Samsung UNEH6000 (pictures)
Although cheaper than Samsung's ultrathin edge-lit models, the value proposition of the EH6000 series is hurt by mediocre picture quality.
Overview
Since Samsung itself widely introduced edge lighting LED in 2009, the phrase "LED TV" has meant "thinner" to the majority of TV shoppers. This year Samsung and other makers are marketing LED TVs that are just as chunky as the non-LED-based LCD TVs of yore, and cheaper than their edge-lit counterparts -- which Samsung is now calling "Slim LED TV."
Confused customers will probably be scratching their heads at the 3.7-inch-thick profile of the EH6000 series, wondering how it deserves to be called an LED TV. The salesman will explain that it uses LEDs arranged in a full array behind the screen, as opposed to crammed along the edge. That's true. At that point he might even try to tell the customer that since it's LED, it has a better picture than standard LCD TVs. That's not necessarily true, and never was.
The Samsung EH6000 does have a thinner frame around the picture than any non-LED TV, lending it a nice minimalist design, but its picture quality is just decent -- no better than the company's non-LED TVs from last year, and worse in some areas. It is a lot cheaper than its edge-lit Samsung brethren, however, so it might appeal to value-conscious buyers, especially in smaller screen sizes where plasma and better LED TVs like the Sharp LC-LE640U series don't compete.
Side view
Top corner detail
Bottom corner detail
Stand detail
Inputs
Remote control
USB media support
Help section
Advanced picture settings
2-point grayscale
120Hz and adjustable dejudder processing
Picture quality
The EH6000's picture falls short of many LED and a few non-LED TVs we've tested, displaying a lighter shade of black and poor off-angle viewing. However its color is quite accurate, video processing is solid and it showed better uniformity across the screen than many of its edge-lit counterparts. I also appreciated its matte screen finish in brighter rooms.
Read the full review of the Samsung UNEH6000 series