Looking for a 4K TV that won’t break the bank? The 55-inch Samsung RU7100 UHD 7 Series is a good option. It offers decent picture quality, with only a few drawbacks (its narrow viewing angle is the biggest issue we found), and overall this is a solid budget 4K TV from the South Korean tech giant that’s worthy of recommendation. Right now, it’s available on Amazon for a huge $102 less.
The Samsung RU7100 is one of Samsung’s most affordable TV offerings that shoppers will greatly appreciate. It won’t sweep cinephiles off their feet, but it still manages to deliver a good performance despite its relatively low cost. This TV is made entirely out of plastic with nary any premium materials in sight, but its build quality is pretty solid. The two legs are spaced a bit far apart from each other, but the TV doesn’t wobble, and cable management is provided by grooves on the back and clips found on both legs. On the TV’s back is a healthy collection of ports including three HDMI 2.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, component ports, LAN ethernet port, RF input, and an optical audio output. They’re all facing backward, which can be a problem if you choose to mount this TV on your wall.
This TV has a VA-LCD panel that provides a decent picture quality with deep blacks, accurate colors, and high native contrast. It also supports HDR content, so watching high-definition Netflix and YouTube videos is a delight. However, the brightness isn’t enough to withstand glare, especially in a brightly lit room. Another issue is the narrow viewing angle. When you watch directly in front of this TV it looks good, but even a slight switch of position to the side and the picture starts to look murky. Again, for the price, the picture quality is quite satisfactory. Just make sure you’ve got fewer sources of light in your room and try to watch your shows directly in front of it. Oh, and don’t invite too many guests over. This TV is not for viewing parties.
We encountered no problems whatsoever when it came to Samsung RU7100’s smart TV interface. Running on Samsung’s Tizen 5 OS, the layout is simple and runs smoothly and snappily. Press the home button on the remote to pull up a row of shortcuts and a few recommended apps. It supports Apple AirPlay 2, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Furthermore, it has Bluetooth connectivity so you can connect a soundbar or headphones to it wirelessly.
This TV’s stereo speakers are good but far from great; they are about what we expected from a slim midrange TV. The volume can be turned up loud enough to fill small to medium-sized rooms, dialogue sound very clear, but this TV lacks a subwoofer so there’s no thump in the bass. It’s best if you purchase a soundbar.
The 55-inch Samsung RU7100 UHD 7 Series 4K TV is a good entry-level TV that’s suitable for dark rooms. Get it for $498 on Amazon today.
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