Samsung UE55ES8000 review

Sound quality

Samsung has improved the sound performance of its UE55ES8000 from the equivalent 2011 model, with a slightly richer, more open mid-range clearly in evidence - no mean feat, given the challenges always associated with getting any sort of half-decent audio out of size zero TVs.

However, just because it's a bit better than last year's models does not mean the Samsung UE55ES8000's sound is by any means brilliant. The speakers quickly start to sound rather flimsy and bass-light when put under any real pressure, and the soundstage never matches the scale of the king-sized images.

Value

The UE55ES8000 is Samsung's new flagship TV, so it's hardly surprising that it's not especially cheap. But then cheapness is, of course, relative.

And actually, when you add up how many features it has, how gorgeous its design is, how accomplished its pictures are, how big its screen is and how innovative it's being with its control systems, then actually £2,500 doesn't seem so bad.