Samsung, a powerhouse in the budget TV arena, has faced stiff competition recently, leading to a rare dip in its usually stellar performance. However, with its innovative QD-OLED and advanced Mini LED technologies paving the way, there's a buzz around whether Samsung's latest offering, the 55-inch CU8000 model, will mark a return to form. As the tech world watches, this affordable set emerges as a testament to Samsung's commitment to excellence, even in its more budget-friendly ranges. With the industry evolving, Samsung remains at the forefront, eager to reclaim its crown and impress audiences worldwide with its blend of quality and value.

Discover Exceptional Value

Unlock remarkable savings with the UE55CU8000, now available for just £529 in the UK (after a price cut from £569), $500 in the US, and $995 in Australia. These competitive prices make this 55-inch TV a standout choice from the world's leading TV brand. It's worth noting that the CU8000 series isn't just about affordable pricing; it offers superior design and specs compared to the entry-level models in Samsung’s 2023 lineup.

Considering a step down to the 55-inch Samsung CU7000 could save you £50 / $120, but it means sacrificing vibrant color performance. The CU7000 is equipped with Samsung’s lower-tier PurColor engine, unlike the CU8000 which boasts the advanced Crystal Colour system and Crystal Processor for a more dynamic viewing experience.

Design

Imagine a 55-inch television that merges style with affordability; that's the CU8000 for you. Thanks to its sleek Air Slim design, it boasts a slim profile with less than 3cm of depth, making it perfect for wall mounting and adding a touch of modern elegance to any space. And don't let the budget-friendly tag fool you - its substantial weight adds a premium feel, making it apparent that this TV is built to last.

However, every rose has its thorn. The stand of the CU8000 consists of two simple, dark metal feet positioned widely apart. This might pose a challenge for placing the TV on narrow furniture. But, when you're sitting directly in front, these feet cleverly blend away, almost disappearing into the background and allowing you to dive into your viewing experience without distraction.

Discover the Samsung CU8000 Series

Exploring the vast universe of Samsung's TV offerings, let's zoom in on a hidden gem that might not boast the flashiest features but has its unique shine - the 55-inch CU8000. It may not dazzle with Mini LED or Quantum Dot technology and opts out of OLED fanciness, yet there's much to admire.

At its core, the CU8000 series embraces a VA LCD panel, known for delivering deeper contrasts, with the caveat of narrower viewing angles compared to its IPS counterparts. Where it really stands out is its innovative edge LED lighting, a technique Samsung has mastered over the years to push the boundaries of screen brightness and contrast uniformity.

Without delving into the complexities of local dimming, Samsung makes a smart play with the CU8000 by optimizing its edge lighting for a cohesive brightness experience, avoiding the pitfalls of uneven backlighting.

While Quantum Dots may be missing, the CU8000 showcases Samsung's Crystal Color system, promising a kaleidoscope of over a billion colors. This color expansion, superior to more traditional LCD TV offerings, signifies Samsung's commitment to vibrant and dynamic visuals.

Driving the CU8000's display and sound capabilities is the state-of-the-art Crystal 4K Processor. This tech marvel ensures the 55-inch display not only delivers a pristine 4K resolution but also adeptly handles HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ formats for a breathtaking high dynamic range viewing experience, although Dolby Vision remains absent.

For gamers, the CU8000 might seem a tad limiting with its 60Hz refresh rate and lack of higher-end gaming features found in more luxurious models. However, it shines with a razor-sharp 10.2ms input lag and supports ALLM for seamless switching to a game-ready display mode, aligning perfectly with the needs of casual gamers.

Beyond gaming, the CU8000 is powered by the latest iteration of Samsung's Tizen operating system. This smart TV platform streamlines user experience, trimming down previous sluggishness and offering a vast ocean of streaming and catch-up TV apps. Despite its lack of Freeview Play integration, the CU8000 does not fall short in keeping UK viewers entertained with an extensive array of individual catch-up apps.

