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Samsung KU7000  TV Review

Review updated Mar 01, 2017 at 06:31am
Tested using methodology v1.0 
Samsung KU7000
7.4
Mixed Usage 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.9
Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.2
TV Shows 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.2
Sports 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

8.1
Video Games 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.5
HDR Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.9
HDR Gaming 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.0
PC Monitor 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

 0
 TV Settings
Notice: This TVs was replaced by Samsung MU7000
The 4k LED UHD Samsung KU7000 Series has a good enough picture quality for most content but lacks in a few areas. It handles fast motion decently and it feels responsive when playing video games. Unfortunately, HDR performance is average, judder is present in movies and the picture deteriorates when viewed from the side.

Our Verdict

7.4
Mixed Usage 

The Samsung KU7000 is a decent TV with a few flaws. It is good for playing video games and sports fans won't complain but movie lovers might be bothered by the small amount of judder and the limited HDR performance. When viewed from the side, the picture of the KU7000 also deteriorates. In the end, the Samsung KU7000 is not easy to recommend since the KU6300 is cheaper and has the same picture quality. If you were looking for an improvement, go with the KS8000 instead.

Pros
  • Better than average uniformity
  • Good TV for playing video games
Cons
  • Judder is present in movies
  • HDR performance is limited
  • Picture deteriorates when viewed from the side
7.5
HDR Movies 
7.9
HDR Gaming 
  • 7.4
    Mixed Usage
  • 6.9
    Movies
  • 7.2
    TV Shows
  • 7.2
    Sports
  • 8.1
    Video Games
  • 7.5
    HDR Movies
  • 7.9
    HDR Gaming
  • 7.0
    PC Monitor
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Mar 01, 2017: Review published.
    2.  Updated Jun 22, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
    3.  Updated Jun 20, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

    Check Price

    40"UN40KU7000
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    43"UN43KU7000
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    49"UN49KU7000
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    55"UN55KU7000
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    65" UN65KU7000
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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    We tested the 55" (UN55KU7000) 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 KU7000 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.

    Update 01/16/2017: The 43" has a AA01 panel, so our review might not correspond exactly to that size.

    Size Model US Canada UK Warehouse Warehouse long
    40" UN40KU7000 UN40KU7000FXZA UN40KU7000FXZC UE40KU6400 N/A N/A
    43" UN43KU7000 UN43KU7000FXZA UN43KU7000FXZC UE43KU6400 N/A N/A
    49" UN49KU7000 UN49KU7000FXZA UN49KU7000FXZC UE49KU6400 N/A N/A
    55" UN55KU7000 UN55KU7000FXZA UN55KU7000FXZC UE55KU6400 UN55KU700D UN55KU700DFXZA
    65" UN65KU7000 UN65KU7000FXZA UN65KU7000FXZC UE65KU6400 UN65KU700D UN55KU700DFXZA

    Popular TV Comparisons

    Comparison picture

    Top left: Samsung KU6300 (UN55KU6300). Bottom left: Sony X850D (XBR55X850D). Middle: Samsung KU7000 (UN55KU7000). Top right: Vizio P Series 2016 (P65-C1). Bottom right: Samsung KS8000 (UN55KS8000).  Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

    The Samsung KU7000 is hard to recommend when cheaper TVs offer similar performances with a better value.

    Test Results

    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    9.0
    Style
    CurvedNo

    The Samsung KU7000 is a great looking TV. Its frame looks like it is made of metal, the classic looking Samsung stand now shares a new style with a shiny reflective finish and the textured back of the TV adds a nice touch. The TV is also quite thin. Compared to the KU6300, it looks better.

    Stand

    The KU7000 shares the same kind of stand as many other Samsung TVs but with a slightly different new cut and finish.

    Footprint of the 55" TV stand: 37" x 13.1"

    Back
    Wall MountVESA 400x400

    The back has a textured finish very similar to the higher end Samsung 9 series. If wall mounted, no connections will be blocked.

    Borders
    Borders0.51" (1.3 cm)

    Borders have a brushed metal finish.

    Thickness
    Max Thickness2.17" (5.5 cm)

    The TV appears quite thin from a 90 degree angle. The bottom part is thicker than the top part.

    Picture Quality
    8.6
    Contrast
    Native Contrast
    4,514 : 1

    The contrast ratio of this TV provides good dark scene performance and should not be an issue for most viewers.

    0.0
    Local Dimming
    Local Dimming
    No
    Backlight
    Edge

    There is no local dimming on the KU7000. For reference, we took a video of our test. The backlight is edge lit, unlike the KU6300 which has a direct backlight.

    6.9
    SDR Peak Brightness
    SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
    256 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 2% Window
    134 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 10% Window
    236 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 25% Window
    296 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 50% Window
    296 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 100% Window
    296 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 2% Window
    134 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 10% Window
    236 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 25% Window
    296 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 50% Window
    296 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 100% Window
    296 cd/m²

    The SDR peak brightness is bad for the Samsung KU7000. At around 300 cd/m² overall, with the 2% and 10% being dimmer than the rest, the SDR peak brightness is lower than what would be considered a good value. The KU7000 would be best situated in a dark room because of the low SDR peak brightness.

