Samsung UE49KU6500, we have tested it

The KU6500 Samsung series is positioned just below the television Quantum Dot  Korean company. That is, we could say that it is Samsung's highest range of the “normal” UHD of 2016 . We had the opportunity to test the Samsung UE49KU6500 for a few days , a TV with a 49-inch curved panel and 4K UHD resolution , compatible with HDR images and with Active Crystal Color technology  . A TV that incorporates Samsung's Tizen OS system and that comes with the Smart remote control. A television that tries to offer a good design and image quality at a more competitive price. Will it succeed? We tell you what we think of the Samsung UE49KU6500 .

Design

Despite not belonging to the highest range of the company, Samsung has also applied its 360-degree design on this model. That is, it has been sought that the television is attractive both from the front and from the back. The screen is surrounded by a 1 centimeter thick black frame on 3 of its sides. In the lower part the frame increases to 1.5 centimeters and changes to a dark gray. Although it is not as "invisible" as that of other higher models, it is not annoying.

The Samsung UE49KU6500 comes with a desktop stand that is made up of two pieces, one for the front and one for the rear, which the company calls the  Calyx Quad . Its X shape is not very large, but it is not a small base either. For the 49-inch model that we have tested, we will need a minimum of 75 centimeters wide and 35 centimeters deep to be able to place it. We can also hang the TV on the wall, since it is compatible with VESA 400 x 400 support .

The rear is plastic , but it sports a rather striking brushed finish . The patch panel is located in a corner at the rear, slightly recessed, allowing the connectors to be placed on their side and easy to use, even if the TV is hanging on the wall. The only connector that is not located in this position is the power connector, which is located on the opposite side.

At the bottom back we have the pedestal hooks, which are covered by a cover with the same brushed effect that the rest of the back cover shows.

Picture quality

Before moving on to content playback, it is good to know what technologies the Samsung UE49KU6500 hides . As we have already mentioned, this Samsung TV incorporates a 49-inch curved panel and 4K UHD resolution . The TV is compatible with HDR images , although with some limitations, as we will see later.

To improve image quality, Active Crystal Color technology has been included  , which adds an extra light source to the blue LED. With this system, purer whites and a greater color palette are achieved.

The Samsung UE49KU6500 also includes the UHD Dimming processing system , which divides the screen into hundreds of zones that are analyzed separately to optimize the level of brightness, color and contrast. The television also includes the  UHD Up-Scaling system , which processes the image in four steps to try to improve the image quality of all types of content.

And now that we know what is hidden inside, it is time to test if all this technology really works. The first thing we always do is try to find a balanced image setting. For this we have started from the Cinema mode , which we think is closer to reality.

Image quality is generally good. The screen's performance in a dark room is very good, with even blacks and a good contrast ratio. In brighter rooms, the performance is a bit worse, as the TV does not reach the brightness levels of the high range. We also see him suffer with the treatment of reflections, since he does not manage to reduce them effectively.

Angle of about 40 degrees

The weakest point , by far, that we have located in the Samsung UE49KU6500 is the viewing angles . Just by moving an angle of 30 degrees on the direct view of the screen we already begin to see a kind of whitish layer in the image.

4K resolution

Videos with 4K resolution look perfect, very sharp and without any problem. As we mentioned before, the television is compatible with HDR images. However, the HDR performance is not too remarkable . This is because the maximum brightness achieved by the TV is not too high and the color gamut is not as wide as is required for HDR to shine at its best.

1080p resolution

1080p resolution images look great too, with a very sharp and clear image. When we start to lower the resolution is when the television begins to suffer. It is a common evil in 4K resolution televisions. 720p resolution videos look pretty good, with only some halo effects around objects in certain scenes. The image of the HD channels of DTT is good , better than in many higher-end televisions.

DTT HD image

In the SD channels of DTT we will have more artifacts and a worse quality, but it is not the fault of the television. It is true that the size of 49 inches helps that we do not appreciate the low quality of the broadcast so much, but in general the image is acceptable.

