In this new comparison, we’ll look at the differences between the LG UN8100 and Samsung TU8500 TVs. Do you want to know which one is better? Then stick around, because we’ve thoroughly compared the two models.
These two models are a precursor to the QLED and NanoCell range, and offer a good balance between performance and price for those looking for neither a very basic nor a high-end TV.
In some countries, they can be found as the LG UN8100 and Samsung TU8500.
And there is also a version of the LG UN8100 that uses a bipedal stand instead of a central stand and is sold under the reference UN8000.
Below, we’ll explain the pros and cons of the Samsung TU8500 and LG UN8100 TVs, as well as our opinion on them, so you can decide which TV is better for your needs.
LG UN8100 UHD 4K Features
- LED
- 4K resolution
- Direct LED backlight
- IPS panel
- Quad core 4K image processor
- 60 Hz native panel
- Color depth: 8 bit + FRC
- HDR formats: HLG and HDR 10
- Filmmaker mode
- HGiG mode
- Sound 2.0 20W
- Bluetooth
- WebOS 5.0 operating system
- Magic control
- Google voice assistant
- AirPlay 2
- Miracast
- ThinQ
- 2 GB internal memory
- RAM: 2 GB
- Connections: 4 HDMI, 2 USB, 1 optical output
- Available inch sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75
Reference list LG UN8100: 43UN81000LB, 50UN8100LB, 55UN8100LB, 65UN8100LB and 75UN8100LB
Samsung TU8500 UHD 4K Features
- LED
- Resolution 4K
- Edge LED backlight
- Panel VA (except for 43″)
- Crystal UHD image processor
- 60 Hz native panel
- Color depth: 8 bit + FRC
- HDR formats: HDR 10+, HLG and HDR 10
- UHD Dimming
- Sound 2.0 20W
- Bluetooth
- Operating system Tizen 5.5
- Black smart controller with microphone
- Voice assistants for Alexa and Bixby
- AirPlay 2
- Multiview
- Smart things
- 3 GB internal memory
- Connections: 3 HDMI, 2 USB, 1 optical output
- Available inch sizes: 43, 50, 55 and 65
Reference list Samsung TU8500: 43TU8500, 50TU8500, 55TU8500 y 65TU8500
Design
The Samsung uses a central stand in the shape of a vane, like the one the company uses on many of its TVs. This type of stand is handy if you don’t have a very wide cabinet, unlike models that have two legs at the ends, like the TU8000 or Q60T.
As is already common, this stand does not rotate. For better cable organization, you can remove the case from the back of the base and feed the cables through the slot in the base and then replace them.
The LG UN8100 also uses a central type base. The color of the base and frame is a lighter shade.
The UN8100 model has a wider frame than the TU8500 model and is also slightly thicker. As mentioned in the introduction, the UN8000 version has two feet on the sides instead of a central base.
Picture quality
We’ll now see how each model holds up in key areas like black level, brightness, color, etc.
First, we recommend that you set the picture parameters as indicated in the configuration below. This way you will get the best image with a more natural and realistic look than the factory setting. The default setting usually results in an image with more artifacts, excessive sharpness that creates false contours and unnatural faces.
LG UN8100 picture settings for SDR content
The first thing you should do is disable all the power saving features so that the picture is not so dull.
Picture mode: Expert (Bright room)
Aspect Ratio Setting: 16:9 / Scan Only: On
Power Saving: Off
Additional setting: Visual comfort mode: Off
Backlight: 100
Contrast: 88
Gloss: 50
Sharpness: 15
Color: 53
Dye: 0
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Super Resolution: Off
Color Range: Extended
Range: 2.4
Color Temperature: Warm 1 / Method: 2 points / Level: High / Red: -2, Green: -1
Noise Reduction: Medium
MPEG Noise Reduction: Off
Smooth Level: Low
Black Level: Low
Royal Cinema: On
Motion Vision Protection: Off
TruMotion: Option 1: User: De-Judder: 5 / Option 2: Disabled (for watching movies)
LG UN8100 Picture Configuration for 4K HDR Content
Picture Mode: Cinema (User)
Aspect Ratio Setting: 16:9 / Scan Only: On
Power Saving: Off
Additional setting: Visual comfort mode: Off
Backlight: 100
Contrast: 100
Gloss: 50
Sharpness: 15
Color: 55
Dye: 0
Dynamic Contrast: High
Dynamic Tone Map: Off
Super Resolution: Off
Color Range: Extended
Range: 2.2
Color Temperature: Warm 1 / Method: 2 points / Level: High / Red: -2, Green: -1
Noise Reduction: Off
MPEG Noise Reduction: Off
Black Level: Low
Motion Vision Protection: Off
TruMotion: Option 1: User: De-Judder: 5 / Option 2: Disabled (for watching movies)
Samsung TU8500 Picture Configuration for SDR Content
First, you need to disable all ambient sensor and power saving options in the Economy Solution menu.
Picture Mode: Movie
Size Settings: Personal and select Auto Width to avoid overscan.
