To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our results after eight months, see our latest updates.
The Samsung 7 Series is an entry-level, budget 4k TV, sitting at the bottom of Samsung's 2020 4k TV lineup. It replaces the Samsung RU7100, and its competitors are the Vizio V Series 2020, the Sony X750H, and the LG UN7300. Like most entry-level Samsung TVs, it's no longer widely available in North America and is mainly sold as one of its many variants, including the Samsung TU700D at Costco and Sam's Club, during big sales like Black Friday. As an entry-level TV, it doesn't support any advanced gaming features, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth or variable refresh rate technology, but it supports HDR10 and HDR10+.
Our Verdict
The Samsung TU7000 is decent for most uses. It doesn't perform well in bright environments, but it has good contrast and superb black uniformity that makes blacks look deep and uniform, so it's better for watching movies in the dark. The narrow viewing angles are not well-suited for watching TV or sports with friends since the image loses accuracy from the side. It has remarkably low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, but sadly it doesn't have extra features like VRR to reduce screen tearing, and its response time is slow.
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Outstanding black uniformity.
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Good contrast.
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Fair response time.
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No local dimming.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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No VRR support.
The Samsung TU7000 is okay for watching TV in a bright room. It has alright reflection handling, but unfortunately, it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare in well-lit rooms, so visibility is an issue. It also has disappointing viewing angles, so it's not a good choice for a wide seating arrangement, as the image degrades when you move to the sides. On the upside, it can upscale lower-resolution content, like cable TV, without issues, and it has a huge selection of streaming apps to choose from, including many free services.
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Good contrast.
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Upscales lower resolution content without issue.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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Bad viewing angles.
The Samsung TU7000 is an okay TV for watching sports, but it's best suited for dark to moderately-lit rooms because of its disappointing brightness. It upscales lower resolution content well, which is great, as many cable sports channels still broadcast low-resolution signals. Unfortunately, its viewing angles are narrow, so it's not ideal for watching with a group since the image loses consistency when you move to the sides, so only those sitting directly in front will enjoy the best image.
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Good contrast.
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Fair response time.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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Bad viewing angles.
The Samsung TU7000 delivers a good gaming experience overall. It has fantastic low input lag, ensuring a responsive gaming experience with little delay between your actions and the action on-screen. However, there's still some image duplication during fast-moving scenes because of the backlight flicker. On the upside, it has a good contrast ratio, which is great if you prefer gaming in the dark. Unfortunately, it doesn't support any advanced gaming features, like variable refresh rates or HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. It also has a fairly slow response time, so there's a more noticeable blur behind fast-moving objects.
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Low input lag.
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Outstanding black uniformity.
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Good contrast.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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No VRR support.
The Samsung TU7000 is decent for watching movies in HDR in a completely dark room. It has a high contrast ratio and outstanding black uniformity, which helps with dark room performance as there's no distracting blooming around bright objects. There's also very little black crush, so fine details in dark scenes are preserved well. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a wide HDR color gamut and doesn't get bright enough to make highlights in HDR content pop, so although HDR looks decent, it's not very vibrant or realistic.
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Outstanding black uniformity.
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Good contrast.
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Very little black crush.
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No local dimming.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
The Samsung TU7000 is good for HDR gaming, but mainly because of its gaming performance. It provides a responsive gaming experience thanks to its low input lag, although the response time is only okay, so there's a bit more blur behind fast-moving objects than on higher-end TVs. However, it doesn't provide a satisfying HDR experience because it can't get bright enough to make highlights pop, and colors look dull and muted due to its low peak brightness and limited color gamut.
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Low input lag.
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Outstanding black uniformity.
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Good contrast.
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No local dimming.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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No VRR support.
The Samsung TU7000 is a decent TV for use as a PC monitor. It has very low input lag, an okay response time, and it displays chroma 4:4:4 properly, ensuring that text looks sharp and is easy to read. There's also no risk of permanent burn-in from constantly displaying a static desktop interface. Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, so the image looks washed out at the edges if you sit close.
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Low input lag.
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Good contrast.
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Displays proper chroma 4:4:4.
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Low SDR and HDR peak brightness.
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Bad viewing angles.
