Samsung UE43RU7020KXXU - 43" UHD 4K Smart TV

Product Information

The best upper mid-range 43-inch TV we've tested is the Samsung QN43QN90CAFXZA. It's an impressive TV overall, andthesmaller 43-inchsize offers a few extra features for PC gamers, including a higher 144Hz refresh rate on all four of its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth ports. This allows for smoother motion handling than comparable 120Hz displays. It delivers an impressive gaming experience but has a noticeably slower response time than the LG C3 OLED, so you'll see more blur and ghosting around fast-moving objects if you plan on playing fast-paced games. All of the above holds true in every picture mode setting bar Eco. As far as the RU7020 is concerned, Eco is shorthand for “the ruination of your HDR picture quality”. The Samsung is terribly uncertain of itself with this mode engaged, hunting between HDR brightness levels anxiously and restlessly. Our advise is that you leave it well alone. The best 42-inch TV we've tested is the LG OLED42C3PUA. It's a fantastic TV that looks amazing in a dark room but is also capable enough in a brighter environment. It delivers superb picture quality thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio and has an excellent selection of additional features. Its built-in LG webOS interface has a massive selection of streaming apps, making it a great choice for a dorm or other small space. It's also great for watching movies with good image processing features, like Dolby Vision and DTS advanced video and audio format support. The RU7020’s 3840 x 2160 resolution is governed by Samsung’s UHD processor and, in general, it does a pretty decent job of employing all those pixels when the source material is of a lower resolution.

The Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022 is cheaper than the Samsung Q60C QLED, so it's a good alternative if you want an option between the mid-range and budget price categories. It has a few more gaming features than the Samsung TV, but overall, the Samsung delivers better picture quality and has better smart features. If you’ve been hunting for a fairly affordable 43-inch 4K TV, you know you’re not exactly spoiled for choice – and if you want one from a brand with a bit of recent profile and traction, your selection is narrowed down even further. It’s predictably short of bass extension and power, of course, but what’s less understandable is the thin, sibilant nature of its sound. At half-decent volume it can verge on shrill, and that’s no way for a TV to sound. Make use of the 7020’s HDMI ARC or digital optical outputs, or suffer the consequences. Should I buy the Samsung UE43RU7020? The remote control, it turns out, isn’t the only way the Samsung gives away its position in the model hierarchy. It’s fitted with two full-range drivers, each in receipt of ten watts of power - but while there’s no doubting the clarity of the the 7020’s audio delivery, in most meaningful ways it’s impoverished. It’s worth pointing out, here and now, that gamers will love this TV’s 10ms response time. Input lag just isn’t an issue, and that in itself might be enough to sell it to console enthusiasts.Anyway, all anyone wants from their new TV is optimal picture quality (when it’s switched on) and unobtrusiveness (when it isn’t) – and, certainly, as far as “unobtrusive” goes the UE43RU7020 is as good as any pricier alternative. Samsung UE43RU7020 features – Very decent features for its size and price Gaming: with this smart feature, play world famous streaming & PC games on your TV with cloud gaming services.*

Low price” shouldn’t automatically equate to “miserable specification”, and it definitely doesn’t here. The Samsung’s predictably short of bass weight – the relentless low-frequency wallop of The Lego Movie is no more than alluded to. What’s less likely, or justifiable, is the implacable hardness and coarseness of the 7020’s high frequency response. Doesn’t matter if it’s a DVD copy of Zoolander or a Netflix stream of What Happened, Miss Simone?, the Samsung’s top end is brittle and unyielding, requiring only mild abuse of the volume control to become coarse and tiring. Its built-in Tizen OS interface is very easy to use and has many streaming apps, so you can easily find your favorite content. The mic in the remote gives you access to Google Assistant, Bixby, and Alexa, so you can choose the voice assistant you prefer. One of the downsides of this TV is that while it displays a wide range of colors in HDR, its HDR peak brightness is just okay, so it doesn't deliver the best HDR experience, but that's what you have to expect for a TV in this price range.

