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A short while ago we reviewed the Samsung LN46A650, well today we check out it’s less colorful brother the Samsung LN46A550. Now whilst the LN46A650 may be getting all the attention and press shots due to its sparkling good looks, the LN46A650 is no less gifted but without the touch of color granted to its sibling.
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The Samsung LN46A550 comes with the prerequisite (in our books) 3 HDMI ports and is a full HD television meaning it outputs at up to 1080p. The LN46A550 also supports USB 2.0 making it available to plug in all your peripheral USB devices easily (although GadgetHeat still think that wireless connectivity would have been better and more sensible giving the way technology is moving).

Samsung LNT5271F 52-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $4000

SAMSUNG 32" FLAT PANEL LCD HDTV TELEVISION LN32A540

SAMSUNG LN40A530 40" 1080p WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV HDMI


In regards to the technical details, what most people do not realise is that given the nature of the human eye, several criteria have to be fulfilled before you can even notice the true differences between HD televisions. These include the size of the room the LN46A550 will be situated in and how far away you will be seated from it.
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When you read the technical specification and it mentions 5ms response time, reduced from 8ms last year, believe us when we say that you would have to be an absolute geek to have noticed the difference given the way HD televisions are used on a day to day basis (i.e. in the front room about 6 – 10 feet from the viewing position).
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Looks wise the Samsung LN46A550 is not as pretty as its LN46A650 brother but it is still pretty glossy and slick to look at and would be nice addition to any technophiles home. Pictures below.

Samsung LNT5271F 52-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $4000

SAMSUNG 32" FLAT PANEL LCD HDTV TELEVISION LN32A540

SAMSUNG LN40A530 40" 1080p WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV HDMI

Samsung LN32A540 32" LCD HDTV Television TV

Samsung LN32A540 32" LCD HDTV Television TV

SAMSUNG LN32A540 32" HDTV LCD TV TELEVISION NICE!

SAMSUNG LN32A540 32" HDTV LCD TV TELEVISION NICE!

SAMSUNG DIGITAL HDTV RECEIVER/DTB-H260F/NO RESERVE

Samsung 50" Ultra Slim 1080 HDTV

Samsung LN26A330 26" Series 3 330 LCD HDTV

It’s been a while since we did a HDTV review so we thought we’d jump back up on the horse and bring out our rusty review pen on the Samsung LN46A650. If you haven’t seen the advert for the LG Scarlett by now go look it up on YouTube. Why do we mentioned it? Because at first glance the Samsung LN46A650 is its spitting image but if you look a little closer you’ll see that it has a whole lot more to offer under the bonnet.

We’re not going to bore you with all the technical spec you can get that from the sales pitch and if you’ve reached this page through a search engine you’re most probably looking for a straight forward review and that’s what we’re going to give.

The Samsung LN46A650 has 5 major plus points:

1). If you didn’t know already, it looks fantastic. The subtle red highlight gives it a high-quality finish that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. You may be thinking that it may look gaudy or tacky in you’re front room but if you see the LN46A650 up close, all those fears will dissappear, it’s a sexy beast.

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2). 120Hz Refresh rate. If you have a games console than this is a perk you will definitely enjoy. the higher the refresh rate the smoother your games will play and on a HDTV this size you will definitely notices the difference between this and a set with a lower refresh rate.

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3). 4 HDMI ports. That’s right ladies and gentlemen 4. There are other HDTV’s with 4 ports but not at this price. With 4 ports there is no need to constantly unplug and switch your games console, HD-DVD player, SKY Plus box etc. You can have everything you need attached to the LN46A650 and let them stay plugged in.

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4.) TruSurround. Now I know in this day and age most people who shell out big bugs for a television also have surround sound speaker systems. Most not all. This is where the Samsung LN46A650’s TruSurround feature comes into it’s own. It gives a surround sound feel even if you only use the default speakers on the TV. More than good enough until you invest in a real surround system (if you even want to after hearing this).

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5.) Gloss. That’s right gloss. The Samsung LN46A650 has an extremely glossy screen. Now some of you many see this as a negative (and we can see your point - see cons section) but this gloss makes the colors and contrast even more vibrant and with the blinds drawn or light off the picture really stands out.

Samsung LNT5271F 52-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $4000

SAMSUNG 32" FLAT PANEL LCD HDTV TELEVISION LN32A540

SAMSUNG LN40A530 40" 1080p WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV HDMI

Now for the cons…

If you’ve rad any other reviews you will have heard the complaints about the remote control. To be frank, it’s just weird. It has a scroll wheel that is out of control and extremely sensitive making it seem like a cheap iPod knock-off and it is also a TV-only remote (i.e. not universal) which is a bizarre decision by Samsung and a step back.

Bugs. The Samsung LN46A650 has a nasty habit of suddenly switching itself off. This is a firmware bug and the problem should be largely resolved by a firmware upgrade but can still happen.

Gloss. Yes we know we mentioned it as a pro just a few paragraphs ago but when the light is shining on the screen it can really get on your nerves and impair your viewing pleasure. The thing is just so shiny it hurts.

Only a single antennae input. Now most people use a set-top-box these days but not all and with only a single antennae input on the Samsung LN46A650 you have to make a choice between an antennae and cable input rather than having them both plugged in at the same time.

No USB port. The Samsung LN46A650 bigger brother the 7 series Samsung LN46A750, has a USB port for your MP3 player (or whatever else) and 1GB of inbuilt cache. That is literally the only difference between the two (and about $600) but if USB functionality is your thing, then you’re out of luck with the LN46A650.

Samsung LNT5271F 52-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $4000

SAMSUNG 32" FLAT PANEL LCD HDTV TELEVISION LN32A540

SAMSUNG LN40A530 40" 1080p WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV HDMI

Samsung LN32A540 32" LCD HDTV Television TV

Samsung LN32A540 32" LCD HDTV Television TV

SAMSUNG LN32A540 32" HDTV LCD TV TELEVISION NICE!

SAMSUNG LN32A540 32" HDTV LCD TV TELEVISION NICE!

SAMSUNG DIGITAL HDTV RECEIVER/DTB-H260F/NO RESERVE

Samsung 50" Ultra Slim 1080 HDTV

Samsung LN26A330 26" Series 3 330 LCD HDTV