Samsung LE32R87 review

Performance
While watching high-definition material we found the LE32 to be very capable indeed. Our HD DVD test disc, Serenity, was sharp and full of detail. At the start of the movie where we zoom into the Earth, the planet has an almost 3D look to it. In Happy Gilmore, everything looked bright and colourful. We found that motion also looked natural and there was no judder.

The rear of the TV has loads of high definition inputs, including two HDMI sockets and component video in

To get the most accurate black reproduction we turned the backlight right down. In a normally lit room, this should be sufficient to have a bright image. In more strongly lit environments you may want to push it up higher -- but remember, the brighter you set the backlight the less dark your blacks will be. At this level, there was plenty of detail in the image, even in the darker areas.

For upscaled DVD the Samsung remains a strong performer. Pictures had plenty of detail, and we were pleased to see that The Big Lebowski had all its usual charm. There was some film noise, but this was generally reduced by the set's electronic processing. Colour was well reproduced and there were times we forgot we were watching standard definition. 

Freeview performance was good, although we weren't blown away by it. Colour reproduction was strong, but a little unrealistic at times. We found reds seemed to bleed over somewhat, especially on daytime quiz shows. Generally the LE32 did a good job at deinterlacing TV -- we didn't see too many of the jagged edges you sometimes find on standard-definition material. The picture was quite sharp too. Close ups of faces held plenty of detail, although long shots were much less crisp.

Samsung's movie mode ensures that the picture is free of grain and noise. It also smoothes motion slightly. This is good if you find that progressive film material looks a little jerky. Some people may not like the adjustments the Samsung makes to the picture, but you can turn the settings off if they don't suit you.

Like most LCD TVs this one has a separate menu system for all things to do with the digital TV. This is slightly confusing, because it's accessed through a different menu button on the remote control. It also looks uglier, and soft. This isn't a huge deal, but the inconsistency grates.

Conclusion
We rather like the LE32R87: the picture quality is good, the screen is bright and clear and for the most part a pleasure to watch.

When using the movie mode, especially the 'movie plus' setting, remember that it can dramatically change the way films look. So if you notice your movies have lost some of their atmosphere, it may be because this mode does such a good job of stripping the jerky film motion and makes movies look like normal TV.

If you're looking for an alternative, the Toshiba 32WLT68 and the Sony KDL-32V2000 are both good options, albeit more expensive ones. Overall, though, the LE32R87 is a great TV, once you've fiddled with the picture settings.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Nick Hide