Samsung LE32B650 Review

32in LCD

Picture
Sound
Features
Usability
Value

Samsung have created another fine 32in LCD TV.

Rating:

90%

Reviewed: 12 May 2009

Black levels

100Hz doesn't add a great deal

Design

While it doesn't have quite the impact of its larger siblings, the curved lower edge of Samsung's LE32B650, which is only a minor stylistic touch, serves to give the panel a distinctive but subtle appearance - a welcome relief from some of the purely rectangular flat screen TV's on the market.

Even without the pleasing wave like form at the lower edge of the screen the LE32B650 would be capable of providing a stunning centerpiece to any living area. An object lesson in simple clean design, a slim, perfectly rectangular pedestal joined to the TV with a conical translucent column creates a stunning stylistic statement.

Features

Flat panel TV manufacturers often choose to omit features found on larger screens in a particular range, with 32in and smaller panels usually suffering from the lack of such things as a Full HD resolution and 100hz processing. This is not the case with Samsung's LE-32B650, which retains all of the main features of the B650 series.

Screen: 32in 16:9

Tuner: Digital

Sound System: Nicam

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Contrast Ratio: n/a

Other Features: 100Hz processing, Ultra Clear Panel, DNLA compatible.

Sockets: 4 HDMI, 2 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, PC input, Ethernet port, 2 USB ports, Common Interface Slot.

Long recognizing the potential value of integrating their TV's with the web, Samsung have now started to make a serious effort to make this goal a reality. A cornerstone of their approach to web/tv convergence is 'Widget' technology, dubbed "Internet@TV" by the korean manufacturer.

Widgets provide access to weather reports, stock quotes etc and form part of a platform developed by Yahoo designed to provide content for a wide range of entertainment devices. We can expect the range of widgets to develop over time (anyone can develop their own widgets). Whether the technology proves to be a passing fad or something more far reaching remains to be seen, but with more and more widgets becoming available (notable recent additions include YouTube and Flickr widgets) the technology looks like it might build up a head of steam.

Having made a connection to the internet (through an Ethernet cable or an optional wireless dongle) Samsung's LE32B650 series presents a selection of widgets in a dock at the bottom of the screen. Once a widget is selected, the content overlays the main picture down the left side of the screen and can then be resized.

Complementing widget technology is Samsung's Content Library which contains a wide range of pre-loaded material such as photo screensavers, recipes, children's stories and songs along with some basic games.

Slipping quietly under the radar with all the fanfare surrounding Toshiba's upscaling technologies, Samsung have been developing their own take on the technology and have included it within the LE32B650's circuitry. The upscaling technology has been designed primarily to improve the performance of Standard Definition (SD) presentation.

With an innovative mix of high and low reflection layers, Samsung's 'Ultra Clear Panel' works to improve contrast ratio and black levels whatever the lighting conditions actively adjusting its responses depending on ambient conditions. 'Ultra Clear Panel' is Samsung's evolution of their 'Super Clear Panel' technology found on previous LCD and Plasma screens.

Samsung's take on 100Hz processing, 'Motion Plus' inserts extra frames (up from 50 frames per second to 100fps) to produce a smoother viewing experience by eliminating on-screen 'flicker' (the noticeable transition of picture 'frames' with faster on-screen action). Three pre-sets are available increasing in strength from 'Clear' to 'Standard' and finally 'Smooth'. There is also a 'Custom' option which allows the user to tweak settings.

Elsewhere, the LE32B650 offers a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution screen along with 4 HDMI inputs, 2 USB ports, Ethernet and a Common Interface Slot. Content such as still JPEG's, MP3 or even video files can be played through the USB ports or alternately through a DNLA compatible PC (DLNA enables the easy sharing of digital media through a wired or wireless network in your home).

Performance

Although we have always felt that Samsung have consistently developed effective 100Hz technology, its implementation does not in our opinion bring a great deal to the 32in version of the B650 series. We all perceive images to be clearer and sharper the smaller the screen size (or the further away we move from a TV) and this simple fact may have a lot to do with the lack of impact the increased refresh rate has in this case. As it is, the LE-32B650 is good enough with 100hz turned off to produce a largely judder free picture even with fast on screen action.

With Standard Definition presentation the LE-32B650 benefits once again from how the human eye perceives on screen detail when compared to larger panels in the range. Despite this, there is still a lot of work to do converting the 576 or so line of Freeview onto a Full HD screen - but testament to Samsung's picture processing wizardry, the end result is one of the most accomplished pictures we have seen for the price. There is a very small amount of 'noise' interference, but you have to look hard and the picture is one of the most stable and ultimately most satisfying we have witnessed.

Larger panels in the B650 series have demonstrated an exceptional black level ability and the LE32B650 follows suit by producing some of the deepest most luscious blacks we have seen on a mid level LCD TV. Not only does the purity of black impress, but the LE-32B650 produces some of the finest graduated detail in darker scenes we have seen. Similar or better performance is available from the best Plasmas or LCD TV's, but at a price.

Taking full advantage of the supreme backdrop of rich deep blacks, the LE32B650 puts in a remarkable colour performance. Few TV's can match the sheer vibrancy of colour while avoiding the trap of producing an over saturated palette. The accuracy of colours is immediately apparent along with the subtlety with which these colours are blended to create wholly realistic complex scenes.

With their 'Widget' technology, Samsung have demonstrated how the TV might one day become a console for widespread access to the internet. Casual users will appreciate useful everyday information at their fingertips and delight in the display of YouTube clips on the big screen. The rather sluggish operation of the interface will frustrate some however and for serious browsing we can't help thinking that a dedicated portal however broad will never satisfy hardcore internet users. As Samsung improve the speed of their widget interface and expand their online content we are sure that a dedicated following will develop - being an open development platform, 'widgets' can be developed by third parties.

We can't fault the High Definition (HD) performance of the LE32B650, although the benefits of a Full HD resolution on a 32in screen begin to tale off considerably even compared to 37in screens. Whatever our thoughts on the resolution of this panel, there is no disputing the fact that it is still capable of producing the kind of jaw dropping HD picture that provides full immersion into the on screen content. Close up shots reveal the true ability of this screen with every nuance of detail pin sharp and presented in gloriously vibrant colour.

Having witnessed a decent acoustic performance from other members of the B650 range, it came as a slight disappointment to find that the LE-32B650 sounded just a little bit 'tinny' under demanding circumstances. To be fair to Samsung, it is no worse than the majority of 32in screens and does not encroach to any great degree on the viewing experience.

Conclusion

While we believe that the value of 100Hz and a Full HD resolution are negligible, the important part of the package is a flat panel LCD which is a strong performer in most areas and outstanding in others.

Samsung LE32B650