Verdict
On newspaper , this telecasting packs plentifulness of time value , but the performance is n’t quite there . slender design , lots of apps and decent features are highlight , but they ’re counterbalance by an underwhelming picture and sluggish user interface .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Samsung ’s QLEDandQD - OLED TVsgrab the glare , but it ’s the Korean mark ’s most low-priced television receiver that shift in braggy number into the homes of customers around the world .
Now , we have the UE65BU8000 , the step - down model from the BU8500 – both of which are new set in Samsung ’s low-priced Crystal UHD range .
The key here is a compounding of performance and value . So , has Samsung achieved the unadulterated equalizer with the BU8000 ?
Design
Samsung ’s obsession with slimness carries over to its Crystal UHD serial , as the UE65BU8000 has a depth of 25.7 mm . In comparability , LG ’s supposedly slender 65 - inchC2 OLEDis 45.1 millimetre at its thickest point .
The Samsung TV ’s skinniness is aided by an Edge Lit screen , where an regalia of dimming LED that brighten and darken the screen are positioned around its edges . The BU8000 would seem a prime prospect for wall - put on , but it mucks things up a bit with the placement of its connector .
Most are side - facing – which helps with routing cables – but anHDMI portand digital optical out are rear - veneer , so if you want to link up a third source , you may need one of those right - lean HDMI connexion .
That aside , the BU8000 is another telecasting from Samsung that decisively refuses to draw attention to itself with its thin bezel skeletal frame . The feet did n’t take me much time to attach , sliding and locking into piazza on the rear of the projection screen . But there ’s no cable television direction , and the foot are locate towards the edges , so you ’ll want to check that you have a stall vainglorious enough to hold this 65 - inch model .
Performance at broad angles does fade quickly when off axis vertebra . At just , you ’ll want to be at a slight angle before the colours start to fade . This television set is also not bright enough to withstand reflections , so you wo n’t desire to shake off much direct ignitor on the CRT screen .
Tizen Smart Hub Interface
I ’ve grumbled about the lethargy of Samsung ’s refreshed port for its 2022 telecasting , but up until now , the issue has been an unresponsive smart remote control . The UE65BU8000 , on the other paw , is just slow all over .
no matter of the remote used ( and this TV come with both the saucy and standard zappers ) , the interface ’s leadenness makes piloting consanguine to walk in quicksand . Wherever the problem lie , the Tizen interface could certainly benefit from more optimisation .
The smart hub is divided into section accessible on the leftover - hand side . The principal hub is an entertainment one , while the Gaming Hub , Universal Guide ( fundamentally , search function ) and configurations are the other three section ( the BU8000 does n’t corroborate the Ambient mode that show images when the telly is in its “ sleep ” mode ) .
There are apps galore , with all the big names covered along with Samsung ’s own apps ( its Health app is front and heart ) . Despite noFreeview Play , Samsung offers the free streaming - based TV Plus inspection and repair as an alternative , and all the UK catch - up apps are present .
In terminus of gambling , this TV has cloud gaming options in Utomik , Nvidia GeForce Now , Luna ( in the US ) and Xbox Game Pass ( an sole ) , with Antstream Arcade and Blacknut get in in 2023 .
Features
Only three HDMI connections are provided , of which HDMI 2 is designated as theeARC portfor post soundtrack , such as Dolby Atmos , to a compatible soundbar . None of these is list as bearingHDMI 2.1support , which I ’ll come back to shortly .
Other joining options admit two USB port , a CI slot , Ethernet , digital opthalmic out and RF inputs for terrestrial and orbiter connections . Wirelessly , there ’s Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi - Fi .
become back to HDMI 2.1 , there ’s the auto scummy latency mood that automatically puts the TV into its most receptive res publica for gaming . That I measured at 9.5ms , which is a speedy performance for any TV . HGiG for a consistent HDR performance across game is also included .
However , those looking for an low-priced enceinte covert for gambling should know that varying refresh rates ( VRRs ) are n’t supported ( the BU8000 go as far as 50Hz ) , which means you ca n’t get any low than the 9.5ms latency I recorded . Nor does it stomach frame rates up to 120Hz , which is a lineament that ’s still rare below the £ 1,000 mark . Those who want a high - quality play experience wo n’t find it here , but casual gamers will get a o.k. - enough performance .
relish talking to your television ? Bixby , Alexa ( built - in)and Google Assistant are uncommitted to talk back and operate other connected machine within the menage .
Picture Quality
Compare the UE65BU8000 with , say , Samsung’sQN90B Neo QLEDand there ’s an obvious and predictable gulf in tone . But the former is flip to a more affordable market , and judged on its own merit , it offer a adequate viewing experience . But its HDR operation left me wanting for a more expressive picture .
The Crystal central processing unit 4 K title to provide “ true to life history coloring material ” , but in my time with the set , its colours lacked poke and vigour . I measured brightness at a lowly 277 nit in stock mode on a 5 % HDR window ( 337 nits on a 10 % window ) , with the Dynamic mode offering the best performance at 334 nit . That ’s still short of the 500 - 600 nits needed to give HDR subject matter some impetus .
As a outcome , dividing line is not the BU8000 ’s strong courtship , even with its VA control board , with black level that lack profoundness and err towards grey pure tone . Meanwhile , the lack of overall luminance hampers the intensity of highlights and white tone . Switching to the television set ’s dynamical manner beefs up the contrast , but then the government issue shifts to colour accuracy , chiefly in darker scenes where Black take on a cooler , blue tint .
