- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Picture Quality
- Motion
- Inputs
- Sound Quality
- Smart Features
- Sizes and Variants
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Samsung MU7600
TV REVIEW
The Samsung MU7600 is a good 4k HDR Smart curved TV. It has good deep blacks for an LED TV, giving it a good picture quality. It can also reproduce a wider gamut of colors which is good for HDR. For the gamers out there, the MU7600 also has low input lag even in HDR, keeping it nice and responsive. Unfortunately, it could be brighter, and its picture quality degrades at an angle.
| Design | 9.0 |
| Picture Quality | 7.3 |
| Motion | 6.2 |
| Inputs | 8.8 |
| Sound Quality | 6.3 |
| Smart Features | 8.1 |
- Wider color gamut
- Low input latency
- Uniform blacks and high contrast
- Could be brighter
- Low viewing angles
Update 8/10/2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. Learn more about our new versioned test bench system here.
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Design
The design of the MU7600 is great. The TV looks aesthetically pleasing from any angle, due to the metallic borders and textured back. It is almost identical to the MU7000, but with a curve.
The TV gets warm along the bottom edge, where the backlight LEDs are, though fortunately, the largest vents are along the bottom edge.
Picture Quality
- 11% Contrast
- 6% Local Dimming
- 6% SDR Peak Brightness
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Gray Uniformity
- 7% Viewing Angle
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 6% Reflections
- 4% Pre Calibration
- 1% Post Calibration
- 6% 480p Input
- 9% 720p Input
- 11% 1080p Input
- 5% 4k Input
- 4% Color Gamut
- 4% Color Volume
- 2% Gradient
- 1% Temporary Image Retention
- 1% Permanent Burn-In Risk
The Samsung MU7600 LED TV has a better than average picture quality. The excellent native contrast ratio and great black uniformity make this TV a really good option for a dark home theater setup since blacks are deep and dark scenes look great. Unfortunately bright room performance is a bit less stellar, since it can't get that bright to fight glare and is only decent at dealing reflections. The gray uniformity is good though and sports fans won't be annoyed by the dirty screen effect. The viewing angle is bad so unfortunately, the best picture quality is only reserved for people sitting right in front of the screen. The MU7600 has a decent performance when it comes to HDR, but the lack of local dimming and ability to produce bright highlights really harm the final result, even though it can display rich and vibrant colors.
The MU7600 has an excellent native contrast ratio and is in the same ballpark as the MU7000. This high contrast ratio makes a big difference in terms of picture quality as it permits to display deep blacks. A high contrast ratio is even more important if the TV is to be set in a dark room.
The Samsung MU7600 does not have any local dimming feature. The video is for reference only.
- 64% SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
- 5% SDR Peak 2% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 10% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 25% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 50% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 100% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 2% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 10% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 25% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 50% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 100% Window
- 1% SDR ABL
Good SDR peak brightness. The TV performs CE dimming during very dark scenes, as shown by our 2% white window test, but otherwise the brightness remains very consistent. This CE dimming is not performed for an HDMI input when its icon is set to 'PC' (aka PC mode), but this is not possible for 24 Hz sources. This brightness is very similar to the MU7000 and MU6300, and is brighter than the Vizio M Series 2017, but isn't as bright as the rival TCL P607.
- 63% HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
- 5% HDR Peak 2% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 10% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 25% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 50% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 100% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 2% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 10% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 25% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 50% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 100% Window
- 2% HDR ABL
Mediocre HDR peak brightness. While the brightness is not bad and is consistent, the TV's lack of local dimming prevents it from making highlights in HDR content nearly as bright as intended. Worse, in very dark scenes the TV's CE dimming dims the highlights, as shown by our 2% window test. This CE dimming isn't done to an HDMI input when its icon is set to 'PC' (aka PC mode), but this isn't possible for 24 Hz sources. Overall, this brightness is very similar to the MU7000 and MU6300, but isn't as bright as the rival TCL P607 and Vizio M Series 2017.
- 40% 50% Std. Dev.
- 40% 50% DSE
- 10% 5% Std. Dev.
- 10% 5% DSE
The overall gray uniformity of the MU7600 is very good. Some little imperfections can be noticed on the 50% gray test picture, as both sides are a bit darker and some ripples are visible in the bottom of the screen. Fortunately, those are not severe enough to create a visible dirty screen effect while watching sport or other content with wide panning shots.
