Samsung’s TU7160 Series 7 TVs are available in five sizes ranging from 43 ”to 65”. These TVs are equipped with a state-of-the-art Tizen 5.5 SmartTV, triple tuner and 4K high definition display. In addition, these TVs have the entire set of HDR standards with the exception of Dolby Vision.
Since the TU7160 series is one of the cheapest, its TVs lack some built-in technology, unlike Samsung’s more expensive 2020 series . Let’s try to consider the TU7160 series on the example of the TV with the smallest 43-inch screen diagonal in the Samsung UE43TU7160U 4K HDR review.
Samsung TU7160 review
Design
The smallest model in the series can be installed quite quickly and independently. Samsung UE43TU7160 TV looks very elegant, modern and minimalistic. The slim TV body, which is no more than 6cm deep, the bezel-less design with a slim titanium gray bezel, and the Quad Pod-style twin Y-leg stand complete the TV’s modern look.
Whether you mount the TV on a wall using the matching 200 x 200mm VESA bracket (for 43 ” diagonal) or mount on the included feet, the Samsung UE43TU7160 is simply eye-catching. Good flat screen high definition TVs are now a reality.
Smart TV
Samsung’s new 43TU7160 comes with a Tizen 5.5 based Smart Hub that has numerous features and applications. Amazon Prime Video, Netflix , Disney + and many other streaming services work very well with media libraries. The same cannot be said for the supplied remote control, which makes operation rather difficult.
The difference in control with expensive models equipped with a universal remote control is obvious. To make operation easier, simply purchase a Bluetooth keyboard with touchpad. With this keyboard, SmartTV and applications will be much easier to operate.
Smart House
Anyone who already owns smart home devices and wants to control them through a TV can count on the Smart Things app, with which all compatible household appliances can be easily connected to the network. There are no voice commands on the TV. Not only is Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant missing, but also Samsung’s built-in Bixby voice assistant.
For TV reception, the TU7160 series of TVs are equipped with a fairly fast triple tuner that covers both DVB-S, DVB-T2 and DVB-C. Switching time, as in most modern TVs, is 1-2 seconds. The tuner comes with HbbTV, Teletext and Electronic Program Guide.
Image quality
A high-resolution 50Hz display with Edge LED backlighting and a Crystal 4K image processor delivers high-contrast, colorful images. In practice, it turned out that blacks are not 100 percent black, which is to be expected from a TV in this price range.
Samsung UE43TU7160 provides a fairly clear image even when watching dynamic scenes. PurColor technology is responsible for image processing. However, the latest technology Dual Led copes with image processing much better. The manufacturer equips its more expensive TVs with the Dual Led option, starting with the Samsung TU8500 series .
HD content upscaling looks promising. Only when watching SD or analog video are there specific artifacts and blurry outlines. All of this is relevant for viewing 4K content, but not 4K HDR. Despite the fact that the UE43TU7160 TV has HDR10, HLG and HDR10 + standards, the user will not get the proper quality from watching content in any of the listed HDR standards.
The main problem with this is the low brightness value. In working mode, the brightness of the TU7160 does not exceed 200 nits. Peak brightness is at 280 nits. This is too little when you consider that for consistent quality when viewing content in HDR10 mode, at least 540 nits of maximum brightness is required.
Sound quality
Anyone familiar with Samsung’s 4K 7000 TVs can already guess that the sound quality has never been perfect. Voices and high frequencies are reproduced quite well. The bass that gives surround sound is simply not there. However, this should not be a reason to refuse a purchase. With the right soundbar or home theater system, the experience of watching movies and music programs will change dramatically.
Connections
All TVs of the TU7100 line have a truncated option of a complete set of connectors, in contrast to expensive models. The user will have to be content with only a couple of HDMI 2.0 ports, one of which has an eARC channel . The USB 2.0 port is also in splendid isolation. The manufacturer decided to abolish the composite and component inputs.
There is an optical TosLink output, a LAN RJ45 connector for Internet access, an antenna input and a CI + 1.4 slot. Also, the TV is equipped with such wireless connections as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. There is no line-out for connecting headphones and support for the DTS audio format.
Conclusion
Summing up the results of the Samsung TU7160 review, we recall that the company has released a number of affordable models, which include the entire 7 series. Despite some shortcomings, the UE43TU7160 convinces with its good image quality. If we consider the disadvantages, then they are an inconvenient digital remote control and a connection panel that does not have a sufficient number of connectors.
In addition to all of the above, it should be added that this model lacks the Ultra Black technology, with the help of which glare from sunlight is eliminated. Also, the TV cannot boast of wide viewing angles. The best viewing condition is in the evening and at night in a small room.