Why Everyone is Buying the M Series 2014 (Full Review)

I've been using the M Series 2014 for several months now, and I wanted to write a frank, thorough review from the perspective of someone who actually unboxed it, mounted it, and lived with it day to day. What I found was a TV that hits a sweet spot for most households: strong picture performance for the price, solid smart features, and a few compromises that you'll want to know about before you buy. This isn't a spec sheet regurgitation — it's my experience, with specific things I appreciated and specific disappointments I noticed.

Why I decided to buy the M Series 2014

My old TV had been showing its age: washed-out colors, sluggish smart apps, and a backlight that buzzed just a little when I cranked the volume. I wanted an upgrade that would improve movie nights, make console gaming smoother, and still fit in a living room where glare and ambient light are issues. The M Series 2014 came up as a popularly recommended option in conversation and reviews, and I picked a mid-size model (55") to test it in a real home setup for a few months.

First impressions and build

Out of the box, the M Series 2014 felt surprisingly solid. The bezel is thin but not ultra-premium — it strikes a practical balance: it looks modern without being fragile. I wall-mounted mine and appreciated that the set was relatively light for its size; the VESA mounts lined up cleanly and the back panel access for cables is sensible.

One small frustration: the stand that comes in the box has a wide footprint that requires a fairly deep entertainment console if you plan to use it. I ended up wall-mounting because my TV cabinet was shallow, but if you're planning to use the included legs, measure first.

Picture quality — what I liked and what bothered me

Picture quality is the reason most of us buy a new TV, and the M Series 2014 delivers an immediate improvement over my previous set. Colors are vivid without tipping into oversaturated territory. Skin tones looked natural in movies and TV shows after a quick calibration using the "Cinema" picture mode and disabling the excessive post-processing defaults.

Highlights:

• I noticed excellent upscaling when I streamed older shows — SD and HD material looked more detailed than I expected.
• Local contrast control makes scenes pop. On darker movies, midtones have nice separation, and brighter elements feel punchy.

Limitations I ran into:

• Black levels: The M Series 2014 is not a true OLED, and while blacks are deep enough for most viewing, in very dark scenes I still saw a bit of grayness compared to high-end sets. If you watch a lot of cinema-grade dark movies in a perfectly dark room, you'll notice the difference.
• Blooming/halo: Around small, bright objects on dark backgrounds (think streetlights in a night scene), there is occasional blooming. It's not constant, but it can be distracting in very contrasty content.
• Viewing angles: Off-axis color and contrast drop fairly quickly. If you have a wide seating arrangement, plan your primary seating so you're not too far to the side.

HDR and color handling

In my experience, HDR content looks noticeably better than SDR on the M Series 2014 — colors are richer, and specular highlights feel more "there." That said, the peak brightness is moderate, so extremely bright HDR highlights won't have the same wow factor as higher-end flagship TVs. I would describe HDR on this set as a clear step up over non-HDR TVs, but not as jaw-dropping as the most expensive models.

Motion handling and gaming

I tested the M Series 2014 with live sports and console gaming. For soccer and basketball, fast pans and player movement remained mostly crisp. The TV's motion interpolation is aggressive by default; I turned the feature down because it introduced a soap-opera effect, but with it tuned off, blur was minimal.

For gaming, here's what mattered most to me:

• I connected a modern console and noticed input lag was low enough that casual and competitive gameplay felt responsive. I didn't run lab equipment — this is based on real-world play: shooters felt tight and platformers responded without perceived delay.
• There are multiple HDMI inputs, which made it easy to keep a console, a streaming device, and a Blu-ray player connected simultaneously. Having a dedicated "Game mode" in the settings helped reduce processing for the lowest latency.

Smart platform and usability

The M Series 2014 ships with a modern smart interface that includes the most commonly used streaming apps and a clean app layout. What I appreciated was how fast the interface felt after a few firmware updates: app launches are snappy, and switching inputs is smooth.

On the downside, the app ecosystem isn't exhaustive. I missed a couple of niche apps I sometimes use on other devices. Additionally, while the TV receives occasional firmware updates, the frequency and release notes can be vague — I had to hunt through menus to know whether I was on the latest software.

The remote is compact and serviceable. I like that it has dedicated buttons for back, home, and a few streaming apps, but the plastic felt a bit cheap. After several months the buttons are still responsive, but you can tell it’s not an elite metal remote.

Audio performance

In my living room, the built-in speakers were fine for everyday TV watching and news, but when I tested movie scenes with sweeping scores, the sound lacked the depth and bass punch I prefer. Dialogue clarity is good, though, and the TV's dialogue enhancement settings do help in crowded scenes.

