In this review, we are going to tell you about Samsung’s new 2023 Crystal UHD Series CU8000 television. This is a simple 4K model that you can buy for an affordable price and that comes in a variety of sizes.
This entry-level model offers some improvements over Samsung’s cheaper model, the CU7105. But it also improves the aesthetic aspect with an ultra slim design. The Samsung CU8000 is available in a wide range of sizes, from 43 to 85 inches, with the exception of the 75″ size, which has curiously been discontinued.
In this review we are going to go through the main features of the Samsung CU8000 and what we think about it.
Samsung CU8000 review
- Ultra slim and sophisticated design
- Good contrast and deep blacks
- Complete and intuitive operating system
- Gaming Hub for cloud gaming
- Controller with solar panel and charging via USB-C
- Price adjusted for the quality offered
- Limited angle of view
- Insufficient brightness to enjoy HDR content.
- Poor sound quality
Design
Aesthetically, this model features significant changes compared to its predecessor. The edges have been integrated into the panel, giving it a more modern and elegant appearance. The thickness has also been reduced to just 2.69 cm, making it ideal for wall mounting. Samsung also offers a Slim Stand that keeps the TV just 1 cm away from the wall.
The stand is made up of two legs on either side, so this is particularly important for larger sizes, as you’ll need a wide cabinet to place it on.
Regarding the remote control, it has a more compact and rounded design. As we have seen with the brand’s smart TVs over the past few years, this remote is equipped with a rechargeable battery instead of batteries. It has a solar panel on the back and a USB-C port for recharging. This is the company’s way of contributing to a more sustainable environment and reducing battery waste.
Connections
The Samsung CU8000 has three HDMI 2.0 ports, two USB ports, an Ethernet port, an optical digital audio output and a composite video input. There is also Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) for wireless connectivity.
CU8000 Crystal UHD series connections
Smart TV
The TV runs on Tizen, version 7.0 of which is very intuitive and easy to use. Samsung has agreements with the major streaming platforms, so you can access popular apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO, Netflix, DAZN and Movistar+.
There is also a special panel that suggests films and series based on your tastes and the most popular content at the time. The remote has a built-in microphone for voice search with Bixby Assistant, Google Assistant or Alexa.
The TV also supports AirPlay 2 to share content from Apple devices and Smart View to mirror the screen of your mobile device.
There is a dedicated Games tab in the menu, from which you can access apps such as Xbox, Utomik or NVIDIA Geforce Now for cloud gaming.
Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud gaming
Sound
The Samsung CU8000 has a built-in 2.0 sound system with 20W of power, which is standard for this class of device. However, due to its slim design, the speakers do not have much room and the sound is flat without good bass and treble reproduction. We recommend purchasing an additional soundbar to improve the audio experience. Fortunately, the TV’s adjustable stand makes it easy to place the bar directly under the TV.
The Samsung CU8000 offers excellent value for money for an entry-level TV. Its sleek and slim design, along with the many connectivity options and smart Tizen features, make it an attractive option for those looking for an affordable TV with premium features. Be sure to add a soundbar for a complete audio experience.
Picture quality
Samsung CU8000 picture quality with VA panel and Dynamic Crystal Color
Now it’s time to see how the CU8000 performs in terms of picture quality. As we will see, this is a TV that uses a 60Hz VA panel and an 8-bit panel. It does not use quantum dot technology like the top QLED models, but instead uses the Dynamic Crystal Color system, which allows it to display purer whites without color contamination and more vibrant colors than the lower CU7105 series.
Black level
Thanks to its VA panel, Samsung’s CU8000 series offers high contrast and deep blacks. In dark environments, it reproduces deep blacks and shows good detail in dark areas. The contrast ratio is a good 4200:1.
In contrast to the high-end models, this TV does not have a local dimming function that allows you to adjust the lighting on a zone-by-zone basis. Instead, it uses a strip of LEDs at the bottom of the screen, called Edge LED, which means it doesn’t have the same uniformity as a full-array backlit TV. However, this allows it to maintain a balance between price and picture quality, as well as this slim design.