    7.0
    HDR Peak Brightness
    HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
    269 cd/m²
    HDR Peak 2% Window
    136 cd/m²
    HDR Peak 10% Window
    240 cd/m²
    HDR Peak 25% Window
    300 cd/m²
    HDR Peak 50% Window
    300 cd/m²
    HDR Peak 100% Window
    398 cd/m²
    HDR Sustained 2% Window
    136 cd/m²
    HDR Sustained 10% Window
    240 cd/m²
    HDR Sustained 25% Window
    300 cd/m²
    HDR Sustained 50% Window
    300 cd/m²
    HDR Sustained 100% Window
    398 cd/m²

    The KU7000 is bright enough for normal SDR content but well below the HDR standard of 1000 nits for highlights. There is no local dimming. With an HDR signal, the 2% window dims, but on a standard signal, the brightness remains constant across all window sizes. The peak brightness is lower than the KU6300.
    Update: Updated with sustained brightness.

    7.4
    Gray Uniformity
    50% Std. Dev.
    3.045%
    50% DSE
    0.182%

    There is some banding visible, with the horizontal edges appearing brighter and the vertical edges appearing darker. Overall the uniformity is better than most other LED TVs, with no major gray uniformity or dirty screen effect issues.

    4.9
    Viewing Angle
    LCD Type
    VA
    Color Shift
    35°
    Brightness
    41°
    Black Level
    18°

    The viewing angle is quite good for a VA TV, and should not be an issue for most people. Color saturation is lost when viewed at an angle however the picture remains more defined than most other VA TVs.

    9.5
    Black Uniformity
    Native Std. Dev.
    0.684%

    The black uniformity is really good. Due to the way the TV is edge lit, there is a small 1/4" bright strip extending part way across the top and bottom edge. This should not be an issue for most content.

    9.0
    Gradient
    Color Depth
    10 Bit

    Update 11/09/2016: Our original test was showing 8 bit gradations due to incorrect drivers on our system. After some correction to our test apparatus, we have retested the color depth and found that it is able to display a 10 bit gradient smoothly. There is some little imperfections in the darker green, but nothing that could make normal viewing problematic.

    8.5
    Pre Calibration
    White Balance dE
    3.18
    Color dE
    2.2247
    Gamma
    2.26

    Out of the box, the White Balance dE, Color dE and Gamma had few issues. The reds were a little too high and the blues were slightly too low. This issues will not be visible for the average viewer.

    9.9
    Post Calibration
    White Balance dE
    0.35
    Color dE
    0.2655
    Gamma
    2.21

    Just like previous Samsung TVs we've reviewed, the calibration was quite easy to do and took little time. We were able to correct most of the issues that were present in the pre-calibration.

    8.0
    480p Input

    DVDs and SD TV channels looks good on this TV without being too soft.

    8.0
    720p Input

    Cable TV also look great once upscaled.

    9.0
    1080p Input

    Blu-rays and other 1080p content looks very good, as with most of Samsung UHD TVs.

    10
    4k Input

    Native 4k content looks very good and crisp.

    8.0
    Color Gamut
    Wide Color Gamut
    Yes
    DCI P3 xy
    86.86%
    DCI P3 uv
    94.23%
    Rec 2020 xy
    65%
    Rec 2020 uv
    72.81%

    Update 08/18/2016: The color gamut was re-tested and found to be wide, covering most of the P3 color space.

    6.2
    Color Volume
    Normalized DCI P3 Coverage
    70.683%
    10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage
    34.309%
    Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage
    51.921%
    10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage
    25.97%

    The KU7* series of TVs can produce fairly saturated colors for P3, but the coverage becomes worse at low brightness levels.

    10
    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
    Reflections
    Reflection
    2.4%
    Screen Finish
    Semi-gloss

    Reflections can appear large and diffused. They can also be seen through as long as they aren't too bright.

    0.0
    3D
    3D
    No
    3D Type
    No
    2D to 3D
    No
    Pixels
    TypeLED
    Motion
    7.4
    Motion Blur
    Refresh Rate60 Hz
    Response Time
    20.3 ms
    Overshoot
    0 ms

    The response time of this TV is similar to that of the Samsung KU6300 because they have a similar panel. A faint trail is visible behind the logo meaning that fast moving object will appear to have a following trail behind them just like this one. The backlight flickers at twice the frequency of the KU6300.

    2.8
    Image Flicker
    PWM Dimming Frequency
    120 Hz
    BFI
    Yes
    BFI Frequency
    120 Hz
    BFI In Game Mode
    No

    The 'Auto Motion Plus' setting can be customized to introduce black frame insertion. This helps to clear up motion blur due to eye tracking. Unfortunately this option isn't available in the 'Game' special viewing mode.