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No VRR support.
- 6.5 Mixed Usage
- 6.3 TV Shows
- 6.4 Sports
- 7.2 Video Games
- 6.2 HDR Movies
- 7.3 HDR Gaming
- 6.9 PC Monitor
- Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Jul 10, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.11. With this update, we've added a new Upscaling: Sharpness Processing test and revamped our Blooming test so the scores and picture better match the real world experience. With this change, it was necessary to remove the Black Crush test. Finally, we've updated our usage scores to better align our scores with user expectations.
- Updated Jun 27, 2023: Added mention of DTS 5.1 support over ARC under Audio Passthrough.
- Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated May 04, 2023: We've added a mention of the newly-reviewed Samsung CU7000 in the Flicker-Free section of this review.
- Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Mar 09, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.10. With this update we've revamped our Gradient testing, added a new test for Low Quality Content Smoothing, and expanded our Audio Passthrough testing.
- Updated Feb 07, 2023: We've updated the text in the review to reflect our latest test methodology updates.
- Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Jan 11, 2023: Updated to Test Bench 1.9, modifying our Contrast testing and splitting our local dimming testing into multiple sections covering Blooming, Black Crush, and Lighting Zone Transitions. You can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
- Updated Oct 11, 2022: Compared the motion handling on this TV to the Vizio V Series 2022.
- Updated Aug 01, 2022: We discovered a flaw with the equipment used to force an HDR signal when measuring color volume and the color gamut. We've switched to a new tool and updated our measurements. The color gamut and volume have changed slightly.
- Updated Jul 28, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.8, adding a new box for PQ EOTF tracking and updating our Color Volume and Color Gamut tests to better reflect real world usage. You can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Jul 25, 2022: Changed the HDR result in the PS5 and Xbox Series X Compatibility sections because there was a mistake that listed it as not supporting HDR.
- Updated Jul 14, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.7 with an updated HDR Brightness test that better reflects real world usage. We've also split the console compatibility boxes into separate PS5 Compatibility and Xbox Series X|S Compatibility tests. You can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Jan 24, 2022: We reprocessed our gradient photo and viewing angle video as they were incorrectly processed.
- Updated Dec 15, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Jul 22, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Jun 30, 2021: We've added two new videos demonstrating the local dimming feature (or lack thereof in this case) with real content.
- Updated Mar 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
- Updated Feb 05, 2021: Retested the EOTF.
- Updated Jan 27, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Nov 05, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Oct 23, 2020: Updated text for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Sep 29, 2020: Listed Auto-Calibration Function as 'Undetermined'.
- Updated Jul 27, 2020: We've retested the viewing angle of the TV.
- Updated Jul 09, 2020: We mistakenly indicated that the TV has a composite input. It doesn't and it has been corrected.
- Updated Jul 03, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jun 29, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 11, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jun 10, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Apr 19, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 55" (UN55TU7000FXZA) variant of the Samsung 7 Series, and our review is also valid for the other sizes as well, which are listed below. The Samsung TU700D is a variant sold at Costco and Sam's Club. There's a TU7100 variant in the UK, which is available from 43 to 75 inches, and it seems the only difference compared to the TU7000 is that the color of the back panel is gray. There's also a Black Friday model sold as the 6 Series (UN70TU6980FXZA/UN82TU6980FXZA), and it's available in 70-inch and 82-inch sizes.
Note that with Samsung TVs, the four letters after the short model code (FXZA in this case) can vary between regions, and even between different retailers. We expect them all to perform about the same, but there may be some minor differences between them, including the tuners included.
| Size | US Model | Short Model Code |
|---|---|---|
| 43" | UN43TU7000FXZA | UN43TU7000 |
| 50" | UN50TU7000FXZA | UN50TU7000 |
| 55" | UN55TU7000FXZA | UN55TU7000 |
| 58" | UN58TU7000FXZA | UN58TU7000 |
| 60" | UN60TU7000FXZA | UN60TU7000 |
| 65" | UN65TU7000FXZA | UN65TU7000 |
| 70" | UN70TU7000FXZA | UN70TU7000 |
| 75" | UN75TU7000FXZA | UN75TU7000 |
| 82" | UN82TU7000FXZA | UN82TU7000 |
| 85" | UN85TU7000FXZA | UN85TU7000 |
Our unit was manufactured in May 2020; you can see the label here.
