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Samsung M5300 – Smart TV At An Affordable Rate

Someone watching TV as their feet step on the screen

The Samsung m5300 is an affordable smart TV aimed at the sub $300 category of consumer electronics. It offers full HD capability but falls short in sound and picture quality. The compact design means you can easily place it in your living room or mount it on the wall without worrying about the amount of space it takes.

On a scale of 1 to 10, this TV ranks a weak 6. It does have all the necessary functionality of a smart TV. However, the picture quality is where everything goes wrong. Samsung dropped the ball on this one. The colors appear blotchy and miscued, making watching this set in a dark room pointless. You do not have picture adjustment functionality, so you are pretty much stuck with the dim unclear pictures. The sound quality is not bad. However, the manufacturer would have added a little more oomph in the clarity. The TV is best suited as a secondary screen. You can use it for areas such as the bedroom or dining area. Better still, as an extended display for your computer.

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Samsung tv dipsplaying image

The model was discontinued as of 2018 and the Samsung un5300 series is what is now on offer as an alternative.

You can check the prices of the Samsung n5300 on Amazon.

ProsCons
Price
• You can get this television set for as low as $300 and below
Picture Quality
• The uneven color display when viewed at an angle leaves a lot to be desired.
Smart TV
• It features the proprietary Samsung Smart TV capabilities making it far superior as compared to other televisions in the same price range.
Connectivity
• The limited number of HDMI ports limits the number of devices that you can plug into the system.
• The lack of a 3.5mm audio jack limits your choice of audio devices that you can connect.
• There is no Bluetooth capability, further limiting connection with external devices.
Size
• The compact design and lightweight, make it easy to move and can fit in any room in the house.
Sound Quality
• The speakers are mediocre at best. There is no bass support and lots of distortion at high volume

Key features of the Samsung m5300 / n5300

1. Display

The TV is equipped with a Full HD LED panel that supports a 1920 X 1080 resolution. The screen has a 50/60 Hz refresh rate allowing you to seamlessly view cable TV and internet streaming. A lack of a picture adjustment function is a major letdown. You will struggle to watch anything on the screen if you are in a dark room, given the low contrast ratio and limited color spectrum. It does not support HDR but does quite well with SDR content.

2. Viewing angles

This TV ranks very poorly when it comes to viewing angles. The best viewing is when facing the screen directly. As you increase the angle between you and the TV, the picture becomes unclear and patchy. The brightness of the screen becomes an issue and you can barely make out the pictures. It struggles with the color black which displays as grey in dark rooms and gets worse the closer you are to the television.

Samsung tv showing beautiful landscape

3. Antiglare capabilities

The screen does well with ambient light in brighter rooms but the antiglare capability can be better. It falls short of the capabilities that Samsung is known for and makes the TV look like a side project if an intern at the factory.

4. Smart TV capabilities

The m5300 comes with a quad-core processor that allows for faster switching between apps and makes browsing faster. The extra processing power also allows for smoother online streaming as compared to other television sets within the same price range.

SmartHub gives you access to the Samsung library of apps that includes streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO. The inbuilt web browser offers a great browsing experience as it contains all the features you would expect from a hardware-specific browser. Game mode optimizes your experience by offering low latency, allowing for seamless gaming.

Screen mirroring allows you to share video content to and from your connected smartphone. ConnectHub as in other Samsung televisions gives the television the ability to interact with other smart devices within your home. These include Alexa, Multimedia Stations, and even your mobile phone. A noticeable flaw with the smart TV functionality is that it hangs sometimes, and you will have to turn off the set before being able to use it again.

5. Design

The standard thirty-two-inch model features a plastic casing. It has a rounded back that is 20 millimeters thick, making it slightly larger than most smart televisions available in the market. It is compact with measurements of 29.2 by 17.2 by 2.7 inches. You can either use the stands to place the TV on a table or use the VESA mounting on the back. The infrared port for communication with the remote is at the front of the set.

