Compare Side-by-Side: Best HDTV for Style and Energy Efficiency

Samsung’s UNB7000 series has an incredibly sleek, ultra-thin design (1.2” thick) and exc... read more

Samsung’s UNB7000 series has an incredibly sleek, ultra-thin design (1.2” thick) and exceptional energy efficiency because of its edge-lit LED backlighting technology. Additionally, this HDTV has solid video processing and features network connectivity that allows you to receive content from Yahoo! and Flickr such as stocks, weather, news, and photo albums. However, there are also some downsides -- most notably, the Samsung UN55B7000 is very expensive yet its image quality can’t match the performance of the best flat-panel HDTVs, including less expensive models such as the Panasonic G10 series. Compared to these HDTVs, the Samsung UN55B7000 does not perform as well in terms of black level performance, off-angle viewing, or uniformity. While black levels are still very deep, there is noticeable backlight fluctuation that hurts overall black level performance.

Though there are some flaws in image quality, it’s still very good overall. Color temperature and primary colors are very accurate, and there are tons of adjustment options to help obtain an optimal picture. For example, Samsung offers five color temperature presets, gamma control, and white balance control. There’s even a custom mode for adjusting the dejudder processing, which works very well.
As far as connectivity, most users will find it sufficient. There are 4 HDMI inputs, a PC (VGA) input, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and an Ethernet port. Both the USB port and Ethernet ports can be used to upgrade the TV’s firmware, which makes the process very convenient. However, if you have a lot of older devices with analog connections, you may find connectivity limited since there’s only a single component input (which can be converted to accept composite video as well).

Ultimately, your decision to buy this HDTV will come down to what’s most important to you. If design, energy efficiency, and features are top priorities, then the Samsung UB7000 series is nearly impossible to beat. But if you’re looking for the best price/performance ratio, there are better buys out there. Available in 40”, 46” and 55” sizes.
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The Samsung UNB6000 series is nearly identical to the UNB7000 series in terms of design and performa... read more

The Samsung UNB6000 series is nearly identical to the UNB7000 series in terms of design and performance, but sells for a couple hundred dollars less. The key difference is that its network connectivity is very limited and does not provide access to Yahoo! widgets. Other than that, the Samsung 55UB6000 is sure to satisfy consumers looking for an ultra-stylish and energy efficient HDTV.
Just like the Samsung UN55B7000, this HDTV is incredibly thin (1.2-inches). It uses edge-lit LED backlighting technology and is extremely energy efficient – it consumes significantly less power than plasmas and conventional LCD TVs. Overall performance is very good with solid video processing, accurate colors and color temperature, fairly deep black levels, and plenty of adjustment options to obtain an optimal picture. However, there are some flaws such as backlight fluctuation and uniformity issues. Connectivity is sufficient as long as you don’t need to connect a lot of older analog devices. There are 4 HDMI inputs, a PC input, two USB ports, and an Ethernet port. The Ethernet port provides access to Samsung’s InfoLink service, which gives you stock quotes, real-time weather, and news. The Ethernet port also can be used for updating the firmware.

Though it’s expensive, the Samsung UN55B6000 offers impressive overall performance and superb energy efficiency. This LCD TV’s striking design and great picture quality ensures it will be a crowd pleaser and look terrific in any living room. Available in 40”, 46” and 55” sizes.
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