Compared To Other TVs
The Samsung TU7000 is an entry-level budget TV with okay performance. It performs very similarly to its predecessor, the Samsung RU7100, but there are a few minor improvements on the TU7000. It's a very basic TV with limited picture quality and few extra features, and even when you can find it on sale it's usually not worth it. There are better budget models available from budget brands like the Hisense U6G.
For other options, check out our recommendations for the best TVs, the best budget TVs, and the best 4k gaming TVs.
The Samsung CU7000 and Samsung TU7000 are very similar TVs. The TU7000 has better contrast and color accuracy, while the CU7000 has slightly better peak brightness in both SDR and HDR, much better PQ EOTF tracking, and a faster response time. The CU7000's response time makes it the better choice for fast-moving action in games and sports; however, the slower response time of the TU7000 makes it better suited for watching movies as it has less stutter.
The Samsung TU8000 performs a bit better overall than the Samsung TU7000, as it has a slightly higher contrast ratio, gets a little brighter, and can remove 24p judder from any source, unlike the TU7000, which can't remove judder at all. The only area where the TU7000 significantly outperforms the TU8000 is gradient handling, as it has much less banding.
The Vizio V Series 2022 and the Samsung TU7000 are both okay TVs. The Vizio is better in a few areas, like its peak brightness, reflection handling, color accuracy, and motion handling, and it has VRR support, so it's the better choice for gaming or using it in a well-lit room. However, the Samsung TV has better upscaling, which is important if you watch a lot of low-resolution content like DVDs.
The Samsung AU8000 is a bit better overall than the Samsung TU7000. They have similar features, but the AU8000 is better in a few areas. The AU8000 gets brighter and has better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms. It also has an upgraded version of Tizen OS, which feels smoother to use, and it comes with a mic for voice control in the remote, which the TU7000 doesn't have. On the other hand, the TU7000 supports 1440p, which the TU8000 doesn't.
The Samsung TU7000 is slightly better than the Hisense A6H for most users. The Samsung has a much higher contrast ratio, resulting in deeper blacks in a dark room and better uniformity. On the other hand, the Hisense has a wider viewing angle, so it's a slightly better choice if you always watch TV with lights on and have a wide seating arrangement.
The Samsung TU7000 and the LG UP7000 are both okay TVs with different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel with a higher native contrast ratio, while the LG that we tested has an IPS-like panel with wider viewing angles, but there are some sizes with a VA panel, too. The LG is better to use in a well-lit room because it gets brighter and has better reflection handling. Other than that, they have similar basic features, and both come with simple remotes that don't even have voice control.
The Samsung TU7000 and the TCL 4 Series/S446 2021 are okay TVs, and the units we tested have different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel with high contrast, while the TCL we tested has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, but there are variants with a VA panel instead. Although neither gets bright, the TCL is a better choice for rooms with a few lights around because it has better reflection handling. Both TVs flicker their backlight, which isn't ideal, but the Samsung flickers at 120Hz while the TCL flickers at 150Hz, which results in image duplication. The TCL also removes judder from 24p sources, which the Samsung can't do.
The Samsung TU7000 and the Samsung NU6900 perform very similarly overall. The NU6900 gets a little brighter, but the TU7000 has a significantly lower input lag, making it a better option if you plan on using your TV for video games.
The Samsung TU6980 and the Samsung TU7000 perform quite similarly overall, but they come in different sizes. The TU6890 is only available in 70 and 82 inch sizes, so it's better if you prefer a large TV. The TU7000 comes in a wider range of sizes and it has a better contrast ratio and better gradient handling, but it also has a significantly worse response time.
The TCL 4 Series/S455 2022 and the Samsung TU7000 are very similar overall. The TCL is a bit more versatile, as it has more HDMI inputs than the Samsung, meaning you can connect more devices. Both TVs deliver similar picture quality and motion handling, but the TCL can remove judder from 24p sources, like a Blu-ray player, so it's a bit better for movie lovers. On the other hand, the Samsung sounds better, so if you want to watch shows without a soundbar or separate speaker system, the Samsung is a bit better.