6. Connectivity

The television comes with two HDMI ports. You get the standard HDMI and one that offers ARC (Audio Return Channel) capability. The limited number of HDMI ports does not bode well for users who want to use the screen with multiple devices. You can still connect other peripheral devices using the analog RCA connections behind the TV.

You have one USB port available to you. However, any pen drive above 128 GB is not supported. The television’s OS can read most file formats, both audio and video, so you need not worry about converting files.

Samsung TV input

The Samsung m5300 supports both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections, making it easy for you to stream content straight from the internet. The range of the Wi-Fi is decent as well, offering a connection area of about 100 meters.

DLNA capability allows you to share all media across all your connected devices on your home network.

You can also access free-to-air channels by connecting an antenna to the coaxial connector located at the back. Automatic scanning will help you identify what channels are available within your location.

7. Accessibility to connection ports

All the television’s connection ports are located at the back panel, making them accessible if you mount the screen on a wall. The RCA, antenna, and digital inputs are the most affected as they are flush with the VESA mounting section. This limits how best you can place the television, only limiting you to using the plastic stands that come with the TV set.

8. Audio output

The Samsung m5300 has DTS Premium Sound 5.1 as its sound driver. However, despite the superior hardware, the performance is underwhelming. The dual speakers lack bass support, and increasing the volume will lead to distortion. The built-in equalizer is more of an unnecessary addition. Any attempt to adjust the levels does very little to improve sound delivery. The only way to get decent sound quality is to connect an external home theatre system. There is no 3.5mm audio jack, meaning you are stuck with the digital audio out and RCA audio-in ports.

9. Ease of use

The remote that comes with the m3500 consists of 45 buttons that present quite the learning curve. Most of the buttons are for selecting channels, which adds unnecessary clutter to the remote. You can still get by with the directional and menu buttons. You also have media control buttons that come in handy when using streaming apps such as YouTube and Hulu.

Technical specifications

The specifications listed below are for the 32-inch model.

Model NumberUN325300A
ColorBlack with Plastic Bezel stands with metal finish
Screen size32’’
Screen resolution1920 X 1080
HDRUnavailable
Refresh Rate50/60Hz
Connections2 HDMI Ports, 1 USB port
1 Digital Optical Audio Out
1 Coaxial connector
1 Ethernet port
1 Shared Component In
1 Shared Composite In
Audio2 X 10 watts.
DTS Premium Sound 5.1 Support.
Power supplyAC 110 – 120 volts / 210 – 220 volts
Operating systemSamsung Smart TV
Size 29.2 X 17.2 X 2.7 inches
Weight3.81 kg
Extra Accessories1 Standard remote
1 multilingual User Manual
2 wide base bezel stands
1 100X100 VESA wall mount

Who buys the Samsung m5300/ n5300 models?

The model is Samsung’s attempt to reach buyers who want to experience the Samsung Smart TV experience on a budget. It is popular among college students, diners, and roadside inns. You can also use it as a secondary television for your home in the bedroom or play area. It also functions well as an extended monitor for laptops and desktop computers, particularly with gamers.

Where can I buy the Samsung m5300/ Samsung n5300 television sets? The model is available in the following sizes 32’’, 40’’, 43’’, 49’’, and 50’’.

Samsung M5300 Best Alternatives

1. TCL 32S325 or TCL 32S327

Unlike Samsung, the TCL model performs much better when viewed in a dark room. The TCL has 3 HDMI ports allowing for more connectivity and an antiglare LED viewing panel. It further ranks superior with its ease of use.

TLC TV input

The contrast ratio is also far superior to that offered by Samsung. You only get 720p with the 28 and 32-inch models, however, that changes as you go to the larger screens. It comes pre-installed with the ROKU platform that has tons of apps you can use to enjoy online streaming. Models are available from 28 inches to 55 inches. What makes this television set a welcome alternative, is the price. The base model starts at $140, give or take.

2. LG 43UN7300PUF

Another alternative to the Samsung m5300 is the LG 43UN7300PUF. The LG has an IPS panel that offers better wide-angle viewing as compared to the other models in this category. It comes loaded with WebOS, LG’s smart TV platform, which is decent but not as smooth as those offered by the Samsung m5300/ n5300 and TCL.

