130

Samsung The Sero TV Review

Nathan Rizzuti Avatar
Updated Jan 31, 2024 11:54 AM

True Score

77
74
8

Experts

82
147

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

Samsung The Sero excels in well-lit rooms but falls short in dark room settings due to its contrast and black uniformity issues. Ultimately, it’s worth the price for heavy social media users looking to save space and have good audio-visual quality.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The main selling point of the Samsung The Sero TV, which was released in 2020, is the TV’s ability to flip into portrait mode to watch vertical content, making it one of the best TVs for heavy social media users and those seeking space-saving solutions.

Its standout feature sets it apart from traditional TVs and adds a touch of creativity to home entertainment.

The Sero TV boasts a 4K UHD resolution with an IPS panel, delivering good color accuracy and a fast response time, making it suitable for gaming and everyday content consumption.

However, its display quality may be limited in dark room settings due to its lower contrast ratio, black uniformity issues, and a 60 Hz Panel, impacting movie-watching and HDR performance.

The Sero falls into the mid-range category, typically ranging from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the screen size and specific model.

Consensus

our Verdict

Samsung The Sero has great SDR peak brightness, which tested at 398 cd/m², excellent for handling reflections in well-lit rooms. It offers good color accuracy and a low input lag of 9.5 ms with a 60Hz refresh rate.

However, it struggles in dark rooms due to its 1,169: 1 contrast ratio and black uniformity problems. The rotating portrait mode screen is a novel feature, but it can be inconvenient and annoying.

The TV also boasts low input lag and has 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports. Build-wise, the TV is sturdy, with good-quality plastic and a metal frame.

However, the lack of VRR support and limited refresh rate are also downsides for serious gamers. It also has a low HDR brightness and is without local dimming.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Unique rotating screen for vertical content
  • Beautiful and futuristic design
  • Quality reflection handling for well-lit rooms
  • Good color accuracy
  • Fast response time and low input lag for gaming
  • Wide viewing angles
  • Good SDR peak brightness
  • Upscales lower resolution content well
  • Front-firing speakers provide good audio
  • Smart TV features with built-in apps

Reason to Avoid

  • Bad black uniformity
  • Mediocre contrast ratio
  • No variable refresh rate (VRR) support
  • Simplified Tizen OS not optimized for portrait mode
  • Limited to 60Hz refresh rate
  • Backlight flicker causes image duplication in fast-moving scenes
  • Doesn’t handle direct reflections well
  • No local dimming for an improved HDR experience
  • Limited mobility without wheels or easy transport options
  • Some features and apps are limited to Samsung phone users only

Samsung The Sero TV Specs

Backlight TypeBacklight TypeEdge
Display TypeLED
HDMI Inputs3
HDR FormatHDR10, HDR10+, HLG
LED Panel TypeLED Panel TypeQuantum LED
Max Resolution3840 x 2160 (4k)
Refresh Rate60 Hz
Screen size43"
Smart PlatformSmart PlatformTizen
Sync TechnologySync TechnologyNo
VRRVRRNo

All Specs

Test Results

Color Gamut % (DCI P3 xy)91.035
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)93.61
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 xy)65.31
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 uv)72.16
Color Gamut % (sRGB)0
Color Gamut % (Rec 709)0
Color Gamut % (BT.2020)72
Color Gamut % (Adobe RGB)0
Color Gamut % (BT.709)0
Contrast Ratio (x:1)1,169
SDR Brightness (nits)422
HDR Brightness (nits)441
Input Lag (ms)9.8
Response Time (ms)16
Color Washout (Degrees)29
Color Shift (Degrees)60
Brightness Loss (Degrees)33
Reflections (%)5.7
Low-Freq Extension (Hz)71.27
Freq Response StdDev @ 70db2.5
Freq Response StdDev @ 80db2.44
Weighted Total Harmonic Distortion @80db0.117
Intermodulation Distortion @80db0.61
EOTF (600 nit delta)0
EOTF (1000 nit delta)0
EOTF (4000 nit delta)0

All Tests

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Product Comparison

Samsung The Sero TV Review

True Score

77
82
89
82

Ranking

#

130

/

158

#

78

/

158

#

17

/

158

#

85

/

158

Market Context

The main selling point of the Samsung The Sero TV, which was released in 2020, is the TV’s ability to flip into portrait mode to…

The main selling point of the Samsung The Sero TV, which was released in 2020, is the TV’s ability to flip into portrait mode to watch vertical content, making it one of the best TVs for heavy social media users and those seeking space-saving solutions.

