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Samsung UE40MU6100 review

 Review: June 2017  
 

Rating: 4 stars

In a nutshell: The Samsung UE40MU6100 is one of the best budget-end TVs you'll find in 2017. Priced well even at launch, this is a nice looking TV with good picture quality, a decent audio system, and outstanding Smart TV, including Netflix, Amazon and popular catch-up services.



 

Design & looks

Samsung's Series 6 range of TVs is aimed fairly and squarely at the mid- to low-end of the market, and the MU6100 is a budget model priced to sell. Its looks reflect this. While in photographs it appears almost identical to the more expensive Samsung MU6400, in the flesh you can quickly see that the finish is plastic instead of metal, and the frame around the screen is thicker. Still, it's a step up from the low-end models you'll find stacked in your local supermarket, and the Y-shaped stand is practical and reasonably solid.

Picture quality

The most popular size for the MU6100 looks set to be the 40-inch model, judging from the buying patterns of retailers. We think that's the right choice. There's not too much point spending more money than this on a high-end 40-inch TV, as you won't appreciate the difference.

The UE40MU6400 is a 4K HDR television, but to be honest, you won't really see the benefit of these features. On a 40-inch screen, it's hard to tell the difference between 4K and HD, unless you sit very close. And the screen isn't of a high enough spec to really show a difference between normal and HDR content.

This television will be best appreciated in a smaller room where you can sit just in front of the screen. In this sweet spot, you'll enjoy the deep blacks and bright colours that Samsung TVs are famous for. Sit off-centre, however, and the colours and brightness start to fade, as the screen's viewing angles are rather narrow.

Motion is good, despite this having a relatively slow 50Hz LCD panel. That's thanks to Samsung's excellent Auto Motion Plus motion enhancer. Input lag is low, so this model is likely to be particularly popular with gamers.

Upscaling is very good too, and the 40-inch screen size is forgiving if you like to watch a lot of broadcast TV or older DVDs. Overall, it puts in a good all-round performance for general viewing.

Audio quality

The MU6100 has the same sound system as the more expensive Series 6 TVs. The twin 10W speakers put in a decent performance, with crisp dialogue, but a lack of bass rumble. For a 40-inch screen, the audio is perfectly adequate, and we have no complaints.

Smart TV 2017

Even though this is a budget model, it retains the full functionality of Samsung's excellent Tizen-based Smart Hub. This is an excellent way to access content from the most popular online providers. For streaming, you'll find Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube, and others, although NOW TV has been removed this year. All the catch-up services are present - iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, and My5. Online gaming is also available.

Connectivity

The MU6100 has the full range of connectivity that you'll find in the moe expensive MU6400. That includes 3 HDMI ports, one with Audio Return Channel (ARC) compatibility for connecting to a soundbar, an optical audio output, a combined composite/component input, a CI+ 1.3 slot, and two USB connections. Anynet+ support let you connect your TV to your other audio-visual devices.

Wi-Fi and an ethernet port allow you to connect the TV to your home network and the internet. Screen mirroring from smartphones and tablets is supported, and wireless Bluetooth connectivity is available for a range of devices.

We reckon that's everything you'll need from a TV of this type, but beware that there's no SCART socket to connect to older DVD players, or other devices.

Conclusion - a good budget-end buy

The MU6100 is a stripped-down version of Samsung's high-end models, with a plastic-heavy build, and a lower picture quality. On a larger screen, these might become an issue, but at 40 inches, they seem like sensible money-saving compromises. Picture quality is pretty good, with sharp, judder-free images and plenty of shadow detail. 4K is here, for what it's worth at this smaller screen size, and the TV supports the HDR10 and HLG standards too.

The pricing of this TV is competitive at launch, so don't expect it to fall very dramatically as the year progresses. If you can find it for less than £500, you're basically getting a good deal.


Samsung UE40MU6100 features include:

User questions

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What is the width of the stand?

Asked by Simon from England on 26th Jun 2018
I need to know if this will fit on my soundbar, with the feet not extending over the edge.

Why can't i find the just dance app from the smart hub? I already bought this unit.

Asked by Harvey from Philippines on 22nd Dec 2017

How do I do catch up on free view channels?

Asked by j redpath from england on 5th Nov 2017

See all 12 questions

Samsung UE40MU6100 user reviews

Sorry - reviews and comments on this page are now closed.