LED LCD TVs are the most popular units you will find in stores now. Their combination of attractive form factors, large sizes, and affordable pricing make them the choice for most people after a large TV. Samsung’s best-selling, large LCD model is the 55″ Samsung UN55F7100. With SmartTV and 3D functionality, LED backlighting, and a really nice form factor, it has a lot going for it on the spec sheet. Selling for under $1,700 for a 55″ and under $2,000 for a 60″ makes the price competitive with other displays on the market as well.

As a die-hard plasma user, the question to me is how well an affordable LCD performs. Reviewing the Samsung UN55F7100 for HDGuru, performance out of the box is excellent. Using the Movie preset, a Warm2 color temperature, and a Gamma of -2 it tracks very close to the HDTV standards and a gamma of 2.4. The built-in CMS and 10-point white balance make it easy to dial that in more and produce and image that, on paper, is perfect. The black level is higher than a plasma, but all the other numbers are fantastic on paper.

Daily use is where I run into some quibbles with the Samsung UN55F7100. The viewing angle is a smaller than other LCDs and makes placement of the Samsung UN55F7100 essential. Throwing it into a corner and watching it from around the room will produce a washed-out image lacking pop. Watch it straight on and you’ll see bright, vivid colors with incredible amounts of detail. To see what else I found, including how the SmartTV functions and other features perform, read my full review over at HDGuru. In the right setup, the Samsung UN55F7100 provides a fantastic looking image. The key is making sure that it will work for your room.