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Samsung KU6600 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Review updated Mar 01, 2017 at 06:31 am
Samsung KU6600 Picture
7.4
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.9
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.2
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.2
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.3
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.3
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.9
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Samsung MU6500

The Samsung KU6600 is a UHD LED TV with good picture quality. It is almost the same TV as the often recommended Samsung KU6300, with a curve. It provides good performance in a dark room, and supports a HDR10 signal but doesn't benefit from the extra information. Unfortunately the motion handling isn't as good as some other TVs and the image degrades when viewed at an angle.

Our Verdict

7.4 Mixed Usage

Good TV for a wide range of usages. Movie performance is average. Good picture quality but no local dimming feature to improve dark scene performance. Picture degrades when viewed at an angle.

Pros
  • Good dark scene performance
  • Low input lag
Cons
  • Picture quality degrades at an angle
  • Brighter reflections than average
  • Dirty screen effect is visible
6.9 Movies

Average for movies in a dark room. Picture quality is good, but lacks local dimming to improve dark scene performance. Those sensitive to judder may notice it when playing movies.

7.2 TV Shows

Better than average for watching TV in a bright room. Whole screen can get quite bright to overcome glare. Picture quality is good. Reflects more light than most other TVs. Low resolution content looks good. Picture degrades when viewed at an angle.

7.2 Sports

Better than average for watching sports. Picture quality is good when viewed from in front, but degrades at an angle. Motion blur is average, and some trail may be seen following fast moving objects. Some dirty screen effect is visible.

8.3 Video Games

Great for video games. Input lag is low, which is good. Picture quality is good. Unfortunately motion blur is average, so may be an issue for very fast paced games.

7.3 HDR Movies

Supports a HDR10 input, but doesn't really benefit from it. Picture quality is good, but can't display a wide range of colors or get very bright.

7.9 HDR Gaming

Supports a HDR10 input, with low input lag which is good. Doesn't support a wider color gamut and can't get bright highlights. Picture quality is good.

6.9 PC Monitor

Good PC monitor. Displays chroma subsampling correctly for clear text on all backgrounds. Input lag is low. Picture quality is good.

  • 7.4 Mixed Usage
  • 6.9 Movies
  • 7.2 TV Shows
  • 7.2 Sports
  • 8.3 Video Games
  • 7.3 HDR Movies
  • 7.9 HDR Gaming
  • 6.9 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Mar 01, 2017: Review published.
  2. Updated Oct 26, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
  3. Updated Sep 29, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55" (UN55KU6600), version FA01. This is the only size available at the moment.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung KU6600 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.

Size Model
55" UN55KU6600

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: Samsung KU6300 (UN55KU6300). Bottom left: Sony X700D (XBR55X700D). Middle: Samsung KU6600 (UN55KU6600). Top right: Vizio M Series 2016 (M70-D3). Bottom right: LG UH7700 (55UH7700).  Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The Samsung KU6600 has good picture quality, but competes in a price range with strong competition. For a mid-range TV it provides a good all-round experience.

Test Results

Design
8.5
Design
Style
Curved Yes

The design is similar to most other Samsung TVs. It has a central stand which looks quite good and works well for those with smaller tables. 

Design
Stand

The stand is very similar to last year's JS8500. It attaches to the centre of the TV but is still quite wide. This does result in quite good support.

Footprint of the 55" TV stand: 13.0" x 34.1"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x400

The back of the TV is corrugated, like the Samsung KU6500. The inputs are located on the right side of the TV.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.71" (1.8 cm)

The borders are an average thickness. They have a brushed metal look, which is good.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.46" (8.8 cm)

The curve does make the TV appear thicker than usual, but it also has a thicker back than most Samsung TVs such as the KU7000 or the KS series.

Picture Quality
9.1
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
6,162 : 1

The native contrast ratio is excellent for the KU6600 TV. Blacks look very deep which should provide a very good dark room performance. Dark scene in movies will be especially very nice without too much loss of detail in the very dark scenes.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

The KU6600 doesn't support any local dimming features. The video is for reference only.

Note that on this set, we did notice some dimming occurring automatically. This is due to 'CE Dimming' often found on Samsung TVs, but this is not a local dimming feature. The only way to disable 'CE Dimming' is to put the TV in PC mode.

