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Refreshed for 2012 and now offering almost total mastery of the TV's more regular functions, the Smart Hub screen now lives up to its name.
Here it's plastered all over a good value Edge LED panel that screams class both inside and out.
We liked
Contrast and detail impress on the UE46ES6800, which also delivers decent upscaling alongside clean, bright 3D fare using some remarkable lightweight specs.
We also liked the new Smart Hub interface, new apps like Netflix and BBC Sport, and the sleek new touch-sensitive remote control.
We disliked
The 3D specs do let a lot of light in (it's a shame they don't curve inwards slightly), and for ultimate contrast you'll have to spend more.
In a dark picture the edge LED backlighting is visible around the sides, while there is a touch of blur.
Though improved, Smart Hub can feel cluttered, and rather forced; why Family Story is in a central, dominating position is beyond us.
There should be an opportunity to fully customise Smart Hub to rid it of unwanted apps and options.
Lastly, the preset picture options are poor, meaning a proper play with the UE46ES6800's (thankfully extensive) advanced picture menus is needed to have it achieve its potential.
Final verdict
A step down from the peak reference level sets in may be, but this gorgeous, feature-packed Samsung Edge LED TV is steeped in value.
Smart Hub sees some great new apps and helps integrate disparate functions, but it can feel cluttered. After some tweaks live TV gets treated well, as does 2D and 3D Blu-ray discs.
Also consider
Other step-down examples of Edge LED TVs from the big brands include Sony's rather drab HX7 Series, Panasonic's DT50 Series – perhaps its closest match – and LG's 47LM760T Series, which swaps active shutter 3D for passive 3D.
