Samsung NU8000 Review

COMPLETE REVIEW

The Samsung NU8000 is a beautiful mid-range 4K TV, with a slim design and a great picture quality.

This model has a low input lag, which makes it a good option for gaming. It also has a bright image and runs the latest TV OS from Samsung.

Here are the main specs of the NU8000:

• Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
• HDR Plus
• Motion rate: 240
• Flat Panel
• Edge-lit LED
• 40W RMS
• Dolby Audio
• Quad Core processor
• WiFi, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth
• Smart TV with Bixby Voice
• 2 USB
• 4 HDMI ports
• Ethernet
• 5 available sizes (49 to 82-inch)

Design

The NU8000 is available in 5 sizes: 49, 55, 65, 75 and 82-inch. We reviewed the 55-inch version.

The 55-inch version weighs almost 42 lbs. with the stand. It has a very slim design and a stable, T-shape stand, in a brushed metallic finish. The borders of the TV are 0.35” and the maximum thickness is 2.28”, which means the NU8000 is quite thin and looks great in your home. Although it’s made almost entirely of plastic, the Samsung NU8000 doesn’t look or feel cheap at all, on the contrary. It seems solid and has a premium look to it.

There is no plastic frame around the sides or the top of the screen of the TV, which contribute even more to its great aesthetics.

The wires are hidden under the removable back cover of the TV and you’ve got 2 USB ports and 4 HDMI inputs, all compatible with HDMI 2.0b.

The screen uses edge-lit LED lighting, which is no match to OLED panels, but it is good enough for this price range.

The NU8000 comes with two remotes: a standard, bigger and more complex one and a smaller one, with only the basic functions on it, but slimmer and easier to handle. The latter is also completely wireless which means it will work even if you don’t point it directly at the TV.

Features and performance

The Samsung NU8000 is packed with smart features, apps and streaming services. You’ve got all your usual: Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, Google Play Movies & TV, HBO Go, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more. The TV comes with the latest Tizen version and everything is extremely intuitive and works great. Even if you add an external device such as Roku Ultra for instance, it will immediately recognize it and add an icon to the bar, with no hassle on your part.

Setting up the TV is a breeze thanks to the SmartThings app and you can easily do the setup from your iOS or Android device.

Smasung’s smart assistant Bixby is also a useful feature, although it does have some minor bugs and sometimes will misunderstand your requests. When it does work properly, it can find shows for you, answer your questions and more.

One of the strengths of the NU8000 is its impressively low input lag, which is why gamers will definitely appreciate this TV. The NU8000 has Auto Game Mode and Game Motion Plus, which automatically decrease the input lag when you plug in a game console.

Image wise, the NU8000 has a fantastic picture quality, especially in dark rooms, regardless of the type of content you are watching, HDR or SDR. You get deep blacks and the contrast ratio is very high, but local dimming on the other hand is quite ineffective. The color gamut is satisfying, colors are natural, accurate.

Motion blur is relatively low and the 120Hz refresh rate makes watching sports and action programs/movies a pleasant experience.

And now on the downsides, the viewing angle is not great, so expect to see differences in brightness and colors when you are not watching the TV straight from the center. Another issue you’ll notice on the NU8000 is that it reflects light.

In terms of sound, the NU8000 can get quite loud and the bass extension is above average. But, as you probably know it already, a dedicated sound bar will take everything to a whole different level.  

The NU8000 is a great option if you are looking for something in the mid-range. The NU8000 is great for gaming, has good colors, it is bright and unless you’re going for the more affordable 49-inch version, motion will not be an issue either, with the bigger screen sizes.