Samsung UA46B7000WM (46-inch LCD)

By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
May 15, 2009

The Samsung B7000-series is one of the latest LED TVs from the Korean company. It sits right between the no-frills B6000- and flagship B8000-series, offering the best value within the lineup. For S$300 (US$216.01) less than the UA46B8000XM, the UA46B7000WM packs all the features found in its higher-end equivalent sans an ultrafast 200Hz refresh rate. If you're in the market for an eco-friendly and ultraslim panel with strong audio-visual credentials, this "Samsung" is definitely worth considering.

Design

The UA46B7000WM is a stunning showpiece with fully integrated electronics and a sleek 29.9mm-wide bezel. The panel frame's Crystal Design based on a glossy rose accent with clear edges adds to the TV's charm, while a glowing red power indicator and matching glass swivel stand complete the finishing touches. To preserve its clean lines, Samsung has bought back its invisible speakers equipped with bottom-firing drivers and dual-rear subwoofers. Weighting just 17.7kg, this model can also be mounted via an optional steel wire kit like a portrait of a mere 15mm gap from the wall.

For an extra touch of class, the B7000-series panels have front touch-sensitive controls which sadly lack backlighting. We are not exactly convinced by the deeply recessed left A/V ports, either, although this is probably designed to offset protruding USB dongles and thumbdrives. Furthermore, it's difficult to nitpick when you've four HDMI ports and two USB inputs for quick connections to external devices. To conserve space, this TV employs three breakout cables for audio, composite- and component-video sockets. We'd advise against using thick Ethernet and VGA cords as well, due to their tight fittings.

There are two similarly styled remotes bundled. The ergonomic and responsive master controller scores well in our book with its orange backlighting and plentiful controls. These include hotkeys for all major functions, video playback and a Tool button which calls up a table of A/V settings. Input switching is greatly simplified, too, covered by dedicated TV and Source keys with smart filtering technology that toggles among the used ports. The pebble-shaped secondary remote, on the other hand, is loaded with a power button, plus a large volume and channel adjustment wheel.

Samsung has given its comprehensive software menu a makeover using graphics animation. More importantly, there're now embedded diagnostic functions and support information to help users resolve problems. For casual users, the UA46B7000WM has a game A/V mode and four picture presets optimized for different genres of programs. The latter four can also be further customized by experts, but lacks independent memory for each source. Nonetheless, there's an array of advanced settings such as edge enhancement, white balance, judder and motion blurring corrections, among others.

Tags: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., TV, animation, graphics animation, video

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