Gloss: 50
Contrast: 46
Sharpness: 6
Color: 28
Hue: 0
Sharpness setting: Personal / Vibration reduction: 5 / LED motion brightness: Off / Noise reduction: Off / Option 2: Off (for watching movies)
Contrast Enhancer: Off
Tint: Warm 1
White balance: Red +: -6/ Green +: -4 / Blue +: -3
Range: BT.1886: 0
Shadow Detail: 0
RGB mode only: Off
Color Range Setting: Original
Samsung TU8500 picture configuration for HDR content
Picture Mode: Movie
Size Settings: Personal and select Auto Width to avoid overscan.
Gloss: 50
Contrast: 50
Sharpness: 10
Color: 28
Hue: 0
Sharpness setting: Option 1: Personal / Vibration reduction: 5 / LED motion brightness: Off / Noise reduction: Off / Option 2: Off (for watching movies)
Contrast Enhancer: High
Tint: Warm 1
White balance: Red +: -6 / Green +: -4 / Blue +: -3
Range: ST.2084: 0
Shadow Detail: 0
RGB mode only: Off
Color Range Setting: Original
Black Level
In this regard, both TVs are somewhat disappointing as they fail to deliver deep blacks. However, it should be noted that this changes on the Samsung TU8500 depending on the size, as the panel type on the 43″ version differs from the upper inches. The version we tested is the 43TU8500 43 inch, which has a different screen type as we can see in the image below.
Normally Samsung has VA panels that achieve good black levels, but the 43TU8500 doesn’t use a VA panel, but a variant of an IPS panel. From the pixel structure we see in the images below, it seems that both have an ADS type panel.
The LG UN81000 will also change in the 50″ version as it doesn’t have an IPS panel, but a VA panel, so the contrast will be higher with deeper blacks than the other sizes.
As mentioned, the black levels are quite poor, at least on these 43″ versions, and look quite gray in a dark room or with very little lighting. The Samsung TU8500, fights back much better against all and the depth of blacks is superior. This is especially noticeable in scenes where there are hardly any lit areas.
However, as we’ll see below in the brightness section, this is achieved with the help of the softening of the lighting that Samsung TVs do in very dark scenes, which favors the depth of blacks and the reduction of halos, but at the expense of lower brightness in the luminous parts.
Brightness
Brightness for watching emissions in SDR is more than acceptable and both behave well. However, in HDR playback, neither reaches a high enough brightness peak to produce an impressive image.
For HDR content, the LG UN8100 achieves higher brightness compared to the Samsung. The Samsung also dims the brightness in very dark scenes, so as mentioned, the black level improves, but the intensity in the bright parts decreases quite a bit.
However, we appreciate a slight improvement in brightness compared to its predecessor, the 2019 RU7400, which may be due to the new dual-LED system.
Color
Colors are very natural and fairly accurate. The Samsung tends to give blue white and is difficult to correct in white balance, despite the fact that Samsung has implemented the dual-LED system in the new TU8500, which combines illumination by LEDs emitting cold and warm light to give only a more neutral white and no contamination of any color.
The color reproduction does not reach 90% of DCI-P3, which is recommended for the new HDR content.
Sharpness
Sharpness for antenna or cable TV content broadcast in 1080i or 720p resolution is higher on the Samsung TU8500. Higher levels of detail and texture are achieved, faces look more defined, and captions are clearer.
You can see that the TU8500 does a better job of scaling the fonts that aren’t in 4K, and its image processor does a better job. On the LG UN8100, the images are blurrier and don’t have the same sharpness, plus there are more artifacts and noise in the image and it’s essential to enable the noise reduction feature to get rid of the noise, especially when the image is moving.
However, for 4K content, the LG UN8100’s picture processor does a very good job and delivers very good detail even with this type of content, better than the Samsung.
Moving image
The refresh rate is 60 Hz native on both models.
You can configure the motion system in the TruMotion options on the LG and in the sharpness settings on the Samsung.
The settings for this feature are up to you, but we recommend choosing your personal mode and setting the value no higher than 5 to achieve a good balance between the smoothness of the motion but without creating a big “soap opera” effect.
For the purists and those who want the maximum fidelity in movies, you can try turning this feature off completely when watching movies to get more realism at the expense of a moving image with less smoothness.
Viewing angle
In this point it varies depending on the size, because in 43″ the Samsung has an ADS panel and in the rest the panel is VA type. In the LG in 43″ it is also ADS, but in 50″ it is a VA panel and in the rest it is an IPS panel.
So in the 43″ versions we tested, the viewing angle is very similar on both, and they hold colors and contrast well at viewing angles up to about 40º.
On the versions we say VA have, the angle is reduced more and the color and contrast are lost before, and if you see a bit from the side, the image is already more washed out.
Reflections
Both models are well suited for viewing in brightly lit rooms, as they have an “AntiGlare” panel that reduces reflections. The panel is semi-matte and reflections are quite diffuse, which means objects aren’t very prominent.
Input lag
Both the LG UN8100 / UN81006 and the Samsung TU8500 /TU8505 are excellent options for gaming. Latency is very short when the gaming mode is enabled, which both have available for activation. When this mode is enabled, certain automatic features are disabled that can be used to reduce input lag in an assignable manner. The input delay is approximately 10 ms.
