In mid-June, Allview announced the expansion of the ePlay TV series, with new models that stand out with their narrow 3-sided design and 4K HDR10 image quality. There are 3 new variants included in this new lineup, with diagonals of 43 inches (109 cm), 50 inches (126 cm) and 55 inches (140 cm) respectively, and we had the opportunity to test the most accessible model in the trio, the 43 inch called Allview 43ePlay6100-U about which you will find out more details today. The TV now costs 1,499 lei and you can find out from the following lines what it reserves for us in terms of image, acoustics, design and extra functions.
Unboxing, installation and design
The box in which the Allview 43ePlay6100-U TV arrives is a massive and colorful one that gives us a preview of the design adopted by the product, but also some of its main hardware features. It is seriously protected inside for transport and among the accessories found in the box are the remote control + batteries, a user manual, the two metal feet / stand and the 4 screws needed for installation.
It didn't take me more than 10 minutes to get the TV "up and running" out of the box. I did this alone, without help, and the TV was ready for action. By the way, the power cord is integrated directly into the back, with dedicated support. Because we also included the design chapter here, you should know that the 43ePlay6100-U looks very good visually, even very well if you compare it with other similar models on the market.
Why do I say that? Because the TV adopts a modern look with a front area that involves a silver bottom edge and very narrow edges on the 3 sides (top, left, right) - the visual result delivered is very effective. The metal and durable legs ensure the support of the 7.45 kg TV without any problems.
Display and image quality
The panel that Allview used for this TV is an LED with VA technology, diagonal of 43 inches ~ 109 cm, 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and 16: 9 aspect ratio of the image. It has a viewing angle of 150/160 degrees, brightness of 250cd / sqm and native contrast 5000/1. The novelty compared to previous Allview models is represented by the HDR10 support for more realistic and natural images and deep shades of black closer to the way our eyes perceive the world in reality.
The quality of the delivered image is great and to be honest I didn't notice any differences between what Allview offers and my own TV, a 109 cm 4K model from another company. The viewing experience is just as enjoyable and the HDR really makes itself felt when the content played on TV also has this feature. I put Netflix to work with new series like "The Warrior Nun" in HDR and the movie "The Lost Bullet" played in 4K resolution that I enjoyed on this Allview TV.
The viewing angles are good, you also have many settings at your disposal to adjust your colors / contrast / brightness to your liking and to reach an ideal profile suitable for you. 4K resolution and HDR10 support make a good team here, and I'm sure you'll appreciate the quality of the Allview 43ePlay6100-U's 109cm panel.
Specifications
Because the hardware specifications are a starting point in purchasing a new TV, we've listed below the ones associated with this Allview model. The main ones include the Cortex-A55 quad-core processor, the 1.5 GB RAM and the 8 GB storage space.
Software and remote control
Allview 43ePlay6100-U is a smart TV in all respects, offering the Android TV operating system (Android 9), but also the integrated Chromecast. The setup process is quick and easy, and depending on your preferences, you can set up your TV using your Android phone directly. Once you have passed this step you will discover the home screen of the TV with UI elements arranged in rows.
Here you have your favorite applications and the store where you can download new titles to enjoy on the 109 cm diagonal. The 8 GB storage is enough to store all the necessary applications on the TV and the navigation in the interface is very easy, being intuitive even for a novice in Smart TV. Pre-installed applications include the following:
The response to the commands is fast and as bonuses on the functionality side we have integrated Chromecast for the fast sharing of content from the phone directly to the TV, but also integration with Google Assistant. This allows you to interact with voice commands using the remote control in the package. You can use your keywords to quickly search for the content you want if you don't want to bother with inserting letters one by one manually by pressing the buttons on the remote control.
Speaking of the remote control, this is as you can see in the very narrow and high images, offering the classic numeric buttons in the upper area, navigation buttons, volume adjustment and program change. It also has a dedicated Google Assistant button, as well as dedicated buttons for quick access to Netflix and Youtube. The response to pressing the buttons is instant, but in itself the buttons seemed a bit stiff and it took a more pronounced press at first. Personally, I would have liked a more compact and easier to handle remote control.
Connectivity and acoustics
On the connectivity side, the Allview 43ePlay6100-U comes with Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac and many connectors, ranging from 1x IEC (for DVB-T / T2 / Analog) to a CI + slot , digital audio output and up to AV input. 3x USB 2.0 ports are available to play movies directly from the USB stick. It also offers 4x HDMI 2.0 ports to connect the game console, a soundbar or a Home Cinema system, the TV also offers the HDMI ARC function.
Personally, I have nothing to complain about in terms of connectivity, the TV offering all the options I needed to complete the TV experience. The acoustics are stereo and offer a 2.0 system with 2 speakers each of 8W, for a total power of 16W. There is an equalizer to set the sound according to the type of content you are watching, namely: User, Standard, Dynamic, Sports, Movie, Music, or News. The sound is surround and Dolby Audio support appears here.
What I can say is that the TV has a strong volume, but not as rich as I would have liked. It is somewhere in the mid-range and is a chapter where improvements are needed. With a soundbar or a pair of speakers checked and a sound to match the image played by the TV.
Impressions
Finally we get to the impressions and on the list of strengths I put the handsome, modern design with that front panel with very narrow edges on 3 sides, 4K image quality with HDR10 which gives a boost in clarity and colors, but also the presence of the system Android TV operating system. The integrated chromecast is clearly an advantage here, something that many TVs on the market do not offer and that will prove useful in many scenarios. And the dedicated Google Assistant button is on the list.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
What didn't impress me about this TV was the mediocre acoustics and the dimensions of the remote control that can create difficulties in handling. There are no major issues and you can always choose a soundbar to take your audio quality or a universal remote to another level. It's a good-looking, smart TV that brings the entire Android TV ecosystem into an affordable package.
Price and availability
The Allview 43ePlay6100-U TV is currently available on the Allview website at a price of 1,499 lei. Below are the other two diagonal variants of this TV: