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Samsung BU8500: Two-Minute Review
The Samsung BU8500 is designed to offer slightly up-to-date functionality, discreet looks and rock-solid build quality at a price that most of us will not want to mess with. And it certainly strikes a chord.
It’s absolutely hard to argue with the Samsung BU8500’s 4K HDR specification (albeit without Dolby Vision), a trio of HDMI inputs, voice control, two (count them!) Remote controls and a Tizen smart TV interface with all the apps you want on this kind of money. And when you look at the BU8500 as an object, it’s slimmer and more discreet than many flagship TVs from just a few years ago.
In this review of the Samsung BU8500, we look at the 55-inch model, but it is available in both larger and smaller sizes, from 43 inches up to 75 inches.
Given the right things to work with, the picture performance is more than acceptable – obviously not a match for the best TVs overall, but in strong competition with the best TVs under £ 1000. In all important areas of imaging, Samsung is never less than competitive – and the backlight is beautifully implemented, which helps the impression of endless quality. And as long as you temper your expectations, it even sounds good … but we think you should budget to add one of the best soundboards anyway.
As an upscaler, it certainly has its limitations – but it is far from alone in this, certainly not when it comes to large and (relatively) affordable TVs. And the lack of Dolby Vision HDR is still as annoying here as it is with other, more expensive Samsung TVs.
So not for the first time (and almost certainly not for the last), Samsung has managed to hit a price point without too many obvious compromises. It is definitely one of the best Samsung TVs available today for those on a budget.
Samsung BU8500 Review: Price and Release Date
- Released summer 2022
- 43-inch £ 599 | 50-inch £ 699 | 55-inch £ 799 | 65-inch £ 1,099 | 75-inch £ 1,499
- American launch unknown at time of writing
Samsung BU8500 is on sale now but at the time of writing this model is available in Europe and some other countries but has not been announced for North America or Australia (although it is available in New Zealand).
Many countries receive market-specific variations of TVs, of course, due to differences in broadcasting standards and so on – so so far there is no confirmation of what the corresponding Samsung screen will be in other territories. What we can be sure of, however, is that both the US and Australia will get a number of competitively priced, competitively specified Samsung 4K LED TVs that are more than a little reminiscent of the BU8500 series.
The BU8500 comes in a variety of sizes, from 43 inches up to 75 inches. The 43-inch model is officially priced at £ 599, the 50-inch costs £ 699, the 55-inch costs £ 799, the 65-inch costs £ 1,099, and the 75-inch costs £ 1,499.
This is completely in line with how the Samsung AU9000 from 2021 was priced at launch, and will keep this model competitive with 2022’s affordable models from such as Hisense and TCL.
Samsung BU8500 Review: Features
- 4K LED with HDR10 +
- Tizen smart TV software
- No FreeSync support
This is a 4K LED display, powered by Samsung’s Crystal 4K ‘processor and with support for the HLG and HDR10 + standards for HDR (we are used to Samsung refusing to offer support for Dolby Vision, but it never stops being cruel).
The sound is delivered by a two-channel driver arrangement powered by 20 watts of power – Samsung has included the ‘Lite’ version of its ‘Object Tracking’ sound arrangement here, and the BU8500 is also ‘Q Symphony’ compatible. This means that the TV’s speakers can actually join when a compatible Samsung soundbar is connected for even greater sound.
The BU8500 has three HDMI 2.0 inputs – it’s compatible with the ALLM and HGiG aspects of next – generation gaming console specifications, but there’s no support for AMD FreeSync, which is a step back from last year’s Samsung AU9000.
One of the HDMI ports is eARC-enabled for use with an audio board. Other physical inputs include an Ethernet connector, a pair of USBs and an antenna post for use with the built-in RF tuner, and there is also a digital optical output. Wireless options run on Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi.
When it comes to controlling the screen, the BU8500 is compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings control patch, and also comes with a pair of remote controls. One is the kind of small, hard and overloaded remote control we are all used to watching with a regular TV – too many buttons, almost all too small, and all are uncomfortable to touch. The other, however, is a far more elegant handset that has a minimum of controls, is much better in the hand and is solar powered. There is compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant is built-in, and there is also Bixby voice control (presumably for Samsung employees).
Whichever method you choose to use, however, you will navigate a slightly secluded version of Samsung’s Tizen-based Smart TV interface. It is as clean and logical as always here (although it is less responsive here than in other applications), and has a fairly comprehensive selection of top-level apps. All the UK catch-up services, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Disney + make up the headlines, of course, but if Hipstr or KetchupTV (for example) are more to your liking, dive right in.
Samsung BU8500 Review: Picture Quality
- Good levels of detail, strong contrast
- Not the biggest upscaler
- Getting a compelling color balance takes time
Getting a picture balance you’re happy with from the Samsung BU8500 is just a little more obscure than it should be, especially given the relative lack of setup options available here – but endurance will be well rewarded. With one or two minor caveats, the Samsung BU8500 performs very well in relation to the suggested price.
