An up to 8K visual feat for your entertainment senses, Samsung have released their full smart TV line up for 2022.

STG was sent one of their top shelf models, the QN800B to give it a go over.

Being all screen the massive 65 inch Neo QLED has next to zero bezel (frame). This is more noticeable once you fire up the TV and start streaming or gaming.

But first there’s a bit of D.I.Y.

The weighted TV stand that’s included needs to be placed together.

As with previous years models, Samsung have not made any significant changes here.

There’s a rear stand mount that needs to be screwed in to the back of the tele, then the hefty base slots in to a connector which is then screwed in to the rear mount.

Fairly easy, but not a one person job.

From there you can power on and level up.

The QN800B will connect and integrate in to your existing home WiFi. There’s two ways to go through the approximately 7 minute set up.

Quickest is to use your smartphone, if you have a Samsung device and use the ‘Smart things’ app.

Manually, it is also straightforward but with a couple more manual steps involved.

Syncing up with your Samsung device takes a few shortcuts as it mirrors some of the settings from your phone.

Some years back Samsung opted to remove ports from their TVs and adopted the one cable.

This is a plug and wire that goes from the back of the TV to a connector box.

This year, the connector box seemed a bit wider and flatter.

Ideally you’d sit the connector box, or hub, below the TV, or at best somewhere that you can easily access the ports.

This years model has an ethernet (internet) port, a Display port, four HDMI’s with ARC and two USB sockets.

There’s a bonus USB port in the back too. More on that later.

Once you’re good to go it’s all screen time.

Depending on what settings you may have backed up already in the Samsung Cloud your Home Screen will show your most recent or preferred apps.

If you’re new to the world of Samsung – you can get yourself installing the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and more via the builtin Samsung store.

The Samsung smart TVs are built on a Tizen operating system. If you’re rocking a non-Samsung Android phone, you’re not going to be able to install apps from Google. This said, majority of the main entertainment apps are available in Samsung’s own store.

The QN800B has some built in smarts to it. You can mix a smart assistant in to control your tele, Alexa or Samsung’s own Bixby.

If you have a Samsung smart phone then do everything remotely with your phone.

The QN800B will also upscale or determine the best viewing for whatever you’re about to watch, adapting with Quantum HDR 32X feature.

For gaming it’s an eye blistering detailed and delicious 4K. If you’ve been shooting 8K footage on a high end Samsung phone, then playback on the QN800B in full 8K.

Easy to transfer over to – just tap the side of the smart TVs screen.

Samsung have, this year, made their TV remote for the QN800B rechargeable. Batteries are so last year.

With Dolby Atmos and object tracking the QN800B audio output that rivals some expensive Soundbars, the QN800B will depending on the media being played, give a cinema-like sound experience.

Now, that USB port in the back of the TV?

If wireless streaming from your Samsung smart phone is not possible, cable it in. Also – a recently released announcement from Xbox is that you can play your games in GamePass via the cloud on a new model Samsung smart TV.

Install the app and play away – connect your Xbox One / Series X|S controller either with bluetooth or cable in and boom. Game on. No Xbox console required.

As we saw earlier this year with their flagship smart phones, Samsung are being a bit more cost conscious and this 2022 65 inch QN800B model actually costs less than last years equivalent.

It is still an investment though – so be sure to pick the right model for yourself and your needs.

If you’re already in the Samsung ecosystem, the QN800B would be best bet (or the smaller 55 inch model).

Either way the QN800B gives you all of the benefits of a large screen, visuals second to none and now even gaming on the fly.

The post Samsung NEO QLED 8K QN800B TV Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung innovate.

They are THE pioneers of smart wearables, it was the rise of Android based phones from 2008 where the first Samsung smartwatches clasped on to the wrists of the tech savvy.

Soon it was not just the techies wearing smart watches as Samsung perfected their innovative time piece for the masses.

The Galaxy Watch built with Samsung’s own Tizen based software has gone through a few appearance changes over the years. From a small form factor sporty look through to a more masculine rugged appearance and now we have the second iteration of the Active series.

Active2 comes in two sizes, 44mm and 40mm.

The all screen, all glass rounded watch face maximises the display real estate almost from edge to edge.

The tactile twisty bezel that we experienced on last year’s Gear and 2019’s Galaxy Watch series is gone making the Active2 super smooth and exquisitely sleek. Instead of the turnstyle to navigate through the smartwatches menus and settings the upper face edge of the device is touch – thus enabling you to still scroll.

Swipe gestures also operate the Active2.

Swipe right for notifications, swipe left for health stats. Quick menu is a swipe down and to change your watchface is a long press on the screen. Too easy.

The Samsung Active2 smartwatch will need to pair with your smartphone via Bluetooth – on either iOS (iPhone) or Android.

Due to the Active2 requiring the Galaxy Wearable App to pair, you will need to install on your device.

Setting up is super easy on both iOS and Android. Generally the Wearable App will pick up that you have an Active2 and begin pairing it. While the App does offer up stats about your new and shiny Active2 you’re unlikely to use it all that much beyond the initial set up, unless you want to kit out your new wrist based companion and download and install either Samsung or third party smartwatch faces, apps this can be done here.

The health aspect of the Active2 has had an overhaul. As with the Galaxy Watches before it (and the first model of the Samsung Active) it will monitor your heart rate, count your steps, allow you to perform stress tests, set fitness goals and will remind you every hour to move if you have been sitting too still.

Unlike the previous Samsung smartwatches, the reminders are not only text based – they are short animations, most of which display the action the Active2 is recommending.

The Active2 is also equipped to be able to control (if you allow) third party apps, such as Spotify. Or if you have your own personal collection of music tracks, the Active2 has 4GB of internal storage.

This is likely to get gobbled up by third party apps or watch faces though and 4GB of internal storage is way too low for any discerning digital music library bearer.  RAM (memory) comes in at 768MB, which seemed to be a weirdly precise configuration to me, but during my time with the Active2 44mm it has not frozen or lagged.

Two hard buttons are slim-lined on to the right side of the Active2. The lower one takes you directly to the main menu’s and the upper one acts like a ‘Back’ button. A long press however, will activate Bixby.

The Active2 comes with a rather fancy strap, when compared to the silicone offering that came with the first Active. Leather-like and buckled. Active and Active2 straps are swappable aswell.

Wearing the Active2 44mm is a perfect fit for a small or larger wrist. I have a Galaxy Watch 44mm and it appears gigantic when compared to the same sized Active2.

Battery will see you right for around two to three days. This is of course dependant on how you use the Active2, as in, Always On Display is turned on, how active you are, how many notifications you receive and of course the addition of third party apps.

I was able to squeeze three days of life and I am a heavy user. In my test with the Active2 44mm smartwatch I was able to squeeze 3.5 days out of the device by turning off Always On Display.

Still – a watch that you can wear and forget about for a couple of days is good enough for most.

Waterproof up to 50M, dust proof and even drop shock protected the Samsung’s Active2 smartwatch appears to be aimed at the more fitness inclined, but is also a fashionable timepiece for anyone, and personally I absolutely love the all screen display.

The post Samsung Active2 Smartwatch Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.