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Our in-depth Samsung UN32M4500BFXZA review offers insights into the performance of smaller TV sets in the age of 4K. The subject of this particular review is a 32-inch, 720p smart TV from Samsung’s M4500 series.
We start with unboxing and first looks.
Content Breakdown
Samsung UN32M4500BFXZA Review: Unboxing
The UN32M4500 ships with a power cable, a power brick, a remote, and a pair of batteries. It also comes with a pair of legs and a user manual.
First looks
This 32-inch Samsung M4500 panel has the functional, no-frills look that is common to many budget Samsung TVs. It has a solid build, with a sturdy plastic chassis that frames the screen in glossy bezels. The back panel has a mesh-like texture that is uniform except for the panel that holds the inputs.
We’re in the age of large screens, which puts the 32-inch TV in the compact category. On an entertainment stand, the Samsung UN32M4500 has a footprint of 29”x6”. However, you can choose to mount the TV, thanks to a 100×100 VESA mount pattern. Though the TV is a little chunky at three inches thick, it manages to hug the wall.
The placement of the inputs is a mixed bag. The outward-facing ports are easily accessible while the rear-facing ports would be a nightmare if you were to mount the TV.
Inputs and connectivity
Samsung M4500 televisions have a wide selection of inputs. For the person with older devices, there’s a full set of rear-facing composite ports. One of the component ports even doubles as a video component port. The Ethernet and optical audio ports sit right next to the composite ports.
The outward-facing ports consist of two HDMI ports, a USB port, and a coaxial port.
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Samsung UN32M4500BFXZA Review: Interface
Like most Samsung TVs, the M4500 series runs on Tizen and its ecosystem of apps. The home screen of Tizen is a simple affair with the SmartHub ribbon running across the bottom of the screen. SmartHub learns your preferences and viewing habits to create an aggregate menu that pools content from multiple sources. A shortcut menu on the left end of the ribbon allows quick access to your inputs, settings, and app list.
Tizen is littered with animation, which requires a fast, responsive panel. Along with the native response time of the TV, Samsung employs a Quad-core processor to execute a fluid interface. Unfortunately, the 32-inch M4500 suffers from the occasional freeze or stutter when it comes to animated transitions. Loading some apps may cause the interface to freeze for some seconds. However, it only takes an instant (four seconds) to load an app like YouTube.
Like many smart TVs in the market, there’s a good selection of intrusive ads and recommended content. There’s also no way of opting out of these ads.
Smart features
Tizen has a large number of apps in its store, which gives you access to a wide variety of content and tools. Among those tools is SmartThings, an app that allows the Samsung UN32M4500 to interact with or control compatible smart devices.
You will be unable to access Bixby through the remote that ships with the M4500 panels. However, you can install a voice assistant and use a smart audio device to command it.
Samsung UN32M4500BFXZA Review: Hardware and picture quality
The 32-inch Samsung M4500 is a 720p VA panel with LED backlights along its edges. Edge-lit panels like the M4500 rarely execute local dimming, which takes away from a panel’s rendition of contrast and detail.
VA panels are known for their good brightness levels and narrow viewing angles. How many of these qualities are present in the UN32M4500?
1. Color accuracy
The M4500 has a narrow color gamut, even by the standards of a smaller budget TV. This goes some way to inform the color accuracy of the panel.
Right out of the box, the color accuracy of the Samsung UN32M4500 is poor. The TV colors are warm and deviate (by large margins) from source signals. A few adjustments result in vast improvements.
You would need to adjust the white balance down to less than 1.0. This involves adjusting the values for red, green, and blue for each shade of grey. It’s important to note that calibrating these values requires time, knowledge, and specialized tools.
2. Brightness and contrast
The Samsung UN32M4500 has an average peak brightness level of 243 nits. High peak brightness levels expand the color palette available to a display by allowing a single color shade to have varying luminance. In this respect, 243cd/m2 adds a little depth to the color gamut of the UN32M4500.
That being said, 243cd/m2 is not that bright, and this TV will look dim in a bright room. Dim displays are also more vulnerable to glare, even with anti-glare finish.
In contrast, the UN32M4500 has superb black levels that allow the panel to execute impressive contrast. With a native contrast ration of 4000:1, the TV creates stunning contrast and good detail in dark scenes. It’s worth noting that the lack of local dimming limits the clarity of shadow contouring in the M4500.
3. Sharpness
720p resolution works well for smaller displays like the 32-inch Samsung M4500. Though the TV works great with 720p content, the screen could benefit from a little more pixel density. Outlines look a little soft, which affects the overall picture.
4. Screen uniformity
The edge-lit M4500 series does a passable job at creating consistent backlighting. On a black or grey screen, you will notice dark areas near some edges and corners. The top and bottom edges may be brighter. Though the center of the grey screen seems uniform, you may notice a little dirty screen effect during sports.
5. Motion handling
It takes less than 20ms for a pixel in the UN32M4500 panel to change color. This impressive response time translates to minimal motion blur.
As for input lag, it takes 47 seconds for a signal to display on the TV. This works for most content, including games that only require moderate resources. However, gamers will experience costly delays if they play more demanding games on a Samsung UN32M4500 TV.
Sound
A pair of 5W internal speakers creates a small, two-channel sound stage for the Samsung M4500 panel. These speakers are loud enough, but they have a limited sound palette; especially on the bass end of the frequency spectrum. This limits the display’s ability to perform accurate sound reproduction.
The result is clear if tinny dialog and mid-range treble. However, the earth-shattering sound effects of your favorite action flick will be underwhelming. A soundbar improves the sound by a lot.
Pros
- Affordable
- Solid build
- Feature-rich smart interface
- Excellent response times
Cons
- The rear-facing inputs would be hard to reach if the TV sat on a wall
- Dim
- Narrow color gamut
- Slight dirty screen effect may be noticeable
A feature-rich smart interface gives you value for your money
If you’re in the market for an affordable TV for a small space, you could do worse than the Samsung UN32M4500. The compact frame of this display belies a smart TV with all the smart features you need.
This Samsung UN32M4500BFXZA review unveils a smart TV with good picture for a good price. Click here to learn more about this television.
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