Samsung's New 2013 Smart TVs - The A Grade F-Series

Samsung’s Smart TVs

Hot on the heels of Sony, who just showcased their new line-up of Bravia TVs in Singapore last week, Samsung has shone the spotlight on their new television offerings. Most of the products shown at the causal event held at VivoCity had been introduced into public consciousness at CES 2013 this year. While the curved OLED screens Samsung has been working on are not yet ready for mass consumption, the Korean chaebol is ready to release their 85-inch UHD 4K TV as well as a slew of new LED TVs.

The ethos behind the new products is Samsung’s belief that the television is not only the center of the living room, but also the center of a modern day user’s life. Keeping this in mind, they have focused on Design, Interaction, Sharing and Exploration of new technology to make their new range of TV models even more indispensible to the end user.

Design: Metaform Design

The new televisions are instantly recognizable as Samsung products largely in part due to the chrome edges and silver bezel, which are traits shared with previous iterations. The design keyword for the new TVs is "Metaform Design" focusing on the aspects of material, form and premium feel. This latest ideology has led to Samsung dreaming up four new designs for their stands.

First up is the Gallery Stand which is available only with the Samsung 85-inch Ultra HD 4K TV. Besides framing the gigantic panel, the stand also serves to provide sound thanks to the array speakers it is fitted with. The camera for use with applications such as Skype is also housed in the Gallery Stand.

The second new addition is the Arc Stand, which helps the screen achieve the illusion that it is floating in mid-air without any support. Most of the stand is not visible from the front. However we did note that the Arc Stand does prevent the TV from achieving a close to flush contact with the back wall.

Drawing inspiration from nature, the Branch Stand does look quite spectacular from a top down view. However since that angle is normally one you will never notice your TV from, the beauty is somewhat lost. From the side view, we thought the Branch Stand resembled pigeon feet.

Finally, the conventional Samsung Quad Stand that has been around for a few years has been improved and upgraded with a smoother finish. This is now the default stand for most of the entry and mid-level models.

Interact: Smart TV

Over the course of the last few years, Samsung’s Smart Hub has become an extremely strong selling point for their televisions. According to third-party figures Samsung shared with use, there were approximately 65 million users of their Smart TV platform in 2012. Unsurprisingly, they have decided to continue strengthening this area to keep a hold of their supremacy.

The Smart Hub has been given a complete facelift and comes with a completely new user interface. Gone is the single page layout which has now been replaced by three separate home pages. The individual pages represent the apps and key services, AllShare and connected devices and social media platforms respectively.

Besides the regular repository of apps and services, the new Samsung Smart Hub comes with tailor made local content. Partnering up with Singtel, users can enjoy the Mio TV Play app which brings movies to your home television. Toggle is another personal entertainment service which consumers can leverage and Starhub’s TV Anywhere VOD app is also provided.

In order to help users navigate the offerings in the Smart Hub, Samsung has improved their motion control system to accept two hands input. Along with the ability to recognize a broader range of gestures than before, users can now employ different movements to control their Samsung television. For example you can use a thumbs-up gesture to dish out likes when using Facebook on the new TVs. Double handed gestures include gestures such "pinch to zoom". If waving your hands about is not your style, you can also issue voice commands to switch channels, control volume and perform other functions. Do note however that motion and voice controls are only available on selected models such as the higher-end F7500, F8000 and F8500 series.

Evolution Kit

With the new Smart Hub suite growing leaps and bounds in functionality and performance from the 2012 version, Samsung will be introducing the Evolution Kit for the benefit of those who possess older Samsung models. Just plugging this device in will upgrade your older Samsung Smart Hub to the new version. Equipped with a newer processing platform, the Evolution Kit will only be compatible with the E7500 TV series and above and is an effort on Samsung’s part to future-proof their products. Samsung stated that the Evolution Kit will be available in the second quarter of 2013, but was unable to disclose any pricing information at this point of time.