If you're someone who values cinematic sound, add a soundbar or small AV setup. I found that pairing the TV with a compact soundbar transformed the experience, bringing forward the emotion in film scores and improving overall immersion.

Reliability and long-term thoughts

After several months of daily use, my unit has been reliable. I had one minor firmware hiccup early on where the TV needed a reboot after an update, but since then updates installed cleanly. I also noticed that the backlight sometimes powers up with a faint flicker for a fraction of a second — annoying, but not functionally problematic.

Overall, the build and circuitry have held up with no dead pixels or persistent artifacts. If longevity matters to you, my experience so far suggests the M Series 2014 is durable enough for regular household use.

Pros & Cons

• Pros:
  • Strong picture quality for the price — vivid colors and good upscaling
  • Responsive smart platform after updates; key apps available
  • Low input lag suitable for casual and competitive gaming
  • Sensible build quality and easy wall-mounting
  • Value-oriented: gives most people the features they need without premium price
• Cons:
  • Black levels and blooming aren't as good as higher-end displays
  • Limited viewing angles — image degrades off-axis
  • Smart app selection misses a few niche services
  • Included remote feels cheap compared to premium remotes
  • On-screen menus can be dense; initial setup required some tweaking

Comparison: M Series 2014 vs last year's M Series vs a budget 2014 alternative

Buying guide — what to consider before you buy

After living with this TV, here are the practical things I wish I'd checked or known before buying. These tips come from my personal setup process and adjustments over several months.

1. Choose the right size for your room

Measure your viewing distance first. I chose a 55" because my couch is roughly 9–10 feet from the screen; anything larger would have been overwhelming for daily viewing. If you're closer, consider a smaller size to keep pixels and image scale comfortable.

2. Consider room lighting and reflectivity

Because the M Series 2014 has moderate peak brightness and a semi-gloss screen, rooms with heavy afternoon sun will wash out the picture more than a matte, high-brightness panel would. If your room is bright, plan for curtains or shading to improve contrast.

3. Think about sound separately

If you're a casual viewer, the built-in speakers will suffice. If you love movies, plan a modest soundbar. My experience was night-and-day improvement once I added one.

4. Check inputs and devices

Make sure the TV has enough HDMI inputs for all your devices. I like keeping a streaming stick and a console plugged in simultaneously so switching between them is seamless.

5. Plan for calibration

The TV looks good out of the box, but spending 15–20 minutes in the picture settings (Cinema mode, turn off excess motion processing, tweak brightness and color temperature) can significantly improve the viewing experience. I used built-in presets and a few simple test clips — that made a big difference.

6. Consider the remote and smart ecosystem

If you prefer voice controls or a premium remote, know that the included remote is basic. I paired a wireless keyboard for the occasional long password entry and used voice on my streaming stick for faster navigation.

Practical setup tips I learned

• Turn off aggressive motion smoothing for movies — it removes cinematic feel.
• Use the "Game" picture mode when gaming to minimize input lag and re-enable processing for streaming content.
• Disable unnecessary picture processing options like "Dynamic Contrast" if you want consistent colors.
• Leave energy-saving features on if you want slightly dimmer panels and less eye strain in dark rooms.

Final thoughts and who I recommend it for

After several months with the M Series 2014, I can honestly say it's one of the best value-focused TVs I've owned. In my experience, it strikes a thoughtful balance: it offers much of what people want today — strong upscaling, responsive smart features, and gaming-friendly performance — without the premium price of flagship models.

If you're a casual to enthusiastic viewer who wants a significant upgrade from an older HDTV, and you value picture quality and responsiveness over borderline-perfect black levels or the widest off-angle viewing, the M Series 2014 is an excellent choice. If you're after the absolute best in dark-room black levels or the widest viewing angles for a large seating area, a higher-tier panel could be worth the added expense.

What surprised me was how quickly the small conveniences added up: better streaming performance, cleaner onscreen menus after updates, and noticeably better picture processing for mixed-content viewing (sports, movies, streaming). What frustrated me — and what kept me realistic in this review — was the expectation gap: it's a vastly improved TV for its category, but it's not a premium flagship. Blooming and limited viewing angles are real and will matter depending on your room and viewing habits.

In short, if you want a TV that performs well in everyday use, makes movies and games feel more polished, and won't break the bank, the M Series 2014 is worth serious consideration. I've been happy with mine, and after several months of real-world use I still reach for it first when it's time to relax and watch something.