Samsung Crystal Uhd 8 Series 43 Inch Review
Our Verdict
The TU8000 is a skilful value TV that offers a decent performance for the coin, but can't shake some of the limitations of its more humble spec list. Effulgence and colour saturation take a knock compared with Samsung's pricier QLEDs, only its detailed picture, fantastic smart Idiot box system and stiff upscaling performance still offer plenty to similar.
For
- Sharp, detailed 4K picture
- Good upscaling
- Superb smart Television set platform
- Solid motion handling
Against
- Limited connectivity
- Lacks effulgence for the best HDR
- Narrow viewing angles
- Abrasive design
TechRadar Verdict
The TU8000 is a good value TV that offers a decent performance for the money, but can't shake some of the limitations of its more humble spec list. Brightness and color saturation take a knock compared with Samsung'due south pricier QLEDs, only its detailed film, fantastic smart Television organization and strong upscaling performance still offering plenty to like.
Pros
- +
Sharp, detailed 4K picture
- +
Proficient upscaling
- +
Superb smart TV platform
- +
Solid motion handling
Cons
- -
Limited connectivity
- -
Lacks brightness for the best HDR
- -
Narrow viewing angles
- -
Annoying blueprint
2-minute review
For the past few years, Samsung's 8 Series has been a great become-to option for Telly buyers wanting to balance performance and price in a way that once seemed unfathomable.
The TU8000 doesn't quite stand for the summit of that range, but is but one step down, sharing enough of the TU8500'south boasts, only with an even more than attractive price tag.
Information technology uses Samsung's Crystal LCD UHD console technology, and promises ease of use, a minimalistic pattern, selection of born voice assistant and best-in-course smart TV system. In that location are as well a whole host of screen sizes to choose from, so y'all can really go far work for your space.
Despite its frame beingness largely made of plastic, the TU8000 is a really well-built TV. It'southward only a shame Samsung decided to use a difficult-to-adjust wide-foot stand on this model and also scrimped on the HDMI inputs — particularly when i of those becomes unusable if you lot decide to wall mount it.
Still, in that location are no such grumbles to exist had on the smart Idiot box system, which features all the on-demand and catch-upwards apps you could desire, including Netflix, Amazon Prime number Video, Apple tree Television set and Disney Plus. At that place's even the high-sounding Ambient Fashion included here, appearing outside of the QLED range for the start time this year.
At that place'south no doubt that the picture comes with some limitations at its price, but overall the TU8000 impresses with its natural colour handling, crisp, detailed film, solid move processing and good upscaling. It needs some settings tweaked to perform to the very best of its abilities, though.
As is so often the example, the audio performance in the TU8000 isn't much to become excited most, but also isn't the worst we've heard. Overall information technology's just on the apartment side, with little past mode of dynamics and organisation, but offering a decent corporeality of weight that stops it from sounding besides thin. A soundbar wouldn't go amiss, but the sound projection it manages and the clarity through the midrange would but well-nigh let you skip it if your budget is tight.
For the price, the TU8000 offers a good operation that requires some managed expectations. Peak effulgence is restricted so HDR isn't at its all-time and colours don't take the pop that you'll meet on pricier sets. But detail is fantastic, blackness levels are stiff and overall it'southward a natural and engaging moving-picture show that holds its ain against the contest.
Information technology might non exist quite every bit impressive every bit concluding year's RU8000, but pay a little attention to the moving picture settings on offer and you tin can still create a picture functioning that offers brilliant value.
Price and availability
- Available in six different screen sizes, from 43 inches to 85 inches
- 55-inch version reviewed hither retails for £599/$500/AU$1,299
- Overall cheaper than concluding year'south RU8000
The Samsung TU8000 is bachelor in the Britain, US and Australia, with the only difference being the 85-inch variant bachelor in the US – instead of 82-inch in the UK and Australia. Other than that, the line up is the same across all territories, including 43-inch, l-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch models.
We reviewed the 55-inch version of the TU8000 (£599/$500/AU$i,299), but otherwise you lot'll be paying £429/$350/AU$949 for the 43-inch, £499/$400/AU$one,049 for the l-inch, £899/$700/AU$1,599 for the 65-inch, £1,299/$1,200/AU$2,499 for the 75-inch and £1,999/$1,800/AU$3,699 for the 82-inch/85-inch.
