Samsung UA55ES8000 Review

Last year when having 3D capability in your television was all the rage, Samsung introduced the UA55D8000 which offered a whole lot in the form of 3D and a variety of smart TV functions. It was like taking a glimpse at the future, and what things would be like for televisions. With this year’s model update, the UA55ES8000, Samsung has built up where they have left off. Not only have they built up on their previous model but have also aimed to revolutionize the way a television is supposed to be used.

Check out a quick video review of the UA55D8000 below

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Design and Build Quality

The Samsung UA55ES800 borrows a lot of design traits from its predecessor, which was one classy looking television. This model too features an extremely slim bezel that can be practically unnoticeable when you first look at the TV. We really liked the implementation of this design as it adds a lot to the looks even though it has a minimalistic appearance. This slim silver bezel designed has been featured in the past on previous generation models. This all-new flagship model comes equipped with a webcam at the top. It's done very neatly, ensuring that it does not ruin the overall look of the TV.

Camera located on the top

The size of the bezel is slim, as is the thickness of the television - it's less than an inch in  thickness, at its extreme ends. This allows you to save a lot of space while wall mounting it. The television tapers at the edges and this allows it to have that overall slim appearance. Connectivity options for the television are all found at the back and though this is a top of the line model, the number of HDMI ports found here are less in comparison to those found on TVs that are a lot cheaper. The connections featured at the back include three HDMI ports, three USB ports, an Ethernet port and an option for SCART. Apart from these Samsung has also added connections for component, composite, optical, RF In for satellite, RF In for cable, a DVI audio in and an MHL port. Having three HDMI ports at the back should be more than sufficient for most users and if not, there are other ports that can be used to connect to other devices if need be.

A view of the connections found at the back

The Samsung UA55ES8000 comes with two remotes. One has a conventional design and the other has something new we haven't seen on any other TV remote - a trackpad and a microphone built into it. This remote has a rather unique, solid design and it's finished in silver and black. All these elements really complement the looks of the TV. The standard remote that has been bundled with the television has also received a slight makeover and its rounded rear makes it quite comfortable to use. The spacing of the buttons is done well and this is great because once you get used to it, the chances of hitting the wrong button accidentally are drastically reduced.

Apart from the two remotes, Samsung has also supplied 3D glasses. These glasses have bands, that are flexible, rounded and are really slim, making them very comfortable to wear. These active 3D glasses come with detachable side bands allowing you to easily store it when not in use. This ability to detach them may reduce the possibility of the glasses breaking accidentally. The active batteries are powered by button cell batteries. 

The base of the television is one of the stand out features when you just glance at the TV. Samsung uses an arch flow design which looks really good as opposed to the four legged stand of last year’s model. Rounding up the design segment of the review, we can say that the the television gets two thumbs up.