Samsung UE43RU7020KXXU - 43" UHD 4K Smart TV

Product Information

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? Although most manufacturers and buyers focus on larger TVs, there's still a lot of interest in smaller models for people looking for the best 43-inch 4k TV. There aren't as many options in this size as in the larger ones,but some premium models and cheaper TVs are still available. It's easier to look for a 42 or 43-inch TVthan a 40-inch one, as the formersaremuch more common, so you'll have more choice if you can fit a 42 or 43-inch model in your entertainment center. There are also some 42-inch OLEDs coming out, which will further expand the selection in that size category. Low price” shouldn’t automatically equate to “miserable specification”, and it definitely doesn’t here. 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.

Auto Motion Plus: Experience smooth action on fast-moving content; great for enhancing action movies or live sports events.

What stands out

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. 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 It delivers convincingly natural images, walks the line between “vivid” and “overblown” well where colours are concerned, and serves up utterly convincing textures. 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. Note that the Q60C is basically the same as its predecessor, the Samsung Q60/Q60B QLED, so get the cheapest one when shopping.

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. 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. 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. The upscaling is still impressive, though. Even in dark scenes and scenes with lots of motion, there’s no point at which we really feel like we’re watching something inferior. The detail levels are a little lower but the upscaling never slips into blurs.

Plan Benefits

The 10W powered two-speaker set-up is Samsung’s 7 series standard. Both speakers are in the middle of the panel’s rear. We’re not expecting much in the way of a soundstage and we don’t get much of one either. 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.