Its standout feature sets it apart from traditional TVs and adds a touch of creativity to home entertainment.

The Sero TV boasts a 4K UHD resolution with an IPS panel, delivering good color accuracy and a fast response time, making it suitable for gaming and everyday content consumption.

However, its display quality may be limited in dark room settings due to its lower contrast ratio, black uniformity issues, and a 60 Hz Panel, impacting movie-watching and HDR performance.

The Sero falls into the mid-range category, typically ranging from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the screen size and specific model.

Samsung The Sero TV is an innovative and unique TV with a rotating screen, targeted towards heavy social media users and those seeking a space-saving…

Samsung The Sero TV is an innovative and unique TV with a rotating screen, targeted towards heavy social media users and those seeking a space-saving solution. It performs well in well-lit rooms and offers good color accuracy but has limitations in dark room settings. On the other hand, Samsung Q80T QLED is a premium TV with Quantum Dot technology, providing superior color and brightness performance, but it’s also slightly pricier the The Sero. The Q89T has a higher refresh rate, better contrast ratio, and overall improved HDR experience, making it a top choice for gamers and movie enthusiasts. For more, check out our Samsung TU690T TV review.

The Samsung The Sero TV and the Samsung S95C OLED TV cater to different market segments with notable differences in price, visual quality, specs, features,…

The Samsung The Sero TV and the Samsung S95C OLED TV cater to different market segments with notable differences in price, visual quality, specs, features, and performance. The Sero TV is positioned as a mid-range offering, with its standout feature being the rotating screen, allowing users to switch between landscape and portrait mode, making it suitable for social media and vertical content. While it offers good color accuracy and a fast response time, it falls short in dark room settings due to its lower contrast ratio and black uniformity issues. Additionally, the Sero uses a 60 Hz IPS panel, which may not deliver the same depth of black and contrast as OLED panels. The S95C excels in all lighting conditions and offers a higher refresh rate of 120Hz for smoother motion handling. For more, check out our Samsung S95C OLED TV review.

LG UN7300 TV is a budget-friendly option that offers high performance and a straightforward smart TV experience. But overall, The Sero delivers better brightness, a…

LG UN7300 TV is a budget-friendly option that offers high performance and a straightforward smart TV experience. But overall, The Sero delivers better brightness, a wider color gamut, and more accuracy. The LG It features a standard LED panel with 4K UHD resolution, providing acceptable visual quality for everyday viewing. It’s also important to note that the LG does better with handling reflections and delivering deeper black levels. You can also try checking out our Samsung M4500 TV review if you want to conduct further research.

Backlight Type

Edge

Edge

No

Edge

Display Type

LED

LED

OLED

LED

HDMI Inputs

3

2

4

2

HDR Format

HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

HDR10+

HDR10+, HLG

No

LED Panel Type

Quantum LED

LED

LED

Max Resolution

3840 x 2160 (4k)

3840 x 2160 (4k)

3840 x 2160 (4k)

1366 x 768

Refresh Rate

60 Hz

60 Hz

120 Hz, 144 Hz

60 Hz

Screen size

43"

50"

55", 65", 77"

32"

Dig Deeper

Samsung TU690T TV Review →

Samsung S95C OLED TV Review →

Samsung M4500 TV Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

74

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

82

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

77

Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    101.4

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    Alexander Tozzi
  • Tom’s Guide
    79.85

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    Kate Kozuch
  • Trusted Reviews
    77.5

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    Kob Monney
  • CNET
    80.25

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    David Katzmaier
  • Techradar
    67

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    Henry St Leger
  • Pocket Lint
    65.1

    Category Trust Rating

    By:

    CHRIS HALL