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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

The E530 did well during our gamut of tests, showing good color production, a decent contrast ratio, and a respectable viewing angle—the most important aspects of a no-frills plasma. Unfortunately, it underperformed during our motion tests.

Despite its mild flaws, the E530 looks to be an above-average, fairly priced budget television.

Design

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A simple and attractive design that needs no explanation.

Other than the Jog Stick on the bottom of the bezel, there’s nothing about this TV’s design that is worth mentioning. It’s not much changed from last year’s D530 and has the same trappings as a large majority of modern HDTVs.

The available ports are few, though this is standard for TVs in this price range. You’ve got one dedicated USB input for photo, music, and movie playback, two HDMI inputs, a cable input, an EX-LINK port for service updates, a component AV input, and an analog audio output for wiring to a surround system or any external speakers.

Being a plasma, it’s not very thin. When fully assembled, the E530 weighs about 50 lbs, so it’s not the kind of TV you’re going to be hefting around very often. We like the placement of the jog stick, but think it unfortunate that its bottom-bezel placement was likely only initiated because the E530 doesn’t swivel, which is heresy for a 51-inch panel display.

This TV will blend comfortably into almost any room, but don’t expect its appearance to wow anyone, either.

{{photo_gallery "Design Landing Page Photo", "Front Tour Image", "Back Tour Image", "Sides Tour Image", "Connectivity Tour Image 1", "Connectivity Tour Image 2", "Connectivity Extra Photo", "Stand Photo", "Controls Photo", "Remote Control Photo"}}

Smart TV Features

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This plasma is a no-frills affair—expect simple menus and a total lack of internet functions.

The simple menus the E530 comes equipped with aren’t bad. They’re very intuitive—by that, we mean it’s pretty hard to encounter anything you don’t understand. Picture the opposite of Sony’s internet platform layout. There aren’t any fancy “ping” sounds or pretty graphical renderings to look at, but it makes getting into and out of the menus a snap.

This TV has a clear intention from the engineering and marketing side of things—complexity is not it.

{{photo_gallery "Software and Internet Landing Page Photo", "Internet Features 1 Photo", "Internet Features 2 Photo", "Internet Features 3 Photo", "Browser 1 Photo", "Browser 2 Photo", "Browser 3 Photo", "Apps 1 Photo", "Apps 2 Photo", "Apps 3 Photo", "Local Media Playback 1 Photo", "Local Media Playback 2 Photo", "Menu Main Photo", "Menu 2 Photo"}}

Picture Quality

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The E530’s strengths outweigh its flaws.

With plasmas, deep blacks, good motion performance, and consistent picture dynamics win the day. With a contrast ratio over 3000:1, the low-end E530 has plenty of white/black differentiation. This strong contrast is also maintained where dynamics are concerned.

...the E530’s strengths outweigh its flaws.

We were hoping for accurate color production as well—for $1000, a TV this plain had better deliver good performance. While its color gamut is one of the best we’ve seen this year, it showed blurry motion with mild shape trailing and no way to correct it through motion smoothing. Despite this unfortunate drawback, the E530’s strengths outweigh its flaws.

Conclusion

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You can get better performance for less money.

For $999, the E530 is priced fairly. It tested with a strong contrast ratio, an almost perfect color gamut, good picture dynamics, and it has a plain, classic appearance.

Before you rush off thinking it’s the budget TV for you, there are some drawbacks to report. For a plasma, we were disappointed with how the E530 handles motion. It’s blurry and has no motion smoothing settings to remedy this. If you’re looking for a good sports TV, steer clear of this one.

If you feel like web browsers are best left to the realm of PCs, apps to the realm of the smartphone, and 3D to the big screen in IMAX, the E530 might be what you’re looking for in a television. However, We'd recommend checking out some other budget plasmas first; you can get better performance for less money.

Science Introduction

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The Samsung PN51E530 is a strong performer in almost every key area, except for motion. It tested with above average results in color production, decent color temperature integrity, deep blacks, and a wide contrast ratio. Other than its errors in motion performance, the E530 is an admirable performer.

Color

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The E530's color gamut result was very impressive.

A television's color gamut is a measure of all of the colors it can display, revolving around the primary points of red, green, blue, and white, and of course, everything in between. Modern HDTVs are measured against an international standard to determine their accuracy in producing ideal, "correct" versions of each color.

By this standard, the Samsung PN51E530 was a stubbornly accurate performer. Its red, blue, and white points proved to be perfectly aligned to the international standard, with green just slightly under saturated. While it's nice to expect a perfect or close to perfect color gamut from every TV, the truth is we only see it once in every eight or nine of them, which makes it all the more impressive that this budget plasma made the grade. More on how we test color performance.

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Viewing Angle

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The wide viewing angle on the E530 is impressive.

The Samsung PN51E530 tested with an impressive total viewing angle of 138°, or 69° from center to either side of the screen. This is an above average viewing angle even for a plasma television and means that the E530 offers viewers the flexibility to watch from many locations around a room or with a large group. More on how we test viewing angle.

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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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