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Samsung 6-Series 2012 – Hands on – popular mid-range models updated with Wi-Fi

The 6-series is where desire meets reality, so what will you get with this year's model

The OLED and flagship ES8000 HD TVs may be getting all the attention on Samsung’s stand, but we all know that those aren’t the ones that are going to be selling in big numbers before this summer’s Olympics.

Our most popular Samsung TV review recently has been for the 2011’s 6-series Samsung UE40D6530. With this in mind we went to look at Samsung’s new 6-series models for 2012. If you’re looking for anew HD TV this year then this is very likely to make sure shortlist.

Samsung 6-series 2012

WI-FI AND DUAL CORE

As with many devices at CES this year, the big addition to the 6-series for 2012 is built-in Wi-Fi across the range. With 802.11n wireless, you won’t have to buy a separate adaptor or run an Ethernet cable from your router to make use of Samsung’s Smart TV services. This should encourage further take up of such services, which in turn should lead to more development of the service, that’s good news for anyone with a Samsung TV.

Samsung 6-series 2012

Speaking of Smart TV and apps, the higher end 6-series models, from the 6500 upwards, will include the same dual-core processor as seen on the ES8000. This allows you to multitask between two apps, so you don’t have to quit entirely out of your movie if you want to check the news headlines half-way through, very handy as TV apps look to become a far bigger part of our watching experience. All the TV will also have a proper web browser, though we weren’t able to try this out

The 6-series won’t however be receiving the Evolution card slot – which will let you buy upgrade cards for your TV to keep it up-to-date over its lifetime.

SLEEKER LOOK

If you loved last year’s 8-series, with its super-slim bezel and pointy metallic stand, but couldn’t afford one, then you’re in luck. 2012’s 6-series brings both of these elements into its design, making it a ringer for last year’s top end model.

Another change is the addition of a thin strip along the bottom of the screen for the 6500 and 6600 models. This strip is actually a forward-facing speaker, and Samsung claim that it will increase audio quality considerably (especially for the more direct higher and mid frequencies) other the previous backward- and side- firing speaker ports.

Samsung 6-series 2012

The representative on the stand said the 6-series had a new panel for 2012, and we wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be the same panel as last year’s 8-series. It’s practically impossible to judge real-world picture quality from demo footage on a stand, but we couldn’t see any immediate issues with what looked like a high-quality LCD/LED panel and light.

On the whole, the 6-series looks to be making a very strong case in 2012. We’re looking forward to getting samples in the next few months for testing.

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