The Samsung TU7000 and the Hisense A6G use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The Samsung is a better choice for a dark room, as its VA panel has better contrast and better black uniformity. The Hisense, on the other hand, is a better choice for a wide seating arrangement, as the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle.
The Samsung TU7000 and the Sony X75K are both decent TVs, and the best one between the two really depends on your viewing environment. The TU7000 is a better choice for a dark room, as it has much better contrast and dark scenes look better. On the other hand, the Sony is better for a moderately lit room as it can get brighter to overcome glare.
The Samsung TU7000 is better than the LG UQ9000. The Samsung delivers much better picture quality, with a much higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The Samsung also has a faster response time, so there's less blur behind fast-moving objects. The only real advantage of the LG is that the image remains accurate at a moderate angle, whereas the Samsung is best enjoyed from directly in front.
The Vizio V5 Series 2021 and the Samsung TU7000 are both okay TVs. The Vizio has better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms, but it still doesn't get very bright. The Vizio also removes judder from 24p sources, which the Samsung can't do, which helps motion in movies. However, the Samsung's built-in Tizen is better overall than the Vizio's OS as it comes with an app store, and the Samsung does a better job at upscaling lower-resolution content.
The Samsung RU7100 and the Samsung TU7000 are very similarly performing TVs, since the TU7000 is the 2020 replacement for the RU7100. The TU7000 has a slightly better response time and its input lag is better outside of 'Game' mode, so it's marginally better for gaming. The TU7000 also feels a little better built. On the other hand, the RU7100 has better accuracy out-of-the-box, although this can vary between units.
The Samsung TU7000 is better than the Hisense H6570G. The Samsung has much lower input lag, a BFI feature to reduce motion blur, better gradient handling, and it upscales native 4k content properly. However, the Hisense has a slightly quicker response time, has better reflection handling, and removes judder from native 24p sources.
The Hisense U6GR is a better all-around TV than the Samsung TU7000. The Hisense delivers better picture quality because it gets brighter in SDR and HDR, and it has a decent full-array local dimming feature, which the Samsung doesn't have. The Hisense also has more gaming features like VRR support, and it has much better reflection handling. On the other hand, the Samsung doesn't have trouble upscaling 480p content like the Hisense.
The Insignia F50 QLED is slightly better than the Samsung TU7000. The Insignia is brighter, meaning it can handle more glare in a bright viewing environment. The Insignia also has a faster response time, resulting in smoother motion. Finally, the Insignia has a much wider color gamut and better accuracy out of the box. On the other hand, the Samsung TV is better at upscaling DVDs, and it has much better black uniformity.
The TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED is much better than the Samsung TU7000. The TCL has better picture quality, mainly because its full-array local dimming feature allows it to display deep blacks. It also gets a bit brighter and displays a wide color gamut for HDR content, which the Samsung can't do. Lastly, the TCL has a much quicker response time, so motion looks smoother.
The Samsung TU7000 is better overall than the LG UN7000, but they use different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel, so the contrast ratio is much better. The Samsung also displays 4k content properly, while the LG uses a sub-pixel layout that can't display a perfect 4k image. However, the IPS panel on the LG has wider viewing angles, and the LG has better reflection handling, which is great for well-lit rooms.
The LG UN7300 and the Samsung TU7000 perform similarly overall; however, they use different panel types with different advantages and disadvantages. The LG uses an IPS panel that has better viewing angles at the expense of a lower contrast ratio. The Samsung, on the hand, uses a VA panel, which has a much better contrast ratio but narrower viewing angles.
For most uses, the Sony X750H is marginally better than the Samsung TU7000. The Sony has a much higher peak brightness, better color gamut, and faster response time, resulting in less motion blur. Also, the Sony can remove judder from 24p sources and it has a flicker-free backlight. The Samsung has an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce motion blur and it has better screen uniformity, although the latter can vary per unit.
The Samsung TU7000 and the Hisense H6510G are similarly performing TVs. The Samsung has much lower input lag, better color accuracy, and it gets a bit brighter. However, the Hisense has better reflection handling and better gradient handling.