Looking at our 5% gray test picture nothing really bad can be noticed which is great for the MU7600.
- 20% Color Shift
- 40% Brightness
- 40% Black Level
Bad viewing angle, even for a TV with a VA panel. Blacks turn gray when the TV is viewed from even a small angle, while colors shift and brightness decreases at larger and larger angles. This TV is not well suited for a room where people often view the TV from the side.
- 75% Native Std. Dev.
- 25% Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
The MU7600's black uniformity is better than average and is on par with the MU7000. Some clouding can be noticed near each corner on our test picture, but this is really not problematic since it is really faint and not really apparent while watching normal content in person, even in really dark scenes.
The reflection handling of the MU7600 is decent. It has a semi-gloss finish which diffuses reflections across the screen, but does reduce their intensity. For an average room this is fine, but for a very bright room it may be an issue.
- 46% White Balance dE
- 45% Color dE
- 9% Color Temperature
Out of the box, the MU7600 is not very accurate. The white balance is very high and at this level of inaccuracy, it is noticeable. The display is a bit too warm overall and the gamma toward the darker end is a bit too high so blacks might be crushed, especially in a bright room. The color dE is also high, but not as bad at the white balance and most of the problems comes from the white point which is a bit too yellow.
- 46% White Balance dE
- 45% Color dE
- 9% Color Temperature
The calibration procedure is fast and both the white balance and the color space manager are responsive. The white balance dE was brought down to a negligible 0.24 via the 2 points and 20 points white balance calibration. The color dE was also greatly diminished by more than half what it was out of the box and the white point was corrected. Only the blues and reds are still a bit off, but we did not notice any color reproduction problems while looking at video and movies after the calibration. The gamma is fixed to track our target of 2.2 much more closely.
You can see our recommended settings for this Samsung MU7600 TV here.
- 25% DCI P3 xy
- 25% DCI P3 uv
- 25% Rec 2020 xy
- 25% Rec 2020 uv
Wide color gamut, very similar to the MU8000. The TV can produce fairly saturated red and blue, only struggling with saturated green, which is unfortunately common for modern TVs. It is also fairly accurate with the colors it can produce, which is good.
In HDR when the TV's 'Gamma' is set to +2, the 'Movie' picture mode's EOTF follows the PQ curve very closely, up until it rolls off then clips at its peak brightness. This 'Gamma' setting is misnamed because gamma is for SDR, but it does shift the EOTF effectively. The Movie mode EOTF at +0 gamma is shown here. 'Game Mode' similarly benefits from the +2 gamma, shown here, while PC mode is better left at +0 gamma, shown here.
Mediocre color volume. While the TV has a wide color gamut for bright colors, its gamut narrows significantly for darker colors.
- 25% Red (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Green (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Blue (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Gray (Std. Dev.)
The MU7600 display our gradient test image without any major banding overall. Only small irregularities can be noticed in the darker green and also in the darker grayscale of our gradient image. While looking at regular content, there isn't any major banding in movies which is very good and this is comparable with most of the latest Samsung TVs we have tested recently.
The MU7600, like the previously reviewed MU7000, does not present any image retention. This is good news for hardcore gamers.
We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.
Motion
- 53% Response Time
- 11% Flicker-Free
- 3% Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
- 5% Motion Interpolation
- 12% Stutter
- 11% 24p Judder
- 5% Variable Refresh Rate
The motion performance of the MU7600 is passable. The response time is average, resulting in a faint trail following fast moving objects. The image flickers when the backlight is reduced, but since the backlight flickers at 240Hz, this is not really noticeable. Visible flicker can be increased by turning on black frame insertion, which helps to reduce eye tracking blur and clear up fast motion. Some minor judder can be seen when playing movies, but most people will not notice it. The MU7600 is able to interpolate lower frame rate content with its 60Hz panel.
- 50% 80% Response Time
- 50% 100% Response Time
The MU7600 uses PWM at 240Hz to dim the backlight, starting at 9/20 backlight setting. Lowering the setting from 9/20 shortens the duty cycle, while amplitude remains constant. Backlight that uses PWM results in slightly less smooth motion and occasionally in fast paced content, duplicate images may be seen behind fast moving objects.