It is therefore a TV that is quite suitable for watching movies in low-light environments, as it will maintain relatively deep blacks. As is normal considering that it is an Edge LED TV, you can sometimes see some blooming when there is some subtitled and HDR content.
Of course, this is going to happen in other TVs in this price range and for better uniformity when or yes we have to go to a TV at least Full Array as the Q80C.
Brightness
When it comes to brightness, the CU8000 supports HDR10, HLG and HDR10+, but the brightness is a little too low for a really spectacular HDR experience. The maximum peak brightness in HDR goes up to around 320 nits, which is a bit disappointing.
However, it’s not too far below other competing models in this price range. If you watch a lot of HDR content, you might be interested in upgrading to the QLED Q60C series, which gets close to 450 nits, so you would notice a significant difference and its price is not much higher.
Color
The CU8000 series has very good color reproduction and covers just over 90% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, which is very interesting for an entry-level color gamut. The color volume is higher than the lower-end CU7105 due to the implementation of the Dynamic Crystal Color system.
Samsung CU8000 with Dynamic Crystal Color Technology
The CU8000’s red and green luminescent LEDs are coated with a whitening agent, so the light they produce has a higher purity and color accuracy when filtered.
The factory colors are not very well calibrated, so it is recommended to use the Warm 2 color mode, especially when watching movies, to improve the neutrality of whites and the realism of skin tones.
Sharpness
In terms of sharpness, this TV offers an excellent level of detail in 4K content. The quality remains good even when watching HD content, thanks to the correct scaling. We have noticed a leap in this aspect compared to previous years’ models in the Crystal UHD range.
Now you get a clean image with almost no noise, so the processor’s noise reduction has been improved. Texture has also been improved and compressed content via DTT or YouTube or other streaming platforms looks pretty good.
Motion
However, the management of the moving image could be improved, as sometimes small irregularities can be seen. We are talking about a 60 Hz panel, so it does not have the vibration reduction option, only the blur option.
Performance with video games
The Samsung CU8000 is a good choice for video games, as it has a low input latency of just over 11 ms. In order to reach this value, you have to activate the game mode.
However, this series does not support VRR, nor does it have HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K gaming at 120 Hz, so if you need these features, you will have to opt for the Q70C series.
Viewing angle
The VA panel on the CU8000 lacks the side viewing enhancement filters found on higher-end models. As a result, you may notice a loss of color and contrast when viewing from the side.
At around 30 degrees, the image begins to wash out, with blacks becoming grayer and colors becoming whiter.
Reflections
Reflections are blurred by the panel’s semi-matt finish. It does not have an anti-reflection coating like the OLED or Neo QLED 8K series, but considering that the brightness is not very high either, it holds up quite well.
Samsung CU8000 review and conclusion
The Samsung CU8000 Crystal UHD 2023 is an option to consider if you’re looking for an affordable TV with good picture quality and an operating system that allows you to download the most important applications.
One of the highlights of this TV is its design, with minimal thickness and very thin bezels, in addition to its controller with solar panel and USB-C. If aesthetics are important to you, you will love this TV.
It offers good contrast with pure blacks thanks to its VA panel, and sharpness is good in any type of content. Perhaps the best thing is its color reproduction, which allows you to enjoy vivid and accurate colors, although you have to make some adjustments to the image to achieve this.
However, there are areas that could be improved, such as the viewing angle, the brightness for a better HDR experience and especially the sound, which is rather mediocre due to its ultra-thin design.
Despite these limitations, the Samsung CU8000 TV offers us a quality viewing experience at an affordable price, making it an excellent choice for those looking to enjoy a sharp and detailed picture without compromising on their budget.
Is the Samsung CU8000 TV worth buying?
At the entry level, the CU8000 is, in our opinion, one of the best alternatives for all the reasons mentioned above. It combines a slim design, a lot of features and a more than acceptable picture quality.
If you are concerned about the sound quality, which is one of the weakest facets of this model, you can improve it by adding a soundbar.