Share: Convergence

As always, Samsung has promoted the great synergy between its smartphones, tablets, notebooks and TVs. With the advent of Miracast wireless standard, we were also given a demo of how you can mirror your smartphone screen on the television and use your mobile device as a source for video content.

Explore: New Display Technology

Performance is obviously an important aspect of any television and Samsung has paid heed to this key feature in their new range of televisions. The pinnacle of their capabilities is represented by the 85-inch UHD TV which has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Premium models from the new range also boast quad-core processors powering their operations and smart functions. According to Samsung the key performance indicators they have been focusing for the new F Series televisions is Color, Detail and Realism. As soon as we get a review unit in, we'll tell you if this new range lives to its billing.

The New TV Models and Features List Comparison

Beside the 85-inch UHD TV Samsung has a number of new full HD LED TVs that also share some of the new features and functions that the ultra high-end 85-inch UHD TV possess. So on this page, we'll give you a brief run-down on how the different TV model series stack-up and a features comparison matrix for your convenience.

Samsung Series 8 F8500 LED TV

Samsung is significantly expanding its premium-design TV line-up but the top of the tops is the new F8500 LED TV which comes with a premium Magnum design. Take note that this model supports only a full HD panel although the series name is identical to the 85-inch UHD companion we've shown you on the previous page. This model comes only in a 55-inch size. Its frame and stand are crafted from a single piece of aluminum and is unique to the F8500 only. This premium build and design is what sets the F8500 apart from the rest of the new LED models.

The model also comes equipped with an integrated camera that enables gesture controls that come in handy when using apps such as Skype. Latest technologies such as Intelligent Viewing, Micro Dimming Ultimate and Precision Black Local Dimming features help ensure that the performance matches the F8500’s top billing. For those not in the know Micro Dimming Ultimate, according to Samsung, optimizes the LED backlight and video signal for frames in real time to give you the good black levels without loss of detail. Micro Dimming Ultimate is the highest grade of this feature from Samsung and has twice as many scanning zones as Micro Dimming Pro which can be found on the Series 7 F7500 TVs. Intelligent viewing on the other hand is used to optimize the picture from different sources by dynamically throttling and compressing footage.

The 55-inch F8500 LED TV is available at a recommended retail price of S$5,199.

Samsung Series 8 F8000 LED TV

Boasting a quad-core processor for seamless multi-tasking just like the F8500 series, the F8000 LED TV also incorporates much of the same features as well. Latest technologies such as Micro Dimming Ultimate and Intelligent Viewing are also available. It differs from the premium flagship as it does not have the unique, single piece aluminum stand and base. Available in 55-inch, 60-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch models, the prices for the F8000 TVs are S$4,899, S$8,999 and S$13,999 respectively.

Samsung Series 7 F7500 LED TV

One rung lower, the F7500 LED TV still features Samsung’s Ultra Clear Panel which absorbs most ambient light, eliminates reflections and helps make colors more vibrant. With a Clear Motion Rate of 800Hz (down from 1000Hz of the two other higher series), the TV still has good levels of motion-clarity. The F7500 LED TV is also equipped with a quad-core processing platform so that consumers can toggle between apps, online services and on-air TV quickly and easily without any lag. The F7500 LED TV is available in 46-inch and 55-inch sizes which will cost S$2,899 and S$4,399 respectively

Samsung Series 6 F6800 LED TV

The new mid-range series of Samsung's 2013 LED TV line-up, these full HD TVs offer reduced features as compared below, but still retains some crucial aspects like Samsung’s Wide Color Enhancer Plus, which enhances hues by expanding the color range for a more vivid experience. This feature is especially beneficial when watching older film productions and non high-definition content. The F6800 LED TV is available in 40-inch, 46-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch sizes with a retail price of S$1,599, S$2,149, S$2,649 and S$3,499 respectively.

Here is a table which thoroughly compares the features and specifications of all the new televisions.

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