Digital Trends

Samsung LN-S2651D

March 27th, 2007 | by Jason Tomczak

Features and Design

The Samsung LN-S2651D HDTV is a gorgeous, well designed and very satisfying LCD TV. The first and most noticeable aspect of the LN-S2651D is the super-glossy black finish. It's shiny and smooth, like a brand new Mercedes. Unless you're opposed to gloss-black finishes on your home entertainment equipment, this HDTV is going to look sexy anywhere.

The LN-S2651D has an impressive 4000:1 contrast ratio which helps create realistic looking deep blacks and bright whites. Contrast ratio is very important in an LCD TV, and 4000:1 is great, especially for an HDTV priced between $800 and $1000 USD retail. Some Samsung HDTVs have contrast ratios as high as 10,000:1, but they're typically much more expensive. The LN is also capable of displaying 1080i/ 720p HD sources thanks to its 1366 x 768 resolution.

This Samsung also has a super-fast 8ms refresh rate, meaning that colors don't stay on the screen longer than they should - ghosting and artifacts are nearly nonexistent given a high-quality video source. Another important factor is the 500 cd/m2 brightness. Of course, the brightness can be reduced if you want, but 500 cd/m2 is really quite good for a moderately priced HDTV.

This 26" LCD TV has a specific "game mode" which allows XBOX 360, PS2, PS3 and Wii users to see enhanced colors and sound ideally suited for today's video games.

The LN-S2651D can also be used as a computer monitor with its 1366x768 screen resolution. This is a smaller screen res than most dedicated computer monitors, but for those folks who want to simplify things and multitask their display, the LN-S2651D provides excellent colors and clarity for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Apple's OS X.

Of course, the LN-S2651D has two built-in speakers with 5 watts each. This may not seem like much, but the sound produced by the TV is pretty good (note - not fantastic, but certainly acceptable). You can hook up any analog or digital receiver (or even computer speakers with 1/8" inputs) to the LN-S2651D for enhanced sound.

Even though the LN-S2651D is a widescreen TV, it can correctly display standard television at 4:3 ratio. In fact, there are several viewing modes available in the setup menu.

One cool feature of the LN-S2651D is the ability to use PIP, or Picture in Picture. PIP can be used to watch two TV channels at once or it can also be used to watch a single (though small) television channel while using the LCD screen as a computer monitor.

The included remote control is well designed and feels good in the hand; it is very lightweight even with batteries installed. Despite the light weight, the remote doesn't feel flimsy or cheap. Channel, volume and source buttons are easy to find and use, whether your fingers are big or dainty.

For near-insomniacs or for those who watch TV in bed, the LN-S2651D even has a sleep timer. This allows you to just fall asleep without worrying about the TV staying on all night. It's a good trick for parents who want their kids to stop watching TV by a certain time, too. Just set the TV to turn off by a predetermined time and voila - "Hey kids, the TV is on the fritz. Go play outside!"

The LN-S2651D can also be mounted on a wall with an optional VESA mount. These are typically pricey, but tons of them are available on eBay for much less than retail.

The Samsung LN-S2651D and on-screen menu