Showing Samsung’s strong history with LCD panels for all manner of devices, the M8 is raising the bar for image quality among flat-screen TVs.

The 40in (101cm) 40M8 is a wide-screen HDTV, supporting full HD, or 1080p resolution, with a screen res of 1,920 x 1,080. This model includes a HD tuner, which looks excellent with free-to-air HDTV broadcasts. The screen also supports three HDMI inputs, two component inputs, two composites for that old DVD player in the corner and a PC D-Sub connector for some geeky gaming. The screen’s tuner is fully featured, and onscreen menus are a pleasure to use. The included 2 x 10W speakers in the screen are pretty weak; you wouldn’t want to rely on them for a movie experience.

Colour and contrast on the 40M8 are excellent, showing surprisingly deep blacks for an LCD panel and vibrant, colourful images. The system states a 15,000:1 contrast ratio and 8ms refresh, though both are unable to be tested independently. The screen surface is reflective, similar to the branded, bright viewing coatings found on some newer notebook PCs, so beware of lights behind the viewer. The screen’s design is sleek and shiny with a piano-black finish; it might look a little imposing in a smaller room.

Overall, the Samsung LA40M81BD is a solid choice for 1080p HD viewing — it has good contrast for an LCD, a good tuner for telly and plenty of connectors — just pretend the speakers don’t exist.