Samsung QLED Series Q7F UHD 65 inch flat, we have tested it

It is the most atomic flat TV from Samsung in 2017. This 65-inch model belongs to the 7 series of the Korean firm Samsung and is capable of offering the highest resolution on the market. The so-called 4K or SUHD. But, this Samsung QLED Series Q7F 65 offers much more than good definition. We are talking about a state-of-the-art TV that stands out from its competitors, especially in three aspects: Image quality, ease of use and “bullet-proof” connection .

This 65-inch model is not the only 7-series on the market. Samsung has up to four screen sizes . The smallest is the 49-inch (2,000 euros), then comes the 55-inch (2,500 euros). The largest is 75 inches (5,500 euros). The TV that we have tested from the Q7 family is the flat model (F for Flat) with a 65-inch screen diagonal (163 cm) and it costs 3,300 euros.

Before reviewing the key points of this luxury TV, it is worth taking a look at the television market in our country. Last year, the Spanish have bought around 3.2 million televisions according to the GfK consultancy. The best positioned brand is Samsung with 40% of the market, a firm that clearly bets on QLED (Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode) technology. Above its immediate follower LG Electronics (32%), which is the first champion of the OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) panel market. QLED and OLED are two very advanced and high-quality technologies that today compete to show the best television images.

Returning to the QLED model at hand, it must be said that we are talking about a very smart TV. It has intelligence to offer applications, games and connects to any computer. It does everything automatically. In fact, it detects the connected device and allows us to manage it through the TV remote control. By the way. The control is surprising for its simplicity. It comes with the right keys , but it is a technological marvel. For example, we can talk to you and ask you to take us to any live channel or to show us the images of any equipment connected to the TV.

And what can we say about image quality. Our first experience has been satisfactory. The quality of its QLED panel and the amount of colors offered by the Quantum Dots is dizzying. The jump with respect to other televisions is perceived at first glance. This TV offers us very bright images, with an enormous quality of detail and with a representation of colors that brings us very close to the real world . But this is only the beginning. We have tested it thoroughly, and this is what we found.

Design and assembly

Nobody wants a TV with a large frame and that's how Samsung understands it. This year they have presented their “infinite” screen on the Samsung Galaxy S8 mobile and the Galaxy S8 Plus. Now, they are betting on frameless screens, also on their televisions. And is that this model barely has a minimal metallic and silver border. It measures a little over a millimeter. A practically invisible frame that frames the image of the panel of your new televisions. It is so subtle that you can't even see it in the distance. The screen pretty much ends where the outline of the TV meets. And this feeling is really positive. The image of the television itself marks its front design.

The rest of your measurements are 1444.1 x 826.4 x 45.0 mm . Yes, 45 millimeters thick. Something that, as we said, allows us to hang the TV practically like a painting. Flat and barely protruding from the wall. And, in addition, it is very light. This 65-inch TV does not even weigh 25 kg. Without a stand, the TV weighs 24.3 kg. With base, 28.2 kg and 37.6 kg with the box included.

Keep in mind that Samsung engineers have achieved this thinness and lightness in the TV by removing all connections to an external box. We are talking about the One Connect box  , a module measuring 36.2 x 11.5 x 3 centimeters that collects the HDMI and Ethernet ports, the optical sound output, the antenna reception and the USB ports. A very practical system that allows us to hide the box with its connections and cables in a hidden tray on the TV table. A simple white and almost invisible fiber cable connects this external box to the television. So, it is practically not seen. This point is also comfortable if we plan to hang the TV on the wall.

In our case we have decided to mount the television directly on the base that does come with the package. This bracket consists of a stylish  metal "V" with a rounded chrome finish . No matter the decoration of the living room, the television adapts to the environment, highlighting only its screen. By the way, that the support is strong and stable. It is true that we had some problems when assembling it. And, as with Ikea furniture, you have to follow the steps of a relatively simple manual. Ultimately, with a little time and skill, anyone can get their Samsung QLED Q7F series TV installed. Ah! I forgot. You also have to have a Phillips screwdriver.

Apart from this, the assembly process is simple, and thanks to the One Connect box, all the connections are unified in the same device .

