Samsung UE55F9000 review

In some ways the UE55F9000 handles the vast array of features it carries admirably. Its main set-up menus are easy on the eye and logically organised for the most part, with good use of 'layering' to make sure casual users don't have to be faced with huge lists of options that will only bewilder them.

The only things we take issue with where this part of using the UE55F9000 is concerned is the division of advanced picture features into two separate menus when one would probably been enough, and the hiding of the Game preset (which keeps input lag to its lowest level) inside the TV's system menus rather than including it with the other picture presets.

The set's Smart menus, meanwhile, are gorgeously presented, with HD graphics galore, and a reasonably effective use of space that manages to present lots of information and content shortcuts without looking overwhelming.

The only issues here are that when you first get the TV it's a bit hard to figure out what's going on in some places (though Samsung has started to introduce tutorial videos to help alleviate this), and that the Recommendations system initially confuses, essentially generating near-random results until it's really got a handle on your viewing habits.

Remotes

The UE55F9000 ships with two remotes: a standard one and a streamlined version with a touchpad and built-in mic. This touchpad remote works well for the most part, feeling like a better match for modern smart menus than the normal remote.

The mic aspect of the touchpad remote reminds you that the TV supports Samsung's latest voice and gesture control systems, both of which have been improved considerably since they first appeared earlier in the year. Though we still suspect that aside from verbalising search terms, most people will likely only use the voice and gesture controls if they can't quickly find the touchpad remote.

One last niggle is that it's frustrating that you need multiple apps for iOS and Android devices to enjoy all the potential features on offer, rather than having all the features built into one easy to use app as happens with some rival Smart TV engines.

Audio performance

The UE55F9000's speakers comprise a combination of stereo down-firing speakers and a built-in woofer for enhanced bass. These speakers prove slightly more powerful than those of Samsung's typical flat TVs, being able to expand quite handily to accommodate the greater dynamics of action scenes while also handling treble detailing without sounding harsh or compressed.

Even with the woofer, though, bass response is a bit limited, and certainly there's no denying that the UE55F9000 isn't even in the same audio ballpark as Sony's 65X9005A, thanks to the latter model's use of front-mounted, front-firing, magnetic fluid speaker arrays.

Value

If you consider the UE55F9000 against high-end normal HD resolution TVs, then obviously its £3300 price is high. Samsung's own UE55F8000, for instance, is a whole £1,000 less.

However, if more fairly you look at the UE55F9000 in the context of other UHD/4K TVs, the current £3,300 price actually looks pretty great value, coming in at £700 less than Sony's 55in X9005A, and many thousands of pounds less than the 65in and 84in UHD models that have been launched to date.