There are a few more screen sizes to choose from this twelvemonth compared with terminal yr's RU8000, and while Great britain prices are generally the same, the US and Commonwealth of australia have seen some price cuts. For example, prices for the 55-inch tested hither are the same as terminal year's RU8000 in the UK, only the same model in the Us and Australia comes in $150 and AU$300 cheaper respectively.
Samsung TU8000 specs
Screen Sizes: 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 82-inches | Tuner: Freeview Hd | 4K: Yeah | HDR: Yes | Console engineering: LCD | Smart TV: Yes, Tizen | Curved: No | Dimensions: 1231(w) 10 783(h) x 250(d)mm | Weight: 14.2kg | 3D: No | Inputs: 3xHDMI 2.1, 2xUSB, 1xRF, CI slot, ethernet | Outputs: 1x optical
Design
- Sturdy and fashionable despite beingness more often than not plastic
- Wide stand is awkward to accommodate
- Three HDMIs is a bit stingy
At this price, it's probably unsurprising that the TU8000's pattern is made upwardly primarily of black plastic, across its back panel, bezels and stand up. It nevertheless manages to feel well-built despite this, with some reassuring heft when getting it out of the box, and minimal bezels ensuring the set up withal looks stylish, plastic and all.
Why Samsung has decided to bestow broad anxiety on this model though — or any Tv for that matter — is anyone'southward guess. A central stand, as is establish on the TU8500 model above this, is and so much easier to adapt when it comes to placing larger TVs onto furniture. As it is, the UE55TU8000 will require a TV stand of at least 103cm, so exercise make certain your electric current setup can adapt it kickoff.
Of course yous tin can cull to wall mount this Tv set instead, and at that place are no unsightly lumps or bumps on the back to brand this an issue. In fact, at only 6cm thick, it should sit pretty snug to your wall.
Even so, it'south worth noting that 1 of the HDMI ports will get unusable in this position due to being rear-facing, which is a shame considering what's there is already a fairly stingy offering.
Nosotros're used to having iv HDMIs to choose from, even at this cost, but the TU8000 just has three. That ways fifty-fifty a fairly apprehensive setup of a set up-summit box, Blu-ray player and games console volition use up those parts from the off, with one lost if the set is wall-mounted.
Other ports include 2 USBs, a composite video in, an RF antenna input for terrestrial television, CI slot and an ethernet port for when wi-fi won't cut it. There's also an optical output for pushing the audio to a soundbar.
As is unremarkably the case with Samsung TVs, ii remotes are included in the box — a chunkier standard-looking one and a more slender, simplified option. The latter has all the main features you'll use most often, without the ones you won't. This includes a band-shaped D-pad, channel and volume controls, shortcuts to Netflix, Prime number Video and Rakuten Goggle box and buttons for activating Samsung's Ambient Fashion (more on that later), your voice assistant of selection and for general navigation.
This remote tin can besides be set up as a universal control for your other devices, which y'all'll exist prompted near during the initial setup.
Smart Goggle box (Tizen)
- Like shooting fish in a barrel Goggle box setup via SmartThings app
- Tizen is still one of the all-time smart Tv set systems out there
- Ambient Mode included
While you lot can get the Goggle box set up just using the remote if you adopt, Samsung prompts you to download the Samsung SmartThings app to do it digitally instead.
It works really well, even automatically adding the wi-fi details it digs out from your device so you lot don't have to mess around with on-screen keyboards, which is e'er welcome.
It also prompts yous to download any extra on-demand apps you might like on the Telly and choose your voice assistant, besides as helps you get the OneRemote prepare every bit a universal control for all your sources.
Once complete, the TU8000 volition appear as a device inside the SmartThings app aslope any other compatible devices you might have in the business firm. You tin can then control your Idiot box via your telephone if you've misplaced the remotes… or only can't be bothered to get upwardly to go them.
Samsung has long offered one of the near comprehensive smart Boob tube systems through its Tizen platform, and that'southward not changed in 2020. It'southward had some small blueprint tweaks since last year, only navigation is pretty much identical and is even so just every bit elementary as before.
