Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.

Samsung K6250 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Review updated Mar 01, 2017 at 06:31 am
Samsung K6250 Picture
6.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.8
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.9
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.2
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.2
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
4.7
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.8
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench

The Samsung K6250 is a mid-range 1080p curved TV. It looks great with a sleek design, and polished metal finish. Unfortunately it only offers average picture quality and lacks features found in higher end TVs to improve this. The motion handling is poor, and input lag is disappointing. At least the smart platform works well.

Our Verdict

6.6 Mixed Usage

Below average for a wide range of uses. Picture quality is average. Dark scene performance is good, but lacks features such as local dimming to improve picture quality. Motion blur is good, but input lag is worse than most TVs.

Pros
  • Good contrast for dark scene performance
Cons
  • Poor motion handling
  • Higher than average input lag
  • Can't get very bright
5.8 Movies

Poor movie performance. Dark scene performance is good with deep blacks, but lacks features such as local dimming to improve it further. Picture quality is average. Those sensitive to judder may notice it while watching movies.

6.9 TV Shows

Average for watching TV in a bright room. Average at handling reflections, but can't get bright enough to combat glare. Upscaling of low quality content such as cable is good. Picture quality is average, and degrades when viewed at an angle. Smart features work well and are easy to use.

7.1 Sports

Sports performance is slightly better than average. Fast movements look good due to the fairly quick response time, resulting in only a little motion blur. Uniformity is good. Picture quality is average.

7.2 Video Games

Average for video games. Fast motion results in slightly below average blur which is good, but input lag is average. Picture quality is average.

5.2 HDR Movies

Doesn't support HDR. Picture quality is average. Doesn't support a wide color gamut or high peak brightness of highlights.

4.7 HDR Gaming

Doesn't support any HDR formats. Picture quality is decent but can't produce bright highlights or vivid colors.

5.8 PC Monitor

Poor choice for a PC monitor. Native 1080p TV so doesn't support higher resolutions. Motion blur is good, but input lag is higher than most TVs which results in worse performance.

  • 6.6 Mixed Usage
  • 5.8 Movies
  • 6.9 TV Shows
  • 7.1 Sports
  • 7.2 Video Games
  • 5.2 HDR Movies
  • 4.7 HDR Gaming
  • 5.8 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Mar 01, 2017: Review published.
  2. Updated Aug 24, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
  3. Updated Aug 10, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55" (UN55K6250) version FA01. For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the other sizes.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung K6250 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.

Size Model
40" UN40K6250
49" UN49K6250
55" UN55K6250

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: Samsung KU6300 (UN55KU6300). Bottom left: TCL FS3750 (48FS3750). Middle: Samsung K6250 (UN55K6250). Top right: Vizio M Series 2016 (M70-D3). Bottom right: LG LH5750 (55LH5750).  Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

While the Samsung K6250 is the cheapest curved TV, it is still priced well above the competition. Other TVs available at a similar price offer 4k resolution, and sometimes other features to improve the picture quality such as local dimming. Keep this in mind when viewing our recommendations below.

Test Results

Design
9.0
Design
Style
Curved Yes

The Samsung K6250 has a sleek design, which appears quite high end. The borders have a metallic finish, and the four-legged stand supports the TV well. The back is very similar to the high end Samsung KS8500, with the same reflective finish. Although it looks good, it also attracts fingerprints and dust.

Design
Stand

The four-legged stand supports the TV well. It also looks good, with a brushed metal finish.

Footprint of the 55" TV stand: 28.7" x 11.7"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x400

The back is sleek, with a smooth and reflective plastic finish. It is very similar to the high end KS8500, but the inputs go directly into the TV instead of a OneConnect box. The inputs all connect sideways, so this should not be an issue for wall mounting.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.71" (1.8 cm)

The borders have a metallic finish, which looks good. They are an average thickness, but appear high end.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.03" (7.7cm)

The K6250 appears a bit thicker in the picture due to the curved screen. It is still quite thin though, and looks good from the side.