It is possible to reduce the flicker frequency to 60 Hz, which helps to reduce persistence blur while producing a noticeable flicker. To do so, activate 'LED Clear Motion' from the 'Auto Motion Plus' menu. Unfortunately, it is not possible to activate 60 Hz black frame insertion when in 'Game' mode.
The MU7600 has a 60Hz panel which can interpolate lower frame rate content. To interpolate 30 fps content, set 'Auto Motion Plus' to 'Custom' and increase the 'Judder Reduction' slider. Note that any motion interpolation will introduce artifacts, so use a small value unless you really like the soap opera effect.
The Samsung MU7600 is great at displaying movies, games and TV shows without stutter. The response time helps to smooth the transition between frames, so that low frame rate content isn't jarring.
Movies played from any source do present judder and there is no option available to remove it, unfortunately. Most people are not sensitive to judder though, so this may not be a problem for everybody.
- 25% 4k VRR Maximum
- 25% 4k VRR Minimum
- 25% 1080p VRR Maximum
- 25% 1080p VRR Minimum
Like other 2017 TVs we've tested, the MU7600 doesn't support any variable refresh rate features.
Inputs
- 86% Input Lag
- 14% Supported Resolutions
The MU7600 can show nearly any content, including HDR. It has great low input lag that will please all but the most competitive gamers.
- 35% 1080p @ 60Hz
- 3% 1080p @ 60Hz + HDR
- 37% 4k @ 60Hz
- 19% 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
- 3% 4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
- 3% 4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
Great low input lag, which will please all but the most competitive gamers. Game mode and PC mode have the same low input lag, though only PC mode can properly show 4:4:4 color. This input lag is very similar to the other 2017 Samsung TVs like the MU6300 and MU8000, and the PC mode lag is an improvement over 2016 Samsungs.
- 17% 1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
- 17% 1080p @ 120Hz
- 17% 1440p @ 60Hz
- 17% 4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
- 16% 4k @ 60Hz
- 16% 4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Most resolutions are supported. 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 color are only supported when 'HDMI UHD color' is enabled for the port used. 4:4:4 color is only displayed properly when the HDMI input's icon is set to 'PC' (aka PC mode). 4:4:4 color is shown properly in HDR in PC mode.
PC mode can't be activated for some input refresh rates, such as 24 Hz. The input's icon will still change to PC, but 4:4:4 color will not be shown properly, and the settings that are normally disabled in PC mode are not disabled.
Only one of Dolby Digital or DTS can be enabled at a time. If content supporting only DTS is played when the TV is set to Dolby Digital, it will not play DTS, and vice versa.
Sound Quality
- 75% Frequency Response
- 25% Distortion
The MU7600 unfortunately produces a poor acoustic experience. As with almost every TV, it will greatly benefit from being upgraded with a soundbar.
- 30% Low-Frequency Extension
- 5% Std. Dev. @ 70
- 20% Std. Dev. @ 80
- 15% Std. Dev. @ Max
- 20% Max
- 10% Dynamic Range Compression
Subpar frequency response, the MU7600 has a very strong emphasis on lower frequencies that cause it to sound boomy. It does have a decent extension for a TV at 80hz. Pumping and compression at higher volumes cause a strong dip of higher frequencies further diminishing the clarity of the sound.
- 40% Weighted THD @ 80
- 25% Weighted THD @ Max
- 10% IMD @ 80
- 25% IMD @ Max
Below average THD. The MU7600 produces a fair amount of distortion at all volumes, but it doubles when listened to at maximum volumes. Fortunately, though, it is free of aliasing.
Smart Features
- 42% Interface
- 2% Ad-Free
- 37% Apps and Features
- 16% Remote
- 3% Remote App
The MU7600 runs Samsung's 2017 Tizen smart platform, also called Smart Hub, which is easy to navigate and has an excellent voice control feature. The center of the interface is the Smart Hub itself, through which you must pass to access the rest of the interface. Fortunately, its layout is very intuitive, and highlighting each icon brings up a second line with quick settings, though the animations have more frame drops than the 2016 Tizen platform. The TV's remote has few buttons but has a built-in microphone for voice commands, which can do many things like changing between inputs and apps, directly changing settings and searching for content.