That means a press of the dwelling push volition bring upwardly a row of your installed apps, which are at present smaller to fit more on screen, and highlighting any one of them will show up a secondary row of suggested content or actions. This content will be customised to your viewing habits if y'all're signed in to that detail app, and then Netflix will offer to go on what you were last watching, for instance.
Pretty much every on-demand service yous could want is present, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, NowTV, YouTube and Disney Plus, too as all of the Uk's catch up services, from BBC iPlayer to My5.
There'southward also an app store for adding other apps, including UKTV Play, BBC Sounds and Spotify, with the gild of apps yous add together to your abode menu entirely customisable to your preferences — you can now fit 14 on the screen at whatsoever one time. Curl down from this primary row of apps and yous'll come up to Samsung's content hub, with rows of Television receiver and motion-picture show recommendations, albeit from a express number of providers.
Most options surfaced for us seemed to exist from Apple TV, Chili or UKTV Play and while it was interesting enough, it'south a shame not to come across more popular sources included, like Netflix, Amazon or BBC iPlayer. We didn't find ourselves using it at all.
You get 2 options for vocalism assistance, in Alexa and Samsung'due south Bixby (Google Assistant is coming soon). Alexa can piece of work in conjunction with any Amazon speakers yous might take, and is more often than not the better option of the two for generic voice aid, though Bixby does offer more by way of specific TV controls, such as changing input via vocalisation. It still feels similar a bit of a clunky inclusion that we rarely found the need to use, but it'southward at that place if you want it.
Samsung's Ambient Fashion is now included as standard on the TU8000, with the feature expanding its horizons beyond the QLED range for the first time this yr. It's a feature that's been adjusted from the Art Mode initially launched on the Samsung Frame, and allows you to have a selection of high-sounding pictures, patterns or your ain snaps appear on screen when you're non watching TV.
The TVs sensor volition detect the brightness of a room and adjust the picture appropriately, so it looks more than like a picture show than a Idiot box that'due south simply been left on, which in turn saves power. Y'all can set a timer too, to ensure it switches off later a flow of time.
It'due south not equally convincing as Samsung'south The Frame equally an artwork, generally considering the TU8000's screen is more cogitating, but it's dainty to meet the characteristic trickle down the range all the aforementioned.
Picture quality
- Sharp, detailed picture
- Panel isn't the brightest, so HDR tin struggle
- Decent upscaling
This UE55TU8000 is capable of a very skilful picture for its price, but the out-of-the-box settings exercise demand a bit of work to get the most out of it, specially with HDR content.
That'southward considering the meridian effulgence of this gear up is on the low side. Even with brightness turned up high in settings, you lot will probable find yourself wanting more, especially with night scenes in well-lit rooms.
So earlier nosotros talk about the picture, permit's talk nigh how to go it looking its all-time. The first thing to accommodate here is the picture mode, which is well-nigh accurate under Movie. Many volition prefer the attractive cooler tones of Standard, which is too slightly brighter, simply if you lot're looking for the most accurate movie and colour palette, Movie is the option to go for.
Picture mode has its brightness and dissimilarity knocked downwardly a touch from the maximum, and we'd recommend keeping them in that location. It'due south a much subtler motion picture if you do, though you can push effulgence up a touch if you experience you lot demand it.
Color tone is a toss up betwixt Warm1 and Warm2 and we'd ensure sharpness is always at 0 to avoid added dissonance. Y'all can exit colour and tint settings where they are.
We'd usually recommend turning all added moving picture processing off for the purest motion-picture show, but in this case, Samsung's Contrast Enhancer works wonders for giving this picture show the added oomph it needs, particularly in darker scenes. With SDR content you can probably keep it switched on low, only with HDR content, y'all'll get more touch, albeit with less subtlety, set at high.
The TU8000 volition recognise whenever you're playing compatible HDR content, and switch to an HDR mode automatically, so any settings y'all change at this point will remain in identify for HDR content only.
Finally, motion settings fall nether an selection called Film Clarity. Opt for custom and yous can set the judder settings yourself. Something around 3 or 4 seemed to piece of work all-time for most content nosotros watched, and motion is, for the most office, admirably stable.
With the movie where we want it to be, we settle down with a 4K stream of Joker on Sky Q. Outlines are wonderfully well-baked and there's stacks of detail to go at, from the texture of the makeup on Joaquin Phoenix's face up to the detail in the buildings of Gotham in the opening scenes. More than capable sets (read: more expensive) will offer up a bit more than by way of depth and extra fine detail, simply for a mid-range TV, there's very footling to grumble most here.
