With the 46in LE46A656A1F, Samsung's Series 6 range of LCDs is born.

And, thanks to the company's proprietary Crystal Design concept (ironically named 'Touch of Color' in the US), it really stands out amongst its shiny sable peers.

Classy Design

Utilising Dual Injection technology similar to that adopted by the German car industry, the screen's bezel is created by combining clear and red plastics, and overlaying the result on a black surround.

It's not a simple technique to master and, at present, there's only one machine capable of manufacturing such fascias on a large scale, but the end result is worth the extra effort.

While the overall effect is not exactly a massive evolutionary leap from a gloss black bezel, the added hint of red (or 'rose black') exudes class, while, most importantly, remaining unobtrusive to the viewing experience.

In short, the brand has once again set the aesthetic standard for its rivals to follow.

Full HD from Samsung

The outward appearance isn't the only feature to be upgraded from the company's previous models. This 46in TV has more bells and whistles than a football referee's wedding.

It's Full HD (although, to be honest, that's a no-brainer for screens over 32in nowadays), with 1080p24 compatibility, and comes with 100Hz Motion Plus - the company's frame-doubling technology to eliminate LCD blur and judder.

The screen is one of the first to use Samsung's Ultra Clear Panel (a step-up from the Super Clear Panel found in older models). And the DNIe picture processing engine has morphed to DNIe Pro. Add Wide Color Enhancer 2 and you've a very impressive feature list.

Impressive connectivity

Similarly, the connectivity audit yields numerous options: Four HDMI 1.3 sockets adorn the set, with three on the rear and one on the side.

Two Scart inputs, component and a VGA port make up the backside video quota, while a couple of stereo audio inputs sit next to an optical audio output (capable of routing Dolby Digital or PCM stereo to a waiting amplifier).

The side also offers S-video and composite ins, alongside stereo audio and a headphone jack. But the most interesting side-mounted addition is an USB port for what Samsung calls WISELINK...

Using an USB memory stick, or an MP3 player that supports drag-and-drop hard drive management (such as, er, Samsung's), the Series 6 screen can display pictures and even play music via an intuitive graphical user-interface.