Samsung PN50B650 — High-End Features Without The Price
Posted by hdtv buying guide on August 21, 2009 under HDTV Reviews, Plasma HDTV, Samsung | 
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Like many retailers, Samsung has many different lines and models of flat-screen, high-definition television. As the price goes up so, too, do the features and price.
The top end of its plasma-screen line is Series 8, which features all of Samsung’s high-end technology. One step down in the plasma offerings is Series 6, which is less expensive but still packs the punch of Series 8.
The Samsung PN50B650 is a 50-inch, 1080p plasma-screen model that retails for $1,799.99. Most retailers will take a few hundred off that price, so expect to pay closer to $1,500.
Key features include the screen itself, which refreshes at a rate of 600Hz, or 600 times per second. That allows the PN50B650 to go from sports to action movies to gaming without a single bit of motion blur.
The Series 6 models include internet connectivity in the form of Yahoo news widgets and content streaming. With a wireless adapter, the PN50B650 can stream content from other networked computers in the house.
Cnet, which gave favorable reviews of the television’s picture, was less impressed with the Yahoo service, calling it sluggish and balky. If you’re looking for a quick glance at the news right this second, that may make the widget option less attractive.
One of the more unique features of the PN50B650 is its ability to update its operating software directly from the internet. Older versions — and many other brands — send you to your computer, where you download software and save it to a USB drive. From there, it’s plugged into the TV and installed.
The PN50B650 can download updates directly, taking a few steps out of the equation.
Three HDMI inputs grace the rear of the cabinet, with an additional input on the side. There’s no shortage of other inputs, either, be it composite, component, PC or USB.
The menus for adjusting color are largely easy to navigate, though you can skip the individual adjustments in favor of a handful of pre-set modes.
Samsung claims its current plasma line uses 40 percent less electricity than the models from 2008. Some of those claims are made by adjusting the default settings to very low brightness. For the most part, though, the newer models do manage to save a bit of power.
If you can find a PN50B650 for $1,500 or less, its picture quality and connectivity options make it an attractive option.
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