If you want something cheaper than the Samsung QN90C/QN90CD QLED without sacrificing too much, the Sony KD-43X85K is the best 43-inch TV in the mid-range category. While its picture quality isn't nearly as good as the Samsung or the LG C3 OLED, it has many of the same gaming features, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two of its ports. This is great if you want to take full advantage of the PS5, Xbox Series X, or a beefy PC gaming rig, as it supports 4k @ 120Hz. Sony TVs are also known to have good processing features, and this one is no exception, as the accuracy before calibration is fantastic, and upscaled content looks great. The Sony A90K OLED is a great OLED TV with Sony's well-known excellent image processing feature. However, the LG C3 OLED is the better choice with its better gaming features, higher peak brightness, and pretty good image processing features. The 4K detail, in the main, is where it should be. The close-ups of Lawrence and fellow passenger Chris Pratt are rendered accurately with plenty of good skin texture. Where it’s more obviously less impressive than the RU7470 is in the close contrast control.

At least Samsung hasn’t tried to disguise any of the plastics that comprise the bezel, the rear and the feet of the RU7020. The rear panel, with its cutaways for inputs and mains power lead, is pleasantly (if rather pointlessly) textured, while the smooth plastic bezel surrounding the screen is surprisingly (and happily) brief. The numerous skin tones and textures in evidence during the BBC’s Question Time are all dealt with skilfully; there’s plenty of detail revealed, good colour consistency and very acceptable contrasts. It’s a similar story where the more testing The NFL Show is concerned. With TVs getting slimmer and built-in speakers getting smaller, choosing the right sound system is more important than ever. Soundbars enhance your TV’s sound quality and add that extra audio punch to all your movies, games and TV programmes. More affordable and easier to set up than a full size speaker system, they don’t compromise on quality either.Give it some native 4K content and the news gets better. The jaw-dropping food-porn of Netflix’s Chef’s Table enjoys a wide-ranging colour palette of vibrant accuracy, and the levels of detail go through the roof. There’s also a bit of a pinky hue to the whites that isn’t ideal. If we’re looking for something on the spec sheet to account for that difference, then the missing Dynamic Crystal Control technology would seem like an obvious candidate.

On paper, it’s the Samsung’s unremarkable size and price that’s the most remarkable thing about it. 4K HDR TVs such as this are few and far between – so does the 7020 do enough to make you wonder if it’s worth spending more? And if you’re looking to elevate your viewing experience with cable management, then why not take a look at our wall mounts and TV stands. Conversations can be unclear and details feel more formless. The battle scene above loses a sense of immediacy and dynamism, so we settle for sacrificing the big hits with Optimised. Verdict One one hand, the UE43RU7020 has by far and away the best interface of any nominal rival. Samsung’s Tizen-based smart TV interface is similar to that incorporated into its flagship QLED TVs costing ten times this amount, and consequently it’s impeccable. Flat and thin’ might be good news in a pizza base but it makes for an uncomfortable listening experience. Other TVs to consider

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As for the apps themselves, anyone buying this TV can feel confident they have almost everything on offer. Samsung’s Tizen OS is the best in the business, and you’ll find Now TV, BT Sports, BT TV, Apple TV, all the catch-up services, Deezer, Tidal and Spotify as well as the video services mentioned above. On top of that, Tizen also happens to be one of the most usable and intuitive TV UIs around. Young or old, technophile or phobe, you’re in good hands. Obviously there are a number of viewing modes available here, all offering colour- and contrast-balance variations on “neutral”. The two most notable are Eco (which will be discussed in more detail in the Performance section of this review) and Game. It delivers convincingly natural images, walks the line between “vivid” and “overblown” well where colours are concerned, and serves up utterly convincing textures. UHD Dimming: adjusts tone, brightness, and sharpness independently for brilliantly accurate contrast, shadow detail, and colour.