Samsung The Sero TV Review – Awesome TV for the TikTok Generation

Samsung is best known for being one of the world’s largest TV manufacturers in a literal and figurative sense seeing their comprehensive range of TVs ranging from their diverse line-up of Neo QLED 8K TVs that come in all sizes all the way to their mammoth The Wall display that spans a mind-boggling 146-inches. 

Samsung also offers more specialised models that go beyond the traditional form factors like The Frame TV  that also doubles as a picture frame with swappable digital art and the quaint Serif. We’ve had the chance to field test one of their most unique designs that has been tailor-made for the new TikTok generation dubbed the Sero TV – here’s our Samsung The Sero TV review where we see if it deserves a place in your home.

Samsung The Sero TV review – Why is it called the Sero?

Interestingly enough, the inspiration for the Sero TV’s name is actually derived from Korean which means ‘vertical’ or ‘new’ which refers to its raison d’etre – the ability to turn its 43-inch 4K QLED panel into a vertical orientation on demand to enjoy vertical content social media like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube reels.

Rather than a conventional stand or wall mount, the Sero TV has an integrated kickstand much like an art easel to hold it up. As you’d likely surmise, the nature of its design precludes any wall mounting options. You’ll also need to factor in a bit of additional room on the sides to factor in the TV’s ability to rotate to a horizontal position.

Beyond a power cord, a bundled solar-powered SolarCell remote control, a user manual, the TV itself and a separate kickstand that has to be screwed in, the box contents primarily consist of protective styrofoam packaging to keep the TV itself secure while in transit. 

At the base of our The Sero TV review sample is a forward-facing set of 4.1 channel 60W speakers that are sheathed in fabric while the rear hosts a recessed bay with all of the inputs for the TV including a port for the power plug.

The 43-inch 4K QLED display itself has 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) resolution and unlike the more recent Neo QLED TVs which have multiple dimming zones, the QLED tech is a generation prior to it and features a single LED backlight with global dimming. It also features excellent colour accuracy with 100% full colour volume reproduction and a modest 60Hz refresh rate which unfortunately precludes its use in any serious gaming.

Getting it out and deployed is a two-man job as the TV is immensely heavy at over 35 kilos and somewhat unwieldy too as the design lacks wheels; oddly enough those have to be purchased separately and don’t come bundled with the TV itself. More discerning viewers ought to take note that when The Sero TV is fully deployed, the TV panel isn’t in a direct vertical orientation but is instead canted at a slight angle to ensure stability though the panel has a matte coating to minimise reflections.

Under the hood, our The Sero TV review sample has a Quantum 4K processor and runs Samsung’s own Tizen operating system under the hood with connectivity for all the usual content streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Apple TV, YouTube and the like.  In terms of connectivity, the TV itself offers WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, has support for Apple AirPlay and has a trio of HDMI ports as well as a pair of USB ports.

Build quality is exceptional and our The Sero TV review unit feels extremely sturdy indeed with a chassis primarily made of plastic and metal with the fabric coated bottom portion lending it a touch of class.

Samsung The Sero TV review – Specifications

Here’s the official specifications for our The Sero TV review sample:

Specifications
Price RM5,999
Display 43-inch matte QLED, 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, 60Hz refresh rate, Quantum HDR, AI Upscaling, Supreme UHD Dimming, PQI 2900, Quantum Processor 4K, HDR10+ Adaptive,
Audio 4.1CH 60W RMS
OS Tizen
Connectivity 3 x HDMI, 2x USB, 1 x RF In, Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 5
Size/Weight 564.7 x 1200 x 327 mm (with stand) / 32.2kg

Samsung The Sero TV review – Performance

The Sero TV occupies a unique niche with its ability to rotate the display vertically to enjoy content. While it functions primarily as a smart 4K QLED TV, its unique form factor enables it to view vertical content on YouTube reels and TikTok much more effectively than on a conventional display.

If you’ve ever wanted to communally scroll through social media and share what you’re watching on your phone with someone else or even if you want to see everything writ large rather than having to squint at your smartphone display, The Sero TV is currently the only means to do so on a large 43-inch QLED panel.

Getting it up and running does require a bit of work as the TV is immensely heavy and you’ll need to lie it face down first so that you can screw in and install the rear kickstand. Once the TV is plugged in, you’ll be prompted to scan a QR code on the Samsung SmartThings app which is preinstalled on all Samsung phones to set it up. 

If you don’t own a Samsung phone, you can download it off the Google app store or Apple app store. Alternatively, you can set up the TV via the provided SolarCell remote control. Connecting with a Samsung phone is seamless and it plays well with other phones too. The Sero TV can also act as the means to control compatible connected smart devices in your home network like the lights or a washing machine via the aforementioned SmartThings app.

It takes a bit of time to sort out all of the formalities but once all of that’s done, we managed to put our The Sero TV review sample to the test. In the settings, you’re able to select your virtual assistant of choice from Bixby, Google Assistant and Alexa, run through all the colour settings or if you can’t be bothered with the nitty gritty, you can set it to Intelligent Mode where it will intuitively sort out the best picture and sound settings based on where you deployed the TV. You can also set an Ambient mode where it will display an image from its preloaded library or select your own much like wallpaper on a display. 

Once paired up with a smartphone and set to mirror the phone’s display, The Sero TV will follow the phone’s physical orientation so you can flip it sideways to watch movies and back up again to view TikTokor you can do so using the remote control.

Unfortunately, the TV itself isn’t that intuitive and it won’t automatically rotate itself based on what content plays onscreen so if it’s stuck in portrait mode, it’ll play landscape-oriented content with black bars on the top and bottom. On the bright side, content will reorient itself appropriately when you rotate the TV in the right orientation.

Befitting Samsung issued gear, our The Sero TV review sample was able to serve up wonderfully luscious video with vibrant colour rendition and it was able to upscale content to its 43-inch 4K dimensions without pixelation. Watching Netflix on this was a blast and it does the job for casual gaming when hooked up with a PS4 for a few hours of Horizon Zero Dawn Forbidden West but where it excels is in enjoying vertical format content. 

Scrolling through TikTok on our The Sero TV review unit made for a more engrossing experience if that were possible. The motors that rotate the panel are whisper silent and responsive, rotating on demand in a matter of seconds.

The 4.1ch 60W speakers at the base of the TV stand are of note and are able to conjure up some great sound while remaining clear without distortion even at maximum volume with a modicum of bass,  surpassing the typical stereo speakers seen in more conventional TVs.  

Should you buy The Sero TV ?

Thus far, there’s only one size for The Sero TV and there are no alternatives or competitors as there’s literally nothing else in the market quite like it. At the time of writing, there’s also no inclination yet that Samsung would be issuing larger sized variants. On its own merits, it makes for a unique proposition as it is the only smart TV that’s optimised to view vertical content and swap to a traditional horizontal orientation at will. 

The Sero TV also makes for a remarkably portable design despite its unwieldy weight and dimensions. Unlike other designs that have to be permanently mounted to a wall or plonked on a mantelpiece, it’s still relatively easy to move around to various rooms in the house if you install the optional wheels. If you’re a social media junkie, The Sero TV is the best, and only TV best suited to your needs.

Samsung The Sero TV review sample courtesy of Samsung Malaysia. For more details and to purchase please visit their official page at https://www.samsung.com/my/lifestyle-tvs/the-sero/ls05b-43-inch-the-sero-qled-4k-smart-tv-white-qa43ls05bbkxxm/