Samsung BU8500 TV Review: Affordable Home TV

Gamesaa

Member
The Samsung BU8500 is on sale now and is available in sizes ranging from 43 inches to 75 inches. Official prices are £599 for the 43in model, £699 for the 50in, £799 for the 55in, £1099 for the 65in and £1499 for the 75in. The Samsung BU8500 is one of the affordable TV models for 2022. Let's see how the Samsung BU8500 reviews.
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Samsung BU8500 functional review​


The Samsung BU8500 features a 4K LED screen powered by Samsung's "Crystal4K" processor and supports HDR in HLG and HDR10+ standards.

As far as the control screen goes, the Samsung BU8500 is compatible with Samsung's SmartThings control app, and it also comes with a couple of remote handsets. One is the small, rigid, and overburdened remote control we're all used to seeing on mainstream TVs—too many buttons, almost all of them too small and uncomfortable to touch. The other phone, though, is a sleeker one with minimal controls, feels better in the hand, and is solar powered. Compatible with Amazon Alexa, built-in Google Assistant, and Bixby voice control.

A slightly stripped-down version of Samsung's Tizen-based smart TV interface. As clean and logical as ever (though it's not as responsive here as other apps).

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Samsung BU8500 interface review​


The Samsung BU8500 features three HDMI 2.0 ports - compatible with the ALLM and HGiG aspects of the next-gen console specification, but doesn't support AMD FreeSync, a step back from last year's Samsung AU9000.
Samsung BU8500 interface review

One of the HDMI ports supports eARC for use with the soundbar. Other physical inputs include an Ethernet socket, a couple of USBs, and an antenna binding post for the onboard RF tuner, as well as a digital optical output. The wireless alternative runs Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi.

Samsung BU8500 Picture quality review​


The Samsung BU8500 doesn't quite restore "true" blacks, but the dark tones it produces are really deep, preserving a lot of detail and variation. On the other end, the white tones are nice and clean, and equally informative. Samsung can handle both in the same scene without an alarm, thanks to a very even backlight, which is good compared to some similarly priced TVs.

During setup, adjustments to color balance are simple—colors can go from "understated" to "lively." Skin tones, in particular, are rich and varied in detail.

The Samsung BU8500 has good edge sharpness and good depth of field—the Samsung has little difficulty in controlling complex or tight patterns, describing (for example) checkered fabrics without glitter or crawling. In fact, the overall stability is strong, with only the most tested screen movements causing any uncertainty. By current standards, the BU8500 is an excellent TV when it comes to delivering the best 4KHDR content like UHD Blu-ray.

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Of course, we don't all live off new cutting-edge content - Samsung (mainly) continues its great job when it comes to upgrades. Of course, some elite-level tennis HD broadcasts are barely affected—colors are described confidently, on-screen movement is stable in nearly all situations, and detail levels remain high. Skin tones are slightly rougher, and there's a hint of jaggedness on the more difficult edges, but overall, the BU8500 is still very noticeable.

Note that any information less than this may be affected. Stick with some old-fashioned stuff from the daytime TV schedule, and you'll see a muted and unsharp image with less detail and less motion control. Samsung isn't alone in breaking down in a way, considering it's going for such a massive upgrade, but that doesn't make it look any more comfortable.

Despite lacking the ability to take advantage of many of the main features of next-gen consoles, the BU8500 is still the perfect way to enjoy gaming. Its contrast and motion control features are especially worthwhile, and while Samsung wouldn't reveal the BU8500's input lag measurements, they're definitely not a hindrance.

Samsung BU8500 Sound Quality Review​


In terms of audio performance, the Samsung BU8500 sounds like an affordable old-fashioned flat-screen TV. The presence of low frequencies is modest, but the bass activity the Samsung produces is at least properly controlled. There isn't the kind of extension that resonates with the plastic chassis, but for the "low end," it's ok.

The level of detail in the midrange is decent. Sounds are well projected forward, and they're actually pretty balanced—until they start to hit the high-frequency range. Once it reaches higher frequencies, the Samsung BU8500 gets very sharp, giving the treble a tinge or even a hint of roughness.

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If you want the sound to match the visuals, you're going to want one of the best sound bars, even if it's just a very affordable one. It turns out there's a reason for the gap between the bottom of the screen and the surface the TV is standing on.

Samsung BU8500 Appearance Review​


The Samsung BU8500 55-inch version has a touch depth of over 25mm, a very slim chassis, and very small bezels around the screen.

Placement options are wall-mounted and upright, with the upright having two feet to screw into the chassis that raises the bottom of the screen just enough to comfortably accommodate the soundbar below.

Summarize​


Obviously, the Samsung BU8500 has a lot of small downsides compared to more expensive TVs, it doesn't have as deep black levels, doesn't have a 120Hz screen or VRR for gaming, and lacks Dolby Vision. But in terms of price, that doesn't seem to matter anymore. And the quality of the 4KHDR picture it delivers overall feels more like a high-end TV.

You may also want to read
Samsung BU8500 Specification Review, is it good?
Samsung BU8000 Crystal UHD 2022 TV Review

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