Overall, the Samsung Q60/Q60T QLED is much better than the Samsung TU7000. The Q60T has a higher contrast ratio to deliver deeper blacks, it gets brighter, and it can display a wide color gamut with better color accuracy. However, the TU7000 has a faster response time, and its superior gradient handling results in less banding.
For most uses, the LG UM7300 is marginally better than the Samsung TU7000, but they use different panel types. The LG's IPS panel has wider viewing angles, better reflection handling, and faster response time. On the other hand, the Samsung can produce deeper blacks due to its higher contrast ratio, and it has a Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur.
The LG CX OLED is significantly better than the Samsung TU7000 thanks to its OLED panel. The LG delivers much better picture quality, as it can produce perfect blacks and can display a wide color gamut. It also has near-instantaneous response time, higher peak brightness, and wider viewing angles. That said, if you need a TV to use as a monitor, the Samsung has lower input lag, and its VA panel is immune to permanent burn-in.
The Sony X800H performs better for most uses than the Samsung TU7000, but they use different panel types with different advantages and disadvantages. The Sony has significantly better viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel, it gets brighter, and it has a faster response time. However, the Samsung's VA panel has a better contrast ratio, resulting in deeper blacks, so it's better suited for watching movies in the dark.
The Samsung TU7000 is a bit better than the TCL 4 Series/S435 2020. The Samsung gets brighter, has a quicker response time, and much lower input lag, so it's a better choice for gaming. However, the TCL removes judder from native 24p sources, has significantly better out-of-the-box color accuracy, and has better reflection handling.
The Samsung TU7000 is a bit better overall than the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020. The Samsung is better for gaming because it has a lower input lag, and it's better for watching TV shows and sports because it gets brighter. However, the TCL has much better out-of-the-box accuracy, and even though this can vary between units, you may not need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest.
The LG UN6950 is slightly better than the Samsung TU7000. The LG we reviewed has a VA panel, although it's also available with an IPS panel. The LG gets brighter and has a quicker response time. However, the Samsung has better color accuracy, better black uniformity, and a better contrast ratio, which is more well-suited to dark room viewing.
Overall, the Vizio V Series 2020 and the Samsung TU7000 are very similar TVs, but there are a few differences. The Vizio has much better reflection handling, and it can remove judder from 24p sources and native apps. On the other hand, the Samsung has a faster response time and gets a bit brighter.
The Samsung TU7000 and the LG UN6970 are similar-performing TVs, but they have different panel types. The Samsung has a VA panel with a much better contrast ratio and significantly better black uniformity. It also has better gradient handling and a Black Frame Insertion feature. However, the LG has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, it gets brighter, has better reflection handling, and has a quicker response time.
The LG GX OLED is much better than the Samsung TU7000, mainly because they use different panel types. The LG is a premium TV with an OLED panel and infinite contrast ratio for perfect black levels. It also has much wider viewing angles, more gaming features like HDMI 2.1 and VRR support, and it displays a wide color gamut for HDR content. The Samsung is an entry-level TV with an LED panel, and it doesn't have the burn-in risk like the LG.
Video
Test Results
The Samsung TU7000 has a surprisingly modern and clean design for a budget model. The bezels are extremely thin on all four sides and aren't at all distracting. On the other hand, the stand is very basic and doesn't prevent the TV from wobbling.
After running on our accelerated longevity test for two months, this TV shows no signs of degradation. The sides of the screen are significantly darker than the center, but this isn't caused by the longevity test.
The stand is plastic and feels pretty cheap. It doesn't support the TV very well, as it wobbles quite a bit. Instead of being screwed on, the stand is simply inserted into the TV, which makes the installation process a bit easier.
Footprint of the 55-inch TV stand: 39.8" x 10.1"
The back of the TV is plastic and has the same etched horizontal texture as other recent Samsung TVs, like the Samsung TU8000. The inputs are side-facing, but they're set into the back of the TV, so they're tough to access when wall-mounted. There are tracks on the back of the TV for cable management, and clips on the feet to hold them in place.
The bezels are surprisingly thin for a budget model and aren't distracting at all.
