The Samsung AU8000 is an excellent entry-level 4K smart TV. It performs pretty well for media consumption and gaming in its range. It provides fantastic contrast, decent upscaling, smooth 24FPS playback, and excellent reflection diffusion for users with bright rooms. However, users also need to watch out for the poor viewing angles and low peak brightness.
PICTURE QUALITY
4K
- Testers were thoroughly impressed with the 4K output of the Samsung AU8000 Crystal UHD 4K TV. They did note some pixels dithering, but they are not visible unless you display a completely white screen. And the color crystal processor 4K also upscales 1080P and lower-res content exceptionally well.
Color
- The Samsung AU8000 4K smart TV delivers good color accuracy out of the box.
- However, reviewers were disappointed by the lack of a wide color gamut, which is essential for a good HDR viewing experience. And the 84% coverage of the DCI P3 color space is nothing remarkable either.
Black
- Experts were delighted by the deep blacks the Samsung AU8000 4K UHD TV offers. And that is mainly due to its VA panel, which performs well in this regard.
- But the black screen uniformity could have been better.
Brightness
- Unfortunately, the Samsung AU8000 TV does not feature a high peak brightness. RTings only managed to get a maximum of 400 nits in a 10% window. Furthermore, they noted that it’s not enough for an authentic HDR viewing experience.
Contrast
- Testers liked the Samsung AU8000’s fantastic native contrast ratio, thanks to its VA panel. They also found it to perform exceptionally well in a dark room.
- It also features a “Dynamic Crystal Color” setting that introduces some clouding all over the screen.
Dimming
- Like the Samsung AU9000 TV, the Samsung AU8000 does not feature local dimming. So we can’t comment on this aspect further. But the full array local dimming feature could have drastically improved its black levels and contrast even more.
Gaming
- Product reviewers love the low input lag (ranging from 10-20ms) of the Samsung AU8000, even outside the game mode. And there’s an ALLM (Auto Low Latency mode) like feature to adjust game settings seamlessly. They said that it is very handy to auto-adjust game settings.
- However, they mostly hated the gaming performance of the Samsung AU8000 due to the lack of HDMI 2.1, high native refresh rate, and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).
HDR
- The Samsung AU8000 supports multiple high dynamic range standards (HDR 10, HDR 10+, and HLG). It also supports a chroma 4:4:4 input, according to testers. Chroma 4:4:4 is necessary for PC users to display text appropriately.
- However, TV experts found the HDR performance to be lackluster. And that is mainly due to the low peak brightness and the lack of a wide color gamut.
Motion
- Critics applauded the fantastic motion handling of the Samsung AU8000. It delivers flicker-free fast motion, judder removal, and a great BFI (Black Frame Insertion) feature that makes movement look even smoother with the cost of some brightness. Fans of the “soap opera effect” aren’t left out either, as this TV supports motion interpolation.
Refresh
- The Samsung AU8000 is limited to 60Hz. TV reviewers noted that the lack of VRR on this set would be highly detrimental for users of the next-gen gaming consoles. They also found that this TV is entirely incapable of outputting a 1440P signal at any refresh rate, which is terrible for PC users.
Response
- Certified testers were somewhat let down by the high response time (15ms) of the Samsung AU8000. And that is why Consumer Reports noted a lot of blurs and visible smearing in fast-paced content. But, they also said that the slow response time does allow for a smooth 24FPS playback.
Viewing Angle
- Despite the Samsung AU8000’s excellent reflection diffusion, it does not provide good viewing angles. Critics could only go about 14 degrees off center before the gamma on the VA panel started to shift. IPS TVs and something like the RCA 4K Roku Smart LED TV (RTRU5027) are way better in this regard.
Burn-In
- TV reviewers were relieved to find out that the Samsung AU8000 does not suffer from permanent display burn-in. Unlike OLEDs, most LCD and mini LED TVs don’t suffer from image retention, and this one is no exception.
DESIGN
Stand
- The Samsung AU8000 comes with two plastic feet as its stand. In addition, they are adjustable. For example, reviewers could place them in a higher vertical position to accommodate both the TV and soundbar.
Back
- Critics liked the sleek and slim-looking backside of the Samsung AU8000, primarily because of the side positioning of all ports. Because, if you get Samsung’s own slim fit wall mount (sold separately), if the ports were located on the back, they would be hard to access. You can also use any other VESA 400×300 type slim fit wall mount to hang this TV.
Borders
- The Samsung AU8000 only has 0.9cm wide bezels. Experts said that both the thin borders and the built-in clutter clean cable solution give the TV a distinctly futuristic look.
Thickness
- Testers measured the maximum thickness of the Samsung AU8000 at only 3.1cm. As a result, it’s incredibly skinny and sits flush to the wall when wall-mounted.
FEATURES
Tuner
- The Samsung AU8000 sports a standard ATSC 1.0 tuner for the run-of-the-mill cable TV connections.
- However, TV reviewers were disappointed that an ATSC 1.0 digital signal can only be up to 1080i (interlaced) resolution. So to get a full-fat 1080P signal, they had to grab a separate set-top box.
Input
- TV experts did not like the exclusion of HDMI 2.1 on the Samsung AU8000. Still, it includes three HDMI 2.0 ports with support for HDCP 2.2. And there are two USB 2.0 ports.
Remote Control
- The Samsung AU8000 includes a small and sleek-looking remote with multiple voice assistants access (Google Assistant, Bixby, and Alexa). But it is a downgrade compared to the older Samsung TU8000, as it doesn’t feature a rechargeable battery. Critics also noted shortcut buttons to Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Samsung TV Plus.
SMART TV
Applications
- Certified reviewers adore the vast app selection the Samsung store provides on the AU8000. Even though a few streaming apps come preinstalled with this TV (e.g., YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Samsung TV Plus, etc.), it comes bloat-free. And most apps run smoothly for the most part.
- However, the app library may vary by region and is subject to change.
Streaming
- The Samsung AU8000 handles streaming quite well. Reviewers found that most compatible apps (e.g., YouTube, Netflix) support 4K playback with HDR 10, without any hardware-related frame drop or stutters. Amazon Prime Video also displays HDR 10+ content just fine on this TV.
Menu
- Reviewers like the smoothness of Samsung’s Tizen OS on the AU8000.
- However, it lacks some smart features that are available on its higher-end QLED and mini LED counterparts. For example, you can’t navigate through app-specific streaming content on this TV with your voice using any built-in voice assistants.
SOUND QUALITY
Audio
- The Samsung AU8000 features 20 Watt built-in speakers that deliver mediocre audio performance. At higher volume levels, the built-in speakers tend to distort a lot. According to experts, this happens because of compression artifacts.
Bass
- Critics did not like the bass output of the Samsung AU8000 either. They noted that bass heads almost by default need an external sound system to satisfy their needs. And testers also said that its “Perfect Harmony Q Symphony Surround Sound” feature combines the TV and soundbar orchestrated bass for an even better experience.
Soundstage
- Thanks to the eARC support, the Samsung AU8000 supports both Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos. And according to experts, these allow users to reach an even wider soundstage when paired with a compatible receiver.