Picture Quality
8.9
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
5,305 : 1

Contrast ratio is very good for the Samsung K6250. Blacks are deep and should provide a good picture quality in a dark room.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Edge

There is no local dimming feature available on the Samsung K6250. Video for reference only. There is an auto-dimming feature called 'CE Dimming', but it is implemented directly in the TV software and cannot be control under 'Movie' picture mode. This cause dark scene to become too dark and is generally more annoying than helpful. Under 'PC' mode the 'CE Dimming' is turned off.

6.8
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
206 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
116 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
272 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
273 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
272 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
271 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
116 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
272 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
273 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
272 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
271 cd/m²

The Samsung K6250 has a bad peak brightness performance. The 2% window is extremely dim because of the implemented 'CE Dimming'. Under 'Movie' picture mode, the 'CE Dimming' cannot be turned off unfortunately. All the other size windows remain at around 272cd/m², which is still well under what other mid-range TV can generally do.

not tested
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
N/A
HDR Peak 2% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 10% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 25% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 50% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 100% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 2% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 10% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 25% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 50% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 100% Window
N/A
7.6
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.324%
50% DSE
0.163%

The gray uniformity is good for the K6250. On the test picture, you can see the left side is more bright and the right side is more dark. Luckily, the rest of the picture is relatively uniform, which should not cause too much of dirty screen effect.

4.3
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
LCD Type
VA
Color Shift
20°
Brightness
30°
Black Level
24°

Viewing angle is average for the K6250. The colors lose some saturation at an angle, but when compared to other TVs with VA panel, the Samsung K6250 outperforms most of them.

Update: We have changed the methodology of testing. Since this is an old TV which we don't have anymore, we extrapolated the results.

9.0
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.957%

Black uniformity is great. We can still make out a bit of clouding, but it is more evident in our test picture. During normal movie viewing, the clouding is not really noticeable.

8.5
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
8 Bit

The Samsung K6250 has an 8 bit panel. The 8 bit gradations are clearly visible in the darker colors. The gradient does not show any signs of irregular color shades or any obvious banding.

8.0
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
4.16
Color dE
3.24
Gamma
2.17

Prior to calibration, the colors are slightly oversaturated and white balance is a bit off, but for most people this should not be an issue.

9.8
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.42
Color dE
0.49
Gamma
2.18

Calibration is easily performed using the inbuilt 10 point white balance and color settings. It results in very accurate colors, and a good white balance. The gamma drops slightly below 10% to preserve dark details. Our calibration settings can be found here.

7.5
Picture Quality
480p Input

Upscaling of 480p content results in a slightly soft picture, with some loss of details. Overall the result is quite good.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content such as cable TV also looks a bit soft, but the upscaling still performs well.

10
Picture Quality
1080p Input

Native 1080p sources look clear, as they require no upscaling. Some moire can be seen in this image, but this is a camera artifact and is not an issue.

0
Picture Quality
4k Input
7.1
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
No
DCI P3 xy
77.54%
DCI P3 uv
84.18%
Rec 2020 xy
58.6%
Rec 2020 uv
62.92%

The colors of the K6250 are good for SDR content, but it does not support a wide color gamut for those interested in HDR.

5.7
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage
64.032%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage
29.785%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage
46.734%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage
21.8%

The Samsung K6250 can't produce a wide range of colors at different luminosities.

10
Picture Quality
Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0%
IR after 2 min recovery
0%
IR after 4 min recovery
0%
IR after 6 min recovery
0%
IR after 8 min recovery
0%
IR after 10 min recovery
0%
7.0
Picture Quality
Reflections
Reflection
2.4%
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss

The K6250 is average at dealing with reflections. The semi-gloss finish helps to diffuse reflections. The curved screen spreads them across the screen, but in doing so reduces the intensity of the reflections making them easier to see through. Some rainbow effect can be seen around reflections.

