Samsung UE40D6530 review

Samsung brings elegance and 2D excellence to the LED mainstream

Reviews
By Steve May
published
Samsung UE40D6350
The Samsung UE40D6350 is an exceptional performer with 2D material

TechRadar Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Elegant design

  • +

    Smart Hub portal

  • +

    Excellent 2D HD pictures

Cons

  • -

    3D crosstalk

  • -

    Requires careful setup

  • -

    Patchy media streaming

  • -

    Ordinary sound quality

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The Samsung UE40D6530 is a high-performance 3D LED TV with a come-hither price tag. It may be positioned beneath the brand's top of the line Series 7 and 8 models, but it's clearly a step-up screen for budget-watchers who want a designer telly with smart TV capability.

The 40-inch UE40D6530 is part of a lookalike range that also includes the UE32D6530, UE37D6530 and UE46D6530. The feature spec is leading-edge: in addition to Active Shutter 3D compatibility (no glasses are supplied, they're an optional extra – basic Samsung Active Shutter shades sell for £49.95 each), the screen includes access to Samsung's Smart Hub apps and VOD (Video on Demand) portal and employs a host of image boosting technology.

Back panel connectivity is good, with four HDMI inputs and a VGA PC input, plus Scart and component (both via adaptors), a stereo audio mini jack, CI (Common Interface) slot, three USBs and an electrical digital audio output to feed TV sound (perhaps internet radio via the Smart Hub's Shoutcast app) to a separate hi-fi system.

Helpfully, you don't lose any USBs to get Wi-Fi, as the UE40D6530 has it integrated. We'd suggest you only use Wi-Fi if you don't have an Ethernet connection in your viewing room. Recent surveys suggest that the majority of new connected TV owners haven't actually hooked their screens up to a home network or the internet. Don't be one of this misguided majority: getting online is very straightforward.

Steve May
Steve May
Home entertainment AV specialist

Steve has been writing about AV and home cinema since the dawn of time, or more accurately, since the glory days of VHS and Betamax. He has strong opinions on the latest TV technology, Hi-Fi and Blu-ray/media players, and likes nothing better than to crank up his ludicrously powerful home theatre system to binge-watch TV shows.