Samsung TU8500

Bringing good video performance and a great smart platform, this a winner for casual viewers From £449 samsung.com

hile QLED monopolises the brighter, higher ground of Samsung’s range, the majority of buyers pick from the tiers below, where similar smart platform connectivity dovetails with more affordable, though less exotic panel technology. Here lies the Samsung TU8500, the top model in the company’s Crystal LED line-up.

It’s not just another cut-price 4K UHD flatscreen. Rather than use a single colour of LEDs in the light behind the panel, it actually employs two different LED colour temperatures (5000k and 2000k). This helps improve contrast, giving better black level performance.

Screen uniformity is good, with no obvious light pooling or halos. Black level performance and contrast are reassuringly convincing for the price. If the screen does underwhelm, it’s with HDR. We measured HDR peak brightness a tad under 300 nits, which is not particularly jazzy.

There’s no Dolby Vision HDR support, but the TU8500 could really benefit from a little dynamic tone mapping guidance when watching some of the more eye-popping HDR

Wshows on Netflix. On the plus side, there’s support for regular HDR10, HLG and HDR10+.

We’re also offered two Game mode options. If you opt to select Game Motion Plus, input lag measures around 26.7ms (which is fine for casual gaming). However if you disable Game Motion Plus, and go hardcore Game mode, input lag drops to a mere 11.7ms (measured at 1080p/60fps), which is excellent.

There’s no obvious compromises on the TU8500 when it comes to smart functionality. Admittedly it lacks Freeview Play, but we still get a cart load of catch-up TV services courtesy of the Tizen operating system, alongside a healthy selection of other popular streaming services.

In terms of usability, the Tizen platform is fast and intuitive. Attractions include Multiview, which enables you to co-display your smartphone screen; Ambient Mode, should you want to keep the set busy when not watching programmes by displaying artwork; and Samsung SmartThings smart home control.

If you’re looking for a well-specified 4K UHD TV that won’t break the bank, the TU8500 is an enticing prospect. It’s more cutting-edge than you might first think (Samsung can’t help itself), and smart connectivity is excellent.

Good for movies. Great for games. Cheap as chips. Colour us impressed.