0
Picture Quality
3D
3D
No
3D Type
No
2D to 3D
No

This TV doesn't support any 3D features, just like all other Samsung TVs this year.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Motion
7.6
Motion
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Response Time
18.8 ms
Overshoot
0.6 ms

The response time is good and only results in a short trail following moving objects. The backlight uses PWM to dim, and so flickers at 120Hz. This can be seen in the clear duplications following the logo.

4.8
Motion
Image Flicker
PWM Dimming Frequency
120 Hz
BFI
Yes
BFI Frequency
60 Hz
BFI In Game Mode
No
0
Motion
24p Playback
Judder-free 24p
No
Judder-free 24p via 60p
No
Judder-free 24p via 60i
No

The K6250 is unable to play movies from any source without some judder, but most people won't notice it.

5.0
Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
No

The K6250 has a 60Hz panel, which is able to interpolate 30Hz content. To do this, set 'Auto Motion Plus' to 'Custom' and increase the 'De-Judder' slider.

Inputs
6.6
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
47.2 ms
1080p With Interpolation
90.8 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
96.1 ms
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
47.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
N/A
4k @ 60Hz + HDR
N/A
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
N/A

The input lag of the K6250 is average. Even casual gamers might notice some delay between controller actions and the result on the screen. Label the input as 'PC' to achieve the lowest input lag. With the input labelled as 'Game Console', and the 'Game' special viewing mode the input lag is 53.2ms.

2.0
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 1080p
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
No
4k @ 60Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
No

The K6250 is a 1080p TV, and so cannot accept or display any resolutions beyond this. It has a 60Hz panel, and so cannot display a 120Hz signal. It does support chroma subsampling though, so text appears clear on all backgrounds. To do this, label the input to 'PC'. The input lag in 'PC' mode is 47.2ms.

Inputs
Side Inputs

All inputs are located on the side, same as the Samsung KU6300.

Inputs
Rear Inputs

All of the inputs are located on the side of the TV.

Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 3
USB 2
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 1 (incl. adapter, shared)
Composite In 1 (incl. adapter, shared)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
No
5.1 Passthrough ARC Dolby Digital
Yes
Dolby Vision
No
5.1 Passthrough ARC DTS
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical Dolby Digital
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical DTS
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth No
ARC Yes (HDMI 2)
USB 3 No
HDCP 2.2 No
CEC Yes
MHL No
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Sound Quality
7.2
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.04 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.45 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ Max
5.93 dB SPL
Max
90.9 dB SPL
Low-end Cutoff
95.14 Hz

Average performance. Maximum volume and low-end cutoff are about average, for a TV. Frequency response is good at 75 and 85. However, at maximum volume considerable pumping and compression is present.

5.7
Sound Quality
Total Harmonic Distortion
Distortion @ 70
0.016
Distortion @ 80
0.064
Distortion @ Max
0.188

Poor distortion performance. The overall amount of harmonic distortion is decent at 75 and 85dB SPL. However, at maximum volume, there's noticeable rise in harmonic distortion, which may not necessarily be audible in real-life situations.

Smart Features
Smart Features
Apps

The K6250 supports the most popular applications such as Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Video. There are a wide range of applications available from the store.

8.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Tizen (2016)

The Samsung K6250 comes with the latest Tizen smart OS. This is the same platform found in the other 2016 Samsung TVs, such as the KU6300. After turning on the TV it does take some time to load, but is simple to use, and feels responsive when it is up and running. There is a wide range of supported applications available in the 'App store'. It is easy to watch videos or movies with a thumb drive or USB hard drive.

0
Smart Features
Ads
Ad-free
No
Opt-out
No
Smart Features
TV Controls

Controls are located under the right side of the TV, same as most of the 2016 Samsung TVs such as the KU7000. They provide basic operations, such as changing the volume, input or channel and are easy to access if wall mounted.

Smart Features
Remote
Remote Smart

The remote is the same smart remote found with the Samsung KU6300. It is simple and works well.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Manuals
  • Stand cover
  • Wall mount spacers
  • Cable management piece
  • Composite video adapter
  • Component video adapter
  • Batteries
  • Remote

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 42 W
Power Consumption (Max) 77 W
Firmware 1111