Samsung QLED Q7F

Image quality: QLED display

But we go with one of the key points of this television: its screen. The first thing that catches your eye is the brightness and color. And it is that, at any level of brightness, this Samsung screen presents us with very real and natural colors . And this is not only said by us. According to the German certification and homologation association VDE (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker), Samsung QLED televisions are capable of reproducing practically 100% of the color volume (DCI-P3 color space used in digital cinema). This association based in Frankfurt is one of the most relevant in the market in these matters. And this is present in Samsung's Q7, Q8 and Q9 series this year. But, the best thing is that the metallic coating of these particles on the panel allows them to reachpeaks between 1,500 and 2,000 nits of brightness . All this taking into account that it is not OLED technology, that is, it is not organic, so the screen does not lose quality or brightness over time.

As with previous Samsung TV families, Quantum Dot technology enables individual dot activation, offering greater control of contrast and color. To understand it, the technology on which this panel is mounted allows to see many more shades of colors in the images. And is that QLED covers the entire spectrum, both in brighter areas and in the darkest parts of the image. It is a panel with brightness and luminosity, but also with deep and defined blacks. This makes the images look clearer, sharper, and ultimately, with higher quality . It does not matter if the scene is very dark or very light.

Not forgetting that the TV is compatible with the HDR1500 function. A technology that improves image details, especially in very light or very dark areas. Another interesting point is that it offers a screen resolution of 3,840 í— 2,160 points. You just have to look a little bit at details like blemishes on an actor's skin, animal hair, or even fish scales. Everything is fully defined and detailed at  full resolution.  That is,  4K or UHD (Ultra High Definition) definition that multiplies by four the screen resolution of the now classic high definition (Full HD).

Samsung calls all of these concepts Q Contrast, Q Color or Q viewing angle . But it all comes down to top-of-the-line image quality. Of the best that can be seen on current televisions. With a technology that also offers a wide viewing angle without losing color, brightness or definition.

All these technologies make the sensation that television images convey to us spectacular. Almost dizzy when one stands in front of this television to see images with 4K resolution, full of brightness, detail and with a very wide color representation. Colors, dynamism, clarity, definition of contours, contrast ”¦ With issues that stand out in this flat Samsung QLED from the 7 Series.

By the way, this 65-inch TV, due to its size, is more than enough for an average living room. With a couple of meters of distance between the TV and the sofa, the feeling of being in front of a cinema screen is maintained.

Intelligence made television

But the guys at Samsung have not only built a new family of stylish and quality televisions. Beyond its excellent panel and all the imaging technology, the Q7F series stands out for its intelligence . To the point, for example, that it is able to recognize the equipment that we connect to it. Or even TV understands what we say through the microphone on the remote control.

On the one hand, there is the automatic recognition of everything that is connected to the One Connect box of the television. They can already be a hard drive, a video game console, a stereo or a Blu-Ray disc player. Normally, any equipment that we connect to it recognizes it. This means that the invention will appear well named in the smart menu of the TV. And, if it is rare, old or both and you do not recognize it, we can always help you, naming it ourselves in the corresponding menu. Thus, from the remote control, we can enter the source to reproduce its content. A comfort for those of us who have the TV flanked with a few audiovisual equipment.

On the other hand, there is the way in which all these contents and sources are managed. Samsung Q7F series TVs feature a Q Engine processor that further powers processes over last year's family. A quad-core chip that is responsible for managing all the smart functions of the TV: launching applications, games and streaming services; jump between sources and content; and, of course, analyze all these contents to take advantage of the panel in the best possible way. Do not forget that the technology included in these televisions is capable of adapting to each situation to show the highest contrast, the best saturation and to be able to see the content in great detail.

By the way, Samsung continues to bet on its own operating system, Tizen , to control the full potential and abilities of these televisions. Some of its virtues is the autocomplete at the time of writing. Something that speeds up the function by showing different possible next letters to form a word. Much faster than moving around the keyboard with the cursor.

Easy to use: One controller to control them all

The remote control of the new Samsung televisions deserves a section for himself. And not because it has an attractive and elegant design  . Who has it. In fact, it maintains the style and texture of the TV frame and its base. The fact is that the remote stands out because it is a simple, capable and powerful tool. Despite being small and simple, it allows us to control absolutely everything. And I'm not just talking about the TV, but about the rest of the connected devices. Yes, having several controls rolling around the living room is over with this Samsung TV.

And it is that, the remote control becomes a universal one without the need to configure absolutely anything. Once a hard drive is plugged in, for example, just use the Samsung TV remote to jump to its source, move through its folders, and play its contents. But it is exactly the same with stereos, with the console or with a video player. We don't have to look for their controls . From here the buttons in the circle of the remote control allow us to move comfortably between folders, menus and sections. Simple.

