The PN50A650 used to lord it over Samsung’s plasma line, being the largest and latest model. However, only a few months after it came out in May 2008, Samsung released the 63-incher mammoth under the same Series 6 line, and later, the complete Series 7 line. The Samsung PN50A650 thus became just one of the products instead of being the top product. Still, it’s an impressive and feature-packed item that shows a lot of potential, perfect for those looking for high performance plasmas.
Design
Part of the Touch of Color (ToC) line, the PN50A650 sports the same reddish accent on its frame that distinguishes the ToC TVs from the rest of the products in the vaunted Samsung arsenal. Besides colored
Samsung PN50A650
bezel, the PN50A650 has other design elements like the stylish clear coating over the frame, invisible speakers and rounded corners that work together to present a sleek and gorgeous piece of equipment.
Samsung’s remotes were refurbished for 2008, and the one included in this HDTV is undoubtedly one of the better ones. With backlight and some fresh ideas like the Tools option that efficiently gives quick access to sound and picture modes, picture-in-picture controls and sleep timer, this remote is definitely great – if not for its glossy black finish. Samsung should remember not to put a glossy finish on anything that is frequently hand held, as the glossy finish promptly becomes smudged only after a few minutes.
Screen/picture clarity
The PN50A650 HDTV exhibited good black levels, though not as good as the top-of-the-line plasmas.However, that weakness is more than compensated by its exceptional color accuracy – skin tones look natural and greenery are really green – making pictures quite stunning despite the slightly washed-up black levels. Moreover, the Ultra Filter Bright anti-glare feature seems to work well, adding to the picture clarity. A little tweaking of the settings and one would surely find acceptable greyscale and color temperatures to make the images even more breathtaking.
This full 1080p HD resolution TV, powered by the DNIe Pro video processor, has no trouble resolving HD and standard sources, scaling 720p and 1080i resolutions seamlessly into its 1080p native resolution. This set also has no problem rendering standard definition (480p) sources, producing no jagged edges or artefacts that frequently come up when resolving 24fps sources.
Features
As expected, Samsung has designed this HDTV overflowing with features. A step up from its less distinguished cousins in the 550 series, Samsung added another HDMI port, bringing the total to four. Other connectivity options provided are the component video inputs, VGA port, USB port, RF input for the combo analogue/digital/cable tuner, and an Ethernet port that can connect to the InfoLink system. With three picture modes and three additional Entertainment modes, viewing your favorite shows or movies or playing your favorite games is easy and intuitive.
While this may not be the top-of-the-line in plasma HDTVs, it surely has enough pizzazz to be among the cream of the crop. Some may find the price rather steep, but if you consider that it’s a Samsung, and a Touch of Color at that, the extra expense is well worth it in the end.
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