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The UE32J6300 is also available as the 40-inch UE40J6300, 48-inch UE48J6300 and 55-inch UE55J6300, and throughout the range it does a neat impression of those bigger and more capable curved TVs.
But at 32-inches where is Samsung expecting this TV to sit? Realistically most folk are looking to up the screen size with a new purchase, so it would make sense for this smaller Samsung to be used as a second screen, maybe in the bedroom or kitchen.
And with that curve it could make for an excellent little gaming screen for your Xbox One or PlayStation 4. With a single user always sitting in that
We liked
Forget the curve though; the UE32J6300 is all about picture quality. Even better, it works well out of the box with Movie mode offering a combination of Full HD precision, eye-popping colour, smooth action sequences and excellent black levels.
Surprisingly the UE32J6300 delivers good audio, with its small underslung speakers giving good range as well as decent stereo separation in a small room. It's treble-heavy and lacks much bass, but those 2x 10W speakers are precise, clean, and go to high volumes without distortion.
It's also great to see a headphones slot on a bedroom TV.
Connectivity is excellent for video, too, not only with the plethora of HDMI and USB slots, but with their clever placing; all bar one (rear-facing) HDMI are side-mounted though recessed, making cables easy to attach and simple to hide. In a small room, that's crucial.
Meanwhile, Smart Hub brings an excellent roster of apps including Netflix, Amazon Instant, the BBC iPlayer (and other BBC apps), ITV Player and YouTube. What more does any bedroom need?
We disliked
Does the curved UE32J6300 look an absolute treat?
Er, no, not really; its metallic look is just that, while the bulky design doesn't sit particularly well with the sleekness that the curve is obviously supposed to add. A rather plasticky build quality also gives it a lightweight feel.
So too standard definition images, which look soft and strewn with picture artefacts.
I also remain unconvinced that many people,will want to pay this much for such a small TV, however well-endowed and image-capable it is.
Other concerns include the UE32J6300's average performance with standard definition fare as well as its slightly under-powered processor.
Final verdict
Samsung has created the finest 32-inch TV at a canter, but this isn't the must-have small TV it could have been.
Does a curve even make sense on a small TV? Stylistically this feature-packed 32-incher just about gets away with it, but a plasticky build quality detracts from an otherwise thoroughly polished performance.
Smart Hub is slightly underpowered, though even its presence on such a small TV is a boon. Add awesome Full HD pictures and unexpectedly excellent audio though and the UE32J6300 is quite a package for a bedroom or second room.
Also consider
A good alternative to Samsung's UE32J6300 is the Panasonic TX-32CS510, which sells for considerably less. You will have to forgo Full HD for a HD-ready panel, but as well as Panasonic's myHomeScreen smart TV app platform there's Freetime (for UK viewers) and its fabulous 'roll-back' TV that covers on-demand TV from the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5.
