Why Samsung HU8500 Curved Smart 3D UHD 4K LED TV is our Most-Wanted for Christmas 2014 #ShinyShinyAwards

We’re talking dream presents here, so there’s no point thinking small. Some of the contenders on our shortlist are brilliant but practical, like the Clarisonic, Philips’ Wake-Up Light, or the inventive and useful Smartmat, which senses how well you’re posing to make sure you’re doing yoga properly. Others are more flashy and covetable – Monster Diamond Tears headphones, Gold iPad Air…

But this year, one piece of tech blew them all away: Samsung’s super-stylish HU8500 Curved Smart 3D UHD 4K LED TV might not fit under the tree, but it’d be a huge gift in more ways than one.

Sure, it doesn’t have the most catchy of names, but it packs some impressive specs all the same. The screen has a 3840 x 2160 resolution for 4K (or ‘ultra-HD’ if you prefer) viewing, meaning the picture is crystal clear with great colour and contrast, and that distinctive curve offers a more immersive viewing experience, especially in 3D (it comes with two pairs of glasses). On the other hand, if you’d like it to be a little less immersive, you can browse the web while you’re watching. (A built-in camera means you can Skype, too.)

You can also wirelessly watch what’s on your phone or tablet, or vice versa, thanks to the Smart View app. And speaking of apps, this is the only TV to offer all the UK’s catch-up options: BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4OD and Demand Five. There’s also Amazon Instant, YouTube, and Netflix 4K, which brings House of Cards into beautiful clarity, even if you don’t ever know what Frank Underwood is thinking.

This TV’s such a catch that it even makes £2,699 for the 55-inch seem like a good deal, and we don’t say that lightly. So congratulations, Samsung, and well done for making such a worthy winner.

55-inch congratulations to Samsung, and if Santa’s listening… we’ll never ask for anything else again! Until next year, anyway…