Samsung PN58B860 Review

Someone looking for a luxury product, should stop by and check on the 2009 release from Samsung, the Samsung PN58B860 plasma TV. For a 58 inch plasma TV, it is not unusual to carry a steep price, but some people may decide against such a buy, seeing that almost the only novelty the 850/860 series from Samsung brings over the previous 650 is the – we must say it – astonishing sleek design, with only 1.2 inches in depth. Performance is about the same, and this Samsung plasma TV is still a product meant for those that don’t mind paying extra just for having a cool looking HDTV installed in their living room.

You might consider reading also the Samsung PN50B860 review which is a bit more in-depth. Both models are part of the B860 series from samsung and share the same performance and features. The only difference between them is the screen size - 58 inch for PN58B860 and 50 inch for PN50B860.

At a Glance

• 1080p resolution
• Contrast ratio: 3,000,000:1 (dynamic)
• Anti-glare filter: Ultra FilterBright Plus
• 24p cinema mode
• USB
• Ethernet
• WiFi
• Internet@TV
• Picture In Picture
• Wide Color Enhancer Pro

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Good black levels (significantly improved compared to last year’s models)
• Highly accurate colors
• Solid video processing
• Solid standard definition processing

Cons:

• No S-video input
• Relatively expensive
• Though anti-glare performance is good, other models are better

Performance

While Samsung PN58B860 can complement any room where would be placed, its performance is nothing to sneeze at. Besides taking into account the ability to connect to certain resources on the Internet, the 600Hz subfield motion technology, and the new antiglare filter, taking it down to the basics, Samsung PN58B860 sports very nice black levels (although not as black as on Panasonic models, which are the deepest blacks seen on a plasma TV in 2009), great accurate colors and reliable video processing abilities.

Black Levels

Not entirely the strongest point of Samsung PN58B860, the black levels still manage to display well. The 650 models seems to have a bit of the upper hand in the matter, with slightly better quality in the area, but the differences are not so noticeable. Shadow details are pretty decent as well, contributing to the overall good quality in performance for this plasma TV.

Color Accuracy

Samsung PN58B860 has crispy clear image, with accurate, above the mark colors. The performance in this field is unequaled by any other plasma TV sold on the market these days, and this must say something. Primary and secondary colors are displayed accurately, despite failing to acquire the same amount of saturation as Panasonic models, that benefit a lot from sporting the deepest blacks seen in 2009. Despite that, there are no tinges of a different color smearing the black areas, and all colors are shown properly.

Video Processing

No matter what type of high definition content you intend to watch, you will have a very pleasant surprise with Samsung PN58B860. You can watch Blu-ray discs, as well as any 1080p or 1080i video sources. Ignoring the fact that the 600Hz subfield motion feature is there merely to add to a list of fancy option, the quality of high definition content watched on Samsung PN58B860, including 1080p/24 video content, is one of the best.

Standard Definition Performance

The same thing is applicable for standard definition performance. Samsung PN58B860 does a pretty good job, too, when it comes to solving the lines from regular DVD’s, and no artefacts are noticed when the image is displayed on the screen.

Conclusion

A sign of social status, Samsung PN58B860 offers looks and performance in the same package. For the consumer only interested in having a competitive plasma model in their home, the thin high tech look may not seem much, as long as the performance stands on the same level with the less expensive series 6 from Samsung. If you don’t mind paying for a cool appearance, this particular model is tailored for you.