TechRadar Verdict
The UE40H6400LED has all the right credentials to become a best-seller for Samsung. It's let down slightly by the social media features, lack of deep blacks and a poor football mode.
Pros
- +
Crisp images
- +
Excellent Smart Hub
- +
Classic design
- +
Two remotes
Cons
- -
Uncomfortable 3D
- -
Doesn't deliver deep blacks
- -
Motion Plus a minefield
- -
Ugly Football Mode
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Samsung's 6 Series H6400 Full HD fleet represent its high-spec, mainstream TV offering. Streets away from the contentiously curved world of UHD flagships, these models are Smart TVs for the rest of us. They combine catch-up TV services with mobile integration and social media frippery. They're also 3D compliant.
Replacing last year's best-selling F6400 line, the new models come in 32-, 40-, 48-, 55- and 65-inch screen sizes (UE32H6400, UE40H6400, UE48H6400, UE55H6400 and UE65H6400 model numbers respectively). For this review, we'll be concentrating on the popular 40-inch screen size. Competition comes in the form of Sony's W8 series and Panasonic's incoming AS740 models.
Clean lines, classic Samsung
From a design standpoint, the H6400 is refreshingly conventional. It's a relatively slim set with characteristic translucent edging and chromed pedestal stand. The panel itself is thin enough but bulges toward the base to accommodate two downward firing stereo speakers.
Connections will cover most needs. There are four HDMIs, one of which supports ARC, plus legacy Scart/component/composite inputs with stereo phono audio inputs, Ethernet and three USBs. There's also a digital audio optical output, headphone output and CI slot. A single Freeview HD tuner provides over the air content. Wi-Fi is built-in. Alternatively there's a Wi-Fi direct mode for non-network wireless connection as well as Screen Mirroring for Android phones.
Features
As you might imagine, this Samsung is well equipped when it comes to connected functionality.
While Samsung's Smart Hub doesn't look overly different this year, there have been a number of changes upfront and behind the screen. The set now boasts a Quad core processor. Screen animations can still appear jerky, but the extra processing power provides a relatively nippy ride.
Onscreen the Smart Hub now boasts a Trending window which presents full screen tweets from what appear to be largely random TV shows, as well as a Timeline thumbnail TV guide built upon viewing recommendations. Samsung is also keen to ride the casual gaming bandwagon, offering a dedicated slate of titles.
Football mode own goal
While Samsung has traded extensively on the fact that it offers viewers a full complement of big channel catch-up TV services, at the time of writing neither iPlayer or Demand 5 were available on the H6400 and the company was unable to specify just when they'd land. It's a certainty they will be added at some point, though.
Also new this year is a revamped Football Mode. In addition to 'optimised' picture settings (which are positively hallucinatory), the set can auto record match 'highlights' to a USB device, triggered by crowd noise.
Multimedia playback support from USB and networked devices is comprehensive, with a wide selection of file types supported including AVI, MOV, MKV, and WMV; audio compatibility covers WAV, FLAC, MP3 and WMA.
