

3D Technology and Performance

The Samsung UN55C7000 features a 240Hz LCD flatpanel capable of full 1080p display. 3D Display is enabled by the display of time-sequential 3D content which is in sync with Samsung’s Active Shutter 3D Glasses. If you are curious about how 3D TVs work, be sure to read our comprehensive 3D TV technology guide. Samsung will be releasing these 3D glasses to the market shortly as new 3D content is made available. You can read our guide on 3D glasses technology to learn more about how these glasses will work.

Samsung 3D Glasses have been released just in time for the new 3D content that is being made available. These 3D Glasses from Samsung are bundled along with a free copy of the 3-D Blu-Ray version of Monster’s vs Aliens and are meant to be used with the C7000, C8000 and C9000 series of Samsung 3D HDTVs. The 240Hz display of the UN46C7000 allows for a 120Hz viewing refresh rate per eye, thus minimizing flickering and eye fatigue and providing a smooth viewing experience.

240Hz Refresh Rate – The 240Hz refresh rate of the UN55C7000 enables smooth display of fast moving video content by minimizing ghosting and motion blur. In addition, since 240Hz is a direct multiple of 24, the TV is capable of a 10:10 pull down of 24fps video content (all movies) thus allowing for a judder free image. Finally, the increased refresh rate results in an effective refresh rate of 120Hz per eye when viewing 3D content using the Active 3D Glasses. This results in a very smooth, flicker-free 3D experience.

Screen Size and Appearance

This sexy TV uses conventional LCD technology along with Samsung’s new LED edge lit backlighting system. LED Backlighting allows Samsung to push the limits of flatspanel thickness as is evident with this 3D TV. The UN55C8000 has a gorgeous 55 inch screen. This TV is sure to turn heads in your living room with its beautiful metallic looks and ultra-thin LED backlit panel. Additionally, it features a sleek, heavy duty 4 legged, swivel stand with a metallic chrome finish.

Optimal Viewing Distance

The optimal viewing distance for this 1080p screen is around 7-8.5 feet. Be sure to read our guide on calculating the best viewing distance and screen size for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the optimal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

Media, Internet and other Connectivity

The Samsung UN55C7000 features internet connectivity via a regular Ethernet port. This enables the use of Samsung’s “internet@TV” software capabilities. Samsung is also going to provide an iPhone-esque App Store which allows for the streaming of movies and images from Netflix, Youtube, Flickr, Picasa as well as a host of other news and media content providers straight to your 3D TV.

With USB 2.0 connectivity, the UN55C7000 allows you to play videos, view slideshows or listen to music effortlessly.

Price – Bang for the buck

The Samsung UN55C7000 series is a mixed bag when it comes to the price department. While this is a gorgeous TV with excellent features, it is quite pricey considering that there are two lines of LED 3D TVs above the 7000 series that are on offer from Samsung (the 8000 and 9000 series). At the moment, it looks like consumers will have to pay premium for a 3D Enabled TV. While we recommend this TV to consumers in this review, we would suggest waiting a bit for prices to drop once the competition heats up and other manufacturers release their own 3D TVs with similar feature sets. Update: Price drop of over $300 at Amazon. This TV is definitely worth a look at this lower price.

The Verdict

The Samsung UN55C7000 is one of the first 3D Enabled TVs to be released in the market in 2010. In this review, we find the UN55C7000 to be a gorgeous 3D TV with great picture quality, excellent black levels and a 240Hz 1080p LCD panel that helps minimize ghosting and motion-blur in fast moving scenes. While we feel that the television set is a tad bit overpriced at the moment, this is the price most of us pay as early adopters. However, prices should drop drastically once competition hots up and Samsung no longer retains its current monopoly on 3D Ready TVs in 2010. Other 3D televisions to consider for this screen size are the Samsung UN55C9000 and the Samsung UN55C8000.

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