    0.0
    24p Playback
    Judder-free 24p
    No
    Judder-free 24p via 60p
    No
    Judder-free 24p via 60i
    No

    The TV was not able to remove judder when 24p content is played through any input source. Those sensitive to it will notice judder when watching movies.

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

    Enabling 'Action Motion Plus' to 'Auto' will allow you to smooth out content that outputs 30fps, this isn't the case for 60fps content. Even though Samsung advertises that this TV has a '120Hz Motion rate' it is a 60Hz TV.

    Inputs
    8.0
    Input Lag
    1080p @ 60Hz
    24.7 ms
    1080p With Interpolation
    116.5 ms
    1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    110 ms
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    37.7 ms
    4k @ 60Hz
    21.4 ms
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    37.1 ms
    4k @ 60Hz + HDR
    21.2 ms
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
    37.1 ms

    The input lag of the KU7000 is great, enable 'Game Mode' in 'Special viewing modes' to reduce it as low as possible.

    Update 09/08/2016: In 'Game Mode', when sending an HDR signal at 1080p resolution, the input lag remain the same at 24.7ms

    8.0
    Supported Resolutions
    Resolution4k
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes
    1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes
    4k @ 60Hz
    Yes
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    Yes

    Enable 'UHD Colors' for 4:4:4 at 4k and 60Hz on HDMI1. This is not possible on HDMI2 or HDMI3. Text becomes more clear when sending a 4:4:4 signal. 120Hz input is not supported.

    Side Inputs
    Rear Inputs

    There are no connections directly going straight out of the back, only side facing.

    Total Inputs
    HDMI3
    USB2
    Digital Optical Audio Out1
    Analog Audio Out 3.5mm0
    Analog Audio Out RCA0
    Component In1 (incl. adapter, shared)
    Composite In1 (incl. adapter, shared)
    Tuner (Cable/Ant)1
    Ethernet1
    DisplayPort0
    IR In0
    SD/SDHC0
    Inputs Specifications
    HDR10
    Yes
    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 BandwidthYes
    ARCYes (HDMI 3)
    USB 3No
    HDCP 2.2Yes
    CECYes
    MHLNo
    Variable Analog Audio OutNo

    HDMI 2.0 full bandwidth is only available on HDMI1.

    Sound Quality
    7.0
    Frequency Response
    Std. Dev. @ 70
    4.27 dB SPL
    Std. Dev. @ 80
    4.4 dB SPL
    Std. Dev. @ Max
    5.68 dB SPL
    Max
    90.7 dB SPL
    Low-end Cutoff
    95 Hz

    Decent frequency response, low-end cutoff and maximum loudness for a TV. The responses at 75dB and 85dB SPL are pretty good, however, at maximum volume pumping and compression are present.

    6.2
    Total Harmonic Distortion
    Distortion @ 70
    0.018
    Distortion @ 80
    0.04
    Distortion @ Max
    0.093

    Average distortion results. At lower volumes, the performance is very good. At maximum volume however, there is a noticeable jump in the harmonic distortion.

    Smart Features
    Apps

    The most popular applications such as Netflix, Amazon Video and YouTube are available on this TV. You also have plenty of applications that can be downloaded from the store.

    8.5
    Interface
    Smart OSTizen (2016)

    The Samsung KU7000 offers an impressive smart interface performance that is both smooth and responsive. The TV comes with a fairly fast CPU and memory which allows applications to load quickly even when heavily multi-tasking, showing no hiccups at all.  Also, the operating system supports a great deal of different applications such as Netflix, Amazon Video, Youtube, and many more, making it a very polished smart interface. As for the inputs, the Samsung TV offers many inputs of different variations making it capable of plugging all your devices in it. Be careful though, if you want to use the full capability of the TV make sure you use the HDMI 1 port as it's the only port that supports HDMI 2.0.  

    When a new device is detected (such as when a computer is woken from sleep while plugged into an HDMI port) the TV automatically switches to this device. This may be an annoyance if you are watching other content at the time.

    0.0
    Ads
    Ad-free
    No
    Opt-out
    No
    TV Controls

    Looking at the TV from straight on, the TV controls are located at the bottom right of the TV. This small button offers many basic operations such as changing the volume, inputs, and turning the TV on or off. This button is still accessible even if the TV is wall mounted.

    Remote
    RemoteSmart

    The remote is identical to the Samsung KS Series remote. It's comfortable and is very easy to use to navigate through menus. It also has the voice command functionality that the KS Series remote has, which is a nice addition. This remote, compared to the Samsung KU6300, is somewhat better and has the voice command functionality.

    In The Box

    • Remote
    • Batteries
    • Manuals
    • Component In adapter
    • Composite In adapter
    • Wall mount spacers
    • Cable management accessory

    Misc
    Power Consumption54 W
    Power Consumption (Max)135 W
    Firmware1104

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