Samsung LE46F86 Review

46in LCD

Picture
Sound
Features
Usability
Value

Hugely impressive large LCD with picture quality to match the looks.

HD Ready:

yes

Resolution:

1920 x 1080

Rating:

91%

Reviewed: 03 December 2007

Design

Most flat screen manufacturers have cottoned on to the fact that style sells, and Samsung in particular is no exception. Realising long ago that LCD and Plasma screens can sell on looks alone, their products have matured into chic and supremely well constructed additions to your living space.

Features

The Samsung LE46F86 is basically an upgraded version of the M86/87 series, the important additions being the inclusion of 100Hz processing, an increased contrast ratio (up from 10,000:1 to 25,000:1) and additional USB functionality.

Screen: 46in 16:9

Tuner: Digital

Sound System: Nicam

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Contrast Ratio: 25,000:1

Brightness: 500cd/m2

Other Features: Full HD (1920 x 1080), 100Hz motion plus, Super clear panel, Movie Plus.

Sockets: 3 HDMI, 2 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, PC input.

Samsung's 100 Hz Motion Plus doubles the number of images shown on screen from the usual 50fps (frames per second) to 100fps. The process is not merely a simple insertion however, with motion estimation and compensation processing operating to produce a seamless graduation from frame to frame. The idea is that a more natural motion can be realised without degrading other aspects of the TV's performance.

Samsung's Digital Natural Image Engine (DNIe) is the core image processing technology on their latest crop of LCD TV's. The basic concept is that the DNIe processor analyses the incoming signal, be it a High Definition or a Standard Definition one and optimises it for the screen. The process aims to improve black levels, colour saturations, tone and sharpness.

DNIe has four main feature areas, Motion Optimizer, Contrast Enhancer, Detail enhancer and Colour Optimizer, and has a track record of producing impressive results on previous Samsung screens.

Complementing DNIe is Samsung's Wide Colour Enhancer which has been designed to deliver more vibrant colours, especially around the edge of panels where they are more likely to appear washed out. By adding a full 27 per cent more of the real worlds colour gamut, Samsung claims a four times as many colour gradations than you would normally see from a PAL picture.

With full HD enabled 1080p screen (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution), the LE46F86 can map a 1080i source such as Sky pixel for pixel onto the screen with a potentially far superior picture than an LCD which has to scale 1080i to fit.

Movie Plus, another proprietary technology has been designed, by improving the video signal, to eliminate a bug bear of LCD TVs, motion judder. To speed up response times and produce a sharper picture for gamers the LE46M86 sports something called 'Games Mode'.

Performance

As we expected, the LE46F86 is a supreme High definition (HD) performer, producing class leading levels of sharpness and detail. Colours are rich and intense without being over saturated, and are never less than wholly realistic with tricky areas such as skin tones. Of course, the outstanding level of contrast perfectly enhances the rich colour palette.

The most impressive aspect of the LE46F86's performance however, and where it follows in the footsteps of the M86/87 series, is its ability to produce darker shades of colour. The depth and richness of blacks on this panel is well into Plasma territory. The achievement is due in no small part to the presence of Samsung's 'Super Clear Panel'.

There will inevitably be mixed reactions to Samsung's implementation of 100Hz processing, and we had mixed feelings on their take on an increased rate of frames per second. 100Hz processing can be switched on or off and comes with three settings (low/medium/high) to meet the needs of different situations. It can produce positive results if tweaked, but unless you are willing to spend an awful lot of time adjusting the setting to suit the current material, then you will probably achieve a more satisfying viewing experience by leaving it off. The good news is that the motion handling capabilities of the LE40F86 are pretty good with it off.

We were half expecting a class leading HD performance from the LE40F86, but we weren't expecting quite such a good performance with Standard Definition (SD) material from a 46in screen. There are still faults, with a certain softness to pictures, and while not quite as good as CRT or the best Plasmas, the difference between the two technologies has narrowed.

It is testament to the quality of Samsung's 'Super Clear' panel that the LE46F86 displays minimal amounts of motion blur and video noise with terrestrial Freeview. It also puts in a wholly credible performance with Sky or Virgin as the source that will make the transition away from your old CRT a thoroughly enjoyable one. The 46in screen is not as good an SD performer as the LE40F86, especially with poorer quality Freeview sources, but its ability is well above average in this respect for such a large LCD.

Conclusion

Samsung's LE46F86 joins its 40in sibling as an LCD that will cause the leading Plasma manufacturers to start looking over their shoulders. Not much more than six months ago this would have been the best flat panel available.