The Samsung TU7000 2020 has decent build quality overall. It's mostly made of plastic, with few premium materials, but there are no significant or noticeable issues with it.
The Samsung TU7000 has a good contrast ratio, resulting in deep blacks in a dark room. There's no local dimming feature to improve dark scene performance, though, and blacks are raised a bit.
Since this TV lacks a local dimming feature, there's no blooming around bright objects in otherwise dark scenes. Since the entire backlight is always on at the same intensity, dark scenes show raised blacks when bright highlights are on the screen.
This TV doesn't have a local dimming feature, the entire backlight is always on at the same intensity, so there's no distracting flicker or brightness changes as bright highlights move across the screen.
Switching to 'Game' mode doesn't make any difference in dark scene performance.
Unfortunately, the Samsung TU7000 2020 has bad peak brightness in HDR. Small highlights don't stand out at all, and it doesn't deliver anything close to a cinematic HDR experience. These measurements are taken after calibrating the HDR white point, using the 'Movie HDR' mode. Brightness and Contrast were set to max, and ST. 2084 was left at '0'.
There's a very slight difference in HDR peak brightness in Game Mode. Most scenes are a bit brighter than out of Game Mode, although this isn't really a noticeable difference.
The Samsung TU7000 2020 has just decent brightness accuracy in HDR. Almost everything is darker than it should be. It tone maps well near the TV's peak brightness, resulting in a slow roll-off, with no loss of fine details in bright scenes.
This TV has sub-par peak brightness in SDR. It's best suited for a dark to moderately-lit room, as it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare in well-lit environments. There's very little variation in brightness with different content, except for the 2% window, which is dimmer due to the TV's CE dimming (frame dimming). If you want something that gets brighter, then check out the Hisense U6H.
These measurements are after calibration, using the 'Movie' mode. Brightness was set to max, Gamma was set to 2.2, and Contrast was left at its default value.
The Samsung TU7000 has an okay color gamut. A wide color gamut is important for saturated, vibrant colors in HDR, but sadly, this TV can't display a wide color gamut. It has decent coverage of the DCI P3 color space used by most current HDR content, but its coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space is poor.
The Samsung 7 Series has mediocre color volume. It's mostly limited by the lack of a wide color gamut, but it displays dark colors well. Like almost all LCDs on the market, blues aren't as bright as pure white or most other colors, but this isn't very noticeable with regular content.
This TV has decent accuracy before calibration. Most colors and shades of gray are slightly inaccurate, and the warm color temperature results in a red/yellow tint. Gamma follows the 2.2 target we use for a dark room fairly well, but dark scenes are too dark, and other scenes are slightly over-brightened. If you don't plan on getting your TV calibrated and want amazing color accuracy, check out the TCL 4 Series/S434 Android 2020 instead.
After calibration, the color accuracy is outstanding. There are still some inaccuracies with reds and blues, but white balance is nearly perfect, and so is the gamma, though dark scenes are still too dark. The color temperature is much closer to our target of 6500K.
You can see our recommended settings here.
Unfortunately, the Samsung TU7000 has just okay gray uniformity, and the sides of the screen are noticeably darker than the center. There's some dirty screen effect, which is distracting when watching sports. Near dark scenes look much better, but there are still some noticeable issues.
Despite the lack of a local dimming feature, the Samsung TU7000 has fantastic uniformity in near-black scenes. There's only some faint clouding throughout the screen, as well as some slight blooming around the test cross, but it's otherwise very uniform.
Unfortunately, the Samsung TU7000 2020 has a narrow viewing angle. The image quickly loses accuracy and washes out as you move off-center, so it's not a good choice for a wide seating arrangement. If you want a similar TV with a better viewing angle the LG UP8000 is a better choice overall.
This TV has just alright reflection handling. It's not very bright, either, so it looks best in a moderately-lit or dark room. It's best to avoid placing it in direct sunlight or opposite a bright source of light. If reflection handling is important to you, look into the LG UN7000.
480p content like DVDs is upscaled well without any issues.
This TV uses a BGR (Blue-Green-Red) subpixel layout instead of the traditional RGB layout. For video content, it doesn't cause any issues, but if you're planning on using this TV as a PC monitor, it impacts text clarity, and some text will look blurry. You can read more about this here.
