Lookup ‘unassuming’ within the dictionary and also you’ll most likely discover a image of the Samsung UE43AU7100. This 43-inch LCD TV doesn’t flaunt a very flamboyant design, doesn’t promote for a very outrageous worth – both excessive or low – and its options record is definitely no Lord Of The Rings-style epic.
You don’t must spend lengthy within the UE43AU7100’s firm, although, to understand {that a} TV doesn’t must be an extrovert to face out from the group. Strong processing and a considerate, balanced image that really appears to have had some care and a focus lavished on it may be greater than sufficient. Particularly on the comparatively entry-level finish of the TV market, the place the drive for ever extra aggressive pricing has been main in recent times to more and more homogenous requirements.
Worth
The Samsung UE43AU7100 prices £449 within the UK on the time of writing. Consistent with Samsung’s behavior of promoting barely totally different TV ranges in numerous territories, particularly in relation to its extra inexpensive fashions, no direct equal of the UE43AU7100 is obtainable within the US or Australia.
Stepping as much as the 50-inch AU7100 will add £100 to your invoice. That is really rather a lot by right this moment’s requirements, making the 43-inch mannequin appear like probably the pricing candy spot within the AU7100 vary. A spread which, by the way in which, incorporates a minimum of eight display screen sizes, all the way in which as much as 85 inches.
The AU7100 is supposedly the most cost effective vary to profit from any of Samsung’s so-called Crystal expertise, with its enhanced color efficiency. Nevertheless, in a quirk that’s maybe revealing of their relative qualities, Samsung’s supposedly step-up 43AU8000 TV at present prices precisely the identical because the 43AU7100.
There are decently-specced 43-inch rivals round that price considerably lower than the 43AU7100. Hisense’s 43A6GTUK, for example, is simply £329. In reality, Toshiba’s new 50UK3163D delivers a 50-inch image for the UE43AU7100’s £449 worth, and Hisense’s newest 50-inch Roku TV solely prices £399. As we’re about to find, although, cheapness isn’t the identical as worth.
Design
On condition that we spend what looks like half our lives making an attempt to determine screw TVs onto more and more difficult stands, the UE43AU7100 deserves a standing ovation for the way in which its easy toes simply slide and lock into place on the TV’s backside edge and not using a screw or screwdriver in sight. Overlook 8K or micro LED – THIS is the way forward for TV we’re right here for.
As soon as the euphoria of a screwless construct has worn off, although, there’s no denying that the UE43AU7100 feels fairly entry-level in its building. The light-weight really feel and unassuming matt end of each the toes and the display screen body provide you with a warning aggressively to the truth that the bodywork is just about fully plastic.
The design wears the plastic moderately properly, although. The toes aren’t distracting and elevate the display screen excessive sufficient to accommodate a soundbar, whereas the body across the display screen is extraordinarily slender for this degree of the market (even when the set’s rear depth isn’t).
Impressively for its cash, the UE43AU7100 ships with two remotes: a ‘commonplace’, button-filled one, and a glossy ‘good’ one with a a lot stripped again button rely. Each are very serviceable of their other ways.
Options
The UE43AU7100’s smarts come courtesy of Samsung’s newest Eden system. Constructed on the outdated Tizen cellular platform, Eden is a largely spectacular effort that scores extremely for the comprehensiveness of its app protection, its compact however nonetheless completely legible presentation, and the slickness with which it operates even on this comparatively low-end set.
The one important lacking app is Freeview Play – however Samsung does nonetheless present the catch up apps individually for all the UK’s key terrestrial broadcasters. These seem alongside such good TV stalwarts as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Now, YouTube, Rakuten, Apple TV and Disney+.
The UE43AU7100 doesn’t function any built-in voice management assist, however might be ‘linked’ to an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant machine in case you have one.
Samsung UE43AU7100 tech specs
Display screen sort LCD w/ edge LED backlight
Decision 4K
Working system Eden (Tizen)
HDR codecs HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
HDMI x3
4K@120Hz No
VRR No
ALLM Sure
ARC/eARC eARC
Optical out Sure
Dimensions w/o stand (hwd) 56 x 96 x 6cm
Samsung’s PurColor and Crystal Processor 4K mix to hopefully produce a wider color vary freed from banding points, whereas the processor can be reckoned to contribute to improved upscaling of sub-4K content material and an adaptive sound system that may mechanically alter the TV’s audio profile to go well with the kind of content material you’re watching.
The UE43AU7100 is constructed on a Vertical Alignment sort of LCD panel, with edge LED lighting and a local 4K decision. It helps the HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ flavours of excessive dynamic vary, however as ever with Samsung, Dolby Imaginative and prescient isn’t on the menu.