In the grand panorama of Samsung's TV lineup, the CU8000 series is a testament to the brand's prowess in merging innovation with user-centric design. It may skip some high-end frills, but for those in pursuit of solid performance and captivating visuals, it stands as a worthy contender.

Transforming Your Viewing Experience with the 55-inch CU8000

Step into a visual treat with the 55-inch CU8000, which emerges as a solid leader in the affordable TV segment. Thanks to its enhanced technology, Samsung once again reaffirms its position as a brand synonymous with quality and innovation, even in its budget-friendly offerings.

The game changer lies in the TV's refined edge-based lighting system, which achieves deeper black levels and reduces backlight clouding—a stark contrast to its predecessors. The engineers have crafted a visual experience where minor imperfections like light 'jetting' seldom catch your attention, unless you're specifically searching for them.

Its ingenious full frame dimming technology ensures that, even without local dimming, the TV delivers a commendable brightness level. The result is a display that brings bright, vibrant images, popping them against dark backgrounds with finesse, making it a standout in its price range.

The CU8000's black levels are impressive for a budget TV, offering a more immersive viewing experience, despite some minimal greyness over dark scenes. The occasional brightness 'jumping' and 'lights off, lights back on' effect during drastic scene changes are minor and infrequent, yet the impressive shadow details retention throughout justifies these trade-offs.

Although not competing with mid-range models in terms of brightness, the CU8000's price-to-performance ratio in the budget category makes it a heavyweight. Its pictures are notably punchier compared to its peers.

Another area where the CU8000 shines is its Crystal Processor 4K, which brings discipline to its color rendering. Avoiding the 'Dynamic' setting ensures that colors remain clean, crisp, and natural across various presets, avoiding common issues like colour striping. This disciplined approach helps create a more three-dimensional, engaging visual experience without the vividness of Samsung's Quantum Dot TVs but matching the richness and precision demanded by budget-conscious viewers.

The CU8000 doesn't just impress with color accuracy; its prowess extends to handling sharp, detailed images across 4K and upscaled HD content. Even low-quality streams are elevated on this screen, making everything you watch more enjoyable.

Motion clarity is another win for the CU8000, especially when the default Picture Clarity settings are replaced with customized ones that minimize judder. This ensures smooth motion across all content without compromising the picture quality.

Despite some setbacks like clipping in HDR's brightest spots and limited viewing angles, these can generally be mitigated with the right settings adjustments, proving that the CU8000's strengths far outweigh its limitations.

Sound Enhancements for Your Viewing Pleasure

Here's a quick tip for when you set up your CU8000 TV: Dive into the settings and activate the 'Amplify' sound feature right off the bat. It's a game-changer, transforming what would otherwise be a lackluster audio into something far more full-bodied and immersive.

That said, even with 'Amplify' in action, don't expect miracles when it comes to booming movie soundtracks. Despite this boost, the audio might still feel a bit on the lighter side for those action-packed moments. High notes can occasionally take on a sharp edge, and the overall sound projection doesn't venture far from the confines of the TV, leaving much to be desired in bass, which barely makes an appearance, failing to add that punchy depth to high-octane scenes. At times, what should be deep bass transitions into crackling noises during intense low-frequency moments.

The dynamic range and volume also fall short of truly elevating the experience during thrilling action scenes, maintaining a somewhat consistent flatness.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for the 55-inch CU8000. Its audio does shine in clarity, crispness, and detail outside of those extreme bass scenarios. It handles everyday TV and the lighter sides of cinema with a commendable finesse. Just temper your expectations if you're looking for a sound system that brings the cinema's roar right into your living room.

Our Take

Stepping into the scene with grace, the 55-inch CU8000 may not hit the nostalgic highs of Samsung's budget masterpieces of yore, but it sure packs a punch with its stellar picture quality and an expansive array of smart features. And it does all this without breaking the bank. All while sporting a sleek, sophisticated design that's as pleasing to the eyes as it is to your wallet.