Samsung LN26B360 – Best picture quality in this size range

Pros:

• Deep black levels are better than any other LCD in this class.
• Color is relatively accurate
• Picture control options are extensive
• Attractive design

Cons:

• Lacks side panel inputs
• Expensive as compared to other models in this size

Bottom Line:

Samsung LN26B360 may not have as many features but it makes up with is excellent picture quality.

Manufacturer’s specifications:

Samsung LN26B360 is a 26 inch wide screen TV, resolution is 1366×768 pixels, display format is 720p, LCD refresh rate is 60 Hz, response time is 8ms, dynamic contrast ratio is 30000:1, wide screen mode options include Conventional 4:3, Wide Zoom, Auto Wide, Zoom, 16:9.

Video interface options are Composite, Component, and HDMI. Input video format options include 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i. Supported resolutions for computer are 1280×1024 (SXGA), 800×600 (SVGA), 1024×768 (XGA), 640×480 (VGA), 1360×768, 720×400, 640×350. Speakers are 2×5 watts.

Connector types include 1x Headphones (mini-phone stereo 3.5mm)- Rear, 1x Composite video/audio input (RCA phonox3) – Rear, 1x Component video input (RCA phonox3) – Rear, 1 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) – Rear, 1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) – Rear, 1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) – Rear, 1 x VGA input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ) – Rear.

Design:

Just like most entry level HDTVs in this price range, the Samsung LN26B360 has a glossy black frame but there are some classy touches that make it apart. On the bottom edge there is a slight protrusion or the ‘lip’ that comes out of the panel. This lip goes well with the oval stand.

Inside Dope:

There are a lot of LCD panels for this category of small TVs and among the many that we have reviewed; we found that Samsung LN26B360 is the best in picture quality. The black level performance is commendably and it leads in other areas too. The downside is that it lacks features that you expect to find in such TVs and it’s also a bit expensive as compared to competition. If money is not a question for you and if you want the best picture quality in this size, we would recommend you this TV.

Samsung LN26B360’s menu system and remote are both simplified and smaller as compared to its larger siblings. The options are the same that you get in Toshiba’s AV502U series but the interface is more user friendly. Keys are differentiated by color and size and it has all the buttons that you’d expect.

On the menu, the layout and the simple icons are just the same as higher end models and we really liked it. There is a Tools menu which offers quick access to the functions that are most frequently used. We also liked that there are text explanations along with the items. You get a Self-diagnosis along with internal patters which are designed for quick trouble shooting. you get a diagram for the common connections and Samsung contact page which contains Website, phone number and guide to the firmware update section of the site.

Just like most entry level panels, the Samsung LN26B360 h as a 1366×768 pixel native resolution or 720p as compared to the 1080p resolution on higher end models. We won’t complain about the non-1080p resolution of the panel because a 26 inch size cannot exploit the offerings of a 1080p resolution.

When it comes to picture adjustability, only LG is better than Samsung and this panel too is no exception. There are lots of ways to fiddled with the image like 3 adjustable picture modes which are all independent per input. There are also options for controlling the color temperature in order to enhance the 4 presets. The white balance controls have six adjustment options which are seldom found in such entry level models.

There are other adjustments like color and gamma space along with black tone, dynamic contrast, edge enhancement and flesh tone. Finally there is a film mode, three levels for noise reduction and HDMI black level.

In all, there are four settings for aspect ratio for both SD and HD sources and you can adjust 2 among them. Energy Saver setting limits the light output from the panel and this gives you power savings. Samsung LN26B360 also has a game mode which minimizes the processing of video and prevents possible lag between the onscreen action and controller.

Connections on the Samsung LN26B360 are not in plenty, and the biggest issue is the side panel which doesn’t have any inputs. On the back, there is 2 HDMI, one VGA, one component video, one RF input with analog stereo and optical digital audio outputs and one AV input with composite video.

As mentioned earlier, this panel stands out amongst other LCD TV in this range with is solid picture quality and deeper black levels. There are a few issues with the color aspects but that can be forgiven at this price range.

We compared this panel other TVs in this range, we had Westinghouse SK-32H640G, Vizio VO302E, Toshiba 32AV502U, Sony KDL-32L5000, Sharp LC-32D47U, and Panasonic TC-32LX1. For black level tests, the Samsung LN26B360 was the most efficient, the panel gave us the deepest shade of black. It went passed the Sony, Sharp and Toshiba panels by a bit and rest all the displays were far behind. In the brighter scenes, there was less difference between Samsung and other panels were lesser. Shadow detail performance too was good on Samsung panel but it wasn’t as good as Sony.

When tested for color accuracy, Samsung LN26B360 was decent. Performance was as good as Vizio and was second to only LG. The black levels on the Samsung panel were deeper which led to superior saturation. The very dark and black areas weren’t as neutral as that on Sony but still they were better as compared to others.

Samsung LN26B360 was the best in SD video quality as compared to other models. The details looked sharp and every line of DVD format was resolved. For computer tests, we hooked up this panel to a PC and tested through both VGA and HDMI jacks. We got the full 1360×768 pixel resolution on both the ports. The text and video both looked crisp.

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