Connections run to a few HDMIs and one USB port. The one innovative gaming graphics function the HDMIs assist, although, is Automated Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which permits the TV to modify into and out of its Recreation mode relying on the form of content material an ALLM-capable machine is outputting. There’s no 120Hz or Variable Refresh Charge assist.
One HDMI helps eARC, permitting the TV to cross lossless Dolby Atmos sound to appropriate soundbars and AV receivers.
Image
Whereas inevitably for its cash it’s not with out its limitations, the UE43AU7100 delivers an impressively balanced, constant and immersive image.
Notably nice to see at this worth level is how deep its black ranges go. Darkish parts of blended gentle and darkish photos take pleasure in wealthy and deep black tones, whereas full-on darkish scenes seem with startlingly little of that gray or blue wash over them that so typically blights such scenes on comparatively inexpensive LCD TVs.
Even the very hardest darkish sequences in our 4K Blu-ray repertoire look convincing and cinematic. Particularly because the impressively deep black tones are achieved with virtually no interference from such widespread price range TV nasties as flickering brightness ranges or areas of backlight clouding.
There’s a little lack of delicate shadow element within the darkest corners. That doesn’t imply darkish scenes look hole or compelled, although; quite the opposite, they appear pure and retain a better sense of depth of area than we’re accustomed to seeing on sub-£500 TVs. You can even deliver a number of the shadow element again utilizing a particular shadow element adjustment within the TV’s menus – although you have to deal with this with care, as it may well additionally negatively affect the image’s black degree efficiency.
Good black ranges are sometimes accompanied by good color, and so it proves – largely – with the UE43AU7100. Color blends are delivered with significantly spectacular subtlety and virtually no ‘banding’ issues. Additionally, whereas the set isn’t brilliant sufficient to drive colors off the display screen with notably spectacular volumes, there’s nonetheless an agreeable sense of daylight lustre to the tones of sun-drenched HDR woods, vibrant blue skies and busy metropolis streets.
The UE43AU7100 can ‘clip’ somewhat delicate color shading within the very brightest elements of HDR footage, and exhibits indicators of slight color compression in sure darkish HDR scenes. As Georgie talks to Pennywise within the drain close to the beginning of It, for example, Georgie’s face appears somewhat plasticky and flat because of the display screen not having the ability to render a large sufficient vary of delicate pores and skin tones. This situation solely crops up fairly hardly ever, although, and crucially it’s a lot much less distracting than the types of flaw that afflict most rival sub-£500 TVs.
There are rival TVs, too, that may ship each native 4K and upscaled HD photos with extra uncooked sharpness and obvious element than the UE43AU7100. Once more, although, the extent of sharpness the UE43AU7100 adopts feels fastidiously chosen to ship an natural, immersive picture reasonably than an precise weak point of both the LCD panel or the Crystal Processor.
The sharpness holds up higher than it does on most inexpensive TVs when there’s movement within the body, too. Simply ensure you don’t persist with the TV’s default Auto Image Readability setting, as this will trigger messy digital artefacts across the edges of fast-moving objects. As a substitute select Customized, and set the Judder discount degree to a few or 4.
Whereas players may rue the UE43AU7100’s lack of 120Hz and VRR assist, it’s value saying that its Recreation mode will get enter lag right down to an exceptionally low 9.4ms. And regardless that it’s removed from the brightest TV in its class, its core image high quality continues to be adequate to ship a satisfying gaming expertise.
The 43AU7100 even proves somewhat extra tolerant of broad viewing angles than most price range LCD TVs, wrapping up an image efficiency that trades showiness and aggression for immersiveness and consistency in a means we wholeheartedly endorse.
Sound
The 43AU7100 isn’t as achieved with its audio as it’s with its footage. It nonetheless will get the job executed, although, with out breaking that sense of consistency that makes it so participating.
Its largest audio points are that it doesn’t have a lot quantity to play with, and doesn’t mission the sound far in any respect past its bodywork. The result’s a barely small, ‘locked in’ sound stage that doesn’t have the headroom to maintain escalating as we’d prefer it to throughout loud motion scenes, and doesn’t fill your room or hit with a lot affect or assault.
Detailing is somewhat muted too. Not one of the drivers succumb to distortion, buzzing or crackling interference, nevertheless, and there’s a barely thicker, meatier tone to the general sound – particularly for those who activate the Amplify sound possibility – than many rival price range TVs present.
Verdict
The UE43AU7100 doesn’t clamour on your consideration on a crowded TV shelf or make any claims that it’s taking inexpensive TVs to locations they’ve by no means gone earlier than. You received’t see it turning up in any future ‘basic TV design’ reveals, both.
What it does do, although, is present a degree of maturity, confidence and understanding of the numerous parts that go into producing a really satisfying TV image that’s comfortably past anything in its class proper now.
SCORES
- Image 5
- Sound 3
- Options 4
MORE:
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