As with previous Samsung TV models, the company has incorporated a microphone into the remote . In this way, it is much more convenient and faster to order some actions to the television. For example, you just have to press the microphone button and order “View hard disk” to instantly jump to that content. Or "Open YouTube" to start the video application, even if we are watching television, for example. It also allows you to enter text when searching for videos on YouTube, writing a tweet or any other matter that involves entering text.

Regarding its design, in addition to marrying with the rest of the elements of the television, we must talk about its keys. It has a very simple design. There are just a few buttons to manage all the functions of the TV and its connected devices. Something that Samsung has changed after several generations of controls full of buttons. What we liked were the volume and channel change buttons. These are two elongated levers that are not pressed, but are tilted. A different touch and with more mechanical sensations that only offer a feeling of quality and detail to an already stylish command.

Multimedia functions

In addition to reproducing almost everything, regardless of the source and without using more than one remote control, Samsung QLED Q7F televisions have a good number of additional interesting features. And it's Tizen's fault. The operating system that manages the quad-core brain that drives everything on these televisions. Thanks to this, you can get much more out of the television with issues such as searching for subtitles, for example.

Among its additional functions, Instant On stands out , or what is the same, a really short ignition time. No melodies or presentation screens. Just a second is needed to start watching TV after pressing the power button on the remote.

Like any self-respecting television, the electronic program guide or EPG can not be missing, as well as programs that are responsible for cleaning the image so that everything is seen correctly: Digital Clean View and Ultra Clean View . Along with this there are screen modes to enjoy movies or video games with different visual finishes. Or even the PIP (picture in picture) option with which to watch two channels or content sources at the same time.

But it is the option to add subtitles, the automatic channel search and other options such as recording content on a USB that complete this television. Elements that allow you to extend the viewing experience beyond the classical field, and that are a good addition for the most expert users.

Total connection: One Connect, where everything connects

But everything, everything. Samsung has made a smart move with this of extracting the ports and connectivity from the body of the TV. Yes, you have to place another device almost as large as a DVD player somewhere nearby, but it eliminates the tangle of cables and other problems such as cable length. Also, this One Connect box is quite compact and comes packed with inputs . Any need that the user must cover is contemplated through this box.

The module has  four high definition video inputs (HDMI). We also find up to three USB ports. And you could not miss a LAN (Ethernet) input  to connect the cable TV, directly to the home Internet network. But there is more. We can improve the audio thanks to the Digital Audio output (Optical). Typically, slim TVs usually have acceptable speakers to reproduce mid and high tones. Instead, the low frequencies are out of the reproduction range. In fact, it is always advisable to improve the sound of your TV by connecting it to a good theater amplifier or a decent sound bar. This is why this Samsung TV has an optical output.

To avoid having to access the television when inserting decoder cards, on the right side of the One Connect we find the CI slot. There is also an RF antenna input, of course. And an Ex-Link port.

Of course, not everything works by cable in this Samsung Q7F family. There is also built-in WiFi  and low-energy Bluetooth.

If we focus on the tuner aspect we find that it is twofold. This family of televisions has two DVB-T2CS2. Thanks to that we can record up to two different channels at the same time with a single USB stick. And the best thing is that we can even watch another channel in the meantime. Yes. This of watching another channel while we can do it, as long as the channel we are watching is sent through the same transponder as either of the two that we are recording. To understand it better. While we are recording a channel of the A3Media group and another of the Telecinco group, we can see any channel that belongs to those groups.

With all this connectivity and technology, it is capable of playing virtually any standard channel today. From encrypted paid content to HbbTV 1.5 channels. All this without forgetting that it is compatible with issues such as Anynet +, HDMI Quick Switch, WiFi Direct or even viewing 360-degree content. Its Mirroring options also stand out, that is, bringing the content of the mobile to the TV screen via DLNA, or vice versa, to view the content of the television on the mobile.

Its processor is powerful enough to handle any streaming content. That is why applications such as YouTube or Netflix can be installed. But not only that. You can also play computer games directly on this large screen in the living room. Without moving it from the room in which it is. The Steam platform has its own application to stream games from the computer to the TV screen through the Internet connection.

Interface customization

As soon as we start this Samsung TV, we come across a home screen full of content. Here the last television channels that we have seen are shown, being able to continue the emission. However, what is interesting is the start menu at the bottom of the screen.