7.8
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
454 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
219 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
381 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
474 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
472 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
472 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
219 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
381 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
474 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
472 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
472 cd/m²

The peak brightness is average and almost the same in SDR and HDR, which is a good thing for when you watch normal content. Some HDR TVs can only obtain max peak brightness when an HDR signal is detected leaving normal peak brightness much lower.

7.7
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
426 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window
207 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window
360 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window
450 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window
445 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window
444 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
207 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
360 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
450 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
445 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
444 cd/m²

The peak brightness is average for the KU6600 TV. The smaller size windows peak brightness is relatively lower than the rest of the other test windows. This is due to the strong 'CE dimming' implemented on this TV, making the screen dim a lot when displaying any scene with only a small bright highlight on a generally dark screen.

6.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.203%
50% DSE
0.207%

Gray uniformity is average for this Samsung TV. Like many other mid range direct lit LED TVs, the rows of LEDs of the backlight drive can be seen. Both left and right borders of the TV are darker than the center with 3 horizontals bands which are darker that the rest of the screen. Some warmer spots are also visible here and there.

Dirty screen effect is visible and is relatively comparable to what you get on the Samsung KU6300. Sport fans will notice it when watching sports like hockey or football, but during movies or other TV shows, it should still be acceptable.

4.3
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
LCD Type
VA
Color Shift
26°
Brightness
31°
Black Level
20°

Viewing angle is average but is in line with some of the best 2016 Samsung LED TVs. When viewed from the side, the contrast diminishes considerably and the colors lose saturation, leaving the screen looking much darker than when it is when viewed front straight on.

Update: We have changed the methodology of testing. Since this is an old TV which we don't have anymore, we extrapolated the results.

9.5
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.672%

Black uniformity is also very good on this set. When looking at our test picture, some faint clouding can be seen in the top left part of the screen, but this is the only moment that we could really notice this. No clouding could be seen while watching normal content nor even when looking at our test image.

9.0
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

The KU6600 can display our test image without too many problems and without any gradation marks normally seen on an 8 bit panel. Like the Samsung KU6300, there are some little imperfections in the darker shades and especially in the green, but nothing that would really be noticeable when watching normal content.

8.3
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.82
Color dE
2.35
Gamma
2.11

Prior to calibration the results are quite good. The white balance is a little bit too warm, but for most people a calibration is not necessary.

9.9
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.21
Color dE
0.38
Gamma
2.2

Calibration is relatively easy. The white balance isn't as responsive as some other Samsung TVs but provided good results. You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

Upscaling of low quality content such as DVDs is good. Details are preserved well.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content looks good once upscaled. Image remains clear. Some halo artifacts can be seen.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content such as Blu-rays look good. The image remains clear.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

No issues can be seen with native 4k content.

7.0
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
No
DCI P3 xy
77.85%
DCI P3 uv
85.58%
Rec 2020 xy
55.1%
Rec 2020 uv
60.61%

Doesn't support a wide color gamut. This test was performed with a HDR10 signal. This result is good enough for Rec. 709 content, but will not display an increased range of colors for HDR.

5.6
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage
61.756%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage
33.226%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage
45.696%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage
25.041%

Similar performance to other TVs without wide color gamut support, such as the KU6300. Fine for SDR content but can't produce a wide range of colors for HDR.

10
Picture Quality
Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0%
IR after 2 min recovery
0%
IR after 4 min recovery
0%
IR after 6 min recovery
0%
IR after 8 min recovery
0%
IR after 10 min recovery
0%
7.0
Picture Quality
Reflections
Reflection
2.4%
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss

The TV has a semi-gloss finish. This helps to diffuse direct reflections across the screen, making them less intense. It is more reflective than most other TVs, and is better suited to a room without too much direct light.

0
Picture Quality
3D
3D
No
3D Type
No
2D to 3D
No

This TV doesn't support 3D.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Motion
7.1
Motion
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Response Time
22 ms
Overshoot
0 ms

The motion performance of the KU6600 is average. Some motion blur can be noticed following moving objects. For most people this won't be an issue, but may be distracting for fast paced content. The backlight uses PWM flickering to dim below about 50%. This can be seen in the repetitions following the logo. This is a bit worse than the similar model KU6300.

