The Samsung UN55B6000 and the Samsung UN55B7000 look alike and offer similar performance, so you might be asking - why is the latter more expensive? This is because in spite of the similarities they share, they do have some differences. Here’s a look at both.
Some similarities of the UN55B6000 and UN55B7000 come from the fact that both share the same edge-lit LED technology, which means they have LED bulbs arranged around the edges of the frame that project the light towards a central sheet instead of the regular flourescent backlight. This results in deeper black levels, though not as deep as those produced by local-dimming LED HDTV sets - those with LED bulbs arranged in clusters behind the front panel, while allowing each set to run cooler, consume much less electricity and weigh less than 25 kilograms.
Another distinct similarity they share is the design, so you might not be able to tell them apart just by looking. This isn’t a bad thing, though, since the design they share is one of the best around - with the screen seamlessly surrounded by a sleek black bezel tinged with a red border and finishing off with a transparent outer edge. Both come with swiveling stands - transparent stalks atop a metal base with the same red tinge.
Even from the back, you won’t be able to tell the UN55B6000 apart from the UN55B7000, simply since they sport the same connectivity suite. This consists of four HDMI inputs, a component video connection, a VGA-style PC input and two USB connections among others - impressive enough but if you have several old analog devices you wish to connect, you might run into some problems.
If you turn on either HDTV, you will also find that they have the same user-friendly on-screen menu and picture controls, which include four adjustable picture modes, five color temperature presets and four aspect ratio selections. And if you try watching a fast-paced action movie, you can find the same dejudder processing system in action, which, combined with 120Hz refresh rate, creates superb motion resolution.
So how do you distinguish the UN55B6000 from the UN55B7000? The interactive features is the key. Indeed, the main advantage the UN55B7000 has over the UN55B6000 and the reason why it costs more is because it has more interactive features, like the Yahoo widgets that are found on many high-end HDTVs, the built-in content library of recipes, exercises and HD photos that has become one of the trademarks of Samsung HDTVs and access to media files on networked computers via its DLNA compatibility. The only thing it lacks in this sense is the capability to stream videos from online servers directly - something some more expensive sets are equipped with.
On the other hand, you will find only the InfoLink portal on the Samsung UN55B6000 which keeps you posted on online information like news, local weather and stock market reports but is not as good as the Yahoo widgets which also serve the same purpose.
Other differences are harder to discern, like the more saturated colors of the UN55B7000 or the warmer blues and better shadow detail of the UN55B6000. In any case, the effects of these on the picture quality of each model is also hard to discern, so you will only see breathtaking images with accurate, realistic colors and deep blacks. That alone is enough reason to buy the Samsung UN55B6000, though if you have more money to spend and want an HDTV you can truly rely on for online information or one that offers network streaming, then the UN55B7000 should suit you just fine.