Colours are well judged too, and in that location's enough natural dial here to keep the picture engaging. The TU8000 fifty-fifty does a great job with pare tones, a tricky residuum that TVs at this level can't ever manage.
The lack of wide colour gamut for HDR in the TU8000 means you're unlikely to be blown away by the out-and-out vibrancy of the TU8000 when watching HDR, but the subtler mode information technology handles its colour palette and shading is still beautifully washed. While colours probably wouldn't be described as vivid, they're besides far from washed out.
If in that location is an Achilles' heel hither, it's dark scenes, when watched in anything merely a very night room. Fifty-fifty then, they struggle to print, as the screen tries to balance the dark and light parts of the scene. At that place'south no doubt that blacks tin go deep, merely shadow item and highlights lose out in the process.
As an edge-lit set with no local dimming, the TU8000 was always going to struggle in these situations, but with Samsung's Contrast Enhancer switched on, you tin chop-chop meliorate the balance and requite these scenes much more distinction.
This is peculiarly helpful with HDR content. When streaming Ozark from Netflix, nosotros were able to transform previously dull nighttime scenes when viewed in daylight into something much more than punchy and enjoyable. Even the viewing feel in a dark room is much improved.
With the Contrast Enhancer set to high, highlight details are presented much more brightly aslope those deep blacks, and with very little blooming. Information technology even helps to bring out some particular that might have otherwise been lost in the shadows.
As mentioned, the extra processing does away with some subtlety in search of better contrast, specially noticeable in brighter scenes, and too adds in some noise. However at this price, it's a trade off we're willing to make.
The result isn't as precise or dynamic as HDR can be at its very all-time, but you won't find many TVs at this level doing much improve. Just exist aware that, equally is the example with all Samsung TVs, there's no Dolby Vision support here, only HDR10 and the lesser-spotted HDR10+, plus HLG for broadcast.
Carrying over to HD/SDR content with an Amazon Prime number stream of Atomic number 26 Man 2 and the TU8000 manages admirably. Its upscaling is pretty skillful, and while it can't laissez passer for native 4K, at that place'south nevertheless a good level of detail to get your teeth into, with no noticeable added noise.
Colours are just every bit well-handled here as they are in HDR, and so the red and aureate of Atomic number 26 Man'due south arrange are suitably striking without being over the elevation, while the contrast in darker scenes remains impressive with a helping hand from the extra processing.
Even SD terrestrial TV content looks decent. It's a little soft on item, as you lot'd expect, just even with the farther dissonance that creeps in, information technology's a solid picture with a practiced colour balance that's wholly watchable.
The merely downside to all of this is the viewing angles, which are annoyingly tight. Sit too far off axis and you'll lose a fair flake of dissimilarity and colour saturation, which takes away from the overall picture functioning. If this is the Goggle box for you, merely be sure to purse the fundamental seating position for moving-picture show night.
Audio functioning
- 20W stereo speakers
- Three settings to choose from
- Not terrible, but nada to write home about
The TU8000 offers three audio settings to choose from in the master settings menu. Information technology'll come with Standard selected out of the box, but you can also choose the Adaptive or Amplified settings.
We similar the added whallop from Adaptive, which strikes a good balance of adding some weight to the low end without losing out on also much clarity through the midrange.
That depression end still lacks the ability and depth you lot'd become from a soundbar, merely does at least aid to give some presence to a soundtrack and ensure it doesn't sound too sparse. The treble is still a trivial on the abrupt side but not and then much that it becomes uncomfortable to heed to.
Organisation isn't the all-time so dialogue can get a little lost in the busiest scenes, simply overall it's fine, if lacking a little detail.
As is normally the case with TV sound, peculiarly at this level, it's but a bit apartment, and lacks the dynamic wherewithal to shift between the subtlety required for quieter scenes and oomph required for the big ones. You'll want to invest in a soundbar for that.
It does practise a good job of projecting the sound though, so you don't accept to push the volume out of its comfort zone, which is welcome at this level.
Should I buy the Samsung UE55TU8000?
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Source: https://www.techradar.com/reviews/samsung-tu8000-tv
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