TDT SD image

Sound and connectivity

On a general level, the sound provided by most of today's televisions is simply passable. Almost none of them stand out above the rest, except for the systems included in the highest ranges. The Samsung UE49KU6500 offers a sound system with two speakers , located at the bottom of the TV, that achieve a power of 20W . A sufficient system to watch television programs, but insufficient to properly enjoy movies.

What we can highlight is the compatibility with Dolby Digital Plus and DTS sound . Also that the TV is compatible with Bluetooth headphones .

In terms of connections, the Samsung UE49KU6500 offers 3 HDMI inputs , 2 USB ports , an optical digital audio output , Ethernet input, and built-in WiFi connectivity .

Tizen OS system

Samsung maintains its bet to use the Tizen OS system in its televisions. The Samsung UE49KU6500 incorporates the latest version of the system, with a new Smart Hub or main screen that improves the user experience. With this system we can access the applications, configuration and different inputs very easily and quickly. The included Quad Core processor moves the system smoothly and without slowdowns. We must also highlight the fast turning on of the TV, which in less than 2 seconds is already operational.

The Smart Hub shows us shortcuts to the applications that we configure. When hovering over some of them, such as Netflix , it shows us what we have seen recently for immediate access. In terms of applications, we have practically all that an average user may need. They are available the most common video streaming applications such as Netflix , YouTube , Wuaki , Amazon Prime Video and even Google Play Movies . We also have the applications of operators such as Movistar or Orange available. There is also no lack of applications from DTT channels, such as A3 Player , MiTele or RTVE . And we even have applications to play the content of our home network, such as Plex or DS Video .

This model also incorporates some games that we can install directly on the television and the GameFly service . It is a streaming game service that we already saw in the Samsung UE65KS9000 . The game catalog is not very current, but for "casual" players it could be enough. The television allows the connection of a gamepad to play these games.

We will control the Smart TV system through the only remote that the television includes. It is the Samsung Smart remote . A command that many users hate and many others fall in love with. As you can see in the image, it is a minimalist remote control. In it we only have two elongated buttons for volume and channels, a central wheel, the button for voice recognition and a couple of "special" buttons . With one we will display the numbers and with the other we will open a small window with the usual colored buttons. We will also have the Home button, to open the Smart Hub.

In addition to its curious design, the Smart remote is capable of controlling a large collection of devices connected to the TV via HDMI. When connecting a game console, a Blu-Ray reader, a satellite decoder or any other device, the system will detect the type of device that we have connected and will identify it . From that moment on we can use the TV remote control to also control that device. And if it doesn't do it automatically, we can configure it by hand.

Conclusions

The Samsung UE49KU6500 is a television that, as we have discussed, is located just below Samsung's high-end . What does this mean on a practical level? That we can enjoy a good image, but without the latest advances of the company. We are facing an elegant television, although not as striking in design as its older brothers.

The image quality is good in general , especially if we feed it with videos with good resolution. Of course, we must bear in mind that the HDR will not be as spectacular as in other televisions with a higher level of brightness. It is worth noting that, at least at 49 inches, it is a good option to watch DTT. Despite the poor signal of our public television, the image quality that the television achieves is quite acceptable. We've noticed poorer image quality on much higher-end models, due to the work they have to do to scale the image.

The Samsung Smart TV is still the best we've tasted. It works smoothly, without too much trouble. We have available all the applications that most users need, with some interesting bonus as Plex or Google Play Movies .

In short, a perfect device for users looking for a 4K and HDR television with good image quality but with a more content price . The Samsung UE49KU6500 is available in the market with a price of 900 euros . We also have models available in 43, 55, 65 and up to 78 inches. For example, the 55-inch model is priced at 1,150 euros, while if we opt for the 65-inch model we will go to 1,600 euros.

Samsung UE65KS9000

screen

Design

Smart tv

Sound

Connections

+ info

Price: 900 euros