Introduction
Released in March of 2008, the Samsung’s 650 series LCD TVs – also known as the 6 series – have been pleasing consumers and reviewers alike. We recently got our hands on the 46″ LN46A650, the mid-sized model in the series, and put it to the test. As expected, the TV faired quite well and lived up to the standard of previous high-end 1080p LCDs from Samsung.
There are a couple of things which makes the 6 series stand out from the competition. The first is easy to spot: a deep red trim that surrounds the glossy black frame, aka the Touch of Color (ToC). The other is more subtle, found only after examining the rear input panel or turning the TV on; it is a built-in Ethernet connectivity, allowing the TV to access RSS feeds directly from the Internet. Read on to see how well these and other aspects of the Samsung LN46A650 stack up.
Design & Physical Description
- 46″ widescreen LCD TV (16:9 aspect ratio)
- Touch of Color high-gloss bezel
- Dimensions: 44.5″ × 30.5″ × 11.0″ (WxHxD) with stand, 44.5″ × 28.1″ × 3.7″ without stand
- Weight: 58.6 lbs with stand, 49.2 lbs without stand
- Horizontal speakers (10Wx2) with integrated woofer
- Swivel Stand (rotates 20 degrees)
- Wall mountable (mount not included)
- Wheel Key Remote Control
- Inputs:
- 4 HDMI (3 rear, 1 side)
- 2 Component (rear)
- 2 Composite AV (1 rear, 1 side)
- 1 S-Video (rear)
- 1 PC input (rear)
- 1 USB slot (side)
- 1 RF antenna input (rear)
The most obvious element of the LN46A650′s design is its “Touch of Color”, a dark red band that occupies the outer edge of the entire TV. Samsung’s official pictures don’t quite capture just how noticeable the red trim is – some will be turned off by this departure from the norm. Opinions were polarized here in the office, but we can at least applaud the designers for trying something new. For now, though, it seems that red is the only color available, which is a bit of a disappointment.
Other than the Touch of Color, the rest of the TV is similar to last years 71F series, the models that the 6 series replaces. Most of the frames (other than the red trim) are made of Samsung’s favorite super glossy black plastic. Touch-sensitive controls are found at the lower right of the TV. The LN46A650′s range of inputs are located on the rear and side of the flat panel. The list of inputs is on par with most recent HDTVs, though this model comes with four HDMIs instead of the usual three. Also worth noting are the USB slot for quick and easy access to JPEG and MP3 files; and the PC input that turns the TV into a giant computer monitor.
Following the TV’s design concept, the remote control manages to stand out from the crowd: replacing the traditional 4-way arrow keys is a clickable rotating wheel used for navigating through menus. Also, the backlight automatically turns on when the remote is picked up. This is a pretty handy solution to the problem of fumbling with remote controls in the dark.
Features
- 1920 × 1080 pixel resolution (Full HD 1080p)
- Built-in Ethernet connection
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 4ms response time
- 50,000:1 contrast ratio
- 500cd/m2 brightness
- 10 bit processing
- 178 degree viewing angle
- Built-in NTSC/QAM/ATSC tuners
- SRS TruSurround XT
- Infolink RSS Access
- Auto Motion Plus
- Picture-in-Picture
The LN46A650 comes loaded with all the features one expects from a top-of-the-line LCD HDTV, plus a couple more for good measure. The TV’s full 1080p resolution can handle even the most detailed images from the latest HD sources. The 120Hz refresh rate, which was also featured in the last year’s 71F series, and 4ms response time work together to reduce motion blur and judder sometimes seen in fast-moving video sequences. In addition, the LN46A650 features 10 bit processing, used to improve color accuracy and rendition.
Perhaps the feature that deserves the most mention is the TV’s built-in Ethernet connection. This lets you connect to the Internet and download up-to-the-minute information such as weather, news, stock prices, and more. And for those who can’t handle one more cable in their life, a USB Wi-Fi adapter can be purchased that allows the TV to connect via wireless networks. Though not every owner of the TV will want to use this Infolink function, it is at least something new and innovative in the TV world.
Performance
Simply put, the Samsung LN46A50 performs as well as, or better than, just about any LCD HDTV on the market. We were hard-pressed to find any faults with this TV – no small feat considering how nit-picky most of our staffs are. The picture quality, especially when viewing 1080p sources such as Blu-Ray, was nothing short of spectacular. Even during the pandemonium of the opening scene in Saving Private Ryan, the LN46A650 didn’t miss a beat. Surely this is a sign that the fast refresh rate and response time really do make a difference.
Something certainly worth mentioning is how well the TV handled non-HD content. We hooked up an NES (old school Nintendo, for all you whippersnappers out there), spent the obligatory 10 minutes blowing into the console and cartridge, and finally enjoyed some Arkanoid on the big screen. The result was excellent, without the pixelation and screwy colors many TVs exhibit when using non-HD sources. Analog broadcast TV and VHS tapes also looked good.
As for the Infolink feature, we had no problem getting it online and checking on the news and local weather. The menu was easy to understand and navigating was a pleasure thanks to the iPod-like wheel on the remote. One option we really liked was the ability to minimize the Infolink so that it became like a ticker at the bottom of the screen. Reading news headlines is a nice way to make commercial breaks go by faster.
The one fault we found with the LN46A650 is the same one we saw in many other Samsung LCDs: that high gloss black frame. Sure, it looks pretty slick, but when placed in anything but near black darkness, the frame reflects just about anything. Usually this is not much of a bother, but we wary about buying a Samsung if there is a window or other bright light source near your TV space.
Conclusion
Samsung continues to impress in the LCD TV market and the LN46A650 is no exception. It turns out fantastic picture quality, comes with all the inputs and features anyone needs, and brings something new to the table with the built-in Ethernet connection. The somewhat adventurous design may not be for everyone, but hey, you can’t please all of the people all of the time, right? And for those who don’t like the red trim, one glimpse at some 1080p video on this beauty will likely change their mind.