Contrasts, for example, are quite strong. BU8500 may not quite come down to “real” black, but the dark tones it generates are very deep, but retain a lot of detail and variety in them. At the opposite end, white tones are respectably white, fine and clean, and equally informative. Samsung can handle both in the same scene without alarms, helped quite a bit by nicely even backlighting, which is not always provided in cheaper TVs.
During the setup, the color balance adjustment is a bit of a hair trigger – it will tip from “just a little underrated” to “quite too lively” in a short time. But play a little to find the optimal balance, and the color palette is naturalistic, convincing and wide-ranging. Skin tones, in particular, are detailed and varied.
The edge definition is good, as is the depth of field – and Samsung has little trouble controlling even complex or tight patterns, and describes (for example) checkered fabrics without shimmer or creep. The stability is strong overall, with only the most testing movements on the screen provoking uncertainty. According to current standards, the BU8500 is a capable TV when it gets the best 4K HDR content, such as a UHD Blu-ray.
Of course, we do not all live on a diet with brand new groundbreaking content – and when it comes to upscaling, Samsung (for the most part) continues its good work. Absolutely an elite level broadcast of tennis does not suffer at all – the colors are described safely, the movement on the screen is stable in almost all circumstances, and the level of detail remains high. There are slightly rougher skin tones and a touch of unevenness to the harder edges, but for the most part the BU8500 is still eminently worth seeing.
Anything that is less informative than it may suffer something, well note. Stick to some vintage content from the TV shows during the day, and you will be greeted with images that are soft and lack definition, light on details and easier still on motion control. Samsung is far from alone in falling apart when it does this amount of upscaling, but that does not make it more comfortable to look at.
Despite the inability to take advantage of many of the key features of a next-generation gaming console, the BU8500 is still a perfectly respectable way to enjoy gaming. Its systems with contrasts and motion control are particularly worthwhile, and although Samsung is shy about revealing the BU8500’s input delay measurements, they are definitely not an obstacle.
Samsung BU8500 review: Sound quality
- Acceptable sound scale
- The middle class designs well
- Hard and sarcastic with high frequencies
The sleek chassis, great specifications and very comfortable picture performance are all well and good – but when it comes to sound performance, the Samsung BU8500 sounds like an affordable old-school TV. And that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Low frequency presence is modest, but what bass activity Samsung generates is at least properly controlled and polite. It’s not the kind of extension that will make a plastic chassis resonate, but there is a fair amount of detail in what goes for the “low end”.
It’s quite distinct through the middle range and, again, pretty decent levels of detail. Voices project well forward, and they are actually quite well balanced – until they begin to push into the upper frequency range. When it reaches the higher frequencies, the BU8500 becomes quite hard and edgy, giving sibilance and even a touch of roughness to treble sounds. It is a property that is only aggravated by volume.
The ‘object tracking’ aspect of sound is mild in the extreme here, but Samsung offers at least a reasonably sonic scale. Dynamically, however, it is quite inhibited.
In short: you need one of the best soundboards if you want the sound to match the visual, even if it’s just a very affordable one. There is a gap between the bottom of the screen and the surface the TV is on for a reason, it turns out.
Samsung BU8500 Review: Design
- Slim 25.7 mm depth
- Two look for the stand
There are limits to how much “design” can be done with a TV in the best of times, and “the best of times” certainly does not include a mainstream series of aggressively priced TVs designed to appeal to as many people as possible . So the BU8500 is an imperceptible look.
However, it is positive. With a touch of over 25 mm deep for our 55-inch version, the chassis is enviably slim, and the frames around the screen are also minimal. It can of course be mounted on the wall. However, if you do not want that option, and would rather place the new TV on a surface, Samsung’s feet are practically close together, so your surface does not have to be as wide as the screen itself.
There are two feet to be screwed to the chassis, and they can be made to look like a single base using a plastic cover that feels quite cheap and that only fits snugly. Still, it raises the bottom of the screen sufficiently to fit a soundboard underneath.
Samsung BU8500 Review: Value
A sense of value is crucial for the Samsung BU8500. It exists to ensure that you can get many of the latest features at a low price, or to give you the ability to upgrade to a larger screen while still staying within budget.
Of course, this means some disadvantages compared to more expensive TVs. It’s not as bright, the black levels are not as deep, you do not get a 120Hz screen or VRR for gaming, and it has the perpetual Samsung disadvantage of lacking Dolby Vision.
But for the price, these just do not mean much. The quality of 4K HDR images gives the general feeling that they are from a more expensive set, and it certainly does not feel like it missing in features, though advanced TVs offer even more.
For the price, it is very difficult for anything to beat the sure consistency of quality that Samsung delivers here.