Seeing is believing and Samsung knows this very well. The global giant known for creating some of the most stunning displays across several device categories is no stranger to Televisions. The Samsung 8 series TVs are quite popular with buyers and have been in the market for a while. This particular range from Samsung strikes the right balance between performance, aesthetics, and value for money. In this review, we will look at the Samsung TU-8000 UHD TV, so let us jump right in.
Design and build quality
The design is minimalistic and simple that lends the TV a very sleek and modern appearance. Although the TV uses plastic for its construction, it felt sturdy enough during our testing. The bezels are quite negligible and help to add to the sleek and modern look. The thin bezels also mean that we get an almost edge to edge picture. The TV has two V-shape brushed plastic legs fixed at the bottom. The legs are sturdy and help to hold the TV in place quite firmly, although we did feel it was a bit bulky. The other noticeable design feature is the small but significant Samsung logo on the bottom bezel. Although the Samsung TU-8000 will not make heads turn with its design, it is pretty well designed for the price point.
Features
The Samsung TU-8000 UHD TV comes in 6 sizes, 43 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches, 65 inches, 75 inches, and 85 inches. The device runs on a modified version of Samsung’s native Tizen Smart TV OS. The Tizen OS on the TU-8000 is a stripped-down version from that found in higher-end models, however, it does have most of the same features. It has a host of popular streaming apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, and YouTube. However, the selection of apps is not as comprehensive as that on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, or Roku TV. This is not a major drawback and the TU-8000 compensates this with other features such as Steam Link for playing games from a PC.
It also supports voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung’s Bixby. The TV also supports screen mirroring as well as Apple AirPlay, and Samsung’s SmartThings app. Additionally, the TV features remote access to PCs, Samsung’s DeX docking system, and cloud access to Office 365, and also includes a web browser. In terms of connectivity and ports, the Samsun TU-8000 has 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, 1 Digital Optical Audio Out as well as 1 Tuner and Ethernet ports each. While using the TV as a wall-mounted display, one of the HDMI port’s becomes unusable due to being at the back. In terms of wireless connectivity, it is fairly standard and the device offers WiFi, WiFi direct and Bluetooth 4.2. The remote control is quite simple with minimal controls and voice input options. There are keys for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Samsung TV Plus.
Performance
The TV has the Samsung Crystal 4K processor that upscales content to 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160). The picture quality is decent and nothing amazing, which is expected at this price point. The panel is a bit dim and colour reproduction is fairly neutral and we felt it was a bit undersaturated at times. The effective contrast ratio of 7,177:1 is good but is restricted by the absence of local dimming. Once again, this is an entry-level TV and is expected. Although the TV does support HDR, the brightness is not sufficient for the footage to stand out and is average. While previewing some HDR content, we felt it lacked the depth and definition expected from an HDR video. The lack of peak brightness is very evident and is a bit disappointing but considering the pricing and the segment, it is not a deal-breaker by any means.
The Audio performance is decent and there is support for Dolby Atmos audio that enhances the overall experience. However, the frequency from the 20W speakers is just ok and audio distortions are noticeable especially near the maximum volume. One commendable performance feature is the input lag. The TV has a normal input lag of around 90 milliseconds, however, in gaming mode, it drops down to 20 milliseconds. This makes the TV well suited for gaming.
In the box
The Samsung TU-8000 comes with Remote control, 2x AA batteries, a quick setup guide manual, and Cable management clips in the box.
Pros and Cons
The Samsung TU-8000 is not a masterpiece of a device by any means. It falls short in a few categories such as picture quality and colour performance, a dim picture panel and the small number of HDMI ports. Another drawback is the presence of ads on the home screen. This can reduce the overall user experience as there is no option to turn the ads off. However, the device does offer some solace in terms of useful features such as screen mirroring, options for multiple voice assistants as well as AI 4K upscaling. Apart from that the device also has one of the best contrast ratios in this particular segment. It also boasts of a very low input lag factor that could make it an attractive buy for gaming enthusiasts.
Verdict
Our verdict is, go for the Samsung TU-8000 if you want a well-balanced package at a great price point. The design is clean, simple and the TV comes with a host of useful and handy features. The TV may not be the most stellar of performers but it does tick a lot of boxes for us. This device would make a solid buy if you can overlook some of the minor shortcomings we pointed out.
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