Our Verdict
The Samsung H5203 LED TV is a basic TV, but with good picture quality for movies and TV shows. If you will use the smart features often, get the Samsung H5500 instead, because it has a faster processor. For video games, while this H5203 has low input lag, it has more motion blur than average, so you will be happier with the pricier H6203.
- Great overall picture quality, with deep blacks.
- Low input lag.
- No motion interpolation feature. You will have to upgrade to the Samsung H6203 for this.
- The motion blur trail is longer than average. This isn't an issue for movies or TV shows, but it is for video games or sports.
- Cheap bezel that looks outdated. The TV is thick.
- Very slow software features. Do not buy this TV if you plan on using the built-in apps often.
Check Price
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests are done with specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
Test Results
The Samsung H5203 looks like a five-year-old TV. The borders are wide and the TV is thick. This doesn't really matter, but it does look like an entry-level TV.
The blacks are really deep, which is great in a dark room. The color calibration out of the box was also very good.
The black uniformity is great. It doesn't get any better than this for an LED TV.
There is no dirty screen effect on this TV, which is good. However, the corners are significantly darker than the rest of the screen.
It loses saturation when you view it at an angle, which could be a problem if you have a lot of guests spread out across the room.
Its semi-gloss finish reflects an average amount of light. Nothing to worry about if you have a few lights on.
It doesn't get very bright. Good enough for one or two windows, but not more than that.
Unfortunately, the Samsung H5203 has a long motion blur trail. This can't be seen in movies or TV shows, but it is noticeable on video games or sports.
This TV has a low input lag of 28.7ms in every mode. You do not need to turn on Game or PC mode to enjoy this low amount of lag.
2 HDMI
2 USB
1 Composite In
1 Component In
1 Ethernet
1 RF It
1 Headphone Out
1 Digital Optical Audio Out
The smart features are very slow on this TV, to the point that it is not really usable on a daily basis. You will need to upgrade to the Samsung H5500 to get a faster processor.
