A Quick Look at Samsung’s 4K UHD JU6500 60Hz (120Hz effective) Smart LED TV
The JU6500 Series resides in the middle of Samsung’s standard J Series 4K lineup. This display is available in the following screen sizes: 40″ 48″ 50″ 55″ 60″ 65″ and 75″.
Design/Features
The styling and design of this set are pleasingly attractive, yet with an average-looking trim and finish. The black plastic bezel is reasonably thin measuring just over a 1/2″ in width. The depth of the panel comes in just under two inches at 1.89″ thick.
I like the stand on this TV, which Samsung calls a Plate T-Shape design and is coated in a black glossy finish. The stand proved to be very stable as I gave it my so-called stability test by gently rocking the panel back and forth. This type of stability bodes well in greatly reducing the chance of TV tip-overs.
The glossy screen is illuminated with LED edge-lit backlighting with UHD Dimming which Samsung claims adjusts the brightness to deliver deeper blacks and brighter whites.
JU6500 Side View
Other features include:
- A Quad-Core Processor for faster web browsing and enhanced media processing
- HEVC/H.265 and VP9 encoding allow for 4K video streaming from service providers such as Netflix, Amazon Instant and YouTube
- The Ultra Clear Panel absorbs ambient light and reduces reflections for optimal picture quality in a brightly lit viewing environment
- UHD 4K upscaling converts all non-Ultra HD content to near 4K quality – this is ideal for viewing your 1080p Blu-ray and standard DVD collection
- Motion Rate 120 for motion blur reduction
- Samsung Smart Hub smart TV platform with Tizen OS – this redesigned Smart Hub enables easy navigation and quick access to a variety of apps including Netflix, Vudu, HuluPlus, Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow and much more – this Smart Hub also offers a host of interactive capabilities
- Full web browser
- Built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi for a faster connection to your home network
- Wi-Fi Direct allows you to wirelessly connect to your mobile devices without the use of a router
- Direct TV RVU compatible
- Standard backlit remote control
Connectivity:
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- 4 HDMI 2.0 inputs (HDCP 2.2 compliant)
- 1 Component video input
- 1 Composite video input
- 3 USB inputs
- 1 Ethernet input
- 1 RF input for antenna/cable/satellite
- 1 Digital optical audio output
- 1 Stereo minijack output
My Rating/Performance/Specs
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Samsung JU6500
Summary
Price: $1,097.99
Check current price at Amazon.com
Performance:
Pros
The UN55JU6500 offers extremely good picture quality, which I found to be very impressive. Images were clear, detailed and well defined and provided very good image depth, which in my opinion gives the image a more realistic and life-like appearance.
The color gamut on this display was rich, bold and very accurate – all while appearing very natural and with the proper amounts of tonal balance and color saturation.
Contrast performance on this set was very good, delivering an excellent balance of bright whites and deep blacks which gave images plenty of pop.
Cons
Due in part to its 60Hz panel design, the JU6500 performs slightly below average in motion blur reduction while rendering fast-action content when compared to other Samsung models such as the JU7100. However, in general, the JU6500 still performs well at eliminating motion blur. It also has some issues with motion judder due to not having 24p content support.
As with most LED-based TV’s, some picture dimming and color saturation loss is commonplace, and the JU6500 was no exception. However, these effects were very minimal on this display and shouldn’t pose much of a problem when viewing this set at moderate off-axis angles.
The Bottom Line
The UN55JU6500 is an all-around solid performer, offering great picture quality and a good feature lineup. I’d also like to point out that the image quality of this TV is very similar to Samsung’s more expensive JU7100 Series but still comes up a bit short by comparison in overall picture quality.
On the other hand, being compared to and having similar picture quality to the excellent performing JU7100 places the JU6500 in pretty good territory, and add to that, a more reasonable price tag makes the 55″ JU6500 a very good buy indeed.
HDTVs and More recommended.
Specs:
Screen size reviewed: 55″
Dimensions:
With stand:(WxHxD) 57.6″ x 35″ x 12.5″
Without stand:(WxHxD) 57.6″ x 33.2″ x 2.5″
Weight:
With stand: 60.6 lbs.
Without stand: 52.5 lbs.
Warranty: 1 year parts and labor
See the review of the JU7100 here.
I have been eyeing the 60 inch version of this television. I love the clarity when I see it in stores, but my only worry was the 60hz. I mainly use the TV for cable and movies (sometimes action movies) and don’t really watch sports on it. Will I really notice the 60hz? Should I stick with this set because it’s 4k, or should I go with a 1080p HDTV with more Hz instead?
Hi Anthony,
The JU6500 actually has decent motion blur control, and with the of type content you plan on viewing with this TV, you really shouldn’t have much of an issue. However, the bigger issue you will have with this TV is motion judder while watching movies, since this display does not support 24p content. Turning on the sets Auto Motion Plus feature will help eliminate the judder, but at the same time will introduce the dreaded soap opera effect.
So due to the judder issue, I suggest you may want to consider a TV that is capable of 60Hz frame interpolation, which is some what rare, or go with a model that has a 120Hz refresh rate. As far as 4K or 1080p is concerned, I would personally go with a 4K display just to be ready for 4K content (if you’re interested) as it continues to arrive, and also the fact that you will have the capability to view your Blu-ray and/or DVD discs collection upscaled to near 4K quality which does make a noticeable difference in picture quality.
Hey, I just purchased this TV, it will be delivered Tuesday. I am concerned about the judder issue, and I also don’t want the soap opera effect. Does this TV allow you to find a middle ground between the two?
Hey Charles,
The JU6500, as you probably already know, does not support 24p content even though it will accept it. This means 24p content will always have some small amounts of judder. However, you can eliminate the judder by using the “Auto Motion Plus” feature on this TV, but this will introduce the soap opera effect which I know you are also trying to avoid. So it looks like it may become a trade off between the judder and using the Auto Motion Plus to find a suitable balance to your liking.
Hope this helps.