3. Vizio D Series D32F-E1

The Vizio is available with screen sizes from 24 inches all through to 55 inches. All the sizes have In-Plane Switching (IPS) except for the 50-inch model. The viewing angles are slightly wider than the Samsung but it still ranks lower as compared to other models below $300. You can download third-party apps to its Os, however, the selection is very limited. If pricing is your main motivator for buying, then the Vizio is your ideal choice with prices starting at $190.

4. Hisense 32H4F

The Hisense 32H4F is another alternative to consider. It does not have a 1080p resolution but features IPS that makes for better wide-angle viewing. There is no HDR support and has a very low contrast ratio.

 Vizio D32F-G D-Series displaying landscape

You have a limited range when it comes to brightness level, which limits its functionality in different rooms in the house. It works best as a secondary monitor for gaming and workstations. Limited options are available in terms of screen sizes and with only the 32’’ available at this price range. The Hisense makes a much better choice if you are looking for an under $300 smart TV. Check the current price or check out other Hisense models.

5. Toshiba Fire TV

A great improvement from any of the models discussed above. The Toshiba Fire TV 2019, introduces 4K technology to the budget smart TV market. The picture quality is fairly decent and the intelligent picture feature works mediocre at best. Viewing can get distorted sometimes as the set tries to adjust to the surrounding light conditions. Smart TV features that stand out are the Amazon Alexa integration and access to thousands of online streaming sites.

Conclusion

The Samsung m5300 performs quite decently for a budget Smart TV. Apart from the superior Smart TV capabilities, everything else is poor, and you are better off buying other models within the same price range. It can make a great addition to your children’s room, as they care little about picture and audio quality.

The best application for this television will be as a gaming monitor because it offers the best low-frequency latency as compared to other models of the same pricing tier. Other than the brand name attached to it, everything else is fairly standard for the price tag. The newer Samsung n5300 addresses some of the flaws of the m5300, but the connectivity options and audio quality still need improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Anynet+, and how does it increase to the functionality of the Samsung m5300 / n5300?

You can control devices connected to your TV set via HDMI using the remote that comes with the TV. It uses HDMI-CEC technology and will only work with devices that support this technology. Anynet+ is available in all of the more recent smart TV models and not Samsung alone.

2. Do I need a computer connected to use other Google apps?

No. The Samsung Smart TV operating system is compatible with third-party apps, which you can download using the pre-installed browser available via SmartHub.

Do I need special software to use my external drive with the TV?

ConnectShare allows you to access and view most of the files on your hard drive. It supports all the standard file extensions associated with photos, movies, and music. All you need to do is plug in your external drive, and the in-built software will do the rest.

3. How many devices can I connect to my TV at any particular time?

The Samsung m5300 features 2 HDMI ports, one standard, and one that has ARC. The ARC enabled port allows you to connect a multimedia system that extends your connectivity ability. You can use the remaining port to connect any other device that supports HDMI. The component input located at the back of the TV allows for analog connections with native peripheral devices such as Bluray DVD players and home theatres.

4. What is the warranty that comes with this TV?

Samsung issues a 1-year warranty for this device. The m5300 is out of production. However, you can get the newer Samsung N5300 that offers better picture quality as compared to its predecessor.

5. Can I connect my television to the internet?

Yes, you can. The TV can connect to the internet through its Ethernet port, or you can use Wi-Fi. You can have it as part of your home network and stream video across all devices connected to your home network.

6. What does Eco Sensor mean?

Eco Sensor is your television’s way of offering clear viewing while using the least amount of electricity. It is part of Samsung’s technology that makes the TV adjust the brightness of your screen, depending on the amount of light available in the room.

7. Can I connect my Bluetooth speaker with the television?

Unfortunately, the Samsung m5300 does not have Bluetooth functionality. The feature is not standard for televisions under the $300 price range. However, you can connect an external audio system using the audio outputs located at the back of the television or using the ACR-enabled HDMI port.

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