Samsung has chosen to design a fairly efficient card or application interface to sort the user's favorite content. Thus, in recognizable icons, it is possible to browse YouTube, Netflix or any of the sources connected by the HDMI inputs of the One Connect box . The only downside is that this menu acts like a carousel and, if there are many items, we lose some time to get to the one that interests us.

The positive is that this interface is customizable . The user chooses the position of each icon or card within the order of the carousel. It is even possible to remove unused content sources and services. Just press down and select move or delete to relocate the item. And ready. Thus, we see everything normally, we can place it so that it is always at hand.

In this same menu, but on the left side of the bottom bar are the settings. A special section where we can touch up any issue such as channel settings, jump between all connected sources, search for channels and content or go through the Samsung SmartTV application screen. A space that is always in view when we press the Home button or start on the remote, but in which you have to jump from one menu to another one by one.

Yes. With this new smart remote we can always use the microphone shortcut and voice recognition. As we have said, the remote is not only used by pressing keys, we can also dictate commands by voice. This way of moving around the interface is more agile as long as we know the voice commands, or the menus we want to go to. The good news is that, after pressing the microphone button once and selecting the key on the right, Samsung remembers all the possibilities and options by voice. The only problem we have found in this regard is that some apps do not work with voice recognition (for example, Netflix) and, when we search for a page on the Internet, in some cases it seems that they do not understand Spanish well. Something that makes it a bit difficult to search for videos on YouTube, for example.

Clean, crisp sound

An image like the one offered by this Samsung QLED Q7F should offer a good level of sound. In this case, we find that the guys at Samsung have incorporated a 4.2 channel sound system into the TV . A system that virtually generates the sensation of surround sound. It is rated at 40 watts and offers a clean, clear and distortion-free sound. They have also added a small  woofer to enhance the bass in movies or when we listen to music. The sound quality on this Samsung TV is Dolby Digital Plus certified , and uses DTS codec. In other words, quality standards typical of cinema.

The reality is that, on this TV, the reproduction is very good for the mid and high frequency range. Of course, lovers of good sound always want something more. And, the thing would improve adding a team that reinforces the bass. When we talk about thin televisions it is always advisable to reinforce the bass And it is impossible to reproduce the lower frequencies correctly when there is never enough room for the subwoofer to move. Hence, in all cases, when we buy any slim television, it is advisable to connect a sound bar or a complete audiovisual amplifier to achieve authentic cinema sound.

To help generate a real sound experience and a higher quality surround effect, we can connect any type of audiovisual amplifier and speakers. To facilitate compatibility, this TV supports Multiroom Link. A wireless multi-room sound system from Samsung. Through this compatible system, we can add new wireless speakers from Samsung to complete the sound equipment. And it also offers Bluetooth syncing to connect other devices as a sound source wirelessly.

Conclusions

It is clear to us that Samsung has thrown the remains with its latest range of Premium TVs. And it's something we've appreciated from the moment we've pulled it out of the box. Its design is elegant, minimalist and really compact . As much as to hang it on the wall as if it were a painting. It is stylish and elegant enough to fit into any room. Both with and without base. In addition, its television system and connection box helps to hide cables and leave a cleaner space.

But it's time to turn on your screen when we understand why QLED technology is so important. The Quantum Dots do their job and do not disappoint . The image displayed on this television is very realistic. All the information it produces, with more tones in light and dark parts of the image, with better contrast and with all the detail, make us enjoy from the first moment. The "wow" effect passes, as is logical, but our experience and enjoyment does not end. Seeing every detail of the image in 4K content is a real treat on this TV. The definition and sharpness of each scene makes the image more vivid.

To complete the viewing experience, Samsung has developed a whole collection of tools and functions. Accompaniments that may well go unnoticed by some users, but that complete the audiovisual experience for those who delve a little beyond the simple change of channel. From instantly jumping to the connected sound system and controlling it with the same remote as the television, to searching for your favorite series by simply dictating it to the remote control microphone , among many other things.

All this accompanied by a connectivity section to match. Yes, separated from the TV by design theme, but really useful and complete. There is nothing that cannot be connected to this device. Of course, all this technology, possibilities and finishes has a price. In the case of this 65-inch television that we have been able to test, its price rises to 3,300 euros. There are also other versions:

49 inches for 2,000 euros

55 inches for 2,500 euros

65 inches for 3,300 euros

75 inches for 5,500 euros