Simply Amazing LCDTV - samsung ln52a650 review

By chill_dog

When I started looking for a new TV, I had determined I wanted a plasma. Naturally, the Pioneer PRO 110FD was at the top of my list. However, at $4,200 as an open box locally, it wasn't going to end up in my home. I then started looking at the next best thing, the top-of-the-line Panasonics (800U and 850U). After deciding on the 850, I was at the store making final comparisons to the 110 and I wasn't impressed. That's when I noticed a TV next to the 850 that was blowing it away...the Samsung LN52A750. The 750 was rivaling the 110. I was stunned.

After a little research, I found out that the LN52A650 has the same panel as the 750. The only differences were the speakers, some pre-loaded content (art, cooking, etc.), and the design of the frame. Speakers aren't that big of a deal, especially if you plan on getting a surround sound set up. Pre-loaded art? I actually saw a demo of this...couldn't imagine why anyone would sit and watch it. The frame would be a matter of personal preference. The 750's frame is flat, squared off, and larger (wider). The 650's frame curves back a little at the top and bottom, has a slightly curved bottom edge, and is slimmer. The stand is oval versus rectangular on the 750. I chose the 650 mainly because of the frame and stand, although the $200 savings over the 750 didn't hurt.

My digital/HD feed won't be set up for a couple of days, but basic cable looked very good. Color, contrast, etc. all looked great. I didn't watch any sports (football doesn't start for a couple of months), but motion on action shows and commercials was displayed fine; no judder was noticeable to me. Knowing a digital/HD feed is preferred, I expect the picture to only get better. My PS3, connected via HDMI, was stunning. The 650 had no problem with any of the fast motion of the games. BluRay's were equally as stunning. And with regards to black, this TV has deeper blacks than most plasmas, including the Panasonics. The blacks were on par with the 110, which is known for its blacks (hence the "Kuro" name).

Oh, and all of this was out of the box. I was too excited about getting it to take the time to tune it. I've read that this TV generally requires few adjustments out of the box to get it set at optimum settings, but I'll find out for myself tonight when I tune it.

A lot of the reviews I read of this TV seemed to slam the remote. Honestly, I had no problem with it. The buttons are large, clearly marked, and backlit. Back lighting is great to someone like myself who previously didn't have backlit remotes and had to memorize botton locations. The "wheel" that seems to get most of the complaints isn't that bad. I don't have an iPod or any similar device, so rotating a wheel isn't second nature to me; however, I had no trouble using it on the remote. After a couple of times playing with it, I was adjusted to its sensitivity and it became pretty easy to use.

A final note on Amazon (the seller) and CEVA/Eagle (the shipping company). Both are great. Amazon had an unbelievable price and shipped it the day I purchased it. It arrived a day before their estimated arrival date. CEVA called the night before and arranged to call me half an hour before their arrival (ie. no sitting around for hours waiting for them to show). I had wanted to inspect the TV to make sure it wasn't damaged during shipping before I signed for it. Before I could even mention that, the delivery guy said they wanted to open the box and plug in the TV to make sure everything was okay before I signed.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Samsung 650A, as well as getting it from Amazon. You won't be disappointed in any respects.

UPDATE: After having the TV for a couple of weeks, I'd like to add the following. First and foremost, I love this TV. Every time I watch it, I am amazed at the picture this TV generates. With DirecTV, the SD picture looks really good. The digital feed is noticeably better than the regular cable feed; I would expect the same would be true for a digital cable feed. The HD is great; nothing compares.

I tweaked the settings slightly based on CNET's recommendations for HDMI1 (DirectTV). The difference is a little hard to notice, but there. I still think the out-of-the-box settings for this TV are really good. In fact, I use them for HDMI2 (PS3). I do this for gaming, where I find the out-of-the-box settings to be perfect. I would prefer to watch BluRays with settings identical to the TV settings, but I don't want to change them everytime I switch from gaming to movies. Ultimately, I'll probably get a dedicated BD/DVD player since you can adjust the settings for each input individually.