The LG C3 is an OLED TV with superior overall picture quality, making it excellent for movies and gaming. Its perfect black levels and wide viewing angles are ideal for dark room viewing and provide a more immersive experience. This TV also supports advanced gaming features, making it a strong choice for gamers.
However, if you're on a budget and mostly watch news, talk shows, or in a bright room, the Samsung AU8000, an LCD TV, could suffice. It's less expensive but offers lower picture quality and is not as well-suited for dark environments or gaming. It also has fewer HDMI ports and lacks the premium built-in speakers found in the LG C3.
So, if high-quality movie watching and gaming are priorities and you're willing to invest more, go for the LG C3. If cost-saving is a primary concern and you mostly watch casual content in well-lit rooms, consider the Samsung AU8000. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the LG C3 (OLED)
Very good for bright room
Excellent for dark room
Excellent for gaming
Excellent for movies & TV
Very good for sports
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Excellent for use as monitor
Very good for upscaling
Very good motion processing
Best in class viewing angle
Best in class reflections
Advantages of the Samsung AU8000 (LCD)
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the LG C3 (OLED).
Key differences
Picture Quality
9.0/10
6.6/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
6.71/10
8.1/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
WOLED
PANEL TYPE
LED
WBE
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The LG C3 (OLED) has excellent picture quality, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
9.2/10
5.9/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
6.71/10
10.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.9/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The LG C3 (OLED) is excellent for movies & TV, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The LG C3 OLED provides superb contrast, perfect black uniformity, and wide viewing angles, which makes it excellent for watching movies and cinematic TV. In comparison, the Samsung AU8000 LCD falls short in these areas, especially with lower contrast and weaker black uniformity, resulting in a poorer cinematic experience.
Sports
8.5/10
6.5/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
6.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
8.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The LG C3 (OLED) is very good for sports, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The LG C3 excels in sports viewing due to its superior motion processing and wider viewing angles, which provide a clear picture from most places in a room, and it handles reflections well, making it suitable for bright rooms. In comparison, the Samsung AU8000 has limitations in motion processing and a narrower viewing angle, which might reduce the clarity of fast-moving sports content and make it less ideal for group viewing in well-lit environments.
Gaming
9.0/10
5.8/10
10.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
5.9/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
6.0/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
8.0/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
The LG C3 (OLED) is excellent for gaming, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The LG C3 excels in gaming due to its superior response time and 120Hz refresh rate, contributing to smoother gameplay and less motion blur. In contrast, the Samsung AU8000 lags behind with a slower response time and a 60Hz refresh rate, leading to less fluid motion and a potential disadvantage in fast-paced games.
Cartoons & Animation
8.8/10
6.9/10
8.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
6.1/10
8.1/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
8.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
7.9/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.2/10
10.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
The LG C3 (OLED) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The LG C3 OLED TV is rated very good for cartoons and animation because it has a high color gamut and color volume, ensuring vivid and varied colors, whereas the Samsung AU8000 LCD TV is considered fair due to its lower performance in these areas, making colors less vibrant and diverse, which is particularly noticeable in animated content where color plays a crucial role.
News, Talk, & Other TV
9.0/10
6.7/10
8.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The LG C3 (OLED) is excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The LG C3 excels at upscaling lower resolution content and delivers very good SDR brightness, making it well-suited for news and TV programs in various lighting conditions. The Samsung AU8000, on the other hand, has weaker upscaling and does not feature local dimming, affecting its ability to handle different scenes effectively, which results in just a fair performance for the same content.
Bright Room
8.3/10
6.3/10
9.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
8.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
8.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.7/10
10.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
7.8/10
The LG C3 (OLED) is very good for bright room, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The LG C3 offers superior performance in bright rooms due to its excellent handling of reflections and very good SDR and HDR brightness, which are crucial in overcoming ambient light. Conversely, while the Samsung AU8000 is competent, it exhibits only good SDR brightness and poorer HDR brightness, and does not handle reflections as well, making it less ideal for very bright environments.
Cost
$2,400
$648
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The LG C3 (OLED) has a price of $2,400 and the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) costs $648.
"To put it directly: you’d never see a mid-range 4K TV hitting this black levels half a decade ago. AU8000 plays the part of a higher-end TV thanks to its sleek design. If you’re upgrading to a smart TV for the first time, the software is a great way to dip your toes in the streaming water."
Get a great deal on the LG C3 (OLED) or the Samsung AU8000 (LCD)
About LG
LG, a prominent TV brand from Korea, has played a significant role in popularizing OLED TVs. OLED technology is hailed as the future of TV technology. Their TVs employ WebOS, a proprietary smart TV software that not only offers seamless functionality but also includes gaming-specific features, earning praise from players worldwide. Often regarded as the gateway to unparalleled viewing experiences, LG's mid-range OLEDs come highly recommended, making them a worthwhile investment for those willing to stretch their budget for superior quality.
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing experience.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
122,730
Recommendations made
18,410
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.