Despite the user-friendly OS and average darkroom movie-viewing, the Samsung CU8000 provides a mediocre gaming and movie-viewing experience, given its poor peak brightness and response times, patchy black screen, low contrast ratio, and lack of VRR. For the mid-range price, its features are average.
Released in 2023, the Samsung CU8000 is a simple entry-level 4K LED TV. Samsung’s Crystal processor upscales content to 4K, and the Dynamic Crystal Color optimizes on-screen imagery.
With an AirSlim design, the TV is supposed to seamlessly integrate with the overall aesthetics of your home. Voice assistants Bixby and Alexa are built into the system, and the remote is eco-friendly because of its mini solar charging panel.
There are three HDMI 2.0 ports and two USB connections, and the TV’s refresh rate is 60 Hz, but unlike the best TVs, it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and a variable refresh rate.
Though it comes with a simplified and less advanced version of the Tizen interface, it still features MultiView, and the Object Tracking Sound Lite promises to align the 3D surround sound with the visuals.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Samsung CU8000 TV’s tested brightness (296 nits) is poor, and no HDMI 2.1 ports can deter console gamers.
Poor contrast gives the screen a washed-out look in the dark with average black levels (1.116% standard deviation), while reflection handling doesn’t overcome glare in bright rooms.
As for fast-paced visuals, motion blur is bothersome due to poor response time (19.9ms), and a low 60 Hz refresh rate and no VRR mean mediocre gaming.
The subpar contrast ratio (4197:1) injects dullness into the picture quality, but fortunately, there’s no blooming. While the upscaling performance is poor, the remote’s voice control helps navigate the easy-to-use Tizen OS.
Finally, narrow viewing angles (color washout at 27°) make off-center viewing impossible.
Released in 2023, the Samsung CU8000 is a simple entry-level 4K LED TV. Samsung’s Crystal processor upscales content to 4K, and the Dynamic Crystal Color…
Released in 2023, the Samsung CU8000 is a simple entry-level 4K LED TV. Samsung’s Crystal processor upscales content to 4K, and the Dynamic Crystal Color optimizes on-screen imagery.
With an AirSlim design, the TV is supposed to seamlessly integrate with the overall aesthetics of your home. Voice assistants Bixby and Alexa are built into the system, and the remote is eco-friendly because of its mini solar charging panel.
There are three HDMI 2.0 ports and two USB connections, and the TV’s refresh rate is 60 Hz, but unlike the best TVs, it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and a variable refresh rate.
Though it comes with a simplified and less advanced version of the Tizen interface, it still features MultiView, and the Object Tracking Sound Lite promises to align the 3D surround sound with the visuals.
The Samsung CU8000 has higher HDR brightness in Game Mode and better low-quality content smoothing compared to the Samsung AU8000. The CU8000’s upgraded Tizen OS…
The Samsung CU8000 has higher HDR brightness in Game Mode and better low-quality content smoothing compared to the Samsung AU8000. The CU8000’s upgraded Tizen OS also supports MultiView, unlike the AU8000’s software version. However, the AU8000 is superior at reflection handling and achieving uniform blacks compared to the CU8000. For more information, read our Samsung AU8000 review. And if you want perfect black uniformity with an OLED screen, check out our Samsung S90C TV review.
The Sony Bravia X93L Mini LED TV has a faster 7.9ms response time than the Samsung CU8000’s 19.9ms response time. The X93L also supports a…
The Sony Bravia X93L Mini LED TV has a faster 7.9ms response time than the Samsung CU8000’s 19.9ms response time. The X93L also supports a variable refresh rate to prevent screen tearing, whereas the Samsung CU8000 does not. Lastly, blooming is minimal with the X93L, but the Samsung CU8000 performs better since it eliminates blooming altogether. To learn more, read our Sony Bravia X93L Mini LED TV review.
The Hisense U7H Series has a higher contrast ratio to achieve deeper blacks than the Samsung CU8000 TV’s low contrast ratio. For connectivity, the Hisense…
The Hisense U7H Series has a higher contrast ratio to achieve deeper blacks than the Samsung CU8000 TV’s low contrast ratio. For connectivity, the Hisense U7H has four HDMI ports, whereas the Samsung CU8000 has only three. Conversely, the Samsung CU8000 is considerably better at smoothing out low-quality content than the Hisense U7H. If you want a budget full HD Hisense TV, read our Hisense H5500G review. For a TV with a higher contrast ratio, read our Element G Series Review.
