The Samsung UN55B7000 and the Samsung UN55B8000 are two of Samsung’s best LED-based LCD HDTVs. As such, both deliver breathtaking images and cutting-edge interactive features without pumping up your electric bill. So which one should you buy?
While both models are seemingly alike, they have some key differences, which can help you decide which one to get. For starters, the frame of the UN55B7000 has a distinct red border in accordance with Samsung’s Touch of Color, while the UN55B8000 has a less noticeable dark grey border. Other than that, and the fact that the UN55B7000 is a few inches taller, the design of the two are the same, with the same thinness – 1.2 inches deep at most, matching semi-transparent swivelling stands and a black glossy frame tapered with a transparent edge.
The difference is even more apparent in the clickers that accompany them. That of the UN55B8000 has a rotating scroll wheel like some previous Samsung models, which is unfortunately, not too responsive, while the remote of the UN55B7000, which has been modified to be more stable on flat surfaces, has more user-friendly buttons of different shapes and sizes, most of which are backlit. Both have the same secondary pebble-like remote, though, that can control power, volume and channel.
When it comes to picture quality, both offer relatively deep blacks due to their LED lighting, although those of the UN55B8000 are slightly deeper since it sports a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 whereas the UN55B7000 has 3,000,000;1. The UN55B8000 also comes with a Wide Color Enhancer Pro that maximizes each pixel for more vibrant colors, although the colors displayed by the UN55B7000 are no less vivid and the images no less crisp.
The last major difference is that of the refresh rate. In particular, the UN55B8000 prides itself on its high refresh rate – 240Hz – which is two times better than the UN55B7000. Still, both effectively prevent blurring even with the dejudder processing turned off – a mechanism scarce on Sony HDTVs.
With these, you should be able to tell the Samsung UN55B7000 and the UN55B8000 apart, and better decide which one you should get. After all, they are alike in all the rest, like their interactive features, for example. Both carry the same Yahoo widgets that make it easy to access the latest news, weather and stock market updates, and both are also enhanced with DLNA capability that makes it possible to access videos, photos and music files stored on networked computers.
As mentioned earlier, both models are incredibly energy efficient. This is because they employ not just LCD technology, but LED-based technology, and furthermore, edge-lit LED lighting. This means they use fewer LEDs than most LED-based HDTVs, which use less power than the fluorescent lamp used by most LCD televisions. Connectivity is not an issue either – both have four HDMI inputs, a VGA PC input, two USB slots and a few more.
Clearly, the Samsung UN55B7000 is not as good as the more expensive UN55B8000, especially in terms of the images produced, but it certainly comes pretty close and with a few hundred bucks less, is definitely worth considering over the UN55B8000. No matter which you get, though, you’re sure to get an excellent viewing experience you won’t regret.
Edward McKellen is an HDTV expert who writes lcd tv reviews for HDTVreviewlab.com. To read more about the Samsung UN55B7000 HDTV or check out the latest Samsung HDTV reviews visit HDTVreviewlab.com
