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  • Introduction

  • Design

  • Smart TV Features

  • Picture Quality

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Color

  • Viewing Angle

  • Other Tests

  • Introduction
  • Design
  • Smart TV Features
  • Picture Quality
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Color
  • Viewing Angle
  • Other Tests

Introduction

Design

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A good looking TV, but the red trim may not be to everyone's taste.

The Samsung UN32D5500 is a good looking TV, like nearly all the Samsungs of the last few years. It has a relatively thin bezel when viewed from the front and a very slender frame when viewed from the side. As the black finish on the bezel nears the edge, there’s a thin red line. This may not be to everyone’s taste, but we’ve heard positive comments about it.

It has a number of ports for newer AV devices, including an ample four HDMI ports, two USB ports, and a LAN port to connect to a local DLNA network. For older devices, though, the options are curtailed. There is only one shared component/composite AV input and it requires an adapter that is included, but could easily be lost and difficult to replace.

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Smart TV Features

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A clean menu interface makes the D5500 easy to navigate.

The menu system shared on all the 2011 Samsung TVs is great—a stellar example of how simple yet effective a menu can be. Not that it’s the only great menu system out there, but we’ve seen enough bad ones to spot a winner. The navigation is simple and clearly labeled. If you ever go too far down the rabbit hole and get stuck in a menu, you can always hit the Return or the Exit button on the remote and start over.

A stellar example of how simple yet effective a menu can be.

Further, the Samsung UN32D5500 can play back photos, video clips, and music files in a wide variety of formats. The files can be delivered by a USB stick or a DLNA home network (via the LAN connection on the back). It may not be something most people will do with their TV, but for the infrequent family get-together it's a nice addition.

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Picture Quality

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The D5500 is, in fact, quite a good TV in almost every regard.

The contrast ratio, black levels, color rendering, and motion performance are all excellent. No TV is perfect, though. The viewing angle is quite narrow, meaning Super Bowl parties and group watching may not be as comfortable for all eyes involved as it ought to be.

The Samsung UN32D5500 did well in our motion tests. Sure, there was the usual amount of judder that you see in LCD televisions, but nothing too noticeable or excessive. Objects in motion may lose a small amount of fine detail. Also, when vertical lines passed across the screen there was a slight tendency towards becoming diagonal. If you’re sitting far enough away, you probably won’t see any of these problems, but they're there nonetheless.

At least you're buying performance.

Overall, though, the Samsung D5500 boasts a handsome quality of picture, regardless of content. It's still pretty expensive for what it offers, but at least you're buying performance.

Conclusion

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The Samsung UN32D5500 is a 32-inch TV in a sea of less expensive 32-inch TVs.

Some of the competition is bargain-basement garbage, but there are plenty of excellent 32-inch TVs we’ve reviewed that offer equally good performance for less than the $699 MSRP that Samsung is asking. While the TV is attractive, that simple fact is hard to get around.

Overall, the Samsung UN32D5500 is a great TV—there’s no doubt about it—but it feels like Samsung is holding one of their best features—streaming content—for ransom, as you have to shell out another $200 to get it in the D6000 series. Surely, with 2011 models well on the way out you're likely to find a deal on this television (if you can still find it). That’s your time to move on it. We think you’ll be pleased with what you get.

Science Introduction

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The Samsung UN32D5500 tested with an above average contrast ratio, solid color accuracy, and smooth motion interpolation. It has a lot of strengths and its only real drawback was its fairly narrow viewing angle. Beyond that, we can find nothing to complain about on the performance side of the equation.

Color

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The Samsung UN32D5500 matched up very well to the Rec. 709 color standards, which defines how color is supposed to look on TVs.

Blues looking like blues. Greens looking like greens. Sure, it sounds like a simple test, but so many manufacturers tend to oversaturate color to make pictures look more “vivid.”

The Samsung UN32D5500 is almost dead-on here—just a tiny bit oversaturated in the blues and reds. This is a very good result, as it means that the D5500 will look how it is supposed to almost 100% of the time. You'd be surprised how many TVs struggle to match the Rec. 709. gamut, which is one reason this result is so impressive.

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Viewing Angle

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Like so many Samsung LCDs we’ve reviewed, the Samsung UN32D5500 has a very narrow viewing angle.

The D5500 could only extend out about 21° in either direction (42° total) before losing a significant amount of its contrast ratio. This is a problem for two primary reasons: First, it limits the viewer's flexibility in deciding where they watch from. If you put this TV in a very large or even a modestly large room, you're only going to be able to move 21° from center before its contrast performance begins to drop. Secondly, it means watching with more than one or two other people is going to be a cramped affair, as everyone tries to scrunch together inside that 42° contrast clarity zone. We've definitely seen worse, but it's still a disappointing result.

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Other Tests

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Meet the tester

Lee Neikirk

Lee Neikirk

Former Editor, Home Theater

@Koanshark

Lee was Reviewed's point person for most television and home theater products from 2012 until early 2022. Lee received Level II certification in TV calibration from the Imaging Science Foundation in 2013. As Editor of the Home Theater vertical, Lee oversaw reviews of TVs, monitors, soundbars, and Bluetooth speakers. He also reviewed headphones, and has a background in music performance.

See all of Lee Neikirk's reviews

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