Samsung LE40A656A - 40" Widescreen 1080P Full HD LCD TV - With Freeview Best Buy

Superb Picture And Value For Money. - 02 Aug 2008

6 out of 6 found this review helpful.

[Review of Model no. LE40A656A1FXXU.]

Having owned an excellent Samsung 32" (LE32N73BDX) for the past year or so, I decided to upgrade my old tube TV to this 1080p model. So far I have very positive first impressions of my new machine. Right out the box, the elegant ebony and red-tinted design hits you: the cliché about hi-def TVs adding style to any living room has never been more true than here. Despite being so large, the narrow black picture frame surround makes the TV unobtrusive in even a small room.

Getting down to brass tacks, the picture quality is superb. For under £900 you obviously get Full 100Hz HD, which sets the image apart even from my 720p Samsung. Furthermore, a host of intelligent image options, such as Just Scan, add immeasurably to the sumptuous hi-def experience. PlayStation 3 games such as "Ninja Gaiden Sigma" and "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" look even more polished than expected with the smoother frame rate that 100Hz gives. I can't be stress enough vastly how the 100Hz improves Standard Definition TV signals over my old tube TV too, especially on the crystal-clear inbuilt Freeview capability. In other words, this is not only a TV for video games or Blu-ray freaks: it's a great all-rounder even for those without HD television signals.

On the down side as regards image, the excellent Game Mode setting is spoiled slightly because setting the TV to this mode means you cannot change any of the image or sound settings. Absolutely none. So if you want Game Mode and you also want to raise the brightness by 2 points, you can't. You have to switch Game Mode off and set up the image you want manually. Worst of all, switching on any of the Entertainment Modes switches off the 100Hz Motion Plus setting. It's a minor irritant, but largely negates the handy presets I loved so much on my older Samsung.

Sound invariably suffers because of the compact speakers. Sound lacks the "oomph" of older and chunkier TVs, as well as their newer home cinema-equipped counterparts. The SRS TS XT doesn't really add very much to the package. But if you are so concerned about sound, then use some of the money you have saved from buying this model for a home cinema. The lack of startling sound doesn't detract from the fantastic picture and welter of connection options this TV offers.

For the price tag, the A656 offers a fantastic and flexible 1080p image and a ton of connections (including four HDMI and PC/USB inputs). (Don't let the less than spectacular sound deter you, the image is what really counts of televisions anyhow.) The lovely design and swivel stand (pre-installed for models over 37") add gloss to what is at the time of writing a fantastic home entertainment package.