4.8
Motion
Image Flicker
PWM Dimming Frequency
120 Hz
BFI
Yes
BFI Frequency
60 Hz
BFI In Game Mode
No

The KU6600 uses PWM at 120Hz to dim the backlight. It is also possible to enable black frame insertion to clear up moving images, but this produces a visible flicker. Unfortunately this isn't available when in game mode.

0
Motion
24p Playback
Judder-free 24p
No
Judder-free 24p via 60p
No
Judder-free 24p via 60i
No

Movies from any source play with some judder. Most people aren't sensitive to it, so this isn't an issue.

5.0
Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
No

The KU6600 has a 60Hz panel, which is able to interpolate lower refresh rate content for those who enjoy the soap opera effect.

Inputs
8.3
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
20.4 ms
1080p With Interpolation
115.2 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
112.7 ms
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
36.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz
19.8 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
36.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz + HDR
19.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
36.2 ms

Input lag is low, which is good. For best results, use the 'Game' viewing mode. With the PC icon selected for chroma subsampling support the input lag is slightly higher, but still quite good.

8.0
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes

To enable support for higher bandwidth resolutions, activate 'HDMI UHD Color' from the picture menu. This is only possible on HDMI 1. To display chroma subsampling correctly, label the HDMI input to 'PC'.

Inputs
Side Inputs
Inputs
Rear Inputs

All of the inputs are located on the side of the TV.

Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 3
USB 2
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 1 (incl. adapter, shared)
Composite In 1 (incl. adapter, shared)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
5.1 Passthrough ARC Dolby Digital
Yes
Dolby Vision
No
5.1 Passthrough ARC DTS
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical Dolby Digital
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical DTS
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth Yes (HDMI 1)
ARC Yes (HDMI 3)
USB 3 No
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3)
CEC Yes
MHL No
Variable Analog Audio Out No

HDR Blu-rays play through all HDMI ports on the TV, but some 8 bit gradations can be seen when using HDMI 2 or HDMI 3.

The TV supports 5.1 passthrough for Dolby Digital and DTS, but it is necessary to select the correct audio type in the sound settings, since it doesn't change automatically.

Sound Quality
6.5
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.97 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.07 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ Max
5.64 dB SPL
Max
90.1 dB SPL
Low-end Cutoff
142 Hz

Average performance. Frequency response is decent at lower volumes, but pumping and compression will be present at higher volumes. Maximum loudness is pretty good at 90.1dB but low-frequency extension of 142Hz is poor, even for a TV.

6.3
Sound Quality
Total Harmonic Distortion
Distortion @ 70
0.033
Distortion @ 80
0.018
Distortion @ Max
0.132

Average harmonic distortion performance. The amount of harmonic distortion produced at 75dB and 85dB is quite decent. However, there is a significant jump in distortion at maximum volume, mostly in the Mid Range.

Smart Features
Smart Features
Apps

The app store provides access to a wide range of content, including Youtube, Netflix and Amazon Video. In general the apps work well and are smooth.

8.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Tizen (2016)

The KU6600 has the newest version of Samsung Tizen smart platform. It works well and is improving in speed and stability each year. It isn't the best looking offering, but is intuitive to use and provides a wide range of apps and features. Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu and YouTube are all available, with many more downloadable from the app store. The TV features device discovery for CEC, allowing it to easily and automatically interface with connected devices. It is also possible to play files directly from a USB.

When a new device is detected (such as when a computer is woken from sleep while plugged into an HDMI port) the TV automatically switches to this device. This may be an annoyance if you are watching other content at the time.

0
Smart Features
Ads
Ad-free
No
Opt-out
No
Smart Features
TV Controls

The controls are located behind the right hand side of the TV. Due to their location quite far from the edge they may be a little bit more difficult to access if wall mounted.

Smart Features
Remote
Remote Smart

The remote is the same as other 6 series Samsung TVs, such as the K6250 or the KU6500. It is minimal and easy to use.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Manual
  • Batteries
  • Remote
  • Component adapter
  • Composite adapter
  • Wall mount spacers

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 72 W
Power Consumption (Max) 170 W
Firmware 1142