Verdict
Samsung’s super-impressive affordable TV series continues with the TU7020. Offering excellent picture quality, top-notch gaming performance, and support for many streaming apps, it offers great value on a budget. HDR performance is limited – as expected – and HDMI connectivity is slim, so it’s not a practical bundle for those with multiple sources.
Benefits
- Detailed and natural picture
- Easy to install
- EARC support
- Affordable
- Fast gaming performance
The inconvenients
- Slightly slow user interface
- Only two HDMI inputs
- Limited brightness for HDR
Key specs
- Review Price: £ 349
- Edge lit panel
- HDR10. HLG, HDR10 +
- Game mode
- EARC support
- Weight: 11.6 kg
- HGiG HDR games
The Samsung TU7020 is part of the affordable range of Crystal UHD TVs from the Korean manufacturer.
It has virtually the same specs as the TU7100 and is armed with the brand’s 4K upscaling prowess, HDR support, and a host of streaming apps through the Tizen operating system.
Available in sizes from 43 to 75 inches, the Samsung UE50TU7020 (£ 349) is probably ideal for its size, performance, and affordability.
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Samsung TU7020 Design – Quick setup lets you watch TV in no time
The Samsung TU7020 sports an understated and well-built design that belies its affordable label. There is a reassuring feel to its build quality; the slim bezel gives the screen plenty of visibility and the curved, brushed finish on the rear is of a similar quality to more expensive models. The all-black finish offers a point of difference from the dark silver look of the TU7100.
The TV is supported by legs at each end, but at this size it shouldn’t be a problem for placement on stands and tables. Unlike other brands of TVs, the feet provide enough clearance to slide a soundbar underneath.
Assembly only takes a few minutes – just insert the feet until they click into place. It’s a process that should make the setup less intimidating even for tech gamers.
There’s no smart remote, so you’ll have to settle for the standard wand. The layout differs from the more expensive models, and although it is used correctly, it is filled with buttons, some of which are very small.
Samsung TU7020 Features – Two HDMI Inputs Disappoint, But Basic Features Are Excellent
The most impressive aspect of Samsung’s approach is that the base experience is consistent across the range. While it doesn’t come equipped with the more sophisticated features of its more expensive siblings, the TU7020’s usability, app support, and gaming are similar to what you’d see higher up the range.
However, the only point of disappointment is the number of connections. There is no Bluetooth and the TU7020 has Wi-Fi 4, not Wi-Fi 5. Physical connections include USB, digital optics, LAN, and terrestrial antenna, but there is no satellite input and there is only room for two HDMI. One of them supports eARC, and while it’s a pleasant surprise, having two inputs means swapping in and out of sources if you have a few. It is not ideal.
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The Samsung Tizen is arguably the leading interface in the field. While the exclusivity has run out on Apple TV and BT Sport, Apple Music is still under Samsung’s lock and key for now. Other supported apps include Spotify, Tidal, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney +, and Now TV. Samsung’s bundles don’t support Freeview Play, but you get its TV Plus service, and all UK catch-up and on-demand apps are catered for with BBC Sounds.
The interface can be a little slow, but not enough to induce fits of rage. Although the Samsung TU7020 is compatible with SmartThings, this does not extend to the operation of the TV. SmartThings can be used for setup and the TU7020 is compatible with other SmartThings devices. However, the TV does not appear to be compatible with the app, even for setup purposes.
HDR support covers HDR10, HLG (iPlayer and Sky Q), as well as HDR10 + and the HGiG profile for gaming. HDR10 + is a dynamic metadata HDR format supported by Samsung, and it tailors HDR performance to the screen to fine tune TV performance given its relative lack of brightness. As always with a Samsung TV, there is no sign of Dolby Vision.
Related: What is HDR10 +?
There is a Game Mode, and while there is no next-gen support for VRR, ALLM, or 4K / 120Hz, activating it frees up an input delay of 9.7ms. Just make sure to set Game Mode to ‘Auto’ in settings so that the TV will automatically detect a connected game console or PC.
Audio is streamed through the 2 x 10W speakers. EARC support means it can pass through lossless audio, such as Dolby Atmos, to a soundbar or compatible system.
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Samsung TU7020 performance – Limited HDR but solid in terms of detail, precision and scaling
The Samsung TU7020 Crystal Display produces pleasantly surprising performance. The colors in large-scale HD broadcasts look natural, much more subtle than some TVs costing twice as much. Looking at Countdown, the TU7020 seems to get the various blues in the set, the darker and lighter shades of blue well conveyed.
Plus, the skin tones are natural, favoring subtlety over punch. David Dickinson’s “tanned” look might look reddish, but the Samsung TU7020 showcases its various shades of orange (and red) without overcooking it. In general, the complexion is beautiful in terms of tone and appearance.
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Movement is solid enough when the Image Clarity settings are on, although movement can cause a bit of jerking with fast moving content – the TU7020 has a less-than-grippy grip on NFL players when they do. grapple with each other. There is a strange artifact appearing through multiple sources, a slight purple outline around moving bodies. It’s light, but noticeable.
Images scaled by the Crystal Processor 4K are clearly defined and impressed with clarity. The fine details are excellent; whether it’s textures, objects or faces – the Samsung TU7020 is fantastic at extracting detail wherever it can find it.
And so is 4K content, but in a more demanding way. Ang Lee’s Hulk features widescreen photos of close-up faces, and the Samsung TU7020 presents them in fantastic ways. You can see pretty much every hair on Sam Elliot’s mustache or Jennifer Connelly’s skin pores.
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Black levels hold up well – at least head-on – in the Alien sequence (HDR10 +), as the Nostromo crew investigate the alien ship. Like the Samsung Q80T, the TU7020’s image offers deep contrasts between the lightest and darkest part of an image, but this means that the definition in the darker parts is less fine-grained. At wider, sharper angles, colors lose some saturation and blacks may turn gray.
HDR performance is limited, though that’s no surprise at this price, with skin tones and highlights lacking the boldness you’ll find in a high-end package. You can boost HDR with the Contrast Enhancer – by increasing the brightness and widening the contrast – although it removes a bit of detail from the image.
That said, we are happy with the color performance offered by the Samsung TU7020. The golden tones of the Whiplash 4K Blu-ray show up well and the set is capable of displaying a wide range of colors. In the Avatar Blu-ray, the colors are displayed with a vigor and naturalism that is much more relevant than what you get from the Hisense A7500F, for example.
The 2019 RU7020 suffered from poor sound, and although the Samsung TU7020 doesn’t blow any doors with its sound capability, its clear delivery avoids sounding muffled or harsh. The vocals are well emphasized, while the bass is sufficiently acceptable. There is a decent amount of drive, but you can feel there is a cap to its performance. It’s a good effort, but a soundbar would improve it.
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Should you buy the Samsung UE50TU7020?
Samsung has delivered some great TVs at a low price before and the TU7020 is another to add to the list. Gaming performance is top notch, eARC brings affordable Atmos support, and the overall picture quality is excellent, although it doesn’t have the fireworks for true HDR.
Considering its similarities to the TU7100, this set is another one to consider as it has 5 times faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Otherwise, they are almost identical except for the different finishes. There’s also the Hisense Roku TV to consider, similarly priced, and similar in functionality.
And there is another Samsung candidate in the mix. The TU8500 is higher in the Crystal UHD range and commands a higher price tag. Up to £ 499 from £ 599, it provides additional HDMI input, smarter features, and improved picture quality. You have no shortage of options when it comes to great inexpensive Samsung TVs.