Samsung SUHD Curved, TV picture systems from 2015

One more year, Samsung faces the challenge of staying at the top of the television market. Its screens are the reference worldwide in terms of Smart TV, 4K and curved designs. However, this year he wanted to go back to the roots and work primarily on a crucial section when evaluating a television: image quality . To do this, it has introduced nanocrystalline technology in its panels, which promise up to 64 times more color than a traditional LED panel . And without forgetting 4K resolution to fully enjoy every detail. Here we go over the key features of the high-end TVs fromSamsung in 2015 .

Nanocrystals

This is the key word behind Samsung's high-end offering in 2015. Tiny crystals that are capable of greatly increasing the color gamut of an LED panel. In fact, according to the company, this technology provides up to 64 times more color than a traditional LED panel . These tiny crystals also allow a lot more play when it comes to managing the brightness of the TV, to the point that Samsung models already dial in an impressive 1,000 nits brightness figure .

But of course, this technology alone would not be complete if it were not for the inclusion of Auto Depth Enhancer. It is a technology that we already talked about last year and that is capable of analyzing each image shown on TV in real time. Thanks to its powerful algorithm, Auto Depth Enhancer is able to analyze the position of each element that appears (foreground, background) and plays with contrast to create a greater sense of depth. The result on a practical level are images that are close to what a 3D TV would be without glasses. Along with this function we also have Peak Illuminator,a technology that increases brightness in the lightest areas of the image. In this way, for example, the performance of the panel is improved when reproducing dark scenes in a horror movie.

SUHD image and curved panels

The term S-UHD is a name coined by Samsung to try to highlight the progress that the image quality of its panels has experienced. In reality, in terms of resolution, the 3,840 x 2,1560 pixels in 4K or UHD (Ultra High Definition) format of last year are still maintained . This format multiplies by four the level of detail of a Full HD panel and creates the sensation of being in front of a window to the real world. A feeling that is even more powerful with a wider color gamut that is closer to the original source of the image.

Along with this commitment to 4K resolution, the curved design could not be missing in the most powerful models of the brand. Samsung has become the standard bearer for this new generation of televisions that abandon the flat format to embrace curves. And not just any curve, as the company has tried to reflect on its televisions the way human vision works. The result is a more immersive and natural experience that helps you get into series and movies. But in addition, this format also allows to reduce the total width of the television.This is an interesting advantage if we take into account how much the average size of televisions that is being generated in the market is growing… A growth that unfortunately does not translate into larger and larger rooms. One of the few buts that can be put to this format are the viewing angles. And although the ideal viewing angle is enlarged relative to the flat TVs, the worse experience when we see the television much more laterally.

Tizen operating system

Another important change that has come to Samsung TVs in 2015 is its smart platform. The Korean company has decided to make a clean slate and embrace an interface based on its Tizen operating system . This change is designed to offer the user a simpler platform and in which most of the options are at hand.

Instead of multiplying the available menus, the new Samsung televisions reduce their number. Thus, the Smart TV button on the traditional remote disappears and is replaced by the "Content" button . When we press it, a menu appears at the bottom of the screen in the form of a bar with boxes. From here we access the most recent content or the most popular apps on the platform with one click (YouTube can never be absent here). In addition, one of the boxes also serves to access the applications screen.

Again, the key here is simplicity. Instead of moving through different windows with its own entity, Samasung divides the apps into sections in the same window. Among the categories there are games, sports, video or education, with prominent titles such as Skype, Yomvi, Deezer, YouTube, Wuaki, Vevo, Dailymotion, Facebook or even the official app of the Football League .

Among the features that have been preserved compared to last year's TV, we have the option of enjoying two different contents on split screen . Thus, we can continue to watch a TV channel on the left side while browsing YouTube on the right. One of the points that we liked the most is that it is possible to directly access this option through the boxes on the bottom bar without having to go around a lot. Football mode is also preserved, although it is quite hidden from the naked eye (you have to go to the system menu to find it instead of the image menu or similar). For users who still do not know this mode, it basically increases the contrast of the images and enhances the ambient sound to create a more powerful experience when we watch the matches of this sport or another similar. Personally, I find that the audio is very successful but the images appear too bright and can be even annoying after a while. Of course it is a matter of taste.

Premium metal knob

The high-end televisions of the Korean company use in addition to the traditional remote a premium metal remote . It is a control that opts for a long and thin format , with a curve that helps to comfortably grip the accessory.

One of the keys to this command is the use of a pointer that works via Bluetooth . This pointer appears when you press the center button and moves across the screen with ease. The fineness of this pointer is quite successful (although it seems a little less fine than the previous year) and represents an important advantage when browsing or using different apps. When activated, four icons appear in the four directions on the screen. If we move the pointer to the top, we access the menu. On the left you access the volume options, on the right the guide and the channel list and below the Smart TV menu.

We also have quick buttons to open the content panel at the bottom, the different sources, the menu or the "Extra" button . This button is used to open a side window on the TV where you can enter a term to see the tweets related to a certain topic.

From the remote control we can also use the voice recognition function thanks to an integrated microphone. With this feature it is possible to carry out actions such as raising and lowering the channel, raising or lowering the volume and performing other actions such as activating subtitles or starting voice guidance. Even though it works well, the finesse and actions that can be taken are below what we saw last year.

Ranges and formats

Currently, the Korean company divides its high-end offer into three families: Samsung SUHD JS9500, Samsung SUHD JS900 and Samsung SUHD JS8500 , all of them with SUHD resolution and curved format.

We started this little review with the Samsung SUHD JS9500 televisions . These are the company's spearhead televisions for 2015, with screen sizes of 65 inches, 78 inches and up to 88 inches. These devices reach a frequency of up to 2,400 Hz to achieve very fluid images. In addition, they use Peak Illuminator Pro technology to enhance the bright areas of the screen in all types of scenes and use an eight-core image processor . Their current prices range between about 6,000 euros for the 65-inch model and 23,000 euros for the 88-inch model.

The second Samsung SUHD JS900 series brings 48-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes to our living rooms . In this case, the frequency is reduced to 2,000 Hz , but the powerful eight-core image processor remains. Like the more advanced model, it includes the One Connect box that removes all the TV connections from the rear to make them more accessible. It also features technology Peak Illuminator but a step down in performance. We have found this model on the market for prices starting at 2,400 euros for the 48-inch model.

Finally, the Samsung SUHD JS8500 series is also available in 48-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch formats . They are still very powerful televisions, but they lower their image processor to four cores. In addition, we will not find the One Connect box of the other models either. Its frequency is 1,900 Hz and includes technology Peak Illuminator . Their prices in the market start at 1,700 euros.