The TV did not show ads during our testing, but the appearance of ads is often inconsistent. The TV is assumed to have ads because all Samsung TVs since 2015 have had ads, and ads were seen on the 2017 MU7000, MU8000 and Q7F. If anyone sees ads on their MU7600, please email us a photograph of the ad and we'll update the review.
The TV has many popular apps preinstalled, including Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Video. Many more apps are available for download through the 'Apps' menu. Apps run smoothly with minimal lag or frame drops.
The remote has few buttons but some impressive smart features. The lack of buttons necessitates a trip through the Smart Hub to access everything, though fortunately it also means all buttons are within easy reach. You can also skip the Smart Hub using voice commands, which can directly change settings, change between apps and inputs, search for content and search using the web browser. The remote can also act as a universal remote for other devices, even some devices that don't support HDMI CEC, using Samsung's OneRemote feature.
Differences between Sizes and Variants
We tested the 55" (UN55MU7600) version FA01. For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the other sizes.
The variant found in the US has a silver finish and is only sold on Amazon, while the Canadian variant has a dark grey finish and is only sold at Best Buy.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung MU7600 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | US | Canada |
| 49" | UN49MU7600 | UN49MU7600FXZA | UN49MU7600FXZC |
| 55" | UN55MU7600 | UN55MU7600FXZA | UN55MU7600FXZC |
| 65" | UN65MU7600 | UN65MU7600FXZA | UN65MU7600FXZC |
Compared to other TVs
The MU7600 is a good midrange TV, but it's found in a competitive category with a lot of good TVs.
The Samsung NU7100 is marginally better than the Samsung MU7600. The Samsung NU7100 has lower input lag in SDR and 4k @ 60hz + HDR, which is great for gaming. It also has slightly better black uniformity which makes blacks look better in a dark room. On the other hand, the Samsung MU7600 is curved and has a better brightness that is good for brighter rooms, and a wider color gamut and color volume that makes HDR content look better.
The Samsung NU8000 is much better than the Samsung MU7600. The NU8000 is a much better gaming TV that has not only better response time and much lower input lag but is also packed with gaming features like Freesync and black frame insertion. It is much better for watching movies in a dark room as it includes a local dimming feature to improve blacks and also has better black uniformity. Finally, the NU8000 has better brightness and better reflection handling. The Samsung MU7600 is curved, and this can attract some who wish to use it as a PC monitor.
The Samsung NU7300 is somewhat better than the Samsung MU7600. The Samsung NU7300 has better input lag that you will enjoy if you play video games and better response time for fast action like sports. It can also display more uniform blacks, and this improves the picture quality in a dark room. On the other hand, the curved Samsung MU7600 has slightly better color gamut and color volume that make HDR content slightly better.
The Samsung MU7000 and the Samsung MU7600 both have very similar performance. The main difference is that the Samsung MU7600 is curved and for some people, this might be a good reason to choose it. As far as other differences, they fall into the panel variance error and not worth mentioning.
The M Series is Vizio's midrange 4k LED TV for 2017. It sports a wide color gamut for HDR as well as a local dimming feature rarely found on TVs in this price range. Overall, it offers a better picture quality than the MU7600, and can get a little brighter in HDR, but its input lag is a bit higher, which is only really an issue if you're a more competitive gamer.
The X800E is one of Sony's entry-level 4k LED TVs. It features the Android 7.0 smart operating system and a wide viewing angle. Because of this, its a bit better than the Samsung if you're a sports fan and are planning on watching your TV in a wider living room often, but the general picture quality, especially in a dark room, is worse. They are both good TVs, so pick depending on your usage.
The MU8000 is a step up in Samsung's line of TVs. It's a similar smart TV, and its only major difference in brightness and the handling of motion. If you're planning to use your TV in a very bright environment or want a slightly better HDR effect, it might be worth going for the MU8000 over the MU7600, but the difference is fairly minor.
The P607 is one of TCL's new higher performing models of 4k Roku TVs for 2017. Like the Vizio M, it features a local dimming backlight, although it is even better than the one found on the M series. It has a large color volume for HDR, and it gets fairly bright. Motion blur and input lag are also lower than on the MU7600, making it even better for gaming. Overall, it performs better in almost every aspect than the Samsung.