To enable Game Mode on your Samsung TU8500, go to the menu and select the General tab, go to the External Device Manager, and then select Game Mode.
Game Mode on the LG UN8100 is enabled by going to the menu and selecting Picture and then Game in the Picture Mode option.
As you would expect in this range, none have HDMI 2.1 or support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).
Sound
It’s no surprise that at this range the audio quality is pretty poor, and as we always recommend, connecting a separate soundbar is a good option.
The sound system is a two-channel (2.0) sound system with an output power of 20W. The speakers are located on the bottom, so the sound is projected downwards and you don’t feel like the sound is coming directly from the screen.
Without adjusting anything, that is, leaving it as it comes from the factory, the sound in the TU8500 is better. But if we adjust some parameters in the audio settings, the LG has a bit more quality.
The most recommended mode is the default one, but we recommend adjusting the sound in different frequency ranges in the option available in both models. For a slightly more immersive sound, especially at a greater distance, we recommend enabling the Ultra Surround option.
Samsung Q95T QLED – Review and opinion
Both have an intelligent mode that adapts to the size and conditions of the room, as well as the content being displayed. It is called AI Sound on the UN8100 and Adaptive Sound on the Samsung. We like the LG better, as it offers a more spacious sound and achieves higher fidelity. However, the effect is very similar to the one we have when we enable the Ultra Surround option in Standard mode.
Smart TV
In terms of Smart TV and intelligent functions, we are talking about two very complete TVs. Both manufacturers rely on the use of their own operating system, unlike other brands that integrate Android TV.
The UN8100 uses WebOS version 5.0, which is what we find in all other LG TVs from 2020. As we have already mentioned in previous reviews, this operating system works really well with good performance in terms of speed and response time.
Samsung gives the TU8500 the Tizen operating system, which has already reached version 5.5 and offers very agile performance like LG’s WebOS with a wide range of content.
In fact, the design is similar to some extent and the available content is very similar. We like both operating systems equally and in this section there will be no system that is significantly superior to the other. Although, as we will now see, there are small details regarding the controls that may be important.
The control that is included in the UN8100 is the Magic Control command, which makes it easier to use when browsing and searching for content. The remote control includes a voice function for using Google Smart Assistant.
With Google’s built-in assistant, you can do all kinds of searches, including finding movies by a specific actor, music videos on YouTube, and more.
You can also use it as a pointer so that an arrow appears on the screen simulating a computer mouse. This makes it more convenient to move through menus and use the virtual keyboard when we want to search for something in the browser or on YouTube, for example.
Samsung stopped adding a pointer to its TVs a few years ago, and the TU8500 doesn’t have this feature. The controller is more minimalist with fewer buttons, but we can use them to control the same functions.
It also includes a microphone for voice assistants. The TU8500 is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Bixby, the in-house program. Bixby enables some functions, but it’s not as complete and when we ask more advanced things, it doesn’t understand them.
One detail about both controls is that it is possible to control other devices from the TV remote. For example, if you connect a Fire TV Stick, it will be recognized by the TV and it will not be possible to control the device from the same TV remote.
Opinion LG UN8100 and Samsung TU8500
Both models offer a wealth of features at a reasonable price. Neither offer significant performance in any area, but it’s what you’d expect in this price range.
In the 43″ size we tested with the ADS panel, contrast is quite low, but they offer wide viewing angles.
In the VA panel versions we mentioned, contrast is higher at the cost of a lower viewing angle.
Both are a good option for viewing in brightly lit rooms, as they have an anti-glare filter panel that blurs what’s in front of the screen so it’s not disturbed.
Which is better to buy, the LG UN8100 or the Samsung TU8500?
For general use, we recommend the Samsung TU8500 as it offers higher contrast levels with deeper blacks and better scaling for non-4K content for better clarity.
For the 55- and 65-inch versions, the contrast difference between the VA panel and the LG IPS panel is even greater.
After testing the two TVs extensively, we think the Samsung TU8500 is the best choice for viewing especially in dark rooms and for watching content at resolutions below 4K, thanks to its better image scaler.
Advantages LG UN8100
Good viewing angle
The screen reflects little
Very low input lag
Disadvantages LG UN8100
Very low contrast (except at 50″)
Font scaling under 4K can be improved
Advantages Samsung TU8500
Good contrast level (except at 43″)
High clarity for content under 4K
Very low input lag
The screen does not reflect much
Disadvantages Samsung TU8500
Viewing angle (43″ has a good angle).
Brightness is HDR a little low
I bought the Samsung TU8500 and have returned it due to an approx 5mm shadow/bar around the full perimeter of the screen. I’m sure I can see this on teh tv in your review video too. Is this something that eveyone has and should be expected?
Hi Nick,
Well, this happen quite often in most of Edge LED TVs to be honest, but in some cases is very distracting. The only piece of advice I can give you, is to try with another unit or buy the Q80T which is Full Array and probably won’t have this problem, or at least will be less severe.