Unfortunately, this TV has a fairly slow response time, so it's not ideal for fast-paced action or gaming. This results in more noticeable blur behind fast-moving objects. Like most VA panels, dark scenes have significantly slower response times, which causes a black smearing behind dark objects. Unfortunately, this TV's backlight flicker causes duplications in motion. If you want a TV with better motion handling, consider the Vizio V Series 2022.
Unfortunately, this TV uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight. It flickers at 120Hz on all modes unless you set the Brightness to its max in the 'Game' or 'Movie' Picture Mode, at which point it becomes flicker-free. It's also flicker-free if you're in 'PC' mode with the Picture Mode set to 'Dynamic' and Brightness at its max. The Samsung TU7000's successor, the Samsung CU7000/CU7000D, is much better in this regard, so check it out if flicker is annoying to you.
The Samsung TU7000 2020 has a backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion, to help improve the appearance of motion, but it doesn't perform well. The backlight flickers at 60Hz when LED Clear Motion is enabled, but the bad crosstalk results in visible image duplication. It always flickers at 120Hz in 'Game' mode with the backlight set to any level below its maximum, and once again, image duplication is noticeable due to the TV's 60Hz refresh rate.
This TV can interpolate lower-frame rate content up to 60fps. It looks bad on our test pattern because of the backlight's 120Hz flicker; however, it's not as distracting in regular content. There are some minor artifacts, but it works well overall with most content.
Thanks to this TV's relatively slow response time, there's very little stutter when watching movies or other low frame rate content.
Unfortunately, this TV can't remove judder from any source. If you want a TV that does, consider the Vizio V5 Series 2021.
Unfortunately, the Samsung TU7000 doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies and has a limited 60Hz refresh rate. For better gaming performance, check out the Hisense U6G.
This TV has fantastic low input lag. It's extremely low when in 'Game' mode, and it's only slightly higher outside of 'Game' mode. To get the lowest input lag when using a PC, the input in use must be labeled 'PC', and you must be in 'Game' mode, as well.
This TV supports most common resolutions and can display proper chroma 4:4:4 at all supported resolutions, which helps with text clarity when using the TV as a PC monitor.
As this TV doesn't support any advanced gaming features, it can't take full advantage of the PS5. There's an 'Auto Low Latency Mode' mode, though, which triggers 'Game' mode when the TV detects a game being launched from a compatible device.
As this TV doesn't support any advanced gaming features, it can't take full advantage of the Xbox Series S|X. There's an 'Auto Low Latency Mode' mode, though, which triggers 'Game' mode when the TV detects a game being launched from a compatible device.
Unfortunately, this TV has limited connectivity. With no component or composite inputs, users with older devices will need to use an external HDMI converter to use them with this TV.
Even though it doesn't have an HDMI 2.1 input, this TV has eARC support, which is a nice addition to an entry-level TV. This lets you send high-quality audio to a compatible receiver using an HDMI connection. The TV supports a wide variety of Dolby audio formats, and it can also pass through a DTS 5.1 signal through ARC, which is great, although it can't do the same through optical, nor does it support advanced DTS formats through eARC.
This TV has a decent frequency response. It's well-balanced overall; however, some may find the bass to be a bit on the lighter side, especially for watching movies or gaming. It doesn't get that loud, so it's better suited for small and quiet environments.
The distortion performance is okay. It sounds fairly clean at moderate volume levels, but it does distort a bit at max volume. Surprisingly, there's less distortion in the higher frequencies when playing at max volume than at a moderate volume level.
Like all other Samsung TVs, the Samsung TU7000 runs on Samsung's proprietary Tizen OS. As an entry-level model with a slower processor, Samsung has reduced the number of animations in the OS to improve overall performance. The interface is well-organized and easy to use.
Like most TVs on the market, there are ads on the home screen and within the app store, and unfortunately, they can't be disabled.
The Samsung app store has most of the popular streaming services available, and they run smoothly for the most part.
The remote control is similar to previous entry-level models, with just a few minor tweaks. Shortcuts to streaming services have been added, but otherwise, it remains unchanged, and there's still no voice control.
