Samsung CU8000 4K HDR TV Review

UN85CU8000FXZA 120Hz Smart LED TV

Introduction

The CU8000 is part of only two models in Samsung’s 2023 entry-level lineup. The CU7000 is the other model and sits below the CU8000. The CU8000 is available in several screen sizes which include 43”, 50”, 55”, 65”, 75”, and 85” screen sizes.

Design & Features

Although the CU8000 is an entry-level model its actual design reveals a more premium look and feel. It features very thin borders (bezel) surrounding its semi-gloss screen and by no means appears cheaply made. The CU8000 is made entirely of plastic and has decent build quality for an entry-level TV.

The TV is supported by two plastic feet that are height-adjustable with two mounting positions. The feet give the TV good stability with only a slight bit of wobble on the 85” model.

The panel thickness of this TV is ultra-thin and is slightly over 1 inch deep. This gives the CU8000 great aesthetic appeal and room décor friendliness.

The TV is illuminated with edge-lit LED backlighting, which spreads the light evenly across the huge 85” screen I reviewed.

Feature highlights:

• Crystal Processor 4K with UHD upscaling
• Dynamic Crystal Color optimization for greater depth and variety of color
• High Dynamic Range (supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG)
• UHD Dimming (frame dimming) enhances contrast
• Motion Xcelerator helps smooth fast-moving action
• Filmmaker Mode automatically adjusts picture settings to preserve the director’s intent
• Mega Contrast: See more detail as our Mega Contrast analyzes and adjusts each image. Every frame appears more natural, and a feeling of depth is added as contrast is dialed up in the foreground.
• AirSlim panel design
• SolarCell Remote
• Tizen smart TV OS
• Built-in Bixby and Amazon Alexa intelligent voice control assistants
• Works with Google Assistant devices
• Object Tracking Sound Lite: Allows you to hear 3D surround sound that follows the movement on the screen

Gaming features:

• 4K @ 120Hz, VRR and FreeSync Premium – 85” model only
• Gaming Hub lets you stream games from Xbox Game Pass, NVIDIA GeoForce Now, Utomik, and Luna directly on your TV with a compatible controller (sold separately; subscriptions required)
• ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) keeps your video game controls responsive while removing motion blur and screen judder
• HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode calibrates tone-mapping for accurate detail and shading

Connectivity

• 3 HDMI 2.1 inputs / HDCP 2.2 compliant
• 1 Digital optical output
• 2 USB 2.0 inputs
• 1 RF input for antenna/cable signals
• 1 Ethernet input
• eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) HDMI input 3
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• Bluetooth 5.2 wireless audio streaming to a compatible speaker or set of headphones

Performance

Note: For the most accurate picture quality use the “Movie” or “Filmmaker” modes. These settings are only guidelines. Set the color tone to “Warm 2”. Nevertheless, you can set the picture mode to your personal viewing preference.

As mentioned earlier, the CU8000 is an entry-level (basic) 4K TV. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it provides subpar performance. In fact, it does just the opposite in certain picture quality metrics. For example, I was very impressed with the amount of clarity and detail the CU8000 displayed. The HD images were sharp and well defined allowing me to see the fine facial features of the actors on screen. The CU8000 also delivered very good image depth and transparency which gave picture images a three-dimensional appearance. I was impressed at this level of performance for an entry-level TV.

The color reproduction was good on this TV. The overall color palette was vibrant with acceptable accuracy except for certain colors, for example, green and orange were not as realistic in appearance as I’ve seen on other TVs that deliver more accurate color. On the other hand, skin tones appeared natural and life-like. That being said, the overall color performance on the CU8000 was commendable for an entry-level TV and was generally pleasing to my eyes.

Peak brightness output with SDR (standard dynamic range) content was acceptable. In fact, in a brightly lit room, picture brightness was sufficient, and I didn’t have any major issues with screen glare. However, use caution if placing the TV close to a window with lots of sunlight as this may induce screen glare.

HDR (high dynamic range) peak brightness on this TV was a bit disappointing when viewing HDR content, so you won’t get the maximum viewing experience with HDR images.

*SDR peak brightness: 10% window 284 nits

*HDR peak brightness: 10% window 295 nits

Contrast on the CU8000 is okay but not great, so depending on the dark content being viewed, black levels may not appear as dark and deep as they would with a VA panel equipped with LED backlighting with local dimming, which will have a much better contrast ratio. I also want to mention that this TV uses edge-lit LED backlighting without a local dimming feature which played a big part in the TV’s contrast and black-level performance. So while viewing dark content in a dark room the black levels had a grayish overtone.

Due to the TV’s edge-lit backlighting, black screen uniformity had some issues with clouding on a completely black screen. This can be an issue with normal content depending on the amount of darkness within a particular scene(s).

When viewing the CU8000 at wide viewing angles the picture images suffered from the typical contrast and color saturation loss associated with most TVs that use a VA panel.

Motion handling: The CU8000 did a decent job of processing fast action content, However, motion judder can be an issue with certain content, so if you experience any judder, you can eliminate this problem by accessing the TV’s picture settings menu under “Picture Clarity” followed by Settings>Picture>Picture Clarity>Judder reduction.

The sound quality from the TV’s speakers was decent for flat panel TV standards. The audio remained clean and clear, and dialogue was discernible even at moderate listening levels. Bass output, however, was lacking, which is typical for most flat-panel TVs. A soundbar is recommended for a much better sound presentation.

The Tizen OS smart TV platform delivers smooth and intuitive operation with easy access to the content of your choice.

Conclusion

The Samsung CU8000 is a decent 4K TV that delivers good picture quality with SDR content for an entry-level model. Its notable picture quality attributes are great clarity and detail. Color presentation made a strong showing as well on this display. In addition, the Tizen OS interface offers one of the best smart TV platforms with endless amounts of entertainment options.

However, on the other hand, the TV does have its drawbacks. Contrast could be better along with higher peak brightness for HDR content.

In my opinion, the CU8000 is meant for the broad range of consumers who want a 4K TV with good picture quality, basic features that include an intuitive smart TV platform, and last be not least, an affordable price point that won’t put a strain on your finances.

Check out what other owners are saying about this TV at Amazon.com reviews here.

Check out HDTVs and More’ YouTube video review for the Samsung CU8000 4K TV here.

Image credit Samsung

*Source: Rtings.com