Our Verdict
Decent TV for mixed usage. The NU7100 is best suited for dark room viewing, as the screen is ineffective at overcoming glare. It has a great low input lag perfect for gaming, but poor color volume and a limited color gamut, so HDR content doesn't pop as it should. Unfortunately, the viewing angles aren't very wide.
- Excellent low input lag.
- Good uniformity.
- Limited HDR capabilities.
- Picture quality degrades when viewed at an angle.
The NU7100 is decent for watching movies. It has incredible dark room performance thanks to its amazing contrast ratio and outstanding black uniformity, but unfortunately, there's no local dimming feature to further darken any scenes. The gray uniformity is good too, so fast-moving content looks good, but sadly it can't remove judder from lower frame rate content.
Okay for watching TV shows. The NU7100 has okay reflection handling and decent peak brightness, so it performs well in average-lit rooms. Unfortunately, the viewing angles are quite poor, so the image loses accuracy when viewed from the side. On the upside, it displays 720p content, such as from a cable box, well with no obvious artifacts.
Decent TV for sports. The NU7100 55" has minor dirty screen effect, but it shouldn't be too noticeable. Decent motion handling, but some people might notice some persistence with fast motion.
Great TV for gaming, mainly due to the exceptionally low input lag. The NU7100 has a decent response time, but faster games might suffer from some motion blur.
The NU7100 is decent for watching movies in HDR. It isn't very bright and is best suited for dark room viewing. It has a limited color gamut and poor color volume so HDR content won't pop as much as the content creators intended.
The NU7100 is good for HDR gaming. It has excellent low input lag and a decent response time. It isn't very bright and has a limited color gamut and volume so HDR games don't pop as much as they should.
The NU7100 is good for use as a PC Monitor. It has exceptionally low input lag and chroma 4:4:4 is properly supported. Unfortunately, the viewing angle isn't very wide.
Changelog
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jun 15, 2018: The TV's picture settings have been reset and the contrast ratio has been remeasured at a higher value of 5397:1. It is likely that the calibration raised black levels slightly, reducing the native contrast ratio. The new measurement is in-line with other Samsung TVs like the NU7300.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 55" (UN55NU7100) version FA01. For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the other sizes of this model.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung NU7100 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | US | UK | Europe |
| 40" | UN40NU7100 | UN40NU7100FXZA | UE40NU7120KXXU | UE40NU7190UXZG |
| 43" | UN43NU7100 | UN43NU7100FXZA | UE43NU7120KXXU | UE43NU7190UXZG |
| 49" | UN49NU7100 | N/A | UE49NU7100KXXU | UE49NU7170UXZG |
| 50" | UN50NU7100 | UN50NU7100FXZA | N/A | N/A |
| 55" | UN55NU7100 | UN55NU7100FXZA | UE55NU7100KXXU | UE55NU7170UXZG |
| 65" | UN65NU7100 | UN65NU7100FXZA | UE65NU7100KXXU | UE65NU7170UXZG |
| 75" | UN75NU7100 | UN75NU7100FXZA | UE75NU7100KXXU | UE75NU7170UXZG |
Update 09/24/2018: We found the TV under a different model name, NU7200, at Walmart. We expect the TV to perform the same. If someone comes across any differences, let us know and we'll update the review.
Update 01/03/2019: We have received a report that at least one of the 43" variants is available in VA and IPS variants. At least version 03 of the UE43NU7120 has an IPS panel, as shown by this user-submitted image.
Update 01/25/2019: We have received a second confirmation of a 43" NU7170 with an IPS panel. The unit was purchased in Russia, and the panel is listed as version BC07.
Popular TV Comparisons
The Samsung NU7100 is a versatile entry-level 4k TV with decent picture quality. There are better TVs out there in the same price range. Check our recommendations for the best smart TVs and the best cheap TVs.
The Samsung NU7100 and Samsung MU6300 deliver nearly identical performance; there is no significant difference between them. The MU6300 is a bit brighter. If you're looking for a 43" model, the UN43MU6300 has an IPS panel, which will have worse dark room performance, but wider viewing angles.
The Samsung NU7100 and the Samsung RU7100 both have very similar performance. The RU7100 has a slightly faster response time which is great if you watch sports, and a much lower input lag which is great for those who play video games. The NU7100, on the other hand, can deliver more uniform blacks.
The Samsung NU7300 is marginally better than the Samsung NU7100. The NU7300 is a touch brighter and has a slightly faster response time but this may be just due to small variances between panels. Overall, there is no major difference between the two, though. The NU7100 is available in a wider variety of sizes.
The Samsung NU7100 is slightly better than the Samsung MU6100. The Samsung NU7100 has somewhat better black uniformity which is great for watching HDR movies, and marginally better input lag which is great for playing video games. The Samsung NU7100 has better inputs, which you'll appreciate if you plan to use your TV as a PC monitor, and finally, it has better gray uniformity that is good for sports. The Samsung MU6100 has better reflection handling and SDR peak brightness, which is good if you watch TV shows in a bright room.
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 use 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
Older Test Bench: This product has been tested using an older TV test methodology, before a major update. Some of the test results below aren't directly comparable with other TVs. Learn more
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