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Samsung UE32D5000PW review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £389
inc VAT

A well-priced entry-level TV that’s well suited to a bedroom, but you might want to look elsewhere for a set for the living room

Specifications

32in, Freeview, 1,920×1,080 resolution, 3D: no, 4x HDMI

http://www.bhsdirect.co.uk

For this review we tested the 32in model in the D5000 (PW) range, but it’s also available in 37in (UE37D5000PW) and 40in (UE40D5000PW) and 46in (UE46D5000PW) screen sizes. All models have identical specifications except for their dimensions and power usage. We’re confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range.

Samsung’s new mid-range LCD TV is a stylish, compact example of just how much you can get for your money at the moment; the 32in, 1080p set is less than 3cm thick, which makes it ideal for wall-mounting, but still manages to squeeze in USB multimedia playback and DLNA media streaming.

Samsung UE32D5000 rear ports 2

Despite having an incredibly thin panel, the back and sides of the set hide a wide range of connectivity options. Four HDMI ports and a single VGA are joined by two micro adaptor ports, which provide component, composite and SCART video inputs with the bundled adaptor cables, while taking up less room than the separate ports. Audio options include digital optical and headphone outputs, as well as a 3.5mm input for PC audio. A common interface (CI) slot will let you add pay TV services and an Ethernet port connects the set to your local network. Finally, two USB ports let you play multimedia files, although you can’t use a flash drive to record TV broadcasts as on more expensive sets.

File format support was excellent, both from a PC over the network and from a USB portable hard disk; we had no trouble playing our MKV, XviD and DivX files, although high-definition AVCHD files refused to play. Audio and image playback is limited to MP3 and JPEG respectively. There’s no integrated Wi-Fi, so you’ll have to run a network cable from the TV to your router for DLNA media streaming, unless you buy the optional wireless dongle.

Samsung UE32D5000 rear ports 1

As this is one of Samsung’s lower-end TVs, it doesn’t include the Smart TV features found in the more expensive models. Although this means you can’t access catch-up TV services or stream YouTube videos without the aid of a separate set-top box, we aren’t huge fans of Samsung’s implementation of the service anyway.

The on-screen interface is simple yet attractive, and very easy to use. The Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) includes picture-in-picture, so you can continue to watch one channel while choosing a second. Everything felt very responsive, with the exception of loading content from a USB flash drive or over the network; the TV had to pause to think while it accessed our files, but no longer than any other set we’ve seen.

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Basic Specifications

Rating ****

Physical

Viewable size 32in
Native resolution 1,920×1,080
1080p support Yes
Aspect ratio 16:9
HD ready yes
3D capable no
Speakers 2x 3W

Connections

D-sub inputs 1
HDMI inputs 4
Component inputs 1
SCART 1
Composite inputs 1
Audio outputs optical S/DIF out, headphone minijack
Other Ethernet, 2x USB, CI Slot

Tuner

Tuner type Freeview
EPG 7 day

Environmental

Power consumption standby 1W
Power consumption on 56W

Buying Information

Warranty one year RTB
Price £389
Supplier http://www.bhsdirect.co.uk
Details www.samsung.co.uk

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