Samsung TV model numbers - every series explained

Looking to buy a new TV but bewildered but the huge number of Samsung models on offer? Just what are the differences between the various Samsung TVs on sale online and at your local store? Well, we're here to help. After many years of reviewing Samsung TV sets, we can now decipher the model numbers just like that, and here we'll explain how, in order to get you off the starting line when choosing a new TV.

A bit of background first. Every January, at CES in Las Vegas, Samsung announces all its new TV models for the year. It then takes a few months for these to actual be launched and to appear in the shops in the UK, with April to May being typical. However, for many months through the summer, last year's models will still be available and sold side-by-side with the new ones.

While you can’t accuse Samsung of not providing choice, the manufacturer’s television range can be just as confusing as its smartphones, with models spanning different technologies, sizes and designs that might not make any sense unless you can decipher the model names. So here's the lowdown on how it all works.

Breaking down a typical Samsung television model number

Let’s take the Samsung UE60JU6800K as an example and break the model number down into its component pieces to decipher what it means.

The first part, UE indicates that it’s an LED model (U) and it’s a European model (E), Samsung only sells LED models in the UK at present, so every model will have this UE prefix. If you see anything except UE be wary that it's not a grey import intended for a different territory - Samsung uses N for North America and A for Asia, for instance.

Next, the two digits 60. This is the easiest one to decipher as it merely means this model is 60 inches in diagonal screen size. Most models are available in a range of sizes, so you can also have the UE55JU6800K, which is the 55in model of the same TV. If you need more help with TV sizes then head over to our What size TV should I buy? article.

Next up is the model year label, which can either be one or two alphabetical characters but always before a number. In this case, it is JU, looking that up on the table below we can see that the UE60JU6800K is a 2015 UHD model. UHD refers to Ultra High Definition, which is more commonly known as 4K and has four times the screen resolution of a typical Full HD TV. For more on this read our Ultra HD and 4K: The definitive guide & what you can watch.

The next set of numerical digits will indicate the television Series. In this case, the television in question is an 6 Series model, more specifically it's from the 6800 model range. I'll explain what this actually means below.

The final alphabetical character indicates a feature or design element. So the same model might have a slightly different stand or bezel colour and will be given a unique final character to differentiate models. Often these styling tweaks are used to create 'unique' models for particular retailers, giving them an exclusive product. This provides more visual options for consumers, or just makes it harder to shop around for the best price, depending on your point of view.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an obvious and consistent way to tell if a television model is curved or flat based purely on its model name. For example, the JS9500 and JS9000 models are both curved, yet of the JS8500 and JS8000, the latter is flat. So you'll need to actually read the product description to know.

Series differences explained

All of Samsung’s televisions, regardless of resolution (SUHD, UHD, HD) or technology (Quantum Dot, Nano Crystal, LED) are broken down into different ‘Series’. All of 2016’s models fall under either 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 Series models. 

The Series labels are the way Samsung ranks its different models. 9 Series televisions are the best models that Samsung offers, with the best picture quality and technology features, whereas 5 Series are the entry-level models. Different technologies will only feature in certain series, for example Samsung's high-end Quantum Dot display models only appear on Series 7, 8 and 9.

Samsung then applies a Picture Quality Index (PQI) rating to its televisions, which takes into account a number of factors that will affect overall image quality, such as resolution, colour and other image enhancement techniques. So a top of the range Series 9 model might have a PQI rating of 2,400, whereas an entry-level 5 Series model might have a PQI of 300. It's a bit of an arbitrary figure but at least it gives you some rough idea of which sets are better than others.

Check out our Best Buy TVs for 2016 now

You can consider 7 Series as the start of Samsung’s more ‘Premium’ range, which is why there’s slightly less disparity in terms of technology and image quality between 7 and 9 Series models. As with many things, there’s a law of diminishing gains as you spend more on a television.

In previous years, Series 5 televisions might have lacked smart television features, such as integrated Netflix, but nowadays most of Samsung’s models include smart functionality as standard. None of Samsung’s UHD (4K) televisions are Series 5, so you’ll only find Full HD models categorised as Series 5, with UHD models starting at Series 6.