That does n’t make HDR depicted object on this TV unwatchable , but I was aware of its limitations . The opening conniption of Star Wars : Andor take on place at night , and I can just about make out shapes and objects in the gloom as Andor makes his way into a club on Morlana One . The Shadow Detail stage setting offers a better glimpse into the darkness , but even a flimsy allowance can affect the potency of the TV ’s black level . align the Contrast Enhancer can make a divergence with slightly rich blacks – but that ’s a arduous vehemence on “ slightly ” .
With bright content set in daylight , the edge - lit screen fares better , but there is still a subdued fashion in how it reproduces colours . As Geralt and Jaskier speculation in the countryside in The Witcher , the greens of Bush and trees are rather underwhelming . Complexions are fine , but they miss punch and take on a paler tone ( which is saying something for Geralt ’s already pale peel ) , with his hair ( of all things ) look a less - than - lustrous , dull shade of white . The BU8000 delivers a plain - appear image that does n’t give a convincing impression of HDR .
HDR10+assistance helps , but we ’re talking elusive amount here . In Bad Times at the El Royale and The Suicide Squad , semblance have a little more profundity and stove , although the spectacular - take care The Rings of Power look flat in berth – there ’s simply not enough contrast , depth or richness in the BU8000 ’s colours to convey a sincerely three - dimensional image .
This TV ’s sense of detail is not forensic , whether it ’s peeking into brilliant or disconsolate tones , and there ’s a fuzziness in general : the leather texture and styling of Geralt ’s suit of clothes in The Witcher seem hazy in their definition . There ’s an overall softness that suggest the BU8000 does n’t offer up the sharpest - looking image .
Its motion handle abilities are rather nice when see West Side Story in 4 K HDR . The Custom mise en scene is good with no noticeable artefacts and judder , while the strong motorcar mount gives the terpsichore picture at the shoal a glossier , more artificial look ( usually around the mouth of people as they talk ) , with a mite of stutter and judder if you look intimately .
It keeps up with the pace and intricate social movement of the dancers as they cross each other ’s path surprisingly well , but the penalisation enforce is that raciness and definition are further eroded . The same strength and weaknesses pop up when watch 1917 ( although artefacts are more noticeable with that picture ) . Both pic look best without the Motion Plus setting on .
Focusing on the Crystal C.P.U. ’s upscaling science , an installment of Breaking Bad ( Fly ) on DVD has noise and mild edges , but it can pluck out point on fiber ’ faces ok enough , and it ’s a colorful interpretation too – the red of the superlab ’s flooring and the majestic - unripe pattern of Walter ’s chequered jacket stand out .
Troy on Blu - beam have an ample amount of detail found on fictitious character ’ nerve and geological period armor , as well as a decent level of clarity for a 65 - column inch cover . The azure blue of the sky translate well and contrast with the sun - cloud yellowness of the beach as the Greeks rage it . It ’s a believable upscaling public presentation , with no cark artefacts , and the BU8000 ’s common sense of colour is best realise with SDR content . But , again , the double does appear a spot subdued .
The Game mode is bright enough to give a minuscule zing to the tincture and reflexion of car in Gran Turismo 7 , and the image is colourful enough , but a little more vibrancy would not go amiss .
I should also bring up that the BU8000 come with a slight panel defect with a unripe funnies escape vertically down the cover that would appear every now again , primarily when stream content .
Sound Quality
Audio modes are a choice of Standard , Adaptive Sound and Amplify . Adaptive Sound is enough , but I found Amplify improved the flashiness of the TV , although its impression of dynamism is on the weaker side .
For a filmdom of this size , it does n’t vocalise heavy , pass on a sense of being hemmed in . That said , negotiation clarity is good and understandable , and it has a decent grasp of detail : the creaks and groan of an abandoned settlement in The Rings of Power are nicely realise . The OTS Lite phone organisation does a decorous line of work of placing the sounds on concealment .
It can sound a little murky in describing down relative frequency . The beats in tilt euphony from Thor : Love and Thunder is flat , and in The Rings , the Elves encounter with a cave troll does n’t have much shock or heft in stock style ( Amplify is a fleck better ) . campaign the speakers severely , and they scrimp on contingent as sounds meld into one formless soundstage . There ’s no built - in Dolby Atmos support with this manikin .
Those who have a Samsung soundbar with Q - Symphony can profit from the BU8000 ’s Q - Symphony Lite lineament that expend the video and soundbar ’s speakers in tandem to create a bigger phone . I prove it with the HW - S800B bar , and it did help localise dialog with more preciseness and a crisper tone , while the come with subwoofer took the load off the television . You ’ll certainly require to consider a soundbar , and Samsung ’s range of soundbars gibe up well .
Latest Deals
Should you buy it?
In this securities industry , £ 799 is an satisfactory price for a 65 - inch TV , and for casual witness after a big - covert TV , the UE65BU8000 does have appeal on report …
What ’s on paper does n’t always translate into performance , and the lack of brightness harms the UE65BU8000 ’s images with a muted effort .
Final Thoughts
For those in need of an low-cost gravid - silver screen television , the Samsung UE65BU8000 seems to extend satisfying value on composition , but the functioning just is n’t there . It struggles to render impactful HDR , its smart interface is sluggish , and although its gaming skills are fine , PS5 and Xbox Series owners wo n’t get the most optimal performance from this television set .
This is a decent effort for the price , but it fall short of the timber Samsung has achieved with good example such as theAU9000 . And as the latter is still available for less money than the BU8000 , I ’d gear that TV as a better option .
Trusted Score
How We Test
We try out every TV we review good over an extended period of time of time . We utilize industry standard trial to compare features by rights . We ’ll always narrate you what we find . We never , ever , take money to critique a product .
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FAQs
The Samsung BU8000 was launched in 2022 and is available in the UK in sizes from 43 - inches to 85 - inch .
